Dear Families and Friends,
Welcome to 2022
Welcome to the 2022 school year and an unusual but positive start. We know that the children are eager to begin school and it’s important for them and us. We look forward to welcoming them all back into the school very soon, in as safe a way as possible. Please see further details regarding COVID safety protocols further in this newsletter.
Also please remember that unless previously organised, parents are not pemitteed onto school grounds. If you should need to enter the school grounds or office you must wear a face mask.
Welcome to our New Students and Families
A very special welcome to those of you who are new to our community, we hope you get to know everyone quickly and soon feel like IHM is ‘home’.
We welcome 23 new students, to IHM this year; we have a lovely, curious and creative group of 20 new Receptions taking that very first ‘big’ step in their school life. We also have three older students beginning their learning journey at IHM. We welcome each of you by name further in the newsletter and hope that you will experience the vitality, warmth and joy of IHM.
2022 Staff
We welcome two new staff members who have joined the excellent IHM teaching team. We warmly welcome Mr Che Murray, who will be teaching STEM and PE. Che has many years of experience as a teacher across variety of schools, with special interests in sport, fitness and engaging young people in meaningful learning.
We also welcome Miss Felicia Mihelios who will work in classrooms as an Education Support Officer. Felicia is currently studying to become a teacher and has a special interest in the sciences.
As it’s always good to connect the name to the face, for your information, see the attachment below with photos of our staff members. Our staff are very friendly, dedicated and skilled and they value parent and community relationships highly.
__files/d/13665/2022_Staff_Photos.pdf
Parent Information Booklet 2022
Knowing our school expectations, routines and procedures is important to belonging, forming a basis for clear communication and respectful relationships. Next week the Year R-1 families will receive the 2022 Parent Information Booklet and the Year 2 - 6 families will receive it once back at school. The booklet outlines who we are, what we do and how we work together.
I encourage you to read through the booklet and keep it handy for reference throughout the year. If you do not receive a booklet please ask at the office or you can access it from our website.
Building Update
This time last year I was hopeful that our building program would begin and today I am so delighted to announce that it is almost done! You can’t help but notice our beautiful new front of school, extended drop off zone, office area, new courts, new OSHC space, new chapel and music area.
There are a few minor tasks to be completed in the next few weeks. Together with our amazing new learning spaces upstairs we have renewed over half of the school and it looks fabulous. I hope the children and families all enjoy it, I know the staff certainly have!
Parent-Teacher Book-a-Chats
In the next few weeks all teachers will be holding ‘Book-a-Chat’ where we invite parents to have ‘chat time’ with class teachers. Because of restrictions of visitors on site these will be held by phone this year. The purpose is to share your expectations and hopes along with your child’s strengths, unique qualities and learning needs.
Year of Hope
Despite the challenges that the pandemic brings, we have much to be grateful for and I know that we are in for a great year at IHM. I love the start of a new year because for children, parents and teachers the start of the year brings with it a sense of freshness, a sense of hope, optimism, excitement, a desire for improvement and new possibilities. That’s what the theme of this year’s school focus pillar is all about. I look forward to watching everyone grow and flourish in this our ‘Year of Hope’.
Warmest wishes.
Pauline Kinsman
PRINCIPAL
Recent News
Welcome
Welcome to 2022 at IHM! I hope you all had a wonderful break with your families. For many families, this year’s start is unlike any other but we look forward to seeing all our students in the yard over the coming weeks to hear about their school holiday fun. We especially welcome our new Reception students and their families to our beautiful IHM community. We look forward to working in partnership with you to ensure your child thrives in our community.
For those of you who are new to our school community I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Annette Diassinas and I am the APRIM (Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission), Inclusive Education Coordinator and Leader of Learning. I look forward to meeting all our new families over the coming weeks.
Heart Spirituality - Hope
Each year at IHM we focus on one of our pillars from our school’s Heart Spirituality. In 2022 we celebrate our Pillar of Hope. This year our message is simple yet powerful:
“Hope opens new horizons.” (Pope Francis).
The message is about being brave and stepping out of our safe and comfortable places, and discovering a world of endless possibilities. Pope Francis’ powerful words encourage us to choose hope over fear, doubt or hatred and embrace the hope that surrounds us, whether it is from our families, friends or from something that simply inspires us to be better and want more for ourselves, others and our world.
The hope we have in our hearts opens us to new possibilities, embracing all that is around us and helping guide us to be the best person we can be. We strive to live that hope every day at IHM. With these ever changing times, having hope has never been more essential to our wellbeing, our way of feeling and how we interact with those around us.
