Newsletter 15/03/2021 Term 1 Week 8

From the Principal

Prayer

Divisional Swimming

Easter Raffle

Our Easter raffle is less than  a month away and is one of the highlights of first term

 Easter eggs can now be donated into the office.

Parents are expected to donate an Easter egg/rabbit/chocolate item per child they have at the school (Eg 2 children, 2 items) to put towards making the Easter raffle prizes.

On the last day of term Thursday April 1st  we will draw the winners at the assembly. 

20 Raffle tickets came home last week for you to sell. Please sell both sides of the tickets & return them to school along with the money ($1 per ticket = $20). There are lots more tickets at school when you run out! 

Many thanks in advance for supporting this great fundraiser.

PS: We are also looking for cane or Easter baskets to make up Easter prizes, so if you have any, your donation would be appreciated.

Eye Testing-Lions Club

We will once again be working with the Camperdown Lions Club to ensure that we can get some eye testing done for our grade 6, grade 1 & Foundation children. 

I have sent a note home outlining the process to families with children in these grades already and these notes need to be returned by this Friday so we have time to follow up & get organised. If families could attend to this as a matter of urgency it would be appreciated. 

This testing has been very beneficial in the past and we are certain it will be once again. The testing provides an indication of a possible problem which is then referred onto an optometrist if required. 

The testing is set for Thursday 25th & Friday 26th March.  

Reading Professional Development for Staff

Over the past few weeks 20 staff members have been completing an online literacy reading professional development from 6.30-8.00 on a Wednesday evening. 

The PD is designed to discuss best practice in teaching reading, through looking at the theories behind how children learn to read. 

It has certanly been interesting and informative and something we will be doing more as a staff. 

New Newsletter & School App

Hopefully you have noticed that we have now changed to our e-newsletter online.

I'm also Hoping families are finding it easy to navigate. 

Follow the instructions below and down load the App -SZapp, which will help even more. 

There is also a link to our Parent Access Module (PAM) on the app.

Catholic School Culture

• Fr Neville is back to having a normal load at church (200 max) so families are most welcome to attend.
• Fr Neville will be away till Wednesday

Caritas Australia - Fourth Week of Lent 

Arsad, an Indonesian farmer, had no toilet in his house, so always had to walk into the forest to the open defecation area. His family was often sick and open defecation caused many neighbourhood disputes. With the support of Caritas Australia and its partner agency, Laz Harfa, Arsad took part in hygiene, sanitation and financial management training. He then funded the building of a toilet in his house and helped other community members to save money to construct their own toilet.

Now, Arsad’s family is healthier, their community no longer practices open defecation and is more harmonious. Arsad inspired his community to ‘Be More.’

Around 17 percent of Indonesia’s rural population, or 45 million people, practice open defecation – going to the toilet outdoors in fields, forests and other open spaces. (World Bank) 

Watch a short film about Arsad’s story here. 

 “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.” Please support Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au Project Compassion boxes are also in every classroom at St. Patrick’s School. 

Mini Vinnies

We have eight grade 4 children who have volunteered for Mini Vinnies this year. These
children are always thinking of others and want to help people in need and make a difference
in our world. They are looking forward to gathering donations for the winter appeal and also
doing a food drive in term 2. They will be presented with their badges at assembly on Friday
and share their intentions for this year with the rest of the school. They are Meg Nolan, Daisy
Bennett, Daisy Courtney, Madison Lucas, Ava Lafferty, William Ryan, Jake Lenssen & Olive
Wills.

Reconciliation

Congratulations to Alexis Barake, Halle Barake, Millie Bourke, Theo Cheeseman, Matthew Cridland, Isabelle Gordon, Jayden Kleinhenz, Lucy Kleinhenz, Max Lucas, Abby Mulholland, Liam Pascoe and Wally Rees who made the Sacrament of Reconciliation last Thursday night at St. Patrick’s Church. Best wishes to Brodie Burkett and Tommy Fox as they prepare to make their Reconciliation this week.

Welcome Tea Cobden Trains

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. 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 longer than 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

From St Patrick's 

To the following students that celebrate their birthdays this week

20th March

Caitlin Rundle

St Patrick's School Vision Statement & Child Safe Statement

School Community

Community Events