Dear Parents/Carers,

We have just ticked over the halfway point of Term One and it has been a busy, but successful start to the year. While the snap lockdown threw a little curveball, overall we are really pleased with how the students have settled. We now have a reasonably uninterrupted run for the second half of Term One, providing an excellent opportunity for a productive period of learning.

Our Prep students have their first full week of school this week, as they have previously had Wednesdays as a rest day, allowing Mrs Baker to complete individual Literacy and Numeracy assessments with the children. It has been amazing how well the Prep children have transitioned into the school and classroom life. They are functioning exceptionally well as a group with some excellent support from staff, parents and also their Year Six ‘Buddies’. The Year Six students have been terrific in providing just the right amount of support in the playground to ensure the Preps are successful at this time.

Last week, I had the privilege of spending time with the Year Five and Six students on Camp in Canberra and to put it simply, they were outstanding. The way they engaged with one another and with all aspects of the camp was exemplary, as was their overall behaviour. As the Principal, I could not have been prouder of our students; they are a credit to the families and also the school. I would like to thank John Whitten for his organisation of the camp and also Jess Casey, Deb Smith and Julie Grace for accompanying the children and giving up their family time for the week. I’m certain everyone would have slept well on Friday night.

In recent years, one of the ‘buzzwords’ in schools and the community more broadly, has been the term resilience. We continue to learn more about the wellbeing and mental health of young people in our community, through the increased awareness and data collection in this area. We now know that one in four adolescents and one in seven primary school aged children have some form of mental illness. In schools, we are seeing an increased number of students suffering from anxiety, so we are making a deliberate effort to support students and families to develop positive strategies around mental health. As part of this strategy, the school will be hosting a parent seminar for our Prep parents on Tuesday 9th March (7.30pm). The seminar is titled “5 Secrets to Build Confidence and Resilience” and will be facilitated by Student Wellbeing expert and director of Wellbeing for Kids, Georgina Manning. Please indicate your attendance by clicking the following link: St. Agnes' Highett - 5 Secrets Parent Seminar. If you child is not in Prep, but you have an interest in attending this seminar because you missed last years or would like to revisit it, you are most welcome.

Whole School Welcome Picnic is Back On!

The Whole School Welcome Picnic has been rescheduled for Friday 19th March from 5pm-8pm. Pack the picnic basket with some food, drinks and a rug or chair and come along for a family night with the entire St Agnes School community. A warm jumper might also be required, depending on the weather that week.

Open Days

Tomorrow, the school will be holding the first of three St Agnes’ School Open Days. As a school, we rely on parents and students to be advocates and to share the good news about our wonderful school. Please encourage people you know who are looking at schools for their family to come along for a tour, led by our Year Six Leaders. The visitors will also have the opportunity to meet with me to ask any questions about the school.

Beachside Swimming Carnival

This Friday, we have 16 of our students representing St Agnes’ at the Beachside Division Swimming Carnival. These students were successful in progressing through from the local district event and they will now compete against 63 schools from Albert Park to Sandringham areas. Details of who is competing and in what event is outlined in the Sports section of this newsletter. Congratulations and best of luck to all these students.

Sacrament of Reconciliation Reflection Day

On Tuesday the 9th of March, the Grade 3 and 4 students will be preparing for their Sacrament of Reconciliation. The reflection day dedicates the whole day to learning and preparing for the sacrament. It includes reflecting on scripture that demonstrates God's forgiveness and compassion. There is also time to practice the mass and prayers the students need to know for the evening of the sacrament. On Tuesday the Grade 3 and 4 students can wear casual clothes to school. We are looking forward to this special day focused on the student's faith journey.

School Fees

I would like to remind all parents that Term One School Fees are now due. Please see Naomi in the office to ensure payment is made promptly to avoid late payment fees. If you would like to set up a payment plan or arrange direct debits through the school, the office can assist you with this. Alternatively, attached below are copies of the direct debit and direct credit forms for you to please complete and return to the office.

Also any families who hold a Heath Care Card may be eligible for assistance through the State Government CSEF initiative in covering the costs of school camps, sports and excursions. For those families who are eligible, below is a CSEF application form for you to complete and return to our office for submission.

Parents and Friends Committee Meeting - Wednesday 10th March, 7.30pm

On Wednesday 10th March at 7.30pm, we have the first Parents and Friends Committee meeting for 2021. This is an open meeting and all parents are welcome to attend. I ask that our Class Reps make a special effort to be in attendance please. We are planning for this meeting to be held onsite, in the staffroom.

St Agnes’ School Tuckshop

Last week St Agnes’ School Tuckshop kicked off and it was a raging success. It will be operating every Friday and orders may be placed online by visiting salutecatering.com.au or by writing your order on a paper bag and leaving it at the school office. Further details and menu are located in the Canteen section of this newsletter.

Assembly

Assembly takes place at 2.40pm on a Wednesday afternoon in the Hall. At assembly, there will be presentations from classes, student awards, birthday acknowledgements and special announcements. Parents are welcome to attend.

Wed 3rd March - Year 3
Wed 10th March - Year 2
Wed 17th March - Year 1
Wed 24th March - Prep
Wed 31st March - Year 4

Enjoy the rest of the week.

Kind regards,

Lachie

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