School Newsletter Term 3, Week 2, 25th July 2024
-
Principals Letter
-
BOOK WEEK
-
Class Captains & Student Voice
-
2025 Enrolment Applications
-
Happy Birthday to...
-
Term 3 Learning
-
STAR Students
-
BOOK CLUB Issue 7
-
Lunch box ideas
-
SchoolTV
-
Bus Travel & Conveyance Allowance
-
2024 School Fees & Levies
-
Medical Information
-
Student Medical Information
-
Child Safety
-
Uniform Shop
-
PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE
-
PAM - Parent Access Module
-
Canteen
-
Parking & Road Safety
-
Bell times
-
Parish News
-
Advanced dates for your diary
-
Community Notices
Principals Letter
Dear St Augustine families,
A warm, welcome back to Term 3. I hope you all had the opportunity to spend time with family, friends and loved ones over the holidays as well as some downtime from the routine of school life.
BUILDING UPDATE Over the holidays, the demolition work to the corridor in the main building was scheduled to occur, however there were some major structural problems that required the engineers to look at an alternative to the initial design. This in turn has pushed back this work. As a flow on effect the classes that were relocated (3/4 J, 1/2 P and 1/2 H) are going to remain in their 'relocated rooms' for the rest of the term. Canteen as we are used to will look different because 3/4 Johnson class is currently using the Hall where the canteen operates out of. We will have a couple of alternatives and more details will be shared when these are finalised.
The works to the main entrance and staff area are definitely on track and are nearing completion.
NEXT WEEK, we will have another pizza day on Friday August 2nd. Orders to be placed via CDFPAY before 2pm Tuesday 30/7 . Thank you to Louise from 'My Pizza Pasta' who has made this process incredibly easy and smooth for us at school.
BOOK WEEK This year Book Week is Monday 19th August - Friday 23rd August. We will have a book parade where all children come dressed up in their favourite book character. ALL families are invited and welcome to attend our book parade on MONDAY 19th Aug at 9:00am. More details overleaf.
PARKING 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. Your cooperation is appreciated.
STAFFING We welcome Mrs Healey to our school as our Art teacher for the remainder of the year. In the first half of the year the children had library lessons and now for the second half they will engage in Art lessons. Borrowing of a library book each week will still occur with the classroom teacher.
We welcome back to our school Mrs Adele Carey who will be taking the Year 1/2 class as Mrs Hooper goes on maternity leave.
CONGRATULATIONS A very special congratulations to Chrissy and Jay on the safe arrival of 'Austin James Hooper'. We wish them all the very best as they enjoy the blessing of their new baby boy into their lives.
SACRAMENT OF EUCHARIST We have 14 children currently preparing for the Sacrament of Eucharist so we remember and pray for these children and their families over the next few weeks. The third of the three sacraments of initiation, the Sacrament of Holy Communion (Eucharist) is the reception of Christ's Body and Blood. Catholics believe the Eucharist, or Communion, is both a sacrifice and a meal. We believe in the real presence of Jesus, who died for our sins. As we receive Christ's Body and Blood, we also are nourished spiritually and brought closer to God.
Many blessing,
Mrs Sonia Turner
Principal
BOOK WEEK
A message from Mrs Shaw & Miss Thomson
It's an exciting term packed with literacy events! The highlight is Book Week, scheduled for week 6. Our Book Week parade will kick off on Monday at 9:00 am, celebrating the theme 'Reading Is Magic,' which truly reflects its essence. Miss Thomson and I will be organising various reading-related activities throughout the week for all students, including the much loved quiz. Additionally, the book fair will return, taking place in the gym; specific times and days will be announced soon. Now is a great time to start considering your character for Book Week 2024. Remember, reading is like wielding a magician's wand, where each turned page conjures spells of wonder and knowledge!
Class Captains & Student Voice
Congratulations to our Term 3 Class Captains & Student Voice representatives! Badges will be presented at the Whole School Prayer on Friday in the gym at 2.20pm.
2025 Enrolment Applications
A reminder to make sure enrolment applications for 2025 are submitted this term. Please complete an Expression of Interest form through our school website (link below) if you have a child/ren starting school in 2025 or beyond. We will be conducting enrolment interviews soon for 2025 applicants. Likewise please let the school know if your child/ren will not be returning to our school in 2025.
Happy Birthday to...
George P - Year 1 Leni T - Year 3 Liam H - Foundation
Blake H - Year 3 Sophie L - Year 4 Phoebe H - Foundation Milla P - Year 6
Lilah R - Foundation Thomas S - Year 1 Jarrod B - Year 3 Theo G - Year 2
Term 3 Learning
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 Issue 7
All orders are to be placed through LOOP by CLOSING DATE MONDAY 28th OCTOBER, instructions as attached.
Each purchase accrues points which are used to buy library books and resources for our school. Thank you to all who support Book Club and our school.
PROMOTION FOR ISSUE 7 BELOW
Lunch box ideas
SchoolTV
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
St Augustine’s is very excited to introduce a new initiative to help support the wellbeing of your students and better resource key staff. After all, happy and well supported students are better equipped to learn and succeed.
