Published on: 31 March 2022

  • The Arts during the pandemic
  • Ride to School
  • Vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds
  • Second dose action
  • COVID-19 dedicated email not active during the holidays

As we head towards the end of term, and students minds naturally drift towards things they hope to do in the break, every teacher is making the most of their time with students with engaging content, excursions, assessments and for the Arts rehearsals and productions. Because we care for our boys, we are ambitious for them. We want every day to be engaging, enriching and full of academic curiosity, and our teachers are to be commended for their application and dedication while managing the boys as they adapted to wearing masks, taking a RAT and social distancing when necessary.

Although audience engagement for the Arts has been challenging during the pandemic, Midnite’s The World Goes ‘Round production went ahead to limited audience numbers at His Majesty’s Theatre in early March. For our Music students, the boys continue to deliver fabulous musical performances weekly which are streamed to the entire Senior School during assembly time. You can see one of the great performances here, and more on our Facebook page. The Arts are incredibly important to the School’s culture – it feeds our students’ creativity, creates shared experiences with others, promotes communication, and importantly allows our students to showcase their knowledge and talent. We will continue to look for different ways to engage during a time with restrictions.

Every Principal in Western Australia is being asked to encourage and promote the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations by children, and remind parents of children now eligible for their second dose. COVID-19 vaccines have been through a rigorous testing and approval process and are a safe way to protect children, their families and friends from getting sick. Currently two vaccines are available – Pfizer for 5 to 11 year olds and Moderna for 6 to 11 year olds. Vaccines reduce potential disruptions to learning, allowing children to continue to attend school. Helpful resources can be found here.

As a School, we are pleased with the management of COVID-19 this term. Its success is due to the wonderful collaboration between parents, boys and staff and it is a credit to everyone that we have managed to keep the School open and delivering face-to-face lessons for nine weeks. Without a doubt, one of the significant strategies contributing to this outcome has been the mandating of mask wearing which will continue next term. We know that Term 2 presents its own challenges with the onset of Winter and the cold and flu season. Together, if we reinforce the necessity for basic hygiene, mask wearing and behaviours such as sneezing and coughing into elbows, I am hopeful that we will minimise disruption to learning and the boys can continue to come onto campus. Throughout Term 1, Mark Morrissy and Steven Males have done a stellar job as the primary contact points for COVID-19 cases and queries, providing parents with clarity regarding the steps to take, and the dedicated COVID email has worked well, but will not be monitored between Friday 8 April and Thursday 21 April. If you need advice on COVID-19 matters during the break, please go here.

As our community is no doubt aware, we encourage boys to either ‘walk a little way’, catch a school sponsored bus, a Transperth bus, train or ride bikes, if circumstances allow them. This diminishes traffic congestion in the school precinct at the busiest times of day – morning and afternoon.  In support of riding, the School has been celebrating ‘Ride to School’ for the past two weeks. Last week the Preparatory boys got behind this initiative and this week our Senior boys joined in. It would be fantastic to see more of our students riding to school on a regular basis. Perth certainly has the weather for it and the boys gain so much from being independent. See some of our boys enjoying the ride here.

Alan Jones
Principal