Dear Families,

Today is R U OK? Day. This is a question that we can ask every day, but for today it is a focus on mental health and suicide prevention. R U OK? is an Australian not for profit suicide prevention organisation that advocates for people to have conversations with others about how they are feeling. We are encouraged to reach out to others and ask the question and really listen for the answer. For some that simple question can make the world of difference. During these times of Covid and social isolation for so many, it is something to be very mindful of. So many in the community have no contact with anyone else due to living alone and working from home. For some they can be surrounded by people and still be isolated and disconnected. So today and every other day we can make a point of asking R U OK? and really listen for the answer. Once again Lindy has some informative and very helpful resources on the Wellbeing page of the newsletter.

Next Thursday 16th September will be a planning day for all teachers. Each term teachers have a day where they plan for the following term with school leaders. Facilitated planning allows for collaborative and supported planning sessions for children's focused learning. Teachers use the Victorian Curriculum to ensure that all learning is covered at each level in each curriculum area. As the children return to school teachers will focus on the essentials of English and Maths and the wellbeing of all children as they transition back to school.

Next Thursday your children will not see their classroom teacher, there will be activities set for the children with a focus on Wellbeing and not on screen time. For the last 6 weeks children have unavoidably spent a great deal of time on their screens and Thursday is an opportunity to have a day of less screen time or none at all. If you would prefer that your child have an unstructured day and not complete the Wellbeing activities that is absolutely fine. For some families they prefer to know that there are activities for their children to complete to ensure some time for their own work commitments. We have left this as late as possible hoping the children would be back at school.

Tomorrow afternoon there is a cooking session with Denise. She is very excited and a little nervous all at the same time. The zoom link and recipe have been sent to children from classroom teachers. The chefs will be making Honey Joys, always a favourite!!

Next Wednesday at 2:10 Katrina Smith, one of our Year 1-2 teachers will be creating Art Works in a whole school Zoom around the work of French Impressionist painter Claude Monet. It is completely optional to attend these sessions but we believe during these times it allows opportunities for the children to maintain connections with other children and teachers across the school. A very big thank you to Katrina, Yvette and Denise for taking the time to do this for the children.

As regional Victoria comes out of lockdown, I watch with interest the strategy put into place for the children to return to school. It is a staggered return with the Prep, 1 and 2 children and Year 12's returning first with the other grades to follow at a later date. This is very similiar to how the children returned at the start of term 4 last year. I sincerely hope we have more information and direction about this by next week so we can have plans in place for the beginning of term 4 and are able to communicate this with families. Fingers crossed!!

This morning during our staff meeting, staff had the opportunity to 'meet' new Principal Patrick Green (top row second from the right). Patrick spoke of his excitement of looking forward to meeting the children, staff and families and joining the Our Lady Help of Christians school community. We learnt a little more about him and his experience in Education and his family. You will 'meet' Patrick next week when he will create a video that we will share through the newsletter.

We thank parents for their attention to the payment of school fees, please don't hesitate to contact me if you are experiencing financial hardship so we can support you during this time.

I will leave you with a prayer I shared with the School Advisory Council at our meeting on Tuesday evening , it is for all of us.

Dear Lord,

This is the day You have made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

It doesn’t look like we thought it would look,

nor will tomorrow and the days to come likely be what we expected and prepared for.

Help us to see the good in each day.

Help us to find reasons to rejoice and ways to be glad.

Fill our lives with moments of laughter and lightheartedness,

even in these extremely trying times.

Birthdays are still to be celebrated, laughter is to be enjoyed,

solitude hard to find, family to treasure, our health to celebrate,

peace to be part of our world, the sun keeps coming up, and You remain the same.

We are created in Your image, God, to do good and great things to bring glory to Your name.

All of us, parents, teachers and students, were created with specific purpose.

Help teachers to have confidence in their craft.

Parents to find the patience and love they have in abundance for their children,

children to find the pleasures in life everyday and for their worries to go away.

We are all needed, appreciated, and loved.

Our work and efforts are never in vain.

When it is hard to see the good, grab our attention, Father.

When we are sad and miss our normal lives, our normal routine, and our families and friends, encourage our spirits.

Sustain us through our worry of what is and will happen in our world, God.

Remind us we are not alone, even when we feel isolated.

Amen

Take care and I hope you are all OK!

Therese

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