Newsletter 22nd June 2022

Upcoming Dates

24th June:  Last Day of Term 2:  Invitation to come into the classroom at 12:30pm and for children to go home at 1:00pm.  

11th July:  Term 3 commences

19th July, 6:00pm-7:00pm:  Community Meeting with Tony Dalton @ St Mary's 

Principal's News

We are almost at the end of Term 2. I wish to thank both of our school communities for partnering together to make sure that we managed to get through the term. To the families who kept us informed of their child’s needs, concerns and health. Overall, we have had good numbers of attendance at school and families have ensured that unwell children remain at home. To the children who turned up to school each day with a positive attitude and ready to learn. And to the staff who worked hard to make sure that learning for our children remained as consistent as possible. They often worked extra days, adjusted their days at short notice and often needed to cover extra duties and classes. All of this was done with children and families often not knowing what was going on ‘behind the scenes.’

As much as I want to be hopeful, the prediction is that Term 3 will be similar, with COVID still in communities and the flu season at its peak. We will need to continue to work together to make sure that everyone is well and safe at school and that teaching and learning will continue with as little disruption as possible. We have got this!!!

Meeting with Jo-Anne Bond and Tom Sexton

Last week I meet with Jo- Anne Bond, the new Educational Consultant for the Ballarat Diocese on Thursday and with Tom Sexton on Friday. Both conversations were very positive and encouraging. We spoke about many things and the message was very clear, DOBCEL are committed to supporting our small schools.

I have employed the services of Tony Dalton who is an independent Education Consultant specialising in Family Engagement in Learning. He has worked in many schools lifting profiles of schools and increasing enrolments. I spent a few hours with him last Monday and he is putting together a very specific plan for our schools.

Tony is meeting with all staff on the first Monday back in Term 3 and would like to meet with our school communities on Tuesday the 19^th of July, 6pm at St. Mary’s. I strongly urge you all to attend and Tony would encourage the senior children to come along as well. He is also eager to have other members of our community that you believe may have a good insight to our schools and communities. Please contact me if you have anyone in mind.

This will be a vital step in moving forward with our plan. Finger food will be supplied and the meeting will go for about an hour and a half.

Holidays

I wish every family a very happy, restful and safe holiday. Many families are travelling while others are taking some quiet time at home. Whatever your plans, enjoy and take the time to reset and do some of those things that you like to do with family and friends.

Take care,

Inez

Visit to the NGV

Visit to the N G V

Arriving early

We ask that families remember that children should not be at school before 8.30 am in the morning. This is because staff may not be on site yet or that there is only one staff member. It is very important that parents always check that there is a staff car at school so that children are not dropped off and left alone. Supervision of children begins at 8.45. However, we are that some parents may need to drop their children of a bit earlier from time to time. Please let the school know if this is the case and we can make provisions for this.

Combined Schools Days Term 3

After emailing our families, the majority were happy to go with a regular combined schools day for term 3. This will be on a Friday with the first 5 being at St. Mary’s and the second half of the term CSDs will be at St. Brendan’s. This will give the children the opportunity to have weekly art lessons in. preparation for the term 3 Art Show. Thank you to everyone for helping make these happen. As always, please let the school know if you require support transporting your children.

End of school – beginning of Term 3

This week we have a number of families taking the opportunity to start holidays a bit earlier and some children away due to sickness. By Friday we will have very limited numbers at each school, so instead of an assembly, families are invited to come into school at 12.30 to spend some time in the classrooms to share time with their child, hearing all about what they have learnt this term. Children are invited to go home at 1pm to begin the holidays by having lunch at home.

Term 3 will commence at 9am on Monday the 11^th of July,

School visit to Ballarat Public Library

We spent an hour and a half at the Public Library and discovered a new world !

The whole school was entertained by an interactive picture book reading followed by a guided tour of the library including a behind the scenes look at the returning , boxing up , collection of books from all around the State !

We learned how to self borrow books , how people use and enjoy the space in the warmth and safety of the library .

The website offers so much to follow up .

The best part is that it’s all FREE !

A great school holiday program is coming up too .

St Brendan’s was the first school to tour the library and to use the brand new Children’s Library space - books , audio books , lego , blocks & activities area .

Some of the children found books to borrow whilst there .

A great excursion venue . Libraries are fun !!

PTC conversations and reports

A reminder that your child’s report is available on PAM and that Parent Teacher Child conversations will be taking place this week for some and early next term for others. If you would like a paper copy of the report, please contact the school so we can sort this for you. This is because some staff are away this week and at the start of Term 3.

Please make sure you have a time booked to meet with your child’s teacher or contact them if you require another time.

To access reports on PAM click on your child's photo. 

Maintenance update

Over the school holidays Earthech Groundworks will be starting our landscaping at the front of the school.  This landscaping is in line with our Master Plan which was done in October 2019.  The Master Plan is on the wall in the corridor outside the Principal's office.  Hopefully the weather will be kind and we will come back in Term 3 to a fabulous new entry area.

The standard roses will be removed for the landscaping.  If anyone would like to take some of the roses please let Inez know by tomorrow 4.00 pm.  

Child Safe Standards

The Victorian Government has announced new Child Safe Standards to further strengthen child safety across organisations, including schools. The new standards recognise the critical importance of families and the broader school community in maintaining and promoting child safety and wellbeing.

St. Brendan’s and St. Mary’s has reviewed and updated our child safety policies and procedures to ensure they meet the requirements of the new standards. They will be available to view on our school’s websites and at the school’s front office to view, early Term Three.

We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures and practices

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions, please contact me.

Our schools are committed to providing a child safe and child friendly environment, where students are safe and feel safe. 

Further email later this week

There will be an email in the next few days regarding changers to our COVID guidelines. DOBCEL will send this to me in the next few days and I will forward it to families before the end of term.

NCCD attachment

Please read the attached article about the NCCD process that takes place in schools. NCCD is the National Consistent Collection of Data. Schools must now complete the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) every year. It counts the number of students who receive additional adjustments or “help” at school because of a disability. The NCCD helps governments plan for the needs of students with disability.

If you have any questions about this, please contact myself or Callum.

Jack's fundraising for Mental Health

The Dunnstown Football Club are having a fundraising event for mental health.  Players have offered their lovely locks to be removed for donations.  Their cause is the Black Dog Institute.

This is a cause very close to Jack's heart and he will be participating by having a "big trim" of his "flying mullet".  

If you would like  to donate, Jack would appreciate your support.  Please see the link below. 

Gardening and Tidying Roster 2022

Art Gallery and Ballarat Library Holiday Program

There are wonderful holiday programs available for the children over the holidays. To view the library program, go to the website and go to the section - kids and families.

Some of the programs are free and others do require a cost.

For the Art Gallery, follow these links – Art Bites  

Paid school holiday program

Beleza change of hours

Please see the attached note regarding Beleza’s opening hours over the holidays.