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Dear Parents and Carers,
As I am sure you are thinking as well, I certainly did not expect us to be in this position in Week 9 of Term 1. It has been an incredible couple of weeks as we watch the COVID-19 situation unfold around the world and across our own community.
As we become more used to what our world will look like for the foreseeable future, I can’t help but think about what we are going to learn from what we are experiencing. As we all navigate this new way of life maybe we need to look at this as a time to take stock, identify what we are truly grateful for - even perhaps change our understanding of what gratitude really means, and recognise what talents we uncover that we perhaps didn’t know we had.
I am most conscious that this is a period of time where parents are feeling stressed and, in turn, children are as well. I want to give a clear message that the school does not expect you to pick up learning as it would be in the classroom environment. That is not reasonable and it is not practical. It is most important that you take the next week or so to be with your children in what will be the new normal for your family.
Many of us, as adults, are feeling disoriented, unsure, anxious or totally unfamiliar in this ‘new normal’. Our children are the most important people to us and to the future of our community and our country. The way they experience this pandemic will be the way that they learn to view the world as it comes to them in the future. So what is the answer? How will we know that we are doing the right thing? To put it simply, we won’t.
What we can do is control the way we are - our words, our presence, our warmth and wisdom. As parents and carers you have a profound capacity to bring comfort to the world of your children. They need the same things we all do at this time, radical tenderness, play, sleep, exercise, to be held close and loved.
Please remember that if schedules or routines fall away in favour of this, that's okay. If screen time gets a little longer and bedtimes get a little later, that's okay too. These are such extreme circumstances, and there is no formula for how to move through this. We do what we need to do, and if playing, and telling stories, and watching movies together takes the place of schedules and routines, and if that's what makes them (and you) feel more secure through this, then do that.
This period of time has no end point - you will know when your child is ready to take on learning at home. You will know how much time to give to certain areas and how much they are able to cope with. Trust yourselves and go with your heart - the head will follow.
As a school we are here to support you along the way. Your children are our greatest priority in our work. We will continue to be committed to their education but we, too, are operating out of a very different space. The school has a plan in place that is ever evolving given the pace at which announcements are made and have to be accommodated. Our plan is comprehensive and ongoing - you have just seen the beginning of it. Our aim is to be slow and steady because we know that our profession is not one that can be easily handed over to you.
We will make mistakes - and that’s okay. We will get frustrated - and that’s okay. We will learn to be vulnerable - and that’s okay. We will come to know more about ourselves, our children, their teachers - and that’s okay. We will come to know the importance of our faith and of prayer - and that is really okay. We will come out the other side - and that will be rewarding.
I purposefully have only put a couple of things into this newsletter. It’s here for your support, your reference and some time to check into your ‘normal’.
I will continue to look forward to communicating with you this way. It will be different - and that’s okay.
I pray that Jesus remains by your side and that your child is inspired by the strength that you are able to give and remember - we’re all in this together.
Go safely, go gently and above journey with Jesus,
Toni Sillis
Principal
School Update
All CEDoW schools are currently open and operational
- At this stage (25 March 2020), there has been no direction from the government or Catholic Schools NSW to close any schools, except in response to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis in a student or staff member.
- We have not had any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any of our schools (including staff and students).
- If the situation changes, we will update CEDoW school communities as soon as new information becomes available
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
CHANGES TO DROP OFF & PICK UP OF STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOL
In order to keep the school as safe and as hygienic as possible during this time parents are not to enter the school grounds. The following options are for drop off:
BEFORE SCHOOL:
- Students only may enter through the McGrath St gate from 8:20am
- Students only may enter through the Cabbage Tree Lane gate from 8:20am
- Students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 may enter via the gate directly opposite the Church doors from 8:20am. A staff member will be there to greet the children
- Car line drop off operates as usual
DISMISSAL
- Students will be supervised if walking home and or catching buses as usual
- Parent pick up will be from the Cabbage Tree Lane gate - parents are not to enter
- OOSH pick up will operate as usual
- Car line pick up operates as usual
Thank you for your support as we continue to implement these measures of safety and hygiene for students and staff still on site.
These measures are effective from today, Thursday 26 March 2020.
The eSafety Commissioner has put together a COVID-19: online safety kit for parents and carers. This is recommended reading as we start to move to online learning. Parents are encouraged to think about how you will manage the online time of your children. Click here to go to the eSafety site.
Home Learning with CENet Details
Each student from Year 1 to Year 6 received their CENet details which is the card that has the student’s name, their Username, their email address and their password. Students may need these to log in to certain educational websites that your child’s class teacher has planned for them to use. These CENet details are like your child’s online school uniform.
It may be important for parents to discuss with students that these CENet details are monitored and that they are still expected to use and apply what they have learnt during lessons about digital citizenship this term. Students are still bound by the Diocesan Social Media Policy and the Acceptable Use Agreement that they and parents signed. If inappropriate behaviour using ‘@dowstu’ email accounts is reported to the school while home learning is happening, the usual follow up from school will need to be implemented. Home learning is new to all of us and it is important that students view this learning as if they were at school.
YouTube clips need to be viewed with or under the guidance of an adult. These clips can have inappropriate comments and inappropriate content may pop-up on something that looks completely innocent. With learning needing to go online at the moment it is more important than ever that the trusted adults in your child’s life remain vigilant and know where and who your child is interacting with.
To assist parents there are also links to appropriate websites on the library homepage. ‘Clickview’ is one such app / website which requires login with CENet details. It needs to be advised that parents still need to be aware of what is being viewed on Clickview independently from teacher direction and guidance as this is a mixed platform for high school as well as primary students. Some content may not be appropriate. Mrs Cook is working her way through the app and adding appropriate links to the GSFM library. Most teachers will copy the link though and add it to SeeSaw, so students will be taken directly to the appropriate learning resource
Please ensure that all your family details - telephone numbers, email addresses - are updated on Compass.
It is most important that we have the correct information at this time to be able to contact you.
The Value for this week is:
Gratitude
We can show gratitude by:
- Being thankful for the little things in life
- Showing gratitude for Creation
Unfortunately the 2020 Easter Raffle has been cancelled.
But we look to an exciting raffle when we come back together at Good Samaritan.
Friday 10 April:
- Good Friday --Last day of Term 1
Saturday 11 April:
- Easter Saturday
Sunday 12 April:
- Easter Sunday
Monday 13 April:
- Easter Monday
Monday 27 April:
- Pupil Free Day (Staff Development Day)
Friday 4 September:
- Father's Day Breakfast BBQ and Prayer
Friday 6 November:
- Grandparent's & Great Friends Day Liturgy & Open Day
UOW Learning Labs – cancelled
In light of the recent global health situation and the presence of COVID-19 in Australia, the University of Wollongong has reviewed its delivery of Learning Labs for 2020.
To ensure the health and wellbeing of our participants, we have made the decision to cancel both the upcoming April and July Learning Labs programs. An email has been sent to April attendees, which includes instructions on refunds.
The next Learning Labs is scheduled to take place in the October holidays (campuses TBC). We will be in touch to advise whether this is going ahead over the next coming months.
The University of Wollongong will be in contact next week with further updates.
Thanks so much for your understanding.
Kind Regards,
Sarah Smith
Learning Labs Team
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students) | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) | 19.1028
University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
T +61 2 4221 5557