Principals' Message
From our Principals - Alison & Lisa
Dear Parents, Carers & Families,
We are doing everything to ensure our parents and carers remain up to date with COVID-19 and the implications for St Edward's staff, students and families. Thank you for the support you and our staff are giving to us during these unprecedented times.
COVID-19 UPDATE
On Monday all Principals across the Diocese joined a Zoom meeting with the Leadership Team from the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) to be given consistent information on COVID-19 and the stance our schools should be taking. This has been communicated via our school Facebook page and we ask your help in ensuring that these letters be shared and passed on to as many of our families as possible. The main message is to remain calm and follow guidelines from authentic reliable sources. For now Armidale Diocesan schools are remaining open with modifications being made as directed by the CSO.
As this information is constantly changing, we are doing our utmost to ensure we keep abreast of recommendations. Our focus is the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff, students and communities. To ensure that we a maintaining the highest level of hygiene we would ask that ALL STUDENTS BRING THEIR OWN WATER BOTTLE TO SCHOOL. Starting tomorrow our school bubblers will not be accessible to students, however, they will be able to refill water bottles throughout the day. Our staff will support your child with this change. The school canteen will continue to operate under the supervision of Clare and Nikki only. No parent helpers will be required for canteen as of tomorrow. Please be advised that at the Infants campus we will be catering for lunch orders only.
As a result of this communication with the CSO, we have been advised to cancel or postpone any immediate gatherings including assemblies, masses, excursions, our Kinder Parent Reading Workshop, our Compass Parent Portal Launch, sporting events etc.
The three most important things each and everyone of us can do to help manage the spread of the virus are:
* Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly.
* Sneeze into your elbow or a tissue - then dispose of the tissue and wash your hands afterwards.
* Keep students at home if they are unwell. Schools have been advised to send staff or students home if they show signs of being unwell throughout the day.
While schools have been advised by the Australian Government to operate as normal, we are working toward a way we may be still able to deliver a modified curriculum remotely in the event of our school or multiple schools being shut down. We will keep our parents and carers updated as to what this will look like if or when it is required.
PLEASE SEE TIPS FOR PARENTS ON HOW TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT COVID-19 IN THE GENERAL SECTION OF OUR NEWSLETTER.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our school and the wellbeing of our staff and students.
Please ensure that you read the note attached. This was sent home with your child today.
TEMPORARY LEADERSHIP CHANGE (Week 9 - Week 11)
Mrs Lisa McSweeney will be taking leave from 21st March through to the end of the term. For this period of time, Mr Greg O'Toole will step up into the Co Principal role with Mrs Alison Hatton and Mrs Sally Clarke will become Acting Assistant Principal, as well as carrying out her normal Religious Education Coordinator role. We thank Greg and Sally for taking on these added responsibilities and we wish Lisa well and look forward to welcoming her back in Term 2.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to our fabulous canteen ladies - Clare Dubois and Nikki-Anne Bridge on being awarded 5 stars ***** in Hygiene and Food Safety by the Department of Primary Industries Food Authority. This is recognition of the excellent standard these ladies maintain in preparing and delivering our canteen lunches in a safe environment. Thank you for all your hard work and congratulations Clare and Nikki!
NAPLAN
There has been no information about changes to NAPLAN as yet.
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is held in May each year for Year 3 and Year 5 students. NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. The results of the tests provide information for students, parents, teachers and principals and can be used to improve student achievement. Please take the time to read the linked information brochure for parents and carers.
PUPIL FREE DAYS
Our Staff Development Days (Pupil Free Days) have been confirmed and are outlined in the 'Upcoming Dates' of our newsletter.
Thank you once again for your ongoing support in these unprecedented times.
Alison Hatton & Lisa McSweeney