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Dear Parents,
WHAT a year 2020 has been! Congratulations on making it so successfully to the end of (what feels like) the longest term in history!
As we come to the end of the term, I look back at the events that were planned for Semester 1 of 2020, including Sacramental programs, Mothers Day celebrations, preparation for the Fete, school photos, NAPLAN, Grandparents day and so many more. Many have been cancelled or postponed, as we are still learning to adjust to new ways of being together, new ways of learning and new ways of staying safe. Students, parents and staff should be immensely proud of how we have all worked together in achieving successful outcomes for our school community during Covid-19. In the space of a few short weeks, we moved to remote learning, we improved our tech skills so that staff could teach online and parents could access platforms for learning and support their children. We provided devices for many families who were working from home, parents juggled work commitments and supported their child’s learning each day while trying to keep them motivated to learn. We returned to classrooms and adjusted to new hygiene and safety routines, adopted staggered lunch times, devised new ways to socially isolate through creative drive through systems, we cared for each other as well as staying safe and connected. I have never felt more proud of the parents, students and staff for all they have achieved.
At our recent school closure day, and again at a staff meeting last week, I highlighted to staff the importance of capturing the experience of remote learning as a way of processing the experience. Part of honouring what people have been through is to allow them to give voice to it, to capture it, so it is not lost as a crisis response. There was a wonderful buzz amongst staff as they shared their successes and discussed new opportunities to carry forward into next term.
I have attached a parent survey to this Newsletter to ensure the voices of our parent community do not go unheard. I would really appreciate your feedback and response. The survey is open until Friday 26th June.
This weekend, there have been further spikes in the Coronavirus after it was revealed students in four Melbourne schools were forced to attend classes remotely after being exposed to the virus. This a timely reminder to all of us that we need to continue to follow social distancing and hygiene protocols as we move into the holiday period.
A Local Everyday Hero
Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Two weeks ago Ronan decided he wanted to do something active and a little bit Epic.
He decided to run 1km each hour (on the hour) from 7am-7pm. 12 kilometres in 12 hours, on Saturday 6th June. He decided to do this with his cousin (former St. Paul's student) Liam Laidlaw.
As Ronan has been an active student on the Social Justice Committee, he decided he wanted to make a difference. He chose the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and turned the run into a fundraiser. Ronan set a fundraising target of $500. We were all very excited to see the donations come rolling in and were most surprised when he actually reached $500. By the end, he had raised a total of $946.00!
It felt like the toughest thing in the world to achieve when I started the run. I thought that there was no way that I could finish the run. When we got back at each lap, there was lots of food and drink waiting for us. I did the run with my cousin Liam and some of my friends, Tom, Mo, Mich and Michell. They all ran with me. It was quite hard during the end and it felt so good to run across the finish line. We raised $963! That's almost $1000!
By Ronan Raulings Yr 6
Reports
Reports will be emailed home on Thursday 25 June to all families. Please contact the office if you have not received your child’s Report by Friday morning.
Parent teacher interviews will be conducted next Term in Week 7.
End of Term
A reminder that the school Term will conclude at 2.30 this Friday. The first groups to be dismissed will be the bike riders and the Higgins St Walkers at 2.15 with Preps and Riddle St walkers leaving at 2.25 onwards.
Term 3 commences on Monday 13 July.
Please take care these holidays as we look forward to returning safely for a wonderful Term ahead.
Best Wishes,
Catherine
Congratulations to Rebecca and Ernest Balint on the safe arrival of their beautiful daughter Sienna Antonia on the 17th June, weighing 3.73kgs. A much loved sister for Eva 1M and Joshua. All doing well and all very happy
