Principal's News

Dear Parents and Friends,

It is hard to believe we are half way through the term already. We have been busy getting the children resettled into the school routine and adapting to our Covid restrictions. 

These statement are taken from the School Operations Guidelines which was updated on Monday at 10.28am.

COVIDSafe requirements for visitors and volunteers performing work 

The third dose vaccination requirements, (must be vaccinated by 25th March) apply to any visitor or volunteer performing work on school sites. 

This includes: 

• a person contracted to work at an education facility and who will or may be in close proximity to children, students or staff, whether or not engaged by the education operator including casual relief teachers, NDIS providers and auditors (but does not include delivery personnel).
• Diocesan education office staff who attend an education facility (such as allied health personnel), except where you are advised that equivalent processes exist at a diocesan level.
• staff of any other entity who attends an education facility 
• volunteers that attend an education facility and that work in close proximity to children, students or staff (including parent helpers) 
•  students on placements at an education facility.  

Schools must advise visitors and volunteers they must adhere to COVIDSafe requirements including - vaccination, physical distancing, face mask requirements, cough etiquette, and good hand hygiene.

Face masks 

For all school settings: 

• Face masks remain strongly recommended but are not required in secondary schools. 
• Primary school staff will be required to always wear masks indoors except when in the act of explict teaching. 
• Masks are not compulsory for teachers and staff outdoors, however they are strongly recommended if physical distance cannot be maintained, even outdoors. 
• Students in Grade 3 to Grade 6 must wear a face mask indoors. Students must wear face masks even if vaccinated. Students are not required to wear masks outside, however they are strongly recommended if physical distance cannot be maintained, even outdoors, when students are not undertaking physical exercise (for example; masks are strongly recommended when classes are held outside). 
• Everyone over eight years old must wear a face mask when travelling to and from school on public transport, taxis or ride share vehicles. 
• Visitors to schools aged eight and above must wear a face mask in all indoor spaces, unless a lawful exception applies. 
• Students in Prep to Grade 2 are strongly recommended to wear a face mask indoors at school or an OSHC program. 
•  A face mask must cover the nose and mouth. Face shields, scarves or bandanas do not meet these requirements. 

Vital COVIDSafe steps Non-classroom based activities

Schools can run extra-curricular and other out-of-classroom activities including camps, excursions, sport and tours. In planning for all non-classroom based activities, schools must conduct a risk assessment to consider the following: 

• Limiting activity to the smallest possible cohort size (e.g. a single class group or single school; or small possible group or number of schools for interschool activity) 
• Limiting activity to outdoor spaces 
• Holding the activity as infrequently as possible 
• Delaying and rescheduling the event 
• Consider the non-participation of persons (staff or students) at higher risk of progression to severe disease (e.g. who are immunocompromised or have significant coexisting medical conditions) 
•  Staggering of groups who participate in the activity 
• Activity being undertaken in larger rooms with strict physical distancing.

Camp Survey

Thank you to all parents who participated in the Camp Survey, we had such a great response - 97 families. Below is a pie chart showing the results:

• 82 parents (84.5%) liked the proposal 
• 10 parents (10.3%) had another suggestion 
• 5 parents (5.2%) did not like the structure

Comments:

We had 98 Comments with the majority of parents all liking the proposal and were pleased with the progression through the year levels.

Other comments were:

• Year 3 too young for a camp - 4 people
• Senior students to stay in Victoria (Canberra too far) - 5 people
• Canberra should be part of the 5/6 camping program - 3 people
• Year 5/6 have a 4 night/5 day camp - 3 people
• Year 5/6 have a 2 night camp  - 2 people

After discussion with the School Advisory Council for this year (2022), the following structure will occur:

Foundation - afternoon activities and stay at school until 5.30pm

Years 1/2 - afternoon activities, dinner and an after dinner activity and stay until 8.30pm (early Term 4)

Year 3 -  afternoon activities, dinner and an after dinner activity and stay until 9.00pm

Year 4 - 1 night camp in the city

Year 5/6 - 2 night 3 day camp to Gippsland (September)

This structure is in place for this year only due to the pandemic and the fact that children have not had much experience of sleeping over due to the amount of lockdowns that have occurred in the last two years.

Moving forward from 2023 onwards the following will occur:

Foundation - afternoon activities and stay at school until 5.30pm

Years 1/2 - afternoon activities, dinner and an after dinner activity and stay until 8.30pm

Year 3 - 1 night camp in the city

Year 4 - 2 night camp 

Year 5/6 - 3 night 4 day camp

School Advisory Council 

We had our first onsite School Advisory Council meeting on Tuesday night. We congratulated Allie Donnelly on accepting the role as Chair for the next 2 years and we welcomed Jen de Jong as our Fundraising Representative.  Please remember all parents are welcome to attend these meetings.  We ask that you notify the school if you wish to attend.

Interschool Swimming Sports

What a wonderful day we had at our District Swimming Sports yesterday. Well done St Brigid's - we came home as the 2022 Division Swimming Handicap Winners!!  I was so proud of how each and every student in the team who tried their very best and showed fantastic sportsmanship. I congratulate the following students who were part of the team:

John C, Aisling C, Tabitha C, Beau D, Gus D,  Zara E, Chloe F, Maddy G, Marley G, Roman G, Josh G, Sasha H, Marcel I, Tess K, Isla P, Kirra R, Levi R, Xavier T, Jack W, Lucy W and Ollie W.

And I also congratulate Marcel who came first in his age group in Backstroke.  Marcel will now compete at the Division Swimming Carnvial.

A big thank you and congratulations also to Miss Richards for your wonderful work in preparing our swimming team.

Enrolments 2023 are OPEN!

It was a pleasure to welcome new families last week for our School Tours.  We were so proud to showcase our school and special thanks to our School Leaders  - Aiden, Henry, Madisson and Marley who spoke so proudly about our school. If you or your friends missed this tour we invite you to ring the school on 9580 4518 and book a tour with me or attend one of our upcoming tour dates -  

Tuesday 15th March - 9.30am & 2.30pm

TERM 2

Friday 29th April - 12 noon

Wednesday 18th May - 9.30am & 2:30pm

Enrolments are open and we ask that siblings coming to St Brigid’s  in 2023 enrol now. 

Word of Mouth

Word of mouth  is the most effective tool to share with our school and local community about what St Brigid’s has to offer and the success we have. We invite our school community to leave a Google Review of St Brigid’s on our website.   Click here for the St Brigid's Location and Contacts Website page. Click on reviews and then select write a review.

Year 1 - 4 Swimming 

Our Year 1-4 Swimming program will commence on Tuesday 15th of March.  Please remember all students must bring a swimming cap.

Timetable 

Dates: Tuesday 15th March - Thursday 24th March 

Tuckshop Open Tomorrow

Don't forget to place your lunch order by 9:00pm tonight.  Click here for the link to CDFpay.

Please note if your child is absent on Tuckshop Day and you have placed an order - please email office@sbmord.catholic.edu.au by 9:00am on the Friday morning and your child's order will be held over until the following week.

In fairness to our Tuckshop Team, unfortunately if you do not advise us that your child is away, they fill the lunch order and the food then goes to waste.

And on a final happy note, I am pleased to share a wedding photo of Fiona and her new husband Anthony.  Congratulations to you both. 

Take care and stay safe.

Yours in partnership

Wendy Sullivan

Principal