Dear mums, dads, carers and colleagues

The past term has been unique.  Never before have I witnessed anything like it.  The very real threat of the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in home learning programs - a first for primary schools in Queensland.  Our families were just amazing in their courage and determination to keep learning programs in motion and school staff were brilliant in their planning and implementation of these programs.  Our programs were extremely successful and nearly all families reported that teachers provided awesome programs and support for them.  And of course, our children showed wonderful resilience in their capacity to manage so much change to routines and learning styles.    

Next term will see

Cultural programs returning.  With some restrictions easing we are pleased to be welcoming back some of our popular cultural programs - Deadly Choices and Good Start resume in week 2, term 3.

Deadly Choices permission forms have gone home for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Years 3 and 4, plus students in Years 5 and 6 who have not yet participated in the program this year.  Please return permission forms in Week 1 next term.

Good Start will resume after school on Wednesday afternoons and we would like to welcome back all our families who were previously involved.

Sport is resuming but restrictions and conditions will apply.  This means that we are able to play in some sports against other schools in our district and begin some sports at school as well with touch football starting in Week 1.  

I will provide a fuller picture of changes at school once the Premier has announced the next easing of restrictions on July 10.  

Good at learning - Good at life

There have been so many wonderful deep learning opportunities across the school this week.  Here is just a sample of some of the wonderful work that is developing creativity, character, compassion and empathy.

     
The Year 6 students have been writing narratives this term. BUT ....... students were given total choice regarding their work. They chose their stimulus, they chose their topic, they had full control over the direction of the story, they chose how their story would be supported by visuals, and they chose how they wanted to present and share their work. 100% student driven learning. On Wednesday, the students presented their works as a gallery walk and invited me into their class. We watched video presentations, we read books, we listened to speeches, we read comics and we even listened to narrated Minecraft videos which told a story.  This was a wonderful way to spend my morning.

Miss Reid shared a story with her class around an organisation which she volunteered with in Cambodia.  The Year 5 students were intrigued so she organised for a Skype session with the ladies from Heartprint House. The students did their research online and learned more about Heartprint House so they could develop and pose questions.

Watching the students ask their questions and their reactions were sincerely heartwarming. Every student in 5R deepened their understanding of empathy and compassion. 

The message from Heartprint House was:

Every time you do something nice for people is like you leaving a handprint in their heart.

School resumes

School starts back on Monday 13 July at 8:25am.  

I hope that all of families enjoy a wonderful winter vacation break.  And despite the restrictions beginning to relax, it is absolutely vital that we remain vigilant so that we remain on top of the pandemic.  Please sustain your hygiene standards and maintain social distancing outside of your immediate family. 

Stay well and look after each other.

Kind regards

Vic