Term 2 Week 8 Tuesday 13th June 2023

Our Prayer this Week

From the Principal

Key dates for the Diary

Term 2

Monday June 12th - King's Birthday Public Holiday

Tuesday June 13th - Parent Support Group meetings

Wednesday June 14th- Visit to Mortlake College to watch their production of Frozen Jnr.

Thursday June 15th - School Advisory Council meeting

Friday June 16th - Little Colman's Playtime 9-10:30am

                                    - French Friday

Thursday June 22- Whole school excursion to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Lighthouse Theatre Warrnambool

Friday June 23rd-Little Colman's Playtime 9-10:30am

                                      End of Term 2 @ 2:15pm

Monday July 10th - First day of term 3

                                       - Dental Van at Saint Colman's for two weeks

Friday July 21st- Annual Trivia night and Major Raffle Draw

Meals on Wheels Roster

Week beginning; 21st August and

                                    30th October

School Closure Dates 2023

Term 3: Tuesday 22nd August (Literacy)

Term 4: Friday 10th November (Catholic Social Teaching) NB change of date

Staffing Announcement

It is with mixed emotions that I share the news that Bridget Van Den Broek has tendered her resignation from our school, effective from the end of this term. Bridget has been a dedicated and highly valued member of the St Colman's community for many years and we fully support her decision to prioritise her young family and to find employment closer to her hometown. On behalf of the community I thank Bridget for her dedication, passion and commitment to our school. I am sure she has made a lasting impact upon all who have been in her classrooms as well as everyone she has worked with. 
We are currently working to find a replacement for Bridget and we are committed to finding a suitable replacement who shares our dedication to fostering a positive learning environment for all of our students.

We will formally thank Bridget for her years of service to St Colman's at our final assembly for the term.

Covid Information

As we have had quite a few reported cases of Covid 19 within our community, it is timely to remind ourselves of COVID Safe arrangements. We will be encouraging greater vigilance with our hand washing procedures at school.

Although there are no mandated isolation arrangements, the following is strongly recommended:

It is strongly recommended that students:

●  Who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home and isolate for five days.

●  Should not attend school after five days if still symptomatic.

●  Who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school.

Where students become symptomatic at school, they should:

●  Be collected by their parents/carers.

●  Undergo testing for COVID-19.

It is strongly recommended that staff:

●  Who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home and isolate for five days.

●  Should not attend school after five days if still symptomatic.

●  Who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school.

If families require RAT kits, please contact the school office.

COVID-19 reporting requirements.

The Department of Health recommends that a person who tests positive for COVID-19 should inform those with whom they have recently been in contact, including their workplace, school and household.

Schools no longer have to alert their school community of positive cases, however we will continue to do this informally.

Face masks.

Staff and students who wish to wear a face mask should be supported to do so, and schools should continue to make face masks available for staff, students and visitors.

The Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home.

Additionally, the department recommends that masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19 for 10 days after a positive test when they need to leave home.

Playgroup at St Colman's

French Friday

We have been so fortunate to have Lola Dussart join our school community as a French Language Assistant. Sadly, we say goodbye to Lola this week as she returns home to her family in Belgium.
We thank Lola for her support of our French Language program and for the knowledge she shared with us all (especially me!). We also thank the Van Den Huevel family for taking Lola in and for looking after her while she worked in our schools.
To celebrate Lola’s time with us we will be having French Friday this week. Children are encouraged to wear red, white and blue and they will participate in French focussed activities Friday afternoon.

Safe travels Lola. You will always be welcomed back to St Colman's

Major Raffle

Our school raffle and ticket sales are off to a great start with 112 tickets sold so far. Last year the raffle raised almost $10,000 for our school and we would love to do the same again this year.

This year all families will be rostered on to sell tickets at community ‘hot spots’ (see attached roster).

Clarke’s Café - Fridays 11-2pm

Bate’s Supermarket - Saturdays 10-2pm

WVLX (Saleyards)- 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays of most months (15^th June, 6^th & 20^th July) 9am -1pm

Term 2 Classroom Information

Please read on to find out what is happening in our classrooms this term.

Lunch Orders

A reminder that as of the start of Term 2, LUNCH ORDERS are only available twice a week on Monday and Friday.

St. Colman's Community Garden

We are so grateful to local community member, Marie Varley, who has volunteered to work with our students each week to re-establish our neglected community garden. This week the Seniors and the Junior students will be spending some time getting their hands dirty!

You can help by donating any of the following items needed for this project.

