Term 1 Week 4 Monday 19th February 2024

Acknowledgement of Country

From the Principal

Important Dates:

TERM 1 2024

Monday 19th February- Seniors to visit Aberlea 

Wednesday 21st February- Foundation Rest Day            

Monday 26th February ­– STOMP Dance Class Day 1

                                                - Parent Teacher Catch ups- 3:30-5:30pm

Tuesday 27th February ­– STOMP Dance Class Day 2

Wednesday 28th February ­– STOMP Dance Class Day 3

                                                        - Foundation Rest Day

                                                       - SAC Meeting @ 6:30 in the Staffroom 

Thursday 29th February ­– Division Swimming Warrnambool

Friday 1^st – Thursday 7^th March- F-6 Swimming Program

Monday 4th March ­– STOMP Dance Class Day 4

Tuesday 5th March ­– STOMP Dance Class Day 5

                                      5:30: Family Picnic and STOMP Dance presentation

Wednesday 6^th March ­– Foundation Rest Day (FINAL ONE)

Friday 8^th March- St Colman’s and St Thomas’ Athletics Carnival @ Terang Rec Reserve

Monday 11^th March- Labor Day Public Holiday

Wednesday March 13^th- March 25^th- NAPLAN Testing Period

Thursday March 14^th-March 15^th- Parent Support Group Meetings

Tuesday 19^th March- Lions Eye Health Program screening at St Colman’s

Wednesday 20^th March- MRC Open Day

Friday 22^nd March – Regional Swimming Horsham

Tuesday 26^th March – District Aths Carnival

Wednesday 27^th March- School Photos

Thursday 28^th March- Term 1 ends at 2:15

Term 2 2024

Monday 15^th April Term 2 commences

School Closure Days for 2024

Term 1: Tuesday 30th January- Structured Literacy

Term 2: Friday 26^th April- Wellbeing

Term 3: Monday 15^th July- Religious Education; Re-contextualising the Scriptures.

                Tuesday 16^th July- Structured Literacy

Caritas Project Compassion

During the Lenten Season, we ask all our families to raise money for the Caritas Project Compassion. Each family will bring home a money box today and they are asked to fill the box with coins. These coins are then returned to school and used in the Class Money Line competition held on the last day of this term. The class with the longest coin line will win a hot chip lunch.

All the coins are then forwarded on to the Caritas Australia team, where they will use the money raised to support their charitable works.

For over 60 years, Caritas Australia has worked hand in hand with the most marginalised and remote communities in Australia and overseas to confront the challenges of poverty. 

The theme they have set for Project Compassion this year is: For All Future Generations.

Supporting and educating our students in the work of Project Compassion helps them to understand the plight of many marginalised people in our world. This forms a major part of the Catholic Social Teaching offered at St Colman's, where we address matters of social, economic and ecological justice in the world and help our youngest citizens understand that they can make a difference in the world not just today but For All Future Generations.

Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) Survey

Every five years all Catholic primary schools in our diocese complete the Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) Survey. 

The Catholic University in Leuven was commissioned by the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV) to design a process and tools, based on sound research, to accomplish the goal of understanding our current Catholic identity and where the school community might like to see itself in the future.

The ECSI Survey is a key element of this process and I write to request your participation. The online survey gathers responses from students in Years 5 and 6, all staff and a representative sample of parents.

You are asked to complete the survey online; it may take up to an hour to do so. Attached is a letter of explanation and a set of instructions. Your child will also bring home a copy of this information today. In order to get an accurate picture of how our school community sees our school, it is essential that as many of you as possible complete the survey. Please find some time in your busy lives to sit and reflect upon our Catholic Identity and complete the survey.

Go to; http://www.ecsi.site/au/user/

Enter the password: Ghj654

Click on NEW USER

Our school Access code is: (case sensitive): mpUWYb

Many thanks in advance for taking the time to do so!

Our Lady of Mercy Parish News

WEEKEND MASS TIMES
ST THOMAS’ TERANG
Saturday 6.00 pm
Sunday 10.30 am
ST COLMAN’S MORTLAKE
Sunday 9.00 am

Parent Teacher Catch Ups

On Monday February 26^th we will be holding Parent Teacher Interviews from 3:30-5:30. All parents and carers are encouraged to make an appointment to catch up with your child’s teacher either face to face or via a phone call. These interviews are designed to discuss how your child has settled into the new school year and for you to share with your child’s teacher any important information that may have an impact upon their education. Bookings can be made from tomorrow via the PAM app. Please select if you would prefer a face to face meeting or would like a telephone discussion to take place.

Specialist Timetable for Term 1

Below is the Specialist timetable for Term 1. All children need to wear their sports uniform and return their library books.

Structured Literacy Project

We are thrilled to announce that our school - along with many others - has joined the Diocese of Ballarat's Structured Literacy Project. In 2024 we will be taking the further steps towards a renewed, evidence-based approach to Literacy instruction through participation in this award-winning research partnership with La Trobe University.

The Sciences of Reading and Learning tell us that a systematic, explicit approach to the teaching of the alphabetic code and the grammatical rules that underpin written English offers our students the best chance at becoming confidently literate. The approach we are strategically adopting is called Structured Literacy, which is the approach endorsed by the International Dyslexia Association, the International Literacy Association and the Australian National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy.

Our whole staff group will be working closely with the Structured Literacy team from the Catholic Education Office over the next few years, to learn more about the principles, elements and characteristics of a Structured Literacy approach with our first school closure last Tuesday dedicated to learning. We will strive to keep you updated on the progress of this important project, but for now you may wish to watch a short video (link below) from the DOBCEL Structured Literacy team to find out more.

Attached is important information regarding the collection of data for the research project. If you do not wish for your child/children’s data to be used in the study, you may opt out by:

1. Printing, completing and returning the attached form.

2. Requesting a hard copy form from the office.

3. Emailing your completed form to the office at admin@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au 

MUSIC LESSONS AVAILABLE

We’re off to a good start this year with ten students learning piano or guitar!  However, I have up to three more spots available for students who want to learn a musical instrument this year.  Students in prep-2 have 20 minute lessons while the older students have 30 minutes.  They can choose from piano, guitar, recorder, flute, violin, clarinet, trumpet, ukulele and saxophone.  If you’re interested, please text me on 0417559235 and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Melanie Pocknall
Instrumental Music teacher

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support is: A multi-tiered framework for establishing the social culture and behavioural supports needed for a school to achieve behavioural and academic outcomes for all students. For the next two weeks at St Colman’s we are working with our students on developing effective learning habits that will set them up for success throughout the year ahead. During that time, all staff will be reinforcing the behaviour expectations as set out in our Behavior Matrix (below).

The 2024 AFL FOOTY SEASON IS ALMOST HERE

And that means Footy Tipping is back!! 

Please see attached letter regarding our school's community Footing tipping Competition. Please consider joining in and encourage your family and friends to play along too!!

Round 1 begins on Thursday March 7th.

School Advisory Council (SAC)

We would like to introduce you to our SAC members for 2024.   

Jo Wallis (Chair), Alison Greig, Michelle Lehmann, Zion Palmer, Sophie Allen, Rachel Baulch, Danielle Kenny, 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 first meeting for 2024 was due to be held last Thursday, however it has been rescheduled to Wednesday February 28th at 6:30pm in the staff room at school.

Welcome Picnic

Our first school community event of the year will be held on Tuesday 5th March starting at 5:30pm.

Highly regarded Melbourne-based dance company STOMP Dance Co, will come to our school each day for a week and teach our students four- to-five dance routines. The week of dancing will culminate on Tuesday night with an outdoor concert that will showcase all they have learnt during the week. The dance concert will start at 6pm sharp!! Prior to the concert, we would love all of our families to join us for a BYO picnic dinner from 5:30pm.  We can't wait to see you all there!

Playgroup at St Colman's

We look forward to welcoming back our local pre-schoolers every second Friday, with our next session being held on Friday March 1st.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD WITH YOUR FRIENDS WHO HAVE PRE SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN. EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!!

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.

