Dear Families,

A very warm welcome as you begin or return to St John Vianney's for 2022. I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Summer holiday and is re-energised and ready to launch back on site. To our new families who have joined the SJV community, we hope that your time with us is most enriching and rewarding. We look forward to getting to know you across the year. I know you join me in warmly welcoming several new staff members to our team. Miss Brynell Francis (Prep F), Miss Nicole O'Halloran (3/4O), Mr Paul Jones (5/6J), Ms Jodie Sneikus (Learning Support Officer) Ms Deb Smith (Learning Support Officer) and Mr Johnathan Rooney (Leaning Diversity Team Leader). The new staff will provide more of an introduction in next week's newsletter.

Congratulations to our Preps

Our beautiful Preps have begun at SJV!! And what a brilliant start. They were happy, enthustiastic excited and well settled!!! Thank you to all parents and carers who have prepared their child so well. We look forward to welcoming and supporting these students across the next seven years. It will be a great partnership - school and home. Thank you for entrusting us!!

Lunar New Year - 'Happy New Year'

To the many families who are celebrating Chinese or Lunar New Year - the Year of the Tiger, we wish you all good health and prosperity.

COVID regulations

We are thrilled to begin our year onsite!! This is a wonderful way to start what we hope will be a most productive year. As you are all aware right across Victoria there are still have many challenges relating to COVID 19. The measures set out in the Back - To - School - Plan will ensure every possible effort is made to ensure staff and students are safe and that the school remains open. I ask that you read the following information carefully.

Regulations:

Students who are unwell even with the mildest symptoms must not attend school.

Rapid Antigen Testing

Free Rapid Antigen Tests will be made available for all students and staff for the first four weeks of term 1. A box of five individual tests will be sent home with every student in Week 1 and in Week 3. These tests are voluntary but strongly encouraged. We ask that your child test twice a week.
Please note that at the time of writing we have not been sent enough RATS. As we are already into Week 1, based on advice, we gave our boxes to our Preps, 1/2's and 3/4 students today. Prep parents can pick up tomorrow from the oval at the beginning of the day if needed. If you have not picked up a box for your child these will be sent home with your child tomorrow.
When we have been delivered our shortfall of RATS we will deliver them to our Year 5/6 cohort and to staff members. If you consider your year 5/6 child to be at risk health wise please contact me and we will get a RAT Kit to you as as soon as possible.

Administration of RATS

Where possible please administer the tests on Monday and Thursday although you can choose the days that best suit your family.
The test must be done at home before school. Each box contains instructions.
Please note: Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID -19 within the last 30 days, have completed their 7 day isolation period and do not have symptoms do not need to undertake surveillance testing.

Reporting results of RATS

The school does not need to be notified of a negative test.

Staff and parents of students do need to report a positive test result to the School and the Department of Health. School Contact is via phone to the office 85434444 or email to admin@sjvmulgrave.catholic.edu.au You must also report the positive result online to the Department of Health or via the coronavirus hotline at 1800 675 398.

Students & Staff with a positive test

Students or staff with a positive test must isolate for seven (7) days and not attend school during this period.
Parents are NOT to send a child back to school after seven (7) days if the child remains symptomatic
If subsequently another household member tests positive the quarantine end date for the index case remains seven (7) days

Managing of confirmed cases and household contacts

Upon identification of a positive case contact tracing is no longer required.
Where a student is a household contact of a positive case they must inform the school and isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
The school will notify the school community when a student or staff member has (or multiple students or staff members) have returned a positive COVID test and has attended the school. This notification may be only to the parents of the class or parents within the level or it could be the whole school. Privacy is respected and names are not mentioned.
Parents of affected classes/ levels/ school must monitor symptoms of their child and complete testing should symptoms develop.

COVID Safe Practices

Masks are required for all students in Year 3-6 when indoors and strongly recommended for Preps-2.

Parents are to wear a mask onsite.
Students area able to bring their own sanitizer and we have some in all classrooms
Mixing between classes and year levels will be minimised. If staff shortages occur we may require to put two classes together, if we do not have any other alternatives.
Purifiers are in every classroom, Performing Arts Area, Art Room, Library and in the sickbay.

