From the Principal
Happy St Kevin's Feast Day!
This year we were unable to join together with St Kevin's Hampton Park to celebrate our parish feast day. However we reached out to connect with this special message from our students and staff.
Check out the video here... we hope this makes you smile
Patience and stillness leads to discovery......
What JOY awaits? ....... GIFTS ???
The original St Kevin is a somewhat mysterious figure. St Kevin lived in the sixth century as a hermit for seven years in a cave in a place called Glendalough, in Wicklow, Ireland. It is a beautiful place on two lovely lakes. One of my favorite places to visit when in Ireland, as there is something about Glendalough that draws me back. St Kevin was a hermit but there was something about Kevin’s personality that attracted people and created community. Before long, his cave became the hub of a monastery.
Many of the stories about St Kevin suggest that he had a deep relationship with the natural world. In the writings of his life, it is said that all of creation would sing to him. Kevin is known for his intimacy with nature and animals.
Another is the celebrated tale of St Kevin and the blackbird. One day, Kevin was praying with his arms outstretched in his cell in the monastery. As he was praying, a blackbird came and nestled in his hand. Then the blackbird started to build a nest. When the nest was complete, the blackbird laid an egg. It seems that Kevin was a man who, when talking with the Lord, was not easily distracted. Once Kevin realised that the nest and egg were in his hand, he decided not to move until the egg had hatched and the fledgling had flown away. He didn’t want to risk breaking the egg.
One of the great things about legends is that simple stories are never that simple. This one works on several levels. A good deal of Celtic spirituality is about finding love in hard places. So here we have St Kevin undertaking something which is both painful and difficult. But the real focus of the story is a small chick, a fragile creature for which the saint feels great tenderness.
Stillness and prayer is powerful and when we take this time we can be gifted with a discovery, an insight about life. In some ways this has been the case for many of us during our COVID-19 isolation experience. We have been forced to stop and be still. The skies have turned blue, seals are seen in once dirty channels and we have reconnected with family and discovered the wonders of nature and the simple things in life. We may have found peace in the slower pace and tranquility.
Any Christian community needs to stand with its arms wide open, accepting with reverence whatever God brings its way, holding firm to protect its vulnerable members. As a school community we have had to be vulnerable, open and transparent during this remote learning time.
How many times in our lives do we reach out our hands for a particular purpose, and something else arrives? It is something that may cause discomfort, something we may want to pull away from, but in our wiser moments we know that this is a holy gift we are invited to receive. I know many of you might have wanted to hide rather than face a Google Classroom but look what has blossomed before you as you sat with your child during this time and as we reached out to one another.
As part of St Kevin's Parish Community and St Francis de Sales School community we hold our young children in our care, guiding them and teaching so that they can flourish and develop as independent thinkers and people who are filled with light to go out to the world to make a difference. This is not always an easy task! With patience and care new possibilites emerge. Cracks/paths open up and gifts are revealed.
This is the gift we are invited to nurture and receive as parents and teachers it requires openness and patience like St Kevin shows us in this legend to see what will be revealed.
There has been many positives of slowing down and being still. The challenge is to hold onto what we have discovered as we move out of isolation.
Let us not go back but go forward open and renewed to something better.
A new era... a new world.....a new and better school....a new and better me. I arise today....
Welcome back SENIORS!! We have MISSED You!!
We are so excited!! We are looking forward to welcoming all our seniors back on Tuesday 9th June. We cannot wait to see you and all be back together once again!!
To get ready please check over some of the following rules that will keep us all safe and well.
Remember to pack your drink bottle and bring an art smock.
Looking forward to seeing you all in your winter uniform.
Parents using the drop off and Pick up zone are reminded to remain in their car.
Health and Safety Reminders for Returning to School
Over the past two weeks our junior students and parents need to be CONGRATULATED for the excellent way they have embraced our safety guidelines to ensure a safe return to School for everyone in our community.
Next week we double our school population with the return of our seniors so it is really important that everyone continues this great start and follows the new processes for the safety of our students, staff and parents.
