Principal's Report

Welcome to Term 3! I trust that you have all enjoyed a well-deserved break and that you have settled back into school routines. 

I went to Toronto, Canada, where I am originally from and had a wonderful visit with my family, whom I had not seen in 4 years. Although it was summer in Canada and the children were on summer holidays, I managed to go to a few schools in my local area that were open and running a school holiday program. It was great to chat with some students about their school year and talk to them about school life in Australia. I noticed that although there are some differences in our school systems, kids are kids in the end! The children spoke to me about friendships, teachers and how they loved to learn new things, especially when presented to them in a fun and engaging way. I chatted to teachers about the impact of school lockdowns. There was a common theme that children, families and teachers were thrilled to be back at school, but there was an increased level of anxiety that needed careful attention on the part of the whole school community. I shared how important it was for our school community to reestablish connections and build a new sense of trust and belonging. I expressed how proud I am of our school community for supporting each other as we navigated the lockdowns and how we have continued to work together to create a positive learning environment for our students moving forward. 

And I found it amusing when some students asked me if we have kangaroos hopping around our school grounds! But, of course, I said they would have to come to Australia to find out!

I hope you, too, could connect with family and friends over the holidays. Many of you may have taken the opportunity to travel, as well. From my experience, it was gratifying, but a lot of patience was needed to navigate travelling during this time. Hopefully, this will ease with time. 

We have a very exciting term ahead, filled with many activities and learning opportunities. Your classroom teacher is always here to support you and your child with their learning and well-being. Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher if you have any questions or would like to chat about your child. Likewise, Carly Epskamp and I are always available to talk with you about your child's learning and well-being journey at DPS. 

I wish everyone a fabulous term ahead!