9 April 2020

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Friends,

This week’s newsletter coincides with the final week of Term 1, the middle of Holy Week and with this there is a sense of insecurity, not knowing what is ahead; a time of sacrifice such that our generation has never known. Normally we would be celebrating the solemnity of Holy Week with the children, when we gather and we reflect on the life of Jesus and His final days on earth. This year we find ourselves on a forced school closure and heading into the holiday break without any sense of Easter. This is not how it should be!

Instead, this week we find ourselves experiencing the dichotomy of life, birth and death, boom and bust of the world economies, peace and war, the fragile link we have with nature, bushfires and drought, and more recently a pandemic that has turned our lives upside down.

In all of this there will be an Easter. It may be very different this year but it is still one of the most important celebrations in the Christian calendar – The Easter message of Jesus' death and resurrection gives us confidence and optimism that even in life’s challenges, in all that COVI-19 has thrown at us, there is hope and promise in the everyday experiences of ‘little resurrections’ and this is what faith is about.

So as we experience the events of this very different Holy Week and the passion of Christ’s death and resurrection on Easter Sunday, there will be many distractions and we could in fact miss the significance of the next few days. Even though we will miss the Easter liturgies and Masses I hope and pray that Star of the Sea families will find time to gather as family and give thanks that we live in a country where we can self-isolate and we can make choices that will keep us safe.

I wish all members of our Star of the Sea community a safe and Holy Easter and a restful holiday break before school resumes on Tuesday 28th April 2020.

Keep safe.
Joe De Tullio

COVID-19 matters

I am receiving many emails and calls from parents regarding the beginning of Term 2. Catholic Education South Australia has advised all schools, that unless we are informed otherwise by the Government, Catholic schools will remain open to provide remote curriculum delivery for students who are at home and for those who are at school. Whether students attend school or stay home, all students will access the same mode of learning.

All schools have been asked to prepare for the worst case scenario; to prepare for remote/online learning if the government decides to close schools and/or, if parents continue to keep their children at home for an uncertain period of time.

At Star of the Sea, teachers have been using the four pupil free days to prepare for remote/online learning and they have been doing an amazing job. We are very fortunate to have teachers that are committed to delivering quality teaching and learning in a very different and foreign format.

Teachers have not been trained to teach online. We are asking them to merge their teaching skills and technology together in four days and deliver lessons online. I ask parents to be patient and understanding as we come to terms with new ways of working and teaching. We will be doing our best.

Therefore, unless directed otherwise Star of the Sea will be open in Term 2 and school will resume on Tuesday 28th April. I ask parents to keep listening and watching for updates from the government regarding what is happening to schools. We will also keep you updated via Skoolbag, emails, Facebook and Instagram.

I also encourage all families to visit the Catholic Education website - www.cesa.catholic.edu.au/learning-online and www.esafety.gov.au/kids

Stella Maris Building Handover

In all of the bleak news of late there is good news that the new Stella Maris Building will be ready for partial handover during the holidays. The new classrooms look amazing and we are moving in on Monday 27th April. When we return to school on Tuesday, the Reception children will be in their new rooms, the Year 2s will have moved into the current Reception rooms and Science, Art and Italian will move into the current Year 2 Rooms. The staff will be using Monday 27th April to move their classrooms in readiness for day one of Term 2, 28th April 2020.

Not only will the classrooms be ready, we will also have the new atrium, the Da Vinci space, the walk ways, disabled lift, new upstairs toilets and the new imaginative play space. If you are dropping the kids off on Tuesday please call in to have a look, but please practise social distancing.

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher Interviews will be very different this year. Instead of face to face interviews, teachers will be contacting you by phone. Parent Teacher Interviews will be held in Weeks 2 and-3 next term. As in previous years we will be using the online booking system PTO (Parent Teacher Online). Class teachers will send out invitations to parents to book for interviews using the Parent Teacher Online booking system. All parents will receive a link to the website and a PIN number. Once you received your PIN you can log on and book an interview time.

Last day to book your interview will be Friday 15 May 2020.

Our records indicate that there are still a number of families who have not provided the school with an email address. I ask that if you fall into this category, please contact Viv DePalma at school so she can enter your details into the school's data base so you can receive important school information.

Winter Uniform

Traditionally students change over to the winter uniform at the commencement of Term 2. However, in the first few weeks of term, some of the days may be warm and so there is generally a lead into the full winter uniform. If the temperature is forecast above 25 degrees children may wear their summer uniform. Generally, by the second week of school the days are predictably cooler and it is expected that all students will be in the appropriate uniform for winter. The current uniform and student grooming policy is available on the school’s web site. Some students in the older year levels need to have haircuts and I remind parents that if you are buying new sandshoes, they should be predominantly white.

School Canteen

Due to the reduced number of students at school next term the School Canteen will be closed for recess and lunches.

Students will need to provide their own recess and lunch until further notice. I apologise for this inconvenience.

Dee Taggert and The Canteen Volunteers will be back as soon as things return to normal.