St Francis de Sales Catholic Primary School Lynbrook Newsletter

From the Principal

NAPLAN 2022

This week our children in Year 3 and 5 completed the Writing and Reading tests. This is our first year of completing these tests online. We had our fingers crossed that the system would work and everything would go to plan. There was meticulous planning behind the scenes to schedule tests, obtain individual session codes, charge devices and ensure each child had their personal login code. We are thankful to report that week 1 of testing has all gone well. Our students while a touch nervous and excited, engaged with the tests and completed them to the best of their ability. That is all we ask of them. The results are just one pointer to where they are currently at and will inform their next learning goals along with other key data that teachers have.

 

Next week children will complete the Writing Conventions and grammar test and the Mathematics test. If they were away on the test days there is the opportunity for a catch up test. Only writing has an earlier catch up deadline of Friday 13 May and all other tests need to be completed by Friday 20 May.

Biscuits for Ukraine

Last week Michael Elliot Digital Content Producer from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) visited our school to interview Kristy , Mia and Zoe who were involved in the Bake Sale for Ukraine. The Bake Sale with the support of the community raised $3150. This money was donated to the  Ukrainian Crisis Appeal at the end of Term . Orysia Stefyn was present to receive the donation from our school.

 

The interview was recorded and the video was released to all Catholic school this week by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools.

 

Biscuits for Ukraine see the link to the MACS Media Release.

 

We continue to keep the people of Ukraine in our thoughts and prayers.

Annual Report to the Community

We are currently completing our 2021 Annual Report to the Community. This annual report provides details of our achievements from the past twelve months on our School Improvement Plan. Our entire leadership is involved in this reporting and in addition we have reports from our new school governors - Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, our Parish Priest Fr Desmond Moloney and from Brook Mole the chairperson of our School Advisory Council. We look forward to presenting this report to the community once it is checked and ready for publication. This report will appear on our SFS school website, there will be a link in our newsletter and it will be sent to you via Operoo.

Positive Behaviour for Learning - PBL

One of our Key Priorities from our 2022 - 2025 School Improvement Plan is 

 

Empowerment and Engagement 

 

Our Goal: To maximise student engagement in learning.

 

We seek to review the effectiveness of classroom management and positive relationships to enhance the climate for learning  and  facilitate and implement  a whole school plan.

 

Our staff have commenced this process at our recent conference. We are working with Jane Bennett from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) as we review, refine and revise our practices to ensure consistency across the school and develop our plan. We are working together on Positive Behaviour for Learning - PBL.

 

Our staff will be involved in two staff meetings each term that focus on PBL. We have a core team for this implementation who will be engaged in professional learning and core team meetings to lead the process with staff. Our onsite coach will be Rachel Lenko and Jane Bennett will be our coach while we work on our goal to maximise student engagement in learning.

 

However, for PBL to be effective we need parents and students to be involved and working in partnership with us. One key way we can maximise student engagement in learning is by ensuring developmental approaches to the teaching of social and emotional competencies. This first involves naming and agreeing on our school expectations. It is recommended that there be no more than three or four expectations, so they can be remembered. Thus as a community we need to review our current 12 values and think about what three or four agreed expectations we will have. Is there an important expectation that needs to be added? These expectations must link to social and emotional competencies that are teachable. 

 

The explicit and systematic teaching of social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies to students has been shown to decrease emotional distress and behavioural problems and increase academic scores. SEL helps students manage emotions, set goals, get along with others and make responsible decisions.

 

We will be inviting dialogue and discernment with parents and students as we work together to determine these three or four expectations for St Francis de Sales. So I am inviting you to consider what they will be, have a chat with other parents and your children. We will in coming weeks ask for your response either at a forum at school, via ZOOM or using Operoo as we seek your input. We will also have a process for working with students across the school.

 

We our aiming to determine our three to four expectations by June. So please be ready to engage and collaborate with us as we begin this important work.

School Uniform

It is now time to have all children in the correct winter Uniform. 

Some reminders:

  • Please ensure children only have hair bows and ribbons in our school colours.
  • Black school shoes need to be worn. 
  • Runners are only worn on sports days. ( See Junior or Senior newsletters for PE days)
  • Only black tights are permitted with the girls winter tunic.
  • Jewellery should not be worn to school. Necklaces are an OH&S risk to your child.

It is important that parents support and ensure that their child wears the correct uniform. 

School Photos

School photos went home this week. We hope you liked your child's school photo. If you have any feedback regarding the photos, please send your feedback to the school office.

FLU - Keep Safe This Winter.

With borders opening and the arrival of colder weather, cases of influenza (the flu) are increasing throughout Victoria. Our community is at risk of higher rates of students and staff affected by the flu or COVID-19 this season.

 

What to do if your child gets sick

To help keep your child and our school community safe, please take the following steps if your child has any cold or flu-like symptoms:

  • take a COVID-19 test and follow the current Department of Health isolation requirements if a positive result is shown
  • keep your child at home until their symptoms pass 
  • common flu-like symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, loss of appetite, body aches and feeling extremely weak and tired
  • diagnosis of the flu can only be confirmed by a doctor after a nose or throat swab
  • encourage your child to wash their hands regularly and ask them to cover their nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing. 

COVID-19 vaccination 

COVID-19 vaccines are available free of charge to everyone aged 5 years and over in Australia. It is important that children and young people have the best possible protection against the flu and COVID-19 by getting vaccinated. Ensuring your children are protected against serious illness helps to protect everyone in our community, including older family members who may be at higher risk, along with younger children who can’t receive vaccinations yet.

 

You can book COVID-19 vaccinations through the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398 or at a participating GP, pharmacy, or community health service. Vaccination settings can be found at the Vaccine Clinic Finder.

 

Flu vaccination

Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over. Some people are more at risk of complications from the flu and are eligible for free vaccination under the National Immunisation Program including: 

  • anyone aged 65 years and older
  • pregnant women (at any stage of pregnancy)
  • all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged from 6 months and over
  • people 6 months or older with:
  • children on long-term aspirin therapy from 6 months to 10 years
  • children aged from 6 months to under 5 years.

Flu vaccinations can be booked through GPs and pharmacies, many of which can also provide COVID-19 vaccinations. If you would like more information about the flu vaccination, visit the Better Health Channel.

RATS Tests

You will be receiving another two weeks supply of RATS tests for your children. RATS tests are still required to be conducted each Sunday and Wednesday night. Please inform the school if your child tests positive. 

 

It is also important that you inform the school if your child is a close contact of someone at home who is positive. Your child can continue to come to school if they test negative. However they must test every school day for five days and wear a mask while at school. 

 

COVID is still a concern for us as we manage the health of staff and students. It is currently a challenge to get replacement teachers. Keeping our staff well is a key priority as we navigate the remainder of this term. Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

Enjoy a wonderful weekend.

 

Christine White

Principal