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Term 3 Week 9 Monday 4th September 2023

Our Weekly Prayer

From the Principal

Dear St Colman's community,

Welcome to this week's newsletter.

The last week of term is going to be a busy one for some of our students. Our Year 3's and 4's are heading off to Sovereign Hill tomorrow for their overnight night. Our term will conclude on Friday with a Footy Colours day.

As we come to the end of another wonderful term here at St Colman's, we should take a moment to reflect on the many accomplishments and moments of growth that your children have experienced: it has been wonderful to watch them learn and grow. This term, we have also come together for various events and activities that have helped strengthen our school community.

I hope the upcoming break is filled with rest and quality time with your loved ones. We can't wait to welcome our students back for the rinal term on Monday October 2nd.

Read on to find out what else is happening in our school community. It is always a good idea to familiarise yourself with the key dates section of the newsletter. Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions, concerns or suggestions you may have.

Have a great week.

Kind regards,

Janet

Key dates for the Diary

Term 3

12th and 13th September - Year 3/4 Camp to Sovereign Hill

Friday 15th September-

Friday 15th December- Final day for students- 3:15 finish

- Footy Colours Day

Term 4 Commences on Monday 2nd October

Week 1 - Janet on LSL

2023 Meals on Wheels Roster

Week beginning; 30th October

School Closure Dates 2023

Term 4: Friday 10th November (Catholic Social Teaching)

School Camps 2023

Year 3/4 Camp to Sovereign Hill September 12th and 13th

Year 5/6 Camp to Melbourne November 22-24

Footy Colours Day

Friday September 15th is the last day of Term 3. We will be celebrating another successful term at St Colman's by holding a Footy Colours Day.

Children are invited to wear their favourite team's colours. We will all be participating in an AFL Clinic throughout the day and children can buy a hot dog and a flavoured milk for their lunch.

Hot dog in bread will be $2 each and flavoured milk will be $1 each. An order form for the lunch was sent home last week and you will need to order and pay in advance. Please return the form by Wednesday, September 13th

Our day finishes a bit earlier at 2:15.

Fencers Needed

We are hopeful that one of our tradie families may be able to assist Tim (our Grounds Keeper) with extending the life of the wooden fence between our oval and our neighbour. Tim tells me that it requires a couple of star droppers. Please contact Tim (on 0428 528 581) to find out more details and arrange a time if you are able to help.

Thanks!

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Congratulations to the students from St Colman's and St Thomas' who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation last Wednesday.

Grandparent's Day

We are also excited to welcome Grandparents into our school when we celebrate Grandparent's Day on Tuesday October 24th.

Homework at St Colman's

We have recently had a few parents ask about our 'no homework' policy at our school. Several years ago the school investigated the efficacy of homework in primary schools and also surveyed the parent group at that time. The school used the evidence from renowned researcher in education, John Hattie, to support their thinking.

“Research by John Hattie, Professor of Education at the University of Melbourne, has found that homework in primary school has an effect of around zero, as students are completing separate and unrelated projects rather than reinforcing learnt knowledge”.

It was decided that at St Colman’s our homework would prioritise the importance of daily home reading. That being said, we have noticed a decline in the number of students who are reading at home daily and who are getting their diary signed by an adult to indicate that they have been listened to when reading.

We are having a school-wide blitz on this and all children who read at home and have their diary signed by an adult will receive a Dojo point as a reward.

Parents that are wanting to provide opportunities to reinforce their child’s learning at home, are encouraged to utilise the Reading Eggs and Mathletics websites (links below).

Reading Eggs

Mathletics

Weekly Award Winners

Cogratulations to all children who had their achievements acknowledged at last Friday's assembly by receiving a Weekly Award.

Term 3 Classroom Information

See attached document highlighting what is happening in our classrooms this term.

Term 3 2023 Information

Playgroup at St Colman's

We have been delighted by the success of Little Colman's Playtime and we are extremely grateful to Lily Convery-Oborne for her passion and commitment in getting this little initiative up and running. Due to the popularity of this playgroup, we have decided to make this a fortnightly event, and the next session is this FRIDAY 8th September.

The ongoing commitment to this project will require support from other members of the school community. If you are willing to help out by going on a roster to help organise Little Colman’s, please contact either the school or Lily.

WE WILL NEED TO PURCHASE SOME GAMES AND EQUIPMENT FOR OUR PLAYGROUP. HOWEVER, WE WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY OLD TOYS AND GAMES THAT YOUR CHILDREN HAVE GROWN OUT OF AND THAT YOU NO LONGER NEED. IF SO, WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THE DONATION OF ANY PRE-SCHOOL TOYS AND GAMES, INDOOR OR OUTDOOR, THAT ARE IN EXCELLENT USED CONDITION.

Lunch Orders

LUNCH ORDERS are only available twice a week on Monday and Friday.

St. Colman's Enrolments

Birthday Wishes

No student birthdays this week.

However we wish any other members of our community who are celebrating their birthday this week, a very happy day!

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

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.

Term 4 Meeting Dates:

Thursday 19th October @ 6:30 (staffroom at school)

Thursday 22nd Novemebr AGM Dinner Meeting @6pm (Macs Hotel)

Our Lady of Mercy Parish Newsletter

Our Diocesan Community

Please find below the link for the July 2023 edition of “Our Diocesan Community”

Our Diocesan Community July Issue

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

Child Safe Standards (eleven in total) came into effect in July 2022 and are a vital part of what we do here at St Colman’s. But, what do these standards look like in practice? Each week, we will look at a standard in closer detail.

Standard 1 - Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
At St Colman’s we can see this standard in action in a variety of ways. We have the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags on display in our school. As part of our Learning to Learn, children learn about these flags and what they represent. We ensure that our gatherings begin with an Acknowledgement of Country. Our whole school assembly starts with a Welcome to Country from one of our students. Visitors to our school are greeted with a mural that was jointly constructed by our students and local Indigenous artist Emma Stenhouse. This mural connects our student's impression of our local area with the traditional perspective.

More information about these standards can be found by clicking on the link below.

The 11 Child Safe Standards

Our Lady of Mercy Parish Newsletter

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

School Holiday Program at Camperdown

If you are looking for fun, engaging ways to keep your children entertained next school holidays, you may want to consider some of the activites TheirCare are offering in Camperdown. Bookings essential.

NCCD

Please read the attached information sheet for parents regarding NCCD.

NCCD Information.pdf

MRC 50th Jubilee Celebrations

Mercy Regional College is celebrating 50 years of Catholic education in our community. If you are a past student you may wish to attend one of the events they have planned.

Jubilee Day

We would love our past students, families and staff to join us in this celebration on Saturday 25 November from 11:30 to 3:30 in Camperdown. School tours, roll calls and displays for each decade, food trucks and music, tree planting, free family portraits, afternoon tea and more. This event is free.

Jubilee Dinner

On Saturday evening (25 November) we will gather for dinner and the presentation of the inaugural Spirit of Mercy Awards, and the Annual Car Raffle. Then you are invited to kick up your heels to the lively music of The People’s Poets.

Click on the link below for more information and to secure your spot!

50th Jubilee Events

Community News

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.