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THOUGHT FOR THE FORTNIGHT
National Reconciliation Week 2020 – 'In this together' – is now resonating in ways the organisers would not have foreseen when they announced it last year, but it reminds us whether in a crisis or in reconciliation we are all in this together.
Aunty Sue Hodges calls us to walk together with reciprocity towards Reconciliation:
https://www.commongrace.org.au/walking_together_with_reciprocity
Aunty Glenny Naden calls us to walk together with resilience towards Reconciliation:
https://www.commongrace.org.au/walking_together_with_resilience
AFFIRMATIONS
- ALL OUR COMMUNITY… to families for navigating the Learning@Home (as well as adults who had to work as well), to students and staff, for the huge workload Learning@Home put on them.
- The HPE staff for organising such a wonderful virtual cross country and for all the staff and families for getting into it with such energy.
- Ms Anne-Marie McWatters for her work this week to bring to life National Reconciliation Week, particularly with the 'Sea of Hands' at both campuses. Thank you, also, to students and staff who have taken the time in class to pray and teach on the topic.
IMPORTANT NEWS
POSITIONS VACANT
The College is currently seeking applications from suitably experienced candidates for the following positions:
Secondary Teacher
Parental Leave position
Huntingfield Campus: Grades 7-10
Maths & Science Teacher - 0.8FTE
Teaching position commences Monday, 17 August 2020
Teaching position concludes Friday, 2 July 2021
Teacher Assistant x 2
Ongoing positions
Huntingfield Campus: Grades 5-10
Term time only - 23hrs per week
Kingston Campus: Prep-Grade 4
Term time only - 12.25hrs per week
Teacher Assistant positions commence Monday, 20 July 2020
An Application Package can be accessed by visiting the College Website at - https://www.staloysius.tas.edu.au/positions-vacant
Please direct confidential enquiries to Rachael Adams on 6229 0102 or by emailing rachael.adams@catholic.tas.edu.au
Candidates are to forward applications to: Mr Joseph Sandric, Acting Principal sacc.principals@catholic.tas.edu.au
WHERE ARE WE AT WITH COVID-19?
Resumption of Face to Face Learning at St Aloysius College
We welcomed all students back to the College on Monday, 25 May 2020. The information below is provided to assist parents and students in the transition back to face to face learning.
Understanding the COVID-19 virus
The simple combination of soap and water remains one of the strongest weapons against infectious diseases, including COVID-19. To fully understand why health officials keep coming back to soap, it helps to know how the coronavirus exists outside the body, and what research is saying about how long the virus can linger on common surfaces.
Because respiratory droplets are heavy, they typically fall to the ground easily. Depending on where they land, they could persist on a surface before being touched by a hand that carries the virus to a nose or mouth, leading to infection.
Although it is not certain at this time how long the COVID-19 virus survives on surfaces, studies suggest that corona viruses can survive on cardboard for 24 hours, two days on stainless steel and three days on hard plastic. The virus could only be detected for four hours on copper, a material that naturally breaks down bacteria and viruses.
Environmental conditions can also influence how long the virus lasts. Humidity, for example, is thought to make it harder for respiratory droplets to travel through the air, and ultraviolet light is known to degrade.
There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted via food, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Porous items like clothes and wood don't hold the virus for longer than four hours. That is because these items pull moisture away from the virus and cause it to degrade.
No matter what you touch, soap and water is the best way to remove any potential coronavirus from your hands before it can lead to infection. The coronavirus does not penetrate through skin because your outermost layer is slightly acidic, which prevents most pathogens from entering the body.
Soap works so effectively because its chemistry pries open the corona virus’s exterior envelope and causes it to degrade. These soap molecules then trap tiny fragments of the virus, which are washed away in water. Hand sanitisers work similarly by bursting apart the proteins contained in a virus.
Effective cleaning is important for reducing the risk of transmission of many germs. The aim of environmental cleaning is to minimise the number of germs that survive on surfaces.
Students and staff who are not well must not attend school. If your child presents at school with a fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath you will be phoned to collect them from school. Please keep them home if they have any of these symptoms. This will also apply to staff that have the symptoms mentioned.
What if my child is unable to attend school due to being vulnerable due to Covid-19 health concerns?
As is currently the case, parents are asked to communicate with the college regarding their child’s absence from school. If, for medical reasons (as stated above), students cannot attend for an extended period of time, we ask you to contact the Deputy Principals; Susan McGann at Kingston Campus and Susie Bond at Huntingfield Campus.
Is it safe for students to return to school?
Schools have been identified as safe places for students and staff and evidence suggests that they present low risk in relation to the spread of COVID-19.
What protection is in place for students and staff?
The health and safety of our students and staff is of highest priority and we are implementing a range of measures to ensure we meet the public health advice. The following controls have been established or maintained since term 1:
- Students and staff who are not well must not attend school;
- Physical distancing of 1.5 metre is required by all adults;
- Cleaning frequency has increased to include daily cleaning of high touch surfaces such as desks, handrails, door handles, taps, outside play equipment;
- Shared devices are limited and, if used, are sanitised after each use;
- There are procedures in place to ensure that students wash their hands on entry to each class and before eating at recess and lunchtime;
- Hand soap and paper towels are available in each class where there is a sink available. Hand sanitiser is available in the areas where this is not possible;
- Posters reminding staff and students of the importance of social distancing and hand washing are displayed;
- Communal water fountains have been closed;
- Increased amount of fresh air inside classrooms is encouraged by opening doors and windows when suitable;
- Library book borrowing will be limited to 5 books and returned books will be quarantined for 72 hours before being returned to the shelves;
- No woodwind or brass instruments to be played in music classes;
- All excursions, incursions, camps and work experience are cancelled until further notice;
- All inter school events and competitions and learn to swim are cancelled until further notice;
- No volunteers are permitted until further notice;
- No College assemblies, performances involving audiences or College Masses are permitted until further notice;
- Strict hygiene controls will be in place for food preparation (canteen) staff and their close contacts.
Students will be reminded to:
- Not share food or drink;
- Practice good personal hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes with an elbow or tissue, placing used tissues immediately in the bin, washing hands frequently before eating and after toileting;
- Avoid touching their face, nose, eyes or mouth;
- If they do cough, sneeze or touch their face, they are encouraged to wash their hands or sanitise;
- Practise social distancing as practical.
Will there be physical distancing enforced at school?
Physical distancing of 1.5 metres is required by all adults. Public health advice is that physical distancing between children is not required in schools provided that they are well. However, where possible, physical distancing will be encouraged for students.
Staff rooms and office spaces have limited capacity to comply with the social distancing requirement for adults of 4 square metres.
Parents and caregivers gathering before and after school
Adults congregating in groups on school sites poses the greatest risk of transmission of COVID-19. It is very important that parents and carers observe physical distancing and hygiene protocols when picking up and dropping off students. We ask for your support to maintain this. If it is essential to visit the administration area, please ensure you sanitise your hands and maintain social distancing. If you observe the area is busy, please reconsider your need to visit at that time or if your enquiry can be solved in an alternative way by email or phone.
We ask that you drop and pick up your child from outside the College grounds, and only enter the College if essential. Teachers will be at the classroom doors to welcome students as they arrive. Please keep the amount of time that you spend in the car park or at pick up and drop off to a minimum and we ask that you do not use the playground before or after school. Whilst we appreciate that this is usually a social time for families, please help us to stay vigilant and keep our community safe.
We also ask for your assistance to minimise the disturbance to classes by not requesting the unnecessary early release of students from classes without prior written or phone consent.
Will student temperatures be monitored?
There is limited evidence to suggest that temperature testing is of value when testing for COVID-19. If temperature testing is required, First Aid Officers have non-touch thermometers to support their first aid delivery.
Does the College have sufficient hygiene supplies?
The College has sufficient supplies and has been able to secure a regular supply of all hygiene products.
Is there any support for my child’s emotional well-being?
There is always professional support available to support the emotional well-being of students. These include class teachers, pastoral co-ordinators and our College Counsellor. Please discuss any concerns with your child’s teacher.
Will buses operate?
The bus businesses that provide transport to your child will operate as normal. We have been advised that additional cleaning is being provided to all high touch point surfaces and, where possible, social distancing will be encouraged. Until 5 July, bus travel is free and there will be no physical contact with the bus driver to exchange tickets.
What will happen in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19?
If a confirmed case is identified, the College will follow the advice of the Public Health Department. The College may need to temporarily close to allow time for the Public Health to conduct tracing and specific cleaning to make safe for students and staff.
Why should I consider downloading the COVIDSafe app?
The app assists health officials to quickly contact people who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Please consider downloading the app to help to reduce the spread of the virus should it reach our College community. The health officials can only use the app information to help alert those who may need to quarantine or get tested because they have been in contact or in an area with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19. The COVIDSafe app is the only contact trace app approved by the Australian Government.
