Dear Parents and Carers

As advised by email yesterday McAuley staff are undertaking professional learning next week as we move to formalize Remote Learning next term.  For those families who need care and supervision next week please be sure that you contact me before the end of today so that we can see what can be done next week.

As time moves on I know our staff are missing the students.  That is a big reminder of the relational nature of our work.  Good teaching just doesn’t seem to happen without the personal and physical connections. Parents too, are learning that motivating and keeping kids engaged in the remote learning environment is tricky!  Just have a look at social media to see the hardships many parents are finding having their kids at home whilst trying to get some school activities done.

Please be assured we are in this together.  Our staff are working madly to make the work presented interesting, challenging and varied.  We have come up with a logo (below) that represents the next term and the fact that McAuley staff and parents are working together as a team.  We hope that this visual representation will remind you that we don’t expect you to be the teacher, rather, help where you can and allow our fabulous staff to do their job remotely.  RemoTE@Mcauley will become the new norm for at least Term 2 it seems and we look forward to working in the best way possible in this fast changing world of work, school and home.

Remember that we are a Catholic School in the tradition of Catherine McAuley.  Our words and actions should model that charism which was dedicated to education, hard work and doing the best that we can each day.  A time of prayer together as a family is an important way to keep our traditions and customs alive.  Pray for those who need it but don’t forget to pray in thanksgiving for the many blessings we have.

This is already a historical time which will be imprinted on the memories of our children.  Let’s work to make those memories good ones.  Memories of a time when your family was united like no time before, doing things that made you happy, helped you learn and protected our fellow humankind from harm.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support from your child’s classroom or PC teacher or to contact me directly.  I am aware there are high levels of anxiety and fear in our families. 

We have access to CatholicCare Counselling and online resources to give advice and help.

Mary Our Mother… Look after us.

HOLY WEEK
This Sunday, Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week which is a very sacred time of the year. It is during this week that we will commemorate and remember the last week of Jesus' life on this earth. The greatest focus of the week is the suffering and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the events that led up to it. Due to the restrictions to stop the spread of the Coronavirus there are no church services during this most holy time. 

I would invite you to still commemorate these important days with your family with the support of an online resource from the Liturgy Brisbane-Holy Week at Home. These resources have been produced to enable families to celebrate simple liturgies at home during Holy Week. 

This is an excellent site for daily Mass.

https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/mass-online/

Being at home with your children during Holy Week allows you an opportunity to reflect on the Stations of the Cross together as a family. There are many excellent resources online with you can use. One that is would recommend is below. On this site you will find some background information on the history and traditions of the Stations of the Cross as well as a prayerful and reflective clip on the Stations of the Cross.

https://resourcecem.com/2018/10/03/the-stations-of-the-cross/

Please follow the link for Children's Stations of the Cross.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0qv7c4PsrA

Fire Monster

I wake extra early to a chaotic scene,

The stench of smoke fills my nostrils, the thickest it’s been.

The sky is glowing red and the smoke is hanging thick,

This unrelenting monster is getting close and travelling quick.

It’s burnt the local pine plantation and heading for our town,

We must evacuate this morning and head to safer ground.

Our modest country town is deserted and forlorn,

Only the brave remain behind to fight this firestorm.

Fierce, flaming fireballs are fed by the ferocious gusts,

I see fear in my parents faces, how will we adjust?

I pray harder than ever that our town will be spared,

But my faith is being tested, despite being well prepared.

It’s a battle for survival, a fight that’s hard to win,

But we are a strong, united community and unwilling to give in.

In the months to come, we will revive,

All that matters, for now, is that we survive.

School buses will be running as per their normal timetable next week.

The current COVID 19 health crisis has led to anxiety, uncertainty and constant change in our lives. We have collected numerous resources that you may find useful to support your children and yourselves especially in relation to adjusting to the transition to schooling from home.

https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/topics/mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak

Resources for parents:

 Emotional Welbeing:

 https://headtohealth.gov.au/covid-19-support/covid-19

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak

 https://services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel/resources/wellbeing/coronavirus-covid-19-managing-stress-and-anxiety

https://www.headspace.com/covid-19

 https://advice.shinetext.com/articles/therapists-answer-your-top-questions-about-coronavirus-anxiety/?

utm_source=Shine&utm_medium=CareForYourCoronavirusAnxiety

 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-inner-life-students/202003/flexibility-in-the-midst-crisis

 https://medium.com/@Tom.Hollenstein/regulating-emotions-in-a-covid-19-world-f3ef394f8294

 https://news.yale.edu/2020/03/24/yale-webinars-using-emotional-intelligence-combat-covid-19-anxiety

To support children:

 https://www.unicef.org.au/blog/news-and-insights/march-2020/how-to-talk-to-your-children-about-coronavirus

 https://www.brainpop.com/health/diseasesinjuriesandconditions/coronavirus/

 https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-talk-to-children-about-the-coronavirus-2020030719111

 https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic?j=7704934&sfmc_sub=179466459&l=2048712_HTML&u=143543079&mid=6409703&jb=2160&utm_source=covid19_landingpages_jim&utm_medium=email

https://www.gonoodle.com/

Yoga for kids;

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEi1foUiGObzzQM3QA2H5A/search?query=kids

Home Schooling support:

 https://sites.google.com/ed.act.edu.au/act-home-learning/resources-to-support-home-learning

https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

https://www.pbs.org/parents/learn-grow

https://www.natgeokids.com/au/

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/great-youtube-channels-middle-schoolers-and-high-schoolers-learning-home-during

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/apps-to-help-kids-stay-focused?j=7698356&sfmc_sub=179466459&l=2048712_HTML&u=143332598&mid=6409703&jb=2163&utm_source=covid19_resources_jim&utm_medium=email

https://confidentparentsconfidentkids.org/2020/03/13/my-kids-school-is-closed-so-now-what/

https://theconversation.com/trying-to-homeschool-because-of-coronavirus-here-are-5-tips-to-help-your-child-learn-133773

https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/its-okay-thoughts-from-a-homeschool-grad-turned-covid-19-homeschool-parent/

 https://www.today.com/parents/teacher-s-advice-homeschooling-during-covid-19-crisis-t176370

 We have included a broad range of information for your consideration.

 Take care.

 The Student & Family Counselling Team

CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn