Newsletter 22/02/2021 Term 1 Week 5

Student of the week

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Term 1 fundraiser Grade 4: Swimming Sports BBQ

We need this coordinator ASAP.

From the Principal

Prayer

School Vision Statement:

School Calendar

No Upcoming Events

New Newsletter & School App

As I mentioned in my intro we are moving to a new newsletter format. 

It is an online newsletter and we are hopeful that it will continue to improve the communication avenues we have with home. Reports are that this newsletter will be easier to access, easier to read and easier to complete. Hopefully this is so. 

This newsletter suite comes with an App that we will be asking parents to download. This app will replace the SIMON everywhere App and allow access to all the things we need you to access.  We will still be using the Web based program PAM(Parent Access Module), this program allows you to advise the school of student absences and parents can view student reports.

No doubt there will be a sharp learning curve for everyone as we move into this new venture. Can I ask for your patince as we move forward. Bec is very knowledgable and is a point of contact if you need help. Please give this a go and we will look to doing a survey later in the term to see how everything is progressing. 

All parents please download the App following the instructions listed below: 

Foundation Info session

Many thanks to all the Foundation families who came along to the info session last week. We have sent out the Powerpoints that we shared for you to look at if you missed anything. Please don't hesitate to call if you need to clarify anything. 

Parent Teacher catch ups

Teachers have been making contact with all of the parents of the children in their class via phone over the last week. This call is to either have a chat about how our child/ren have settled & for you to pass on any pertinent information to your child’s teacher. If you have not caught up with your child's teacher they will be continuing phone calls this week. 

These catch ups are not designed to pass on academic info but they are to see how your child has settled, and for both parties to pass on any pertinent information.

Pick Up Area’s: outside the front of the School & Church

There are 2 areas for children to be collected:

• Drop off/pick up zone at school. The bell rings @ 3.15pm
• The church.  Junior students (F-2)  will walk down @3.05pm
• Students in grades 3-6 will walk down @3.15
• We prefer that parents collect students at the church 
• The zone outside the school for those students with medical conditions etc.

The bonuses for pick up at the church are: more room to park, we have 2 teachers on duty there, we lead the F-2 children down there every night a little earlier than other pick up areas, there is less congestion for both the front of the school and the church area, the church is a more controlled environment.  Can I ask that if you are picking your child up to please consider moving your pick up spot to the church? Thanks for your consideration. 

I Can Imagination Club Program

We were hoping to have an I CAN Imagination Club info night this week,  however due to circumstances outside  our control we have had to move it to later in March. I will let you know as soon as we can find another date. 

I will also be sending letters to parents over the next week for children we believe might benefit from this program, espcecially from the social & emotional benefits it gives. 

Swimming

Swimming continues tomorrow for the grade 3-6 children. It will be on Tuesday ONLY and will be our last session. Many thanks to everyone for coping with the changes that occurred so we could get through this program.  Hopefully the weather plays ball for us and gives us a nice day for this.

Our swimming sports are for grades 3-6 only and these will be held next Monday March 1st at the Camperdown Pool.

Grade 5 Camp

The grade 5 camp to Portsea will be happening this Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. It is a wonderful camp full of lots of challenge by choice activities such as canoeing, swimming, giant swing, high ropes, flying fox, snorkelling and many others. The food is always good and the views & beach are always a highlight. 

Other activities the children will be doing include: Star Wars night game, Movie theatre visit, Visit to Point Nepean to see the old army barracks & Crossing to & fro on the Ferry.

Staff attending will be Sam West, Jess Courtney, Tom Sinnott, Vickie Mahony, Stacey Riches, Paul Kingston & Michael McKenzie.

Sara Mahony will be taking PE while Mr K is away.

Janelle Smith & Lynn McDonald will be teaching the grade 6 children here at school. 

Parents Association Coordinators

We only have 2 spots to fill for coordinators; swimming BBQ & Grade 6 Trivia night.

Our swimming sports BBQ is next Monday.

If we cannot get a coordinator to do this fundraiser, students will have to bring along their own lunch.  

• Foundation: Easter Raffle:  (Term 1 fundraiser) : Nina Pasque, Jess Brebner & Rachel Hall
• Grade 1: Athletic Sports BBQ (Term 1 fundraiser):  Melissa Pascoe, Laura Woodmason &  Jo Lillie
• Grade 2: Fundraiser: Mother’s Day Stall:   Katie Pemberton
• Grade 3: Father’s Day Stall (Term 3 fundraiser):   Ruth Barber & Bec Fleming
• Grade 4: Swimming Sports BBQ (Term 1 fundraiser) We need this coordinator ASAP. 
• Grade 5: Phone Books – Bronagh Bonner
• Grade 6: Trivia Night (Term 3 fundraiser)

School Fete: No fete this year. All families will have a $100 fete levy as we have a gap year from the fete.

Catholic School Culture

Mass

Fr Neville is back to having a normal load at church (200 max) so families are most welcome to attend.

