Dear Parents
As we return to a new term, we find ourselves amidst rapid changes and shifting goalposts! The change of leadership in our state government and the rewriting of the roadmap has caught many of us by surprise. The early return to school I am sure is a welcome relief to many of our families but also raises anxieties around the safety of all those in our school community. At this time, we need to put our faith and trust behind our medical and scientific leaders, and I guess our political leaders too!
The information provided to schools for the gradual return of students comes at short notice, often via the media before schools have been informed. Therefore, we are having to review and adjust our procedures constantly. Despite this, we are all excited about returning to face-to-face teaching. As of yesterday, the return to school timeline is:
While we will continue to provide supervision for students who need to be at school. I ask that only students who need to be at school are sent during this transition time. Home-based learning will be provided to students until the time that they are due to return to school. Once students have returned, teachers will be teaching face-to-face, not through home-based learning. If you plan to keep your child/ren home beyond the return to school dates, please contact the school office so that other options can be explored.
The return to school may be a challenging period for our students, parents and teachers. The focus for the school will be on the wellbeing, learning and safety of our students (and teachers). CSBB shared their own roadmap this morning using three R’s; Restoring Spirit, Rebuilding Relationships and Reconnecting with Learning. All three things are as important as each other during this time.
The HBL+ provided by CSBB will support our students through the extra provision of teachers and counsellors where needed. The focus for our staff will be to ensure a positive learning environment where the children’s social/emotional and learning needs will be catered for in a safe environment.
Details for the safe return to school will be shared next week as final details are prepared. I will provide further details on mask wearing, ventilation, social distancing, visitors, personal and school hygiene and what services will be operating after 25 October.
One vital factor in a safe return will be the vigilance of parents in monitoring the health of their own children. If your child shows the slightest signs of not being well, do not send them to school but have them tested. Any child demonstrating signs of illness will be sent home. Your cooperation with this is paramount.
Congratulations to the Xu family (Year 1) on the safe arrival of a baby boy and to the Arteaga Diaz family (Kinder) on the safe arrival of a beautiful baby girl.
It is not too late to join tonight’s Trivia night. It is free and starts at 6.30pm. Use this link to register for what promises to be another fantastic and fun evening!
The season of Spring is one of excitement as we come out of a cold and dull Winter. Later in Spring we also move into the liturgical Season of Advent, a time in which we live in hope for what the future brings. Let’s pray as a school community that we return to a brighter and more optimistic future to what we hope is a normal life once again.
God bless,
Michael Gallagher
Principal
