Newsletter 8th February 2023

In the spirit of Reconciliation, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land in which we sit, the Wadawurrung people, who have cared for this country for thousands of years.  We would like to pay our respects to the Aboriginal Elders past, present and future for they hold the traditions, memories and wisdom of Mother Earth on which we place our feet upon today.

Upcoming Dates

13th February:                       Parent Teacher Conversations     1.30 - 4.00 

14th February:                       Little Feet Big Footprints Year 6  9.30 - 2.00   @ Major League

21st  February:                      Combined School Advisory Council Meeting  7.00 pm @ St Brendans 

22nd February:                     Start of Year School Mass @ StBrendan's 9.15  

22nd February:                     Ash Wednesday Mass with school Mass

24thFeb, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th March:      Swim and Gym 11.45 - 12.30 & 1.00 - 2.00 

27th February:                      Open Morning at St Brendan's Dunnstown

2nd March:                             Open Morning at St Mary's Clarkes Hill

6th-8th March:                    Years 3-5 Camp at Campaspe Downs Adventure Park, Tylden

13th March:                             Labour Day Holiday

20th-24th March:               Harmony Week

5th April:                                 Last day of Term 1 for pupils 

6th April:                                 Last day of Term 1; Pupil-free day; Staff Professional Development

Principal's News

Welcome back

As this is the first newsletter for 2023, I officially welcome everyone back. I think that I have caught up with most people or had contact in some way. The children have settled really well and it was fabulous to start CSDs straight away this week. The children, staff and families have expressed how much they enjoy the days we come together. I realise that for some children, it will take a little while to get into the routine after the holidays however, I believe that after a few weeks, everyone will be back into the daily routine that is school life.

Printing newsletters

We have decided to print off the newsletter for families again this year. You will still receive them through the app however, by providing a hard copy, the newsletters can be read by Dads, grandparents, siblings and others.  It can also hang on the fridge and be a reference for dates and events that are coming up.

Have a wonderful week,

Inez

Combined Schools Days

As mentioned, CSDs have begun and I truly appreciate the way families support these days. Please remember, that if the transporting of the children on these days is challenging, contact me and we will help out. I know some parents are car pooling which seems to be working really well.

Lunch orders on a Wednesday will be available for the children. The orders will need to be in on the Friday before when children are at St. Mary’s. If you have a late order, please contact the Bungaree store directly. There is no obligation to buy a lunch order. It is a service and parents can use it if they wish. Children can still bring something to heat in the pie warmer of bring a ‘normal’ lunch. The lunch order list was sent home last Friday as a paper copy and through an email.  Please contact the school if you have any questions.

Calendar

We are making every effort to make sure that our school calendar is up to date and that significant dates are put in as soon as possible so parents can stay informed and plan ahead. Please refer to the calendar frequently. Important dates are also on the newsletter. Previous newsletters can also be read on the school websites.

See Saw

The Junior and Senior teachers will be using See Saw this year as a way to share the children’s learning with families. Please ensure that you can access it and check it regularly. Parents can make comments on their own child’s posts and it also provides a discussion point with your child about what they have been doing.

Teachers will also send through messages that are relevant to their class via See Saw.

If you cannot access this platform, please let the teachers know.

Parent / Teacher / Child conversations

I know that there have been issues with getting PAM and SIMON up and running. Hopefully everything is sorted now and you can make a time to see your child’s teacher. The conversations will be held on Monday the 13^th of February in the afternoon. If the times do not work for you, please see the relevant teacher and a suitable time for all can be arranged. The purpose of the conversations is to discuss how the children have settled into school, any concerns, to set goals and if relevant, chat about any assessments that may have been completed.

Camp preparations

Camp for the children from Years 3 – 6 is early this year. The dates are Monday 6^th.  to Wednesday the 8^th March. We will be going to Campaspe Downs in Tylden. We will be going with Years 3 – 6 from St. Michael’s, Daylesford.

https://www.pgladventurecamps.com.au

These camps are always booked a few years in advance so we do not always have a lot of control about when they happen. Many children (and parents) are excited about the prospect of camp and being away for a few days. For others, it is quite daunting to be away for a few nights. The teachers have already begun preparing the children for camp at school.

Parents are invited to attend a meeting about any concerns they may have or to address their child’s concerns. We held on one Monday and there will be another next Tuesday at St. Brendan’s.

The meetings are not about all of the details about camp, rather address any concerns that may be cropping up. It is important that we see camp as a vital part of our curriculum and that it is not something children can just opt out of. Parents and teachers need to have the same expectations and use the same language so that the children are clear about the purpose of camp and why we do it.

If you cannot attend the meetings, they will be recorded and if you still have concerns or questions, please raise them during the conversations on Monday the 13^th and if you require more time to have a chat, then we can arrange another time.

Camp is meant to be a fun, social, exciting time where children can learn and develop skills such as resilience, courage and independence, as well as try new things, make lasting memories and build relationships.

While the Seniors are on camp, there will be some adjustments for the Juniors which we will share with you soon. We are finalising the details.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN for our Year 3 and 5 children is also earlier this year. The assessments will take place the over the 2 weeks after camp. More information will follow soon.

Family news

Sadly, the Kocovski  (Preston in Year 1 and Kingston in Foundation) family have not returned to St. Brendan’s for 2023. They have moved on due to family reasons. We wish them well for the future.

The Singline’s from St. Mary’s (Evie in Year 5 and Kamden in Year 3) have welcomed a new sister and daughter to their family. Little Regan arrived safely last Thursday. Amelia and bub are doing well and the family are very excited about the newest family member.

