New Circuit Breaker Actions- COVID-19- Short Lockdown

I am not sure if families were as shocked as I was, hearing the Victorian Premier’s announcement of the short lockdown last Friday. I was so hoping our Family Picnic would go ahead, given that we had planned this for early in the school term. We will reschedule and let you know shortly the new date.

Please be reassured that families and students will once again be supported during any disruptions to learning. As I have said many times throughout last year, all we can do is our best. Staff understand the pressures that are placed on families during lockdown periods. Staff are also very tuned into how to best support students transitioning back to onsite learning.  All staff prioritise students’ needs whether it be wellbeing or learning and we will continue to support continuity of learning for all students.

Any updates or communication to parents regarding COVID-19 will be sent via Operoo. In the event of this platform experiencing difficulties, information to parents will be sent via Schoolzine as a special newsletter addition. I urge all parents to ensure you have subscribed to our fortnightly newsletter. 

Enrolment Maximisation Committee

In term 3 last year our school with support from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) formed a committee to promote our school and increase enrolments. This committee comprises myself, school parents, teachers and MACS staff. 

As part of the work we began last year we have put together a survey for parents to complete. We urge all families to complete this survey as the information we collect will greatly support the work we will do this year. We are hoping to make stronger connections with organisations in our local community. If one member from each of our school families could please complete the survey, we would be most grateful. Please click on link (to be updated shortly) below to complete a quick survey.

Go to survey

Thank you

Enrolment Maximisation Committee

Specialist Classes

All students in foundation to year 6 participate in the following specialist classes each week.

This year Sandra Renehan will be taking students for both Visual and Performing Arts lessons. In semester 1 students will focus on Visual Arts and in second semester Performing Arts. We are planning to hold an Arts Expo in term 4. Due to COVID restrictions, this will look somewhat different than what we have done previously. We will look for creative ways to showcase students' skills and talents in both performing and visual arts.

Joyce Henderson will again this year facilitate Japanese lessons for all students. A Language Other Than English (LOTE) is compulsory for students in primary school. Joyce engages students in learning about Japanese culture, food, greetings and simple conversation. In years 4-6 students begin to write in Japanese script.

Sue Pattinson leads our physical education program. Students engage in weekly physical education/movement classes, usually outdoors. Sue facialitates extra sporting activities throughout the year  for students in years 4-6 to attend. Our school belongs to HOLT district sports.This district is made up of 9 schools from the Bayside area. In this district our senior students have opportunities to compete in swimming, soccer, netball, football, athletics and cross-country. This year Laura Armour will also support Sue and our students in many of these events. Our senior students also compete in interschool sports in terms 2 and 3.

St Catherine’s Leadership Team

This year the following staff support the leadership of our school. Our leadership team meets each week. The work of leaders in our school is to support student learning. In supporting student learning, leaders work with teachers and education support staff to improve their practice which directly impacts on student learning.

“In a Catholic School, leaders foster a culture of professional learning and growth, where expertise is developed and shared, creating the best conditions for all teachers and students to flourish.”

Horizons of Hope-Leadership (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Melbourne- MACS)

Lynda O’Donnell- Principal & Learning Leader

Carmel Donlon- Literacy, Student Diversity and Religious Education Leader

Maree Hills- Student Wellbeing

Megan Moore- Mathematics Leader

Michael Juliff- Coordinating Principal & Arrowsmith Leader

Our leadership team this year will be supported by MACS Literacy and Mathematics consultants. MACS consultants meet regularly with leaders, supporting them in delivering professional learning for staff and building their capacity as leaders.

Head Lice

Just a reminder to parents to regularly check your child’s hair for head lice. They seem to like hot, humid weather. Please see attached information on treating head lice.

School Photos

School Photos will take place on Thursday 25 February. This year all orders and payment needs to be completed online. Please see attached PDF flyer.

Elite School Photography

Login Code ESP202515

Canteen

Our canteen will be open on Friday lunchtime this term for students to purchase icy poles. We ask that students only purchase one icy pole and do not buy for or share icy poles with friends.

Our P&F parents this year will be supporting over the counter sales of limited items for students to purchase. Many thanks to Sylvia Cary who will be selling icy poles this term.

School Athletics Day

Our school Athletics Day has been postponed until Friday 5 November.

