June 9th, 2022

Acknowledgement of Country

Prayer

A Note from our Principal

Ngata Families & Friends,

Our short term is quickly coming to its end. Numerous shortened weeks have accelerated this and we again pause for a public holiday on Monday. While these breaks in the term have interrupted momentum over the term, they have provided some relief to student and staff illness and absence. Hopefully our families have a clearer run with COVID and flu in Term 3 when there are no public holidays!

Tomorrow we are holding a pastoral care day. It is another sign of us moving back to normality - these are events that were not able to be held in their entirety in the past two years. Thanks to Jake Bacon, our Wellbeing Leader who has organised and coordinated the day. Thanks also to Julie Keeley and our Mini Vinnies group who have organised the wacky clothes element and have organised a breakfast cereal domino event. Both the wacky clothes and breakfast cereal activity are to raise money and resources for Vinnies who care for many households in our local neighbourhood.

Joe Ewing

Principal

School Reports & Assessment

As we approach the end of Semester 1, our teachers are working hard to ensure they have an accurate assessment picture of their students. This assessment will inform the reports which parents will receive. School reports will be sent home on Friday June 17th, with Learning Conversations being held on June 21, 22 & 23. The report documents and the Learning Conversations go hand in hand with each other. Parents and teachers are able to discuss the learning progress of students with examples of learning published in each child’s Learning Journal.

Bookings for Learning Conversations will be opened late tomorrow afternoon through PAM and we ask parents to make a booking as a matter of priority. Please note that families who usually access a translator for these meetings will have their Learning Conversation scheduled at the beginning of Term 3.

Sympathies

Our school is saddened by the sudden death of our Emmanuel College colleague Michelle Joseph. Our sympathies are with Michelle’s partner, children and family, as well as her students and staff mates. Michelle’s funeral was held on Tuesday and the condolences of the St Pius X community were shared.

Hands on Learning

Men’s Shed

The students have been busy at the Men’s Shed and took their skill development to the next level, as they had to build a pencil case where all the sides had to align, so that the wooden lid could slide in and out smoothly. The students demonstrated persistence and patience as it took numerous attempts for this to happen.

The students in Hands on Learning for their community service project, have been busy giving the area between the two halls a makeover, by adding furniture they have painted and they have also built and painted furniture. They have been busy doing their own personal projects which includes making a wooden crate, hookey board, jewellery , candles, wooden tissue box, painting their fence paling portrait, wood burning designs and key ring holders.

Mini Vinnies - Please Support Us!

Public Holiday

While you probably need no reminder, Monday is a public holiday to mark the Queen’s Birthday. Monarchists and republicans (and everyone in between) all have the day off.

Warrnambool Eisteddfod

Last week we reported that a number of our senior students had competed at the Warrnambool Eisteddfod in the speech and drama categories. Congratulations to all students who participated. As well as some pleasing results, the preparation for the Eisteddfod builds literacy skills, confidence and collaborative skills. Thanks to Mrs Adele Webster and Mrs Louise Crispe for their dedication to supporting these students. Videos of some of the percormances are below.

Girls' Football

Our girls'football team played in the local school's competition at the Dennington Football Oval today. Our girls won through to the grand final but were beaten by St Joseph's. Well done girls!

More information next week.

School Enrolments for 2023

We recently welcomed many prospective 2023 Prep families into our school for formal information sessions and tours. We welcome the opportunity to speak to more families and give personal tours. Please pass on the school details to anyone you know who may be interested in pursuing enrolment with us. Our community are our best promoters!

Another reminder to current families to ensure their enrolment forms are submitted as soon as possible.

School Advisory Council

Vacancies are still open on our SAC. Parents who are interested should speak to Joe directly. With a number of our current members finishing at the year’s end, we would like to continue integrating new members of this group in the coming months. 

A reminder to our SAC members that a meeting will be held in the school boardroom at 7.30pm tonight. An agenda has been shared with you.

Parents & Friends

Apologies to those who were intending to join our P&F meeting last Tuesday. This meeting was cancelled at the last moment. We will try again this coming Tuesday. We will keep the meeting online, using the same link. This will also be shared again prior to the meeting.

