Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome to Term 3!

Despite the fact that we have experienced a very different holiday period and once again returned to a different platform of learning, our current circumstances remind us that during these days we are called to think communally, not just personally.  

In particular, I want to pay tribute to our amazing staff who continue to be at the front-line of our new normal. Each of our staff continue to juggle the competing demands of their own family commitments, supporting the home learning of their own children, battling concerns for their own health and the implications that the work they do may have on their family members, all the while keeping at the forefront the continuing learning needs of our students. We continue to be grateful for the support of our parent and parish community.

We acknowledge the challenges faced by students, teachers and parents as all New South Wales families are once again back in the thick of at-home learning this week. I am sharing the following linked article that has been written by experts in distance learning as it provides some very valuable tips on surviving – and thriving – while learning from home. 

https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/living/at-home/home-school-remote-learning-tips.html

The article makes some very useful and important points including;

'Children are not being home schooled,' points out Deakin University education senior lecturer Elizabeth Rouse, who has a special focus on partnerships between parents and teachers. 'They’re actually being schooled by teachers who are working really hard to make the learning as enjoyable and engaging as they can and to support those kids at home to maintain their continuity with school. 

'They are the children’s teachers and parents need to a take a bit of the pressure off themselves, thinking they need to take on yet another role of schooling children while also trying to be a parent and work from home.'

'Teachers want to know the parents have their back,' says Elizabeth. 'They need the parent at home to support their child to be focused and also to recognise if their child’s just not coping today and to have that dialogue with the teacher.'

During these challenging circumstances I cannot stress enough the importance of adhering to the information provided by our health authorities. We continue to require all students who are able to access remote learning from home to do so. All students should have received the remote learning information from their class teacher on Tuesday and please know that support is just a phone call or email away. As always, the school remains open for students who have no other option and need to attend. 

We are very grateful to the parents who have made arrangements to keep their children at home during this extended lockdown period and to those who supported our school planning by responding to the attendance survey this week. Many parents have also supplied employer provided documentation to support their status as essential workers. Parents sending their children to school are requested to send this documentation via email to the Office. Thank you to the parents who have sent messages of thanks and positive feedback to staff. These small acts are appreciated beyond measure.

We continue to keep everyone within our community in our prayers. 

Bless us, Lord, and bless this uncertain term.

Bless who we are and the life we bring to everything we do.

Bless our community and keep us true to one another.

Bless our struggles and our joys. 

Bless our disappointments and our triumphs.

Bless our hopes and bless our fears.

And bless the new paths we are forced to walk. 

We offer all this to you.

Let Christ continue to be Our Way and Life.

Tina Murray

Principal

COVID PARENT RESOURCES FROM LIVE LIFE WELL

Click here for brain breaks and ideas to keep students active while learning from home.  

Going to get a COVID-19 Test, is a booklet designed to help explain the COVID-19 testing procedure children may experience. The testing process may differ depending on symptoms experienced and individual testing clinic procedures. 

You will also find linked COVID-19 information including step-by-step process of the COVID-19 test and what happens after the COVID-19 test.

Having trouble explaining the COVID-19 pandemic to children at your school? Birdie and the Virus is a storybook that has been specifically designed to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young children, their parents and families.