Newsletter 23/08/2021 Term 3 Week 27
From the Principal
Hello to everyone, welcome to week 27 and to Lockdown 7.0,
Once again not what anybody really wanted, however we are stuck with this until September the 2nd at least.
As you can tell by the communication so far, the state government is certainly trying to keep people at home by introducing a permit system. I have sent out emails regarding this, especially if you are trying to access supervised learning at school, so please go through the processes if this is required.
Lots of postponements or cancellations again and events to be confirmed. Most of these are out of my control, so thanks for your patience as we continue to work through reallocating dates for later in the year.
It is important that we continue to monitor the mental health of all, as we continue to work together for the best interests of your children and everything we are trying to do has this premise at the heart of our decisions.
Please let me know if there is anything we can do to help.
Enjoy the week ahead,
Mick
Prayer Reflection
Assembly
Assembly this week will once again be taped by a GoPro to produce a higher quality stream and will hopefully be out by early afternoon on Friday.
Lockdown Update
As we enter lockdown 7.0 we have a range of restrictions once again affecting the school. The state governemnt has added an extra layer for those requesting school supervision. This is not a school based decision but has come from the state government.
- If School supervison is required please fill in the request form (link below) and provide the necessary permits (link below) by 4.00pm the day before supervision is requested. All requests need to come by this link please.
- The schoolzine app & emails are our main form of communication. If you haven't been receiving any emails, especially on Saturday or Monday morning please contact the school to double check your email address.
- Restricting non essential staff coming in the school.
- Keeping children home if they are not well.
- There has been a recommmendation that primary school children wear masks when they are not at home. This is a recommmendation and is therefore not mandated, however children are encouraged to wear a mask. I understand the difficulties associated with this, so please talk with your family as to the decision you are comfortabe with.
- Ensuring we are moving away quickly after school pickups. During supervised learning all pick ups are from the Dimora Avenue entrance.
- Maintaining COVID rules & cleaning regimes
- If a computer is required can you only fill in a form if you didn't complete one for lockdown 6.0. These are ready to be picked up from the school.
As usual if anything changes I will let you know.
On Site Supervised Learning Request Form term 4
Remote Learning Update
Today has been a pupil free day for staff to organise this weeks work and the majority have worked from home today.
Tomorrow: (Tuesday) will be a Google classroom day.
Wednesday: ( A specialists day. The focus this week will be using this day to celebrate our book week activities). Staff planning for next week.
Thursday & Friday: Google Classroom work
Mrs Judd on Leave
Mrs Judd is back from leave this week. We welcome her back to school.
BOOK WEEK
The onsite activities that we had planned for book week have had to be changed due to Lockdown 7.0. The great book swap will happen later in the year.
This week is book week where we celebrate books, authors and illustrators. The specialist program on Wednesday will reflect our love for books with your specialist teacher reading you a book and providing an activity to go with this. We would love you to dress up as your book week character on Wednesday, take a photo and attach it to your Google Classroom as per Wednesday’s classwork task so we can make a digital parade. Also, you may like to put your favourite book on display in your window at home so children can go on a book hunt with their families. Have fun!!
SPORT ACTIVITIES
The lockdown has once again thrown some of our sporting events into disarray:
Friday 27th August - 3/4 All Stars Held in Terang - Postponed
Friday 3rd September - 3/4 Rookies TBC
5/6 Rookies (Held in Camperdown, Still to be re-scheduled)
WINTER SPORTS: Netball, mixed netball, Football: (cancelled for 2021)
REGIONAL HOCKEY (Still to be re-scheduled)
5/6 All Stars- Held in Terang
Congratulations to our 5/6 All Star Basketball teams as listed below, on their efforts last week in Terang. The girls won all of their games to come away as the champions, while the boys only lost 1 game and ended up 3rd. A wonderful effort from everyone.
