Leadership & Management

Week 3 Term 3

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Last Friday was Grandparents' Day at St Fidelis. This was a special day  reflecting on the special role grandparents play in our lives. It was a wonderful opportunity to honour and cherish the wisdom, love and guidance grandparents pass on to their grandchildren. 

We enjoyed a special Mass and classroom activities together, followed by a lovely morning tea organised by the Parents and Friends and the school community. The children were so excited to share their grandparents with their friends and teachers. The joy on both the children's and grandparents' faces was unforgettable. 

May this day remind us of all of the blessings that grandparents bring into our lives. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend last Friday.

A special prayer for the grandparents

Dear God, 

We thank you for our wonderful grandparents. 

They bring such joy and happiness into our lives. 

Thank you for all the special times that we have with them. 

Please watch over them, protect them and care for them now. 

May they know your goodness and love always. 

Amen

Eucharist Celebration

We look forward to celebrating First Eucahrist with a number of our Year 4 children this coming Saturday August 3rd at 6:00 pm Mass at St Fidelis' church. Please keep these children in your prayers during this very special and significant time in their life as a Catholic. 

Fr Linh & Fr Tho

Yesterday (Sunday), the parish had a lovely luncheon to say farewell and thank Fr Linh and Fr Tho for their time at St Fidelis. It was great to see the parish community come together for this occasion. Thank you to our current families who were able to attend yesterday. This was very special for Fr Linh and Tho.  

Fr Linh will be taking Long Service Leave from August 13th. He will return one day in November to handover the keys to Fr Brendan Reed.  Annette is trying to find a time the school children can farewell Father next week. 

Parents and Friends

We greatly appreciate the incredible work our Parents and Friends Association does for our school, tirelessly raising funds and social events to provide essential equipment for our children and community connection. Their efforts make a significant difference, and we are grateful for everyone's support. If you can spare some time, please join us for the meeting TOMORROW, Tuesday July 30th at 7:00pm  in the school staffroom. Your involvement and help are invaluable. Thank you.

Reminder 1/2VS & 1/2VB

The Parent /Teacher Students Learning Conversations for 1/2VB and 1/2VS will take place this Thursday beginning at 11:40am.

Child Safe

The learning community of St Fidelis is committed to the wellbeing and safety  of all children.  Our interactions with all our community is founded on respect for each person. Within a catholic community this respect of each individual is rooted in the belief that each person is made in the image and likeness of God.

Child Safe Standard 9:

Child Safety in physical and online environments - Ensure that physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing whilst minimizing the opportunity for children, young people and students to be harmed.

At St Fidelis' Catholic Primary School there are many ways in which we actively promote physical and online environments to be safe for all students.  

Physical Environments

Secure Facilities:

• Controlled Access: Implement secure entry and exit points with locked gates after 9:00am and staff supervision.
• Regular Safety Audits: Conduct regular safety audits to identify and address potential hazards in the school environment.

Safe Play Areas

• Supervision: Ensure that playgrounds and recreational areas are supervised at all times.
• Safe Equipment: Regularly inspect and maintain playground equipment to ensure it is safe and free from hazards.

Clear Policies and Procedures:

• Incident Reporting: Establish clear procedures for reporting and responding to incidents of harm or unsafe behavior.
• Emergency Plans: Have comprehensive emergency plans in place, including regular drills for fire, lockdowns, and evacuations.

Health and Hygiene:

• Sanitation Facilities: Provide clean and accessible sanitation facilities.
• Health Protocols: Implement health protocols, such as regular hand washing and sanitizing stations, especially during outbreaks of illnesses.

Online Environments

Cybersecurity Measures:

• Firewalls and Filters: Use firewalls, internet filters, and monitoring software to prevent access to inappropriate content.
• Secure Networks: Ensure that the school’s Wi-Fi networks are secure and require authentication for access.

Digital Citizenship Education:

• Online Safety Curriculum: Integrate digital citizenship and online safety into the curriculum to educate students about safe and responsible online behavior.
• Workshops and Training: Provide workshops and training sessions for students, staff, and parents on online safety and digital well-being.

Monitoring and Supervision:

• Supervised Internet Use: Ensure that students’ internet use is supervised, especially in computer labs and during online learning sessions.
• Parental Controls: Encourage parents to use parental control tools at home and provide guidance on how to set them up.

Clear Policies and Codes of Conduct:

• Acceptable Use Policies: Develop and enforce acceptable use policies for technology and internet use, outlining acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.
• Reporting Mechanisms: Establish clear mechanisms for reporting online bullying, harassment, or any other unsafe online behavior.

General Practices

Training and Professional Development:

• Staff Training: Provide regular training for all staff on child safety policies, recognizing signs of harm, and appropriate responses.
• Student Workshops: Conduct workshops for students on recognizing unsafe situations and knowing how to seek help.

Community Engagement:

• Parent Involvement: Providing resources and support for parents and caregivers
• Collaborative Efforts: Collaborate with community organizations, law enforcement, and child protection services to enhance safety measures.

Inclusive Practices:

• Safe Spaces: Create inclusive and safe spaces for all students, including those with disabilities, ensuring they have equal access to all areas and resources.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Promote cultural sensitivity and ensure that safety practices respect the diverse backgrounds of all students.

Have a lovely week,

Manuela