Principal's Message

Term 2 Week 8 2023

Remembering Jo, Miss Lancaster.

It was with much sadness this week that we received the news regarding Miss Lancaster. Jo joined our school towards the end of 2022, taking time to volunteer her attendance at planning days for the upcoming year, with the 5/6 team. This was just one sign of her future dedication to our school. Miss Lancaster started the year in 5/6L, quickly forming firm relationships and a rapport with each of her students and her teaching colleagues, in the Leadership Centre. 

Your first job as a graduate teacher brings challenges and new things every day. Jo took these in her stride and willingly sought information and help, ensuring that she was ready to make the most of the teaching and learning opportunities for her students.

Jo was a gentle, calm and engaging teacher, who valued being a part of the MPRPS community. She took over Recess Radio, one of our lunch time clubs, and made it her own. Many families attending the ICE showcase last week would have seen her in action, with the students, as they belted out tunes in the court yard.

Jo 5/6L Classroom
Jo Leadership Team Office
Jo 5/6L Classroom
Jo Leadership Team Office

 

Students are making cards and items that are being collected at Reception and will be passed onto Jo’s family at the end of the term. As a school community we will come together next term to remember Jo. As always we will listen to her students and colleagues on how that will look and invite Jo's family to attend.  A couple of heartfelt messages:

  • Yesterday was our 5/6 Winter Gala Day and Miss Lancaster and Mrs Jordanov had been training up the four European Handball teams over the past term (with little to no experience). It was a really sad day without Miss Lancaster and the 5/6 teachers know she would have had a great day with the students even though she hadn’t been to a sports day before. They will miss laughing with Jo and experiencing all the fun memories with the 5/6 students without her. 
  • Miss Lancaster was an amazing spelling teacher and she made spelling fun. She always had a smile on her face and brought a change to the school in a nice way. 
  • The softball teams all wore black arm bands to remember Miss Lancaster on Gala Day. One of the teams made it to the finals and all the students were talking about how this final game was for Miss Lancaster and they were going to take home the win for her... they managed to take home the flag and the students were all proud of their efforts! 

This week has been a tremendously tough time for 5/6L, staff, students and families across the school, as we grapple with the sudden death of a well-loved colleague and teacher. As you’ve likely experienced at home, death raises many questions in the minds of children. Across this week classes have taken time out to hold regular Circle Times and we have had councillors in for staff and students to support self-care through this time. 

Grief is a personal experience and everyone grieves in their own way, with no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to mourn. The process of grieving involves sadness, anger, loneliness, and other painful emotions, and highlights the importance of our work promoting emotional literacy and having daily dialogue with our students as we teach positive wellbeing strategies.   

 

The following two resources may help you to support your children and yourselves:

 

I also want to acknowledge the support we have received from our amazing community. Our students, staff and school community have been truly fantastic this week: whether it be an email of condolence, offers of support, the delivery of flowers and food, a passing ‘how are you?’ or a knowing glance. 

In a school context there are always so many people to thank and acknowledge, and there are so many things that happen - big and small, and some might go unnoticed. We hope that you get the personal satisfaction of knowing that you make a difference for our staff and students.

Kim