Facebook pages

Enrolments have opened across the Ballarat Diocese. We have upcoming Open Mornings at each school which are advertised on Facebook. I urge all families to share our pages and spread the word about our schools as much as you can. If you would like some flyers to display, please let me know.

Swim /Gym program

Our swim and gym classes will start the week of our next newsletter, so this is a heads up. We will be leaving St. Mary’s at .11.15 to begin swimming at 11.45. The lessons will be for 45minutes. At 12.30 pm the children will get changed into their PE gear and have a lunch. The Gym sessions begin at 1pm and finish at 2pm. We will return to school around 2.30. Parents are welcome to come to the Aquatic Centre and see their child/ren during swimming lessons.

The children will need - bathers which can be worn under their PE gear, a towel, goggles if they wish, underwear, thongs are a great idea and their PE uniform for gym classes. They will also need their lunch and a drink bottle. All items should be clearly named.

Beginning of year Mass

Our beginning of year mass will be on Wednesday the 22^nd of February at St. Brendan’s. It is also Ash Wednesday. Everyone is invited to join us and it will be followed by a cuppa and morning tea for parents.  All are welcome.

Pam update Fixes & Simon Everywhere

Check to make sure that you have updated your App.  If your Simon Everywhere is not working you will need to go into Tools and logout of Simon Everywhere.  Go back into the App and add the school name again.  During the update over January background information was not re-set so you basically need to start again for the App to work.  You can access PAM through Simon Everywhere.

PAM does not have an App for your phone.  If you want to have the PAM icon on your phone you will need to add it as a website icon.  PAM is only accessible via the PAM website.  The IT department have suggested that you google how to add a website as an icon.

If you are still having problems logging in with your updated password please let me know so that I can re-set your password.  Your password must have a Capital letter, number, symbol and at least 8 characters.

Thanks Anita 

Authority for student's photo permission and ICT permission for 2023

Moving into 2023 the student photo and recording permission and the student ICT permission will be through the PAM account. 

The student ICT permission form will need to be authorised by a parent before students can use computer equipment.   The student photo permission will need to be authorised or delcined.

You will no longer receive these documents in paper form at the start of the school year. 

Please contact the office if you have any questions.

Thanks Anita 

Asthma & Anaphylaxis Plans 2023

Before your child starts school in 2023 all health details will need to be updated in PAM.  Asthma plans will need to be uploaded and Anaphylaxis documents.   As per the Asthma and Anaphylaxis Policies a new plan is required at the commencement of each school year.

Please only upload documents under the designated area in PAM.  Anaphylaxis documents are the only documents to be uploaded under the Anaphylaxis section.  This must be an Anaphylaxis plan completed by a GP.

Students with an Allergy plan are uploaded into the Allergy area of PAM not the Anaphylaxis section.

Legally your child cannot attend school without this information.  

Please ensure that on the first day of school 2023 that you supply the school with pharmacist labelled asthma pumps, epipens and medications in a suitable labelled plastic container.  You must also complete a medication form.  Link is below.  

If you have any questions please see Anita in the office. 

Adminstration hours 2023

The office hours for 2023 will be

Monday                               8.45 - 4.00 

Tuesday                              8.45 - 4.00

Wednesday                        8.45 - 4.00

Thursday & Friday        Closed 

Junior Room

Welcome to the start of another exciting year here at St Brendan’s. It was great to see all our old friends back together and to catch up on all the news of the summer holidays. Lucy and Aiden have had a great start to the year and really seem to be enjoying themselves and the attention they are receiving. It is wonderful to spend Wednesdays and Fridays with our friends from St Mary's too. A Junior newsletter and timetable will be sent home by the end of this week.

Please know that we are always available for a chat or to discuss any concerns you may have. We ask that as soon as any issues occur, you make contact with the teachers immediately to let them know and arrange a suitable time to meet if needed. Please include both of us in all email correspondence, so that we are all informed.

Looking forward to meeting with you on Monday 13th February. 

Clare & Majella 

My New Gallery

Italiano has begun!

Benvenuti tutti! 

I hope everyone had a wonderful, happy & restful summer break. 

I did not get an opportunity to say a proper goodbye to all the students and families at the end of last year, my apologies for this. I look forward to seeing you all at some point over the next few weeks. 

As Italian is happening on a Wednesday, I am very excited to have the students learning alongside each other. These first few weeks will see us completing our ‘Tutto su di me!’ posters. (Ask your child what that means!) They will be going up at each school when completed so be sure to keep an eye out for them. 

This term we will be sharpening up our ‘functional’ language that we use in our every day and set the tone for the rest of the year. We will also reintroduce our weekly Italian class captains who will be in charge of listening out for Italian being spoken throughout the school day. 

Parliamo tutti! 

Ci vediamo a scuola, Signora Jess 

Conveyance Claims

The conveyance allowance is a form of financial assistance to help families in rural and regional Victoria with the cost of trans-porting their children to their nearest appropriate school/campus. The conveyance allowance is available to eligible students travelling by public transport, private car and private bus.

Eligibility
Reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from that school/campus attended
If you would like to apply for Conveyance allowance please download, print and complete the application form below and return to the School Office by Friday  3rd March 2023. 

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF) Claim Information

School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors.
Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works and sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. All are part of a healthy curriculum.
CSEF will be provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is:
•• $125 for primary school students
•• $225 for secondary school students.
HOW TO APPLY
Download the CSEF application form via link below
Please complete the CSEF form and return to the office by Friday 3rd  March 20223

BIRTHDAYS

Happy birthday to Adele who was 9 on the 1st February

Happy birthday to Ahlia who was 11 on the 5th February