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Dear parents and carers,
This week we have be responding to the ever-changing challenges that the covid-19 pandemic is throwing at our community. We continue to be in regular contact with Catholic Education to keep abreast of the steps we will be taking moving forward.
Catholic Education has also been assisting with the fact sheets and information sheets that I have been forwarding on to you.
At times there have been rapidly changing sets of information, and to this end, I have provided to you the most recent sets of information available to me.
In amongst the challenges of the week, we have found that our regular routines have continued. One question that has come up is why are the chooks laying eggs of different sizes in recent days?
I hope that the regular emails have kept you as up to date as possible in terms of the plans that we have been putting in place for the children to continue on their learning journeys.
All children should now have seen/heard about how learning will look over the last few weeks of this term.
Please be aware that we are also keeping records that will enable us to be aware of how well the children are engaging with their work packs and we will be providing feedback to children as they submit items either online or via hard copy.
For those families who are using the hard copy option, the next work pack will be available from the office from Tuesday after lunch.
At this point in time, I cannot clearly say what Term Two will look like. Once there is information available this will be forwarded on to you as quickly as possible.
If you are aware of any families that are not receiving emails or information updates, please let us know at school so that we have accurate contact details.
In the coming days, further work will be done in preparation for making use of Zoom meetings to assist with keeping some regular contact for all members of our community. We will let you know once we have more processes in place around this.
There is a huge amount of information circulating containing useful tips about learning from home. Sometimes it is difficult to know which information is most accurate and relevant. The link below comes from Education NSW and contains some excellent tips on how working with your children at home might look.
I hope that you find this information useful.
Please be aware that working at home may look quite different to an “average” school day. We encourage you to make use of various activities that don’t need a screen/device such as writing, reading and physical activity. We encourage the children to continue with their regular daily PE sessions as a break from bookwork. Already we are hearing of alternative PE sessions such as family yoga! We also encourage that recess and lunch breaks be a regular part of the day.
Parent Teacher interviews – our parent teacher interviews have gone ahead this week via telephone. Although this leant a slightly different feel to the conversation, it is always a great opportunity to speak with you about your child’s progress.
If you were not available to take your scheduled call, please make contact with your child’s teacher to enable the conversation to take place.
NAPLAN update – as you will be aware, ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) have made the decision to cancel this year’s NAPLAN program.
Should further information be sent out about this, we will forward it on to you.
Cross Country – Given that there has been significant change this week, our school cross-country is postponed. Again, if circumstances allow later in the year, we will look to hold this event as originally planned.
Please also be aware that all sporting events planned for term two, including the Athletics Carnival are postponed until further advice is received from Catholic Education.
As with many other things, our Easter egg raffle is postponed, I hope that it will return later in Term Two in a slightly different shape.
Library – as mentioned in yesterday’s email to parents, children have been borrowing extra library books this week to supplement your home libraries.
For those families wishing to borrow further books, please let us know at school and we will make a selection and leave these at the front office for collection by you.
Data - I am not advocating for any communications carrier, the information below has been brought to my attention:
Both Telstra and Optus have put out information about the availability of additional data allowances for the month of April.
Further information can be found on their respective websites as follows:
TELSTRA
OPTUS
https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/coronavirus-support#get-in-touch
Thank you for your continuing patience and best wishes during these most unusual of times.
Take care and stay safe,
The Other Side of the Virus,
An Opportunity to Awaken...
Yes, there is panic buying.
Yes, there is sickness.
Yes, there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
so that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary.
All over the world, people are slowing down and reflecting.
All over the world, people are looking at their neighbours in a new way.
All over the world, people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes, there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes, there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes, there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes, there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes, there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic-
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
- Written by Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM, March 13th 2020
Retrieved from https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index
Many Blessings,
Unfortunately, due to the rapid changes resulting from the coronavirus/covid19, all school sporting events have be postponed indefinitely.
If these events are rescheduled later in the year, we will update you as details come to hand.
Recently, the Year Five and Six students have been exploring many topics and concepts across the learning areas. The students also enjoyed perusing a wide selection of books at our Book Fair event. The school also bought a number of these books, which will be available to borrow from our library.
This term, in Creative Arts, the students have been exploring colour and its use in many artworks. They are learning to appreciate that colour can change the mood of an artwork. The students have explored the artworks of Piet Mondrian, Paul Klee and Edvard Munch so far, and explored how each of these artists used colour in their artwork. They will also reflect on each artists’ work and consider how they can use colour in their artworks by exploring how it is used to create moods and designs.
