From the Principal 

Dear Families,

The children continue to show great resilience during this time, we are very impressed with how they are managing each day.  Please continue to stay in touch with your child's teacher especially if things become a little more challenging.  Together we can support families through remote learning and the continued restrictions. 

This week is Bookweek!  A very exciting time and part of remote learning for all the children this week.  On the day the children return to school, hopefully next Friday 3rd September we will have our Bookweek Parade and special lunch for everyone.  If we do not return then it will be on the day we do.  This might be a great time for children to use their imaginations and creativity to research and create their costume for our return to school.

New Principal, Patrick Green is very excited as the time gets closer to his arrival at Our Lady's next term.  We continue to be in touch and have started a 'remote' hand over.  Who would have thought 18 months ago we would be able to work this way and in most cases continue our work lives 'normally'. 

Last Thursday and again today the staff met for the day to continue the process of preparing for Review.  No school has ever had to do it this way and I must say it is not ideal and a difficult process when we are not face to face BUT we are getting there.  At our staff meeting last night the staff were present (in mind and body, although exhausted) and continued to gather data around the evidence of practice and  effectiveness at Our Lady's in the spheres of Religious Education, Learning and Teaching, Wellbeing, Leadership and Management and Community.  I thank them for their efforts in working with the children all day and then gathering as a staff to continue this process with enthusiasm and professionalism.  Our Review dates are not negotiable even during this time and Reviews in Catholic schools are going ahead not matter what!

You may have noticed in the media last night that the NAPLAN data is about to be delivered to schools for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.  Before we even see our school data it is important to remember that this is good data for schools and student learning but it is only one form of data used at school.  NAPLAN places children in unnatural test conditions especially for the younger children.  All children learn differently and all children respond differently to learning settings, some better than others.  Once we receive the individual reports we will send them home to families in Year 3 and Year 5.  For families in Year 5, pop these in a very safe place as they are likely to be requested as part of the enrolment process for secondary school.  Next term the NAPLAN data will be analysed by school staff and used to inform our teaching practice.  It tells us what we are doing well and areas that need further development.

Last week we had the whole school Lego gathering and next Friday we are going to have a cooking session with Denise.  We will send home information beforehand in regard to the recipe and  ingredients.   Denise is very excited and working on selecting a recipe.

I hope both the children and yourselves are taking the opportunity to enjoy this lovely, spring weather.  Watching the Wattles and Cherry Trees start to blossom is beautiful and my favourite time of the year!   At my home the chooks have started to lay again and I find myself on weekends trying to find things to cook that contain lots of eggs.  Last weekend it was quiche, curried eggs, scrambled eggs, lemon butter and a loaf of bread.  I am not usually a cook but it is very quiet on weekends as we are all once again in lockdown.   Regional Victoria had a short reprieve there for a little while.  I am sure, like me you are doing things you would not normally do and perhaps enjoying it, just as I have been.   Hopefully we will be out of this soon as my clothes seem to be shrinking which leads to a whole other topic about Online Shopping!  

Don't forget to look at the answers for the Guess the Baby staff photos.  How did you go?  

Take care

Therese

Congratulations to Bree and Brie our OSHClub Coordinators who have received "World Class Services" award from a recent parent survey.  Well Done

The answers you are all waiting for - Who is that baby?