SCHOOL NURSE VISIT

Each year our Foundation students have the opportunity to have a FREE health and wellbeing check conducted on them by the visiting School Nurse. If you would like your Foundation child to have this check, please complete either the online questionnaire or request a paper version from Shandell. 

SchoolTV Wellbeing Platform

This year, our Diocese has partnered with School TV to bring a range of helpful resources to families from a variety of experts, such as Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. There will be videos, interviews, fact sheets, articles and more.

This award-winning resource helps build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It can assist in starting conversations on topics that are sometimes awkward or difficult to tackle.

The link to our school's Landing Page is below. A link will also be available on our school's website for easy access.

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

This week in each of our classrooms, the children will be presented with a child friendly version of the 11 Child Safe Standards. Children learn about how our school is working hard to ensure that we create a culture, adopt strategies and act to put the interests of our students first in order to keep them safe from harm.

The standards are explained to the children in a simple way and they are provided with support to help them understand their right to feel safe at all times and what they should do if they do not feel safe.

Junior Student Representative Council (SRC)

Our Student Representative Council will be co ordinating our partnership with Cooinda Terang to become a collection point for Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic).

We will be collecting all eligible empty drink containers and then returning them to the CDS collection point at Cooinda. The 10c raised from each return will go back to the SRC. They will nominate various charities to support as well as using 50% of the funds to upgrade school resources.

So please start collecting and sending in your empties. The easiest way to know if your drink container can be returned id to look for the 10c mark on the label, often located near the barcode.

Most aluminium, glass, plastic and liquid paperboard (carton) drink containers between 150mL and 3 litres are eligible. You can keep the lids on, we recycle them too.

At the end of last year, we announced our Junior SRC representatives for each classroom. This is a new initiative for St Colman’s and it is hoped that this student committee will help the student’s at our school feel more connected and provide them with a greater voice in the organisation of some aspects of our school.

These students, along with our two school captains, will comprise our Student Representative Council for the year.

School Captains- Ivy and Mason

Junior Reps- Patrick and Layla

Middle Reps - Archie and Zoe F

Senior Rep - Charlotte

An SRC initiative, Toastie Tuesdays, will start this week. Children will bring a sandwich to school and for $1 we will toast it for them. Money raised will go towards updating our school’s sporting equipment. This will start next week with the help of the SRC team.

Special days for the year:

March 21st: Odd Sock Day (Down Syndrome Awareness)

Final day of Term 1: Casual Clothes Day and Money Line for Missions (Project Compassion)

Term 2; Crazy Hair Day (gold coin for Cancer research)

Last Day of Term 2: Casual Clothes Day and ‘special lunch’ TBC

Term 3: Pyjama Day (gold coin for Homelessness)

August 18th: National Day of action against Bullying

Last Day of Term 3: Footy Colours day and hot dog and milk lunch.

Term 4: Casual clothes day for TBC

All of these days will be assisted in planning and organising by SRC Team.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Terang Junior Domestic Basketball registrations are now open! 
We welcome new and returning players to follow the link below, to register NO LATER than Tuesday February 20th. 

Season will commence Friday 1st March, 2024. BLACK or NAVY Shorts ONLY, strictly NO pockets or NO footy shorts allowed. 

There will be NO LATE registrations accepted past the cut off date of February 20th, 2024. Any queries please message TOBA page, Stephen Vaughan or Kym Grundy.

Terang Olympic Basketball Association commitee

Toastie Tuesday Starts this week

Lunch Orders

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

Menu and price list below

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday to one of our students, Piper, who is celebrating her 8th birthday this week.

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

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

Terang & Mortlake Health Service Health and Wellbeing Newsletter

AngliCare Energy Assistance

As part of Anglicare Victoria’s FREE Energy Assistance Program, they provide assistance with energy bills to support Victorians to:

• Talk to their energy retailer and get help with debt
• Access extra financial support
• Check they are receiving eligible concessions on their bill
• Find and move to an affordable energy plan
• Understand bills and fix any possible errors
• Support your child's education with free internet at home

They can provide immediate assistance for clients who are struggling to pay for their gas or electricity bills to prevent disconnection to their property!

The follower two flyers provide further details.

NCCD

Please read the attached information sheet for parents regarding NCCD.