Leadership & Management

Week 7  Term 4

Week 7

Dear Parents and carers,

It has been wonderful to have the children back learning on-site! We are so pleased to see them all interacting with their peers and teachers again. The children are continuing to enjoy being together and readjusting to the learning and social routines. They are excited, enthusiastic and full of energy as they arrive at school each day and most year levels have now settled into some of the practices from earlier in the year. I would like to thank all of the parents for your support, assistance and understanding since the children have returned to school. 

We are all aware that this pandemic is not over and we must all maintain vigilance and adhere to the current public health orders. As we head into the last five weeks of the term, we are focused on doing as much as we can to minimise the risk of an outbreak in our school requiring a return to remote learning. 

The process, should a positive case be identified is different in every school and is based on a number of risk factors particular to the school itself. This is the reason we will keep very strict controls in place, as we aim to have all families enjoy an uninterrupted remainder of term and ensure all can start the Christmas break without worry of an outbreak.

Thank you to all the teachers who are doing a wonderful job at establishing school routines, ventilating the learning spaces, using outdoor learning environments when possible and ensuring the children feel safe and happy at school. 

As mentioned last week we are pleased that we are able to offer a number of programs and events between now and the end of the year as we return to a sense of normality. 

Last week we enjoyed a Whole School Remembrance Prayer and assembly led by Ms Sargent and the Year 5/6 students. The weather was kind to us allowing the school to gather outside for this special assembly. 

The children also participated in Crazy Sock Day an annual event to raise awareness and money to assist the works for the Catholic Missions. All the students especially with the longest trail of coins competition had fun. In the wellbeing section of today newsletter, you can find out more about the day and the winner of the class that has raised the most money. Thank you Miss Sally for organising such a great day for the children and raising the awareness of the Catholic Social Teaching –Preferential Option for the Poor. 

COVID Update

We are constantly updating information about school procedures and protocols in regards to COVID. Please refer to the COVID -19 page of the newsletter for all correspondence and updates. 

Our hygiene, cleaning & sanitising protocols continue and we again remind families that students from Years 3-6 are required to wear masks indoors and we encourage students from Foundation – Year 2 also to wear masks in side. This is to protect everyone in our school community. This is a directive of the Victorian Chief Health Officer to schools.

Social distancing outside the school is required, especially at drop off and pick up times and density limits apply to all areas of the school. We are limiting visitors onsite and all contractors and workers entering the school must be fully vaccinated. School events held in the Church are governed by a different set of rules; however, density, mask and vaccination requirements are mandated.

Building Update:

As we all know building projects are rarely finished on time. Handover day for the inside of the building will take place this Friday 19th which is cause for great jubilation and celebration however, we still require another four weeks to complete resurfacing of the the yard outside the Junior building with artificial turf. 

I was successful in obtaining the Shade Sail Grant last week (which was very timely). This shade sail will cover the large bitumen area outside the toilets, which gives us a covered learning space for outdoor learning that can be enjoyed by all year levels.

Although this adds another couple of weeks to the final completion, I would rather a job done well than a job not completed.  Fingers crossed, the weather is kind to us from now on and all going well, the children should enjoy a couple of weeks in the new learning areas. (As they say, all good things come to those who wait!) 

Italian Day-November 30

A date has been set for Italian Day. This will take place on November 30th. Signora Rosa will give more details regarding this event in next week’s newsletter.

Food Sharing Policy

In the Policy section, you will find an updated Food Sharing Policy. Please take note as it is important that we do not share foods or bring food as gifts especially during the upcoming festive season. Last year we noticed an enormous increase in the giving of lollies, we have suggested alternative gestures or gifts as an alternative to lollies.  

Principal Conference Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17

This Tuesday and Wednesday, I will be attending the North Central Principals Conference. This conference has been rescheduled for two years.  

Our focus is on Indigenous Spirituality. Sherry Balcombe, Coordinator of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry will facilitate the two days and bringing awareness and educating us about Aboriginal Peoples, culture and spirituality. 

Have a lovely week and take care,

Manuela