Because parenting doesn’t come with instructions, SchoolTV is an online wellbeing resource that can support you in the challenges of modern-day parenting. This award-winning resource helps build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It can assist you in starting conversations on topics that are sometimes awkward or difficult to tackle.
Parenting is a learning journey and SchoolTV supports families by providing credible information from trusted sources offering practical strategies with a focus to empower confidence when difficulties arise.
We invite you to visit our SchoolTV site and view the content. Discover a host of interesting topics featuring interviews with leading youth wellbeing experts and researchers from around the world offering hours of relevant and practical information. Additionally, each topic includes a compilation of related resources from key organisations providing a comprehensive stream of content. Resources include informative fact sheets, articles, apps, books, podcasts, websites, and other videos - all related to a single topic, in one place for easy access!
Start exploring SchoolTV today!
Bus Travel & Conveyance Allowance
Bus travel on the country buses is available for students at St Augustine’s School and arrangements are made through the bus co-ordinator, Heather Jennings, 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 Heather Jennings at MEC, Heather.Jennings@education.vic.gov.au. It is important that this form is completed as these details will be used in the event of an emergency.
PTV forms are now required to be updated and completed yearly by all families who have bus travellers.
CONVEYANCE ALLOWANCE
Eligibility
An application on behalf of a student may be submitted if the student is:
- a Victorian resident.
- school aged and enrolled (3) three or more days per week at a school; and
- attending a school/campus located outside the Melbourne metropolitan conveyance boundary
A student who meets the above requirements may be eligible if they:
- attend their nearest or designated neighbourhood government school/campus appropriate to their year level, at which admission is permissible, or
- attend their nearest appropriate non-government school/campus appropriate to their year level, at which admission is permissible, and
- reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from the campus attended
2024 School Fees & Levies
ALL Resource Fees, Year 5/6 & 3/4 Camp fees are now outstanding. Payment can be made via EFTPOS or cash at the school office, credit card over the phone or direct deposit to our account.
We welcome all students and their families who share or respect our Catholic faith, values and traditions. Catholic education is supported by State and Federal funding, with families contributing the balance of the cost of educating their children. At times, some families are unable to meet their commitment to the full costs of education. As a Catholic school system, we ensure fee relief mechanisms are available to support families in time of need. We encourage these discussions on enrolment or as these needs emerge.
Medical Information
Concussion – Important information
If your child has experienced concussion, it is important that you follow recommended medical advice. Returning to school can be a graduated approach with the aim of increasing tolerance to a full day, the same situation could occur with sport. It is always important to check with your doctor and seek medical treatment after a child sustains a concussion.
It is important to inform the school if your child has sustained a concussion outside of the school setting so we can monitor for ongoing symptoms and adapt activities if required.
This factsheet link below from the Royal Children’s Hospital is valuable to read and understand.
https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Head_injury_return_to_school_and_sport/
There is also a great evidence-based app from the Murdoch children’s research institute that walks you through what to do in the result of a concussion.
https://www.headcheck.com.au/
Student Medical Information
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.
Child Safety
St. Augustine's Primary School Maryborough demonstrates a strong commitment to the care, safety and wellbeing of all students at our school.
All of our Child Safe policies and procedures are accessible on our website through the link below.
Uniform Shop
Uniform orders will continue to be filled and sent home with your child(ren) weekly. If you would like to enquire about secondhand uniform, please send a message to Amber on Class Dojo with your required items and sizes and we will send home what we can supply, $5 per item.
Winter beanies for sale in our uniform shop and in the school office $20 each. All profits go to our Energy Breakthrough program.
If you have any queries or items to be exchanged, please contact the school office.
Note: 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.
School hats are compulsory in Term 1, up until 30th April of Term 2 & Term 4. No hat, no play!
PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE
If you call the office and the phone is unattended or busy, please DO NOT leave a message. Messages are unable to be accessed at the moment. Please email a message through to admin@samaryborough.catholic.edu.au or send a class dojo through to Ms O'Kearney. Please try and avoid last minute end of day changes for students. We understand that things do come up and if a change needs to be urgently relayed to your child/ren, please call and speak with the office so we can make sure they get the message immediately.
Please note with the temporary office relocation we only have one phone line!
PAM - Parent Access Module
PLEASE LOG INTO YOUR PAM ACCOUNT AND CONFIRM/COMPLETE YOUR CHILDS MEDICAL PROFILE. THIS INFORMATION IS MANDATORY FOR ALL STUDENTS.
We require ALL families to complete and update their child/ren’s medical details and contact information for 2023 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.
Canteen
THERE IS NO CANTEEN FRIDAY 19/7, 26/7 & 2/8 due to building works
All orders must be placed through CDFPay prior to 9.00am Fridays. Please ensure you complete all orders on CDFPay and proceed through payment screen to the green receipt screen.
Please contact the office if you are having any issues with your CDFPay account.
Parking & Road Safety
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.
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
8:45am - 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
Parish News
Please see link below for the latest Parish Bulletin & readings.
Advanced dates for your diary
Please see the link to the school calendar below for all important dates.