Dear Families,

I hope everyone has had a great week.

This week I watched as our children huffed and puffed and ran the cross-country. I am in absolute awe at the way all our children just went out there and gave it a go. Thank you to Miss Dortmans and all our staff who supported and encouraged the children.

What did come to light as the children ran was the number of children who said they had asthma and didn't have puffers, or children who had asthma and had no puffers. Just a reminder for families that we must have the correct medical information for your children. If you indicate on your child's medical information that they have asthma then they must also have an Asthma Management Plan signed off by a GP. As you would understand we take our duty of care for your children very seriously. Thanks for your cooperation with this.

Anzac Day is our day of national commemoration. We remember the Gallipoli landings in 1915, as well as commemorating all Australians who have served and died in military operations.

Our school was represented by our School Captains, Larry and Halle at the dawn service as they lay a wreath to remember all those who fought and those who did not return home.

For those of you who are unaware the Ode that we recite comes from within the poem below which I thought I would share today. The poem was first published in British newspaper The Times on 21 September 1914.

In 1919, Binyon’s poem was selected to accompany the unveiling of the London Cenotaph and was adopted as a memorial tradition by many Commonwealth nations. The poem was read at the laying of the Inauguration Stone at the Australian War Memorial in 1929.

For the Fallen
By Laurence Binyon, 1914

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation,
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Wishing you all peace and blessings,

Louise

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