From the Principal 

Dear Parents and Carers,

A big congratulations to all our students for the way they have positively and enthusiastically returned to the new school year.  My observation across the school is that students and teachers are settling back well into our school routines and ways of working.

It has been delightful to see our year six students embracing their new responsibilities as leaders in the school.  Their kindness and care for our prep students have been noticed and appreciated by many in our school community.

This week we continue to face the challenge of minimising the transmission of COVID in our school and broader communities. I will continue to keep you informed of any positive cases that arise so we can all continue to monitor the health of our families.

I am anticipating the second delivery of Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) Kits will arrive this week at the school office. The second round of RAT distribution will be via the students.  Each RAT kit will have the student’s name and class attached to it and will be sent home via your child’s school bag. I will inform you via Operoo\Skoolbag when this distribution takes place so that you check your child’s bag for RAT kits.

Fr Kevin’s Retirement

Prior to Christmas, Fr Kevin Dillon announced that he would be retiring from his role as Parish Priest of St Simon’s Rowville.  Fr Kevin has had such a positive impact on so many people in our faith community and we are grateful for his leadership, care and passion for the wellbeing of our parish.  As a school community, we will formally farewell Fr Kevin at an upcoming assembly and we will do this when we are able to gather in greater numbers.

Welcome Fr Mark Reynolds 

As of 31st January, Fr Mark Reynolds will be responsible for the parish of St Simon’s Parish.  Fr Mark is the parish priest of St Jude's Parish, Scoresby and the Episcopal Vicar for Catholic Schools, (MACS).  Fr Mark will be assisted by Fr Samuel Pearson who was ordained into the priest in late last year.  

Fr Mark has already engaged with Hedy Carvalho and I regarding a number of matters related to the school and parish life.

We are looking forward to continuing the strong partnership between the school and parish.

Operoo - Key Communication Tool

Operoo is a key communication platform for our school community.  School-related messages and letters will be sent to the email addresses registered through your child\rens Operoo profile. Please take some time to ensure you are receiving Operoo messages in your inbox.  Recently we have had some reports from families not receiving messaging from Operoo and this has been because SPAM and Junk mail filters have incorrectly classified these messages.

From time to time Operoo will request parents to review and update their child\ren's profile and we ask that you respond accordingly so that we have the most updated to date information.

Year Level newsletters

This week, parents will receive a Term newsletter from your child\rens' classroom teacher via Operoo messaging.  This newsletter will give families an insight into some of the key educational outcomes and foci for the term as well as information relating to specialists timetables.  The email addresses of classroom teachers will be provided in this document also.  

Big News: The Library is Reopening next week!

We are so excited about the news of our school library reopening next! Check out the Library section of this newsletter for more details.

School Staggered Dismissal

• Students in Red and Blue House will be dismissed at 3:05 pm.  
• Students in Green and Yellow House will be dismissed at 3:15 pm

Parents and families are to wait, social distanced, on the basketball court area for their children to come to them.

The Prep Car park Drive Through will operate in the same manner as last year with students able to be picked up from the school car park via the drive-through lane.  

God bless

Tom Wursthorn

Principal

 2022 Staff