FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK
GREAT TO BE BACK!
It is absolutely wonderful to have everyone back onsite at our school to start the term. The work that has been undertaken to reconstruct and refurbish the school to such an outstanding level has been nothing short of herculean. In recent emails I have mentioned the amazing work of all in our community to pull together and make this unfortunate disaster event, one that will be a defining moment for the positive and supportive culture of our school and local community.
If a ‘picture paints a thousand words’, then hopefully a few I have included below will give you an idea of just how wonderful our grounds and buildings are looking with the refurbishment through before and after photos.
The time that the students spent over the final three weeks of term 2 at each of the ‘Adventure School’ sites was a unique experience and helped to develop in them, greater resilience and independence. Whilst it was not ideal for continuity of learning, it gave the children so many opportunities to utilise skills and competencies that comes from dealing with an event such as a natural disaster or a similar challenge. As you can see by the photos below, your children were amazing and took it all in their stride. As I said during the 2011 flood event when we all relocated to another school site, children can learn anywhere, whether it be in a classroom or under a tree. Most of the best learning we have is through real life experiences.
PRESSURE TO PERFORM
With all the disruption to student learning over the past couple of years with Covid and the flood event, there can be a sense of anxiety about our children being ‘behind’ with their academic progress. As parents we constantly ‘worry’ about our children and what their future will look like, how we can make life easier for them and naturally giving them the best start in life.
Unfortunately, we are bombarded with so many opinions, parenting books, social media, peer pressure and the like, it becomes very hard to navigate our way through.
Dr Justin Coulson has put together a very simple article which I have included below, in which he gives some very simple, yet effective ways in which to reduce the pressure on your children to perform. He does have his own personal experience around schooling itself, however I believe that it is always parental choice around every decision we make with our children and so important to ensure that we are finding a school that best suits the child as opposed to making a child fit a particularly school (especially secondary schooling).
I hope that it helps in some small way to give you the space to breathe and know that your child will be alright, and successful in their own way with contributing fully to society. Every child is different.
P &C AGM
On Tuesday evening this week, the Annual General Meeting of the school Parents & Citizens’ Association was held. I would like to thanks and congratulate the following parents who have successfully nominated for the executive and subcommittee positions -
President - Jon Freer
Vice President - Amy Nowak
Secretary - Denis Sweeney
Treasurer - Thomas Rice
Swim Club - Cassy Wills
MOSHC - Simon Collett
Tuckshop - Steph Hau
Uniform Shop - Julie Rowlinson
Fair on the Green - Richard Comer & Vince Vital
School Advisory Council - Sandra Haines & Narrelle Lowe (these positions will become vacant in 2023)
There are numerous other events that will occur throughout the year such as the Mother’s Day Lunch, The Colour Explosion Run and the like, which we will advertise the various convenors for as these events arise.
I personally cannot thank the P&C Executive and all general members for your continued support with fundraising and school community activities which bring us all together and also raise vital funds for your kids. If everyone does their bit, no matter how small, it lifts the heavy load of expectation on those who are coordinating/convening an activity.
So, when the volunteering forms go out for each of the above-mentioned activities such as working in the uniform shop, tuckshop or Fair on the Green, it’s then we require your assistance to make our school a great place for your kids.
PARENT/TEACHER MEETINGS
As indicated in an email last term, teachers will be holding the parent/teacher meetings via Microsoft Teams this term. We went with this option for a couple of reasons. With the uncertainty of Covid restrictions over the past couple of years, this method allows for more certainty and greater consistency with keeping the parent/teacher meetings on track without disruption.
We are also trialling this method to potentially offer a dual platform in the future that will allow for the option of either face to face or Teams meeting to allow for greater flexibility for working parents. I have already had some very positive emails from parents regarding this option.
Of course, I will also seek feedback from teachers once all meetings have taken place this term, to see if it suits their needs with communicating your child’s progress in the best possible way.
Class teachers will send out the necessary link for you to complete to sign up for your parent teacher meeting. Meetings will be scheduled between now and the end of the term.
CONGRATULATIONS MRS JARRO
It was very exciting to see one of our teachers Mrs Ngaire Jarro who has been in our school for 17 years now, co author and publish a book with her sister Jackie Huggins entitled ‘Jack of Hearts’ a wonderful story of their father Jack Huggins, one of our many First Nations people to defend our country in WWII. The timely release of the book so close to ANZAC Day, reminds us of all who have given their service to our country to defend our freedom. I cannot wait to read this account of Jack’s life through the eyes of his daughters. The official launch was recently hosted by former Governor-General Dame Quentin Bryce (who also has grandchildren in our school) with a host of other special guests, some of whom were also former Milton students!
I have the deepest respect and love for both Ngaire and Jackie. They have shared so much of their lives with us through storytelling, with Ngaire particularly focussing on the inclusion of Indigenous Education and perspectives in many aspects of our school curriculum and the direct teaching of her culture to our students. We are so very fortunate to have such a humble, caring and wise Indigenous Elder working across our school with all students and staff. Jackie has always given of her time freely to attend many of our First Nations events within the school and to share her learning's and wisdom. She is a well published author on aboriginal issues and served on many boards including the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples and Treaty Queensland.
I recommend that you read this heartfelt tribute to their father.
CONGRATULATIONS FORMER STUDENTS
I was fortunate enough to have received a message from a past parent with the attached photo of two former school captains, Emma Cockburn (on the left) and Eliese Black who both graduated from university on the weekend with a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Law (Hons) and Bachelor of Business respectively. Recently we have had another former school captain, Jack Walters working in our school on the reconstruction process as a carpenter.
I was also informed that Harrison Cole has made the National Youth Squad for Water Polo Australia. Another wonderful achievement.
It is fantastic to hear the news about former students and their successes.
Kind regards,
Paul Zernike
Principal
pzern1@eq.edu.au