Parents' Info
Weekly Parent/Staff Prayer Zoom Meeting -
Tuesdays 8:00 - 8:45pm
Dear St Andrews Community,
Oswald Chambers asserts, “Prayer does not fit us for greater works; prayer is the greater work.”
You are all welcome to join us as we pray for St Andrews Christian College and all our community – students/staff and families.
There is a St Andrews Weekly Zoom Prayer Meeting hosted on Tuesday Nights from 8:00pm – 8:45pm. Our next meeting will be held Tuesday 8th September. Together as a community we can express our thanks to God, as well as praying for our world, College and each other.
In this way, we can continue connecting and caring for each other. No one should feel that they should pray aloud if they would prefer not to. Just pray in your heart as others lead us.
You may like to write your prayer points in the “chat” section of Zoom and during the evening we will be sure to pray for those things. Please mute yourself, unless you are speaking/praying so we are not battling with background noise during this time together.
So please join our College Chaplain Warwick Grant and myself in time to commence at 8:00pm. We will conclude at 8:45pm, but feel free to leave earlier if you need to. Details to join the meetings are emailed to the College Community each week.
Blessings,
Catriona Wansbrough
Principal
Father’s Day Webinar Success
Has your teenager ever said to you:
“You just don’t understand” or “You don’t love me”
Or sometimes do you feel you are not connecting with your child?
The St Andrews CC Fathers’ Day Webinar took place last night and was a wonderful evening for those who attended – it not only encouraged fathers but all parents!
Blessings,
Catriona Wansbrough
Principal
Remote Learning Until The End Of Term 3
Dear Parents,
The government announced that schools would do remote learning for 6 weeks, and at this stage we do not know when the restrictions (STAGE 4 LOCKDOWN) will be lifted.
Just to help staff and parents plan, St Andrews Christian College will extend our remote learning program until the END OF TERM, 18th September 2020.
Hopefully we will be back together again next term!
“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.”
– Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)
Keep focussed on Jesus – He will help you through this difficult time.
Shalom,
Catriona Wansbrough
Goodbye CareMonkey, Hello ‘Operoo’
As of Monday 10th August 2020, CareMonkey is now known as ‘Operoo’.
Importantly, when CareMonkey becomes Operoo, you won’t have to change anything about the way you use the product.
Until the ‘Operoo’ app is available, the CareMonkey mobile app will continue to work as normal.
Please remember to update ‘Operoo’ with any changes of contact, address, emergency contacts and/or medical conditions.
Cheryl Pajor
School Nurse/Student Services Administrator
Online Wellbeing Support For Families
The Victorian Government is helping parents and carers manage home learning and stay resilient during the coronavirus pandemic by providing a range of free online resources.
Minister for Education James Merlino introduced child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg for a webinar on Tuesday 25 August – and following high demand, a second will be held, Tuesday 15 September – aimed at providing parents and carers with practical skills, knowledge and strategies for managing the lockdown period and remote learning.
The webinars will focus on strategies and tools to help families manage their wellbeing, including establishing a supportive parental role and dealing with uncertainty and disappointment. Families will have an opportunity to ask Dr Carr-Gregg questions.
The Government has also partnered with Raising Children Network and funded a 10-episode podcast called ‘Raising Learners’ featuring parenting experts from organisations including the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Career Education Association Victoria and eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman-Grant.
Raising Learners will provide parents with practical advice, tips and ideas for supporting children’s health, wellbeing and engagement at school. Topics will include connecting with your child’s school community, how to best support your child’s learning, what to expect for VCE and VCAL students and how to keep your child safe online.
These themes were drawn from common parent questions received by the Department’s coronavirus hotline and Parentline. The first three episodes will be launched on 1 September, the remaining episodes will be available throughout Term 3 and 4. Raising Learners will be available via Raising Children Network and podcast apps.
Following an unprecedented response with more than 12,000 registrations, a second webinar will now be held on Tuesday 15 September at 7:30pm.
Places are still available for Managing the Coronacoaster – Tips for building resilient families webinar on Tuesday 15 September at 7:30pm. For more information and to register click the button below.
Quote attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino
“The health and wellbeing of students and families is particularly important during this uncertain time. That’s why we’re providing tailored resources to help parents and carers support their children – and themselves.”
