Dear Families

A new school year means new beginnings, new adventures, new friendships, and new challenges. The slate is clean so anything can happen - Denise Witmer

I hope you all had a restful summer break and you had many opportunities to enjoy fun times with your family and friends.

Our children have enthusiastically returned to school and it has been a pleasure seeing them catching up with their friends and sharing their holiday experiences with their teachers.

The beginning of the school year is a very exciting time for all of us. Our staff have been preparing their classrooms for the return of their children. They are eager to meet the children they will be teaching and to develop positive relationships with them so they can ensure they can grow and develop throughout the year. Our children are beginning to settle into the routines of their new classrooms with their teachers and classmates. Learning goals will be set, expectations will be explained and learning will begin resulting in a positive ‘buzz’ at our school, bringing such joy to our staff. We are indeed privileged to do the work we do. Thank you to our families for the faith and trust you each continue to place in us to care, teach, guide and nurture your children.

Our theme for 2023 is ‘Be Connected’ Brene Brown defines connection as;

the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.

At our Staff Meeting last Friday, we discussed the importance for all members of our school community to feel connected with one another. Throughout 2023 our goal is that;

Our children feel connected with their teachers and friends.

Our staff feel connected with our children, families and colleagues.

Our families feel connected with our school, other families and our staff.

We know that if we feel connected, we are engaged, positive, motivated and feel safe. Therefore our outcomes improve which is something we want for every child attending St Anne’s.

I would like to welcome our new families and staff members and hope that you soon feel as though you belong to our school community and are familiar with our routines and expectations. We all look forward to developing positive partnerships with you all. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask your child’s teacher or the administration staff.

Our Prep children have settled into the routine of school. They have been incredible in the way they are adapting to the challenges that school is presenting them! They came to school on their first day very excited and quickly met new friends. I thank our Prep parents on the way you prepared your child to begin their schooling in such a calm and

positive manner.

We welcome new staff who have joined us in 2022

Gail Pritchard - Prep

Nicole Lunn - Year 1

Sarah Notaro - Year 1

Alison Condliffe - Year 1

Jules Coad - Year 2

Simone Robson - Year 2

Kate Beattie - Year 2

Daniela Caroselli - Year 2

Abbey Dean - Year 4

Hayley Kermonde - Year 5

Chloe Walker - Tutoring

Bardyn McIntyre - LSO

Leanne Miller - LSO

Bianca Young - LSO

Nikki Trajkov - LSO

Anita Kovac - LSO

Michelle Krohn - Administration

Di McKinnon - Administration

We welcome back Michelle Buckley and Nicole Grech from Parental Leave.

Morning and Afternoon Routines

Our gates open at 8.35am and our children will walk to their classrooms and enter them when the bell rings at 8.40am. If children are at school before 8.00am you will be contacted and asked that you enrol them in our Out of Hours Program.

Our classes will begin at 8.50am so all children are expected to be in their classrooms by this time.

The crossing in our drop off area will be supervised from 8.30am.

At the end of the day the gates will be opened at 3.10pm. Due to the business of our car parks, I strongly encourage you to arrange a meeting place outside our gates and park in the side streets and walk.

Absences

If your children are absent from school due to illness you are asked to contact the school via the Operoo app and complete the Student Absentee Form.

COVID 19

Our school is still required to implement important practices to reduce the risk of COVID 19 transmission. At St Anne’s air purifiers will still be used. Classroom doors and windows will be opened to allow air flow. Children will be encouraged to wash their hands and sanitiser will be available in each classroom. Our tables will be regularly cleaned.

RATS tests will no longer be distributed to families. If your child is not well or showing symptoms, please keep them at home until they recover. We will call parents to collect their child if they present with a cold, temperature or feeling unwell if they are at school.

If your child tests positive please inform us. We no longer have to let the school community know if a child tests positive.

Positive Behaviour For Learning - PBL

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL), is a comprehensive integrated whole school approach to student wellbeing and behaviour. It brings together our whole school community to contribute to developing a positive, safe and supportive learning culture. PBL at St Anne’s assists us to improve our children’s social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes. Our children are clear about our values, their expectations and follow up rewards or consequences.

Our purpose statement is;

“Our commitment is to ensure a shared understanding is owned by all our

learning community to promote a stimulating learning environment. We value

respect, resilience, responsibility and safety. Therefore all members will have

opportunities to maximise their spiritual, academic, personal and

interpersonal growth."

At St Anne’s we have four values;

Respect - our actions and words need to consider the the feelings and wellbeing of ourselves and others
Responsibility - we do the things we know we need to do and accept the outcomes of our actions
Resilience - we learn from our mistakes and bounce back
Safety - we keep ourselves and others safe

Throughout the next few weeks our teachers will be focussing on our values with an emphasis on being respectful. I will publish ways you can support us at home in future newsletters throughout the year.

There are several events that have been planned this term which I would like to highlight;

Getting To Know You Conversations - Parents are asked to make an appointment so you can share information about your child to their class teacher. They will be held on the afternoon of Tuesday 7th February or the afternoon and evening of Wednesday 15th February. At this meeting you will have the opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and ask any questions you may have about the year ahead. Please click here to book. (Please see Community News for details)

Beginning School Mass / Liturgy (Year 1-6) - To acknowledge the beginning of the year we will be celebrating mass on Wednesday, February 8th at 9.30am. Our Student Leaders will be receiving their badges at the end of mass.

Sunbury School Sports Association Swimming Carnival - will be held on Thursday 23rd February. More details about this will be forwarded to you shortly.

Beginning of the year School Picnic

Our school picnic will be held on Thursday February 23rd. More details will be forwarded shortly.

School Closure Day - Friday March 24 - Our staff will be participating in a professional learning day on Friday March 24. There will be no school for our children on this day.

We have also planned a professional learning day for staff on Monday April 24. This is the first day of Term Two.

A reminder to parents that we have children who have anaphylaxis and therefore cannot be exposed to nuts. To avoid situations where these children may come into contact with nuts, I ask that you refrain from giving your child any form of nuts (peanuts, cashews, pistachios, walnuts etc.) peanut butter or nutella in your child's lunchbox. I would appreciate it if you follow this request so we can ensure the health needs of all students are being met.

God Bless

Ms Noelene Hussey