Principal's Post

Dearest Parents and Caregivers

Before I start, massive thank you for this afternoon and the pick-up of or children. Talk about quality! You were once again true to who we are. Yep, ‘ikigai’.

Well, it just continues to roll along doesn’t it? Life, that is. Time is a funny thing. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I hope you are getting some 5-10 minute breaks for yourself. One thing we are hoping makes your life a little simpler in the morning is the before school drop-off. Please keep utilising this if it is making your mornings less frantic. We all appreciate how busy the mornings are for you all, so please be gentle on yourself and look after your little guys. Gentleness is definitely the key.

Now, with the return of the AFL last weekend, there is a sense of excitement in the air. The Lombardi household definitely enjoyed their early Sunday afternoon. It was pretty exciting watching the Kangaroos win their second game for the season. I love Steve Cogs and GWS, but our Roo Boys, well, nothing compares to those lads. With the buzz around the AFL being back for everyone, even when we lose, there is something about being able to bring ‘Ubuntu’ to the moments in a game. Ubuntu fits perfectly.

I do not know about you, but when I watch the Mighty North play, I am so invested in every possession. Ubuntu is all about being invested. So embrace the missed tackles, the kick for goal from 20m out that hooks right, the miskick and turnover that results in an opposition goal…’Ubuntu’ brings calmness and a sense of it all being okay…maybe!

Do I Do UBUNTU?

Doing Ubuntu requires the quote below:

The quote above is so connected to Ubuntu. Doing Ubuntu requires us to bring kindness and compassion to all situations. This is such a challenge for all of us when things get messy, when life gets messy, situations get messy. It is hard work. We need to ensure we have a sense of acceptance for what comes our way. It is one of the greatest things we can do for ourselves, accept what is coming our way. Do you know how much pressure this takes off us as humans?

I become overwhelmed at times during my day and need to remind myself of the things I am writing to you about today. There is so much happening at the moment, that I, who is learning more each day to embrace my imperfection, feel my anxiety rising. This is not good for me or anyone around me, so I take stock and breath. I look out my office window, right at this very moment, and see these little champion Kindy kids at sport and say to myself, how good do I have it. Pressure off, expectations of perfection off, let’s see what we can do to turn this overwhelming feeling to a plus for the day. Okay! Already feel better.

I am also learning that this ‘Ubuntu’ calls for a forgiveness of self and a tolerance and forgiveness of others. I have probably failed a few times at this over the last few weeks, you know, not considering everyone has a story, and so sometimes there is stuff that happens that requires some understanding. I think this is why I am loving the word we have as a theme for 2020. It allows for such messiness to be seen as okay, and as long as we can bring ourselves back to what we truly stand for, then it will be all good. It brings a sense of peace. Is that not what we all seek, even in tough times, a sense of peace?

One of my favourite quotes is this one. This is what I have discovered since being here as our Principal. I had to make this decision myself, a decision that whatever I was to do here was going to be driven by being true to the person, Art. When you get to my age, there needs to be some point where you finally feel that the pressure of having to prove yourself each day, is not what life is about. But, hey, I was blessed to be placed here with you. Like, you all allow me to be Art, so it is why finding peace in self is something I can draw on quickly. This has not always been easy for me as I am such a worrier, and we all do it, we all feel we need to prove ourselves. It is one of the great learnings I love bringing to our St Col’s kids and my own daughters. You do not need to always worry about having to prove yourself to the world. You give your full self to everything as best you can. Be good to others and be good to self. Sounds so easy. These next three things I tell them constantly. Yes, and they tell me I am sounding like a broken record. We all need to do this when we first wake up in the morning.

1. What am I grateful for in my life?
2. Who will I serve today?
3. What excites me about my day?

Do this with conviction knowing we are called to be who we were created to be. I know this can be ‘pie in the sky’ stuff, I really do. For so long I struggled with this concept of having to be grateful. Still do at times. All I am saying, is that it is okay to struggle, but it is also okay to try some of this stuff to assist us in bringing us the inner peace we all deserve. We deserve goodness and we deserve to be good to ourselves. Always remember, we will never be enough for everyone we meet or everyone we have in our lives. That is just how it is. This is the acceptance part I spoke of earlier. We are enough and there is something about even saying these words in our heads and hearts from time to time. Makes a difference.