ReLATE Student Survey

Our school is currently implementing the ReFraming Learning and Teaching Environments model. This model is being evaluated by Monash University in partnership with its provider - the MacKillop Institute. As part of this process, Monash university is inviting you to complete a survey with your Yr 4-6 child(ren). It is completely anonymous and voluntary.

There are 21 questions about safety, school environment and the teaching relationships that your child(ren) experiences. Our school will receive a report based on the findings that will be distributed.

Please use the link below with your child if they fall into the Yr 4-6 age range.

Confirmation News

Congratulations to students who were Confirmed on Monday evening:

Alfie Parkinson

Annabella McInness

Kate Martin

Mason Halloran

Jimmy Van Rooy

Indie Kermond

These children will receive a special Confirmation certificate at our next school assembly.

Thanks also to families who have supported the children in their preparation over the past 5 weeks. A huge note of gratitude to the Yr 3/4 students who formed a choir on Monday evening for the liturgy. On a cold, wet night this was an amazing gift to give to the Confirmation children and their families!

Hot Off the Prep Press!

Construction Day

Yesterday our buddies came over to help us with the construction of our designs. We had to create an object either from the past or the present. Some of us were making TV’s, iphones, mobile phones and Nintendo Game Boys. We were so excited to have a huge mess scattered all around the Prep rooms but then we busily got to work. We cut, pasted, stapled, pieced together, folded, decorated and constructed some amazing objects. Thanks go to our buddies, our teachers, our friends - Louise and Molly and of course our parents who collected some fantastic recycled items.

Responsible Pet Ownership

Barb and Tucker came to visit us on Wednesday afternoon. (What a busy Wednesday we had!!) She talked to us all about how we should take care of our pets, especially our dogs. We learnt how to approach a dog safely and we also learnt about situations when we should NOT approach a dog. Barb let 12 special Preps have a pat of Tucker and she left us with a sticker activity to check that we remember her important safety messages. Barb also taught us 2 great songs to make us Responsible Pet Owners.

Jumpers and Coats - Labelling

Now that winter has arrived there are lots of extra clothing items coming to school like coats, beanies and scarves. These items are definitely keeping us warm BUT it is extremely important that ALL clothing is clearly labelled. Jumpers are going missing and coats are left behind. All lost clothing is sent to the office so always feel free to check there but it's hard to find what’s missing if there are no names on them.

School Fees and Levies

Yesterday fee statements were posted to all families who may have an outstanding balance.  The statements are a means of letting you know your balance should you be making regular payments.  They also serve as a reminder to families who have yet to make a start on their fees.

It is an expectation that all fees and levies will be addressed by the beginning of November.

Remember, as always should you wish to discuss your account or make alternate arrangements, please do not hesitate to contact Anne at the office.

Traffic Update

Thanks to adult attention to crossings over the past fortnight. This week we are asking parents to again focus on speed. Whilst attention to speed limits has improved in the afternoons, some cars are using the right hand lane as a speedway before school, placing children on the internal carpark crossing at potential risk. 10km is the stated speed limit at all hours of the day in our parish car park.  We ask everyone to slow down in the mornings.

No Smoking

As everyone is aware our school is strictly a no smoking environment for the health and safety of our whole community. Families are reminded that cars should also be non-smoking and non-vaping areas when children are on board.

E-Safety Webinar: Safer Online Gaming

Help your kids stay safe by learning about the benefits and risks of online gaming.  This webinar run by e Safety  is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 8 to 13 years of age.

It will cover:

• the games young people are using and how they are engaging with them
• the benefits of gaming and how to mitigate the risks
• practical strategies to use at home and where to find help and support if things go wrong.

Term 2 dates (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

• Thursday 9 June 12.30 - 1.30 pm
• Friday 17 June 12.30 – 1.30 pm
• Tuesday 21 June 7.30 – 8.30 pm

You can register here.- There are also other webinars upcoming for parents and carers here. There is also a link to a list of safe Apps for children here.

Crisis Meals

Each week a volunteers has been rostered to provide a freezable meal to our school to be distributed to a family experiencing hardship, grief or unforeseen circumstances.

The volunteer for this week is Donna Matheson.

The upcoming roster is below. More volunteers are always welcome!

