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Dear St Joseph’s families,
It was great to welcome back the majority of our Prep and Year 1 students last week. I have been surprised at how quickly they have all settled back in after such as a lengthy break.
I would like to acknowledge and thank our wonderful parents who have embraced the changes put in place for the drop off and pick up of students. Thank you for respecting and complying with the regulations and allowing us to keep everyone safe during COVID-19.
I would like to thank the parents and carers of our Year 1 and Prep students I know that it was hard for some to leave their young children at the gate after a short hug and goodbye and watch them walk into the school grounds where once upon a time you would have accompanied them, holding their hand and helping them to unpack their bag. I can assure you that your children did a wonderful job of doing all their tasks by themselves and were very settled and happy catching up with their friends and teachers. It is important for us as a school community to continue to remain diligent with our drop off and pick up routines if we wish to keep all our students safe and healthy. Remember:
- Say goodbye to your child at the school gate or at the front of the school or in the carpark.
- Avoid gathering at the school gate or at the front of the school or in the carpark.
- Maintain 1.5m distance from other parents and students and staff.
- After school, if parked in front of the school, stay in your car and your child will come to you. If you are parked away from the school or are walking your child home, acknowledge the teacher on duty before leaving with your child.
- Use the school crossing.
- Once the children are in your care, depart the pickup area as soon as possible.
As you no doubt have seen in the media, the State Minister has confirmed that all year levels will return to school from Monday 25 May. Thank you for your continued patience, flexibility and willingness to adapt to the challenges that COVID19 has presented so far this term.
Importantly we must remember that once our students are back at school, it doesn’t mean that things will return to “normal”. We will still need to limit the amount of non-essential people on the School site, continue cleaning, social distancing and hygiene practices.
Your sensible and co-operative approach to these practices during this COVID period, has made the implementation of these new regulations not only easy, but also very successful in achieving our aim of maintaining our students health and safety.
The last ten weeks have been challenging and anxious times and it is far from over yet, but we are so fortunate to be relatively removed from the grim reality of this pandemic in many other parts of the world.
A colleague shared this article with me on the weekend, and it gave me a new perspective to what we are all going through.
Imagine you were born in 1900. Many would think that that was a pretty simple time of life. Then on your 14th birthday, World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday. 22 million people perish in that war, including many of your friends who volunteered to defend freedom in Europe.
Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until your 20th birthday. 50 million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million. On your 29th birthday, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, the World GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 38. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. If you were lucky, you had a job that paid $300 a year, a dollar a day.
When you turn 39, World War II starts. You aren’t even over the hill yet, but don’t try to catch your breath. If you lived in London, England or most of continental Europe, bombing of your neighbourhood, or invasion of your country by foreign soldiers along with their tank and artillery was a daily event. Thousands of Australian young men joined the army to defend liberty with their lives. Between your 39th and 45th birthday, 75 million people perish in the war.
At 50, the Korean War starts. 5 million perish. At 55 the Vietnam War begins and doesn’t end for 20 years. 4 million people perish in that conflict. On your 62nd birthday there is the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could have ended. Sensible leaders prevented that from happening.
In 2020, we have the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands have died; it is an anxious and dangerous time. Now think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. How do you think they survived all of the above? Perspective is an amazing art. Refined as time goes on, and very enlightening.
Thank you to all of our staff and parents who continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our children continue to learn. Our school community should be proud of the way we have all worked together to successfully overcome many challenges.
This week we would like to encourage families to celebrate all that has been achieved by our St Joseph’s School Community and we invite all students at home and school to have a crazy hair day this Friday. I looking forward to seeing some interesting hair styles of teachers and students at our live meets.
God Bless,
Megan
Gospel Reflections by Brendan Byrne, SJ ‘At Home’ with God
In last week’s Gospel Jesus reflected on two understandings of his ‘going away’ and ‘return’: first, his going away in death and his re-appearance three days later as the risen Lord; second, his more final departure to the Father, to return only at the end of time. The section from Jesus’ instruction that we hear in Sunday’s Gospel focuses upon that second, much longer period of absence.
As far as the non-believing world is concerned, Jesus will simply have ceased to exist. Believers, however, will continue to ‘see’ him with the eyes of faith and experience his presence in this way…… In the face of the world’s hostility and doubt, the ‘Spirit of truth’ will offer reassurance that what they believe and seek to live by is the most profound truth.
This Week Let us include in our prayers…..
- We pray for the children at The Eden Gardens Children’s Home in India, a place where 250 children from remote and disadvantaged backgrounds are given access to education, as well as a safe home that fulfils their physical and spiritual needs. This work is one of many for Catholic Mission, perhaps, if you are able, you might consider supporting those in crisis, like Nathaniel and hundreds of other vulnerable children. [The good works of Catholic Mission can be found in the link provided]
- We pray for our fragile earth, may this time of quiet in the skies and industry, provide her the means and the space to begin to heal; may we use this time to reflect more deeply on how we can take greater care of our Common Home.
- We pray for families,
National Families Week
Friday the 15th of May is the international day for families. This is a time to celebrate with family, make contact with our extended family and friends and simply share in the enjoyment of family activities. The one benefit we have had during this time is how it has provided families opportunities to spend time together that we wouldn’t have had otherwise due to the busyness of our lives. So let's take time this week to reflect and celebrate the meaning of family and to make the most of the family time. Perhaps this weekend we could have a picnic with our family, zoom or skype our extended family and reach out to
Families are society’s most important building block. Strong families equate to strong communities because they embody caring for others, connectedness with people, and providing hope, support and comfort.
– Dr Brian Babington, Chief Executive Officer
May – the Month of Mary
The month of May is a traditional time in the Catholic Calendar to honor Mary in special ways. This year, in this current climate in particular we can look to Mary as a model for facing uncertain times. When faced with the news from the angel that she would be the Mother of God, Mary had lots of questions, but the most important thing is that she accepted God’s plan for her with complete trust.
What are some ways that we can re-engage with prayer to Mary this month? As a child I remember my grandmother would religiously say a decade of the rosary every night before going to bed. It was a very spiritual and hypnotic experience. For some, this form of prayer could even be considered a meditative experience, a chance to switch off devices and be present in the moment. Saying the Rosary uses the technique of repeating a familiar prayer- the Hail Mary- while also focusing on the spirituality of the significant moments in the life of Jesus or his mother, Mary. These moments are known as mysteries, and are gathered into four sets: the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous mysteries. A link to the mysteries is here with an explanation, (mysteries link), as you begin each decade (ten Hail Marys) of the Rosary, you can imagine and contemplate one of the mysteries. A great way to bring the Rosary to life for your children- as you pray each of the mysteries, have them act out the scene being described. You could work through one decade at a time, almost a re-meeting with Mary.
May St Joseph smile on you,
Meg Newell
