Dear SCA families,

A lot of talking happens in a school. Hopefully there is even more listening. Communication is central to our functioning as human beings. We are spiritual beings and so our communication with God is essential to our fullness as a person. The most obvious form of communication with God is through prayer. Prayer is about building a relationship. In the case of prayer, the relationship is with God.

A treasured prayer in our Catholic tradition is the Rosary, and this month, October, is a time for emphasis on the Rosary. The Rosary is a summary of the life of Jesus. The more we come to know these stories and the more we contemplate the mystery of God becoming human, the closer we come to understand and appreciate the presence of God in our lives. The Rosary provides the most intimate insight into God’s extraordinary love and compassion.

We cannot hope to deepen our relationship with God without prayer. The model of prayer for us is Mary. Praying the Rosary in the company of Mary can lead us towards personal fulfillment and unity with God.

For an interactive look at the Rosary take a look at http://www.familyrosary.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary

COVID

It seems that we are all getting used to a “COVID Normal” way of operating. We have been fortunate in the ACT, with no cases for some time now. However, all schools, at the advice of Health and Education authorities, are continuing to take a risk-adverse approach to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

Though adults who are not staff are generally not on the school grounds, all school based activities have recommenced as normal, as long as the following measures, as advised by Catholic Education, are observed:

• All visitors and external providers must adhere to relevant hygiene, distancing and safety protocols.
• Principals may continue to restrict, limit or prohibit activities, following current health advice.
• Non-essential adults are still not permitted on school grounds or at school events.

In the ACT, school assemblies, gatherings and performances are able to resume subject to meeting the COVID guidelines (limited group size, 1 person / 4m², 1.5m social distancing, recording of attendance etc.) and social distancing requirements. We are presently conducting risk-assessments and writing COVID safe plans for all end of year events. Our priority will be safety, but we hope to include as many family members as possible. We will keep you informed.

Welcome

We welcome Madeline (1 Green), Nickali (2 Green), Alexandra (3 Red), Jacques (4 Green), Skye (5 Blue) and Tenzin (6 Blue) and their families to our school this term. We hope they soon feel very much a part of the SCA community.

Fees

Thank you to all who are up to date with school fee payments. For those who have let them slide, we would appreciate payment for previous terms by the end of this week please.

Carpark

Please remember to be patient and considerate of others when driving in the car parks. School carparks are notoriously dangerous and ALL PARENTS are asked to be patient and alert. If you are in a hurry, collect your children early, or wait until after 3.10pm when the carpark is less congested.

Please, don’t be selfish, TURN LEFT when exiting the school entrance as this keeps the traffic flowing.

Absences from school

It is a legal requirement that all absences are explained. Please notify the school of your child’s absence by either: Using the App; Calling the Front Office; Emailing the Front Office at sca@cg.catholic.edu.au indicating your child’s name, class, reason for absence and date; or, Sending a note to the classroom teacher indicating date and reason for absence.

2021 Class Groupings

Teachers will shortly commence planning class groupings for 2021 and will consider the following:

• gender balance;
• learning styles;
• learning difficulties;
• enrichment needs;
• work habits;
• social needs;
• health considerations;
• emotional needs;
• behaviour considerations and
• other relevant issues.

The usual practice for this process at SCA is to NOT seek parent assistance or any form of request.

I would like to make the following points:

• We aim for an equal spread of both positive and challenging characteristics in every class;
• Every care will be taken to ensure that your child is placed in the best situation to enhance learning and social development;
• Part of life is having to deal with people and situations we may not like. We need to build resilience in children, so they can face the reality of life;
• Where appropriate, advice will be sought from the Learning Support Teacher, Chaplain, previous teachers, School Counsellor, etc. during this process;
• Teachers should already be aware of any issues you have;
• Teachers have the main responsibility for placing their current students in the most appropriate class for next year;
• All staff will examine the draft lists to highlight any concerns; and
• As Principal, I will make the final decision on all class placements.

Students will be informed of their class placement for 2021 late this term and the opportunity will be provided for them to spend some time with their new class teacher. For privacy reasons, class lists will not be sent home or displayed. If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly on matthewer@cg.catholic.edu.au or make an appointment through the Front Office.

End of Year Events – Please note them in your diary now

Kindergarten 2021 Orientation Day 1 – Wednesday 25 November at 9.30am

Kindergarten 2021 Orientation Day 2 – Thursday 3 December at 9.30am

Year 6 Physical Challenge Day – Tuesday 8 December

Semester Two Awards Assembly – Wednesday 9 December

Semester Two Reports Sent Home – Friday 11

December

End of Year Thanksgiving Mass – Friday 11 December at 9.30am

Kinder Nativity – Monday 14 December

Year 6 Graduation – Tuesday 15 December

Farewell Assembly – Thursday 17 December

Term Four Ends – Friday 18 December (at 3.00pm)

It was once said…

I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. I’ll let you know.

Blessings to you and your family.

Matt Egan-Richards

Principal