Mrs Ryan's Fortnightly Reflections

This week we reach the halfway mark of the school term. Term one is always short, fast and filled with many firsts, resets and refinements. The staff, our learners and families begin to fatigue within the school routine about now and our school environment becomes a constant reality that we are back into the school routine, expectations and demands. I do thank you all for your support of all things St Mary’s and truly working in partnership with our staff to ensure we are striving to provide high quality teaching and learning environments. 

This week I have had a number of informal chats with our Foundation parents who may be experiencing some unusual behaviours with their Foundation child at home and on the way to school. It is highly common and typical from around midterm that our Foundation learners become weary, tired and overwhelmed by the reality that school is something we attend everyday for long periods of time. Please know that our Foundation team is aware of this also, and are ensuring additional patience and TLC is at the forefront of our practices. If our families continue to chat about the positives from a school day and ensure good bedtime routines, this time will pass soon enough. 

It is also an opportunity in the term to revisit some agreed practices of our parent community which the school puts in place to ensure the safety of our children. A few recurring items that I would like to address this fortnight is pick up and drop off. The use of the front block as a car park and thorough fair and bringing dogs into the school yard. 

St Mary’s is built in a highly congested area, with predicted growth to continue. We constantly reflect and evaluate drop off and pick up, inclusive of bell times, gates opening and closing. We consult regularly with the council, the Victorian Police, Vic Roads and Catholic Education to be seeking long term solutions for what I know has been a problem for over a decade. While this consultation continues can I please ask the adults and parents doing pick up and drop off to prioritise the safety of all. St Mary’s has three key drop off and pick up areas. The side gate on Bridlington Avenue, car pick up and drop off that flows collectively with the buses and the top gate on Wilkinson Drive. 

If you use the Bridlington Avenue side gate, the gate opens at 8:30am and 3:00pm daily. Please try to drop your child off as close to drop off time as possible to ensure they are safe and supervised. Please use the signed and supported crossing to walk over the road, modelling safe road use for the children. 

If you use car pick up and drop off, it is an area that allows quick drop off and collection, striving for continuous movement. This drop off is for parents who do not need to get out of cars to support their children with bags and farewells. This is not a parking spot, and should take less than two minutes to move through. If your child enjoys the support of walking to the classroom, or big hugs to get through the day, please park your car and walk through one of the opened gates. At afternoon pick up, please ensure your child is aware of where they need to be in the school to ensure quick and accurate pick up. St Mary’s will be releasing car pick up expectations and tips in the coming weeks. We also hope to put signage in place to support the flow in this area. 

I recognise that pick up and drop off times continue to challenge us all as a community and I am in constant discussion and collaboration of how this can be improved. I appreciate your patience, support and cooperation while we strive to continually improve.  

In recent times we are seeing many more dogs in our school yard. Thank you to those families who have had their dogs on leads. We do ask moving forward that families completing pick up with their pets, that their dogs are definitely on a leash and that a meeting spot outside a gate is organised with your child. The playground is not a safe place for dogs. Some children have allergies, are afraid of dogs and we need to ensure they feel safe and comfortable. 

The front block on Bridlington Avenue is owned by St Mary’s Echuca and is expected to be developed as part of our master plan in the near future. At the moment families are using it as a temporary car park and thoroughfare. While I understand the use of this area it has been reported to school by several entities the speed, and driving over footpaths by many of our parents which has caused concern and complaint. We have been contacted by VicRoads and the Campaspe council who have tabled that cars may be fined by unmarked vehicles if seen to be driving over the footpath. Please know that there is no driveway construction off any part of the block and driving over a footpath is illegal. We are observing reckless and fast driving in this area where families are walking to school. Please ensure you are being as safe as possible and watching for all members of our community, particularly our children when completing drop off and pick up. I will meet with CES next week in regard to this area specifically and I will share with you ongoing plans and developments as they unfold. 

Thank you to 80% of our families who attended our Learning Conversations in our Brigidine Centre last Thursday. It was an invaluable opportunity for our parents to better get to know your family and your child. The information sharing that occurs during these conversations lays great foundations for a successful year ahead. The children were exceptional in their multi age communities, learning about their colour house Saints and the charism of our school. The learning and leadership of our senior learners with their peers was impressive, kind and caring. As a staff we will continue to reflect on what worked during that event and what can be improved upon. Again, thank you to those who attended. 

Take care & God Bless, 

Jasmine Ryan 

Principal