Parents, Caregivers and Students,

A lot has changed since I wrote my last email. I want to express my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all families for your kind words, messages of support and encouraging phone calls as we work together through the many curveballs that life throws us at the moment.

As our lives are changing rapidly by the continuously unfolding impact of the coronavirus on both health and the economy. Families who have lost significant income due to COVID 19 will receive a total school fee remission, initially for a period of 3 months. We will work with families to implement and provide this financial assistance. Any families who are experiencing any financial difficulty are encouraged to engage with us and we will confidentially and sensitively work through this with you.

The development of your child – educationally, spiritually and pastorally – continues to be our highest priority, and we know that this is heavily dependent upon the strong, trusting partnership we have built with each family. We are stronger through our work together.

You matter to us. We care about your learning. We care about you.

This is the message that went out to all students in Catholic schools in South Australia. Through this COVID-19 crisis we continue to be committed to quality teaching and learning whilst looking after the wellbeing of everyone in our care and providing ongoing support to all students and families. Through this all the staff at Our Lady of the River haven’t stopped doing what they do best and they will continue to deliver an excellent Catholic education for your children.

From the commencement of Term 2, unless informed otherwise by the Government, Catholic schools will remain open to provide remote curriculum delivery and to support students whose particular circumstances require them to be at school.

We will work with families of students who will require attendance at school during this time. This will include children whose parents are required to be at work.

Learning will be delivered simultaneously in school and at home through an online platform. All students will access this same mode of learning; those at school will be supervised to access the same curriculum provided for those who will access it remotely. This mode of learning will continue until we are advised differently by the government.

Catholic Education SA will has launched a website that will support students living and learning in an online learning environment. The site included practical information about how you can support your child at home. https://www.cesa.catholic.edu.au/learning-online

As a staff we have used the four student free days in week 11 of this term to prepare and improve the online learning platform.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Melody Pfeiler. Mel has been an integral part of the Our Lady of the River staff. Her kind and caring nature shines through in everything she does. We wish Mel all the best for the future.

Amongst all the uncertainty of the past few weeks and with the knowledge that we can’t go anywhere these holidays it seems too easy to forget that Easter is upon us. The Easter season is a deeply spiritual time for many. It commemorates the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus. It is also a time when we look for meaning in the suffering of Christ.

Through this COVID-19 crisis how many of you feel broken like Christ?

Maybe through this state of suffering that many are presently experiencing there is an opportunity to find something new.

Into Easter, out of breath

Something good is put to death

Something mad is going on

Something that was loved is gone

Far away, somewhere, somehow

Beauty’s egg is hatching now

Michael Leunig

God is with you in the wilderness and He goes before you to encourage and guide you.

Wishing you all a blessed and safe Easter.

 Nanda de Winter