February 2nd 2023
- Acknowledgement of Country
- Prayer
- A Note from our Principal
- Welcome!
- Welcome Mass and Smoking Ceremony
- Upcoming School Closure Day
- Communication
- PAM
- PE Days
- School Fees
- Canteen Helpers Needed!
- Hot off the Prep Press
- Geelong Cats to Visit!
- A special message........
- Before & After School Care
- Parish Contact
- Second Hand Uniforms
- Important Dates
- COVID 19 Arrangements
Acknowledgement of Country
The St Pius X Parish School Community acknowledges the Gunditjmara / Marr Nation people who have educated children on these lands for thousands of years.
Prayer
Loving God,
We give thanks for the opportunity and for the promise that the new year holds.
Bless us as we start this new year with our friends and teachers.
Help us to make the most of every chance we have to start afresh.
Amen
A Note from our Principal
Dear Families,
Welcome to the 2023 school year. It's been great to see everyone return to school, reconnect with their friends and to embrace their new classrooms. We have also welcomed many new people across our school and look forward to getting to know them as the year progresses.
On a personal note, I am very excited to return to St Pius X after a year as interim principal at St Colman's in Mortlake. I really enjoyed my time at St Colman's and had the opportunity to learn a lot. I feel extremely privileged to be able to take on the role of principal this year. Our school vision says that "We are a learning community in the Catholic tradition, inspired by the love, justice and compassion of Jesus."
Love, justice and compassion are present in the way we work together, play together and in the decisions that we make at St Pius X. These are values that I firmly believe in and I look forward to working with this wonderful community to ensure that we continue to live out this vision each and every day. I look forward to reconnecting with those that I already know as well as getting to know many new faces.
As is the norm, there is a lot of information to convey to families at the start of the year, so please read the newsletter carefully. I hope to see many of you soon, either out the front of the school or at our Opening Mass next Thursday.
Kind regards,
Stacey Atkins
Welcome!
As we begin the 2023 school year, we especially welcome the new members of our community. These include our preps and a number of new students across the school. We are also fortunate to have a number of new staff.
- Emma McDonald- PE Specialist Teacher
- Alanna Dowling- DT Specialist Teacher
- Brenda Balash- Learning Support Officer (LSO, Junior Pod)
- Erin Barnes- LSO (Middle Pod)
- Karen Gardner - LSO (Junior Pod)
- Georgia O'Keefe- LSO (Senior Pod)
- Jenna Cahill- Trainee (DT, Middle Pod)
- Natalie Crispe - Trainee (The Arts, Junior Pod)
- Jack Lewis- Trainee (PE, Senior Pod)
We look forward to getting to know all the new members of our community.
Our new trainees: Jenna, Jack and Natalie
Welcome Mass and Smoking Ceremony
To officiate the beginning of a new school year, all families are warmly invited to the School Welcoming Mass next Thursday, February 9th, at 10am in the Church. All new students and staff members will be blessed and officially welcomed into our school community. School leaders will also be presented to the community.
Prior to Mass, we will be celebrating with a smoking ceremony to formally acknowledge the Country 0n which our school is located and to wish us luck as the new year commences. This will begin at 9.40am and is being held on the lawn area between the hall and the church.
Your support is appreciated and we hope to see you there.
Upcoming School Closure Day
Friday 10th February is our first school closure day for 2023.
In line with the DOBCEL policy, the school is able to allocate 4 days each year to additional professional learning. Our first day will be dedicated to vital and compolsory training in CPR, anaphylaxis and mandatory reporting.
Students are not to attend school on Friday 10th February.
Other school closure days:
Term 1: Science of Reading (March 14th)
Term 2: ReLATE (May 5th)
Term 3: Maths Pedagogy (Mid Term 3, Date TBA)
Term 4: Scripture in the Classroom (Mid Term 4, Date TBA)
Communication
You may have seen coverage in the media in regards to teacher workloads, the shortage of teachers as well discussion around a new enterprise bargaining agreement for the Catholic education sector.
The new agreement is likely to have strictor guidelines in regards to the times that teachers can work. To support this and the wellbeing of staff, all staff have been asked not to respond to any communication, from either colleagues or parents, after 6pm.
Staff welcome speaking with parents either before or after school. If you require a longer conversation please feel free to make an appointment to see your child's teacher.
Each staff member's email follows the same format eg Stacey Atkins satkins@spwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
PAM
Parents will be aware that there have been some issues with the rollover of PAM for the new year. Thank you for your be patient with us. If you did not receive an email about your PAM account please contact the office.
PAM is an important platform for the running of our school.
PE Days
A reminder that this year PE classes will be held on the following days:
Tuesday: MP1, MP2, SP1, SP2
Wednesday: JP3, JP5
Thursday: Prep, JP4, MP3, SP3
Children are asked to wear their sports uniform on this day.
School Fees
School Fees and Levies
At this stage we have not processed your 2023 year’s fees and levies. Hopefully this will be completed within the next two weeks and statements will be sent home.
Thank you to our families who have filled in the appropriate paperwork indicating your payment method. This allows for us to budget according to our cash flow.
Can you apply for this? Are you eligible?
Camps Sports and Excursion Funds (CSEF). Parents who hold a HCC/Pension card are entitled to receive state government assistance towards excursions, camps and sport levies. Please fill in the attached form and return it to the office. Could you also please provide us with a copy of your HCC/pension card for our records.
Canteen Helpers Needed!
We are looking for volunteers who can help in our canteen this year.
The canteen is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays after 2nd Lunch (1.50pm) for the sale of icy poles, frozen fruit etc.