COVID-19 Testing
The Tasmanian Government has expanded its COVID-19 testing program and is now encouraging people to seek a COVID-19 test referral from a GP or the Public Health Hotline should they have any of the following:
- fever
- runny nose
- cough
- sore/itchy throat
- shortness of breath
Where a member of the immediate household or a member of staff or student has chosen to seek a referral for a COVID-19 test from a GP or Public Health, that member of staff or student does not need to self-isolate unless the person who is tested returns a positive result.
Where a member of staff or a student has been instructed by a GP or Public Health to seek a COVID19 test, then that member of staff or student must not attend their school or any other CET premises until they have received their results and it is confirmed as negative. Please advise the College if your child is absent from school and is being tested for COVID-19.
Should the person who has been tested return a positive result then all members of the household must not enter a CET school or CET premises until the member of the household with the COVID-19 infection has been informed by Public Health that it is safe for that person to return to their usual activities, and other members of the household have completed their 14 day self-isolation period without developing COVID-19 symptoms or have been cleared by Public Health.
HUNTINGFIELD MASTER PLAN
As I indicated in the previous College Newsletter, the Tasmanian Government has released its draft Master Plan for the development of land adjoining the College boundaries at Huntingfield. Communities Tasmania have produced an interactive web page for members of the public to view the draft Master Plan. Consultation on the draft is open until Friday, 26th June 2020. Comments can be left by clicking on the red area indicators.
Please note that the plan is best viewed in a large screen, laptop or desktop format.
Interactive Map - https://huntingfield.mysocialpinpoint.com/huntingfield-master-plan#/
Feedback can also be given by making contact with the Tasmanian Government via email at HousingProjects@communities.tas.gov.au or by phone to the Housing Projects hotline on 1800 995 653.
Catholic Education Tasmania, in consultation with the myself, will be responsible for any official response to the draft plan.
The College Advisory Board, via a letter sent out last week by its Chair, Mr Jeremy Ayliffe, would like to encourage our community members to also give their personal feedback. Following consultation with the Board Members, Jeremy in his letter encouraged families to review the following key consideration points:
- Safe pedestrian crossings – on both Channel Highway and Huntingfield Avenue. Given the number of students entering and exiting the area containing multiple school sites, all vulnerable road users, both foot traffic and bicycle riders, should be given consideration and support for safe use of the area.
- Public transport – better services to school sites and surrounding homes. Strong consultation to expand services needed.
- Traffic congestion - peak time gridlocks (school drop off/pick up, busses, residential and the light industrial traffic - trucks etc)
- Emergency exiting strategies – congestion during area evacuation (fire/major disaster) incidents.
- Traffic noise
He concludes by encouraging you to personally take a look at the interactive map, reflect on the above key points and to consider adding your voice to Huntingfield Land Release Draft Master Plan.
Should you need any assistance or have any questions, he encourages families to contact him via the College Office.
GRADE 1
Grade 1 has been busy during Learning@Home creating brilliant and colourful artworks. They have used autumn leaves from their backyards to design pictures and crowns, as well as Mother’s Day craft, an ANZAC day reflection, pronoun flowers and still life drawings of fruit. We are proud of the efforts of our students and all of their wonderful work and commitment during this term.
LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD
Last Monday, Grade 3 White participated in a class liturgy run by Mrs Marriott and Miss Travers. The liturgy was a lovely way for us to reflect on the eight weeks of Learning@Home, the holidays and everything that has changed with COVID19. To help us with this Mrs Marriott had prepared a centrepiece with some smooth river rocks, some rough and jagged rocks and some beautiful gems which each represented the different times we might have had during the weeks at home.
We spent time reflecting and thanking God for the smooth times. These were the calm, peaceful and perhaps relaxing times. We spent time thinking about the rocky, challenging and difficult times and we spent some time talking to God so he could help us leave these experiences behind. We wrote about these times and then looked to the beautiful gems to help us think about the good times - the bright and special times. The times in which we saw the Spirit of Jesus. We thanked God for these moments and took some time to be grateful for these. We then folded over our pieces of paper and wrote some positives on the folded part and placed these around the centre piece.
We spent some time looking forward at the next part of our journey. We thought about what we are looking forward to, what parts we might find hard and what things we might need to help us in the next part of our journey. We talked about how God is with us in the smooth and the rocky parts of life. Finally, we spent some time praying and it was so wonderful to have six girls volunteer to help with this.
