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Dear Parents and Carers
I hope your children have transitioned back to school well. I have spoken to most children since they have returned and it seems that whilst many children were very happy to return to school, some found the transition quite challenging. Thank you for your efforts to overcome these anxieties. I think you will agree that encouraging students’ return to face-to-face learning is very important in order to maintain their wellbeing and education along with their social networks.
Please rest assured that in all matters related to the management of COVID-19 in our school communities, Catholic Education and St Matthew’s take advice from ACT Health. The health and wellbeing of students, staff and our wider school community is given the highest priority and we continue each day to take measures to minimise the risk of COVID-19.
Our move to group children into cohorts to limit transmission is working well. Perhaps the most notable difference to school life has been the changing pick up and drop off routines for parents. To streamline these processes could I encourage you to drop off and pick up your children at:
- Drive-Through (Consider arriving in the afternoon at about 3.10pm to reduce your wait time, and ease congestion around the school.) Mrs Cole and I will be there to help. Remember to be patient as parents and children remember our protocols and get back into a routine. Please do not enter the Drive Through by queueing in the uphill entry to the carpark, this is annoying for those parents who make an effort to join the queue via Chewings Street.
- The Church carpark in the morning, and the upper courts in the afternoon. Walk your child to the K/1 playground gate. Please remember social distancing.
Nil Waste Awareness Raising
We are trying to encourage children to reduce the amount of waste they bring to school in the form of lunch or snack wrappers. We are also mindful that we do not want this to become a burden for parents packing lunches each day.
In the short term we are going to ask children to get into good habits by keeping their rubbish in their lunch box and taking it home. This will be an awareness raising exercise for children regarding the amount of waste everyone generates.
Thank you for your support.
Matty’s Memories
This is another contribution in a series of recollections from our former parents and pupils in the lead up to the celebration of our 50th anniversary celebrations in 2022.
This week’s contribution is from Mrs Val Gowland who was a parent at St Matthew’s during the 1970s and 1980s.
St Matthew’s School was large enough to be well equipped and able to cater for needs of pupils from a range of backgrounds but had the feel of a smaller school due to the skilled teachers who took time to know each child individually and encourage each one to realise their potential. I won’t mention the teachers by name, as I may miss one who was exceptional in the education of our children. Suffice to say, each teacher who taught any one of our four children was considered a friend by the end of the school year.
The leadership of Sr Peter Julian (PJ), the principal for the entire time that our children attended the school, was noted and appreciated by parents and teachers alike. I was privileged to work closely with her while I was President of the P&F association and her wisdom and guidance to the association was understated but not underestimated.
I recall Sr PJ’s uplifting singing voice as synonymous with all that was positive about St Matt’s and I will always be thankful for the time our children spent in that environment.
Peter and I wish St Matt’s community all the best going forward.
Sincerely, Val Gowland
During the next few weeks, we will “unveil” our 50th Anniversary Logo which has been designed by a Year Six student from our current cohort!
Children Not Returning in 2022
I would be grateful if you could inform your child’s classroom teacher if your child will not be returning to St Matthew’s in 2022. The parents of Year Six children need not respond.
Graham Pollard
Principal