Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As I write this newsletter I am away on the Year 6 Camp at The Bend. The children arrived after our first hot day of summer, enjoying our Life Be In It day and Tri Skills. The children were excited to have brand new dorms and lots of green space for play. On Wednesday they participated in a variety of aquatics activities at the Murraylands Aquatic Centre at Murray Bridge. These included knee boarding, canoeing, small boat driving and sailing catamarans. We are all certainly having a great time indeed. I am sure they will all sleep well on Friday night when they return home. Thank you to Heather Docherty and Paula Freer for organising such a great experience for our senior students.
This coming week is 'Woods Week' at it promises to be fun filled and packed with different celebrations. One of these events is a day with singer and songwriter Andrew Chinn. Andrew has performed at hundreds (probably into the thousands by now) of schools in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. He engages children in liturgical music while sharing the message and stories of the bible. I am sure the children will thoroughly enjoy the day. You might want to check out his website.
Wednesday is also Remembrance Day, when we stop and recall all those soldiers who have fought in wars, in an effort to bring peace to the various nations around the world. We especially remember all those Australians who died or suffered because of war.
I am sure that you have noticed the developing Nature Play Space on the western side of the oval. Even if you haven't seen it, your children are well aware of how it is going. This space was due to be completed by this Friday but unfortunately they are running behind schedule. We have our fingers crossed for the middle of next week. My hope is that the fence will be gone in time for Sports Day on Friday.
Woods Week culminates with Sports Day on Friday, which will be an afternoon / twilight event. Details have been forwarded to you already. Please note that, due to Covid-19 restrictions we can only allow two adults per family to attend and only if they have booked in via the online booking link sent out by Anna. Please remember the need to physically distance at all times, keeping at least 1.5metres from each other. It is really important for everyone to adhere to this requirement. While OSHC is not operating on that day, there is provision for some children to be supervised in the Beehive from 8am if required. Our preference is that children arrive at school at 12:30pm on Friday, ready for a 1pm start.
Along with all of these activities our teachers have been allocating students to the 2021 class structures and shortly they will be writing the end of year Reports for each student. It certainly is a busy time for teachers and in light of World Teacher's Day last Friday I thank them again for the tremendous work they do each day.
I would also like to thank the seven student teachers who have been with us for the past 3 weeks and finish their placement at Tenison Woods next week. Thank you Ebony, Giselle, Jack, Katherine, Morgan, Taylah and Tom. We wish you well for your chosen pathway and future as teachers.
Thank you also to our Parents and Friends Committee who met last week for the last time this year. I hope you were able to support their wine drive fundraiser this week. The P&F will reconvene next year and there is an opportunity for some new faces to join this hard working (but fun) group. A special thank you to those parents who have made themselves available to sell ice blocks and ice creams at lunch times this term. It is greatly appreciated.
Finally I would like to say good luck and congratulate our children celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation and First Eucharist on Saturday 14 November. I hope this day is a special one for you and your family. May you experience God's blessing upon you in a new way at this important time.
Kind regards
Peter Mercer
Principal
