Dear Parents and Friends,
A warm welcome back to the final school term for 2017!
The following weeks
will bring great excitement as we prepare for our new learning spaces following
the building project. Our new school
will ensure that the teachers have the resources, space and inspiration they
need to realize the full potential of every student.
The estimated date for completion of the building project will
be January 29th which will allow the St Mary’s staff the necessary
time to move in before school commences on Wednesday January 31st.
Once all classes are settled we will be inviting all families to be part of a
special tour to see the classrooms in action.
As you can imagine all staff members and students are looking forward
with great anticipation to working within the new spaces.
During the Spring vacation I had the opportunity to visit a
number of progressive schools in Toronto, Canada. These schools have been
established to provide an education where young people can be successful as
individuals through magnificent teaching and leading where there is a focus on
high-quality relationships, pedagogy and belief in children’s competence. These
schools are deeply rooted in their communities and foster innovators, nimble
problem-solvers and engaged citizens, boosting math comprehension, cultivating
creativity and using technology to broaden the parameters of learning. They are
exploring why the role of schools is expanding to nurture students’ social-emotional
skills and growth mindsets, and how vital this broader definition of education
is to children’s long-term health, happiness and success. I could see strong
links between the Australian schools and of those in the province of Ontario in
the realisation of this vision and how we as parents and teachers work closely
together.
It was a delightful experience to participate in Mrs Kate
Crisp’s Year 2 class liturgy this morning. The children spoke about the
significance of the values of love and compassion in our world today and how as
children they respond to each other in the class and in their own families.
These opportunities where children can focus on their faith through the
scripture stories and relate it to everyday living where they themselves can
make a difference is a powerful means of learning. It was very encouraging to
see our beautiful children reflecting in this positive way.
Enjoy a relaxing weekend.
Beverly Coffey