School Newsletter Term 1, Week 8, 17th March 2022

Principals Letter

Dear St Augustine's families, 

House Colours Day - At St. Augustine's we have a House Colours Day each term.  These days provide the children with a greater understanding of their House, the history behind the name, as well as meeting their fellow house members.  Next Monday we be our first House Colours Day for 2022. On these days all children can wear their sports uniform with a t-shirt, ribbons, socks etc. in their House colour. These days are special days in which children engage in different activities with others from Foundation-Year 6 in their respective House. Our House Captains help coordinate the day and organise the children in activities. Each of these days take on a different focus, next Monday is Harmony Day so all activities will be organised around this. Each of our four Houses are named after past St Augustine's priests and  the children learn about the history behind their House. Then we gather for a picnic style lunch together on the grass area. 

School Advisory Council and Parent & Friends Nominations - Anyone wishing to be involved in your child's schooling and become more aware of decisions made around the school, please consider a nomination for School Advisory Council or Parents and Friends. Nominations are due this Friday for the AGM, Wednesday 30th March at 7pm. 

Cross Country - The year 3-6 students will participate in our school Cross Country on Friday 18th March at Princes Park.  The first event will begin at 12pm, with the day finishing around 2.30pm. Families are welcome to come down and watch or help out. We need as many parent helpers as we can so please contact Miss Ryan via Class Dojo if you are able to help out on the day.

Parking - The safety of our students is paramount. We do not have enough parking spaces around our school so I ask for your patience and heightened awareness of after school pickup times.

Please observe road rules around our school for the safety of all of our children.

* Schools have 40km zone.

* 3 minute parking spaces at the front of the school for quick pick up and drop off only.

* Disabled parking spaces

* Parking behind the church & tennis courts is STAFF ONLY parking.

* Bus zones in Kars and Burns street

* Please use the crossing on Burns, Kars St and Burke St when crossing the road.

* For safety purposes, please avoid letting your children exit or enter a car whilst on the road or stopped at the crossings. Please do not double park. 

Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding regarding these important safety measures. 

Apparently, there is an old Syrian saying ‘inside the people you know, there is a person you don’t know.’ One of God’s gifts is the grace to keep discovering beautiful things about the people close to us. Likewise, our children and our friends. If we put them in a box with a label, we can become blind to some unexpected wonders God wants us to see.
Just like in this week's Gospel, we hear about Peter, James and John on the occasion of the transfiguration of Jesus. The experience on the mountain allows them to understand that they have hardly begun to understand the depth of the mystery of Jesus. A voice from the cloud says ‘this is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’

We pray for all those who live with disability, especially those who are stigmatised in any way. May we do all we can to support their flourishing as truly equal participants in the human family.

Amen.

Many blessings,

Mrs Sonia Turner

Principal

Easter Raffle

Every year the Catholic Identity leadership group run an Easter Raffle to raise money for Caritas.   Tickets are 50 cents each and will be sold outside the school library before school from Monday 28th March. The raffle will be drawn on the last day of term one, Friday 8th April.

****DONATIONS NEEDED****

In order to make our Easter raffle a success we kindly need donations of easter goodies. These can be left in the basket in the school foyer. Thank you in advance!

SAC and P&F Reminder

The St Augustine's AGM for the election of new members to the School Advisory Council and Parents and Friends Committee will be:

WEDNESDAY MARCH 30th at 7pm in the Parish Hall.

* Nomination forms attached and available at the school office. 

Happy Birthday to...

Daniel W - Year 5     Reef H - Year 1    Laker H - Year 1    Graidy S - Year 1      Jai A - Year 5

Mac M - Year 1     Millie T - Year 5      Oliver F - Foundation      Clayton B - Year 5      Nash K - Year 5

                                                                    Ruby M - Year 6     Scarlett J - Year 4 

STAR Students

At St Augustine's we are a SWPBIS school (School Wide Positive Behaviour in School) and we have a STAR culture. STAR stands for:

S  - stay safe

T  - take pride

A  - act justly

R  - respond positively

Just like children are explicitly taught academics, acceptable behaviour is also explicitly taught. STAR awards are given at Assembly each fortnight, exceptional STARs are sent a postcard which qualifies them to morning tea with the Principal at the end of the term.

STAR lessons are taught around a nominated behaviour blitz. Children are taught how to be a STAR in all places they go and what the acceptable behaviour looks like. Examples of a lessons: how to stay safe in class, in the library, the toilet, at the bus stop, on the playground or when walking to the swimming pool.

