Term 4 Week 2 Monday 10th October

Acknowledgement of Country

St Colman’s acknowledges the Girai wurung people as the traditional owners of the land on which our school stands and we respectfully recognise elders both past and present.

Our Prayer this Week

May God’s Word be in my thoughts,
May God’s Word be on our lips,
May God’s Word ever and always be in my heart.

This is my prayer. This is my prayer.
That the Word of God defines my life.
This is my prayer.

                                                          Amen

From the Principal

Dear Families,

This week we are looking forward to welcoming Emma Stenhouse to St Colman's. We can't wait to see what we create and look forward to hanging the finished work in our school foyer. 

Please keep an eye out in school bags for forms for the upcoming visit of the Dental Van, which will be here from the 24th October.

Jane also has plenty of rugby jumpers, school dresses and polo shirts in stock at school for anyone requiring uniform.

I'm taking 3 days long service leave from Wednesday to attend a wedding in Queensland. Rosie O'Connor will be acting principal during this time.

The next newsletter will be Tuesday 18th October. 

Kind regards, 

Stacey

School Closure- No School Monday

Our last school closure for the year is this Monday 17th October.

On this day staff will be working with Catholic Education Teaching and Learning Officer, Mel Willis, to build common understandings of spelling and related literacy skills. 

This has been a major focus this year as part of our Annual Action Plan. 

Artist in Residence- Parent Event

Our artist in residence would love to involve parents in what we are doing.

Parents are invited to come along for a look at any time. However, if you would like to come in after school on Thursday Emma will make sure that she is here. 

Please complete this survey to say if you would like to attend. 

Each class will be working with Emma throughout the week to create a new piece of artwork for our school. We are grateful to Acciona for contributing $3000 to fund this project. 

Please have a look at Emma's work on her website https://emmastenhouse.com.au/

Junior Excursion to Halls Gap Z00

On Tuesday 18th October, the Foundation, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students will be heading to Halls Gap Zoo for their major excursion. 

The cost of this excursion is covered by the school. 

Please keep an eye out for permission requests via PAM. 

A New Flag

Thanks to Dan Tehan's office for providing us with a new Australian Flag after our previous one had an altercation with the tree and became ripped. We think it looks great. 

Senior Homework

As part of our secondary school transition program the grade fives and sixes will begin weekly homework in term four on top of their nightly reading (this will be optional for the grade fours). This will consist of three tasks for the week including maths, reading and writing and will be due each Friday. As this is a school task any homework that is incomplete will be dealt with at school. If your child is unable to complete their tasks can you please let me know and feel free to make contact with Rosie if you have any questions or concerns. 

The Wonderful World of Will

Thank you to Mortlake College for inviting us to join them in viewing a theatre performance by Bell Shakespeare. The performance took us back in time to Elizabethan England to explore the world and work of William Shakespeare. The students were thoroughly entertained and so were the staff. Beware if your child starts 'biting their thumb' at you! 

Congratulations Billie

For over three decades, Lions clubs around the globe have been sponsoring a very special art contest in schools and youth groups. Creating peace posters gives children everywhere the chance to express their visions of peace and inspire the world through art and creativity.

This year, Billie was selected as the winner for St Colman's. Billie's work will now go onto the next stage of judging. All of the entries from Mortlake are displayed in the main street if you would like to have a look. 

Thanks to Heather and John for coming along to school to make this special announcement. 

Head Lice

Once again, there have been cases of head lice found in our school community. To try and prevent further cases, please check your child's hair. 

Children with hair below shoulder length must have it tied back. This includes both boys and girls. 

If head lice are found please treat them and wash all bedding to prevent reinfection. 

Further information can be found here.

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/head-lice-nits#treatment-for-head-lice

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday this week to Scarlett. We hope you have a great day.

And it's William's today!

Key Dates for the Diary

Term 4

10th October- Emma Stenhouse, artist in residence for the week

17th October- School Closure Day- literacy PD

18th October- Junior Excursion to Halls Gap

2nd-4th November- Gr 5/6 Camp to Dunkeld

24th November- St Colman's Feast Day

5th and 6th December- Gr 3/4 Camp to Halls Gap

6th December- Global transition day (MRC and Mortlake College)

9th December- St Colman's Transition Day

16th December- Last day for students

Our Lady of Mercy Parish News

Free Autism Workshop

COVID Reminders

A few reminders:

* Masks are highly encouraged but not mandated.  They are required on the bus. 

