Return to Remote/Home Learning

As we once again find ourselves entering into Remote Learning round 2, all in our school community need to be congratulated for the great work we achieved in term 2. As we navigated the unknown staff and parent/carers partnerships were strengthened. Students developed independence and resilience as they accepted many changes that took place throughout the term.

This term we have carefully considered feedback from parents and have incorporated the following improvements to our Remote/Home learning program.

• Foundation, year 1, 2 & 3 will meet once/twice a week with their class and teacher via google meets. The main focus of this meet is to provide an opportunity for students to connect with each other and their teacher.
• All classes will email parents the daily schedule/timetable by 6:00pm of the previous day. This will allow parents time to organise and plan for the day ahead
• Students who normally receive additional support will meet twice a week via google meets with the Educational Support Staff member who normally works with them in the classroom.
• All classes across the school will be scheduled for specialist classes on the same day. This will allow parents/carers who have two or more children to work together to complete activities.

Monday- Religious Education/Inquiry Concept

Tuesday -Physical Education

Wednesday-Religious Education/Inquiry Concept

Thursday- Art

Friday- Japanese

While I acknowledge how challenging this situation is for families I need to remind parents that Catholic School Principals are following the guidelines for students who qualify to attend onsite learning as outlined by Catholic Education Melbourne and the Victorian Government. 

Onsite supervision of students will be available to students in the following categories: 

• Children who are not able to be supervised at home and no other arrangements can be made (this is only available to parents where both parents can not work from home and are required by their employer to attend a work site)
• Children with a disability
• Vulnerable children including-Children in out of home care, children deemed by Child Protection and/or Family Services and children identified by the school as vulnerable

The learning program delivered onsite will be the same as the learning program delivered to students undertaking remote learning. Students learning onsite will be supervised by school staff onsite and follow the teaching and learning program provided by their classroom teacher.

All teaching staff and Educational Support Staff are rostered on to supervise students who are onsite at school learning. This means on a number of days per week, teachers are juggling teaching their class remotely as well as supervising students onsite. Educational support staff too are juggling supporting students onsite along with connecting via google meets with students they normally provide support for. Please be patient and understanding with staff as they manage these commitments. Teachers will be available via email, however they may not be able to respond quickly to your email due to teaching or supervising responsibilities.

Remote/Home Learning Survey Results- a message from all staff

Thank you to the many families who took the time to respond to the remote learning survey we sent out at the end of last term. We received 68 responses from parents, which was fantastic.  We were indeed appreciative of the number of responses we received, which in turn influenced some of the adjustments we have made for this second phase of remote learning.

Regular communication with teachers was deemed the most helpful component during remote learning. 88% of respondents indicated how effective communication was during the remote learning period. Teachers called, made daily videos, emailed weekly/daily planners, left voiced feedback on Seesaw or comments on student work, conducted Google Meets, regularly emailed students and parents alike - all of this helping to facilitate the best educational experience possible for your child. These practices will continue in this next phase. Additionally, teachers will email parents a 'next day' outline by 6 p.m. each evening so that you are aware of, or can prepare for the following day. 

Missing friends was considered the number one drawback of remote learning. 75% of parents indicated that their child missed socialising. We get it - we missed our friends as well :) Google Meets have now been set up for our junior year students so that they have the opportunity to connect each week. For our year 4-6 students, 'pull-out' groups will be set up for tasks where students can work collaboratively online. Group projects in online classes create connections.

In addition to these adjustments, feedback indicated that our school community was thankful for our fortnightly learning packs, Mrs Barca's hand-picked books and all of our specialist class activities. These too will continue.

It certainly took a team to deliver the remote learning program last term and we hope that by responding to your feedback, we have made it even better this time around. 

CareMonkey is rebranding to ‘Operoo’

This is a quick note to inform you that St Catherine’s digital forms and school operations platform provider, CareMonkey, will be rebranding as ‘Operoo’: School processes, without the paperwork. 

Operoo’s mission is to help schools eliminate operational inefficiencies so that every dollar and every minute possible can be spent on a students’ education.

The name change will occur the week beginning Monday August 3rd. How you use the service, as well as the ownership and operation of the company, will remain unchanged.

You can continue using the system, and its mobile application, as usual. Just be aware that, after Monday August 3rd, emails and notifications sent from the system will start appearing under the new name ‘Operoo’. You will also be automatically diverted to the new Operoo website if you go to the old CareMonkey website.

We look forward to continuing to digitize, streamline and automate St Catherine’s operations with Operoo.

Curriculum Term Outlines

Teachers have today emailed parents the Curriculum Term Outlines for term 3. These documents support parents with an overview of the learning concepts and skills planned for this term. The teachers have given careful consideration to aspects of the curriculum that can best be delivered in a Remote/Home learning context. The curriculum outlines have been emailed to parents and can also be accessed via the side menu of the Parent Engagement Platform and the school app.

PRAYER IN TIMES OF EPIDEMIC (Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana Apostolic Nuncio from the Vatican in Australia.)  

Jesus, our Good Shepherd and Divine Physician, hear our pleas. We implore your mercy in the wake of an outbreak of serious illness and disease. Guide our efforts to prevent contagion and make preparations to care for those most vulnerable. 

Assist all professionals and volunteers who work to eradicate the epidemic now spreading. May our actions be marked by your steadfast love and selfless service and never by panic or fear. 

Bestow your comfort and healing to the sick, sustain and strengthen them by your grace. May they know your closeness as they carry the cross of illness. And may all you have called from this life come to worship you eternally with all the saints as you grant consolation and peace to their mourners. Amen. 

Holy Mary, Health of the Sick, pray for us. 

St. Joseph, Hope of the Sick, pray for us. 

St. Rocco, protector against epidemics, pray for us. 

As we return to another period of remote learning, we need to be mindful of
presenting our students with a positive growth mindset. Even though it can be
difficult at the moment as we are faced with changes happening all around us,
focusing on the positives can really help manage change.

We need to model and show the students that we are open to being flexible,
adaptable and ready to take an active approach in dealing with the challenges that
may happen over this period. When negatives pop up during the day, however small
they may be, we need to counteract them with two positive outlooks or comments. It
is important to help them view change in a positive way. The Worry Waterfall poster
below might be a good way to approach any concerns or worries during this time.
This visual can assist the students to reflect on their concerns, take action, let go
and move on with a more positive outlook.

Teaching and encouraging our students to use positive coping strategies like
conscious breathing, brain breaks, positive self-talk, exercise, shifting our focus,
setting small achievable goals for their learning each day is going to assist them to
grow, to be more resilient in these extraordinary times. Please take some time to
read the information from Mary MacKillop Family services about helping young
people and ourselves during uncertain times.
Take care,
Maree

Here we go again!

Thank you to everyone for all the positive emails about my book selections.
Once again I will be choosing a range of books for all the children in our school,
I hope you all enjoy them.

In the packs that went home today, I have enclosed the next Scholastic Book Club.
If anyone is interested in purchasing please do so on the online platform, your books will then be sent to the school and be placed with the next round of Learning packs.

Please remember to keep returning Library Books and take home readers.

Many thanks
Kath Barca