BOOK CLUB

Due date for Issue 2 is Friday 18th March

All orders are to be placed online through the LOOP portal. 

Links below for LOOP sign in and online catalogue.

If you have any further enquiries, please contact the school office.

PAM - Parent Access Module

IMPORTANT

PLEASE LOG INTO YOUR PAM ACCOUNT AND CONFIRM/COMPLETE YOUR CHILDS MEDICAL PROFILE ASAP

We require ALL families to complete and update their child/ren’s medical details and contact information for 2022 through PAM and throughout the year as changes occur. 

This information is mandatory and vital in the case of an emergency.   It is important that if you have any change to your contact numbers, including work place, mobile, home number, that these be updated through PAM and to advise the school office.

To complete your child/rens medical profile including contact information, go to PAM, click on your child/rens name, go to 'Medical Profile' and click 'Edit Details'. Complete details then click in the box at the bottom of the page to confirm the details are correct and click ‘Update Details’.

If you have any questions or require your login details, please contact the school office.

Bell times

5 minutes prior to classes commencing there is music played. This signals to the children it is time to start moving to class. This is the time children need to have a drink, go to the toilet etc. so they are lined up and ready to start class when the bell goes. 

8:30am - Yard Care Supervision begins

8:40am  -  Classroom teacher in classroom - meet & greet

8:55pm - School classes begin

9am-11am - 2 hour learning session

11am-11:40am -  First break

11:40am-1:40pm - 2 hour learning session

1:40pm-2:20pm - Second break

2:20pm-3:15pm - 55 minute learning session

3:10pm - Fiscalini & Flanagan dismissal

3:15pm - Arundell & Scanlan, Bus students dismissal

Canteen

All orders must be placed through CDFPay prior to 9.30am Fridays.

Please contact the office if you are having any issues with your CDFPay account. 

Parking & Road Safety

There are three minute parking bays in Burke Street outside the school entrance.  Your co-operation in only parking in this area for the specified time would be appreciated.  These parking bays are for quick pick up and drop off for students leaving early due to appointments and illness.

Likewise we also ask parents to respect the parking restriction on the disabled parking area.

Parking behind the church & tennis courts is STAFF ONLY parking. Please do not use these areas to park or pickup your children. Vehicle movement in and out of these areas means you are driving over footpaths/walkways which both our students and Highview students are using. This creates a potential safety hazard.

Follow road safety regulations, keep driveways clear, check carefully before reversing and avoid letting your children exit or enter a car whilst on the road or stopped at the crossings. Please do not double park. We all want to keep our families safe so your co-operation is appreciated.

Please observe road rules around our school for the safety of all of our children.

* Schools have 40km zone.

* Parking behind the church & tennis courts is STAFF ONLY parking.

* Please use the children's crossing on Burns, Kars St and Burke St.

* For safety purposes, please avoid letting your children exit or enter a car whilst on the road or stopped at the crossings. Please do not double park. 

Thank you for your co-operation.

COVID Guidelines

Students with underlying conditions

Recent and most up to date information for children in schools:

Students with underlying conditions (such as hay fever or asthma)

If a student has persistent symptoms due to an underlying condition such as hay fever or asthma, the student should still be tested for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms that are different to or worse than their usual symptoms. Students whose symptoms are clearly typical for their underlying condition can continue to attend school.

Parents/carers should also consider getting a medical certificate from the child’s treating GP to confirm that it is safe for them to attend school with persistent symptoms that may overlap with some of the symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough or runny nose.

Young children with persistent mild symptoms

For younger children (in Prep to Year 2) who have had a negative COVID-19 test that was taken after they developed symptoms, the decision about return to school should be made in conjunction with the child’s treating GP. If the GP is satisfied the child has recovered from their acute illness, is otherwise well and does not need a repeat COVID-19 test, the child can return even if they are not completely free of symptoms. Any worsening of symptoms will require review and repeat COVID-19 testing, if considered appropriate by the doctor.

Students with a negative COVID-19 test whose symptoms have completely resolved do not need a medical certificate to return to school.

Cyber Safety

Each fortnight we will post helpful eSafety information for students and families here. 

Kids health - Internet safety

Child Safety

St. Augustine's Primary School Maryborough demonstrates a strong commitment to the care, safety and wellbeing of all students at our school.

Each fortnight we will be sharing information around child safety and the obligations that we have as a school, staff and community.  All of our Child Safe policies and procedures are accessible on our website at samaryborough.catholic.edu.au.

Supervision of Students Information for Parents

School Fees and Payment Information

REMINDER: Resource fees are now overdue.

