Term 3 Week 1 Monday 10th July 2023
- Our Prayer this Week
- From the Principal
- Key dates for the Diary
- Parent Teacher Interviews
- Dental Van
- Classroom information
- Covid Information
- Playgroup at St Colman's
- Major Raffle
- Lunch Orders
- St. Colman's Community Garden
- St. Colman's Enrolments
- Changes to eating times Feedback
- Enrolments at MRC
- Wonder Recycling Rewards for Schools
- Birthday Wishes
- Footy Tipping
- School Advisory Council
- Weekly Award Winners
- St. Colman's School is a Child Safe Community
- NCCD
- Out of School Care
- Community News
Our Prayer this Week
A Winter Prayer
Lord,
In the midst of Winter, when the days are cold and wind can pierce remind us of the warmth of your love.
In the midst of Winter, when days are short, dawn comes late, and dusk arrives early remind us that in the darkness your light still shines.
In the midst of Winter, when the flowers still lie hidden in the earth, when leaves are off the trees, and the world can seem bleak remind us that Spring is but a short time away.
And when in our lives we feel as if we are experiencing a season of winter, may a kind friend reach out to us so that we may feel the warmth of their generous spirit that can take away the darkness of our soul.
Amen
From the Principal
Dear St Colman's community,
Welcome to Term 3. I trust you all had a restful and restorative holiday and are ready to face another busy term in our school community.
With only eleven days until our Trivia Night and draw of our major raffle, I hope you have your table booked and your raffle tickets purchased. You have to be in it to win it and it looks set to be a fun night!
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
Monday July 10th - First day of term 3
- Dental Van at Saint Colman's for two weeks
Thurdsay & Friday July 13/14th- Jane to attend CEB Admin Conference
Monday July 17th- Parent Teacher Interviews
Friday July 21st- Annual Trivia night and Major Raffle Draw
Monday July 24th- Staff online Sounds Write training- week 1
Thursday July 27th- SAC Meeting
Monday 31st July- Staff online Sounds Write training- week 2
Friday 4th August- Yr 5/6 All Stars Hooptime
Monday 7th August- Staff online Sounds Write training- week 3
- Reconciliation begins
Friday 11th August- Yr 5/6 Rookies Hooptime
Monday 14th August- Staff online Sounds Write training- week 4
Friday 18th August- Yr 3/4 All Stars Hooptime
Monday 21st August-BOOKWEEK-
- MOW all week
-Staff online Sounds Write training- week 5
Tuesday 22nd August- School Closure Day- Structured Literacy PL for staff
Friday 25th August- 3/4 Rookies Hooptime
Wednesday 6th September- Sacrament of Reconciliation
Friday 15th September- Last day of Term 3- Footy Colours Day
2023 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)
School Camps 2023
Year 3/4 Camp to Sovereign Hill September 12th and 13th
Year 5/6 Camp to Melbourne November 22-24
Parent Teacher Interviews
As you received your child's Semester One reported recently, it is timely that we have Parent Teacher Interviews coming up next week. This gives both you and your child's teacher the opportunity to discuss in detail your child's learning achievements so far this year as well as their goals for the next two terms.
Please book online through PAM. Bookings will be open tomorrow and you will be notified through the Schoolzine App when bookings are ready to be taken.
Dental Van
All children are eligible to receive free dental checks and treatment whilst the Dental Van is here this week. If you want your child to access this free service, please return the permission form ASAP. Contact the office if you have misplaced the form.
Classroom information
There is a slight change to our specialist timetable this term.
Seniors will have Library and French on Tuesday afternoon and the Middles and Juniors will have these classes on Wednesday.
Library returns are due on the day your child has library.
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
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, beginning this Friday.
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.
Major Raffle
Only eleven days until this is drawn!! 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)- 1st and 3rd Thursdays of most months (15th June, 6th & 20th July) 9am -1pm
We are so grateful to all the families who have already fulfilled their rostered time and sold tickets. This is resulting in tickets selling strongly with approximately 240 tickets being sold so far.
The annual raffle will be drawn at the Trivia night. See details below about this fun night.
Lunch Orders
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
Thank you to the many parents and students who provided feedback regarding our trial of eating after we play. The feedback was pretty clear, children do not prefer to play first and staff also reported that none of the expected benefits of doing so were obvious amongst our students. Therefore, we will go back to eating first and then playing. Children are free to eat lunch at the first break or to eat their snack then. On Monday and Friday, lunch orders will go back to being delivered at 1pm.
8:55- School bell
10am - Fruit and Brain Break
11am- Bell- All children sit in UCA and eat.
11:10- Bell to go and play
11:25-Music-children go to toilet, drink and line up ready for class.
11:30- Bell- in class and learning
1pm- Bell- All children sit in UCA and eat.
1:10 - Bell to go and play
1:40- Music-children go to toilet, drink and line up ready for class.
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 HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL THE END OF JULY. LET'S TRY AND FILL ONE LAST BOX.
We have already filled and returned three boxes of bread bags. This equates to approximately $500 in reward points that we will be able to cash in for sports equipment. What an amazing effort by you all!! Thank you!
Birthday Wishes
No student birthdays this week, but we did celebrate our wonderful staff member, Olivia's birthday during the holidays!
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.
The lead is changing weekly and this week sees Stacey Atkins and JohnFlynn29 claiming top spot with 82 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.
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.
Week 9 Winners
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 5: Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
In complying with Child Safe Standard 5, St. Colman's must, at a minimum, ensure:
5.1 The organisation, including staff and volunteers, understands children and young people’s diverse circumstances, and provides support and responds to those who are vulnerable.
5.2 Children and young people have access to information, support and complaints processes in ways that are culturally safe, accessible and easy to understand.
5.3 The organisation pays particular attention to the needs of children and young people with disability, children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those who are unable to live at home, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children and young people.
5.4 The organisation pays particular attention to the needs of Aboriginal children and young people and provides/promotes a culturally safe environment for them.
NCCD
Please read the attached information sheet for parents regarding NCCD.
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
Community News
