Thank you all for your support with the Blended Learning environment over the past four weeks and for many of you also at the end of Term 1. We have been excited that students have returned gradually in the last two weeks and look forward to welcoming all students on Monday. 

Summary:

Supporting our Families

• Please see the infographic for ways in which our school can support your family. If you have any concerns about anything and are in need of support, please let us know as we are only too happy to assist.

• All classes will return to school on Monday 25th May, for the full five days each week.
• Blended Learning will be available from home for those who are vulnerable, however with staff back on face to face teaching, there will be less contact during the day for students at home. If you require assistance, please contact teachers via email and they will respond when they can, or if urgent, call the office.

Attendance:

• Please remember to complete attendance messaging as normal. Students learning from home in Week 5 and 6 will not be marked as absent, as long as a message from home is received by the school office to indicate they are doing so.

Social distancing:

• Adult social distancing is still to be followed by staff, parents and carers:
  • No parents or carers are to be in the school grounds except office attendance.
  • No volunteers are able to visit.
  • Staff are to maintain distance from each other and other adults and will continue hygiene practices.   

Drop Off and Pick Up:

• Drop off - Children are to be dropped off at the front gate with staff ready to assist parents and carers if required. 
• Pick up - Kinder to Year 6 - parents and carers are to wait outside the gate at the far end of Warlters Street (near the Year 5 classrooms). Social distancing is still required while waiting for teachers to assist children to come to you as you walk through the pick up area. In wet weather, it will be the same process but with students being collected inside the hall. There will be marked areas to assist. 
• Buses will be as usual via the bus gate for all Grades - no parents or carers are to congregate where buses collect.

As our whole school community returns, there is an increase in traffic. Please remember the importance of keeping our school and community members safe by:   

• Parking safely and legally.
• Always turning legally around the school.
• Not double parking as it puts children at risk.
• Not using manoeuvres such as U-turns and three-point turns.
• Making sure your children use the Safety Door (rear footpath side door) to get in and out of the car.
• Reminding your child to stay buckled up until the vehicle has stopped in the drop-off and pick-up area.
• Modelling calm, safe and considerate behaviour.

 Illness:

• Children must remain at home if they show any signs of cold or flu symptoms. If they present unwell at school they will be sent home. The same applies for our staff, who will not be allowed to “soldier on”.
• If any family member is being tested for COVID-19, the school needs to be informed and students should not attend school until the results are returned as negative. 

Week 7 onwards:

• From Tuesday 9th June - after the long weekend, Blended Learning ceases and school returns to normal with all staff and students on site. Students are to wear their winter uniform. 
• Learning will continue to focus on English, Maths and Religious Education as priority subjects to the end of Term 2, as these are the areas which will be reported on for Semester 1. Teachers will provide learning which integrates other areas into each week.      

Kindergarten 2021 enrolment interviews:

• During the coming week, families who have submitted enrolment forms for Kindergarten 2021 will receive an email to explain how they can book an enrolment interview. These are expected to take place from 1st June 2020, with more details on the format of the interview to be included in the email received.
  
  

Our community:

• We have loved the Joey’s Olympics entries! Thank you.
• This week we launched our Creative opportunity for children to showcase their talents ... look out for the information in the Creative Corner Article of this newsletter.

Next week is a very important week for Australia and our Indigenous culture. National Sorry Day is held on 26th May each year to acknowledge and recognise the Stolen Generations, those that were forcibly removed from their families and communities. On this day people have the opportunity to come together and share in the healing process for those impacted by this event. 

NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK

Following Sorry Day is National Reconciliation Week  which runs from 27th May to 3rd June each year. The theme for this year is ‘In this Together’. The organisers could not have foreseen how appropriate this would be, given the current COVID-19 crisis. Next week is a time to reunite, adjust and harmonise with what is important to us. Reconciliation Week encourages us  to continue to build relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is a time for all Australians to learn more about our shared histories, cultures, achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. At St Joseph’s we will be incorporating additional Aboriginal and Indigenous cultural learning experiences during this time.

If you would like more detailed information please see https://nrw.reconciliation.org.au/ 

We look forward to sharing some photos of both events next week.

2021 KINDERGARTEN ENROLMENTS

Thank you to everyone who have completed their 2021 Kindergarten online enrolments.

For those who still need to complete their enrolment, please do so as soon as possible using the following link: https://stagnesparish.org.au/education/enrol-now-primary/.

Printed application forms are available on request by calling 6588 7444 or emailing enrol@stagnesparish.org.au.

As our Kindergarten 2021 Information Night was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, we developed a video that includes information from our primary school principals, outlining our holistic approach to learning, pastoral care and partnerships with families and the community. Additionally, there is really useful information regarding school readiness presented by Christy Ismay from the Catholic Schools Office. You can view the full video below.

 St Agnes' Parish Education Team

CATHOLIC CARE OF THE AGED CURRENTLY

TAKING NEW ADMISSIONS

The situation that is facing us regarding Corona-virus (COVID-19) is a constantly changing one.

Catholic Care of the Aged services including Residential Care, Respite Care, Home Care and Independent Villages remain operational in our community. It is our intention and our aim to be able to continue taking new admissions, to welcome and support individuals and their families at their time of need. 

Our priority remains the health, safety and wellbeing of our residents, clients, team members and communities. To minimise contact and maintain the guidelines specified by the Australian Government, we have introduced several changes to the way our services are delivered.

We are enforcing mandatory sanitisation for staff and authorised visitors on the site, COVID-19 screening continues along with temperature checks to ensure reduced risk of exposure. Staff are utilising personal protective equipment (PPE) and practising high-level sanitisation procedures and our routine quality infection controls remain in place.

If you or someone you know is considering Residential Care, Respite Care or Home Care we are currently taking new admissions and would welcome the opportunity to answer any questions you may have. Simply contact our Client Relationship Team on 5525 3600, or email enquiries.cca@stagnesparish.org.au

ST JOSEPH'S PRIMARY SCHOOL OLYMPICS!

Thank you to the families who have emailed their entries to Ms Hatherly! Entries closed today. Winners will be announced next Friday 29th May.

Well done Zoe Little for your leadership and initiative.

ATHLETICS SELECTIONS

Athletics selections will take place on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th June, (Week 9). 

All track and field events will be run over these two days, with training and recording in Weeks 5, 6, 7 and 8 at school. Unfortunately due to restrictions we are unable to have parent support for our usual community Athletics Carnival. 

At this stage, we need to have completed the events by the end of the term to ensure we are ready for the predicted Zone Athletics Carnival in Term 3. 

DAILY SPECIALS

Daily specials are available each day at lunch starting from 50c each.

• Fresh fruit salad
  
• Salad cups
  
• Custard
  
• Jelly
  
• Pizza scrolls
  
• Jumbo cookies
  
• Frozen milk

LUNCH ORDERS

The canteen is operating as usual and lunch orders can be placed via Flexischools or by dropping them in the basket on the counter each morning.

VOLUNTEER NOTICE

We are still unable to have volunteers in the canteen at this stage until further notice.

Don't forget you can order online by 8:30am- it's so easy!!

1. Download the Flexischools app from the App Store or from Google Play.
   Note: for iPhone and iPad please select ‘Allow’ notification
2. Click “Register Now” to create account
3. Top-up your balance
4. Start ordering immediately
5. Alternatively Go to www.flexischools.com.au