THURSDAY 13TH FEBRUARY - PARENT / TEACHER / STUDENT CONVERSATIONS - See below for details about this day

Dear St Michael’s School families,

A reflection for the start of the Jubilee Year

As the Jubilee Year begins, Pope Francis has encouraged everyone to reflect on how they can bring light, hope and kindness into the lives of others:

How can I open a window of light in my environment and in my relationships?
Where can I be a glimmer of light that let’s God’s love pass through?
What practical actions can I do today, this term, this year in my school, home, world? (2025).

The Jubilee Year of 2025 offers a profound opportunity for renewal, unity and hope. Let us step forward as pilgrims of hope, embracing God’s call to transform our world with love and compassion.

We ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for us as we embark on this sacred journey in MACS schools and offices:

Mary, star that leads to Jesus, help us to be shining witnesses of the Father’s love for everyone

(Francis 2025)

WELCOME

Our new staff are settling in well at St Michael's School. They have hit the ground running, and doing well. Take the opportunity to say hi to them when you're in the school and at pick up and drop off.

BEGINNING OF YEAR SCHOOL MASS

We welcome all our families to Beginning of Year School mass on Wednesday 12th February at 10am at St Michael's Church. We will welcome in the new school year and would love for you to join us.

On this day, there will be no swimming lessons at all and the Swimming Carnival for Year Three to Six students will commence at 12 noon at the Ashburton Pool. Students may wear their sports uniform with bathers underneath on this day.

Remaining dates for Year Three to Six swimming lessons:

Week 3 - FEBRUARY 10th, 11th, 14th (Water Safety Day)

PREP REST DAYS

Our Preps have made an amazing start to the school year, settling in really quickly. The first few days this week have gone very smoothly and the teachers are sharing very positive reports about the students. They are certainly enjoying opportunities to see their buddies as they arrive at school and at break times.

A reminder that Prep rest days happen every Wednesday until the Labour Day weekend. Dates for your diaries are:

Wednesday 12th February

Wednesday 19th February

Wednesday 26th February

Wednesday 5th March

Preps commence full time from Tuesday 11th March

RUNNING CLUB

We welcome all students, Years Prep to Six, to take part in our weekly Running Club, which operates on a Tuesday morning on the tennis courts. Running club engages students in physical activities and games, led by our Year Six Sports Leaders. This begins at 8.15am each Tuesday and will commence, when the Swimming Program is finished, on Tuesday 18th February. Please ensure children are not dropped off earlier than 8.15am for Running Club as there is no adult supervision available before then.

CONGRATULATIONS

As we begin our new year, we already have some wonderful news to share with our community!

We congratulate Emma Quinless (Performing Arts teacher and Student Wellbeing Leader) as she and her family are now expecting their third child. Emma will continue in these roles until April / May and we wish her and Mick well as they welcome another member to their family.

Additionally we are thrilled to share the news that Sam Isaacson (Learning Diversity Leader and Science Teacher) and her partner, Stefan, are expecting their first baby this year. Sam has worked with many of our families in her role as Learning Diversity Leader and I'm sure you will all join with me in congratulating her on this exciting news. Sam will also remain with us until mid-term 2.

These are exciting journeys for both Emma and Sam and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate these milestones with them as a school community.

We will commence recruitment shortly for replacement staff in these areas and notify the community as soon as we are able.

ST MICHAEL'S ANNUAL ASHY CAKE STALL

I urge families to please consider taking on the role of leading this annual cake stall. As yet, no one has come forward and this is one of St Michael's biggest events of the school calendar, in terms of fundraising AND getting our name into the community. It needs someone to coordinate it, bring people on board to assist and arrange the roster. We have great details of what has been done before and there is help available. Please take this into consideration if you have some time in these next few weeks and make contact with me URGENTLY.

Thank you

CLASS REPS

BEGINNING YEAR WELCOME MORNING TEA

Thank you Therese Molnar and PFA members once again for arranging our Morning Tea welcome to families upon our return to the school year, particularly our new prep parents. It was lovely to share some time together in conversation once children were settled in their classes and even share a tear or two!!

This year we welcome Gillian Rapose, Cheryl Tan and Alice Dwyer to our Parents and Friends Association (PFA). We have already held our first meeting and have shared lots of ideas in our works for this year. We know that alongside the core team, there are so many parents who assist in many ways with the various PFA events. We thank you for your continued support and encourage anyone to offer any help you are able to give with the various events arranged by the PFA.

SCHOOL ENHANCEMENT SESSION

Our first School Enhancement Session for the year will take place on Saturday 15th February, 9-11am. Whilst this is short notice, I hope that some parents can come for at least a little of the session, for which the main focus will be the school garden beds and supporting in the set up of our kitchen garden. I hope you can come along and help out.

Please bring gardening gloves, shovels and brooms.
A notice will be made available via Operoo this week.
We will hold a BBQ directly after the Enhancement Session.

OPEN DAYS 2025

Our Open Day Dates have now been finalised and are listed on our school website. Shortly I will be visiting our local kindergartens and child care centres to drop off our fliers and make contact with the directors. If you know anyone wishing to visit St Michael's School, please share our Open Day Dates with them, or encourage them to phone the school office to book a tour with me at an alternative time.

SCHOOL OPEN DAYS FOR 2025
Thursday 6 March	9:30am - 5:00pm
Tuesday 18 March	9:30am - 5:00pm
Wednesday 23 April	9:30am - 5:00pm
Saturday 10 May	10am - 12 noon
Enrolment Information Evening
Wednesday 14 May	7pm to 8pm

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT ST MICHAEL'S SCHOOL

Monday: Soccer Clinic 10.50am (first break)

Tennis 3.30pm

Tuesday: Running Club 8.15am

Tennis 3.30pm

Wednesday: Digimaker Club 3.30pm

Thursday: Chess Club 3.30pm

Tennis 3.30pm

Friday: Soccer Clinic 10.50am (first break)

*St Michael's School Choir (years 3-6) practices once weekly and performs at various events.

*Instumental and voice lessons are available through Hands on Music.

PARENT / TEACHER / CHILD CONVERSATIONS - THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13TH

To book in for a time to have a conversation with your child's classroom teacher, please refer to the Nforma Parent Portal.
Students will finish classes at 12 noon on this day. Conversations will be held in the school hub - access via the basketball courts or the quadrangle
Parents need to bring the students to the hub for these meetings
TheirCare will be offering care for students from 12 noon on this day. Please phone 1300 072 410 if you wish to book in your child.

MEDICATION AUTHORITY FORM

In preparation for our students commencing next week, please find attached below our Medication Authority Form. Any medication which is required to be administered to your child at school or during a school activity must be clearly indicated on this form. The form needs to be signed by an authorised AHPRA registered medical / health practitioner (in some cases this can be the pharmacist). Original packaging with the student's name and dosage needs to be provided along with this form. Please read the details on this form before bringing any medication to school.

PREP PARENTS WELCOME DRINKS

FREE WELLBEING ONLINE PARENT SESSIONS

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