Principal's Message
Dear parents, students and families,
Last week our Year 5 and 6 students spent two nights and three days in Melbourne. They stayed at the CYC City camp and enjoyed a variety of activities within Melbourne. It was a real joy to join them on the Tuesday and visit the Melbourne Museum, Victoria Market and then ice skating in Docklands. Ice skating was a real challenge for all but I'm sure you will want to know that Mrs de Veer and Miss O'Donnell did their best! Many of the students had natural ability.
Last Thursday and Friday were our Term 1 School Closure Days. On Thursday Mr Sullivan worked on having a better understanding and shared approach to our 'Smart Spelling' which is an approach we have recently adopted. On Friday we worked with Andrew Chinn and Drew Lane on connecting their music from Butterfly House (which we use regularly) to enhance learning through not just our RE program and Masses but also through Art and Dance.
This is Catholic Education week, where a number of activities have been driven by MACS. We will take part in a Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral on St Patrick's Day this Friday when schools from across the Archdiocese gather and celebrate Catholic schooling. We will be represented by Miss O'Donnell, our 2 School Captains, 2 Vice Captains and 2 Liturgy Leaders.
Year 3 and 5 students have commenced the annual NAPLAN testing on Wednesday 15th this week. Our Year 3 and Year 5 students will be doing their best to show us what they know and the data gathered will be then used as part of developing their future learning program.
Enrolment Masses commence for First Communion on the 25th and 26th March for those with children who will be receiving this Sacrament.
We continue our time of Lent. Lent is something of a new springtime, providing the opportunity to reorganise our priorities and rid our systems of the selfishness and hurt that hinder us being fully open to God’s love. Lent invites us to consider our relationships – our relationship with God (prayer), others (almsgiving), and the self (sacrifice).
Lent is a special time of metanoia – leaving behind an old way of acting in order to embrace new life in Christ. I hope you are finding time to reflect an act during this special time in our Liturgical calendar as we look forward to Easter.
Our second, and final, open morning for prospective 2024 Foundation enrolments will be held on Monday 27th March. Please feel free to alert anyone you know who has expressed interest and ask them to ring the office to book in for the tour.
Mr Sullivan commences a period of Long Service Leave from Monday 23rd March travelling to his wife's homeland of Japan. We wish them a happy time of renewal with their family and friends there.
May peace be with you,
Rod Shaw
Principal
School Attendance and Unexplained Absence
Please contact the school if your child is going to be absent by leaving a message on 9786 4736 and press 1. Please give details of your child’s name and class with areason for their absence such as: unwell, appointment, holiday or family reasons. Alternatively an email can be sent to office@saseaford.catholic.edu.au with cc to the child’s teacher.
If you are running late, (after 9:00 am) please attend the office to sign your child into school and collect a late pass.
If you are picking up your child early you will need to collect them and sign them out from the office.
As per our policy this will be our morning routine for absences:
Parents will be contacted as soon as practicable on the morning a student is absent via a text message.
If parent does not contact the school after receiving the text message, the school will contact the parent by phone. If the parent is unreachable the emergency contacts will be contacted by the school.
If there is still no response, and the school feels that the child is in danger, the police will be contacted.
Ongoing unexplained absences or lack of cooperation regarding student attendance will result in a formal conference being organized. Unresolved attendance issues will be referred to D.H.H.S.
This is a legal requirement.
Democratic Principles
The six (6) principles of Australian democracy include:
(a) elected government; and
(b) the rule of law; and
(c) equal rights for all before the law; and
(d) freedom of religion; and
(e) freedom of speech and association; and
(f) the values of openness and tolerance