Executive Director's welcome

A very warm welcome back to the new school year of 2022. I hope that everyone managed to enjoy some time off over the festive season whether with family and friends or just some chill out time at home. 

As we commence another school year with the uncertainty and trepidation that COVID has brought to our lives, we do so in the knowledge that all of our schools will be doing everything that they can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our children, their teachers and the wider school communities.  We are aware that the school landscape over the next couple of months will change somewhat as the number of cases escalate, therefore we urge everyone to be patient but vigilant, get vaccinated if it is possible and respect each other by taking every precaution we can to keep everyone safe. Your own child's school is the best place to start should you have queries or concerns regarding COVID protocols. 

And now onto more positive topics. We are always charmed at this time of the year to see all the photos and stories across social media of the new kindy children taking their first tentative steps into ‘big’ school as well as those of the slightly apprehensive Year 7’s going from being the ‘big’ kids to the ‘little’ kids. As time progresses, there is more and more advice available to assist families in making these key transitions successful and positive experiences for all.

We talk a lot about our children starting school or moving to high school, but don’t forget it is a learning curve for parents too. I remember being quite daunted as a parent when my first child started high school and having to learn a whole new way of doing things – lots of different teachers, not knowing many of the other parents and of course being unsure of how to engage effectively with my new high schooler’s education. I also had to move through the myth of ‘your high school kids don’t want you around anymore’. It didn’t take me too long to realise that this is indeed a myth. Although children and young people in high school don’t necessarily want their parents seeing them to the door of their classroom or indeed talking to them in front of their peers ? they need to know that you’ve got their back. Most schools now have some kind of welcome function to enable new parents to get to know each other and I would very much encourage you to attend if possible. There are very significant and positive outcomes for children and young people when they see their parents attend school functions or events. It demonstrates to them the importance that we as parents place on their education and on supporting the school we have chosen for that education. In fact, it is one of the key drivers of student engagement in their own learning.

Please note that unfortunately many of these events will not currently be able to take place as a result of current restrictions, however it is important that we try to postpone and not cancel. CSPWA strongly encourage moving your P&F meetings online, you may even find that you get more attendees in this way. Please also make a special effort to invite new parents to these online meetings, as they may be feeling a bit lost. Whilst the priority for schools is the safety and wellbeing for students and staff, parents and particularly those involved with the P&F can play an equally important role in providing a conduit for parents to come together and support each other.

Whilst many parents in the primary setting engage with the P&F, this engagement seems to die off a little once their children hit high school. There are many reasons for this, the ‘myth’ mentioned above, less time in our very busy world and very often having children across both primary and secondary settings. However, the P&F is still a great way to be involved in the life of the school. In the high school setting P&Fs often arrange themselves differently with sub groups such as ‘Friends of Music’, ‘Friends of the Arts’ etc and this provides the opportunity for parents to be more focused on what they choose to assist with. In my experience the P&F was a wonderful way to get to know the leadership group of my child’s school and to understand what the priorities and goals were for the school in the coming year. There are also many ‘one-off’ events such as sports carnivals, school feast days or whole school masses which give parents the opportunity to be involved in some way. I would strongly suggest that, if at all possible, you get involved in some element of the school community however small that may seem to you. With the mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people (and ourselves as parents) a priority for all of us, being aware of, and knowing what’s happening at school is vital.

Finally, worldwide figures for volunteering seem to be dropping at an alarming rate. Our lives have become so much busier with many of us working longer hours and still sending and receiving work emails long after we get home from work. However, re-prioritising our time to fit in some volunteer work is beneficial to us in many ways. We meet new people, learn new skills whilst sharing our own skills with others and of course provide assistance to others when they may not be able to get it anywhere else. Setting this example for our children is so important as it is much more likely that they will engage in volunteer activities if they see Mum or Dad volunteering and adding strength to their school community. Volunteering is good for our wellbeing and as we know ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’.

CSPWA look forward to meeting many of you in this capacity during the course of the coming year and wish you all the very best in your endeavours, be they ‘fundraising’ or ‘friendraising’.

God bless

Siobhan