Attendance onsite
All unwell staff and students must stay home.
Students are NOT to attend school if they are unwell.
Parents will not be able to enter the school learning spaces at this time.
School arrival and departure
Please note doors do not open before 8:25am.
Please use Before Care.
Staggered drop off and pick up as follows:
Arrival times:
- 8:25 am - A – K surnames.
- 8:40 am – L - Z surnames
Departure Times:
- 3:10 pm – A - K Surnames
- 3:25 pm – L - Z Surnames.
Parents to enter the school grounds only when essential to do so. Please keep your time on the grounds as brief as possible. If parents enter the school grounds to walk their child into school, please remember the following:
Enter via the gate by the community centre/playground with the red sail cloth.
Exit the grounds via the gate opposite LS3/ the playground with the blue sail cloth.
- The adventure playground will NOT be available before or after school.
- Parents please observe physical distancing measures by not congregating in areas around the school.
- Do not enter the learning space.
- Wait at least 3m away from any doorway at all times. (Behind the witches hats)
- Go to the doorway beside your child's home group. For LS2 parents you will need to walk around to the basketball entrance for Elizabetta and the oval side for Rosie or Ivonne.
We are encouraging parents to use the drive through before/after school as it enables social distancing and ease of drop off and pick up of your child.
Please remain in your car at ALL times.
The teacher on duty will help young children if required.
Please DO NOT arrive before 8:25 am or 3:10pm into the Drop off or Pick up Zone. Please do not block the drive through or the roundabout so that traffic can flow.
Parents to enter the administration building only when essential to do so.
- Please contact the school by phone or email to minimise the need to enter the administration building.
- Please wait at the designated spots in the administration building to maintain social distancing. Only two adults permitted to wait inside for reception.
- Minimise cash transactions by using the eftpos or direct transfer to pay fees.
- Place correspondence or cash in envelopes in the in tray for processing.
- Non-contact greetings will be encouraged.
- Toilets will be for the sole use of staff and SFS school students. There will be a designated toilet for the use of authorised visitors.
Hygiene
Everyone MUST hand sanitise on entry to the school building at any time.
In addition students will wash or sanitise their hands:
- before and after eating,
- after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing.
- using the toilet.
- After use of shared equippment. e.g Sport, playground, use of shared devices.
Students may have their own hand sanitisers. (Please check that the hand sanitiser do not contain traces of nuts as is the case with some brands.) Personal hand sanitiser is not to be shared amongst students.
Students are reminded to cough or sneeze into their elbow or a tissue and dispose of tissues immediately.
Temperature checking of students and staff will occur during the morning session and when a child/staff member reports they are not feeling well.
Please ensure your child arrives at school with a full bottle of water each day. Students will not be able to drink directly from drinking fountains at this time.
Students are reminded that food or drink cannot be shared at this time.
Considerations for teaching and learning environments
As doors or ceiling vents may be open children are encouraged to wear a school jumper.
Children are asked to bring their own art smock/old shirt. They may also bring their own pencil case.
Playground equipment can be used by students of SFS only during school hours;
Sport and recreation
Non-contact sports will be encouraged. Hand hygiene will be practised before and after use of any sporting equipment.
Cleaning and facilities management
We will continue the extension of routine environmental cleaning, including progressive cleaning throughout the day, to ensure that risks of transmission are reduced for high-touch services.
Management of an unwell student or staff member
It is important that any staff member or student who becomes unwell while at school returns home. Students must be collected by a parent/carer as soon as possible. Urgent medical attention should be sought where indicated.
Staff and students should not return until symptoms resolve.
It is vital that Health Care plans and contacts are updated on CareMonkey.
Managing a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19
If you believe you or your family member may have COVID-19, please contact the National Helpline – 1800 020 080 ( available 24 Hours a day, 7 days a week)
If a student or member of your family is diagnosed with COVID-19 please advise the school immediately.
The school will also be contacted by the Department of Health. The CECV has comprehensive procedures in place with the DHHS to manage suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in schools.