9 September 2020: SCS Newsletter dated 26 August 2020

Junior School

9 September 2020

Quote

“What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?”

~ Jean Jacques Rosseau

Preschool News

Dear Parents

How wonderful it is to have all our preschool classes back at 100% capacity.

The girls were so excited to finally see their friends, some of whom they haven’t seen face to face since March.

The weather cooperated beautifully giving us a stunning sunny and warm day to play outside and catch up on all the news.

Mrs Jonas’s class has relocated to the preschool hall and have a beautiful, bright learning space, and the other classrooms were decorated to welcome back all the girls.

We celebrated Secretaries Day and Spring Day and are learning about insects and mini beasts in the Nursery and Pre Reception classes and about ponds and reflections in the Reception classes.🌺🌼🌺🌼

We congratulate Erica on her marriage to Hayden Thomas.

DIANE VILJOEN

Head Preschool

Preschool News and Pictures continued📸

Junior Primary

Dear Junior Primary Parents

As we encounter changes in weather and nature we are also encountering changes in our teaching and learning styles amidst Covid conditions. I’m really pleased that so many parents have trusted the school and protocol policies and have allowed pupils to return to school, the most natural learning habitat. This is our second week with all our JP girls back in full covid swing. The teachers are relieved to be able to engage more naturally face to face and the structure and routine of daily school activities have energised and motivated our girls so noticeably.

While 2020 will be framed as one of the most challenging years in our era, we can certainly agree to the many benefits we noticed and experienced. Slowing down our hectic schedules, evaluating the authentic vs the superficial, quality family time, being present to each other and deeply valuing the beauty of face to face interactions rather than via an online medium. The list goes on….

We’ve built resilience due to a number of difficult chapters faced.

Shortly your daughter’s teacher will share her assessment portfolio with you via Google Meets or face to face meetings. Most JP teachers will be meeting with parents before the end of Term 3 while those parents who are unable to meet next week will be able to meet in the first week in Term 4. Meetings will be 15 minutes each. Parents choosing the face to face option please allow time for the screening process.

Thanks for all your continued support.

GILLIAN STUBBS

Head of Junior Primary

Spring day flowers in Grade 2

Senior Primary

The Quest for Zero Defect

Zero defect is a way of thinking and doing that reinforces the notion that defects are not acceptable, and that everyone should "do things right the first time." Quality has always been a central concern in education. The current discourse about educational quality has been highlighted with regard to our current situation in navigating our way through Covid.

I recently read an article by, Dr Deidre McGillicuddy - in The Irish Times, where she writes about ”Twelve things Covid-19 has taught us about education and schooling” I have woven the sentiments which resonated with me in my message below.

The pandemic has evoked a range of responses. Characterised by both appreciation and criticism and at times frustration of how learning is happening. It has also truly exposed the absolute importance of a positive and open relationship between home and school.Technology has enabled pupils to enhance their learning. Creativity, innovation and problem solving has emerged.

We acknowledge how many children have struggled with the changes and the hybrid system of teaching. Most of all, they have missed their friends, especially not being able to speak and engage with one another in a really authentic way. “School is where we learn how to be part of a community and, most importantly, how to include others in that sense of community, by being kind and supportive and generous”. - Michael Higgins

We are happy that as lockdown limitations ease, we have been able to bring whole grades back to school - albeit that the girls have to be split between 3 venues. As they start to feel more comfortable embracing a more familiar school day, we envisage them feeling less traumatised and are hoping that they will start to take responsibility for their learning in a consistent and productive manner. Learned helplessness of the Covid culture has understandably crept in, as many children have simply felt permanently overwhelmed. We need to remedy this going forward. The pupils have tried their best to cope under the circumstances, so therefore I ask you to be gracious in your acceptance of their academic performance this term. Let us be mindful to give status to the process of learning rather than only that of performativity.

I urge you not to fall prey to the false expectation of the Quest for Zero Defect - it simply does not exist!

Teachers care deeply - Children are Resilient - All will be fine

KAREN SMITH

Head of Senior Primary

Counsellor's Corner

Dear Springfield Parents

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to move towards normality again at school - we love seeing full classes and how happy the girls are to have some sense of how things used to be, coming back into place. I’m sure you are enjoying the move back to normality too.

A little bit of news front The Counselor's Corner:

Thank you to those who attended the Talya Ressel online Anxiety Talk last week - her notes have been posted on the D6 should you like to download for them for your use at home.

St Augustine's sent us the following photos of their Grades 1 and 2 classes loving their teddy bears that we donated to them at the start of this term. It has been a very successful project at Springfield and we are glad to share some of this initiative and love with St Augustine's.

Maybe you can spot your teddy being loved by someone new?

Our Grade 7 Peer Support Monitors are back in action and visiting the classes that they monitor. They are planning our beloved “PEER SUPPORT Talent Show” which will take place in Christmas Week/Summer School of 2020. This will be at the end of November and auditions for this will take place in the first weeks of Term 4. It will not be a whole school affair as we need to adhere to COVID physical distancing regulations but we will do our best to make it as fun and satisfying as possible for the participants and audience.

As per usual, please be in touch should you have concerns about how your daughter is coping during this time. I will try my best to give them the time and attention that they deserve to adjust to this historical time that we find ourselves living through.

With love and strength to you all

GABBY CLOETE

Junior School Counsellor

Tech tip

💻Tech Pearl of Wisdom for the week

Tech Tip #41

Tech Posture and the "Tech Neck"

Many of us have significantly increased the time we spend in front of a computer or frequently looking at our phones. This is rough on our bodies even in the best of circumstances, but our current working conditions (a desk, the couch, the coffee table, the kitchen counter) may be causing us additional pain. Sadly adults are not the only people experiencing this – kids and teens are also spending more time than usual hunched over laptops, tablets, phones, or typewriters(it still exists).

Click on the link below to help you to delete the "tech neck"

https://clubexperience.blog/2020/04/30/stretches-for-deleting-tech-neck/

Kindest regards,

MERRILL VELENSKY

Junior School IT Teacher

Library

Book Week 14 -17 September

Author Katherine Graham will be visiting Grade 1 to Grade 3. See a copy of the order form above, which will be given to the girls should you wish to purchase her books.

Art - September 2020

Art - Photography Competition September 2020

Music

Junior School Concert

As we are not able to perform concerts, we have been uploading our girls' performances on our Facebook page, and sharing these through other media. There have been two Junior School, and two Senior School concerts this term.

See link below for Music School Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/springfieldconventmusic/