Ideally meals should be easy to freeze & serve, and should be labelled so that the type meal can be easily identified. Any other families wishing to volunteer can now do so by calling the office directly. Meals can be dropped to the office.

Recycling

We would like to bring you up-to-date on initiatives which you may not be aware of regarding recycling.

St Pius X and The Civic Centre(WCC)  has a Collection Counter whereby you may leave a variety of recyclables.

 In the front foyer we have containers that you can drop off:

• Batteries 
• Oral Hygiene Products 
• This box ‘accepts’ toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes and plastic dental floss containers. 
• Writing Instruments 
• This box ‘accepts’ pens, biros, pencils, textas and highlighters. 
• Mobile Phones

 Lids4Kids

 The WCC has a large blue container in which you may place small plastic lids.  The Lids4Kids program – which is co-ordinated by dedicated volunteers – accepts tiny plastic lids from milk containers, milk bottles, water bottles and the like.  These lids are then collected, cleaned and sorted into colour before being returned to WCC where the Waste Management team mails the boxed lids to a recycling station in South Australia.  The shredding, melting and moulding proceeds to produce such items as park benches, fence posts, planter pots, bollards and homewares.  This inspiring initiative may be investigated via info@lids4kids.org.au.

 Plastic Bread-Tags

Further, there is also a smaller yellow container (both at WCC and St Pius X foyer) where plastic bread-tags may be left.  Many bakeries are now using biodegradable cardboard tags, however if you have plastic bread-tags you would like to recycle, they may be deposited in that container.  The bread-tags are then recycled to fund wheelchairs in South Africa, and you may learn more of this initiative via https://ozbreadtagsforwheelchairs.org.au/. 

 If you have any queries regarding these recycling updates, or if you would like someone from the Waste Management team to visit your school to answer questions and/or help you to establish a collection counter, do not hesitate to contact me.

Second Hand Uniforms

Families seeking low cost uniform items are welcome to contact Angela Verspay (mum to Dylan and Finn) who has stock of many donated uniform items. Ph: 0477660119.

Recently we have had a call on  second hand uniforms.  We are desperately in need of larger sizes to replenish our stock.  If you have any school uniform clothing in reasonable condition we would very much appreciate your support.  Please contact Angela if you are in a position to assist.

Breakfast Club

Every Wednesday from 8:15 breakfast will be available in the function room for any students that would like to have some breakfast before the school day starts! Everyone is more than welcome to come along, even if they have already had breakfast at home. It is a great initiative supported by FoodShare who provide fruit, yoghurt, cereal and yummy toast. 

Thanks  to our parent volunteers Maddy and Tracey.

Footy Tipping

Bluesfan17 and paddyvdc cracked the century in the last round. Paddy has spent his jokers, Blues has one to go!

A run of jokers has placed Monique Evans up with the leaders and there is a pack of tippers between positions 10 and 20 who have been very economical with their use of jokers and could strike soon - Williamsons, Anne Kerr and Merediths spring to mind.

Top tippers were plentiful - congratulations to paddyvdc, Moniqueevans, Williamson Family, Anne Kerr, Letty Parkinson, JoeEwing, Mezzle, The Lack Attack, Dandelyons, mattrylance, Rebecca (Pikey), Richo800, The Martins Warrnambool and Jo vdCamp.

Enjoy round 13. Essendon celebrates 150 genrally fabulous years and of course the Big Freeze on Monday!

Thanks to our generous sponsor:

Bojangles Pizzeria Restaurant

61 Liebig St

Warrnambool

5562 0666

Parish Contact

Sunday Mass 10.30 @ St Pius X Church. School families are always welcome.

