Dr Carmel McGrath 

Learn@home 

Welcome back to a very different Term 2 of school whether at home or at school.  Like the majority of Queensland state and independent schools, we have also experienced issues out of our control as we move to learning online.  I know that this has caused some angst for families and staff, all doing their best to ensure children are continuing with their learning.   

I know that our staff have worked diligently over the holidays to develop their curriculum work for a new platform of delivery.  Change is often difficult but I am very proud of the positive manner in which my staff have embraced this challenge and have worked together in year level teams to ensure consistency and engaging curriculum.  But it’s still new and different to how things have normally been done, so the staff have been extremely busy.   

For you as parents, I know that work from home or work as essential workers is also very different.  Adding to these pressures, has been the need to support your children’s online learning.  I urge you to all be kind on yourselves and patience with both the online learning method and its fragility as we enter this new mode of schooling.  I am sure that as we continue to work together and support each other for the good of the children.   

Attendance Update 

I have attached a letter seeking clarification about essential worker status.  Thank you to all those parents who have already emailed me, letting me know the details from their employers.   

Mini- Festivals  

The bookings and planning for the City Cluster Mini-Festivals has been progressing well this term and we thank everyone who has committed to this valuable learning experience for our City Cluster students.  In response to current schooling and community conditions, we have decided to cancel the existing format of the Mini-Festivals due to be run in July – August 2020.  It is during Term 2 that our GEMs and teachers put the time and effort into the nomination process at each school and that the presenters and coordinators prepare for the Mini-Festival sessions. To allow our school communities to focus on their teaching and learning and well-being during term 2 we will not proceed with the Mini-Festival planning.   

We will re-assess the situation in mid Term 2 and consider the possibility of offering an alternative one day program that we could run in September or October.