We are having a brilliant and busy end to the year with a flurry of events. Last week’s graduation at the Swan Yacht Club was a fabulous rite of passage for our year 6 students and hugely enjoyed by everyone.
Our graduating students all spoke with passion about their love of Richmond, expressed their appreciation for all the opportunities they have had, and described the strong relationships they have formed. They were excited about their futures. I spoke to them about the importance of continuing to practice gratitude and its positive effect on our mental, emotional and physical health.
We wish them well at high school and will miss them all.
Our two edu-dance concerts were fantastic. The edu-dance teachers were thrilled to have real audiences of parents, which they have not had this year due to phase 4 restrictions. The 150 performing children were full of energy and joy, which was infectious.
Both of these events, like our recent assemblies, were by ticket only and I thank everyone for respecting the government restrictions we have had to operate under. The phase 4 restrictions stipulate capacity, and maximum penalties for flouting the rules remain significant – imprisonment for 12 months or a fine of $50,000; and a fine of $5000 for each separate and further offence. An on the spot fine of $1000 may be issued (or $5000 for a company) instead of being prosecuted.
Many schools are not running a final assembly due to the 2 square metre restrictions on audience numbers, but we will go ahead with ours on Wednesday, again with tickets. Our adult capacity on the wooden seating is 65. If we give one ticket to each year 6 student and one to each award winner, that is 66 tickets. With over 600 parents at Richmond, unfortunately a lot of people who normally attend will miss out. We all recognise this year has been far from normal and sincerely thank you for helping us to operate within government directives.
We can’t film events for general viewing, since almost 10% of our students do not have visual image consent.
Thank you to Paula and the P&C as always. Their year has been unavoidably limited, but they have still managed to organise some outdoor community events within the restrictions; dads bike ride; water-slides; cake stall; disco and currently a wine fundraiser. They have got the canteen completely online; and are also now in the Containers for Change program and will receive 10c for every container you return to a refund point if you enter the P&C scheme ID: C10323799.
Thanks too, to Kylie and the school board who have met each term to review school data, finances and plans and have worked hard on their own terms of reference, training and development plan.
Thank you to our community for your strong support this year. It has been difficult at times. Though Western Australia has so far escaped the full force of COVID, watching the devastation across the world has had a huge effect on our psyches.
2020 has not been the year to get everything we want; it has been the year to appreciate everything we have.
I very much appreciate our happy students and my amazing staff. I could not work with a better bunch of people. Almost 500 of them. Thank you!
I hope everyone has a very safe and happy Christmas, look out for an update before school starts next year.
Lisa Dentith
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