* Positive cases must isolate for a minimum of 5 days and report these cases to school.

* Positive cases do not need to test again for 4 weeks. 

* RATs are still available and are to be used when someone has Covid symptoms. 

* Close contacts can attend school if they test negative on a RAT each school day. Close contacts must wear a mask indoors. 

Rapid Antigen Tests.

The Victorian Government is continuing to provide Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) in Term 3 and again in Term 4 to schools. Household contacts are required to test negative using a rapid antigen test on at least 5 out of 7 if they are attending or working at a school onsite.

Schools will be able to provide these RATs to parents/carers, staff or students on request, as the previous settings that required weekly or daily testing of students and staff have ceased. 

Staff and students are only required to test for COVID when symptomatic or if they are a close contact of a confirmed case. Individuals who have tested positive are not required to test for 4 weeks (note this has been 12 weeks during last term). If you require RATs please contact the school. 

Face Masks.

We have been asked to remind staff, students and families that the current advice from the Victorian government is that it is recommended face masks are worn in indoor settings (except for close contacts, who must wear a mask indoors unless an exception applies). Everyone including students aged 8 years and above must wear a face mask when travelling on public transport, taxis or ride share vehicles.

COVID-19 reporting to the school community.

Principals must notify staff and the school community through a daily email (where applicable) when a student(s) or staff member(s) have returned a positive COVID-19 test result and had attended the school.

The following still apply:

Managing a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 

As soon as a staff member or student becomes aware of being a suspected case - that is symptomatic (fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of smell or taste):

• The suspected case is required to leave the school site, or be isolated on-site until they are able to leave.
• The suspected case is required to be tested with a rapid antigen test (if at home). A positive test result must be reported to the Department of Health.
• Positive cases must be isolated for 5 days.
• Positive cases can exit isolation after 7 days without testing. 

Close Contacts

A close contact (a person who has spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID 19 inside a house, accommodation or care facility) is no longer required to isolate as long as they follow the additional safety measures:

• Notify the school if returning within the 7 day period.
• Undertake RAT testing on school days within the 7 day period (unless the 12 week exemption applies)
• Wear a mask indoors if an adult or a student Yr 3-6.
• Not visit hospitals or care facilities.
• Avoid contact with people at higher risk of infection.
• If symptomatic take a RAT or PCR test.

Isolation rules: If you test positive

Report your result and isolate for at least 5 days.

If you tested positive using a rapid antigen test, you must report your result to the Department of Health online, or by calling 1800 675 398. You don’t need to report your result if you tested positive from a PCR test.

Your isolation period begins on the day you took your positive test.

How long your isolation period goes for depends on whether you have symptoms, which include a fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you must isolate for at least 5 days from the date you took your rapid antigen test or PCR test. For example, if you took your test on Monday, you can leave isolation on Saturday if you have no symptoms. You must isolate whether you have COVID-19 symptoms or not.

When you may leave isolation.

If you are in your 6th day of isolation and you have symptoms – no matter how mild – then you must continue to isolate. If you have a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath, you may still be infectious and you may infect others with COVID-19.

If you have no symptoms on the 6th day of isolation, you are free to leave isolation on that same day. You do not need to take a test to leave isolation. For example, if you tested positive on a Monday, you may leave isolation any time the following Saturday.

If you are in your 7th day of isolation and you have symptoms – no matter how mild – then you must continue to isolate. If you have a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath, you may still be infectious and you may infect others with COVID-19.

If you have no symptoms on the 7th day you are free to leave isolation on that same day. You do not need to take a test to leave isolation. For example, if you tested positive on a Monday, you can leave isolation any time the following Sunday.

If you leave isolation after 5 days, there are important rules you must follow for those two days:

• you cannot visit a hospital or aged care facility
• you cannot attend work at a hospital, residential aged care facility, disability care facility and in-home care premises (including disability and aged care in the home).

For more information about isolation rules for COVID cases click here: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases