Help for a refugee family need a furnitureHi everyone
We know a refugee family, a couple and 2 sons 16 and 5; they just found an accommodation in They address is
4/16 Adam st
Greenlane and they need everything; please help if you can
Looking for a reliable and trustworthy house + animal sitter while you're away? I am available beginning June, short term or long term. I am respectful, tidy, and have plenty of experience looking after animals. Happy to provide wonderful references. Speak soon :)
To all Glendowie Primary School parentsHi. I am a father of one of Y1 students at Glendowie Primary.
I’ve noticed Religious Instructions programme in the recent newsletter, got curios and stopped by the office to get to understand what kind of course that is. Frankly, I was rather surprised to discover such a programme at a secular state school at all.
I thought, considering the Parents Survey 2018 closes on the 14th of May, I should share my findings with the parents in the area.
My initial understanding was that it’s a “History of religion” class, but in reality it is a Christianity-focused evangelical course for 6-8 yo children, Y2-Y4. Police-vetted volunteers come weekly to _pray with children_ and to tell them about Jesus, God and Bible in a very “this did really happen” kind of way.
According to the teacher’s manual, available here:
each session ends with a prayer.
Based on the principal’s numbers, up to 85% of all 6-8 yo children at Glendowie Primary, a secular state school, participate in prayer weekly.
I would suspect, this is a very touchy subject for many. Mainly it is not about my, yours or anyone else’s personal religious views.
RI is not approved by the Ministry of Education:
— it's not curriculum material
— it is not not checked by ERO (Education Review Office).
The programmes are delivered by religious volunteers who are not trained teachers or observed by or checked by ERO.
Even if RI was completely benign, which at times it may be - it's still taking away valuable class time from children.
That's time where they could be taught curriculum material by a trained teacher. I'd play it pretty straight - without overstating any emotive argument.
There's no way to justify RI.
School’s website does not have any of RI classes content available for parents. Neither survey, nor newsletters hint any of the above.
The only reason the evangelical volunteers (misleadingly called “Bible teachers” in the newsletter, which suggests qualification) come to our school is the Board of Trustees decision, which is based — I was told — on the parents survey results.
2018 survey is out now, I felt that it is important to let other parents know and share the actual materials being taught as true facts to 6yos.
I understand religion is a very personal matter and as such, I am calling for more clarity around the RI: our children could be learning with qualified teachers and peers rather than being segregated on the base of traditional blanket approach.
I would be open to a dialogue around this. If anyone has got any feedback or comments around the RI - let’s discuss.
An enquiry to the local Ministry of Education office:
P.S.: St Heliers school fixed this in 2014:
Victa Petrol Edge TrimmerPowerful Victa edge trimmer. Surplus as down sized garden. Pick up Saint Johns $40
