Dear Parents,
In the Gospel story this Sunday we reflect on one of Jesus’ most recognised miracles. Jesus feeds a large crowd with just five loaves and two fish. St John is making a statement about God’s care and love for us. His reference to “starvation” relates not so much to food but to people starved of meaning in their life- people starving for love and compassion. John paints the scene the way he has to help us listen to the call of God as expressed by the prophet Isaiah: ‘Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy? ... Come to me; listen, so that you may live’(Isaiah 55:2-3). Jesus is inviting them to get in touch with a deeper hunger than their hunger for food in the form of bread and fish. Irrespective of our circumstances John in his writing is asking and challenging us to believe God is meeting our need for love. If we believe this, then we will know how to find God in any circumstance. Put love there and God will be there whenever we need him.
Welcome back to term three and the challenging times of lockdown and online learning. Thank you to all for your patience and understanding during our transformation over the last two weeks to online learning. A special thank you to our CTK staff who have spent many hours over the last three weeks preparing for this change in learning practise. We have learned from our experience last year and have implemented a number of changes to the online learning process to make it less stressful and more practical for both students and parents. We will continue to provide our families with updates on the present situation. Please continue to check your emails and skoolbag app for updates. If you have any feedback, questions or concern regarding the online learning please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or phone.
It is with great pleasure that I welcome Mrs Alison Kaylinger who joins our staff as our school counsellor. Alison comes to our community with a wealth of experience and expertise in working with children and their families in regards to student well-being. I have had the pleasure of working with Alison in our schools over the last ten years and look forward to her joining our staff in the very near future.
Unfortunately due to the COVID Lockdown, future restrictions [post lockdown] and the uncertainty of when children will return to school on site, we have made the decision to withdraw from the 2021 Wakakirri competition. Over recent weeks we have been in contact with the organisers as to what the performance would look like in the coming months. The producers had proposed a number of production possibilities that were very different to the Wakakirri experience we have been used to in the past. Based on both health and financial considerations of these proposals as well as the uncertainty of the next two months in regards to COVID restrictions as to whether or not the show would actually proceed, the decision was made to withdraw. Arrangements will be made in the coming weeks to organise a partial refund once all expenses to date have been reconciled. Details to follow. We thank you for your understanding and support of the decision we have had to make.
Signage for our new drive through pick up initiative in Burradoo Close has been erected in the school holidays. The drive through will commence when the lock down is finished and all students have returned to school. Detailed information will be distributed to all school families explaining the signage and how this afternoon protocol will operate.
Over the recent holiday period a new student security gate has been installed on the verandah just outside the main entrance to the office. As part of this project a student access window will be installed on the eastern side of the new gate allowing students to access the office staff without having to enter the main foyer of the school therefore avoiding having to interact with visitors to the school. A new camera and intercom have also been installed at the main entrance to the school.
Stay safe and healthy.
Tony Hughes
Principal