Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope the recent long weekend provided our school families with a “breather” as we reach (approximately) the halfway point of what has been a very eventful and full Term 1 so far.

Our St Simon’s School community is a busy place with many projects and activities humming away in the background.

Some of these include:

Getting ready for School Athletics Day (Y1-6) Friday 26th March
2021 Prep Sports night Thursday 25th March 5-7 pm
Staff focus on the implementation of The Resilience Project for 2021
Establishment of classroom routines and practices for a successful year of learning
Renovation of the library and classroom and teacher resource areas
Training for Parent Classroom Helpers
Term 1 Program Support Group meetings for student’s learning needs
Parish Pastoral Council planning for 2021

As principal, I am extremely proud of and grateful for all the contributions that parents, students and staff make to strengthening the St Simon’s Community culture.

St Simon’s Parents’ Association

The St Simon’s Parents’ Association (PA) is an important and vital part of our parish school community. It provides opportunities for the community to connect socially and fundraise for projects and initiatives that benefit the students’ learning.

I want to acknowledge and thank all PA members for their efforts and dedication during 2020. Even though many of the core Parents’ Association activities and experiences could not occur due to COVID, this group of dedicated parents continued to meet and support the school's work throughout 2020. Thank you to Marie DiScala for the role of Chairperson and Amy Parker for the role of secretary. Marie and Amy will vacate these roles in 2021 and continue to support the PA differently. Thank you for your time and energy, Marie and Amy.

Last week the St Simon’s Parents’ Association met for the first time in 2021.

I want to thank the following people for being part of the 2021 Parents’ Association.

Suzy Dennis and Rosemary Pulitano - Co-Chair

Emily Woods - Secretary

Emma Dennis - Assistant Secretary

Bec O’Keeffe - Treasurer

General Committee Members:

Marie Di Scala

Colleen Lee

Michelle Ren

Deborah Lane

Cathy Stevenson

Giovanna Younan

Alisha Taubman

Anthea Bombardieri

Bec Howell

Tara Barker

We look forward to the different experiences and activities that the PA organise, including Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day stalls, Outdoor cinema night (Term 4) and more.

Colour Fun Run 2021 - The Resilience Project - Friday 19th March

This year the Parents’ Association will be hosting a colour fun run fundraising event that will be promoting our school’s involvement in The Resilience Project.

The colour fun run involves groups of students running through a simple obstacle course whilst having non-toxic colour powder sprayed onto their (old) clothing. The powder makes a mark on the clothes creating an atmosphere of fun and excitement.

The information sent home by the Parents’ Association outlines the process of gathering sponsorship to participate in the fun run.

More details regarding the event's logistics will be shared with families shortly, including details regarding the safety data sheet for the non-toxic powder used on the day.

Canteen 2.0 - Term 2 Return

It is with much anticipation and excitement that we are announcing the School Canteen's return to St Simon’s in Term 2. After a long recess throughout 2019 and 2020, Canteen returns using a new online ordering system, making the operating and ordering processes easier for parents and canteen volunteers.

Here are the key pieces of information:

The canteen will be available on Fridays to half the school at a time.
Students in Prep-Year 3 Canteen Service will be on Fridays every second week starting from Week 2, Friday 30th April. (Weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8)
Students in Years 4-6 Canteen Service will be on Fridays every second week starting from Week 3, Friday 7th May. (Weeks 3, 5, 7, and 9)

Kelly Olarenshaw and her team of amazing volunteers will be sharing more information soon.

Thank you to the parents who have responded to the previous calls for volunteers. There is always room for more people, so please consider getting involved in continuing this much-loved activity for the school community.

Carpark Reminders

The Parish driveway entrance is for Parish staff only. All school families should refrain from using this driveway and car parking. This driveway area is also a shared path of travel for pedestrians, including school families, and there must be minimal movement of vehicles in this space. Please see the map below for further information.

NAPLAN 2021

NAPLAN is a national assessment program that assesses Year 3 and 5 students in Literacy and Mathematics. Most of these assessments are completed online during May. This week, a parent information flyer will be sent home via the classroom tubs for parents with child\ren in Year 3 and 5. Please read it carefully and contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

The Resilience Project - Parent Webinar

Save the Date

Tuesday 30th March 6:30-8:00 pm

God bless

Tom Wursthorn

Principal

Prayers for Families