JS News: 27 October 2021

Emily Begbie
Emily Begbie

By Emily Begbie, Assistant Head of Junior School Teaching and Learning

On Monday we welcomed our PK-2 and Y6 students back on campus, and we eagerly await the return of Y3-5 students next week. There has been profound joy in seeing our children back in classrooms and playgrounds, and to feel the energy and ‘heartbeat’ of our school return.

It has been an incredibly challenging period and we would like to thank staff, students and families for the patience, kindness and understanding that have been the hallmarks of these long weeks. We acknowledge the resilience and complexities of quickly switching to, and from, remote learning.

We are conscious of the trepidation that can come with any change, and we will be making every effort to resettle students back into routines, learning and play. If you would like some suggestions about how to support your child’s transition back to school, please refer to Ms Karen Mahar’s bulletin article from Week 2 here.

Two current events in education have arrived with what seems like serendipitous timing. The first is the launch of the final draft of the National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy this month. The strategy has been developed as part of the Australian Government’s long-term national health plan, and it considers mental health and wellbeing outcomes for children from birth to 12 years of age, as well as their families and the communities that nurture them.

At a time when we are more acutely aware than ever of the complexities and challenges faced by our children and young people, it is encouraging to see this important issue tackled at a national level. You can read more about the strategy here.

National Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy


World Teachers' Day

The second event is World Teachers’ Day, which takes place this Friday 29 October.

World Teachers’ Day gives us an opportunity to recognise the passion and unstinting efforts of teachers in our community and across the world, and to acknowledge the critical role they play in the formation of future generations. It is perhaps especially fitting that this day falls at the same time as our return to campus.

We celebrate being together again, and at the end of this challenging ten weeks we also celebrate the unique role and significant work of all the educators in our midst.

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