FROM THE PRINCIPAL
There has been great excitement over the past week, as our children have had the opportunity to use the new nature play spaces for the first time. Both areas have been a hive of activity and the children are getting used to new ways to play, and learning new rules of engagement. For now, the R-2 students use the play areas at recess, and the 3-6 children use them at lunch time, as per our current play roster. Over time, this will probably be adjusted, however for now, it is working well. While I know that many children want to stay around after school and use the equipment and play, because we don’t have a teacher on duty in these areas at this time, I ask that the areas not be played on, because if there is an injury to an unsupervised child, the school has liability.
I want to offer my sincere thanks to Peter Semple-Landscape Architect and to Simon Reid and the crew at Dirtworks. Both organisations gave excellent service and have delivered a very high quality product.
I’m sure all families have been keenly watching our major building project unfolding. I want to thank everyone for their patience and goodwill as we manage this project, which will deliver excellent new facilities in time for the beginning of the 2021 school year. Our builders, Cook Building, have done an excellent job so far, and continue to have the project on track for a December completion.
Last Friday night’s disco was once again a brilliant school community event, and the children had a blast! Many thanks to Belinda Fox, Makella Holden, Laura Woodhouse, Bec Richards and all of the volunteers for their organisation and management of the event, which raised over $1000 for ongoing school projects. COVID has meant that school events this year have been rare, and it was just nice to be able to host an event again!
Last week, Steph Insanally, Michelle Page and Mary Rose Coghlan led our children in the filming of “Disney on Cambridge”, our biennial concert, which has been the culmination of months of hard work by all. While we won’t be able to present the concert to a live audience, this filmed version will be the next best thing and we look forward to sharing it with you once it has been edited. Our teachers and children were wonderfully supported by Matt Richards and Bianca Bedson who oversaw the videoing and editing of the event-stay tuned for the grand opening!
On Monday of week 10, our Catholic Schools Music Festival Choir will record their performance of this year’s event. This is usually a highlight of the Catholic education calendar, and while it wont quite be the same this year, the festival committee, as well as all or the choir trainers and children and young people, have lived the mantra of “the show must go on!” and we very m,uch look forward to viewing the end result. My thanks, again, to Steph Insanally for her excellent conducting of our choir.
The St Joseph’s School, Kingswood Sports Day will go ahead this year, on the last day of this term. We have a new venue this year- Waite playing fields on the corner of Fullarton Rd and Claremont Ave, Urrbrae. As this is an outdoor event, we are pleased to be able to welcome spectators, however we much abide by strict COVIOD protocols, so I ask all who are intending to come, to ‘buy’ a ticket on QKR! and to enter via the main gate on Claremont Ave, where will be taking names for contact tracing purposes.
There continues to be a lot of activity at our wonderful little school. The SACPSSA Touch Football carnival was held 2 weeks ago, and 76 children represented our school with energy and distinction…and had a great time in the process! Last Thursday and Friday, our year 4 cohort had their first camp experience – a ‘Zoo Snooze’ at the Adelaide Zoo-and by all reports it was a highlight of their year! My thanks to Graham Connor and Elizabeth Bello for leading the camp. Two weeks ago, the year 3’s visited Victor Harbor as part of their ‘Big Day Out.’ The year 5s and 6s are getting ready for their camps early in term 4.
I hope that all families were able to read the letter I circulated via SZapp last week, regarding a commitment from Catholic Education SA to provide fee reductions in all Diocesan primary Schools from 2021. Our school board will be meeting this week to finalise our fee structure for 2021 and I look forward to announcing it to the community before the end of term 3.
A reminder to all families that we are beginning the process of placing children into classes for 2021, and finalising our staffing profile. Please consider providing feedback to this process, via the SZapp form. A reminder as well, that the period of time to confirm enrolment for 2021 has now past and we are working on the assumption that unless we have been notified otherwise, we are looking forward to welcoming all existing families back to school in 2021!
As we head into term 4, students will revert to their summer uniforms. For the remainder of this term, though, I remind you of the importance of your child wearing full and correct winter uniform until the end of this term.
Have a great week everyone,
God Bless,
Phil