Drop off and Pick up

In order to ensure the safety of our families, we ask that Year 1-6 please drop off at the doors to the buildings. Students are able to make their way to their classrooms
Parents and carers are to pick up from the playgrounds/ gate areas.
PREPS will meet on the oval from 8:30am and be taken to the classroom to the classrooms at 8:45am. At the end of the day, PREPS will come back on the oval with their teachers by 3:10 pm and parents can collect them before the rest of the school is dismissed. Parents waiting for their children are asked to try and maintain a physical distance of 1.5m
All parents and carers are to be patient in the carpark areas. If parking on St John Way please remember do not get out of your car - it is a kiss and drop zone.

Opening of Gates and Closing of Gates

The front gates and back gates will be opened at 8:25am and closed at 8:50am.
Punctuality is vitally important. Please come to the front office if your child is late, to receive a late pass which must be taken by your child and given to the teacher.
The gates are opened again at 3pm and closed at 3:30pm. Any child not picked up will be taken to the office. We ask all parents and carers to be punctual.

Please note students should not be dropped off early as there is no staff supervision.
Families can use the OSHC Service run by Camp Australia at our school. You need to register. Hours of Service 6:30am - 8:30am and again 3:15pm - 6:30pm.
Phone: 1300 105 343 or Website: Parent Portal

Forms & Documents to be signed and returned

Today students are bringing home the following forms to be read, completed signed and returned. MUST BE RETURNED BY MONDAY 7th FEBRUARY

MACS Photography & Recording Permission Form (Completed for each child)
ICT Agreement (Completed for each child)
Student Code of Conduct (signed by both student and parent)
Parent Code of Conduct (named & signed by both parents)
Preps will receive these forms tomorrow. These forms are also attached here should you wish to access them here.

Opening School Mass

The Opening School Mass which will includes the Commissioning of Staff will take place this Friday. In line with the CECV Operational Guide we are not encouraging groups or gatherings across the school. Our Mass will take place in our Performing Arts Area and will be streamed into classes. Unfortunately we can not have parents at this Mass.

Captains Badges and Clapping in of Preps

The Captains Badges ceremony which was planned for next Monday will be postponed until a later date as we can not have parents of our Captains attend. Please note Captains and Year 6 students will receive their badges this week. We will have a formal ceremony at a later date.(Depending on COVID Regulations)

For Prep parents, the clapping in ceremony is a simple welcome and ackowledgement of our Preps. If we are able to have parents attend you would be very welcome.

We will notify the Year 6 parents and Prep parents of a new date of the ceremony most likely in March.

2022 School Photos

PHOTOS will be taken on Monday 14th February. Students are to wear Summer Uniform. Photo packs went home yesterday to our Prep families and have gone home with all students today.

Anaphylaxis

I remind parents and carers that we have several students in our school who have anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life threatening. To this end I request that parents do not send your child to school with any nut products for snack or lunch.

Please note that if you wish to bring a birthday treat for class members, it can not be food related. Perhaps a pencil, stationery or stickers could be a good alternative.

Staffing News

Our Congratulations to Violetta Bassovitch our most talented speech pathologist who will marry Michael this Saturday. We wish them every blessing for their future together.

More exciting news with Emma Sofra (who teaches in the middle level), expecting her third child in July. We congratulate Emma and Joe and wish them well; every blessing and good health as they await the arrival of their baby. It is anticipated that Emma will take leave toward the end of Term 2. I will keep you informed of a replacement teacher at the appropriate time.

It was a wonderfully exciting Christmas for Brynell Francis (Prep teacher) who announced her enagement to Jacob!!

Sunsmart

Time for hats and sunscreen!! Children must bring their own sunscreen attached or left in their bags. Please apply before school.

Students are to bring a hat and water bottle!!

School Fees

Please read the dedicated page School Fees and CSEF on the next page. Very important information

Specialist Classes