eNews

No.22 Fortnightly - 30 Sept 2021

Welcome to Term 4, 2021

We are very excited to welcome students back to school on the 25th of October and the 1st of November!  It’s not quite “back to normal”, because we’ll have to make some changes to who can come on campus, how we distance ourselves, and mask-wearing for staff and some students, but it will be great to be back in classrooms.  The principal’s memorandum sent September 29th has all the current information, and is summarised in the table below. Please contact the school if you have questions.

Start Date - Term 4, 2021

Term 4 commences the week of Monday, 4 October but due to the Labour Day public holiday, staff and students of essential workers who cannot be supervised at home will return on Tuesday, 5th of October 2021. 

From Our Staff

Surviving Lockdown Learning

Lockdown. Remote learning. Balancing work with supervising kids' study. It doesn’t seem any easier this time around! For most of us, attempting to meet work demands while supervising and assisting with online learning is no mean feat. With the news last week that online learning is expected to continue for at least four weeks of term four, it might be a good time to consider if there are any tweaks that can be made to assist in getting though this time.

Here are some ideas of changes that might help balance your competing priorities and make lockdown learning more manageable into term four.

1. Create a visual schedule

With much of children’s regular routines changed in some way, getting together in the morning with your kids to create a "visual schedule" can be a great help.  Using a whiteboard or large sheet of paper, you and your kids can plan out the day and break it down into small, manageable chunks.

Make sure you have put in meal breaks, time outside and social catch-ups to help kids have things to look forward to alongside the school-provided lesson content.

2. Change locations up

Everyone becomes restless sitting for long periods of time in the one spot, but even more so for younger children. Everyone can benefit from a change in scenery when it comes to study spots. With the warmer weather it can be a great option to set up outside for tasks that don’t require a device and Wi-Fi.

3. Make chill out spaces

No matter how much room in your house, the walls can feel like they’re closing in for all of us, and children too. Creating a "chill out space" can be as simple as making a classic blanket fort or finding a favourite spot outside for your child to claim as their own. Try and make the space schoolwork and device-free.

4. Be kind to yourself

Teachers understand parents are struggling and we do not expect children to be able to accomplish the same things they would be able to in a classroom setting.

Remember that you're not a teacher and no one's asking you to be one. We want families to be their children's cheer squads, not their personal trainers. Encouragement and support for your kids are more important at the moment than getting into conflict over unfinished work.

5. Reach out for help

Everyone's under a lot of pressure in these uncertain times and many people need a bit more support than they usually would. We should continue to focus on reaching out to each other and uplifting others wherever we can.

Kylie Smith, School Psychologist and Michelle Gillis, Wellbeing Co-ordinator are available each Tuesday throughout lockdown, including the holidays, to connect with parents and students via google meet.

Sessions can be individual or in groups.

Bookings can made via email, michelle@emmaus.act.edu.au.   


Luke Willsmore

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

A moment of encouragement from Mrs Gillis

I have had the pleasure of meeting with each class for devotional time each week during lockdown. Students have been encouraged to consider some traditional Christian practices including the Hymn, Amazing Grace, the Lords Prayer and Psalm 23. Ask your child about these devotions – you might learn a new perspective.

The emphasis each time has been on God’s provision and care for us and, encouraging ways students can contribute to the happiness of their family while we are all in the ‘valley’ of Covid lockdown. Students talked about making a cup of tea for parents, doing chores before being asked and playing with younger siblings willingly.  I have been encouraged and impressed with the thoughtfulness our students have exhibited.

Term four devotions will focus on our Friendzy Biblical Social Emotional Learning curriculum. Our theme for term four is ‘You First’.

Social awareness is the ability to take the perspective of and empathise with others. ‘You first’ is all about putting the needs of others above our own.

Key verses are:-

Matthew 20:1 So the last will be first and the first will be last.

Philippians 2:2-5  Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Enjoy the rest of your school holiday break! 

Get to know our New Staff Member!

Schoolsports ACT Update

School Sport Events Statement

Unfortunately all SSACT Sports have been cancelled for Term 4 due the continued lockdown and a staggered return to on campus learning.

As a school, we will definitely be looking to participate in the Virtual Track and Field Event in Term 4. Once more information is forthcoming from SSACT we will update parents and students in early Term 4.

School Sport Events Statement – Tuesday 14 September 2021

With the official announcement this morning from Chief Minister Andrew Barr, that lockdown is to be extended until at least 15 October and remote learning to continue for students P-10 until at least the start of Week 5, perhaps with a staggered return, School Sport ACT has made the decision to cancel all events scheduled to take place in Term 4.

