St Mary of the Angels Scoop

Parent Information 

O'Connor Catholic College - Year 6 Step Day 

Winter Uniform - Term 2

With the change of weather and winter approaching, it is time to consider the conversion from summer to winter uniform for Term 2. 

2025 Enrolments

Our enrolment period for Kindergarten 2025 is now open! Please visit https://stmarysguyra.catholic.edu.au/enrolment/ for enrolment details or contact the office on 02 67791661 for further information.  Enrolment applications must be accompanied by the relevant supporting documents as listed on the cover page of the application form. If you know anyone who has a child wishing to start Kindergarten at St Mary of the Angels next year, please share this information with them.

Keep connected with what is happening at school through COMPASS & the Newsletter

Please make sure you are connected to COMPASS and receive the newsletter.

All families need to have login credentials to the COMPASS portal. Regular information comes from this site to families. Each parent is given a login. If you have lost your login details or are having difficulty logging in please call the School Office for assistance.

It is also really important to read the newsletter fortnightly. 

Subscribe to our newsletter

Click on the link below to subscribe to our newsletter directly. This might be handy for family members that want to stay up to date with what's happening around the School. 

 

Subcribe

Techone - Options for Paying 

As we have now fully transitioned to the new finance system Techone, there are new ways in which you can make payments to the school, this includes BPay, CompassPay and EFTPOS. You can make payments for School Fees and Events via the Compass App.  Please contact the School if you require assistance with the Compass App.

Working with Children Check

Anyone coming into the school as a volunteer for example if you are attending school excursions, helping out at sporting events (swimming carnival, athletics carnival or cross country), assisting with P&F events or anything that involves children, we are required by law to have your working with children check on file. This WWCC lasts 5 years and are free to obtain under the volunteer section. 

 

Working with Children Check (WWCC) renewals go digital: 

There are 2 ways to renew your Working with Children Check (WWCC), depending on how you choose to have your identification verified:

  • Online using face verification – instead of going into a Service NSW Centre to present your identity documents, you renew online and use your device to scan your face. The scan is matched with the photo used on your NSW Driver License or NSW Photo Card.
  • At a Service NSW Centre – you need to complete the Office of the Children's Guardian (OCG) renewal application form, then visit a service center within 28 days to present the original version of your identity documents and pay your fee if required.

 Please don’t hesitate to contact the school if you have any questions.

Unwell students

It is very important for unwell students to stay at home until they are better. If your child has any symptoms of a cold or flu then they should stay home until the symptoms have ceased. A general rule of thumb about whether you should send your child to school is as follows:

  • If you have to give your child Panadol or Nurofen for a fever today, they should STAY AT HOME
  • If your child has a hard cough, constant runny nose, sore throat or swollen glands THEY SHOULD NOT BE AT SCHOOL
  • If you have given them Panadol or Nurofen in the morning to get them “through the day” THEY SHOULD NOT COME TO SCHOOL
  • If your child has vomiting and/or diarrhoea today, they should not come to school for 48 hours AFTER SYMPTOMS HAVE RESOLVED

Please do not send your child to school if they are still unwell or recovering from an illness.

Students who are unwell will be sent to the Sick Bay & if necessary parents will be called to collect them.  

SPECIAL REPORT: Trauma Recovery

Trauma in children significantly disturbs their sense of safety and normalcy, leading to substantial emotional and behavioural changes. Such disturbances often result from exposure to traumatic events, which may be exacerbated by continuous media coverage. This exposure can trigger stress, anxiety, and trauma, with varying recovery timelines due to the unpredictable nature of trauma's impact. Observing young people grappling with these effects can be highly distressing for parents and caregivers.

It's important to establish a nurturing environment to help restore a child's sense of security to help promote resilience. Active involvement in their recovery is essential, as is recognising the unique, personalised needs of each child in responding to trauma. Depending on their age, children may present with different symptoms, such as regressive behaviours in younger ones or withdrawal and agitation in older children and teens. It is important to monitor and manage the type of information children may access to reduce their emotional distress.

The brain stores traumatic events as powerful emotional memories, influencing behaviour through mechanisms beyond a child's conscious awareness. By providing young people with support and equipping them with coping mechanisms to handle uncertainty, parents and carers can greatly enhance a child's capacity to recover and build long-term emotional resilience.

This Special Report will help you identify a child experiencing trauma and how you can support them to overcome it.

 

Here is the link to your Special Report https://stmarysguyra.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-trauma-recovery

 

 

School Attendance 

Students who have been absent for 20 days and 40 days will receive a letter from the school highlighting the number of absences the child has had over the course of the school year. 

Sustained absence from school is certainly a cause for concern for parents and teachers, however please note it is a requirement that we send these letters from the school.  If your child's teacher was concerned about your child's social/emotional or academic wellbeing they would have been in contact prior.  

We also understand the content of the letter does not read well in our current context, when we are asking parents to keep children home with flu like symptoms etc.

 

At St Mary of the Angels we will continue to expect and encourage all students, to stay home if they are ill.  

 

What if my child has to stay away from school?

If your child has to be absent from school, you must inform the school and provide a reason for your child's absence.

A small number of absences may be accepted by the Principal. For example, if your child has to 

  • Attend a special religious ceremony
  • Is required to attend to a serious and/or urgent family situation (e.g: a funeral)
  • Is too sick to go to school or has an infectious illness.

How can you provide a reason for absence?

There are a number of options available to notify the school: 

 

Less than 90% attendance converts to 1 day per fortnight at least where students are not attending school. Those students who fall below a 90% attendance, risk detriment to their learning.  According to the Spotlight; Attendance Matters accessed HERE

 

Parents are responsible for:

  • Enrolling their children of compulsory school age in a government or registered non government school or registering them with the NSW Education Standards Authority(NESA) NSW for homeschooling
  • Ensuring that their children attend school regularly
  • Explaining, to the school, the absences of their children promptly and within seven days
  • Taking measures to resolve attendance issues involving their children
  • Working in cooperation with the school to improve student attendance. 

If your child is sick for greater than two days it would be appreciated if you would provide the office with a medical certificate. 

Students with continual absences are flagged with the Catholic Schools Office Attendance Team through our Compass information system. 

 

Some things you can do to help:

  • Make school attendance a priority. 
  • Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day. 
  • Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing tasks, their reading homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
  • Do not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
  • Do not let your child stay home unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety.
  • Help your child stay engaged. 
  • Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
  • Communicate with the school through guyadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au if you are concerned. 
  • Know the school’s attendance policy.
  • Talk to your child's educators if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.  
  • Check on your child's attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
  • Ask for help from classroom educators, the Principal, other parents or community agencies if you’re having trouble getting your child to school.

School Supervision 

Supervision hours commence at 8.30am in the morning and conclude at 3.20pm each afternoon. Please ensure that your child is not arriving to school prior to 8.30am or being collected from school after 3.20pm. Outside of these hours, school staff will not be available to supervise students. 

 

For students arriving earlier then 8.30am there is NO supervision available meaning that there is a significant risk with cars and the school buses pulling into the grounds. Please ensure that your child is not walking, riding or arriving to school prior to this time. 

 

Please note that if you are dropping off a student after 8:50am you must accompany your child in and sign them into the school at the office.