Principal's News
Dear Parents/Carers,
Congratulations and thank you to everyone that is continuing to be vigilant about the pandemic in order that our school remains safe and importantly, OPEN.
Parents are advised not to be alarmed by the daily Covid-19 Alerts that are being sent out. All Catholic schools in Victoria MUST inform parents each day about positive Covid-19 results in order to inform parents of potential risks to their children and to their wider family.
I have had 3 or 4 calls from parents who have been unable to open the attachments to these emails. They are published as a Word Document so perhaps your “Word” program needs to be updated?
Regular testing of staff and students is vital for identifying the virus and isolating it (and its poor host) from the rest of our population.
All students will be issued with a further 5 Rapid Antigen Tests this Friday. We will be sending them home with the eldest student in each family.
If your family do not want to receive the tests could you please inform the school by email (office@shcolac.catholic.edu.au) or telephone (52 315292) by this Thursday, Feb 10.
In the interests of consistency, I have attached the same advice regarding the Testing that appeared on last week’s newsletter below:
TESTING
It is recommended that all staff and students complete 2 Rapid Antigen Tests per week.
1. Parents/carers should complete the RA Test portal if a student tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test). Parents/carers should inform the school by phone or email if a student tests positive
2. Students who report a positive result must isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
3. Where a student is a household contact of a positive case (that is, they have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility) they must inform the school and isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
HOWEVER if a second person from the same household tests positive later in the week (e.g. Dad on Sunday, then Mum on Wednesday) the student’s isolation DOES NOT start again. That student should complete a R.A.T. 6 days after the first known infection and if there is a negative result the student can still resume school on Day 8.
Furthermore, IF a student has had Covid 19 and then completed their 7 days of isolation, they are then exempt from completing R.A. Tests for 30 days
MASKS
Similar to last year, masks will be made mandatory for all staff and students in year 3 and above, as well as anyone visiting a school. If children cannot wear a mask due to medical or mental health reasons then their parents are asked to write a note to their teacher explaining this. There is no need for a doctor’s note for this.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
In the interests of maintaining social distancing we are asking parents NOT to come on to the school grounds unless it is absolutely necessary. We learnt last year that parents dropping Foundation (Prep) students outside the school gates was a much less stressful experience for our youngest students and their teachers than for us to all congregate in classrooms, hovering around little children who are excited to begin their school day.
The “new normal” I think means we have to find alternative ways to communicate with each other and use “face to face” meetings only when absolutely necessary, for the time being.
END OF DAY ROUTINES As of next Monday our Foundation students will be attending school through until 3:15pm rather than 1:00pm. This means we will have an extra 64 five and six year olds trying to leave school safely amongst the busiest traffic of the day.
Our school has excellent plans in place that enable us to do this day after day, year after year, however we require the cooperation of all parents to ensure it continues to run safely and smoothly.
The following information should be read in conjunction with the map below.
BUS STUDENTS
Our senior students are a very big help here. Foundation students who are to catch the bus home are led to the “Bus Gate” by our wonderful Grade 6 Buddies. The children meet Ms Leonard at the “Bus Gate” on Pound road and are then led via the supervised crossing across Pound Road to the Bus Stop at Trinity College, where they are supervised by at least 2 of our staff.
PREP GATE This exit is for families who have a child in Foundation (Grade Prep) in 2022. Brothers and sisters of Preps should also use this exit. If your youngest child is in Grade 1, and you normally collect your children by car I would suggest that you use this week to start using either “Crossing 1” or the Gym Gate as your new “Collection Point” This will leave the area immediately in front of the school free for this year’s Preps and their siblings.
CROSSING 1 (HART STREET) refers to the parking area along both sides of Hart Street, but north of our school along in front of Trinity College. Children using this option assemble in the courtyard where they meet myself and at least one other staff member who then walk them across the supervised crossing on Pound Road in order to meet their parents parked along either side of Hart Street, or continue their walk home.
GYM GATE As the name suggests this is the exit outside our gymnasium on Pound Road. Children using this exit walk to the undercover area outside the Gym where they are met by Ms Lynch, Lesley Pearce and at least one other staff member, who then supervise the children being collected here or who are walking home from here.
