Dear Families,

I hope everyone is settling back into full remote learning this week. We know, following a two week break and everything our community has had to go through, getting back into remote learning may be a bit of a challenge. Students are still trying to navigate devices, seesaw, Teams, Google Classroom etc. We will probably all become a little frustrated with devices and platforms at times as we try to balance school work with your own work requirements. Believe me, we know, we are all doing it here too. It will not be perfect, probably far from it, but learning will happen.

With the ACT lockdown today being extended to the end of the term, I wanted to share with you something that crossed my desk last week… written by a fellow Principal in the Blacktown LGA, after hearing news that the NSW lockdown had been extended. It is thought-provoking and does put things into perspective.

You might be inclined to create a minute-by-minute schedule for your kids. You have high hopes of hours of learning, including online activities, science experiments, and book reports. You’ll limit technology until everything is done! But here’s the thing….

Our kids are just as scared as we are right now. Our kids not only hear everything that is going on around them, but they feel our constant tension and anxiety. Some children have never experienced anything like this before. Although the idea of being off school for weeks sounds awesome, they are probably picturing a fun time like summer break, not the reality of being trapped at home and not seeing their friends.

What kids need right now is to feel comforted and loved. To feel like it’s all going to be ok. And that might mean that you tear up your perfect schedule and love on your kids a bit more. Play outside and go on walks. Bake cookies and paint pictures. Play board games and watch movies. Do a science experiment together or find virtual field trips at the zoo. Start a book and read together as a family. Snuggle under warm blankets and do nothing.

Don’t worry about them regressing in school. Every single kid is in this boat and they all will be ok. When we are back in the classroom, we will of course correct and meet them where they are. Teachers are experts at this! Don’t pick fights with your kids because they don’t want to do Maths. Don’t scream at your kids for not following the schedule. Don’t mandate 2 hours of learning time if they are resisting it.

If I can leave you with one thing, it is this: at the end of all this, your kids' mental health will be more important than their academic skills. And how they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of what they did during those weeks is long gone. So keep that in mind, every single day.

Student Attendance
Just a reminder that due to the current lockdown in the territory we are strongly encouraging all students to stay off site and work from home. As a school, we have asked staff (if they are able) to work remotely. As a result, only a small number of staff will be on site each day during the lockdown period to support our students and to prioritise the health and safety of our students and staff. We are grateful to our staff for their flexibility and dedication to student learning and wellbeing during these most challenging of circumstances.

Information for parents regarding payment of Term 3 Fees.
Catholic Education will again support families who have been financially impacted as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Term 3. The position of Catholic Education is that no child will be denied a Catholic education because of financial circumstances.

Where your family is experiencing financial stress due to job loss, being stood down, reduction in work hours, business downturn or closure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, full or partial fee relief is available for Term 3. To apply for fee relief, you are asked to indicate the level of assistance you feel you need at this time by completing a one-page fee assistance form (COVID-19 Fee Assistance Request Form) attached. Your level of fee support will be confirmed as soon as possible.

Families whose employment situation has not been affected by COVID-19 can support the school by continuing to pay school fees as they fall due. This will support our school to continue providing quality learning in a connected community that nurtures and cares for each other.

Reconciliation
This week, Year 4 students were due to make their first reconciliation. We know students and parents were working well to prepare students for this Sacrament and it is disappointing to all for this not to be able to happen this week. While we are not able to provide a new date at this stage, once things begin to settle down we will let families know. Our community continues to keep our Reconciliation candidates in our prayers throughout this time.

Musical
We know that Mrs Wicks and a lot of students have already put a great deal of effort into preparing for this year’s musical. We would still love to be able to give students an opportunity to be part of this and plan to hold the musical in Term 4. We hope that Canberran’s willingness to support the lockdown and stay indoors will mean that by the time Term 4 comes around, we will be free of COVID and be able to have parents back on site. Please know, we will do everything possible to ensure that the school musical can go ahead.

Graduations
I know this is still a little while away, but planning has already commenced. Once again this will be a toned-down COVID-safe event but we are committed to giving students some kind of celebratory send off to highschool. As a parent of twins in Year 12, I know how upsetting it is to not only have your child’s learning disrupted, but to have the added disappointment of their graduation celebrations being modified or worry that they may even be cancelled. Again we will do everything possible to allow these graduation celebrations to go ahead.

Finally, I would like to wish all of the fathers, grandfathers and father figures a very happy Fathers’ Day. Our usual Donuts for Dads was looking really good less than a month ago and we were looking forward to holding this outdoor event for our community. Even though we cannot thank you in this way for all that you give for your children and our community, we want to express our gratitude and hope you have a wonderful Fathers’ Day.

Take care and God bless

 
Leah Taylor
Principal

The experience of lockdown is quite varied, and each family faces their own unique challenges as the demands of lockdown emerge. New challenges and new stresses impact how we perceive the needs of our children (and of ourselves as parents). What does my child really need from me? Is it OK if I feel like we’re just surviving and not really thriving? How will I know if I’m starting to ‘lose it’ (and how can I get it back again?). 

Parent and child wellbeing is foundational to surviving or thriving through a lockdown, and foundational to other valuable outcomes – including educational outcomes, family relationships, and a sense of hope for the future. Whilst there is no one neat answer to the question of wellbeing, there certainly are needs that can be interpreted from behaviour, approaches of managing an environment that are known to be effective, and aspects of self-care that make a significant difference. 

The therapeutic process of sharing our thoughts and concerns means that, instead of our thoughts circling in a loop inside our own head, our thoughts benefit from the light of day and can be engaged by others who can create a safe space and a fresh perspective. My role is exactly that – to generate a safe environment to explore concerns, explore an alternative focus, and help change the course of thoughts and actions into the future. This reflective practice forms a different kind of loop, one that helps parents out of stuck spaces and into greater wellbeing for their children and themselves. 

My experience has included the home education of my own kids (all grown up now), helping hundreds of parents interpret their child’s needs by considering the child’s behaviour, and generating environments of reflective practice that make a difference to daily living. 

I am offering online sessions for groups of up to four parents – to discuss the challenges of lockdown, explore the needs of your situation, and encourage new ways of being or engaging with others at home. I will respond to requests for support on a needs basis and as time permits. This invitation is initially set for the period of Friday 3^rd September to Thursday 16^th September, and will then be re-visited as a possible continuing support option for St Thomas parents during lockdown. Sessions will be offered at various times throughout the work week, with the hope that parents can also be supportive of one another in the group space and learn through each other’s experiences.

To book in for a session, please email me at al.robinson@marymead.org.au

Your email must include:

• Your name and the names of your children that attend at St Thomas;
• Your contact details
• The basic nature of the focus you would like to have in the session (such as rising conflicts in family relationships, school work refusal, boredom, anxiety);
• An indication of your availability (such as “Mon-Thu up until 12:00 noon, or Tue/Wed afternoon after 2:00pm”)

Kind regards

Al Robinson
School Counsellor
St Thomas Aquinas Primary School

Community News is located on our website.

AUGUST 2021
Congratulations to the following students who will be celebrating their birthday this month:

Marlie H;  Erin H;  Samuel B;  Atticus W;  Mason M;  Oscar C;  Joshua L-B;  Ari U;  Frederick N;  Skylar F;  Matilda P;  Blayde O;  Liam B;  Zoey M;  Sophia H;  Eleni M;  Tyler E;  Lachlan B;  Summer P;  Tyler F;  Michael P;  Vrishab G;  Adeline B; Peyton H