• Used soft drink bottle (1.25 or 2 Lt)
• Any herb or vegetable seedlings
• Old carpet off cuts, door mats or hessian bags
• Old plastic pots
• White plastic that can be cut up and used as name tags (for example, ice-cram containers).

St. Colman's Enrolments

Changes to eating times Feedback

The changes to our eating times have been in effect for four weeks. I am sure that you have received feedback from your children about this by now, so please report that feedback to the the school or to a member of our SAC. That way we will have informed opinions as we discuss whether to continue with these times or not at this week's SAC meeting.

8:55- School bell

10am - Fruit and Brain Break

11am- Bell- Children take their lunch boxes to UCA and then go and play

11:20- Music- All children sit in UCA and eat LUNCH

11:30- Bell- in class and learning

1pm- Bell- Children take their lunch boxes to UCA and then go and play

1:35- Music- All children sit in UCA and eat AFTERNOON SNACK

1:45- Bell and in class and learning

3:15- School bell

Enrolments at MRC

Are you enrolling your child to attend our sister school, Mercy Regional College in 2024? If so, please note that enrolments are now due.

Mercy Regional College is committed to giving every student a fair chance to receive a Catholic education. The College offers a number of scholarships to support student learning and assist with tuition, fees and levies.

If you would like further information on accessing financial support or any other part of the enrolment procedure, please contact College Registrar Ms Nicole Darcy:
T. 03 5593 2011
E. office@mercy.vic.edu.au

A live link is avaliable on the Mercy website.

Wonder Recycling Rewards for Schools

This year we are participating in this program that will raise reward points that can be cashed in for sporting equipment for our school. Ask all your friends, neighbours and family members to save their bread bags and bring them to school and put them in the big white box at the front door at school. All bread bags (including muffins and wraps) are accepted. These bags are then returned to Wonder to be responsibly recycled.

So let's get recycling!!

Birthday Wishes

We wish Ivy a very Happy Birthday for her 11th birthday which she is celebrating this week.

Many blessings to you on your special day and throughout the year. 

Footy Tipping

Our Footy Tipping Competition is up and running and we have 35 registered entrants.

We have MadBombers, Stacey Atkins and JohnFlynn29 all sitting on top on 76 points.

Entry fee is $20 adults and $10 school aged children and is due to be paid ASAP

If you haven't already done so, please pop into the office to pay for your entry.

School Advisory Council

We would like to introduce you to our SAC members for 2022-2023.  Lily Convery-Oborne (Chair), Jo Wallis, Alison Greig, Michelle Lehmann, Jo Dolling, Zion Palmer, Sophie and Nick Allen, Rachel Baulch, Rosie O’Connor (School rep), Janet Cain (Principal) and Fr. Gary Jones (Parish Rep)

These people are the voice of the parish and parents in the school. If you have any questions or anything that you would like raised please contact one of these people.

The SAC meets twice a term and we thank these people for agreeing to be a part of this group that provides an essential link between the school and its families. 

Our next School Advisory Meeting is THIS THURSDAY in the staffroom at school at 7pm.

Weekly Award Winners

Congratulations to all students who received an award at our weekly assembly last Friday. Remember, you are all most welcome to join us at the assembly, starting at 2:50 in the Undercover Area.

St. Colman's School is a Child Safe Community

Child Safety Officers

Janet Cain and Rosie O'Connor are our Child Safety Officers.

Contact them on:

Phone: 55992285 or 0490539167

Email: jcain@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au or roconnor@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au

Standard 3:  Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously

In complying with Child Safe Standard 3, St. Colman's must, at a minimum, ensure:

3.1    Children and young people are informed about all of their rights, including to safety, information and participation.

3.2    The importance of friendships is recognised and support from peers is encouraged, to help children and young people feel safe and be less isolated.

3.3    Where relevant to the setting or context, children and young people are offered access to sexual abuse prevention programs and to relevant related information in an age-appropriate way.

3.4    Staff and volunteers are attuned to signs of harm and facilitate child-friendly ways for children and young people to express their views, participate in decision-making and raise their concerns.

3.5    Organisations have strategies in place to develop a culture that facilitates participation and is responsive to the input of children and young people.

3.6    Organisations provide opportunities for children and young people to participate and are responsive to their contributions, thereby strengthening confidence and engagement.

NCCD

Please read the attached information sheet for parents regarding NCCD.

Our Lady of Mercy Parish Bulletin

Catholic School Parents Victoria Update

Out of School Care

A reminder that during 2023 we have access to Out of School Care, supplied by TheirCare, at Mortlake College. Registration is made via the TheirCare website. https://theircare.com.au/

Search for Mortlake College P-12

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