Principal's News
Dear Parents/Carers,
This week it feels like we are really starting to hit our stride, with a five day week and some of our usual routines up and running again. We are very grateful to parents for making other arrangements for the children last Friday. All staff spent Friday analysing data from our testing, reading about your children and talking with each other about the children. Time is also spent considering the different support programs we operate to help our students and the consideration of some exciting new resources to be introduced to our school. It is a really well spent day designed to help our teachers cater for the needs and strengths of our 404 students.
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
SPORTS NEWS Children from Grades 4 to 6 will be attending our Swimming Sports this Thursday, February 11. The children will be travelling by bus to the Winchelsea Pool for this event. Parent volunteers should ensure they are in excellent health and observe rules around social distancing and hand hygiene in order to assist us on the day.
Any other spectators must ensure they sign in at the pool and are subject to the same Covid 19 considerations.
Athletic Sports for Grade 3 to 6 children will then be held next Friday, February 19th.
PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS - Grades 1 to 6
Parents are invited to log on to PAM from 3:30pm today, in order to book Interviews with your child’s teachers. Ten minute interviews are to be conducted on February 22 & 23. These are an important opportunity for parents to share information with the teacher and to cement a positive and cooperative relationship for the benefit of our children.
Please note Foundation (Prep) student’s interviews will be conducted on Wednesday 24 March. Details in coming weeks.
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM Like everything else the Covid19 crisis had a big impact on our Parish Sacramental Program. And while we now understand things cannot be as certain as they once were, we cautiously plan for the children of our Parish to have the opportunity to participate in Reconciliation, Confirmation and receive their First Communion during 2021.
Traditionally our Parish has prepared children in Grade 2 and Grade 5 for Reconciliation during Lent which begins this year on Ash Wednesday, February 17. The Reconciliation Program therefore is planned for FIRST TERM.
We are very aware that we will have many children, now in Grade 3 or 6 who did not participate in this program in 2020 due to the difficulties created by the pandemic.
Children in Grade 3 are Confirmed and make their First Communion in 3rd term.
It is a requirement however that these children should have been to Reconciliation BEFORE they can receive Confirmation and First Communion.
As a result we are planning for many of our Grade 2 and 3 children to make their first Reconciliation this year.
Our Parish is planning to offer children the opportunity to take part in Reconciliation during the week of March 22 - 27.
In order for your child to participate in this important step of their Faith Journey parents will need to register their child(ren) at the Parish Office. Upon registration, parents and carers will collect the Reconciliation Program which they are asked to work through with their child in preparation for the Sacrament.
There is a small charge for this program of $25 to cover materials etc.
ASH WEDNESDAY Next Wednesday, Feb 17th is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. We are planning to take our Grade 5 and 6 classes to St Mary’s Church to celebrate Mass at St Mary’s Church. The ceremony will be conducted under Covid guidelines as set out by the State Government Health Advisor.
Children from Grades 1 - 4 will participate in a school ceremony instead. Unfortunately parents are not permitted to attend these services.
BUS TRAVEL TO AND FROM SCHOOL There are 2 types of bus travel available: Country buses and the town buses.
To use a country bus, travellers need permission from Colac College to access this free bus service. Travellers need to be living at least 4.8km from the school and be travelling to “their nearest school of choice” - Catholic or Government.
Town bus travellers may access a suitable bus whenever it suits and will be asked to pay a daily fare. Details about bus routes are available from Christian's Bus Company.
Please let our school office know when your child/ren are going to begin travelling on a new bus route for the first time. We will do our best to find them a “bus buddy” who will guide them through their first few journeys.
END OF DAY ROUTINES
Consistency and Predictability are the key themes to enable us to ensure each and every student catches the right bus or is delivered to the car every afternoon. At the end of each day we will continue to utilise 4 main Exits:
Our Prep Gate for families who have a child in Grade Prep in 2021. 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.
Bus children will continue to meet Mrs Daffy at the “Bus Gate” on Pound Road.
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.
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.
Dear God,
Give comfort and peace to those who are separated from loved ones. May the ache in their hearts be the strengthening of their hearts. May their longing bring resolve to their lives, conviction and purity to their love. Teach them to embrace their sadness lest it turn to despair. Transform their yearning into wisdom. Let their hearts grow fonder.
Amen