Welcome back to Term Two at Eleebana Public School.
To begin this term we celebrated an ANZAC Day like no other. Unable to march or hold assemblies, many of our families held their own ceremony with students creating poppies and wreaths for their family’s personal ANZAC Service. For those of us who participated in the RSL’s “Light up the Dawn’ there was a special beauty and solemnity about sharing this early morning service with our community, glimpsed on verandahs and in driveways and, if we were lucky, with the bugle rendition of a talented neighbour.
We thank all those who shared their ANZAC Day photos.
Before I begin detailing the arrangements we have in place for the Phase 1 of return to school, I would like to once again acknowledge the amazing work of our whole school community throughout these difficult times. There are indeed challenges; our staff have been working extremely hard trying to translate their effective and engaging classroom teaching into a package that can be accessed at home to sustain learning progress. Parents, carers, and big brothers and sisters, are working to balance their own commitments with assisting students to understand and engage with their learning packages; and our students are working hard to maintain their enthusiasm, commitment and confidence without the daily support of the classroom. It is certainly not easy, but I am beyond impressed with how well we are all doing. Thank you for all your efforts, they have not gone unnoticed.
The NSW Phase 1 return to school will begin on Monday 11th May, with students attending one day a week. Considerable effort has gone into developing a timetable that groups siblings on the same day and allows for students to return to face-to -face teaching with their classroom teachers, so far as is possible. With Ms Blair on leave, Ms Rocco will support Ms Stevenson with 3SB. Ms Fletcher will continue to provide teaching for 6F online; however, they will work with Ms Hird and Mr Burrows on their face to face days as Ms Fletcher is vulnerable and advised to self isolate. Supervision will continue to be available for any child who needs to come in on days other than their allocated day in class.
In staff news, we farewell Ms Vicki Shearman who has decided to retire from teaching after many years dedicated to the children and families of Eleebana and the Lake Macquarie area. On behalf of the EPS community, I wish Ms Shearman all the best and every happiness in her retirement years to come.
Also this term, we welcome back Ms Kahlia Rocco and her family to EPS. Ms Rocco has recently been working in the UK and is excited to be back in Eleebana.
Ms Noni Anderiessen who has provided our K-6 Science program throughout Term 1, has left to take up a position at a nearby independent school, We thank her for all her wonderful work and wish her all the best in her future career. Ms Rocco will take on the K-6 Science program.
Mr Nathan May will continue relieving in the Deputy Principal position for a few more weeks as our recruitment process had to be placed on hold due the social distancing restrictions. Consequently, Ms Shannon Bakic will stay on with 2M and Mr Dean Burrows will continue to relieve as Assistant Principal (Junior Wellbeing).
In other school news, work will commence soon on erecting a school fence along our back playground. A walkway will be provided between our neighbours’ fencing and the school boundary.
Finally, I would like to thank all those who took the time to answer our survey last term. We are continuously improving our ability to engage and interact in this new environment, We know there will inevitably be issues, and we are trying our best to provide a quality approach. If you have any concerns please contact the school as your first point of call.
With thanks for your ongoing support,
Lucinda Farrell
Principal
