I write today to give you a summary of our first week back, which has been very good.
First let me again thank our community for your unwavering support of us at school. Staff arrived back at work to kind emails, cakes, cards, flowers and chocolates, and this has continued all week.
Just as lovely have been the smiles on the children’s faces, and their calm and mature behaviour. They have been angelic.
We have had between 26% and 30% of children learning from home each day. Teachers are ringing them all, over the next few days, to catch up and see how they are doing.
We continue to fine tune our health and safety practices and have closed the water fountains (all children need their own water bottle); reduced sports equipment to only that which can logistically be cleaned after use (children are asked not to bring footballs etc from home); and are focussed on streamlining the daily cleaning routine, which is significant.
Two of my three regular cleaners are now on leave, and I want to thank two absolute heroes who are back filling – my third cleaner Serrina who has taken on more shifts, and my gardener Denise who has picked up many cleaning duties and does anything and everything quickly and calmly. They have worked like Trojans. Elaine has two more relief cleaners lined up for next week, so with the team’s help we have everything covered.
Drop off and pick up times have been very smooth. It has been a pleasure to see families riding or walking to school, then older siblings taking care of younger ones. We have had absolutely no drama. The drive through has had no congestion. Children are mostly arriving after 8.30 am. They have been exceptionally calm and the atmosphere has been serene. Thank you.
We have all noticed the very positive way that children have risen to the responsibility and adapted to the changes – parking their bikes, carrying in their bags, unpacking their things, taking their younger siblings to class and collecting them, and being totally prepared to begin work with no fuss, and in fact, with a tangible sense of pride in themselves. And we, in turn, are so proud of them.
So, I have been very happy with the week so far.
On another note, thank you to Lisa Highman, who has been able to acquire a large enviro-sound sculpture for us from local artist Nadia Rasheed. Nadia was keen to donate it to a school and we were lucky enough to be selected. Thanks Nadia, it is beautiful. We will hopefully erect it next week in our kitchen garden area.
Thank you too, to room 2 parents who have donated 14 litres of hand sanitiser. Your children will tell you, they apply it liberally and constantly.
I hope you can relax over the weekend and that things continue to improve both for our community, and for our families across the world.
Stay safe and enjoy the sunshine tomorrow.
Lisa Dentith