Mass will not be live streamed while we can attend mass. If anything changes we will let you know. 

Sacramental Meeting

Children in grades 2,3 & 4 (or other grades if required) will be preparing for sacraments this year. There will be a parent meeting on tomorrow morning (Tuesday 23rd February)  at 8.30am in the library which will involve talking about all of these sacraments.

Reconciliation (usually grade 2) will take place on Thursday 11th March at St Patrick’s church Camperdown @6.00pm.

Confirmation (Grade 3) will take place on Thursday 6th May at St Patrick’s church Camperdown @6.00pm

Eucharist (grade 4) will take place on Saturday 5th June in Cobden @6.30pm & Sunday 6th June in Camperdown @11.00am.

The school has most baptism certificates on file, however if you haven’t handed yours in please do so this week. If your child has missed a sacrament or they are new to the school they will also have the opportunity to catch up this year (please see Tracy). Stoles should be at home so please locate these ready for the sacrament transfer that will need to be ironed on prior to the mass. The cost for each sacrament is $20 which is payable at the parent meeting when forms are handed in.

If you have any concerns or apologies please let Tracy Hickey know

School Advisory Council

Our first SAC meeting will be tomorrow night @7.30 at the school. 

Some of the items for discussion will be

           New DOBCEL policies introduced

           School Review: Community 

           Remote Learning: How did this all go? 

           Newsletter Format change

New Computers

We have ordered 6 new computers for each of the 4 grade 1 & 2 classrooms to replace the very old ones we have there. These are here and will be installed over the coming week. This money has come from the donation from the Parents Association last year. Many thanks for their continued support of our school.

COVID

In order to ensure the health and safety of all community members, we ask that all families adhere to the following guidelines;

Testing- Symptomatic (Feeling unwell) or Asymptomatic

If a member of a family is recommended by their doctor to have COVID 19 testing, this person is asked to self isolate until the results are known. Any children/siblings of this family are requested not to attend school unless the results of the testing are known. At best we will restrict the spread of possible contact with the virus if the test is positive. At worst we will have cost some children a few days at home if the test proves to be negative. This is a duty of care for all at school. If your child is ill or is feeling unwell, they must not attend school. They must remain home and seek medical advice. Any unwell children WILL be sent home. We will temperature check any child we feel is unwell.

Sick Children at School

Every student that presents to the sick bay with cold or flu like symptoms will have their temperature taken and as we are operating on a zero tolerance, they will be sent home.

Visitors to St. Patricks

At this stage parents, volunteers, or community groups can come on a limited basis onto the school premises or grounds. Those visiting for educational purposes can do so, after answering the health questionnaire before entering and having a temperature test. This includes Catholic education staff to work with our teaching groups, and other allied health staff (speech, OT etc) working with students. Parents and guardians are asked to maximise the use of phone (5593 1962)and email communication with the school or directly to their child’s teacher.

Anyone coming in for longerthan 15 minutes will need to sign in at the office. 

Cleaning & Hygiene

To support the health and wellbeing of students and staff, the school will continue an enhanced cleaning routine and will encourage frequent handwashing by staff and students. Hand sanitizer will be located in high traffic/high touch areas and the classrooms.

Physical distancing

A range of measures will be in place to enable staff to do this. Our advice is that social distancing is still very difficult to manage between students and that while we will still be endeavouring to do this when we can, the reality is that there will be times when this will not be able to occur.

Drop Off & Pick Up Arrangements

Drop Off- Parents are welcome to drop off at the normal time from 8.30am onwards. All children will need to enter the school via Dimora Ave. Pick Up- Children being picked up by parents or walking home will continue to do so at 3.15. Children being collected from the church will leave school at 3.05 for F-2 children and 3.15 for grades 3-6. 

Bus Travel

Please also remind your children who travel on school buses of the importance of:

•       practicing good hygiene, including using hand sanitiser
•       maintaining physical distance from others where they can
•       wearing a face mask (secondary students)
•       obeying all instructions from bus drivers

Schools must follow the health advice set out in the Operations Guide.

 Reinforcing COVID Safe behaviours, such as staying at home and getting tested when unwell, physical distancing and wearing masks

• Creating COVID Safe spaces, including ensuring ventilation and regular cleaning
• Promoting COVID Safe activities, such as limiting visitors to schools, and reducing mixing between groups.
• Responding to coronavirus (COVID-19) risk.

Students of the Week

Birthdays

Happy Birthday From St Patrick's  to the following  students that celebrate their

birthday this week

22nd February - Harrison Glennen 56D

25th February - Marc Van Es 56C

26th February - Ethan Shadforth 56S

School Community

Competitor Information

The 2021 Equestrian Interschool Championships, will be held at the picturesque Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, 10th-14th April 2021. The state-of-the-art facilities provide each competitor with the opportunity to perform at their best.

If you are interested in competing in the above event please contact the office.

https://equestrianinterschoolvictoria.com.au/

Community Events