Playgroup

We were so excited to welcome 14 families to our playgroup. Our next playgroup is on 9:30am Thursday 18 February in our school hall. All Welcome. Please let friends and neighbors know. Any questions please email kath.barca@scmoorabbin.edu.au

Wellbeing News

SRC

This week the SRC (School Representative Council) met for their first meeting for the year. Due to the circumstances during 2020 we were only able to hold two      meetings last year, as a result we welcome back our nominated representatives from last year to be this year’s SRC. We have two new members joining us from Year 1MH, Emma McKell and June Wilson. 

The students were presented with their new badges at the beginning of the year Mass. We look forward to a productive year using the students ideas and feedback and putting them into action.

Safer Internet Day

Every class started the chat about online safety on Tuesday, Safer Internet Day. This took shape in a variety of ways, classes discussed ways to stay safe online and created an online agreement and rules for their class to follow. Others listened to the newly released story and song from the eSafety Commission. You listen to the story and song on the following link.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/children-under-5/picture-book-and-song

The students discussed the importance of not sharing their personal information and photos online. They shared who they would talk to if they felt they were not comfortable with things they had seen or heard whilst online.

It’s important that we keep up to date with the latest information about being safe online. Visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents for further information.

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Tuesday)- 16th February

Why do we celebrate Shrove Tuesday? The name Shrove comes from 'shrive', meaning absolution for sins by doing penance. The day gets its name from the tradition of Christians trying to be 'shriven' before Lent. ... Pancake Day itself came much later as a way of using up rich foods, like eggs, milk and sugar before the 40 days of fasting - Lent.

Ash Wednesday- 17th February

Lent begins on Wednesday with the marking of ashes, a sign to remind us to live the way Jesus wants. It is the beginning of our preparation for Easter when Jesus rises from the dead. Lent is a special time when we stop and think about how we can play our part in God’s hope for a world that is fair, just and peaceful. We think about our relationship with God, and how through serving others we can grow closer to him. We also think about the changes we can make in our lives, to be God’s love and mercy in our world, ensuring all people have a just future. 

Lenten Prayer

God of Justice, 

We come to you today as members of one family.

Teach us how to be your loving presence to others.

Help us understand the challenges others face. 

Be with us as we try to change, to be people who take action for others.

 Help us seek a world where everyone has a just future. 

We ask this in Jesus’ name.  Amen

This week the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to alleviate poverty, hunger, oppression and injustice.

We encourage you to put your compassion into action this Lent through your prayer, fasting and almsgiving by supporting Project Compassion. Each family will receive a Project Compassion box for your donations or you can donate online via the Caritas Australia website at: lent.caritas.org.au  

If you choose to collect during Lent, please return the boxes to school so we can add the school donations to St Catherine's Parish Donations.  

Saint Oscar Romero is our inspiration for Project Compassion 2021, so in his words let’s “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

ENROLMENT FOR SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION 2021- Year 3 & 4 Students

This information will be sent to Year 3 & 4 families via Operoo today. Please print the PDF enrolment form (Operoo) for Reconciliation and return it to the school office by Friday, 19th February.  This is important information for the Parish. 

Please email me if you require a hard copy of the Reconciliation Enrolment Form and I will send it home with your child.

The following events take place as part of students making their Reconciliation

•     Family Workshop
•     Student Reflection Day
•     Presentation to the Parish Community at weekend Mass- Sunday 10.30am Mass
•     First Individual Rite of Forgiveness- 10am before Parish Mass

RECONCILIATION REFLECTION DAY

Wednesday 3rd March 

St Catherine’s Learning Hub & Church

On Wednesday 3rd MARCH ALL of the Year 3 & 4  students will be involved in the Reconciliation Reflection Day at St. Catherine’s. This day will be led by the class teachers and myself (Religious Education Leader). The day will continue to lead the students to a deeper understanding of Reconciliation.  

The students are allowed to wear casual clothes on the day. All students will be required to bring a snack (including fruit) and water bottle (no glass). A sausage sizzle lunch (gluten free sausages) will be provided for all of the students. Children who are unable to eat sausages due to  dietary concerns are required to bring their own lunch from home. If this is the case please let your child’s classroom teacher know.

FAMILY WORKSHOP FOR YEAR 3 & 4 STUDENTS RECONCILIATION 

Wednesday 10th March 7-8pm 

St Catherine’s Learning Hub

The Family Workshops for Reconciliation will take place on WEDNESDAY 10th MARCH 2021.  Families and their child must attend (at least one parent). More information will be sent out closer to the date.

PRESENTATION TO THE PARISH COMMUNITY AT WEEKEND MASS

10.30am Sunday 18th April

St Catherine’s Church

This will take place at 10.30am on Sunday, 18th April.                                      When you arrive, please let the Parish Associate know that you are present.

