Dear Families,

This week, we send our heartfelt prayers and deepest sympathies to the Auburn South Primary School community. The tragic incident, in which one young boy lost his life and other children were injured and currently receiving treatment in the hospital, is one that has deeply affected us all. It is difficult to comprehend how their community will cope but with the support of each other, I am sure they will find a way forward.

We have not spoken at school with the children about this tragic incident as it is one for families to choose how, if and when to do so.

It is a timely reminder for us in that we are all responsible for doing our very best to ensure our children remain safe at all times, especially when near road traffic. We as adults know the road rules and know when we are following them responsibly and when we are not. We should not need the school Principal to remind us of our road safety responsibilities. Each day I continue to see parents and carers ignoring road rules and making decisions that not only put themselves and their own children at risk but also other children and adults.

I ask you all to think about your choices especially when picking up your children from school. Coming that little bit later, parking that little bit further away, not double parking, having children enter or exit cars only from the left, and walking that little bit further to use the designated school crossing, just may the decisions that save a child's life.

Swimming

We have just completed our swimming program for 2024 and it was great to see the children not only having fun but also developing their swimming and water safety skills. In the next few days we will be sending out a swimming survey to families that will assist in planning for the 2025 swimming program. I ask that when you receive it you take a few minutes to complete it.

School Fees and Levies 2025

In consultation with our MACS Business Manager and our School Advisory Council, the School Fees and Levies have been finalised for 2025.

In a time when the cost of running a school have increased substantially, we were very conscious to ensure that any increase in fees and levies would be a reasonable one.

As you can see below:

Curriculum & Book List Levy - increase of $20
Excursion Levy - increase of $5
School Fee - increase of $100

There has been no increase to:

Camps
Capital Improvement Levy
Swimming Levy

I trust you understand the need for the increase in fees and levies, and I want to assure you that we have kept this increase as minimal as possible.

A reminder to families who are eligible to receive the Concessional Fee consideration, you must have a valid 2025 Health Care card and must reapply to receive this Concessional Fee each year.

School Saving Bonus

Late in Term 3, the Victorian State Government announced that all students in government schools would receive the $400 School Saving Bonus. This decision initially excluded families who chose to send their children to non-government schools, creating a disparity. After significant feedback, the Government has decided to extend this bonus to families in non-government schools who qualify for CSEF funds. We will share further information with these families once we receive guidance from MACS regarding distribution.

We encourage families to reach out to their local parliamentary representatives to seek clarification on why this bonus was initially limited to students in government schools, while students in Catholic schools were excluded.

Remembrance Day

Monday, 11th November, is Remembrance Day, a day to honor the end of hostilities in the First World War (1914-1918) and to remember all who have served in the nation’s defense since then. The Armistice—a formal agreement to end the fighting as a step towards peace—began at 11 am on 11th November 1918. At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we pause to remember them.

We will be commemorating Remembrance Day with the children on Monday, holding a ceremony and observing a minute's silence at 11 am. I encourage you, too, to take a moment of silence at 11 am, wherever you are, to honor the sacrifices of those who came before us, allowing us to live in a free and democratic country.

Denise Hussey

(Principal)

'The most simple thing I can do is to be good today but better tomorrow'

Catherine McAuley - Mercy Sisters Foundress

All students attending St Michael's Primary School have the right to feel safe. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school.

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