From the Principal

It has been an exciting week this week as we watched the slab for our new administration building being poured. With the slab complete, you can see the size and scale of the School’s new front entrance. It is going to be an impressive building. We have been reassured by the builder that despite having to lower the number of tradespeople on site each day, they still expect to complete the building early in 2021. This is both exciting and necessary as growth in the Junior School means that in 2021 we will need the classrooms which are currently being occupied by administration staff in the Junior School Building.

A reminder that the LEAD survey for parents closes today. If you have not yet completed the survey, I encourage you to do so before it closes. We really do value your opinion so please don’t miss the opportunity to provide your feedback.

This week in Senior School Assembly I spoke about the importance of rituals in our lives. In the COVID world we currently live in, so many of the rituals that we usually perform every day have stopped. Little things like shaking hands when we meet someone, smiling at people (😷 = 🙂?😟?) and greeting friends with hugs or air kisses. These daily rituals build a sense of connectedness to each other – a connectedness we are all missing at the moment. They also provide predictability, certainty and acceptance as we know what to expect from ourselves and from others in social situations. In their absence, we struggle to know how to act, creating a social awkwardness and a gap waiting to be filled (the awkward elbow- bump alternative to handshaking has not been popular - but what should we do instead?) After not practicing these old rituals for many months, what will happen when we are again permitted to see each? Will we ever shake hands again? Will we ever blow out candles on a birthday cake again? Will we slip back into old habits as soon as we have the chance? We are currently sitting at a point of potentially great social change. The young people of today play a big part in shaping the world we live in tomorrow. How should we act towards each other once the masks are off? As teenagers are so often trendsetters, I look forward to seeing what trends and new social norms emerge once social interaction begins again. 

As the weeks of stage 4 restrictions drag on, it has become increasingly difficult for parents to keep their children happy and busy at home. I again recommend the Independent Schools Victoria Parent's Website to you. They have a collection of great resources such as the two articles below;

Five ideas for parents with young children in lockdown

Wondering how to keep your little ones busy and entertained during lockdown? Here are some great practical and education-based ideas from Svitlana Korchova-Tyurina and Katrina Tour.

https://theparentswebsite.com.au/five-ideas-for-parents-with-young-children-in-lockdown/

Our super list of great ideas for kids at home – more fun than ever before

Create a 'Spoonville' in your neighbourhood, join the 'Bake it Forward' family, and tune into the penguin parade. All new on our growing list of fun activities for kids at home.

https://theparentswebsite.com.au/super-list-great-ideas-kids-home/

Stay safe, stay well.

Mrs Fiona Williams

Principal