From the Principal

Dear Families

I urge you to sign into the online parent Cybersafety Project session which is being

 held on the evening of Thursday May 26th at 7.30pm. Throughout this webinar the Cyber Safety Project Team highlight important settings and parental controls that allow your child to navigate online tools independently and safely.  Please click the link  https://bit.ly/CSPMAY26 to book.

A reminder that Friday is a School Closure Day where our staff will be participating in professional learning. We will be working with the MacKillop Institute. We will be working with them over the next 3 years with the aim to support us to establish positive pre conditions for improved teaching, learning and wellbeing. 

On Sunday we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus where He rises to heaven. The Ascension takes place 40 days after the resurrection. This is a significant celebration in our Church calendar. The Ascension signifies that the work He had come to do on earth was accomplished.  ‘Jesus ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.’

Reconciliation Week

We celebrate Reconciliation Week from May 27th until June 3rd. May 27th marks the anniversary of the 1967 referendum when Australians voted to remove clauses in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. June 3rd marks the historic 1992 Mabo decision in which the High Court of Australia recognised native title—the recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights over their lands did survive British colonisation. 

The theme ‘Be Brave. Make Change’, challenges all of us to be brave and tackle unfinished business of reconciliation so we can make a difference for the benefit of all Australians. 

We had some wonderful examples of reconciliation happening with our AFL footballers. Michael Long’s ‘Long Walk’ and the Welcome to Country celebrations at the beginning of each game. At school our teachers will talk to our children about being respectful of all people and that we grow in our awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders histories, achievements  and culture. 

Cross Country

Congratulations to all students who represented St Anne’s in the Cross Country on Friday 13th May at East Sunbury Sporting Grounds. Students displayed great sportsmanship and resilience as they ran either 2km or 3km. Students who finished in the Top 9 will race at the next event on Tuesday 31st May at Bundoora Park.

School Advisory Committee

Our School Advisory Committee (SAC) met recently where the following was discussed;

• The traffic problems in Stewart’s Lane and our concern that the crossing at Elizabeth Drive is not manned. It was decided to consult the Hume Council and our aim is to begin discussions with them to try to rectify the problem
• A swimming program for our children was discussed and it was agreed that children in Years 2, 3 and 4 would benefit from this program. The program will be held in Term 4, parents will receive information about it later in the year. 
• Our Math's leaders, Leona Dean and Jane Barlow, presented the focus we have in place value when learning about Number. Our focus is based on the research work of Dr Angela Rogers.  Our teachers are reporting that since we have introduced this focus our children are gaining a deeper understanding of the value of digits in a number and this is assisting them when using the 4 operations.

COVID Update

A reminder that your child can attend school if they are deemed to be a close family contact. They are required to wear a mask if they are over 8 years of age as well as completing a RAT test five times within the 7 day period. You are also asked to contact the school to let us know.

Children only need to be tested if they are showing symptoms. You will continue to receive RAT test kits until the end of the term. 

A reminder that we are experiencing a lot of difficulty replacing our teachers who are sick with emergency teachers. Therefore we have been forced to split children into other classes. This is not our preferred option and will only do this if we cannot cover teachers who are absent. 

Positive Behaviour For Learning - PBL

Over the next few weeks we will be focussing on using Friendly language. If we do this then we are being RESPECTFUL towards our friends. Our children will be encouraged to use ‘I Messages’ when they are experiencing a problem with their friends. The sequence of sentences the children will be encouraged to use are;

I feel………

When you …………..

Because ………………………

Can you please ……………….

You can support us at home by assisting your children to use I Messages when they are having difficulties with their siblings or friends. Hopefully, the children will learn to solve their problems without your help!

God Bless

Ms Noelene Hussey