Welcome to week 5, Book Week! This week Book Week has been celebrated with a sale of novelty stationery items, an Art Competition, a Writing Competition and to top it all off, an SRC run gold coin fundraiser Dress-up Day on Friday 23rd August! Proceeds from this SRC fundraiser will go towards Hope Village Library and Giant games for our Bethany students to play with in the yard. The Giant Jenga and Giant Chess sets have been well loved and played with. The SRC cannot wait to buy more Giant games for the school to enjoy.

On Wednesday 21st August the SRC held a Staff vs Student Basketball match. It is always a well-attended lunch time activity and is a highly competitive game. I know the players thoroughly enjoy playing, and the spectators enjoy watching it just as much!

Last week the Year 5s held their Businesses at lunch times. There was such an array of foods and beverages on offer, and the students all loved purchasing items from them. We also had our school choir perform on Wednesday to Hammond Care, which was well received by the residents, who had even brought along their families to watch the performance! The Year 3s had an excursion to the Planetarium on Thursday 15th which was a fabulous day. To top it all off, they stayed after school for a movie and pizza dinner. 

Term 3 has seen quite an increase in the numbers of illnesses within the school, with COVID, Influenza A and RSV doing the rounds. We have been encouraging excellent hygiene in the school, with catching sneezes in tissues or into the elbow rather than our hands, washing our hands after toileting and before eating, and making sure that we are wearing our jumpers when it is cold. I know that many of us are finding it difficult to book our children into see a GP because the demand is so high to see a doctor. We have been recommending parents to use the Child and Adolescent Virtual URGENT Care Service which is a service offered by the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. From the feedback given to the school by parents who have used the service, they have found it to be an excellent service and would recommend it to other parents.

You can use the link https://www.wch.sa.gov.au/patients-visitors/emergencies/virtual-urgent-care to access the service. It is primarily for those children who are well enough to avoid going to the hospital, and parents will find that they will speak virtually with a member of the administrative team as you would in the Emergency Department, then you will be directed to an Emergency Nurse who will do an initial assessment of your child, then refer you to another service. In the event you require a doctor, you will get to speak to an emergency doctor who will then assess your child and provide their expert advice.

Mini Olympics is coming up Friday 30th August, which is in week 6. I know all of the Junior Primary classes have been practicing the skills to be used in Mini Olympics during their weekly PE classes. It all looks like a lot of fun! Coming up in Week 6 is our Father’s Day stall. More information regarding the stall will be sent home shortly. 

In Week 7 we have our Pupil Free Day for the show on Friday 6th September. Camp Australia will be open for you to book your child into if needed.

Wishing you a terrific week and I am praying that you and your families all stay healthy.

God bless you,

Deb Clifford
Deputy Principal

If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Romans 12:8b