FIRST INDIVIDUAL RITE 

ONLINE Booking information to be emailed after Family Workshop- Please book one of the following dates

The First (individual) Rite can take place as a group of 10:

10.00am Sunday 25th April

10.00am Sunday 16th May

10.00am Sunday 20th June 

Any questions or queries can be emailed to Carmel Donlon: carmel.donlon@scmoorabbin.catholic.edu.au

CONFIRMATION 2021- Thursday 3rd June (Change of Date)     

We have received notification that the date and time for Confirmation at St Catherine’s has changed. The Year 6 students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at 7pm on Thursday, 3rd June. Please mark this date in your diaries.

Carmel Donlon

Religious Education Leader

The students in Foundation have been very busy within their first few weeks of school at St Catherine’s. They are doing a wonderful job becoming familiar with the routines and structure of school, whilst getting to know one another. 

During English lessons, Foundation have begun focusing on letter-sound relationships as well as learning how to correctly form different letters of the alphabet. The students have taken their first few trips to visit Mrs Barca in the Library and have had a wonderful time choosing books to take home and share with their families. 

Within Mathematics lessons, Foundation students have been exploring different types of number activities. They have begun identifying, forming, making and counting numbers to 20. The students have been creating and continuing many types of repeating patterns with drawings and materials.

The Foundation students are congratulated for their great start to the school year!

Ride2School is a nationwide program delivered by Bicycle Network, designed to support schools to encourage, empower and enable more students to 

get physically active on their journey to school.

On Friday the 19th of March St Catherines will be participating in the ‘ride to school day program.’

In preparation for this students will be learning about the benefits of participating in the ‘ride to school program’ in conjunction with the health and environmental benefits of using transport such as walking and riding to places in general. More information about the day will be provided in the following newsletter. 

Laura Armour Year 6 teacher

P&F newsletter 15 Feb

I hope this finds you all well. While our Picnic plans were interrupted by the snap lockdown announcement, it was wonderful that so many of you had planned to come to spend time as a school community. We are being optimistic and planning more events for this term. 

The first P&F committee meeting for 2021 is on the 23rd of February at 7.30pm in the Learning Hub. We warmly welcome family members who can commit to the committee, to the organization of just one event, or even to help at home occasionally (wrapping gifts for lucky dips for example). If the meeting cannot go ahead as planned it will be held as a zoom meeting.

If you would like to be involved in any way and are unable to come to the meeting this week – please let Karen know via the P&F email address:  stcathsparentsandfriends@gmail.com 

Future meetings will be scheduled at a time that suits the committee members.

Planned P&F events this term include:

Saturday 20th March – Working bee at school 9-11am 

Children and extended family members are welcome. 

Date TBC - Free dress day to support the Remote Op-Shop Project

We will be sending excess school uniforms and school bags from our Uniform Shop to a remote Aboriginal Community in Western Australia. We are asking families to donate a coin or a 5KG post bag to cover the cost of postage to support this community. For more information about the Remote Op-Shop Project see http://www.remoteopshopproject.org/

Your family might also consider sending good quality clothing and shoes (all sizes – form infant to adult) to support the newly established Piriwa Op Shop in need of stock. Please note that due to the remote nature of the community Australia Post Bags up to 5kg are the only option for deliveries as the packages are delivered by light planes that cannot carry boxes.

Piriwa Op Shop

C/O Aisha Khaoula 

PMB 7 Balgo Community, Via Halls Creek, WA 6770.

April 1st -Sausage Sizzle 

Lunch on the last day of school this term will be a fundraising Sausage Sizzle – we are seeking volunteers to cook and serve the sausages and Icy Poles form 12.30pm-2pm on Thursday the 1st  of April. Please let us know if you can help for all or some of this time.

Easter Raffle 

Drawn on April 1st – raffle tickets will go home in March. If you, or a business you know would like to donate a prize, please let us know or deliver to the office by the end of February.

 We have already secured some fabulous prizes including a full term of dance classes from The Performance Academy of Dance in Wickham Road and a chocolate hamper from Darrell Lea. 

Mentone Girls’ Secondary College is delighted to be resuming onsite College Tours in term 1 and planning for an Open Night on

 Wednesday 21 April at 7pm.

Bookings for the College Tours are essential and made through our website at www.mgsc.vic.edu.au.  Additional tour dates are released as each tour day fills.   

Interest is very high from 2022 year 7 families. We encourage families looking at MGSC for 2023 year 7 and beyond to attend the Open Night and a tour later in 2021.