St Leonards Primary School

Welcome to Term 2.  We trust you have all had a great time with your families (albeit in isolation) and that our learners are well rested and ready to continue their learning.  We are looking forward to having more learners back in the coming weeks.  The outlook at this stage looks really positive.  We have about 75 percent of our learners back on site and we love it.

On a personal note, I would like to thank our community for the wonderful support my family and I have received over the past few months.  It has been really tough as you would imagine but the way people have embraced us was so welcome.  I can’t thank you enough.  I truly love this school.  It is such a special place and it's nice to be back.

I would like to thank the leadership team for their efforts throughout the term. Jo Meredith has done an outstanding job in my absence in what has been the most bizarre of times. Kathy Baker has been absolutely amazing in the support she has given to our families, staff and our learners.  Heidi Bevan displayed exceptional organisation in preparing for R-5 Swimming  and the Year 4/5 Camps (which unfortunately did not go ahead due to COVID-19). Charlene McGrath also supported the team throughout the final weeks and did a terrific job for us.  There were also a number of others who stepped up during this time to ensure that things ran smoothly.

One of the things I have noticed since I have been back has been the work of our dedicated staff.  Believe me when I say that each one of them has the best interest of all the children in our care.  They have worked incredibly hard to ensure learning continues for all.   I know our community appreciates all of their efforts.

ANZAC Day

During the school holidays our School Ambassadors unfortunately were unable to attend the Glenelg Dawn Service to pay their respects on our school’s behalf.  That didn’t stop them however from making a fantastic video showcasing their many talents as well as paying their respects.  Thank you Mason, Lily, Kayleigh, Jacob, Owen and Nelja for your efforts and Heather Pronk for facilitating the service and videoing it.

Car Parking and Road Safety

Please act in a safe manner. This is even more important due to the interesting times we are in and the number of parents around the kiss and drop zone. School zones are areas around schools where reduced speed limits apply. White zigzag lines are marked on the road, to show that you are approaching a school zone. Signs indicate the start and end of school zones, which all have a speed limit of 25 km/h at any time when a child is in the zone, including outside of school hours. Whether a child is on the road, footpath, median strip or even if they are on a bike, school zones apply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the year. A child is any person less than 18 years of age and includes a student of any age wearing school uniform.  The safety of our learners is paramount.

Dave Henty-Smith, Principal

Jo Meredith, Deputy Principal

Kathy Baker, Inclusive Education Coordinator

Parents and caregivers of current Year 7 students have now received the Starting Secondary School -2021 package.

Enrolling for high school in 2021 is now done online. A link has been emailed to families with their unique code and steps to enrol. 

We understand that high schools will no longer be holding school tours or open days due to COVID-19 and suggest you visit the websites of the schools you are interested in and seek out as much information as possible to help decide which school might suit your child's learning needs. Our local schools are very good and have a range of programs to suit most needs.

Please be aware that sibling rights have been reviewed by the Department for Education for Brighton Secondary School, therefore any student who has a sibling who gained entry as an out of zone student via a special interest program in previous years DOES NOT have sibling rights in 2021.

Cut off for enrolling is Friday 22 May, 2020

Contact Mel Worden if you have any questions regarding the enrolment process.

Mel Worden, Enrolment Officer

• No onsite visits from outside providers eg OT, Speech, Psychology.  This will be eased shortly
• No school banking
• Limited volunteers onsite and only with Principal permission
• Kiss and Drop for school drop off and pick up (as much as possible)
• No families on school grounds from 3:15pm
• No before or after school Library
  
• If you need to collect your child early sign out at the Office and we will collect your child/ren for you
• No Canteen.  We look to reopen in week 3
  

Due to COVID-19 Scholastic Book Club have created their first online catalogue. Please follow the link below to access and order. The books will be delivered to the school and distributed to students as per normal.

https://scholastic.com.au/book-club/virtual-catalogue-1/

Please order by Friday 15 May.

Kelly Peterson, Library Manager

You may be aware of our Virtual Sessions that have begun nationally.   Football Star Academy has launched LIVE and INTERACTIVE football (soccer) classes kicking off in Term 2.

3 LIVE sessions per day, 7 days a week = 21 LIVE sessions - Keep kids active ⚽️

We are providing our award winning football program through a new VIRTUAL, LIVE and INTERACTIVE class environment.