You would only be required for a 1/2 hour or so and depending on the number of volunteers we get, you may only be rostered on once or twice a term.
If you can help, please contact the office with your details and preferred day.
Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Hot off the Prep Press
WELCOME!!
This week we have welcomed 34 new Prep students and their families to St Pius X School. We have had a great week so far learning about what happens at our school, getting to know each other, playing with our Grade 6 Buddies and having lots of fun along the way. We know that we are all very tired by the end of the day and enjoyed a little rest at home on Wednesday (well not Ms Lane and Ms Osborne). We can’t wait to keep learning and sharing fun times together as the year goes on. What a clever looking bunch we are!!
OUR MORNING JOBS
Each morning we have a list of jobs that we have to do before we can play with our friends. Some Prep people are already able to do these things on their own. When we come into the Prep room, this is what we have to do:
- Say ‘Good morning’ to our teachers.
- Change our reader books and put my reader bag in the coloured tub
- Put our fruit into our tubs
- Put our drink bottles on top of the tubs
It is so important that we are trying to do these jobs by ourselves and if we get stuck then our teachers will be there to give us a helping hand.
Well done to all the Preps! You are all doing a great job!!
LIBRARY DAY
Tomorrow is our first visit to the school library. Don’t forget to bring along a bag (with your name on it) so that you can take home some fabulous picture story books to read at home with your family. Every Friday is a busy day for the Preps - we visit the Library, we have Show and Tell and every second week we go to Assembly.
Geelong Cats to Visit!
We are very excited to welcome some of the Geelong Cats players to our school on Tuesday, 7th February. The players will run small clinics throughout the morning. If your child would like to bring along footy colours to wear at the session they are welcome to, eg a Football top, scarf or hat to wear with their uniform. Children are also welcome to bring along an item to be signed.
A special message........
We'd like to acknowlege the following birthdays which occured during January. We hope you had a great time!
Carter Searle, Carla Elkomos, Leo Johnson, Elizabeth Norton, Letty Parkinson, Jayden Farley, Lucy Sloane, Indianna Stanley, Ned Widdrington, Aerica Kandhari, Ileara Marrocco, April Santamaria, Maggie Corbett, Renata-Jayde McKenzie, Leytton Meyer, Indi Neale, Allan Nguyen, Ashley Huang, Fynn McGinnes, Maggie Shand, Payson Walker, Connor Brisbane.
We'd also like to wish the following students a very Happy Birthday for this week...........
Minty Dare, Zahra Moore, Kaden Pulham, Codan Emeny, Emily Amos, Addison Le Cerf, Indiana Pulham, Gia Everall, Ellanie Koroblitsas.
Before & After School Care
We remind everyone about TheirCare, our outside school hours care provider. Bookings can be made at https://theircare.com.au/
Please select St Pius X Warrnambool as the booking location.
To celebrate the return to school TheirCare are giving away 5 care packages!
What’s up for grabs?
2 x free Holiday Program
OR
3 x Free Before or After School Care sessions
How to enter?
Simply make a booking for care during week 1 and you’ll automatically go into the draw to WIN!
Register and book here: www.theircare.com.au
TheirCare provide exceptional Outside School Hours Care services for our school community! During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence, and creativity through play-based programs. Families are eligible for a Government Rebate called the Child Care Subsidy which can reduce the cost per session by up to 85%.
More information can be obtained by contacting the school or TheirCare Support Team on 1300 072 410.
Parish Contact
Sunday Mass 10.00 @ 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/
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.
Important Dates
Tuesday, 7th Feb Geelong Cats players visit.
Thursday 9th Feb Opening School Mass and Smoking Ceremony (9.40am)
Friday 10th Feb School Closure (Compliance)
Mon 20th/Tues 21s Feb Grade 3/4 Camp
Wednesday 22nd Feb Ash Wednesday
Tuesday 28th Feb Safe Seats, Safe Kids
Monday 6th March Grade 5/6 Swimming begins
Monday 13th March Public Holiday
Tuesday 14th March School Closure (Literacy)
COVID 19 Arrangements
All famililes are asked to familiarise thesmselves with the updated COVID 19 regulations.
Managing a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19
- Students or staff who are symptomatic should be tested via RAT or PCR.
- Positive student cases must be reported to the school administration office:
- Phone: 55622506
- Email: principal@spwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
- Staff or students who are positive are strongly recommended to stay home and isolate for a minimum of five days.
- Symptomatic students or staff should not attend school, even if failing to test positive on a RAT or PCR.
Communication
There is no longer a requirement for schools to inform their communities of positive cases. All health information is held in accordance with the school’s privacy policy.
Masks
Staff and students who wish to wear a mask will continue to be supported to do so. Masks are available from the administration office for anyone wishing to obtain one.
Any staff or students who are close contacts are recommended to wear a mask indoors.
Any staff or students returning from isolation are recommended to wear a mask for 7 days after returning to school.
RAT Kits
Staff and students should only be tested with a RAT kit when symptomatic or when testing daily as a close contact over the 7 day quarantine period. RAT kits will be available from the school upon request until the end of Term 4.
Vaccination
St Pius X strongly supports vaccination for all in our community who are eligible. There is no requirement for adults entering the school to declare their vaccination status.
All community adults are reminded of the child safety requirement to sign in when attending the school between 9.00am and 3.00pm
Transport
Parents who have tested positive to COVID 19 are permitted to drive children to and from school during their 7 day isolation period. They are required to return home immediately afterwards and not attend other locations.
Medically At Risk Students
Students who have chronic health conditions, especially affecting the respiratory system ie Asthma, must have up to date health support plans. Families who are unsure about the status of their child’s plan should make contact with teh school administration office.