Principal's News
Dear Parents/Carers,
This morning I am writing the newsletter from home as I am in isolation for Covid-19. I feel very lucky to have felt pretty good despite the diagnosis, well enough certainly to help out by writing the newsletter this morning. Happy to report that I think I may have caught the bug at a very enjoyable wedding rather than at school.
Consequently Mrs Daffy is in charge this week, aren’t we lucky?
OPENING MASS This Friday our school community will come together to celebrate the beginning of another school year. The Mass will coincide with our celebration of Harmony Day, but this year with the chance to gather being such a novelty it takes on a greater significance I think.
Parents and friends are welcome to join us from 11:30am at St Mary’s Church.
SCHOOL COUNCIL AGM Our School Council provides excellent leadership and support for our school. The current members are: Leanne Klahsen (Chair), Ian Seuren, Simone Hay, Sean McGuane, Zoe Barren, Olivia Dooley, Rachel Amos-Ritchie (P&F) as well as myself, Emmalie Cain (Finance), Jeremy Richardson (Staff) and Fr Michael O’Toole (Pastor). Parents who agree to serve on our School Council do so for an initial 2 year term with the option of serving a further 2 years consecutively.
The Annual General Meeting of our School Council is to be held next Wednesday evening from 7:30pm.
I am grateful that all current Council members are continuing on in their role for 2022.
FOUNDATION (PREP) PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS
Interviews between the Foundation (Prep) teachers and the parents of the children in their class will be held on Wednesday, 30th March in the Foundation classrooms. This will be a great time for teachers and parents to catch up on how the children have settled into school life and to build further the partnership between home and school. To book your time for the interview, please access your PAM account and follow the prompts. Parents can log on to PAM after 1:00pm today to book their interview time.
If you need help with this process please don’t hesitate to ring our office for assistance.
DIGITAL TATTOO Last Thursday evening approximately 20 parents attended an Information session about keeping children safe online, The Digital Tattoo. Many thanks to our Information Technology leader, Jeremy Richardson for organising the night. I am assured it was an excellent presentation with very worthwhile content.
Please refer to further information in today's newsletter.
KANA Likewise congratulations to our Grade One teachers, support staff and students who represented our school so beautifully at last Saturday’s KANA Parade. Please see photos elsewhere in today’s newsletter.
COVID-19 continues to rumble along in our community and as we mix more especially at large events I expect the case numbers will continue. All staff and students in Primary schools in Victoria are required to take 2 Rapid Antigen Tests per week as an important strategy for keeping our schools open.
The following advice still applies:
1. Parents/carers should complete the RA Test portal if a student tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test). Parents/carers should inform the school by phone or email if a student tests positive
2. Students who report a positive result must isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
3. Where a student is a household contact of a positive case (that is, they have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility) they must inform the school and isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
HOWEVER if a second person from the same household tests positive later in the week (e.g. Dad on Sunday, then Mum on Wednesday) the student’s isolation DOES NOT start again. That student should complete a R.A.T. 6 days after the first known infection and if there is a negative result the student can still resume school on Day 8.
Furthermore, IF a student has had Covid 19 and then completed their 7 days of isolation, they are then exempt from completing R.A. Tests for 30 days.
COVID VACCINATION CLINIC The school will be running a follow up clinic. Many children who received their first dose at our earlier clinic in February may use this opportunity to receive their second dose of vaccine. Children who may have received their first dose of vaccine elsewhere may also use this clinic to receive their second. This clinic may also be used for a child’s FIRST dose of vaccine if parents so desire. The clinic is to be held on Tuesday, April 5th from 9:30am - 12:30pm in the morning. Parents may book those appointments via PAM (via “Parent Teacher Interviews”) from today.
As for the first Vaccination Clinic, children will not be vaccinated unless a parent or guardian accompanies each student.