Dear Parents and Carers

“I imagine Lent for you and for me as a great departure from the greedy, anxious antineighbourliness of our economy, a great departure from our exclusionary politics that fears the other, a great departure from self-indulgent consumerism that devours creation. And then an arrival in a new neighbourhood, because it is a gift to be simple, it is a gift to be free; it is a gift to come down where we ought to be.”
― Walter Brueggemann, A Way Other Than Our Own: Devotions for Lent

The American Walter Brueggemann is one of the great Scripture scholars of the last 50 years and as shown above, he also has an acute sense of the significance of the Church seasons in our lives. Lent is indeed all those things that he describes. Perhaps it is never more apparent than right now, in this season of Lent, that it is also a season of isolation, and for many, material and emotional deprivation. If we can all do one simple, selfless act for someone else, we will have eased the current COVID19 burden that rests on so many people.

Thank You

Once again, I would like to thank the entire parent community for their overwhelming support of the school community. The staff have been humbled by the many emails and gestures of gratitude we have received from parents over the last few days and weeks. On behalf of all the staff, thank you all very much. We couldn’t do it without you and I appreciate very much your wishes and support.

COVID19

The last two days have seen the staff prepare more deeply and thoroughly for Term 2’s remote learning. We are learning many new skills and are looking forward to implementing our new plan next term. Part of our Remote Learning program includes the use of a new Microsoft Platform, Teams. All Catholic schools in the archdiocese will be using this platform in one way or another, next term. Staff will be looking more closely at its functionality next week. In terms of communicating the way ahead next term, I will be sending the parent body a letter next Monday, which will detail the structure of the Term 2 Remote Learning program. I would also like to thank all the staff for their ongoing hard work and dedication to the children. I am very proud of them.

Sam Tidy

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the children’s author Sam Tidy (mother of Rueben and Grace) for her work and for her support of Sts Peter and Paul. Sam has worked closely with the school over the last 12 months and has donated some books to the school’s library. Thank you Sam for your support of our school. 

In conclusion, I would like to say how much we miss the children. We have all chosen to work in schools because we love working with children. It feels very unnatural to not have our students here and I want you, the parents, to know that we miss them. A writer I deeply admire, the Scottish theologian John Swinton, writes a great deal in the area of disability and theology. On the topic of inclusion, he writes, “To be included you have to turn up. To belong, you have to be missed.” We miss your children. We look forward to their return. https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sdhp/profiles/j.swinton

Have a good and safe week with your families.

Best wishes

 Cameron Johns