Dear Parents, Carers and Friends of All Saints, 

Thank you for your support in adhering to the regulations around COVID-19. We are excited to be returning to some normality next term. You will be welcome back on to the school grounds although we ask that you not to do so if you feel unwell. We also request that you refrain from entering the classrooms and remember to social distance. We will have some signs around the school to remind you of these requests. Welcome Back.
 
We will be planning Year level assemblies and hope to be able to hold Sports Day later in Term 3. Assemblies will be slightly changed in that in order to accommodate parents and families in a socially distanced manner, only a limited number of classes will attend assembly. More details will follow early in Term 3. As you are aware, particularly from the experiences interstate, some things can change rapidly and regularly as the virus is still with us. How fortunate we have been in South Australia!

As we commence welcoming people back onto our school site I thought I would alert you to our processes around Child Protection. We have a number of policy documents which guide our work in this area. We are guided by the Policy for the Care, Wellbeing and Protection of Children and Young People, Cyber safety: Keeping Children Safe in a Connected World and the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum. You will be well aware that all contractors, volunteers and parents who work with or around the children must hold a Working with Children Check and will have completed an online course on Child Safe environments.

The Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum (KS:CPC) teaches children and young people (age 3 to year 12) to recognise abuse, tell a trusted adult, understand what is appropriate and inappropriate touching and ways to keep themselves safe.

Staff that deliver the KS:CPC must be trained.  Each term the teachers work through one aspect of the keeping Safe Curriculum alongside the personal and social capabilities within the Australian Curriculum.

We are delighted to welcome Lindy Burford to our staff next term, as our new Playgroup Coordinator. Lindy has a wealth of knowledge as a children’s librarian and is very familiar with the All Saints Community. Welcome Lindy.

So as we end this term, we wish you a safe and restful break from the usual school routine.

We ask that you continue to keep the Walker-Brown and extended family in your prayers and try to remember the wisdom Sienna left with us: savour the small things like butterflies and bees, nature and family, as we venture into this two week break.

With every best wish,
Liz Keogh and staff

We have made it to the end of term and what a term it has been. COVID-19 has been a challenging time for everyone which the children have managed so well. The loss of our beloved Sienna is and will continue to be felt by us all. The staff, children and community are exhausted and are ready for a rest. Please take this time to do just that. 

Today’s newsletter focus is about encouraging you to take a break and spend time with your family. I am talking quality time, outside in the fresh air and connect with the ones you love. Maybe even playing board games and playing or watching sport together. I have a four year old and I’ve been looking at how to spend quality time with him. These two websites have many suggestions:

Kids In Adelaide
Nature Play SA

Spending time as a family can have a positive impact on children’s emotional and behavioural concerns. The number one goal is for families to create times where they can interact. This time not only strengthens family bonding but can have a number of other positive impacts such as building children’s self-esteem and encouraging communication.

Please think about how you and your family will spend some quality time together these holidays.

Wishing you all a restful break.

Last Thursday 4HR and our Reception Buddies began some rejuvenation work in the frog pond area. This area is going to be cared for by the children at All Saints in memory of our friend Sienna Walker-Brown.

An important focus for this work is to become more aware of the wonderful natural environments at All Saints. Being ecologically aware and mindful means that we develop care and custodianship for these areas and pass on our knowledge of how to care for these special spaces to future All Saints children.

We are excited to once again invite families back to Little Saints Playgroup starting Tuesday, 21 July 2020.  

The Little Saints Playgroup is run by a trained co-ordinator and held on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays in the transportable unit adjacent to the hall from 9:00-10:45am.

Please bring along a hat, drink and healthy snack for your child.

What a term and what a year this has been! I particularly feel for our Year 6 children whose last year of primary school has been like no other. COVID-19 is a next level challenge on its’ own. Then we add the tragic loss of a peer and friend. Wham! This year level needs a real focus on wellbeing and an opportunity to celebrate who they are.

So that’s what we gave them.

Over the last couple of weeks each class has spent time out of the school grounds attending a ‘Wellbeing Workshop’ around the Gospel theme:

“As I have loved you, love one another”
John 13: 34 - 35

We enjoyed a great day together and I was really proud of how these young people embraced the day. We told them clearly that as a workshop the day included work. Work meant that they had to get involved, they had to listen and contribute and engage in learning. And they did.

Wellbeing meant that the focus of this learning was about giving them knowledge, understanding and some skills around ways to improve not only their own physical and mental health but also each other’s physical and mental health. I wanted them to feel better about who they are and help others feel good about themselves too. And they did.

We celebrated who Sienna was as a fellow peer and a friend, we celebrated each and every individual. We played games, we talked and we ate pizza. It was a great day and these children were wonderful.

I think we will have to do this again!

Last Friday we held our WEAR YOUR PYJAMAS TO SCHOOL day, supporting the Vinnies Winter Appeal, by raising money and seeking donations of food and clothing for people in our community experiencing homelessness. 

Thank you to all the children, parents, staff and everyone in the All Saints community who raised, at last count, over $800.

A fun day and an amazing result!

A reminder to make your booking for the Term 3 Learning Conversations taking place in Week 3 from Tuesday 28 July - Thursday 30 July, 2020.

Bookings will close on Monday, 27 July at 3pm.

At All Saints we believe in recognising positive behaviour.  Regularly Ms Keogh invites learners who have continually gone over and above, to share a drink and a chat together.

Catholic Education SA has just announced a Students with Disability Review to strengthen the inclusion, learning and wellbeing of students with disability. We invite you to find out more and have your say by taking part in the Students with Disability Review Survey.

We remind you that Monday, 20 July 2020 is a School Closure Day.   

The first day back to school in Term 3 will therefore be Tuesday, 21 June, 2020.