GENERAL NEWS

SCHOOL ACCOUNTS

Term 2 school accounts were emailed to families last week.  We ask that our parents continue to be patient as we fix up little 'bugs' that continue to hamper our new procedure of emailing accounts to parents.

If you have any queries regarding your school account, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Robyn Burke by email rburke@arm.catholic.edu.au or by telephoning our office staff.

We thank you for your ongoing support.

KINDERGARTEN ENROLMENTS FOR 2023

Applications have now closed for Kindergarten 2023. Any application from a current family that has not yet been received, will be placed on a waiting list. Please contact the school office for an Application of Enrolment or download from the St Nicholas School website homepage.   

Please Note:  Enrolment forms will not be processed until all supporting documents are received: 

• Birth Certificate
• Immunisation Certificate
• Baptismal Certificate (only required if your child is a baptised Catholic) 
• Proof of student’s residential address.

NAPLAN DATES- Year 3 and Year 5

NAPLAN testing is underway for our Year 3 and Year 5 students. Please take note of the following dates and ensure that your child has a working set of headphones/earbuds at school for these tests.

Tuesday 10th May:  Writing Test (Year 3 and Year 5)

Wednesday 11th May: Reading Test (Year 3 and Year 5)

Thursday 12th May: Conventions of Language Test (Year 3 and Year 5)

Monday 16th May: Numeracy Test (Year 3 and Year 5)

PARENT READING WORKSHOP

We would like to extend an invitation to all parents/carers of Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students to attend a Parent Reading Workshop in “The Hub” on Wednesday, 1st June at 6.30pm. 

The aim of the workshop is to demonstrate to parents the current teaching practices that are used at St Nicholas to help develop our students into balanced readers. We will also provide strategies and ideas on how parents can best support their child’s reading development.

This is intended to be a relaxed, “hands on workshop” so it would be great to see as many parents as possible attend. To help us prepare we need to gauge the number of people who will be attending. At this point in time we hope to have a creche available if alternative arrangements for care cannot be made. Please keep an eye out on Compass to indicate your intentions.

SCHOOL UNIFORM - SUMMER TO WINTER

It is expected that all students are now wearing full winter uniform, including a tie. Please note that Lowes stock all St Nicholas Uniforms or the school second hand clothing pool has a selection for purchase as well. We have been told that Lowes now has all of the uniform items in stock. 

For our winter sports uniform, St Nicholas micorfibre track pants can also be purchased from Lowes. Students can still wear their sports shirts and shorts/skorts if they prefer.  

Please note that our winter uniform includes a hat and a tie for both boys and girls. 

PANCAKE DAY

HELP NEEDED - Pancake Day 

Next Friday 20th May,  the PT & F will be serving pancakes during first break. Normally we would have held this on Shrove Tuesday but due to COVID restrictions we were unable to do so this year. All proceeds will go to the St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal to help others in need. 

Pancakes are a gold coin donation and there will be fruit kebabs available as an alternative for students who cannot have a pancake.

It has been the tradition for parents if possible, to help out by donating batter or helping out on the day. If this sounds like something you feel you are able to do please contact Patrice McMullen on 0427 399 495 or leave a message on the PT &F Facebook page.

If you would like to make batter the recipe is below.  You can also find it on the PT and F Facebook page. Any help is greatly appreciated - no experience necessary!   

BATTER RECIPE: Here is the recipe we use. We do this to try and keep the batter consistent - better to be too thick than too runny. We can always add milk to thin it out.

Pancake Batter Recipe

Ingredients (makes about 20 pancakes)

4 cups of self raising flour

4 cups of milk (add more milk if mixture is too thick)

4 eggs

4 tablespoons of sugar

**Pour into empty 2 L milk containers. Easy to store and pour. **Seems over the top I know but if we use the same recipe it helps make the cooking easier: **You can drop your batter to the canteen from 8:30 am Thursday morning.  (19th May)**It pours better if you make 1 or 2 days before and refrigerate. Also easier for busy families:).  

STUDENT-LED LEARNING CONFERENCES

To continue the wonderful support you have for your child’s education, please mark in your diaries the period between 6th - 17th June (Week 7 & 8) for St Nicholas School Student-Led Learning Conferences. More details to follow.  

As the name suggests, the Student-Led Learning Conference will focus on learning. If parents wish to discuss matters other than learning, a meeting can be booked with your child's class teacher/s or teachers may make contact at another time.

As the Student-Led Learning Conference replaces the formal Parent Teacher interviews, please remember, every day is an opportunity for a parent to make contact with a teacher. If a parent wishes to meet with their child’s teacher, they simply need to contact them to arrange an appointment at a mutually convenient time.

Please view the following brief clip to give you an idea of the way a Student Led Learning Conference is held.

VERITAS AWARDS

Congratulations to the following children who have received Veritas awards so far this year: Mia Scott, Morgan Tyrrell, Xander Kidd, India O'Donohue, Sophia Shanahan, Evita Smith, Rex Sedon, Eve Sedon, Zoe Sedon and Charlotte Randall. These children have been noticed by a variety of teachers leading by example and showing empathy and compassion towards others.

2022 Competitions & Assessments for Schools (ICAS) - Years 4, 5 and 6 students only

This year our Year 4, 5 and 6 students from St Nicholas School have the opportunity to sit for the ICAS Exams.  ICAS is the largest independent competition and assessment program for schools in Australia.  Each student receives an individual report as well as a certificate of acknowledgment for participation.  These certificates make valuable additions to student portfolios.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE NOT COMPULSORY AND YOU MAY WISH TO DO AS MANY AS YOU WISH OR NONE AT ALL.  EXAMS WILL BE ONLINE AND CONDUCTED IN EXAM CONDITIONS AT SCHOOL.  You will be informed of exact sitting dates once scheduled.

Parents/Carers must go online to the ICAS Parent Portal to register and make payment for the exams your child wishes to complete. 

Your ICAS Parent Portal Link is:  https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps

Your ICAS Parent Portal Access Code is:  RLT738

• The ICAS Parent Portal will close on 1 August 2022. 
• No registration or payment will be accepted at school.
• Late entries will not be accepted. 

Any queries, please contact our office staff.

PUPIL FREE DAYS - Term 3

Please place the following dates in your diary. These dates are when staff will be undertaking professional development therefore will be pupil free days in Term 3.

Monday 18th July (First day of Term 3)

Friday 23rd September (Last day of Term 3)