Swimming carnival

Congratulations to all our Yr 3-6 students for their efforts and resilience when participating in our swimming carnival. A special “Thank you” to Kristy Glover for her organisation and overseeing the running of the sports, with all events completed in the scheduled time. We sincerely thank our volunteers who were able to assist, without you, our carnival could not proceed. “Thank you”.  Much time and effort is given to preparing such events and it is truly appreciated by all involved.

Congratulations “Theresa”,  (Green House) for your success in achieving the House Shield.

Specialists

We are delighted to offer all our Specialist classes this year and teachers and students have started with enthusiasm.

Today at Assembly, we celebrated Italian Carnivale with a mask parade. Choir has started, with sessions running on Wednesday lunchtime and Coding sessions running on Thursdays during lunchtime with our Digi -Tech teacher, Maria Etheridge.

MEET & GREET

We look forward to welcoming families next Thursday, February 22nd 2024 to our ‘Meet & Greet’ evening. All families are invited to visit their child’s classroom, to meet our teaching staff and to stay behind for a sausage sizzle if they wish. This evening is an opportunity for children to showcase their classroom and to meet new families and staff. 

Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Tuesday March 5th & Thursday March 7th, 2024. Formal Conversations about your child’s learning and wellbeing will take place on these days. 

Term One Parent /Teacher Interviews will be an opportunity to discuss how your child has settled into the new school year and a chance to raise any questions you may have about your child’s learning or welfare.

Details and how to register online will be released next week regarding Parent/Teacher Interviews.

Child Safety

Once again, we remind families to take note of the traffic signs and parking arrangements around the school. As we settle into the new year, traffic police will be ensuring vehicles are travelling within speed limits and entering and exiting parking zones appropriately. 

We have been asked to remind families that children under the age of 16 are not to be riding e-scooters. If riding bikes or push pedal scooters to school, please discuss road and pedestrian safety with your child. Students in Foundation - Yr 3 are encouraged to be accompanied by an adult when riding to and from school. Information regarding Bike Riders can be found on the VIC road website. Please find the link below.

Please click on the links for further information.

E-scooter trial extended over summer : VicRoads

Road rules for riding a bike in Victoria : VicRoads

End of day arrangements

We remind families to ensure children are aware of arrangements for the end of day pick up.

Children waiting for parents are to remain behind fence lines. Gates open when the teacher arrives for duty.  Children riding bikes will be asked to wait while waiting for pedestrians to leave school grounds.

Mobile Phones/Smart Watches

Please know that we are currently reviewing our school policy regarding personal communication devices at school, in this instance, mobile phones and smart watches. 

We understand that some children use such devices to confirm arrangements at the end of day with families, however, such devices cannot be used during the school day to:

• communicate with or send messages or images to others using various online platforms 
• play music or online games 
• harass or bully others
• distract and disrupt learning 

At this stage, children using personal communication devices inappropriately during the school day will be asked to forward their devices to leadership for safe-keeping until the end of the school day. 

Currently, students who bring their mobile phones to school are asked to place their mobile phones in their school bags until the end of the day. Families wishing to communicate messages to their children can do so via the front office. Classroom teachers and leadership will call families regarding matters pertaining to school if they believe it is necessary.

We are seeing many more children of all ages wearing watches that have the capacity to connect to the internet and be distracting to students within classrooms. Again, they may be used for communication or tracking by families, particularly when students are making their own way to or from school. We are currently seeking clarification and consistency for students, families and teachers, regarding these watches. Again, if used inappropriately, students will be asked to forward their devices to leadership for safe-keeping until the end of the school day. 

More details will follow shortly, clarifying school policy and the expectations regarding their use and storage if brought to school.

My Lenten Prayer

        God, may Your light guide my day, and your spirit bring me peace

Congratualtions to everyone on a successful Swimming Carnival. Pictured below we have our House Age Champions. Also our Theresa House Captains who took out  House Champions for the day.

A SPECIAL REPORT: Discussing War & Conflict

Children are frequently exposed to distressing news through the 24-hour news cycle and social media. These experiences can provoke anxiety, especially in young minds still forming their worldviews. Parents and caregivers should be mindful of overexposure to such content as it can lead to symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. Children’s responses to trauma can vary, from being strong emotional reactions to being indifferent. It can leave an emotional imprint that can affect a child's behaviour and perception of danger.

Children need reassurance about their safety as they navigate uncertain times. Tailor conversations to your child's age and emotional maturity. Younger children benefit from simplified explanations focusing on peace, empathy, and cooperation, whilst older children can delve into historical events, root causes of conflict, and the complexities of international relations.

Before discussing these topics with your child, it is also important to assess your own emotions and comfort level. By staying calm and providing physical comfort will help your child regulate their own emotions. In challenging times, compassionate adults play a crucial role in helping children cope with anxiety and providing hope and understanding in our complex world.

This Special Report provides guidance on how to tackle this difficult topic and helping children understand there is still hope in our complex world.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:
https://sttsale.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-discussing-war-conflict