A Message to Our School Community: Safety at the Jack/Alice Street Intersection

I am writing to you today with a sincere and urgent concern for the safety of our children, including your children, at the intersection of Jack and Alice Street during morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups.

Each day, we witness a growing number of families choosing to cross this busy intersection outside the designated school crossing area. We understand that life is busy, and the temptation to take a quicker route can be strong. However, this choice, made for the sake of ease, places children, drivers, and pedestrians at serious risk.

The intersection is particularly hazardous in the afternoon, when cars, buses, and community service vehicles converge in a narrow 10-minute window. It is not just inconvenient, it is dangerous. We have Crossing Supervisors in place for a reason: to protect lives. When families bypass this support, they not only endanger themselves but also model unsafe behaviour for their children.

We ask, respectfully but firmly, that all parents and caregivers follow these essential safety procedures:

• Do not cross the road on the corner of Jack/Alice Street with your child/children.
• Always use the designated school crossing, where trained Crossing Supervisors are present.
• Ensure children remain within school grounds at pick-up time. A staff member on duty will release them only when a parent or caregiver is visibly present.

We know that every parent wants what is best for their child. In this case, what is best is also what is safest. Let us work together to ensure that no child is harmed because of a shortcut taken in haste. The safety of our children is a shared responsibility that we must take seriously.

Thank you for your understanding, your cooperation, and your commitment to keeping our school community safe.

Thank You – Maize Festival Parade

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you who contributed your time, creativity, and energy to support our school’s involvement in this year’s Maize Festival Parade.

Your outstanding efforts, whether in helping decorate the float, preparing costumes, walking with our students, or simply encouraging families to attend, were truly appreciated by all. Many of you generously gave your time, and the impact of your dedication was clearly visible in the way our float came together and in the pride our students and families felt as they walked behind it.

The attendance of students and parents was most impressive, and it was clear that our school’s presence in the parade was not only festive but transformative. We were seen, celebrated, and embraced by the wider community—and that is thanks to you.

Thank you again for all that you do, both seen and unseen. Your commitment to our students and our school community continues to shape how we are viewed and valued in Atherton.

Paper Plane Night – A Flight Path to Family Connection

Wednesday 10 September | 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM | School Basketball “The best flights are those taken together.”

Important Notes

• The playground and all areas outside the basketball court will be out of bounds during the event.
• Please ensure your child remains within the designated area at all times.

Staff Book Spotlight

The PDA Paradox:The Highs and Lows of My Life on a Little-Known Part of the Autism Spectrum

by Harry Thompson 

Harry Thompson’s memoir, The PDA Paradox, offers a heartfelt and courageous glimpse into the lived experience of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), a profile on the autism spectrum that is often misunderstood and rarely formally acknowledged. Diagnosed in his teenage years, Harry shares his journey through childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood with honesty and vulnerability. His reflections touch on the complexities of relationships, the challenges of education, and the impact of mental health and addiction, all woven through the lens of someone trying to make sense of a world that often felt overwhelming.

Rather than viewing PDA as a deficit, Harry invites us to see it as a neurological difference, one shaped by a deep, anxiety-driven need for autonomy. He speaks of PDA not as resistance for resistance’s sake, but as a yearning for liberation, a desire to preserve one's sense of self in the face of demands that feel intrusive or unsafe. His metaphor of the “topknot”, where the visibility of PDA traits depends on the environment, offers a gentle reminder of how profoundly context matters. In nurturing, understanding settings, the child’s true self can emerge with less fear and more trust.

The book unfolds chronologically, with a particular focus on Harry’s formative years. It is this raw honesty that makes the memoir so powerful. Readers may find themselves moved, challenged, and deeply reflective as they walk with Harry through his story. His openness invites empathy and offers a mirror for those who may be supporting children with similar profiles.

Ultimately, The PDA Paradox is not a clinical manual; it is a deeply human story. It calls us to reconsider our assumptions about autism, control, and what it means to flourish outside the bounds of neurotypical expectations. For parents, teachers, and carers, it offers not just insight, but companionship on the journey.