Vale Sister Janet Mead
Sr Janet Mead was a Mercy Sister who passed away on the 26th January. She touched millions of people worldwide with her inspired version of the Lord’s Prayer. She also worked tirelessly for global social justice including right here in Adelaide - The Adelaide Day Centre for Homeless a charity our school has strongly supported over the years due to the exceptional work they do. In 2004, she became the first woman to be named South Australian of the Year. She spent many years with her Romero community having Rock Masses in our school Chapel.
You can read more about her incredible life in the link below.
https://thesoutherncross.org.au/news/2022/01/28/tributes-flow-for-sr-janet-mead/
RIP Sr Janet Mead.
Have a safe and happy fortnight.
Annette Diassinas
APRIM
IHM COVID Safety Risk Management
We are doing all we possibly can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all in our community. The following safety measures we will be implementing in accordance with the CESA return to school plan. We will:
1. Minimise potential for entry of COVID-19 into the school
The first line of defence in protecting our school community is to maintain practices that minimise potential for entry of COVID-19 into school.
This includes:
- Any student, staff member or essential visitor who is unwell or required to isolate should not attend the school.
- For the foreseeable future, all non-essential visitors to the school site should cease attending. Parents are not allowed to enter the school grounds and should pick up and drop off their children at the school gates.
- Parents/Caregivers are encouraged to phone/email the school if requiring contact with the school office and to use “Kiss and Drop” facilities rather than congregating at the school gate.
- Instrumental tutors will not attend the school site for Weeks 1-4.
- Playgroups will cease for Weeks 1-4.
- School tours will be deferred.
- All our staff are vaccinated.
2. Minimise potential for transmission of COVID-19
The second line of defence in protecting our school community is to ensure practices at school that minimise the potential for the transmission of COVID-19.
This includes:
- All staff and visitors must wear a mask.
- Encouraging all connected with our school communities who are eligible to get vaccinated.
- Maximising ventilation by opening windows and doors and ensuring air conditioning is set to maximise fresh air intake.
- Appropriate cleaning and sanitising.
- Deferring whole school events and no school sport (other than regular PE lessons), camps, excursions or choirs for Weeks 1-4.
- QR codes: You may be aware that COVID-Safe QR codes are no longer required to be used for checking in at retail venues.
Please note that QR codes remain a requirement in education settings.
For students, this includes:
- For Years 3-6 students, masks will be strongly encouraged. Students should bring their own masks to school.
- Water fountains only to be used for filling of water bottles and not for drinking.
- Hand sanitiser will be available to students on arrival at school and prior to and following recess and lunch.
3. Managing cases of COVID 19 in our school
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For information on how we will manage cases of COVID in our school please see Pauline's previous communication (attached below) distributed to families on 24th January.
__files/d/13657/Letter_to_Families_COVID_Plan_2.pdf
Welcome to our New Students
A big welcome to the following students who are joining our school community this year:
Saige A
Maria Isabella G
Rumi A
Jaxon H
Augusta T
Kirralea B
Ella K
Emmett D
Oliver K
James H
Elise B
Hannah S
Theo D
Lev O
Chrystian M
Asha F
Nevaeh S
Hugo E
Elliott S
Edward S
Azra K
Amelia M
Elaine M
Congratulations on New Arrivals
On behalf of the whole school community we would like to congratulate the following families on the birth of their babies:
Congratulations to the Palmer family on the recent safe arrival of their baby boy Patrick. A new little brother for Billie and Matilda.
Congratulations also to the Broadbent family who recently welcomed baby Rosemary (Rosie) to their family. Elise is now a big sister.
Condolences
On behalf of the school community we would like to extend our most sincere condolences to the Garcia Brizuela family on the sad passing of Mrs Brizuela Planas' father (grandfather to our students Deborah and Maria Isabella). Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
School Lunch Orders
Brompton Foodworks will continue to supply lunches to our students in 2022. Families are reminded that commencing this year lunch orders can only be ordered using the Qkr! app.
The majority of our families are already using the Qkr! app as it is much quicker, easier and is simple to download and then order and pay for your child’s lunch from your phone at a time and place that suits you – no lunch order bags or cash required!
Simply download the free Qkr! App (see instructions below) and get started. Lunch orders must be placed before 10:30am each day. Please note that credit card transactions will appear as Hurst Retailing Canteen on your statement.
__files/d/13671/Qkr_Parents_How_to_Guide.pdf
The 2022 Lunch Order Price List is attached here for your convenience:
__files/d/13675/2022_Lunch_Order_List.pdf
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