This week 2/3B and everyone at Immaculate Heart of Mary Primary School have been completing their school work remotely. Whilst this new type of learning has had it’s challenges, it has also been a lot of fun. Students in 2/3 Bell have been spending their afternoons completing an Inquiry Matrix and have been baking, building, gardening and completing many more great activities. 

We’ve been posting photos of our fun on our classroom blog on SeeSaw and have really enjoyed seeing what our friends are getting up to.

Welcome to Term 2, and what a unique term is has turned out to be.

I thank you most sincerely for the way you have supported your children with Remote Schooling and the way you are working with their teachers. While we know that this is challenging, the patience, flexibility and understanding you have shown is very much appreciated by us all.      

Each day, as we look through the SeeSaw app, we are given a window into your child’s learning. We can see their attempts, successes, challenges and passions. We can also understand the time and effort that has gone into supporting your children as they manoeuvre their way through their learning. This is also a huge challenge and commitment for all members of our staff. The time and expertise they have put into the learning opportunities that they are providing is testament to the professionalism and dedication they have to our school, and to your children. I truly believe that we will look back on this time and reflect on so many positive aspects that have come from such a challenge. We don’t grow when things are easy, we grow when we are challenged. My goodness, imagine the growth we are all experiencing during these times!

As a means of supporting you at home, we have purchased several learning programs. We have Reading Eggs which the children will use as their reading resource. We have the videos from Michelle Hutchison’s SMART Spelling to support the children with their spelling. We have also adopted the Maths Online resource to support the children with their Maths learning. All of these resources are designed to make life easier for you and your child and, of course, your child’s teacher is available throughout the school day to support you. Each week you will continue to receive a program, filled with activities and learning opportunities. This is designed to guide your child’s learning. We all understand that everyone’s life is different and that, for some of you, Remote Learning is a challenge and a strain on your time and emotional resources. Please take a deep breath, look realistically at your personal circumstances, and do what you can manage.

All I ask is that you continue to communicate with your child’s teacher, letting them know how you’re travelling with this, and what they can do to support you. If you need to speak with me, please don’t hesitate to send me an email and let me know. I am very happy to email or call you if you need support. We are all in this together, learning as we go and doing the best we can in different and, often, difficult circumstances.

For me, the most important thing you, as parents can do for your child, is to provide a positive and loving home where they can feel safe, supported and loved. At the end of all of this, the greatest gift that we will have given our children is the ability to see that even in the difficult times of our lives, there is always something positive to find. They need to know that there is safety and love in your home as a light that is shining through the darkness.

As God lights the darkness for us through prayer, you are the light in your child’s world. Please remember that for them, you are their compass and their security and that means more than anything else we can offer them.

Please take care of yourselves and each other.

Lisa Broeren

Principal