We are not looking to make further postponements due to there not being sufficient time left in the term, and if students do return to school based learning in Week 5 and 6, we anticipate large gathering restrictions and schools being busy with catching up on missed activities and end of year assessment.

Cancelled SSACT events include:

  • All four Secondary Netball events
  • Secondary Football Finals - Secondary Girls Softball
  • All 4 Primary Regional Track and Field events
  • Both Secondary Regional Track and Field events
  • The 12&U and 13&O ACT Track and Field Championships

We will now further investigate the delivery of a Virtual Track and Field opportunity, similarly to last year’s Virtual Cross Country, it will be a school based decision to participate. More information of this to come by the end of the school holidays/beginning of Term 4.

For information regarding SSO/Community conducted Term 4 school based events, please keep an eye on the online Calendar found in the middle of the website homepage, we will be making amendments to that and the website sport specific pages, as information is provided by the organisations to the SSACT office.

School Sport ACT is already organising the 2022 Calendar of Events and hoping, along with everyone, that we get to be fully operational and conduct all Regional, State and National opportunities next year.

The School Sport ACT office staff would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our wonderful teacher Event Coordinators and delivery partners for their continued support and assistance in the successful delivery of our 2021 events.

PIP Update Request

Our PIP records for the year are coming to a close. We are requesting that families send details of any unsubmitted PIP for the year directly to Candy Villaluna via email: candy@emmaus.act.edu.au.

PIP will close on Friday 8th October 2021.  We wish to remind you that you are not able to make donations of PIP time.

All PIP items submitted in 2021 will be credited to 2022.

Please give the following details in your email:

---------------------------

Date:

PIP Task:

Hours/Time Taken:

Full Name:

-----------------------------------

Thank you for your assistance.

The Administration Team

Emmaus School Calendar

To view all updated calendar events please go to the Parent Calendar Link

Emmaus Community Prayer Meeting

Tuesday, 5th October 2021

7:00pm - 8:00pm

Please attend this important online event as we are keen to have as many people as possible engage in general prayer for the school, for the weeks until we return to face to face teaching and learning as well as the situation around Covid, and a number of other things.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4838274300

School Vacation Care - Dates of Service 2022

We wish to advise families, that the dates of operation for our Vacation Care Service in 2022 are as follows:

Start 2022 on Monday 17th of January and last day of operation on Friday 16th of December 2022.

Terms Notice for Student Withdrawal

A reminder to families, that a written notice period of one Term is required if you plan to withdraw students from Emmaus Christian School in Term 1, 2022. Written communication must be received on or before Friday, 1st October 2021 to avoid the Late Notice Fee.

Please send Notice of Intent to Withdraw Student to:

Attn: Erik Hofsink, Principal

email: abbi@emmaus.act.edu.au


Transport Canberra - School Bus Services

To align with the return of classroom learning in term 4, Transport Canberra will resume all dedicated school bus services from 25 October 2021 (week 4). This includes ‘S’ trips that divert into school grounds in both the morning and afternoon.

More details and updated school timetables will be available online one week before this is implemented. There will be some minor timing changes to services and as such, families will need to review the timetables when they are available.

In weeks 1-4, year 11 and 12 students will be able to travel to school using the current interim network. They can plan their trips ahead of time using the Journey Planner at www.transport.act.gov.au.

Special Needs Transport continues to run for those families that need this service, and the light rail is continuing to run to the normal frequency.

We will confirm with you when timetables are available on our website.

Regards

Transport Canberra

Great Cycle Challenge

Let's Support Children's Cancer Research

A Message from Anna G (Yr 5)

Year 5 student Anna G, is riding in the Great Cycle Challenge in October, to raise money for children’s cancer research. Her goal is to ride 50km (or more!) over the month of October, and to raise $500. She is very keen to meet her goals. Her older brother Toby (yr 7), little brother Elliot (yr 2) and mum Amanda are also taking part in the challenge. As a family, they are aiming to ride over 1000km and to raise $2000!

As part of their fundraising efforts, they are also collecting 10c deposit bottles and cans to return at the recycling depot. If you are able to help them out and would like to save bottles and cans for them, they will be happy to collect them when you have a big box or bags saved. You can email Amanda directly to let her know if they have some ready to collect. They will be collecting all through September and October. The 10c deposit bottles and cans include soft drink cans, soft drink bottles, small flavoured milk or fruit juice bottles, juice poppers and fruit-box cartons, beer bottles and beer cans (not regular 1-3L milk bottles or 2-3L juice bottles or wine bottles or food cans).

