School Newsletter Term 3, Week 10, 19th September 2024

Principals Letter

Dear St Augustine's families,

The final week of Term 3 and heading into the holidays and hopefully better weather. Students in their classrooms have been finishing off units and celebrating their hard work over the last ten weeks. 

This Term some of the activities we have engaged in are Noel Pollerd Basketball, Fathers's Day Liturgy and stall, whole school prayer led by each year level, My Pizza and Pasta lunches, 5/6 had a cultural experience watching ‘Mao’s Last Dancer’, 3/4 had an excursion to try different sports, Sacrament of Confirmation, Foundation celebrated 100 days, Science week, Regional football and netball, Book Week, a writing competition, St Augustine's Feast Day, 5/6 attended ‘Fame’ the Highview Musical, Division Athletics, F-2 excursion for mini Olympics, swimming lessons for Years 3-6, Come and Try for Foundation 2025, Subway Lunch and EBT training and preparation has commenced. These are some of the events our school has prepared and supported for students' learning—a successful term, well done to families, students and staff.  We hope you all enjoy the two-week break before we head into the last time of 2024. 

Please be mindful of traffic around our school and be as safe as possible. We encourage as many families to use the crossings as this is the safest point to cross the roads. Please remember to wait for the crossing attendant to signal to go across either by voice or whistle. Staff will be out looking for STARS who are leaving our school safely. 

Some tips from Transport Victoria:

https://transport.vic.gov.au/road-rules-and-safety/pedestrians-and-walking/crossing-the-road-safely

Pedestrians are not allowed to:

• cross the road if they are facing an amber or red traffic or pedestrian light 
• cross the road within 20 metres of a pedestrian crossing - they must use the crossing

When you are crossing a road, you may be able to see a driver, but it doesn’t mean that the driver has seen you. So take extra care when crossing the road.

Here are some tips to make sure you can be seen.

• Cross where you can easily see the traffic approaching from both directions.
• Avoid crossing roads near the crest of a hill or a bend, because it is harder for drivers to see you in these places.
• Cross at:
• a pedestrian crossing (like a zebra crossing), 
• signalised pedestrian crossing, or 
• where there is a pedestrian refuge (island in the middle of the road), if possible.

National Catholic Schools Parent Survey - Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) is seeking your support to promote participation in a national survey of parents in Catholic schools. The survey invites parents to share their views on existing and emerging affirmations and/or challenges in relation to their child/children’s wellbeing and learning. It is anonymous, confidential, and completely voluntary and designed to assist the CSPA and the Catholic sector  to develop action and advocacy priorities/objectives. For more information about the study and to participate click here.

HATS - We will continue to encourage all students to wear their school hats in readiness for Term 4 where it will be NO HAT NO PLAY. Please make sure your child/children have a hat and they are named. Hats are available from the uniform shop or office for $10 each.

Friday being our last day of Term 3 with an early 2.30pm finish, we  wish all our families a safe and restful break. See you back on Monday 7th October!  

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the good times we enjoy with our families; for the fun and the friendship; for the moments we feel deeply known and loved by each other. Help us cherish each member of our family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Many blessing, 

Mrs Kate Balzan

Deputy Principal

Medical Alert - Whooping Cough

The incidence of Whooping cough cases is continuing to increase across Victoria, particularly among school-aged children.

Whooping cough is a very contagious infection, mostly spread through coughing or sneezing. 

Symptoms include:

• blocked or runny nose
• tiredness
• mild fever
• severe bouts of coughing, often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound on breathing.

Whooping cough can lead to life-threatening infections in babies.

If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops whooping cough symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the spread of the infection.

Students diagnosed with whooping cough must not attend school

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they must not attend school for 21 days after the onset of the cough, or until they have received 5 days of antibiotic treatment.

You must notify the school if your child is diagnosed with whooping cough.

To further reduce the spread of infection to your child and the school community, the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 require that some students who were in the same classroom as a student diagnosed with whooping cough should not attend school.

Your child should not attend school for 14 days after they were last exposed to a person diagnosed with whooping cough, or until they have taken 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment if they are:

• aged less than 7 years; and
• not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.

This exclusion is required by law – refer to the School exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services.

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to let us know.

Your support in keeping our students safe and well is greatly appreciated.

For more information about whooping cough, refer to Whooping cough on the Better Health Channel.

Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough. The Department of Health recommends staying up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. A free booster dose of the pertussis vaccine is covered under the national immunisation program for students aged 12 to 13. If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination status for whooping cough, please discuss with an immunisation provider, such as your doctor.

Happy Birthday to...

Logan P - Year 4      Gabriel T - Year 5     Violet T - Year 2    Parker Y - Year 6    Maylah H  - Year 1

Tyler D- Year 4      Henry B - Year 5   Evie M  - Year 5    

        Samantha W - Year 3   Charlie M  - Year 3    Hugo R - Year 4   

Holiday Birthdays 

Maci B - Year 2     Elise M - Year 1     Ayla H - Year 3     Carter S - Year 3     Charlie C - Foundation

Ethan M - Year 3     Max P - Foundation     Harry M - Year 2     Charlotte H - Year 6

Noah L - Year 6     Elsie G - Year 1     April K - Year 3     Latisha E - Foundation     Miller S - Year 1 

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.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WEEK 9 & 10 WEEKLY STARS

EBT Sponsorship

At St. Augustine’s Primary School, we prioritise the development and progression of leadership skills. Students are actively encouraged and supported to take ownership of their skill acquisition and personal growth. One of the ways we help our students facilitate this is through our partnership in the Energy Breakthrough Program. The event is held in our hometown of Maryborough from the 20th to the 23rd of November this year. We fully support this incredible opportunity for our students and our town, as one of the biggest local annual events.

The https://www.eb.org.au/ website is a great resource to find out more about this remarkable program.

The Energy Breakthrough Program provides opportunities for students, teachers, parents and local industries to work together to design and construct a vehicle that represents an ‘Energy Breakthrough’. Students then show their understanding of their vehicle through a range of oral and practical presentations, followed by a series of races.

This event aims to provide an opportunity for females to participate in what has traditionally been ‘male’ dominated areas of the curriculum. The Energy Breakthrough Program promotes leadership and encourages participants to examine and use the latest technology while considering its impact on the environment.

In 2024, St. Augustine’s Primary School will be in its fourteenth year of participation. This year we have entered two Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) teams, two Try-Athlon teams, three Pushcart teams and one Robotics team. At our school, we take pride in our exceptional Energy Breakthrough Program, which goes above and beyond by involving every Year 5/6 student in the event. This inclusive approach opens up abundant opportunities and creates meaningful experiences for all the children.

We are once again looking for significant community support from local businesses and families as we look to build our Energy Breakthrough Program. Through your very generous support, we will be able to offer our students a program to gain the full benefit of their hard work and dedication.

If you wish to support this exciting Energy Breakthrough Program, we would welcome your contribution.

Attached are our sponsorship options, for your consideration. If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact the school office on 03 5460 4440 or email admin@samaryborough.catholic.edu.au.

Sincerely,

Emma Ryan

Energy Breakthrough Coordinator

St. Augustine’s Primary School

e: eryan@samaryborough.catholic.edu.au 

ph: 03 5460 4440

Parents & Friends

Mango drive is up and running on CDFPay for orders!

Save the Date: Aver and Line family portraits Saturday 16th Nov. More information to come. 

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!

Ambulance Cover

Emergency medical transport services are not free and not covered by Medicare. Become a genuine Ambulance Victoria member and be protected against the cost of transport and treatment by paramedics.

If your child required an ambulance at school we would not hesitate to call for one before speaking with parents. Without ambulance membership it can be a very costly trip! If your not already covered please consider!

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

Final payment of fees are due by the end of November 2024.  Please make contact with the school if you have any questions or concerns.   

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.

HATS 

Recent changes to sun protection regulations have deemed the UV rays as a predictor for the wearing of sun protection, such as hats. In the past we have mandated hats in Term 1 and 4 however now in Victoria, UV levels typically reach 3 or higher daily from mid-August to the end of April.

Daily sun protection times are forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology based on location. At levels above 3, sun protection is recommended for all skin types.

Bucket Hats available from the uniform shop or school office for $10 each. Recommended for remainder of Term 3, compulsory for Term 4.

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 leave a message. and we will get back to you ASAP. Alternatively 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

UPDATE: THERE IS NO CANTEEN this term OR EARLY TERM 4 due to the 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

Tuesday 5th November - Melbourne Cup Day Holiday - school closure day

Wednesday 20th - Friday 23rd - Energy Breakthrough event

Wednesday 4th December - Graduation Mass

Colour Run posponed to Term 4 - Date to be advised

Please see the link to the school calendar below for all  important dates.

Community Notices