Dear Parents,

For most of us, a rainbow is a symbol of hope. Hope after the rain.  Hope for a better outcome. Hope for a better tomorrow. God's idea of hope is greater than ours.  God himself created hope and created the symbol of hope: a beautiful multi coloured rainbow.  Today I would like to share with you this special message of unimagined possibilities.

Congratulations to all our families on completing week one of remote learning. A special thanks to the many parents who are working from home and supporting their children to learn online each day. Thank you also to the parents who are working in essential services and are having their children learn online from school while juggling work commitments and having to leave their home to travel to work.  No matter what our circumstances are, no matter what our story is, these are challenging times and we need to care for, and watch out for each other. This is not the time to judge others or imagine that anyone else is doing this better than you are. You are a star and we thank you!

This term we have many more students working at school.  All teaching staff, members of leadership and Educational Support Staff are rostered on to supervise students onsite. This means on a number of days per week, teachers are doing a great job of  juggling teaching their class remotely as well as supervising students onsite. Google meet is a new addition to remote learning and is being used across the school for Numeracy Intervention, Numeracy Extension, Reading Intervention, small focus groups, Japanese, well being check ins, as well as giving students the opportunity to meet with their teacher during the day for questions or additional support.  Please be patient and understanding with staff as they manage these commitments. Technology will sometimes fail us at school or at home. Some days your child will be less compliant in completing a day's school work remotely, and that's ok. This is much harder for everyone second time around. Your safety, wellbeing and ability to stay connected to each other are what matters most. 

Thank you for your continued generosity in sending a message of gratitude to your child’s teacher, or to other staff members who are working from school each day. I cannot tell you the difference, a word of gratitude makes.  

A few reminders:

• If you have any tech issues please email Cath Knights. For any other wellbeing or educational issues please email me or call the school phone number. 
• For students attending school part time please bring your ‘red bag’ on the days you are attending school.
• The Library is open for borrowing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 9.30-2.30
• Specialist Wednesday - many children are not completing the activities 

• Onsite supervision of students remains available to students in the following categories: 

1. Children who are not able to be supervised at home and no other arrangements can be made (this is only available to parents where both parents can not work from home and are required by their employer to attend a work site)
2. Children with a disability
3. Vulnerable children including-Children in out of home care, children deemed by Child Protection and/or Family Services and children identified by the school as vulnerable.

As the covid numbers and deaths continue to rise in Victoria, I ask for your prayers for all the medical staff facing the virus head on each day, for the families who have loved ones in hospitals or nursing homes, for families who are suffering a decline in mental health, for those who have lost jobs, for the children who cannot attend school, for the sick and lonely.

Now and then we need to be inspired! This is a beautiful ecumenical blessing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOt7baaVSbE

Catherine

PRAYER IN TIMES OF EPIDEMIC (Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana Apostolic Nuncio from the Vatican in Australia.)

Jesus, our Good Shepherd and Divine Physician, hear our pleas. We implore your mercy in the wake of an outbreak of serious illness and disease. Guide our efforts to prevent contagion and make preparations to care for those most vulnerable. 

Assist all professionals and volunteers who work to eradicate the epidemic now spreading. May our actions be marked by your steadfast love and selfless service and never by panic or fear. 

Bestow your comfort and healing to the sick, sustain and strengthen them by your grace. May they know your closeness as they carry the cross of illness. And may all you have called from this life come to worship you eternally with all the saints as you grant consolation and peace to their mourners. Amen. 

Holy Mary, Health of the Sick, pray for us. 

St. Joseph, Hope of the Sick, pray for us. 

St. Rocco, protector against epidemics, pray for us.