Amanda's email address is : amandajanegraham@gmail.com

If you would like to support Anna with a direct donation, here is the link to her fundraising page:

https://greatcyclechallenge.com.au/Riders/AnnaGraham

Thank you for your support!

Amanda (Yr5) and Mum - Anna Graham

Pens Against Poverty Poems

by Alicia C (Yr 4)

We must help those people on the streets

They have no right to be there

We should give them things that we don’t need

Isn’t it better when we share

 

The only reasons why they are there

Are because of their troubles here

Finding things to do or paying bills

That they do endure every year

 

Many people should help reduce this

They’re just normal people like us

Who have trouble finding what to do

It’s a point that we should discuss

‘Time for Change’ by Ashley K (Yr 4)

  

We need some change in our country now

Too much people in poverty

This is not right, we need to fix it

This is our opportunity

 

People sleeping on the road begging

They have no money to pay for

In hot summer days they are thirsty

They don’t have money anymore

 

They feel so unwanted and lonely

Waiting for people to come by

Wondering if they will have a home

And they never give up and try

 

It is not their fault they are homeless

Nobody deserves poverty

But there is a way we can help them

They don’t have their own property

 

One day they will have a home like us

But they need to wait hopefully

We need to understand their feelings

They can suffer very roughly 

 

Starving for food and water

Being so patient for their life

But some people are caring for them

They might not have a normal life

 

by Mischa L (Yr 4)

Once I was in true paradise

But now I’m the town’s old scum.

How far I could have been today

But now look at my poor tum!

 

Poverty is a shame, no wonder

When you have no such home, which

Keeps you safe and warm for granted

But now you’re on a bare bench!

 

Few friends I have to share my life

In a hatch with old manure

Seeing my old ones in the shops 

But now I’m blessed they’re not poor.

 

Life in poverty is unloved

In our dreaded pool of tears,

Dismissed from the wealthy and rich

But now decay fills our ears.

 

If only poverty’s future was clear,

As many people have seen 

If only people cared more too,

But now love is like a bean.

by Thomas M (Yr 4)

There’s vagabond people in the streets.

No place to live, no money, food

No phone, No water, needing some help

Destitute. They are in sad moods

 

We need to help, make them happy

So they can live a joyful life

We need to get rid of Poverty

Let’s do that without any strife

 

Fix all the people who once were poor

No one earns to live on the street

Let them live an average life

I Hope this happens I repeat!

by Amelia Q (Yr 4)

Sleeping on the streets with no food

And crying myself to sleep

All I want is to be loved 

And buying stuff that is cheap

 

I feel so very forgotten

I see wealthy people there

It’s like nobody has time for me

I just wish I had some care

 

by Yohana T (Yr 4)

Poverty is not just in a little place 

It can be in a community, a state, 

In Islands, in countries and the world

So many have nothing on their plate

 

People in poverty can have a house

But their house isn’t safe for them at all

Some may even think that they are hopeless in life 

Some just don’t want to be seen at all

 

It can be very depressing for some  

But I believe it is time to change 

There should be more affordable housing

Some are very young by their age 

 

It is definitely sad and it’s painful

We must care for those in need 

It can be hard for them to find shelter

We should always care for those in need

A Message from Emmaus Teachers and Staff

Snap Shots off Campus

We hope you have had a great school holiday!

Thank You cards as part of the Kindy Gratitude Challenge.

Year 2 Art Assignment

Year 2 Art: Create a Mona Lisa Parody

What is a parody? It is a funny version of a famous picture, story or song. Have a look at the pictures below of different Mona Lisa parodies created by Year 2 students.

As you can see there are different ways you can do it, eg. print a black and white picture from the actual painting and change her background/location/clothing/character, create a new character in the Mona Lisa pose, paint/draw/photograph yourself as Mona Lisa.

Kindy: Writing Tasks

Year 2: Maths Measurement

Lockdown Schooling - Request for Newsletter Submissions!

Would your child like to be included in our fortnightly School Newsletter? Please forward photos of students with their school work, creations or activities they are engaged in, along with a description of what they are doing to Leonie Penton via email; leonie@emmaus.act.edu.au 

FRIENZY

'We Have Hope'

Address: 73 Davenport St, Dickson ACT 2602

Phone: 02 6247 7151

General email: emmaus@emmaus.act.edu.au

Absence email: absences@emmaus.act.edu.au 

Website: www.emmaus.act.edu.au

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