From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers

Please note that weekly Parish mass times will now be located each week on our School Hours / Timetable page in our newsletter. 

Prayer

Come all who need justice, 

God weaves in us the path of life. 

Come all who need peace, 

God weaves in us the way of truth. 

Come all who need comfort, 

God weaves in us sure hope. 

Come all who need healing, 

God weaves in us the promise of wholeness. 

Come all who need community, 

God weaves in us the love of Christ. 

Come all who need God, 

God weaves us in the heart of the Divine. 

Give thanks to God for God is good. 

God’s steadfast love endures for all time. 

Amen.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

We congratulate all the students who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation in St Michael's church last night. It was a reverent celebration with time for everyone to stop and pray. Well done to all our candidates as they received the Sacrament for the first time with confidence. We welcome families to read the students' prayers which are displayed around the walls of the church and to keep the children in your prayers. 

At this time we also remember our Indigenous brothers and sisters and acknowledge their continued plight for acknowledgement and reconciliation. 

Year Three & Five NAPLAN tests on Monday

See the schedule and what is required for these in the Deputy Principal / Learning and Teaching section of our newsletter.

School Photos

Just a reminder to all families that next Tuesday, 19th March, is our school photo day. An order form has been attached in the last few newsletters and an another order form was placed on Operoo yesterday for your convenience. You only need to complete one of these order forms. Classes are taken one by one so there are no set times for class or individual photos. We ask that you please ensure your children are dressed in their full Summer uniform on this day, with proper school shoes and long hair tied back. If your children have PE on this day, they may bring their runners to school for their lesson. 

REMINDER: There will be no running club held on photo day.

St Michael's School Tours - Prep 2025

We held our second Open Day this week with more families coming in for tours. Already we are inviting families in for school tours in preparation for Prep 2025. Remember if you have a child starting in Prep in 2025, be sure to come and collect an enrolment form at the school office.  Why not also collect an Open Day flier at the same time and pass it on to a neighbour or friend?

We will make contact with families early next term to come in and meet with me; just to get to know you and your child a little. We will also hold the St Michael's Kinder Kids Reading Sessions throughout Terms 2 and 3 (Dates to be advised). Any 3 year old and 4 year old children are welcome to come along to these sessions with their parents, wether enrolling at St Michael's or elsewhere.

Victorian Catholic Principals' Conference

Next week I will be attending a conference that is arranged biennially by the Victorian Association of Catholic Primary Principals Inc. (VACPSP). This year the focus of the conference is Think, Engage, Lead, inspiring Principals to think with strength, engage with strength and lead with strength. In our post pandemic world, with the many challenges schools, indeed all professions, currently face, we will be challenged to think deeper and work together to develop the strength required to lead our communities. I ask for your prayers in this very endeavour! The 2024 Conference is underpinned by the strength or Mary McKillops story; an educator, a pioneer; a leader; someone who had compassion for others, regardless of their position, situation or ethnicity.

The conference runs from Wednesday 20th to Friday 22nd March. As we are holding our St Michael's Professional Learning day with our whole staff onsite on Wednesday around Behaviour Strategies, I will not be attending until Wednesday evening. I will remain available on email should you need to contact me. Mrs Eloise Ellis will be available also during my absence.

Year Five/Six Camp

This year our Year Five/Six camp will be held at Camp Rumbug in Foster, South Gippsland. The dates for our camp are Wednesday 1st May to Friday 3rd May. Information will be sent via Operoo to all families shortly. We are holding a camp information session for parents on Monday 25th March, from 6.30pm. This will be an online session and will go for approximately 45 minutes, during which we will go through the activities and what to expect and give you an opportunity for questions. A link will be sent to families next week so please keep an eye out for it.

For information about the campsite, go to: Camp Rumbug 

Year One/Two Incursion

As part of the Year One/Two inquiry unit this term, the students have been learning about the concept of 'Community.' During our incursion this week, we had a visit from an Indigenous Australian, who spoke to the students about his connection with his community. Tully taught the students traditional Indigenous greetings, and also taught the importance of possum skin to Indigenous people, and its uses throughout their lifetimes. The students also tasted a variety of native plants and learnt about their different uses, in cooking and in medicine.

Harmony Week 

Students will be given orange ribbon to tie around their wrist, in their hair etc. We encourage you to wear orange on this day - Thursday

See further details in our Wellbeing News

Digital Technologies Curriculum

It has been wonderful to see that so many families have signed up to their class Seesaw accounts to view their child's work. Our aim is to use this portal on a regular basis so that you can see what your child is learning as well as the development in learning about their specific goals, discussed with you at the recent Parent / Teacher / Student Conversations. You will be able to "like" the work sample and you are also able to make a comment to your child through the portal. Teachers will also use Seesaw as a method of communication to the whole class for notices that are specifically relevant for you.  If you haven't already signed up, please do so through the links provided on the Quick Links page in this newsletter.

