Our Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday morning that there is now a ban on indoor meetings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500.

Arrangements that reflect this directive were already in place at Cedar from the beginning of the week, so there is no further change required at this stage.

Blanket “do not travel” advice for all Australians has been announced, and all people entering the country are required to isolate for 14 days. It is particularly important that any child who has been in contact with individuals returning from overseas, or is feeling unwell in any way, not to return to school. Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said on Wednesday, “Don’t leave it to the teacher to work that out when they arrive, or the school administrator or whoever is on drop-off, make sure, if your child is unwell, that you are taking action to keep your child out of school”.

As you know, camps and excursions this term have been cancelled, which, of course, has resulted in great disappointment to our students. We will endeavour to arrange alternative activities, where appropriate, for students to enjoy later in the year. Our focus is on the best way forward, with your child’s health and education being our priority.

The recommendations by the Australian Government Department of Health and the World Health Organisation are the basis for the decisions we make. These recommendations are changing daily. Further updates can be accessed here: www.health.gov.au or www.health.gov.au/covid19-travellers or SA Health.

Students viewing the news each day, and hearing parents talking about COVID-19 can, of course, cause a high level of anxiety. Children of all ages need to know they are safe. Try to keep life and routines as normal as possible. Think about doing some fun things as a family, such as a games night. Keeping children occupied can help take their minds off the news. Reassure them that they are safe in your home and give them time to ask questions.

At present, Cedar College will continue to remain open unless the Government directs us otherwise. We believe that Cedar is a safe place with a supportive, kind and loving staff. Our staff includes everyone, from admin, groundskeepers, nurses and SSOs, through to teachers. We all have a role to play.

For many students, Cedar is their second home, and we love that.

Sincerely,

Mr Peter Thomson, Principal

I predict that board games and card games may become a significant part of family life in the weeks ahead.

My kids and I discovered Uno Flip a while back. Like normal Uno, you’re trying to get rid of your cards. Someone plays a flip card and everyone must flip their hands to play with what’s on the back of the cards. The rules change. Your cards change value. You lose your winning position (or vice versa). Whenever it happens we laugh and embrace the new situation. It’s fun.

The rules are changing

But real life Uno Flip isn’t so fun. Right now the rules are changing every day, our situations are changing, and we’re scrambling to know what to do to get by (let alone “win”). How can we care for our families when the rules keep changing?

Jesus talked about the ‘right now’ when he said: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” – Matthew 6:34. Simply put, we can’t accurately worry about tomorrow until it comes. Today is all we have to deal with right now. And Jesus promises to help us through it. He’s not saying we don’t need to plan and act thoughtfully in the moment. He’s saying we don’t need to worry if we’re trusting him.

He’s got tomorrow in hand. If we trust him, he’s got us in hand right now.

So how does that shape today?

Think about where your worries are aimed. Are you worried you won’t have what you need for the next month? That’s bringing tomorrow’s worries into today. God has placed you in a country of abundant supply and in a school community willing to help out where we can. Ask us how we might help you today.

Think about the conversations the adults in your household are having. These conversations might be helping you process everything. But how are they impacting the children listening in? Are they causing your children to worry more about the unknown nature of tomorrow? Flip the conversation around them, so that you are focusing on the good moments of today.

Think about what you are reaching for first thing each day. Are you eating up the news cycle before breakfast, before saying good morning to your family, before thanking God for the new day? Jesus is giving us a gentle nudge here: seek his kingdom first.

Right before he said those words above, Jesus says to look at the birds and the flowers. Notice how God takes care of them and makes them beautiful. He’s got them. He’s got us. He’s inviting us on a walk outside to get some perspective. Take that walk. Take your children with you. See the beauty in the moment. Listen to how the birds sing on despite whatever the newsfeed is saying.

Pastor Jeremy Wright, Cedar College Pastor