Dear St Joseph’s Families,

Today we welcomed our Prep and Year 1 students back to face-to-face classroom learning. It is great to have their smiling faces and their laughter back to brighten up the school. 

For students in Years 2-6, the current home-based learning arrangements will remain in place. If low COVID-19 transmission rates continue, students in Years 2-6 will be able to return to school from Monday 25th May. We will confirm this step by the 15th May.

Again, it is recognised that some parents of Prep and Year 1 students may still wish to keep their children at home due to concerns about COVID19. We fully respect this decision and your child will not be marked as absent on the roll, rather that they are learning from home.

Please note, though, that Prep and Year 1 teachers will be focussed on in-class learning and will not be providing an alternative learning from home program. The teacher’s responsibility will lay in resuming their usual teaching workload for the students who are in attendance at school. There will of course be individual cases where students due to serious medical concerns are unable to return to school. Teachers will be in touch with these families to discuss other options to support home learning.

A big thank you to those parents who have provided feedback regarding home learning experiences. As I have mentioned before, this is new to all of us. For us to improve on future home learning platforms, it is vital we get some insight into what has worked well and what challenges have been faced.

Every new week presents us all with a series of new challenges. I have tried to be mindful to not over burden families with a double up of communication and trust the email Mr Bill Dixon sent out to you all last week provided clarity over the transition of students back to school.

The announcement by the Premier has provided us all with some clear direction as to the eventual resumption of a normal school routine. I have summarised some key information and our latest response strategies to COVID-19 that will be in place in our school as of today Monday May 11th:

Physical Distancing

Students

While social distancing measures are not mandated for students in classrooms, they remain an important consideration for schools to follow best practice health and safety protections. We will continue to encourage and promote social distancing of students both in and out of the classroom.

Parents and Visitors

• We ask that parents drop off and pick up from Kiss’n Go or from the gate rather come into the school grounds.
• Parents are asked not to gather in areas around the school, such as carparks, at the school gate, and outside classrooms during this time.
• We ask parents to stay in their cars and we will bring the children to you.
• Parents are encouraged to use email or the phone to communicate with teachers as opposed to face-to-face where possible.
• All communication to the school is to be directed either via phone or email to the school reception.
• We ask that any adult who enter the school grounds to report to office, sign in and use hand sanitizer before entering any other area of the school.
• The use of technology such as video conferencing used for gatherings, meetings and assemblies will continue.

Before and After School Routines

• Each morning all students are to be dropped off at the carpark and are to make their own way, onto the school premises.
• A teacher will be on duty from 8:15AM each morning in the Kiss’n Go area. 
• No play before school.
• On arrival at school, students are to sit with their bags until 8:25am when students will go to classrooms. 
• After school, students will be picked up from the front of the school. 
• Parents/carers are to stay in their cars and the students will come to you.  We ask that you avoid coming onto the school premises unless it is essential.

Events and Assemblies

All gatherings such as Assemblies, excursions, camps, trips and interschool activities are postponed at this time.

Student Illness

It is essential that you keep your child home from school if they are unwell. In accordance with Queensland Health Directions, parents of any child showing signs of illness will be asked to collect them immediately from the school. Please contact the school office if any of your contact details have changed.

Hand Cleaning and Hygiene

Cleaning your hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer remains a key component to prevent the spread of COVID-19. School arrangements are put in place to allow staff and students to regularly clean their hands.

Wash hands scrubbing with soap before rinsing for 20 seconds-

• At the beginning and end of the day
• Every 20 mins
• Before and after eating

School cleaning

• Additional daily cleaning that prioritizes those areas in use by students and staff, with extra attention to, and frequent cleaning of high touch surfaces such as door handles, light switches, desks, toilets and taps
• Sanitization of play equipment daily
• Students and teachers frequent wiping over of phones and devices with sanitizer

Tuckshop

Our Tuckshop is currently operating on Friday’s for children of essential workers. The tuckshop will reopen 5 days a week from 25^th May 2020 unless QLd Health change requirements before then. We will keep you notified.