Fees can be paid via direct credit into the school bank account or at the school office.

St. Augustine's Primary School

BSB: 083-532        ACC: 754337515    

Reference: Your surname and/or account number

Camps Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) 

Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply. $125 per year is paid for eligible primary school students, with $225 per year paid for eligible secondary school students. Payments are made directly to the school and are tied to the student. Eligibility: Families holding an eligible Centrelink Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Veterans Affairs Gold Card on the first day of Term 1 or first day of Term 2 or be a temporary foster parent will be eligible to apply.

The CSEF will be credited to your fee account once government funds have been received by the end of term 1.

Family Fee Assistance Scheme 

In all Ballarat Diocesan Catholic Primary Schools, tuition fee discounts are available to families eligible for a means tested Centrelink or Veteran Affairs concession card. The scheme offers tuition fee discounts to both Catholic and non-Catholic families, to new and current students. If you are eligible for the above concession card and require further information regarding this scheme, please contact the school office for more information.

Family Fee assistance forms will  automatically be sent to eligible families who have received CSEF by the end of Term 1. Family Fee Assistance for 2022 is $600.

2022 school fee structure as per below.

Conveyance Allowance

The conveyance allowance is a form of financial assistance to help families in rural and regional Victoria with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest appropriate school/campus.  The conveyance allowance is available to eligible students travelling by public transport, private car and private bus.  The conveyance allowance is also available to eligible students whose nearest school is not serviced by a free school bus.

Students attending a non-government school must:

• attend their nearest non-government school/campus appropriate to their year level at which admission is permissible
• reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from that school/campus attended
• be of school age (5 to 18 years old at time of application) and reside in Victoria

For further information, please go to the link below.

Bus Travel

Bus travel on the country buses is available for students at St Augustine’s School and arrangements are made through the bus co-ordinator, Benedict Stewart, at the Maryborough Education Centre on 5461 7900.  Parents of the student/s must organise the pass through MEC at least two days prior to travel. Students cannot travel on the country buses without a pass. The town bus does not require a pass but costs 50cents a trip, payable on the day of travel.  Please advise the office if your child will be travelling on any of the buses so we can update our bus rolls.

IMPORTANT

All bus travel requires parents/guardians to complete a Public Transport Victoria (PTV) Application for Permission to Travel form prior to any bus travel. This form can be emailed direct to Stephen Broad at MEC, Benedict.Stewart@education.vic.gov.au. It is important that this form is completed as these details will be used in the event of an emergency.

Uniform Shop

The uniform shop will continue to fill CDFPay online orders once a week and send them home with your child/ren. 

Note: As per 2021 announcement, there is no longer a designated period for summer or winter uniform. Students can choose what they would like to wear in any season. The only exception is that sports uniform must be worn on designated sports days and bucket hats are to be worn in Term 1 and 4.

St. Augustine's is a Sun Smart school. This means all members of our school must wear a school hat while outside during the school day in Terms 1 & 4. Please ensure your child has a school hat. No Hat, No play (unless under the shade area).

Bucket hats are available through CDFPay and in the school office for $10.

Student Illness & Absence

If your child is unwell please keep them at home.

This includes coughs, colds, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea and any other contagious illnesses.  

Coughs & Colds

Children can return to school once symptoms have eased and they are not actively coughing or blowing their nose.  

Vomitting & Diarrhoea

Children can return to school 48 hours after the last episode.

We will send children home if they present with any of these symptoms whilst at school.

Notifying Absences

All absentee notifications should be recorded either through the Parent Access Module (PAM) or directly to the school office by phone or email to admin@samaryborough.catholic.edu.au prior to 9.30am on the day of the absence. Please do not send notes of absence through to classroom teachers on Class Dojo as they may be absent or unable to check messages prior to commencement of class.

If a student is absent and we have not received any form of notification by 9.30am, a text message will be sent to parents asking them to call the office or send a reply text. 

Lunch Box Ideas

Parish News

Please see link below for the latest Parish Bulletin & readings.

Advanced dates for your diary

Term 1, 2022

Friday 18th March - Year 3-6 Cross Country

Monday 21st March  - House Colours Day

Wednesday 23rd March - Foundation rest day

Tuesday 29th March - School Photo Day (UPDATED)

Wednesday 30th March - School Advisory Council & Parents & Friends Meeting 7pm, Parish Hall

Wednesday 30th March  - Foundation rest day

Wednesday 6th April  - Foundation rest day

Friday 8^th April – Last day of Term 1, 2.30pm finish

Community Notices