Quotes attributable to child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg
"Coronavirus has turned the lives of many Victorian families upside down, asking them yet again to navigate a new reality of remote learning, working from home and for some, financial hardship.
“Never has it been more important to provide families with simple, practical and evidence-based strategies to help them maintain the family's wellbeing and build resilience."
Quote attributable to Raising Children Network, Executive Director, Professor Julie Green
“All parents need support to help their children thrive, and podcasts are great ways to deliver engaging, reliable and credible information on topics that are on parents’ minds. Raising Learners will focus on how parents can support their children’s learning at school, and at home.”
Adjustment to School Fee Accounts
At last week’s College Board meeting, it was approved for any outstanding Parent Participation Hours for 2020 to be reversed. We are now analysing the fee accounts, and where applicable, a credit will be processed.
We have also reversed the camp levy for Years 3, 4 and 8, which unfortunately will not be taking place. There will be further credits to fee accounts, in particular for excursion levies when we know what excursions and events will take place during Term 4.
For those who have monthly or quarterly direct debit payments processed by the College, we will adjust your final payment in line with any credits that have been processed to the fee account during the year.
Darren Waterworth
Business Manager
A Message from the PFA
Dear Parents,
On behalf of the Parents and Friends Association (PFA) we hope that all families are keeping healthy and in good spirits in during the Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions and remote learning environment.
The COVID-19 social distancing and other restrictions continue to provide a safeguard to the well-being of the community. St Andrews Christian College PFA encourages families to stay in contact with each other during this unique period of time to reduce the sense of isolation that some people may experience from reduced physical social interaction. There are a range of social media platforms through which families can stay connected and stay informed about each other’s activities.
We encourage all families to complete the St Andrews Christian College Satisfaction Survey 2020. The College has engaged Vividus Marketing to conduct the Survey and all responses are treated as strictly confidential. The Survey enables families to provide feedback to the College on a range of matters and is an important means through which the College can gain insights into the views of families within the School community.
Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all families affected by the COVID-19 environment and the PFA will look to resume activities as the COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed and we believe that we can safely arrange for the College Community to reengage with each other in relevant activities.
Best Regards,
Andrew O'Brien
PFA President
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras
We have recently installed CCTV cameras in the Year 9/10 locker bay and the drum tutor room in the Multipurpose Hall. Signs have been installed advising that cameras are operating in these areas. Although there have not been any incidents or issues of concern, the cameras have been installed as staff are not located near these areas to give regular supervision. There are no other cameras anywhere else in the College.
We have an obligation to ensure the College environment is safe and secure, and fulfil duty of care to students, staff and visitors. The CCTV system exists to assist the College to fulfil these obligations and to prevent and manage other inappropriate behaviour on College grounds. CCTV strengthens security by providing an appropriate level of surveillance of staff, students and visitors on the College grounds.
The system is only available to the College’s Executive Leadership team, maintenance and IT staff. Footage captured by the cameras is kept for 30 days. If an incident was captured by the cameras, this footage would classified as a ‘record’ and kept as allowed by the Retention and Disposal Authority published by the Public Records Office Victoria.
If you have any concerns or need any further information, please do not hesitate to make contact with me.
Darren Waterworth
Business Manager
2020 Vividus Satisfaction Survey
As part of our ongoing commitment to continuously improve the College, we believe it is critical to seek each parent’s feedback and perceived satisfaction. Your feedback is very important and will assist us as we respond to issues and continue to build a school that is a leading provider of Christian Education.
As such, we have engaged the professional services of Vividus Marketing to undertake an independent, strictly private and confidential satisfaction survey on our behalf. The survey should take approximately 10 minutes and will need to be completed online between Friday 21st August – Friday 11th September, 2020.
There are no right or wrong answers and we simply ask that you communicate openly and honestly to each statement.
Please note that this survey will be confidential. No member of the staff will have access to your individual responses. Vividus Marketing will independently collate survey results, and provide a summary of results to our Executive Leadership Team and College Board.
If you have not received the email in your inbox, please check your "junk/spam" inbox, and email addresses of family members.
While we encourage you to participate, this survey is not compulsory. If you decide that you do not want to complete the survey, or do not want to receive reminders for this survey, simply click ‘Unsubscribe’ at the bottom of the email. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this survey please contact Jason at Vividus Marketing on jason@vividus.com.au or the College.