PETJULIE ST GATE This gate is NOT supervised by our staff, however, children who live in this area west of the school are welcome to walk home via this gate.
Parents should be aware that there are PARKING RESTRICTIONS around our school, which are indicated by signs. Local laws officers do patrol this area and will issue infringement notices for those parking illegally.
There may well be some teething problems as these routines are settling during the next couple of weeks but we ask everyone to remain patient and courteous as we endeavour to deliver all students safely to their ride home from school each day.
STARTING SCHOOL - WHAT AN ADVENTURE! The relationship between home and school is very important to me because it can have such an impact on the development of our students. It is important that parents TRUST us. Everything we do here at Sacred Heart is to benefit our students. Everything is about helping our children to “Have Fun” (Welfare) and “Learn Stuff”.
Our students are here to make mistakes - THIS IS HOW WE LEARN. The trick is not to panic when we do. Think about how all of us learnt to ride a bike, cook the perfect steak, hit a forehand just right, be a school principal etc etc. - get some instruction, have a go, make a mistake, practise, Watch a Youtube clip, practise, practise, seek advice etc practise some more.
Sure sometimes that will mean that our children need to be corrected - just as they do at home - this is part of the learning process. We’re all here to make mistakes and to learn from them. Kids will make these mistakes with their school work and they will make them in their dealings with others - BIG DEAL! So long as we understand this and all work together to support our kids to learn from these mistakes, and so long as we recognise them as an opportunity for growth, this is what school is for.
Parents need to feel confident that we have the best interests of our students at heart in all things because when parents feel confident about this, they feel less ANXIOUS and when parents feel less anxious, kids feel less anxious. (Undoubtedly anxiety has a number of causes but the subconscious messages that we, as parents, pass on to our kids can play a part).
The last couple of years have been a challenge to all of us, physically, emotionally and mentally. Australia’s children have been through a bit. This link has been on our newsletter before but for those who haven’t seen it and it’s worth another look for those that have, I’d like to recommend the acceptance speeches of our 2019 Australians of the Year,
Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen - You can fast forward to the 7 minute mark of this 14 minute clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfiFjdW4yt4 where both doctors urge parents to let their kids take risks, to make mistakes, to skin their knees and stub their toes as they explore without fear what this wonderful world has in store for them.
Our school is here to help kids do this!
For example, our Prep children made a very successful start to their school lives, by bravely letting go of Mum or Dad’s hands and settling so quickly and confidently into their new classrooms. Parents can feel confident that we have expert teachers in all of our grades, but that our Foundation teachers are particularly skilled at settling these children into the routines of school and making clear what their expectations are for the children and helping them all to make these adjustments. We are keenly aware that school IS a big adjustment. Children are learning, just as they did at Kindergarten and child care that there are other little people in this room that all deserve equal support and attention, so taking turns, waiting, considering others all start to develop.
Isn’t it funny how much we value these qualities in others?
The adults who work at Sacred Heart are a great resource for parents, don’t be afraid to contact us if you feel unsure or are worried about anything at school.
CANTEEN I am pleased to say that we can offer families the option of the children buying their lunch on Fridays again commencing this Friday, February 11.
Instructions for how to place a lunch order are printed on today’s newsletter along with a current price list.
If you would prefer a hard copy, please ask your child to collect on from the school office.
MOBILE DEVICES AT SCHOOL A reminder to all parents that our school has a policy concerning the use of mobile devices at school. This policy is in line with a Directive from Victoria’s Education Minister that simply says that mobile phones and devices are not permitted at school.
“The school has established processes for receiving and passing on important information to parents and to students. All parents and students are expected to respect and follow these processes so that the school maintains order and to ensure the safety of all of our students.”
“The school also holds concerns about the misuse of mobile phones in a school environment e.g. bullying, interruptions in class, distraction, children substituting phones for real life interactions with their school friends, inappropriate photography etc.”
Sacred Heart School Mobile Phone & Personal Device Policy 2020
Parents can access this policy via the school’s website or via this link: Mobile Phone and Personal Device Policy