Principal's Post

Dearest Parents and Caregivers

As I was sitting here thinking about Mother’s Day this coming Sunday, it was nice to just pause for a moment and think about my mum before writing anything further. So I started googling for some quotes around some words that come to mind when I think of Violet, my mum. A champion lady who just has something special about her in what she brings to the world.

There it was, the word nobility. When I first saw the word, I thought it reflected a noble person, someone of status and high importance in society. Which I guess it does, but then again it doesn’t, if you know what I mean. Mum is not a person of status or with any thought of being held in high importance, but what I do think this nobility is for mum, is the value she has always placed on the quote that I found.

When I think of Violet, I see this nobility, this high importance part in society, exactly what she has always shown in how she lives. Violet lives and breathes compassion, empathy and forgiveness. So when I think of her this week, and when we catch up at some point on Sunday, I know there is something pretty special about what she has brought to the lives of all those she meets. What she has brought to her part of the world in Bassendean. Mum, quietly goes about things, loves a cuppa and a chat. Loves visiting people, loves people visiting her, loves the phone conversations and the best part, loves making spaghetti and meatballs, along with cutlets. There is just something about the way she cooks the chicken and beef cutlets that have me grabbing for the bread to make a cutlet sandwich. My favourite times are when I pop in for a quiet cuppa. I get loaded up with food. Not that that is the reason I visit. But for good times.

To all our mums and grandmothers of St Columba’s School, always remember how precious you are to all those in your world, especially the little guys that love you unconditionally. I see so much of this in the Kiss and Drive. It just brings a warmth to the start and end of the day. I see it in your eyes and your smiles. It is so obvious a Mother’s love. Take special care this weekend and may your day be filled with goodness and blessings of appreciation.

To all our families who have lost their mums or grandmothers over the years, they always remain close, especially when we most need them. We hope you are all okay and take comfort in knowing they will be with you on Sunday showering their blessings from Heaven upon you and your families. It is just what they do. Our mums are like our guardian angels, always looking out for us. They do it without want of recognition, they just go about it quietly, mostly without us even knowing.

COVID-19 UPDATE

I will be sending an update tomorrow morning regarding school operations for next week for in-class learning and at home learning. Our numbers have grown significantly this week at school which has resulted in teachers increasing their assisted learning in the classroom. Please read the notice that will go up on the website under ‘Parent Information/News’ tab.

NO ENTRY TO THE SCHOOL GROUNDS CEWA DIRECTIVE 

• Parents and caregivers are not permitted on school property. Please drop off or pick up your children from the Kiss and Drive options or car park bays.
• Parents walking children to school, must leave their children at the gate at either Milne or Roberts Streets.
• If parents need to collect students during the day – please call the administration (they will sign children in and out) and we will arrange for your child to be at the school office, where they will be directed to you at the front gate. Please do not come onto the school site.
• Only those visitors who are delivering essential supplies are to be permitted on school properties.
• We will do our very best with social distancing during these drop-off and pick-up times. Thank you for your understanding.

Parents have been so respectful of these new procedures around school entry, but also the stresses of Kiss and Drive protocols now in place. As Principal, I have only one word, IMPECCABLE. Okay, there have been a couple of parents doing U-Turns at the Kiss and Drive on Roberts, which is disappointing, but I am going to believe that there must be a very good reason for this. On our school Facebook Page, I have been talking about a word I made up last week, that I love, ‘judgementlessness’, To be true to self I have to not judge and go, ‘there must be a reason for it’. Maybe I have not been clear enough or maybe they have not read it in the newsletter. Judgementlessness and Ubuntu does keep me on my toes as a human.  Remember, I also am very clear about ‘embracing imperfection’, so I know I will not get this right all the time. That is also the humanness.

Anyhow, remember our word Ikigai from 2019. Love this too! I know how green the grass is here with all of you. Thank you for being on board with ikigai and the green grass.

DROP-OFF and PICK-UP

The Before School Plan: These areas will be supervised from 8.15 am to 8.40 am each morning.

• There will be two Kiss and Drive Drop-Off Zones. Milne Street [new] and Roberts Street
• Year 4, 5 and 6 parents are to use the Milne Street Kiss and Drive. This is new and will be located in the set of bays closest to the ramp. Staff will be supervising this area.
• PK to Year 3 parents will use the Roberts Street Kiss and Drive. This will also be supervised and PK, K and PP children walked to their classrooms.
• If parents use the car park bays to park and drop students off to school, this is permitted, especially for Kindy students without siblings and our Pre-K families.
• PK and K parents who decide to park, please note we will have staff to assist in taking your children to class from the Roberts Street main gate near the administration.

The After School Pick-Up:

• The two Kiss and Drives will be set up as a repeat of the morning. We will stagger the end of day for students during the afternoon.
• Kindergarten and Pre-Primary, plus their siblings are moving to the Kiss and Drive at 2.30 pm. Year 1 to Year 6 will move to Kiss and Drive areas at 2.50 pm.
• We appreciate this is a new procedure, so we ask for patience in seeing how this all works. Please feel free to delay collecting students from K & D till around 3.05-3.15 pm as this will spread the traffic congestion.

No use of the OSHC Gate except by the parents of essential workers using the OSHC. Jess Scott will email details for protocols of no entry into the school grounds.

CHISHOLM CANTEEN

Chisholm Canteen is open once again for St Columba’s students on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Please continue to order lunches through the school website – Canteen Orders tab.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

• Last week we sent out a notice informing parents that we had been working with our main uniform supplier to manage our school uniform shop and provide a service to parents that will have our shop open on-site, one morning per week. We have worked with Bec Pileggi on this and again thank her for her amazing commitment and support over many years to the operations of the uniform shop. Bec, just an outstanding person and uniform master.
• Students will be able to continue to wear either summer uniform or winter uniforms over the next two weeks.
• A letter was uploaded to the website last week from JFE. In essence very little will change, except for the processes and procedures for ordering. The letter is on the school website under Parent ‘Information /News tab’. The letter is also attached to this newsletter for your convenience.

Take care over the coming week and thank you for the amazing support you have been to our staff and your children over the last couple of months. All of us are blessed to be St Columba’s people. Gratitude to you for the messages to our staff and to me personally over recent weeks. There is something about the ‘vibe’ of St Col’s, that is not possible to explain in words. I just know I love being the luckiest Principal on the planet. Blessing always!

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P & F News

Pastoral Care

Scholastic Book Club

To help make this Virtual Book Club a success, the link to the latest Book Club Catalogue is below. Click-and-go directly to the fantastic issue we’ve put together and place orders via LOOP—just as you always have.

Here is the link to copy and paste in your browser:

scholastic.com.au/book-club/virtual-catalogue-1/

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