General News

Dhulu - Message Stick

NAIDOC WEEK 2024

St Edwards Primary School would like to invite you to join us in celebrating NAIDOC Week 2024 with our staff, students and community.

This year, we will gather together for a formal assembly and extend our invitation for our special guests and visitors to join us for the cutting of our 2024 NAIDOC cake.

Date: Wednesday 3rd July 2024

Time: 10:00 am

Location: St Edwards Primary School, Hillvue Road

Significant dates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Sorry Day : May 26th

Reconciliation Week : 27th May - 3rd June

We ask everyone to wear yellow, Thursday 30th May.

Yellow is one of the vibrant colours of the land – the sacred ochre that First Nations people have used for generations. It is about deep connection to Country and the earth. Yellow is the centre of the Aboriginal Flag, which also represents the sun as the giver of life.

Cultural Learning Plans

We ask for all Cultural Learning Plans to be signed and returned by the end of Term 2. All CLP'S were sent home during Term 1.

Please sign and return 1 copy.

If you have any questions in regards to your child/children's CLP, please contact the AEA of your child/children's campus or contact the school office to book a meeting.

AEA team

Brittany Cloake

Primary AEA

Jarrod Peachey

Primary AEA

Amanda Gwalter

Infants AEA

Sally-Anne Clarke

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Focus Teacher

Gamilaraay Word of the Week - Maabu (Numbers)

Week 4: Buligaa - Four

Learn how to count to 10 in Gamilaraay

Burrulaa Balabalaa (Many butterflies)

Word of the Week

Students are encouraged to continually use the "Word of the Week" in context during class, this will gain them points and the student who has used the word of the week the most will be awarded a book at the end of this term.

We will publish our Word of the Week on Facebook and in the newsletter. Please support your child to use this word at home.

Term 2 Week 4 Word of the Week "INDUBITABLE"

Pupil Free Day - Monday 27th May

This Monday 27th May is a Pupil Free Day for all K - 6 students. St Edward's staff, along with other Diocesan school staff, will be attending a Professional Development Day focusing on our Living Well Learning Well framework.

Please note both school offices will be closed between 8:45am - 12 noon on this day.

Catholic Schools Week

Next week the Armidale Diocese and our St Ed's school community will celebrate Catholic Schools Week which provides us with an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the important work of Catholic education. The theme for Catholic Schools Week is 'Pray with Hope!'

We celebrate our Catholic Principles and Values which guide us to be like Jesus; a good friend who helps others.

We celebrate how by Living Well and Learning Well we are helping each student be the best version of themself.

We celebrate that with parental and community support we have the privilege to provide quality education which ensures all students are literate and numerate and have a hope filled future.

Please see below for our agenda of events for the week.

K-6 Mufti Day - Thursday 30th May

K-6 Mufti Day - Friday 31st May

Infants Pick Up Area

A few reminders for our St Ed's parents who use our Infants Pick Up/Drop Off Area in Thompson Crescent:

• The back gate opens at 8:15am in the morning and 3:00pm in the afternoon.

• Please consider collecting your child/ren 10 or 15 minutes after the 3.00pm school bell when there is less traffic congestion or consider parking in Hillvue Road and walking up through Hyman Park.

• Whilst waiting in line, please be considerate of our neighbours and DO NOT park across residents’ driveways or park on their nature strip.

• DO NOT drive over the kerb and park your vehicle on the adjacent Council Park area.

• After reverse parking, please leave again as quickly as possible as cars waiting in line bank up in David and Robert Street and hinder the flow of traffic. When leaving the Pick Up Area please turn LEFT ONLY and follow Thompson Crescent around back onto David Street.

Road safety is everyone’s concern and we need to work together to ensure every child at St Edward’s arrives and leaves school in the safest possible manner. Thank you for ensuring these road rules and procedures are followed.

Attendance

Please note the new procedure regarding absences for all schools in the Armidale Diocese.

From Monday 20th May, parents of students who have not explained their absence for the day will receive an automated text message and an email at 10:00am from the administration staff at school. The message is consistent across the diocese.

From Friday 24th May, parents of students with unexplained absences who have not explained their absence for the week will receive an email at 11:00am from the Principal. The message is consistent across the diocese.

In the coming weeks we will be publishing items in the newsletter that explain the importance of attendance and what poor attendance means for your child. Whilst 90% attendance may seem reasonable, the impact over 6 years of education is substantial as per the table below.

Term 2 School Fees

Please note school fee statements have now been sent out via email. The sender will be noreply.schoolfeestatement (please check your junk/spam folders). These school fees are due by Monday 10th June 2024. BPAY is our preferred method of payment for school fees. BPAY can be set up as a recurring payment with regular amount to cover annual school fees. If you would like a weekly/fortnightly/monthly amount worked out for you or have any further questions, please email Hannah - setadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au

Application for Extended Leave

Family holidays and travel are no longer considered under the Exemption from School Procedures. Travel outside of vacation periods is now counted as an absence for statistical purposes. Please contact the school office if your child/ren will be away from school for 10 days or more as an application form will need to be completed and approved at the discretion of the Principal.

School Uniform Changeover - Summer to Winter

All students may continue to wear their summer school uniform in Term 2. The official date for changeover from summer to winter uniform is after the June long weekend (Tuesday 11th June). However, if the weather turns chilly before this time students are allowed to wear their full school winter uniform. This includes a long sleeve shirt and tie. We ask that whichever uniform your child elects to wear, that they wear the full uniform correctly - please do not mix summer and winter uniform items. Thank you for your support with this. Lowes stock all our new St Edward's uniforms, or we have good quality second hand uniforms in our clothing pool at either campus.

Second Hand Clothing Pool

Our second hand clothing pool is open from 8.30am to 3.30pm each school weekday at both the Primary and Infants Campus. Most second hand items are $5.00 each.

Labelling of Uniform Items

As the weather is cooling down, we are seeing many jumpers and jackets in the Lost Property baskets. These baskets are cleared regularly and clearly labelled items are returned to their rightful owners. It is impossible to return items that are unreadable or not labelled at all. Your assistance in labelling ALL uniform items and food containers is much appreciated.

Working with Children Check (WWCC)

All parents who volunteer at St Edward's School need to supply their WWCC and date of birth to enable us to verify the checks for our WWCC records. If you are not sure if we have your details, please email Sue Kellett on skellett@arm.catholic.edu.au who will happily check for you.

Esteem Kids

Before school care is available in the Infants Hall for both Primary and Infants students. It operates from 7:00am to 8:30am, Monday through Friday during term and breakfast is provided.

After school care is available in the Infants Hall for Infants students only from 3:00pm to 6:00pm Monday through Friday. PLEASE NOTE this year that after school care is now operating from the Primary Art Room for primary students only from 3:00pm to 6:00pm Monday through Friday. Afternoon tea is provided.

Families are encouraged to make enquiries or express interest by contacting William Wong on 0410 841 628 or email: info@esteemkidsgroup.com.au or visit the website at www.esteemkidsgroup.com.au

ABSENCES - Please remember to contact (telephone or text) Esteem Kids St Edward's directly if your child is going to be absent on 0481 373 883. Thank you.

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