Okay, that was a little deep, but you know how I roll, I just write what is in my head. Only ever one version, one-take of what comes out. All I really wanted to say in a few words was that we all do such a wonderful job of caring for others. You, our parents and staff, and our kids inspire me throughout the day. I see so much goodness and so much gentleness. Seriously, it is in abundance here. Every day is a gift for me to be here with you all. I know I say this often, but I only say how it is.

Please feel free to listen to this song from Lauren Daigle. It is all about knowing we are enough:

Pupil Free Day Friday 3 July

Pupil Free Days Semester 2

Our Pupil Free Days for Term 2 have remained unchanged due to planning already set in place both for staff and for parents, however the Pupil Free Days planned for the second half of the year may be changed over the coming weeks as we review our planning for the back half of 2020.

Parent Teacher Interviews Semester 1

Classroom teachers will send out information regarding these interviews either today or tomorrow. They will work with you to set times to meet either throughout the last couple of weeks this term or early next term. A letter has been attached that outlines our plans for these meetings. This will be different to how we have set up in previous years.

Parents and Friends Meetings

At the start of Term 3 we will re-commence our P and F meetings. Our Term 3 Planner will be out by the end of the term to assist with parents planning. Thank you for continuing to look after each other throughout this last term and a half during the COVID-19.

Uniform Shop Opening On-School Site

• Thank you to all our families for doing their very best as we transition the uniform shop through JFE. They have been outstanding to work with.

Please note the following:

• Uniform Shop on-site will be open on Wednesday mornings from 8.15 am to 9.15 am commencing in Term 3.
• Parents will be able to purchase directly from the shop at this time.
• ONLY EFTPOS facilities available for payments [no cash]
• On-line ordering to continue as has been in place this term.
• If orders are placed by 12 noon on the Tuesday, they will be delivered to school on the Wednesday.
• JFE are now providing a Size 2 winter skirt. Previously the smallest size available was Size 4. Thank you for your parent feedback on this item.

JFE will be closed for stocktake on Monday 29^th  and Tuesday 30^th June.

They are also closed for the upcoming school holidays.

Lost Property is located at the top of the stairwell between the library and the Year 2 classrooms. Please note, down in the breezeway we have free second hand items available on a rack. Some of the items in both locations have names of previous students written on them that may be handed down or purchased by our current families.

Thanks again everyone for looking after each other. Enjoy your week and may you receive an abundance of blessings.

Art

Written Wednesday 17 June 2020

P & F News

Library News

The library has lots of books needing covering.  If you can help out by taking a small number of books home to cover over the holidays, please call into the library. Your help is greatly appreciated by staff and students.

If any families have Children’s Magazines that they no longer need, the students would enjoy reading them.

Please note:

 ALL students require a 

‘St Columba’s Homework/Library bag’ 

to borrow library books.

Students without the St Columba’s bag will be unable to borrow from the beginning of Term 3

Just a reminder that students require the school green ‘Homework and Library Bag’ in order to borrow from the Library.

Many students will already have the green school ’Homework and Library Bag’ from previous years.

‘Homework and Library Bags’ can be purchased from the Uniform Shop at a cost of $10.

Parents please order via the link on the Uniform Shop page of the school website.

Rita Cuthbert – Library Officer – Library - the original search engine

Pastoral Care

Community Notices

Early in 2020, Mercedes College commenced interviews for Year 4 & Year 5 students who are due to start Year 7 in 2022 & 2023 respectively.  If you are considering enrolling your daughter and have not yet requested a Prospectus, please contact Mrs Julie Lamb on 9323 1340 as soon as possible.

Enquiries are also welcome for places in Year 7 for 2020 and 2021.   For more information please refer to the College website, www.mercedes.wa.edu.au.

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Trinity College warmly invites you to attend an Open Day for prospective students on Wednesday, 1 July 2020. Families are welcome to attend the 9:15am or 4:15pm session. Each session will include a welcome by the Principal, followed by student led tours of the College, concluding with light refreshments and a chance to chat with some of our teaching staff and admissions team. Bookings can be made at: https://www.trinity.wa.edu.au/enrolments/college-open-day/.

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Classifieds