We have come to the end of our Blended Learning environment and resume regular school structures for the rest of Term 2. We pray that our sense of comfort in coming back to a more usual routine continues, with a safe and healthy community.

Supporting Families:

• Please remember that we are here to support learning for our students, but also to assist in the challenges that we are able to help overcome for our community. If you have any concerns and are in need of support, please let us know as we are only too happy to assist.

Attendance at school:

• Please continue to complete our regular attendance messaging if your child is sick or otherwise absent from face to face school for the remainder of Term 2.

Winter Uniforms:

Commence wearing winter uniforms on Tuesday 9th June - please check our parent handbook for items required.

Alternatively you can check uniform requirements in the link below.

• Winter uniforms are to be worn on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Sport uniforms are to be worn on Thursday and Friday only. This applies for all students in Kinder to Year 6, this is not a matter of choice.
• St Agnes’ Uniform Store in Boronia Street has resumed to normal hours. Please see their hours of operation under Parish News of this newsletter. Limited items are available in the second hand uniform room at school. Only one parent at a time will be able to access this space, so you may need to plan ahead to avoid waiting. If you have any uniforms that you no longer need you may like to consider donating these to the second hand uniform room at school.

Social distancing:

While restrictions are loosening in the community, we are still required to practice adult social distancing and hygiene practices until at least the end of Term 2 to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 cases. There are a few limited changes to keep the number of adults at school to a minimum.

• No parents, carers or visitors are to enter school grounds except office attendance.
• Pick up and drop off continue as per the previous few weeks.
• Limited band tutors are able to recommence in Week 7 with guidelines on hygiene practices.
• With vulnerable staff returning to work, all staff are to maintain distance from each other and other adults while continuing hygiene practices.

Drop Off and Pick Up:

Please understand that the current drop off and pick up arrangements are the best structure for our school and will continue until changes are communicated.

• Parents and carers are not to wait at the bus gate or any other school area apart from outside the gate at the far end of Warlters Street (near the Year 5 classrooms) while teachers assist children to come to you. 
• Parents and carers are not to make a daily practice of picking up from the office between 3:00-3:30pm to avoid the school pick up process. While this may seem inconvenient, the circumstances of COVID-19 need to be managed with processes to protect our community, that would normally not apply.
  The exception is a disabled or vulnerable parent/carer or student who requires this alternative for their safety. In this case, please communicate this to the school office and our Aunties will be happy to assist. We still need to avoid a large number of adults in the office at any time and during this time of day, office staff are focussed on ensuring messages for students are transmitted for their safe travel home.
  
  
  Handy tip: staggering of pick up is already available via our Warlters Street process - duty for pick up is from 3:10-3:30pm, so a wise choice to avoid lengthy lining up would be to come during the later part of this timeframe.
• Walkers - if you have asked your child to walk home or to a parent or carers workplace from the school grounds, you must provide a note that will be copied by the office and the original will be kept with the child to show the duty teachers. This gives you and your child responsibility for safe passage.

Traffic:

The car park that is outside the administration entrance is not for drop off or pick up in fine or wet weather unless you have a disabled family member who requires the disabled car space. We have parents, carers and students who need to have access to this car park to use the disabled space and have a card to be able to do so. We share this car park with Joey’s House and all car spaces are allocated. It is a very busy entrance and unauthorised use puts children, parents and carers at risk of injury.

Help keep our community safe by:

• Parking and turning safely and legally around the school.
• Not making U-turns and three-point turns during pick up and drop off amongst traffic.
• Making sure your children enter and exit the car at the kerb side.
• Keeping children buckled up until the vehicle has stopped.
• Modelling calm, safe and considerate behaviour.

Illness:

• Children must remain at home if they have any cold or flu symptoms. If they present unwell at school they will be sent home. This also applies to staff members.
• 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.

Kindergarten 2021 enrolment interviews:

• It has been a pleasure to meet and interview children and their parent or carer for enrolment in Kindergarten for 2021. Some delightful conversations and sharing of information have highlighted this wonderful step in the educational pathway of children into our community. It has reminded me of how fortunate we are to be able to welcome families into our community. These interviews are continuing for the next few weeks before placements are communicated to families. If you are a current Joey’s family seeking Kinder enrolment for 2021, it is vital you have your enrolment application submitted during the interview period, as interest for placement in St Joseph’s is high. Our other Parish schools are also enrolling now, so if you know of anyone who is considering Catholic education for their children, encourage them to complete enrolments during June to avoid disappointment.

Our community:

• Continue to enter your talents in our Virtual Joey’s Got Talent show which has been extended until Tuesday 9th June. Please see the updated flyer in the Creative Corner article.
• Please check last week’s newsletter for updates to school community events affected by COVID-19.

Tess Koning
Principal