Dear SCA Families,

As we rapidly approach the end of another COVID affected year, I find it amazing to reflect on some of the many activities our wonderful staff provide for the children.

I thank the outstanding staff who have worked effectively and purposefully with your children this year. Teachers, office and support staff have all combined well to keep the school running smoothly, even with 540 energetic and vibrant children spending their active hours here through the year. The challenges of 2021 have gone beyond the usual, and the staff, with the support of parents, have risen to the challenges. On your behalf, I thank each of them for their efforts throughout the year. The staff here work well as a team, and I am proud to work with them.

It is a tremendous trust that parents place in the school when you send your children here. The partnership between school and parents has a telling impact on the quality of education of any school. I thank the many parents who continue to offer wonderful support to the school’s endeavours. Even in this COVID year, there were many parents who assisted in a variety of ways. I particularly thank the School Community Council. On behalf of all the parents, this group works tirelessly and effectively all year. Thank you. We look forward to working with you again next year.

Staff News

In recent weeks we have been able to confirm the following staff changes for 2022.

After providing valuable service, the following staff are leaving: Anne McNicol, Jordy Swain and Grace Aksila

In farewelling Anne McNicol, I acknowledge her tremendous service as a teacher for over 40 years. We have been blessed by her experience, wisdom and dedication, especially in recent years supporting those students requiring extra support in Mathematics. May Anne’s retirement be full of blessings, joy and peace.

Jordy Swain leaves SCA to move up north where she will be closer to her family. Jordy has blessed our school with her humour, good-will and enthusiasm. She enjoyed teaching Year 4 this year, and as a Kindergarten teacher she did a great job of welcoming so many new students to SCA. We wish Jordy all the best for her move of homes and schools.

Although Grace Aksila has been with us for less than a year, she has contributed warmly, positively and enthusiastically to many classrooms. Grace has been a great support and addition to our Classroom Support team, and we wish her well as she moves up the Valley to St Francis of Assisi.

I am very grateful to each of these staff members for their contributions to SCA. Each of them has enriched our school community. As a school we will farewell them at an assembly next week.

Meet the Teacher

Teacher placements for 2022 are being finalised. We will have our Meet the Teacher next Thursday, 16^th December, where children will be notified of their teacher where possible. At this stage, due to COVID considerations, we are unsure of the format. Students will be advised as soon as we can clarify this.

It is important to remember that in life, there are always going to be times when we have to work and communicate with people whom we may not always get along with so well. School is about learning for life, and it is here that we also learn how to get on with others and negotiate experiences that are sometimes difficult. When this learning takes place, the children become resilient, stronger people and gain skills that will support them through life.

I ask you to understand that following next week, changes will not be made to classes for 2022. If your child is feeling a little unsettled about their class placement and the year ahead, as parents you have the important role of being positive in reassuring them that making new friends and working with new teachers is an exciting experience and although it may be different to begin with, they will soon settle in for a good year.

2022 Fees

Attached to this newsletter is a two-page letter outlining the school fees for 2022. We encourage all families to use direct debit as the preferred method of payment. If you would like help in setting up a regular payment, please feel free to contact Jo McCarthy in the Front Office.

COVID and End of Year Events

It’s great to see restrictions easing across the country, and we are so hopeful that, for next year, we will be able to welcome parents back fully into the school. For the rest of this term, however, we are still following the latest guidelines from ACT Health for schools.

For some of our end of year events we are inviting parents to attend (Kinder Concert and Year 6 Graduation). Although we are now allowed 1 adult per 2 square metres, we are still required to provide spacing of 1.5m between each adult, and we are not allowed to mix Year Levels in any gathering.

For those who are attending the Kinder Concert, Awards Assembly or Year 6 Graduation, please only do so if you are well, showing no cold symptoms, and are ready to sign in using the Check in Canberra App.

If you would like more details, or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Parent Teacher Interviews

I hope you have booked your time for this week’s Parent Teacher Interviews. These meetings are an important part of the reporting process, especially in this COVID year.

Written reports will be a little shorter than usual, as a result of the time spent away from classrooms in remote learning. All of the time at home made it impossible for teachers to accurately assess every area of the curriculum. To address the shortened report, we have provided an additional Parent / Teacher meeting this year.

I am grateful to the teachers for making themselves available after school this week, and thank them and you for working so effectively together this year.

Reports

Reports will be made available this Friday (10^th December). Instructions on how to access them, via Compass, are below in the newsletter.

It is important to remember that a school report is not the definitive measure of your child’s abilities. It is only one measure amid a wide range of opportunities, experiences and activities. Setting a pattern of constructive support should help make report time a productive and positive experience that will help your child make progress at school. A few tips:

• Find the positive aspects of the report and praise your child;
• Take into consideration that the A-E grading scale is very different to the one you would have experienced;
• Discuss what your child found difficult. Look at work habits, homework routines, diet, sleep patterns, etc; and
• Discuss how things could be improved. Offer some constructive/criticism and attainable goals for next year.

Special thanks to the teachers for the many unpaid hours of work outside school time that go into marking assessments, preparing, editing and finalising the written reports.

January Holidays

Our fantastic Outside of School Hours (OSHC) team run an engaging and fun holiday program for SCA children during January. Please contact Pam (OSHC Director) on 6294 8004, bookings close this Friday 10th December, 2021.

It was once said…

“At this Christmas when Christ comes, will he find a warm heart? Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving others with God’s won love and concern.” –

St Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Blessings to you and your family. Be the light.

Matt Egan-Richards

Principal