Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Reminder: School closure day This Friday 26th April - Beyond Edu Care Program is available

Welcome back to Term 2 and to the first newsletter for this Term.

Every family's school holiday experience looks different, so I hope you had some moments to rest and relax with your children and loved ones throughout this time.

Communication at St Simon’s

This year, as a school, we have been reviewing how we share and communicate with families within our community.

We recently launched our new website and established social media channels, such as Facebook and Instagram, as ways for current and prospective parents to access what happens within the walls of St Simon’s. We aim to give a broad perspective about what happens in any given week by posting 2 to 4 pieces of content a week, including reminders and showcase posts of activities and experiences. These new additions to our already established use of Operoo (permission forms and direct email communication) and Audiri (formally SkoolBag) for school-wide notifications have also driven a change in the frequency of the school newsletter to be a fortnightly publication.

We are also making changes to the newsletter format and content based on how we use other communication methods like Audiri, Facebook, Instagram and Operoo, and from parent feedback about the “busyness” of the newsletter with repetitive content.

From this newsletter edition, you will notice there is a link to a separate “newsletter” document called “Staff Contacts and General Information”. This document contains all of the just-in-time information parents and families might need, including links to medication and medical management forms, email contacts for staff, uniform shop, canteen etc.

This change will make the regular fortnightly newsletter less dense and have content that applies to the period just gone while focusing on what is coming up.

As the year progresses, we will seek feedback through the School Advisory Council to further enhance our communication strategy.

Finally, parents and carers should have received Term Two Year Level Letters this week. This is another way we communicate with families to highlight the year-level specific education programs and activities that will be in focus for the Term ahead. Parent hints and a tip sheet presented by our digital eSafety Partner Inform and Empower are accompanying your child's year-level letter. Please take some time to see how these strategies and parenting ideas might assist you in the challenging space for all families.

Change in Learning Diversity

As Term Two begins, I wanted to update our community about how we will continue the work of Learning Diversity support with Matthew Cherry's recent departure as Learning Diversity Leader.

In short, for the remainder of 2024, the Learning Diversity functionality will be delivered by St Simon’s Leadership team. In terms of PSG (program support group) meetings, an allocated leadership staff member who will chair these meetings, working with the student’s classroom teacher.

If you have arrangements in place to attend PSGs for your child, the classroom teacher is the first point of contact if you have any questions about learning support. If a parent requires further information, an appointment can be arranged with the principal or a member of the leadership to discuss it.

Term 2 PSG Meeting arrangements will be sent to applicable families this week via Operoo. Please look for this email and respond by making an appointment to meet with the school as per the instructions in the letter.

Mother’s Day Celebrations

We look forward to celebrating and acknowledging mothers and significant women in the lives of our students. We are doing this in a couple of ways

Mother’s Day Stall Thursday 9th May - more details to follow from our Parents’ Association
Mother’s Day Breakfast Friday Morning 10th May.
- Session 1 7:25am Session 8:00am
- Tickets and further details will be released on Monday 29th April
- Calling all dads and significant people to assist with honouring our mums and special people by helping with Mother’s day Breakfast. Please click here to volunteer just one hour of your time. Many hands make light work!
Mother’s Day Liturgy Friday Afternoon 2:30pm hosted by our Year 4 students

2025 Prep Enrolment - siblings of current families

This is a reminder to current families with children that would be starting in Prep 2025. Please go to the school website and click\tap Apply Now to complete an enrolment form.

School Drop Off and Pick up procedure.

As we return to the School Term, I ask that all families make themselves aware of the school drop off and pick up procedure.

Morning

The school gates and grounds are open for student arrival at 8:20am and this is when staff supervision commences. Any student arriving before 8:20am must be checked into the Before School Care program or be accompanied by a supervising adult.

The classroom doors open at 8:30am with the first bell ringing at 8:40am, followed by a second bell at 8:45am to commence learning time. The external gates to the school are closed between 8:45-8:50pm. From 8:50, any parents or carers remaining on the school site are required to exit through the school office doors.

If your child arrives at school after 8:50 a.m., a responsible person must sign the student in at the school office with a late pass.

Afternoon

The pedestrian gates for school dismissal are unlocked at approximately 3:05pm which allows parents and carers to enter the school grounds to wait for the 3:15pm dismissal bell.

Supervision of the dismissal time commences from 3:15 pm until 3:30pm. Any students who have not been picked up by this time will be taken to the school office. Parents and carers will be contacted.

If you are collecting your child early from school you must sign out via the school office.