PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Dear Parents/Carers,

We’re back! All students and staff will return to onsite learning tomorrow, which is fantastic news for all. Despite the lockdown lasting just twelve days, eight of which were school days, it seemed to be more challenging this time around than in previous lockdowns. As a staff, we are extremely proud of our students for getting up every morning and engaging in their online learning to the best of their ability. We also say thank you to all parents, grandparents and other family members for supporting the children academically, socially and emotionally during this time. As has been the case throughout this pandemic, our staff have been terrific in their flexibility and commitment to the education of our students and for this, I am very grateful. We really do have a wonderful community at St Agnes’.

With the return to onsite learning, there will be some school operations/events which are affected by the restrictions. These are outlined below:

• Parents are welcome in the school grounds at drop off and pick up, but are required to wear face masks at all times. Please only enter school buildings when necessary and ensure you ‘check-in’ when you do so.
• School assemblies will be for staff and students only until further notice.
• The Family Faith Night for our Prep students - Prayers in Pyjamas - will not go ahead tomorrow night.
• We are still waiting for confirmation from the Parish regarding the remaining Sacrament of First Eucharist masses. We are hopeful these will proceed and will communicate with the affected families once we have clarity.
• The Parents & Friends Music Bingo social event is postponed while we search for a new date. This will be communicated once confirmed.
• The Friday after school sausage sizzle is ‘on hold’ for the time being.
• Instrumental Music Lessons and Tennis Lessons will go ahead later this week.

Due to the evolving circumstances, we are resisting the temptation to look a long way ahead in terms of the school calendar and focusing on the events and activities in the next week or two.

Return of School Devices

We ask that all school devices are returned to school tomorrow and taken straight to the classrooms. First thing in the morning, teachers will ensure devices are accounted for. It is important that these devices are fully charged on their return to school. Your child will also need to bring their headphones, workbooks, reading material and stationary back to school.

Fete - Fundraising and organisational efforts

Over the coming weeks, the Fete Committee, led by Fiona Newington (Prep, Year 2 & Year 5 parent) and Clare Inwood (Year 2 & Year 5 parent), will be sharing fundraising initiatives and requesting assistance in various ways. The Fete Committee is a subcommittee of the Parents and Friends Committee and they have been working hard in the first half of this year to get this event going. One of their fundraising initiatives is a ‘Wine Drive’ and we ask all parents who enjoy a wine to support this and share it with your family and friends. All fundraising efforts in the lead up and on the day of the fete will directly benefit your child, so please support the committee by assisting where you can and getting behind the fundraising efforts. You will notice fete related announcements on our social media pages, so we encourage all families to like and share these to spread the good news about our school.

School Fees

Term Three School Fees are due by Friday 6th August. An updated statement was sent out at the end of Week One. Please contact the office to arrange payment and to avoid late charges.

St Agnes’ School Vision and Mission

Throughout the first half of this year, our staff and School Advisory Council undertook a process to rewrite the St Agnes’ School Vision and Mission. The previous Vision and Mission had not been re-written for more than a decade. The 2021 version will guide the work that we do in all aspects of school life in the coming years. It is intended to challenge us to improve and bring people together around a common purpose. It will build a foundation for planning and assist in decision making. We are very proud of the new St Agnes’ School Vision and Mission and look forward to working together with all students, staff and parents as we aim to grow and improve.

Our Vision

At St Agnes’ School we strive to inspire excellence in our students through an inclusive and challenging learning environment. We aim to be engaged with our community and express our Catholic faith through action.

Year Six Graduation Meeting - Wednesday 11th August at 8am

All Year Six parents are invited to attend a meeting regarding Graduation celebrations for our Year Six students at the end of the year. It is not yet clear if this meeting will be online or onsite, but we will communicate directly with Year Six parents prior to the date.

Year Five and Six Family Life Meeting - Monday 30th August at 7pm 

We are lucky to be welcoming Andrea Carydias from Family Planning Victoria to speak to our Grade 5/6 students and parents on Monday 30th August from 7:00pm until 8:30pm. This education session is designed to provide an insight into how to support children on their physical, emotional and social journeys through adolescence. We ask that all families are represented at this session, with at least one parent attending with your child.

Holiday Program - Expression of Interest

We have had some parents request that the school work with Extend Before and After School Care to investigate the possibility of running a Holiday Program at our school. As part of this, we are asking for an expression of interest in a service such as this. We understand that school holidays can be a challenging time for some families, but this program would require a significant level of interest to make it viable. Please indicate your interest in the below survey:

School Canteen

The St Agnes’ School Canteen is resuming as normal this Friday. Orders can be placed online at salutecatering.com.au.

Assembly

Assembly will take place at 2.40pm on Wednesday afternoons in the Hall. At assembly, there will be presentations from classes, student awards, birthday acknowledgements and special announcements. At this stage, assemblies will remain as students and staff only.

Wed 28th July - Year 3

Wed 4th Aug - Year 1

Wed 11th Aug - Year 6

Wed 18th Aug - Prep

Wed 25th Aug - Year 4

Wed 1st Sept - Year 2

Wed 16th June - Book Week Performance

Wed 23rd June - No Assembly - School Production

We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow! Enjoy the rest of the week.

Kind regards,

Lachie Foott.