A special thanks to Mrs Marriott for coming in to help our class with this. We loved having you! Thank you also to Milla King, Charlotte Bean, Ava Oakley, Sandy Stirling, Hannah Tomlin and Charlotte Dale who read the Prayers of Intercession and to Max Kull for reading the Acknowledgement of Country.
“I enjoyed doing the prayer because I was with my friends and because I like reading. We got to sit in a circle with a candle and everyone was there. I liked listening to the prayers because they were lovely and calm. I can’t wait to do it again” – Charlotte Bean
“Last week we had a visit from Mrs Marriott. She came into our classroom and we all sat in a circle. We thought about the good times at home and the bad times. It was nice to think about good and bad times. We had so much fun and at the end we got to sing a fun and beautiful song called True Colours. It was an amazing song.” – Ava Oakley
Miss Travers and Grade 3 White
GRADE 5/6 OUTDOOR EDUCATION
Due to the COVID19 restrictions, some of our classes have had to adapt their lessons to suit these restrictions. One such subject is Outdoor Education. Students have been participating in games that require strategy and team work "rob the nest" and "flags". They challenged their skills and had a scavenger hunt around the College in search of items found naturally in our environment.
GRADE 7 PHOTOGRAPHY
During online learning, Grade 7 Photography students were introduced to the art of still life photography. Students explored the work of famous photographers such as André Kertesz and Mandy Mohler and developed an understanding of the differences between traditional still life photography and contemporary still life photography.
Students were put to the test to capture photographs that showed both of these styles.
GUILFORD YOUNG COLLEGE
Guilford Young College is offering private tours. More information can be found in the attached document below
Staff at Guilford Young College have put together subject videos that may be useful to students who are transitioning to GYC.
Please click on the links below
Maths - https://youtu.be/aU5-zQ-zz2I
English - https://youtu.be/GY4NYUDK5Js
Religious Education - https://youtu.be/scxaJbRLEcU
Humanities and Social Sciences - https://youtu.be/v4V5dTjI4fk
Languages - https://youtu.be/JxaBbgIqDEg
IMAGES OF ISOLATION PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
A number of Grade 7 Photography students entered the Kingborough Isolation Photography Competition. Attached are some of their submissions.
LAND ART
Grade 8 sculpture students have been exploring the concept of Land Art. They looked at the different ways artists have observed and engaged with the land to make art. A focus study was of the artist Andy Goldsworthy and his work.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
I pressed the link in the email from the Australian Association for the Teaching of English (AATE). This took me to the online learning workshop in which I was enrolled, conducted via Zoom. The faces of teachers from all over Australia appeared in Brady Bunch formation and the after-school session began.
All teachers had decided to participate to learn how we could use micro stories to improve student writing. Micro-fiction takes greater skill to write because the writer must communicate the same information in fewer, more precise words. Students are also more likely to proofread and edit a micro story than a longer narrative (bonus!).
On the cover of the book I received as part of the registration fee, is written ‘Featuring stories by:’ and then a whole host of well-known and established Australian authors are listed. So, you may imagine my surprise and delight when, reading through the book’s entire list of stories, I see a more personally familiar story name and author.
In both 2017 and 2018 Kirra Watkins (now in 10 Green) won the Peter Sharp Memorial Award in the Young Tasmanian Writer’s Prize. Her work was published in both EduTATE, the Tasmanian Association for the Teaching of English journal, as well as in Tasmania’s premier society, culture and lifestyle magazine, 40° South. And now, here, in this nationally published book for Australian teachers, was Kirra’s 2018 story ‘Forget me not’.
Kirra’s story, along with the others written by both students and established authors, will be used as an exemplar for students across the country as they learn how to improve their own writing.
Congratulations Kirra
Did you know?
- A micro story is a piece of fiction that is 1000 words or less
- More and more people are reading on their phones and on the go, and as a result, the demand for micro fiction is growing.
Sally Broadribb
English and Humanities Teacher
TEXTILES
The Textiles class is asking for donations of old towels, cotton and flannelette sheets and pillowcases. They also need wool (not synthetic) for knitting. The donations will be used to create pouches and nests for wildlife rescue. Donations can be left at the College office.
WHALE DREAMING
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK IN KINDER
Kindergarten classes have been learning about the Tasmanian Aboriginal community and culture as part of the whole College focus on National Reconciliation week.