Student Google sites are currently under construction, through which students in Years Three to Six will be able to access most of what they need for learning in a One-Stop-Shop! They will have immediate access to their google profile, a link to their Seesaw portal, Google Classroom and a range of Religious Education, literacy, numeracy, wellbeing and Inquiry learning tasks. This portal will be updated throughout the year with various sites and learning tasks related to their learning. Thank you to Mr Lo Ricco, School Leaders and classroom teachers for their work in assembling these for the students.

Parent Helper Course

Elise Rimington, our Literacy Leader, will be holding a Parent Helper Course for parents of any year level interested in helping in the classroom. If you have done one of these courses with our staff in the last 2-3 years, you do not need to do another one now. Check out the details in our Literacy News section.

Are you a Plasterer?

We are looking to see if anyone in our parent community is a plasterer? We need a few small jobs needed here at St Michael's and hoping to give the work to someone in our community. Please email me at aherbison@smashburton.catholic.edu.au

Operoo

Hopefully our new families are getting the hang of Operoo. I'm still learning myself so happy to always share knowledge when and if you need!!

A reminder to all our families that only one parent can actually register and be the main contact for this system. It means that you need to share the information with your partner / other parent so that they receive the information. This includes the notification sent out about the weekly newsletter. Should anyone wish to have their own access to the newsletter, you can subscribe to it separately with your current email address through this link: https://newsletters.naavi.com/p/75Zzp35/subscribe. Once it's published (weekly on Thursdays) you will be able to read it immediately.

Student personal devices

Recently many students have been coming to school with Smart Watches, a wonderful new device which we know the children are most excited about and will be so great to explore and learn new skills. 

As these devices have the capacity to connect to the internet, the same restrictions apply to these as mobile phones - Smart Watches may be worn to and from school, as determined by you (the parents), then will need to be placed in the student's school bag between 8.45-3.30pm. This will be the same procedure for all devices that connect to the internet. We understand that these devices can be placed on "school mode" however as there is still the possibility that this won't happen / someone forgets etc, we need to go with the safest option possible for everyone. 

Please be advised again that any personal items which students bring to school, are done so at the risk of the owner. The school cannot take responsibility for these devices. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

School Closure Day - Wednesday 20th March

Please note, EXTEND is available on this date. Please see attached for booking.

SCHOOL FEES & LEVIES – 2024

Thank you to all those families who have paid their school account, or who have commenced their 2024 payment plan. The Annual Fee & Levy invoice for 2024 has been sent out to all families via the office baskets with your eldest child. (Please contact the Kathy via email - kathym@smashburton.catholic.edu.au,  if you have not received your copy). Your payment options include fortnightly, monthly, 4 x term payments or payment in full by 28th March 2024.  

If you have not done so already, please return the completed Payment Commitment Options form to the office as soon as possible.  Please contact Kathy Muhllechner if you would like to arrange an alternative payment plan.

CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSION FUND (CSEF)

Families who hold a current Centrelink Card may be entitled to the CSEF payment of $150 per child per annum.  Please contact the school office asap for a current CSEF form.  We will need a copy your current card for our records.

MACS CONCESSIONAL FEE DISCOUNT

Families may apply for a MACS Concessional Fee Discount if they hold a current eligible Healthcare Card or a DVA Gold Card.  Families must apply for this discount using the MACS School Fee Concession Application form.  You must bring your valid Healthcare Card/DVA Gold Card into the office to be eligible for this discount.  

Families can only obtain this discount if a Direct Debit Plan is established.

 Boroondara Photograph Competition 2024

This exciting exhibition is taking place again in 2024. Students are encouraged to submit photos that celebrate people, places, spaces, and the natural environment in Boroondara. All young people who are of school age (up to age 18 on 1 January 2024) are eligible to enter if their photos are taken in Boroondara.  You may recall one of our Year 6 students from last year, Jasmine Place, entered this competition and was awarded "Highly Commended" for her photo, 'Guinea Pig Picnic'. To see Jasmine's entry and to find out how to enter, go to https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/boroondara-arts/whats/online-exhibitions/2023-exhibitions/celebrate-boroondara-online-exhibition Best of luck!

2024 Family Contact Lists

The 2024 Family Contact Lists were emailed to all who gave their consent for their details to be shared. If you were missed off the list accidentally, please let us know in the office and we will add to the list and re-send it to your class contacts. 

School Dates

Please check the Term Dates page as more dates for Term 2 have been added

PLEASE NOTE: Five/Six G and One/Two B - Assembly dates have swapped since last week. Please see changes here and make this change in your home calendars.

Hands on Music

Hands On Music is a company St Michael's has been using for some time.  If you wish for your child to learn an instrument this year, please make contact with Jen Capon via email: handsonmusic.j@gmail.com or phone: 0402 910 330