The Parish office can be contacted on 5562 2231

Other information and contact details can be found on the Star of the Sea South West Coast website: https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/parish/southwestcoast/ 

Upcoming Dates

Tonight: SAC Meeting 7.30pm

Jun 10 Pastoral Care Day & Wacky Clothes

Jun 13 Queen’s Birthday public holiday

Jun 21 Learning Conversations

Jun 22 Learning Conversations

Jun 23 Learning conversations

Jun 24 Final day of Term 2

Jul 11 Term 3 begins

Jul 13 Year 5/6 camp to Melbourne

Jul 18 Dental van visit

Parents & Friends Meeting 7.30pm

Jul 20 Eucharist Family Meeting

Jul 27 Musica Viva performance

Jul 28 School Advisory Council meeting 7.30pm

Aug 8 Feast of St Mary MacKillop

Aug 19 St Pius X feast celebration

Aug 21 St Pius X feast day

Aug 25 School Advisory Council meeting 7.30pm

Aug 29 Parents & Friends meeting 7.30pm

Sep 8 Pupil Free Day: Staff Professional Learning

Sep 14 School Production: The Jungle Book Kids

School Canteen Roster

Encountering Sacredness

Back in 2019 (remember life before COVID?) I was invited to attend a concert by U.S. jazz legend Herbie Hancock and his band, part of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Herbie and his band were amazing, but I was also taken by the effect the music had on members of the audience.

Hardened jazz fans could be seen visibly moved by the experience in the foyer of Hamer Hall afterwards. As I listened to a few of them, I realised that they found it hard to put the experience into words. It was difficult to define - it was sacred to them.

I’ve met people who similarly are drawn to nature, perhaps to walk through the bush, who have a similar experience. There is something prayerful about the interaction with nature.

This weekend is the Feast of the Trinity, where we think about the sacred reality we call God. 

Christians experience God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three in one. 

This feast is a reminder that we don’t have the monopoly on God, that God’s sacred presence can be found in many different places - maybe even where we’re not expecting to find it.

Our Diocesan Community

The link below opens the quarterly diocesan magazine that features news from across the Ballarat Diocese.

COVID 19 Arrangements

RAT Kits

Staff and students should only be tested with a RAT kit when symptomatic or when testing as a close contact over the 7 day quarantine period.

The school will continue to supply these kits periodcally for the remainder of Term 2.

Vaccination 

Triple vaccination status will continue to be a requirement for all staff onsite with students and will be required for any volunteers and visiting workers. This will include:

• Parents assisting in classrooms
• Canteen volunteers
• Parents performing tasks on behalf of the Parents and Friends.
• Visiting medical and allied health professionals.
• Visiting speakers, presenters and performers.
• Student teachers.

Parents visiting the school to attend school events (ie sports, performances, classroom visits) will not be required to declare their vaccination status.

Managing a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 

As soon as a staff member or student becomes aware of being a suspected case - that is symptomatic (fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of smell or taste:

1. The suspected case is required to leave the school site, or be isolated on-site until they are able to leave.
2. The suspected case is required to be tested with a rapid antigen test. A positive test result must be reported to the Department of Health
3. Positive cases must be isolated for 7 days, testing again on day 6.

In the event that school receives notification that a staff member or student was infectious while onsite:

1. All staff must use a rapid antigen test if they have symptoms.
2. All students must use a rapid antigen test if they have symptoms.
3. Staff and students will be strongly encouraged to use rapid antigen tests for the following 5 days if they don’t have symptoms.

Where a positive case is recorded from a staff member or student who has been on site, the school community will be notified. Personal information will not be released in this communication.

If a staff member or student tests positive with a rapid antigen test but does not have symptoms or has not been in contact with a positive case, a PCR test is recommended. If a subsequent PCR shows a negative result the staff member or student can return to school.

Close Contacts

A close contact (a person who has spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID 19 inside a house, accommodation or care facility) is no longer required to quarantine, as long as they follow the additional safety measures:

• Notify the school if returning within the 7 day period.
• Undertake RAT testing on school days within the 7 day period (unless the 12 week exemption applies)
• Wear a mask indoors if an adult or a student Yr 3-6.
• Not visit hospitals or care facilities.
• Avoid contact with people at higher risk of infection.
• If symptomatic take a RAT or PCR test.

Masks

Masks are no longer required to be worn by students, staff or visitors. However the wearing of masks continues to be a recommended practice which will still be required in certain circumstances including bus travel or a period of high levels of prolonged transmission.

Any staff of students who are identified as close contacts must wear a mask indoors.

Trash Test Dummies Circus

Thank you for your ongoing support of our work.  We look forward to seeing you online. 
Chris and the I CAN team

Wylah the Koorie Warrior Colouring Competition.

Entries can be handed in at the Warrnambool Library anytime on or before the 11^th of June.