Benefits of our new virtual football classes:

✅ Keep routine and sense of normality for your child

⚽️ Keep practising and developing their football skills

? Live and interactive means our coaches can provide feedback to your child in real time

?Just because we are in isolation doesn't mean life stops or your child needs to miss out on something they love

? Homeschooling? Incorporate FSA classes as part of your child's PE lesson

Your child will receive access to 3 virtual and live sessions per day, 7 days a week! That’s 21 live football sessions your child can join in every week with our professional coaches. Plus all sessions are recorded to play back on demand! ??

All term 2 enrolments will receive an awesome Football Star Academy workbook (just for fun) and our Spotify playlist to get you in the groove during the sessions.

Cost is $15 per week per family (siblings included) there are beginner, intermediate and advanced training options daily.

Parents may book here: https://sportstaracademy.com/football/search-results?placeid=ChIJBWeScDvJsGoR8ARRo1c2Axw

For more information see the Sports at St Leonards Facebook page.

Heidi Bevan, PE Teacher

Heather Pronk, School Sport

Hi Everyone,

As I write this, I sincerely hope this note finds you feeling ok!  As we navigate our way through this most unusual, challenging time, my thoughts are with you all.  Whether you are self isolating, working from home and juggling looking after children at the same time, working as an essential worker, supporting those who are unable to go about their business …. my thoughts are with you all.

I hope firstly, you have all managed to stock up on toilet paper now it seems to be back on the shelves!!  If you haven’t ventured out of late, please be assured that stocks of essential items are making a most welcome return!  If you are at home for whatever reason, please make sure you are keeping in contact with others (whether it be to help obtain food or medical supplies) or just as importantly, for your mental health and wellbeing, managing to stay connected with friends and family, either by phone, messages, facebook or face time, zoom or another way .. people are finding new and creative ways to stay in contact, and it’s really great to see!

These are new and uncertain times we are all navigating .. some people are enjoying the new and slower pace of life and others are finding it all the more challenging … wherever you and your family are at, please know that there is absolutely no right or wrong way to ‘be’ at the moment.  These are times like most of us have never experienced before .. we are all in this together, but finding ways of coping and for some, thriving, looks completely different for each one of us.   I know for myself, I have moments where everything seems a little too hard (or to be honest, a LOT too hard) and then other times I feel like I’m on top of the world and my ducks are almost all in a row!  These feelings might last for moments or days or weeks .. you might be feeling similarly! 

I have been enjoying watching what some of the amazingly creative members of our communities have been doing and indeed at times I feel inadequate if all I’ve managed to do is get out of bed and get dressed (other days, I feel like I’ve achieved so much, if that’s all I’ve managed to do successfully!)  You might be able to relate!  What I’m saying, is that wherever you’re at, however you’re managing, whatever you’re able to achieve (whether that be a full house renovation (joking!) or cooking a meal each night or even only some nights … think Uber!!) it’s ALL OK and you’re doing an incredible job during these challenging times.

It is during these times, we need to look after ourselves … checking our mental health, our physical health and even for many, our spiritual health (and checking how those around us are managing also, particularly our children and other vulnerable members of our families and communities) is of the utmost importance.  If it all seems too overwhelming, please seek help .. NOW is definitely NOT the time to go it alone and feel you have to remain strong and resilient (instead, now is the time to stay connected with those around you and speaking out if you are not coping or if you know someone else who is struggling).   These times can bring out the very best in people but sadly and unfortunately this is not always the case.

Kathy and I are only too happy to chat if you are worried about anything during this time (and can offer practical advice and in some situations, solutions to problems and challenges you may be experiencing).  Please do not hesitate to contact either one of us, should you wish to speak of concerns you may have, particularly if you would like extra emotional care or support of any of your children attending St. Leonards.  We are here for you, always.

I wish you all a healthy and happy couple of weeks ahead … please look after you and those you love and care for … we are all in this together, we are doing an amazing job of flattening the curve … to each one of you whether you are currently keeping your child/children away from school or if your children are back at school, we thank you so much for helping to do the right thing to bring this situation to a positive conclusion as soon as possible. 

Just to close, I would like to personally thank the incredible work of the most wonderful staff that makes up St. Leonards Primary School … each and everyone of them have worked so hard and many times, gone way beyond the call of duty, to make the start of Term such a successful one.  Thank you for all the work, dedication, love and care that each one of you have demonstrated .. you are true Superheroes!!  And to the learners of our amazing school … thank you each and every one of you for playing your part … you are all absolute legends!

Take care of yourselves .. please remember .. YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE THOUGHT ABOUT AND YOU, YES YOU ... MATTER!!

With love,

Karen Marks (Thorogood), Pastoral Care worker