Report Cards

Semester One report cards will still be issued and will be forwarded home by the end of the second week of Term 3. As you can imagine due to the disruption to normal school routine, this semester's report cards will look different and limited to five learning areas only. Consequently, it is most important that students complete as much of their home learning as possible, especially the ‘Must Do” activities. I will provide further information in the next newsletter once I have received further clarification on our assessment and reporting requirements for this semester.

Happy Mothers' Day

God could not be everywhere, so God made mothers.

Mother’s Day is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate our mothers and the motherly figures in our lives. We thank them for all they do for us and all the love they bring to our families.

This year in particular, many of us are missing being able to be there with our mum’s. My mum is my inspiration and has given me so much love and wisdom throughout my life. I cannot wait till I can spend the day with her and to see my little girl again.

To all our St Joey’s mothers and grandmothers and maybe even great-grandmothers, we hope you had a very happy day on Sunday. We hope it was full of love and special memories. 

Thank you, mums, for all that you do for us and your children. You are truly appreciated! 

We would also like to take this time to thank the St Joseph's P&F for adapting  this years stall and supplying us, with yet again, an amazing array of gifts.  It is truely appreciated by all.  

Finally, I would like to give a big shout out to the Teachers and support staff for the amazing job they are doing in providing quality home learning opportunities. It has been a steep learning curve for most and plenty have spent time in the Learning Pit. However, with persistence and a strong willingness to ensure their students received quality home learning activities, they are now far more confident users of digital technology. This would not have been possible without the expert support from our Continuity of Learning Team, Meg Newell, Stacey Edmonds and Sigita Ulanas. They have worked tirelessly with our teaching teams and individual teachers. There guidance and advice has been invaluable.

God Bless,

Megan

Helping Kids Handle Worry

It's natural for all kids to worry at times, and because of personality and temperament differences, some may worry more than others. Luckily, parents can help kids learn to manage stress and tackle everyday problems with ease. Kids who can do that develop a sense of confidence and optimism that will help them master life's challenges, big and small.

What Do Kids Worry About?

What kids worry about is often related to the age and stage they're in.

Kids and preteens typically worry about things like grades, tests, their changing bodies, fitting in with friends, that goal they missed at the soccer game, or whether they'll make the team. They may feel stressed over social troubles like cliques, peer pressure, teased, or left out.

Many of our kids will be worried about COVID-19 and viruses, because we are living through a pandemic this is a source of worry for us all.

Helping Kids Conquer Worry

To help your kids manage what's worrying them:

• Find out what's on their minds: Be available and take an interest in what's happening at school, on the team, and with your kids' friends. Take casual opportunities to ask how it's going. As you listen to stories of the day's events, be sure to ask about what your kids think and feel about what happened.
• If your child seems to be worried about something, ask about it. Encourage kids to put what's bothering them into words. Ask for key details and listen. Sometimes just sharing the story with you can help lighten their load.
• Show you care and understand. Being interested in your child's concerns shows they're important to you, too, and helps kids feel supported and understood. Reassuring comments can help — but usually only after you've heard your child out. Say that you understand your child's feelings and the problem.
• Guide kids to solutions. You can help reduce worries by helping kids learn to deal with challenging situations. When your child tells you about a problem, offer to help come up with a solution together. If your son is worried about an upcoming math test, for example, offering to help him study will lessen his concern about it.
• In most situations, resist the urge to jump in and fix a problem for your child — instead, think it through and come up with possible solutions together. Problem-solve with kids, rather than for them. By taking an active role, kids learn how to tackle a problem on their own.
• Keep things in perspective. Without minimizing a child's feelings, point out that many problems are temporary and solvable, and that there will be better days and other opportunities to try again. Teaching kids to keep problems in perspective can lessen their worry and help build strength, resilience, and the optimism to try again. Remind your kids that whatever happens, things will be OK.
• Make a difference. Sometimes kids worry about big stuff — like terrorism, war, being in a pandemic — that they hear about at school or on the news. Parents can help by discussing these issues, offering accurate information, and correcting any misconceptions kids might have. Try to reassure kids by talking about what adults are doing to tackle the problem to keep them safe.
• Be aware that your own reaction to global events affects kids, too. If you express anger and stress about a world event that's beyond your control, kids are likely to react that way too. But if you express your concern by taking a proactive approach to make a positive difference, your kids will feel more optimistic and empowered to do the same.
• Offer reassurance and comfort. Sometimes when kids are worried, what they need most is a parent's reassurance and comfort. It might come in the form of a hug, some heartfelt words, or time spent together. It helps kids to know that, whatever happens, parents will be there with love and support.
• Sometimes kids need parents to show them how to let go of worry rather than dwell on it. Know when it's time to move on, and help kids shift gears. Lead the way by introducing a topic that's more upbeat or an activity that will create a lighter mood.
• Highlight the positive. Ask your kids what they enjoyed about their day, and listen when they tell you about what goes great for them or what they had fun doing. Give plenty of airtime to the good things that happen. Let them tell you what they think and feel about their successes, achievements, and positive experiences — and what they did to help things turn out so well.
• Schedules are busy, but make sure there's time for your kids to do little things they feel good doing. Daily doses of positive emotions and experiences — like enjoyment, gratitude, love, amusement, relaxation, fun, and interest — offset stress and help kids do well.
• Be a good role model. The most powerful lessons we teach kids are the ones we demonstrate. Your response to your own worries, stress, and frustrations can go a long way toward teaching your kids how to deal with everyday challenges. If you're rattled or angry when dealing with a to-do list that's too long, your kids will learn that as the appropriate response to stress.

