Principal’s Message – Issue Five
Pope Francis’ Prayer to Mary during the Coronavirus Pandemic
O Mary,
you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People,
know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide
so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform to the will of the Father
and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon himself our sufferings
and carried our sorrows
to lead us, through the cross,
to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.
Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger,
O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Amen
I hope you’re all doing well and coping with the ‘unknown’ as we all sail through unchartered waters. It’s a strange feeling at school, being open for business, but only having a handful of students. As I walk around the school grounds, the sound of silence is ‘deafening’. Normally I would hear sounds of laughter and see children playing, but we currently have a ghost town.
With the current work packs being sent out last week, and the left overs hand delivered Wednesday morning, there is no doubt there would be some children (and parents) feeling overwhelmed with the content, and in some cases parents not sure how to teach a concept.
Don’t be concerned or overwhelmed with what has been handed out. The teachers are ‘on call’ via the different platforms and they will answer any queries you may have. If you, or your child is feeling overwhelmed with the quantity, spread it over next week and during the holidays, for it doesn’t matter when the tasks are completed, and if you just can’t cope with the teaching, because of work commitments or whatever, advise your child’s classroom teacher and put the work aside. The mental health of my parents and students is far more important than completing educational tasks. My staff will understand and will support you, to the best of their ability
I would like to remain optimistic that the current situation we’re in will hopefully soon be over and we can all return to living our normal lives of learning, working, laughing and enjoying each other’s company without having to stand 1.5m apart. Keep safe, remain composed, exercise regularly and always remember you’re never alone.
Week 10 (Next Week)
We are currently in Week 9 and as you have been advised, school concludes on Friday 3 April, with students going on Term 1 holidays a week early, as stipulated by our Premier, Mark McGowan. As stated in my previous correspondence, OLA will remain open for ‘supervision only’ during Week 10, for those in essential services and a reminder next Friday 10 April is Good Friday and is a public holiday.
Interim Reports
As advised previously, Term 1 Interim Reports will be emailed to all families in PP-Year 6 during Week 10.
Leave Postponed
Most of you would be aware I was planning to take Professional and Long Service Leave, commencing Term 2, 2020 until the end of the year. If I was writing this newsletter 6 weeks ago I would be saying goodbye, for now, and I will see you all in 2021, however in light of the uncertainty we’re currently experiencing and the remote learning programs being implemented, I have decided to postpone my leave until 2021. As the captain of OLA, and without sounding like a martyr, I will remain at school and continue to support my students, staff and families during these unprecedented times.
As the bible stated, Moses led his people through the desert, uncertain of where they were heading and what they were going to encounter, but they reached the promised land in the end and I am certain the same thing will occur here in the weeks to come. The teaching approach and platforms, currently in place, are relatively new and we’re all learning how to disseminate information to students without overwhelming them. Speaking to some of my colleagues, we’re well setup and more advanced than many other schools, however we need to be prepared for the unknown in Term 2.
2019 School Annuals
On a positive note, the 2019 School Annuals have arrived. We will endeavour to distribute the annuals to all families ASAP, however this may take some time and may not happen until students return in Term 2.
OLA OSHC Vacation Care
Attached for you is the April Vacation Care program.
Nell Gray Uniform Information (COVID-19)
Attached is information from Nell Gray regarding changes to their store during the COVID-19 period.
Project Compassion Boxes
Please read the attached information from Mrs Barclay about your home Project Compassion boxes.
Thank you
Greg Martin
Principal
