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Dear parents, students and families,
Our current experience in isolation has shown us the critical importance of friends in our lives. We know that friends bring joy, love and laughter into our lives. They are sounding boards for our ideas and plans and support structures in difficult times.
Right now many of us are not able to see our friends. Our children are missing that daily contact. For children friendship is a process they are learning in stages. As very little children they play alongside each other. As they grow they learn to play with one another but often do not have the social awareness that we gain as we grow. Thus they will happily play with 'my friend' but cannot tell you who that friend is, how they know them or what makes them a friend. As they grow older again they learn through trial and error how to be a friend, how to make a friend and how to know a real friend. Sometimes these processes are hard learning experiences and bring sadness, loneliness or uncomfortableness. Our children are really missing out on these opportunities to try and build friendships now. It is really important for them to see and remember those children in their classes which is why teachers are offering more Google meet opportunities.
Our adult friendships are a model for our children. The time we invest in quality friendships are seen and copied by our children. Please take some time this week to reach out to your friends. Perhaps meet for an online gathering, have a trivia competition or prayer/reflection together. Find what brings you and your firends joy and work out a Stage 4 appropriate way to invest some time together. Laughter with friends truly is one of the best medicines!
Thank you all for your warm words of congratulations on my appointment to Principal of this great school. I look foward to walking alongside you all as we partner to educate the wonderful children of St Thomas The Apostle.
Kind regards
Kate
More information via:
Only one month to go, please keep kids engaged through class activities and slides via Seesaw. Ensure they attend Meet sessions with classmates and teachers, for explicit teaching, wellbeing, social lessons.
Thank you.