Head of Preparatory School
Week 7 and Beyond
Thank you to all our parents who have worked with us to ensure that our staggered car lines have run smoothly. I encourage all families to read the communication about road safety sent earlier today from Mr Webber. It is a consistent message and a very important one to remember always as we travel around our school area.
Staggered drop off and pick up times and logistics will remain the same next week. There will be a slight change with temperature checking now taking place when children are in classrooms. This will hopefully make for a smoother car line and a quicker drop off in the mornings. We ask that parents remain in cars at drop off and allow the teachers who are on duty to assist your child out of the car with their bags.
If a temperature is 37.5 degrees or above, a parent will be called to pick up the student. If a child presents at school or at home with Covid-19 symptoms, they are to be taken to a GP for medical clearance before they return to school. The GP will advise if a Covid-19 test is required.
We will continue to keep Clubs and extracurricular activities closed at this time across the Junior Campus. We thank you all parents for their understanding and patience with this arrangement.
Reconciliation Week
This week students have participated in National Reconciliation Week. Through provocations, discussions, literature and fun activities, our young learners have embraced opportunities that help build respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians, and to create a fair and equal society. Kindergarten read books by indigenous authors, used their creative flair to create symbolic drawings and used their handprints to represent togetherness. Yr 1 students read Say Yes, then had insightful discussions around what do we stand for. Our Yr 2 learners investigated how Indigenous Australians respect and interact with Country. They collaborated and responded to two videos about Bush Tucker and Indigenous Way of Life. During the week we also had Ms McGarry and Mr Webber drop in to some of our classes to read books and engage with our learners. A very positive week of connecting, understanding and respecting.
Curriculum Matters!
There is nothing better than seeing smiling, happy faces drive into the car line each morning as our students arrive with an enthusiasm to learn. It’s a real credit to all the children as they have transitioned back into normal routines. This has required many of them to have a growth mindset and demonstrate resilience. The research that Carol Dweck has conducted in these areas actively encourages students to step out of their comfort zone. It is when we are brave enough to do this that we learn. It’s important to we actively encourage our learners to take risks and be independent. These are skills that once acquired we can continue to draw on throughout our lives. Encourage your children to have a go at: reading the numbers on the buses as you drive, look at the prices on items at the supermarket, or retell a story that you have shared.
Mrs Ainslie Breckenridge
Head of Preparatory School
abreckenridge@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9848