Principal, Mr Graham Leddie
COVID-19 Update
The Victorian Government announced yesterday that Victoria will move to ‘circuit breaker’ restrictions from 11:59pm Thursday 27 May 2021. These settings will remain in place until 11:59pm on 3 June. All Victorian residents must comply with these restrictions.
Anyone travelling to NSW who has been in Victoria after 4pm yesterday (Thursday) must follow the 7-day stay-at-home measures that will apply in Victoria.
Anyone arriving in NSW by air, rail or road from Victoria (except those travelling within the defined border region) must complete a travel declaration that confirms they have not attended any of the growing number of venues of concern. Anyone who has attended a venue of concern must not travel to NSW; instead, they should follow the health advice on the Victorian Health website.
People subject to the stay-at-home measures in Victoria should not be travelling to NSW unless they are permitted to do so.
NSW Health strongly advises against all non-essential travel to Victoria at this time. People who do travel to Victoria for essential personal reasons will be required to follow the Victorian stay-at-home requirements on their return to NSW.
Reconciliation Week
The theme for National Reconciliation Week this year is, ‘More than a word, Reconciliation takes action.’ The College will mark National Reconciliation Week with the following activities for students and staff to participate in: Smoking Ceremony, visit from contemporary Indigenous artist Zachary Bennett-Brook who will assist in the design of a mural, workshops, College Assembly with special guest and parent Michael O’Loughlin, unveiling of a newly-designed College all football code Indigenous Jersey by local artist Billy Reynolds, and resources unpacked throughout Wellbeing time.
We all have a role in Reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures.
I share with you part of a letter sent to staff from EREA Executive Director, Dr Craig Wattam:
Reconciliation week reminds us of our obligations and opportunities to offer a liberating education – one that is of quality and that is culturally enriching for all young people. We do so with a spirit of inclusion. Our curriculum demands us to provide an education that prioritises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures and offers opportunities to close the gap in learning outcomes between First Nations young people and their non-Indigenous peers whereby Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people can “see themselves, their identities and their cultures reflected in the curriculum of each of the learning areas”. These intentions are echoed in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (1.4 and 2.4) highlighting the importance of educators in respecting and understanding the diversity Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages and for the ways in which this impacts the cultural identity of young people and the ways in which they learn.”
EREA India Community
Recently, I sent a letter offering our prayers and best wishes to three EREA school communities in India that are doing it tough at present. I have included it below and their responses which they asked me to pass on to you.
14 May 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Students and Families of our EREA community in India,
With much sadness I watch the news each day and see the horrific impact that COVID-19 is having on your country. I cannot imagine the immense devastation you are experiencing.
Our thoughts and prayers are with each EREA school and the country of India. Each day we pray that a vaccine can be distributed to everyone in India, and that this second wave will be brought under control as soon as possible.
We hope the Australian Government’s aid and the aid of other countries arrives speedily to stop the devastating loss of life and the immense suffering.
We feel helpless that there is so little that we can do because of the distance of geography, but know that we are thinking of you always and you are daily in our prayers.
India is important to Australia. No matter how hard things become, keep the faith in yourself. You have beauty and joy in your soul, always.
Know that you are not alone and that we at Waverley College, Sydney are thinking of you and keeping you in our prayers.
Warm regards
Graham Leddie and the Waverley College community
Grateful responses from India
Dear Graham,
We deeply appreciate your prayerful support.
This 2nd Wave is definitely more toxic and highly contagious. Statistics have now assumed names and faces of those near and dear to us. A number of our Colleagues on the Teaching Staff here in St Joseph’s, Kolkata, have tested positive but their absence and the burden of additional classes has been cheerfully borne by the wonderful people on our Staff. Thank you for your letters of support and prayers.
Regards, St Josephs, Kolkata
Dear Graham,
Thank you so much for your prayers and concern. It is very comforting indeed.
The second wave of Covid 19 has hit us hard . Many have lost their lives to this dreaded disease. The vaccine drive is on for all, but given our huge population, this is always going to be an uphill task. Our schools have been shut for over a year and our students continue to be taught remotely. Our young students are going through a rough phase in their lives. Thank you so much for keeping all our school communities in your prayers.
Let us continue to pray for each other and keep the faith.
Regards, St Patrick’s H.S. School, Asansol, India