The girls team: Lila Bennett, Victoria Buckle, Milla Darcy, Amaya Kent, Shelby Mahony, Matea McKenzie, Maisie Molan, Piper Stephens
The boys team: Paddy Hassett, Thomas Hinkley, Rusty Ponting, George Sadler, Nate Sambell, Rory Cameron, Micah Darcy, Dustin Lane
Postponing of events
Our current lockdown has obviously meant that we have had to either postpone, cancel, change the delivery format or we are waiting to confirm many of the events that we had planned between now & the end of term.
- Friday school masses: cancelled
- Book week activities: changed format. Book Swap now later in the year
- Hooptime: Postponed
- Grade 6 camp to Canberra: now cancelled. We will book Halls Gap for later in the year. See article later in the newsletter.
- Trivia Night: Set for Friday August 27th and is now Postponed
- I CAN: Postponed
- Fathers Day activity: Cancelled. Something sent out to Fathers in lieu of no school event.
- 5/6 excursions: These were to be in mid September with HCSN schools. At this stage they are TBC
- Grade 1/2 excursions: These were to be on Friday 1oth September. At this stage they are TBC
- Cricket coaching for girls: This was to be on Tueday 14th September at the Pomberneit Cricket ground for girls and is still TBC
- Community Meal: Was set for the 15th of September and is TBC
- Fun Day: hopefully run as planned on Thursday 16th of September
- Staff PD: This was on the last day of term and is TBC
Fathers Day
Lockdown 7.0 has put paid to our Father's Day celebrations we had planned for Friday September 3rd. Even if the lockdown is over, there will still be restrictions which wouldn't allow for anything on site. At this stage we will be doing something similar to 2020. Once again not what we were hoping for but it is out of our control.
School Wide Positive Behaviours Systems (SWPBS)
Our focus for this week is again, Manners: specifically on how we deal when we need to interrupt someone.
Some of the things we will be targeting: Say excuse me for interruptions, please & thank-you, waiting turns, allowing others to pass, responding appropriately to adult requests, greeting people. We will be making up some little videos as buddy classes and distribute to the other teachers for them to show their class the behaviour we are looking for.
Parents can support us by ensuring these manners are also used at home.
A video made by some of the children here at school will be posted so parents can see some of the things we are aiming for.
Grade 6 Camp
We have been in contact with WorldStrides regarding our Canberra camp and regret to inform you that we have had to cancel this for the 2021 year. Very disapponting, however with the lockdowns in NSW, Canberra & Victoria, we cannot move ahead with any certainty that we can even enter these states.
The plane reservations were also due very soon and with no real guarantee of money back (vouchers instead) this wasn't really acceptable.
Lastly there have been many concerns regarding anxieties from parents, staff & students about the prospect of going to capital cities during this time.
In the end it's never an easy decision however we have made it with a heavy heart.
As an alternative we will once again be booking Halls Gap at the end of the year as an alternative venue. More information will come home once it has been finalised. Credits will be placed on your fee account once we get final costings.
Grade 6 Trivia Night
Another event that we will have to postpone until later in the year.
Many thanks to Carmen Lee & Tanya Lafferty for their organisation and to everyone that had booked a table or offered to help out.
We will look for another date & let you know how we go.
Catholic School Culture
Social Justice: Mini Vinnies
This term the Mini Vinnies children will be conducting a toy drive. They will be collecting clean toys in good condition which will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul at the end of this term in readiness for Christmas. If you have any toys that are no longer used or the children have grown out of, please wash them and send them into school to donate to the Mini Vinnies volunteers. They will be collecting from the classrooms every week or alternately, toys can be left at the office. This will greatly assist in bringing joy to children at Christmas time. Thank-you in advance.
Students of the Week
Birthdays
From St Patrick's
To the following students that celebrate their birthdays this week
23/08/2021 Monday -
24/08/2021 Tuesday -
25/08/2021 Wednesday - Zoe Hinkley, Sasha Kerr
26/08/2021 Thursday - Ava Bonner
27/08/2021 Friday - Harvey Roberts, Jayden Tobias
28/08/2021 Saturday - Max Lucas, Lily Melano
29/08/2021 Sunday - Will Sinnott, Paige Stewart
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Please consider nominating St Patrick's as your preferred organisation when shopping at IGA.