Like many of us today, the disciples on the road to Emmaus were at a loss and in despair over a world seemingly gone mad, seeing the foundational principles of the world around them being shaken and living in fear for their own lives. The horror and shock of the Crucifixion had overwhelmed all hope and threatened the teachings of love and compassion Jesus had sought to install. Do the horrors of today’s world events overwhelm your sense of hope? Do the teachings of love and compassion seem pointless in the face of terrorist atrocities, global warming, racial hatred, refugee crises, and so many other evils? Wherever you are at this moment, you are on that road to Emmaus… Something happens on this road.

Lisa Kelly – Our Road to Emmaus

This Week Let us include in our prayers…

• We thank all essential workers for their continued presence at their jobs. This week let us pray for nurses, doctors, paramedics, and other medical staff in developed and developing worlds who continue to manage and make do with the resources they have to care for the sick and dying.
• We pray also for our political leaders who are now balancing the community's public health needs with the needs of the economy, business and workers.
• We pray for those who are having to find new ways of providing for themselves and their families as a result of job losses

May – the Month of Mary

The proper place for devotion to Mary is a clear one: she is the mother, the woman, the human participant in the work of redemption by her Son. She is the one who heard the Word of God in her heart and followed it to the end, whatever the cost to herself. By her unconditional fiat, she became the perfect recipient of God’s will that each of us would like to be. Her life belongs not simply to her own life but the life of the world as well. From The Liturgical Year, Joan Chittster

America Magazine – Pope Francis asks to the world to pray the rosary to end Coronavirus -

• The month of May is traditionally devoted to Mary and many Catholics already are in the habit of praying the rosary at home during the month, he noted. "The restrictions of the pandemic have made us come to appreciate all the more this 'family' aspect, also from a spiritual point of view."

Franciscan Media – Why Pray the Rosary

• Think of the rosary as being like the ocean: There’s something in it for everyone, whether you consider yourself a veteran mystic longing to go deeper in prayer with our Lord, a novice struggling to learn how to pray, or someone seeking the Lord’s help, right now, with something going on in your life. The deep-sea explorer and the child making sand castles on the beach can fully enjoy the same ocean while playing at different levels. And this is true with the rosary.

Australian Catholics – Mary, our Mother

• Mary has a special and honored place in salvation history and in our Church. As we approach the month of May, explore these engaging activities to enhance family celebrations of Mary at home.
  • Explore Mary’s faith and trust in God with the help of our family faith-sharing guide. A Family Faith-Sharing Guide: Facing new and uncertain situation
  • Download and color “The Story of Mary,” and take time to pray a traditional or modern prayer honoring Our Lady. Marian Resources
  • Read how one DRE came to appreciate Mary’s intercession by having conversations with her using the Ignatian style of prayer known as colloquy. Conversing with Mary, Colloquy-Style.

May St Joseph smile on you,

Meg Newell