We set up some play provocations to stimulate children's natural curiosity and create discussions and a deeper level of learning. We are very fortunate to have a Tassie Devil on loan from the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery which the children enjoyed studying close up and many had a go at sketching. In our exploration of native animals many students also elected to work with clay and make their own animal, which created many interesting discussions and provided a good fine motor work out as clay is a lot more difficult to work with than play dough.
Ms McWatters came in and told us about 'Taraba'- a Tassie Devil Aboriginal Dreaming story. Our highlight was building and creating bark shelters.
'SEA OF HANDS'
As part of National Reconciliation week the College participated in the 'Sea of Hands' project. For over 20 years the program has been a symbol that engages Australians with Reconciliation. Hands in colours of the Aboriginal flag were planted at both College campuses.
We were fortunate enough to have Aboriginal Elder, Uncle Rodney Dillon visit the Huntingfield Campus to view the installation and to plant a hand.
GRADE 3 - 10 VIRTUAL CROSS COUNTRY
During the week of 18th - 24th May students and staff participated in a Virtual Cross Country. Participants were able to walk, run or ride to earn points for their House Team.
Students participated while Learning@Home by engaging in activities in their local community or in their backyards. Students Learning@School participated in a cross country course set out at each campus.
Congratulations to Aikenhead House for winning the 2020 Virtual Cross Country Carnival. Below is the final point tally:
FIDES - 2397
CARDS OF CARE
Students from the Huntingfield Campus recently had the opportunity to write letters to the residents of Bishop Davies Court Nursing Home in Kingston.
As you are probably aware, residents of nursing homes have been quite isolated from their families until recently due to COVID19. The students wrote letters to the residents expressing their understanding of how difficult this time must have been. The students also introduced a little about themselves and how life has been for them during COVID19.
KINGBOROUGH HELPING HANDS
As part of the College's Outreach Program, for a number of years now the Kingston Campus has been involved in weekly donations of cakes and biscuits for Kingborough Helping Hands. Unfortunately KHH are unable to accept home baking at this time and so the invitation is being put out for families to donate dry store items. Due to the rise in need for these items we are extending this program to Grades 5 and 6 at the Huntingfield Campus.
Classes will be rostered for the remainder of Term 2 to bring in tins, biscuits or pantry goods. These will be collected and delivered to Kingborough Helping Hands at the end of each week to be distributed to those most in need in our community.
The roster is as follows:
Week 6 beginning Monday 1st June: 6 Blue
Week 7 beginning Tuesday 9th June: 6 Green
Week 8 beginning Monday 15th June: 5 White
Week 9 beginning Monday 22nd June: 5 Blue
Week 10 beginning Monday 29th June: 5 Green
Thank you so much to Mr Harrington’s class 6 White for their generous donations last week.
LIVE STREAMED MASS
Today, (4 June,) a Mass for the Prep to Grade 4 students was live streamed from the Huntingfield Chapel. Thanks to Grade 4 Blue for their prerecording of the readings and prayers and to Father Chris for being ever adaptable in his celebrations with us. You can check it out (along with the students’ awesome hymn actions!) on the Kingston Channel Parish live stream Mass YouTube page.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWsCT3P6Cwt5YV4jio3VBgQ/featured
NEW PRAYER TABLES
Each homeroom at the Huntingfield Campus is being provided with new prayer tables including storage boxes and lighting. These tables are helping to create a calm environment for when classroom prayers are taking place. A big thank you to the students who helped build the shelves in Grades 7 and 8 and to the teachers for setting up their shelves so nicely.
We are happy to share some relevant parenting topics in each newsletter for parents and families to watch or read and reflect.
SPECIAL REPORT: Coronavirus - The Transition Back
As lockdown restrictions are slowly being lifted to varying degrees, we enter a time of transition and adjustment. The circumstances of this situation have significantly impacted us all. For some it has been an opportunity to reflect on what is important, whilst others have embraced the opportunity to learn new things.
Many young people may be excited at the prospect of restrictions being lifted; others may feel mixed emotions. Reactions will differ depending on how well they cope with stress and change. Keeping a check on your child’s mental health and wellbeing as they adjust to new routines, will be vitally important.
There is still a lot of uncertainty ahead of us, so focusing on the things you can control or enjoy doing or even value, can help establish predictability and familiarity for the whole family. Adult carers need to provide young people with reassurance by acknowledging any concerns and fears they may have at this time. Consider this to be a normal reaction, however it may be best to focus more on their feelings and emotions, rather than the practicalities at this stage.
In this Special Report, we share a few ideas to help ease this time of transition and adjustment. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.
If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the College for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to your special report: