Dear Parents and Carers

Thank you to all who contributed and celebrated World Teacher’s Day. We were very humbled by the wonderful and colourful spread for morning tea. Teaching is a great professional and we are all very proud to be part of it and to make a positive difference to your children.

This week, we opened the Prep rooms to our 2021 prep children. We were able to run three information sessions for parents under COVID guidelines. We trust that the sessions were useful and that the children enjoyed their morning in a prep classroom. Thank you to the amazing student leaders who co-presented and the ICT crew for their support. The thorough transition to school process is the work of Ms Freeman. Thank you, Ms Freeman and the staff that were part of the prep visit.

Cross River Rail project

From November 2020, UNITY Alliance will continue work within the rail corridor at Yeronga station for construction of the Cross River Rail project.

What to expect

During construction, you may notice some disruptions such as:

• Light vehicles, trucks and machinery including excavators, mobile cranes, elevated work platforms, small power tools, drills, saws, minor vibrating equipment and mobile lighting towers to light work areas at night
• Temporary traffic changes and reduced speeds
• Changes around your local area such as construction vehicles, traffic management signs and personnel
• Some noise, vibration and dust associated with the use of heavy machinery and equipment
• Placement of temporary fencing around construction areas.

We appreciate your patience during the construction period and will continue to update you as work progresses.

Naidoc Week

On Friday, the school will recognise Naidoc week and students will wear red, yellow or black. We continue to work with the Kalari group to strengthen our position with ensuring that we have an indigenous perspective across our curriculum. I have borrowed this message from our region:

NAIDOC Week 2020 recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. This year’s theme Always Was, Always Will Be recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists.

Australia is also acknowledged for having the world’s oldest oral stories. First Nations people engraved the world’s first maps, made the earliest paintings of ceremony and invented unique technologies, and we know that the very first footprints on this continent were those belonging to First Nations peoples. 

Through acknowledging and celebrating NAIDOC Week 2020 8-15 November, you have the opportunity to embrace the history of our country that dates back thousands of generations.

Student Leadership

I would like to congratulate all the Year 5 students who nominated for a leadership position. Well done – the deadline was met. This week, Ms Paynter and I interviewed the students who had nominated for the position of School Captain. There were 31 applicants. Students were asked a series of set questions. The shortlisted applicants were presented on assembly and will present their speeches to the school on Friday 13 November. I wish them all the very best.

Michelle D’Netto