Dear Families,

It was so good to see all the happy faces return last week. I hope that you found time over the holiday break to spend fun times with family and friends as well as time to relax and re-energise for our final term of 2022.

Thank you all for your kind words in welcoming me back from my Long Service Leave break at the end of Term 3. I spent time travelling throughout New South Wales with my husband, my sister, and her husband. We stayed at beautiful beaches such as Byron Bay and Yamba and hiked through some of the Blue Mountains, a truly amazing experience, and ended our travels in Bright, Victoria. Our Australian countryside is genuinely diverse and absolutely amazing and I encourage you to experience it whenever you are able. We also travelled through country towns that have been severely affected by floods in recent months including Lismore. Although they are not in the news anymore they are still in the recovery phase and many families are without a home. We are now seeing flood waters affecting these country towns again as well as in Victoria. Let us all keep them in our prayers.

We have a jam-packed term ahead so I ask you to keep up to date with the school calendar where all these events are listed.

First Communion

Last Sunday some of our Year 3/4 children began their preparation time before they receive their First Holy Communion which will take place on Sunday 6th November at 10:00am. I invite you to join them in prayer at Sunday mass over the next couple of weeks and to keep these children and their families in your prayers.

New Building Progress

We are now at the final stages of the build where everything is finished (except the rooftop netting) but we are not in a position to accept the building from the builders until all the little jobs such as paint spots and final cleaning are completed. I continue to be in conversation with the builders and the architect to ensure this is done as quickly as possible.

School Uniform

All children are expected to be in full Summer Uniform by Monday 24th October. School hats are to be worn by all children each day. If a child has misplaced their hat you can purchase one from the office Monday-Friday. It is also advised that children have sunscreen applied each day as the UV index increases over the next few months.

School Pick Up Time

Thank you to all families as I have seen a great improvement in the way in which we are crossing roads and parking cars during this time.

I have recently received some complaints from residents and people walking on Brougham St about the blocking of the footpath during after school pick-up time. I do ask that you wait inside the school grounds when picking up your child from school. This will allow pedestrians to walk freely down the street and will make our gate area less crowded. I thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

COVID Update

Please take note of the most recent update to COVID isolation requirements.

The Victorian Government has announced the end of the pandemic declaration and associated pandemic orders. New settings will apply from 11.59 pm on Wednesday 12th October 2022.

Changes to COVID-19 isolation requirements

It is strongly recommended that students:

who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home and isolate for five days
should not attend school after five days if still symptomatic
who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school.

Where students become symptomatic at school, they should:

be collected by their parents/carers
undergo testing for COVID-19.

It is strongly recommended that staff:

who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home and isolate for five days
should not attend school after five days if still symptomatic
who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school.

Upcoming School Closure Day

This term there will be a School Closure Day on Melbourne Cup Eve - Monday, 31st October. Staff will be working on Assessment and Reporting on this day.

Denise Hussey

(Principal)

'The most simple thing I can do is to be good today but better tomorrow'

Catherine McAuley - Mercy Sisters Foundress

All students attending St Michael's Primary School have the right to feel safe. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school.

Prayer

October - Month of the Holy Rosary