Term 2 Week 5 Monday 23rd May
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
Creator God
We celebrate Catholic Education, this week across The Ballarat Diocese. We give thanks for our communities of hope and transformation that are spread from the Murray to the Sea. We pray that we will be energized with courage and hope to continually spread the Good News. We ask this through Jesus our brother.
Amen
From the Principal
Dear Families,
This week is Catholic Education Week. Catholic Education means different things to different people. It is a system with a history of providing education for all and bringing to the forefront values of equity, hospitality and care. This week we will celebrate as a Hampden Catholic Schools Network with a combined SAC dinner on Tuesday night and with our Network Day on Friday. Our network day will see the P/1/2s travel to St Pat's in Camperdown and the 5/6 students to St Thomas' in Terang. Our 3/4s will welcome the children from the two other schools.
Thank you for supporting our school closure day today. A reminder that we are holding an open morning tomorrow for any potential parents for next year. Existing famlies with children for 2023 are also welcome.
I'll be attending principal induction on Wednesday and Thursday. Rosie O'Connor will be in charge during this time.
Kind regards, Stacey
Walk to School Day
Thanks to everyone who was able to participate in our Walk to School Event. A great way to start the day!
Covid Updates and Reminders
A reminder that all students who travel on buses are still required to wear masks.
Children who are close contacts are permitted to come to school as long as they have a negative RAT result. Adults and children who are in Grade 3-6 who are close contacts are also required to wear a mask at school (indoors only).
It is still a requirement that if your child tests positive for Covid-19 that you inform the school.
RAT Update
RATs will continue to be distributed to you as they have been throughout this school year for the remainder of this term.
However, from Monday 23 May 2022, we do not recommend that your child complete a RAT twice a week as previously advised.
RATs however will continue to be required by students who are household contacts to attend school (5 negative tests over a 7-day period) or who have symptoms.
The ongoing supply of RATs to families in our school will ensure that parents and carers will have them should they need them if their child is a household contact or has symptoms.
Families must continue to notify the Department of Health and the school if their child returns a positive RAT result. Additionally, you should inform us if any of your children are household contacts.
Thank you also to all families who has got their child vaccinated. Vaccination continues to remain the best way to protect students and staff in our school.
Getting vaccinated is easy and bookings can be done via the coronavirus website. If you have any questions about the vaccines, I encourage you to speak to your GP or a health practitioner.
Thank you again for your ongoing cooperation and support during this time.
Kinder Visit
It was great to have the Kinder children visit last Wednesday. We look forward to welcoming them back at another stage as part of their transition to school program.
Open Morning
To support our enrolment process we will be hosting an enrolment morning on Tuesday 24th May at 9am. Please invite any family or friends along to come and experiene our school. We're very proud of our school and know that we have a lot to offer new children and their families but we need your help in getting the word out.
Tours can also take place by appointment.
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to Steff who celebrates his birthday on Friday.
2022 Online Raffle- Volunteers Needed
Thanks to everyone who has already bought a ticket, sold a ticket or shared a post about our raffle.
This week, we are looking for someone to coordinate the selling of tickets at Bates' over a couple of days. Can you help?
Or, can you help sell tickets one night after school at Bates'? Please let Stacey know at school or email principal@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au
School Uniform
A couple of reminders about the school uniform. There's lots of options!
- Winter or summer uniform can be worn all year round, as long as it is the full uniform. Children are not to mix and match uniforms.
- Navy socks please.
- The PE, polar fleece, jumper can still be worn on PE days.
- Girls can wear navy trousers instead of a skirt if they prefer.
- There are long and short sleeve tops available.
The School Advisory Council would like to gauge people's interest in adding a navy rugby jumper to the uniform. This would cost approximately $80. If you could please reply to the survey below that would assist the SAC in their initial discussions.
Footy Tipping Competition 2022
Wooo hoooo! Congratulations to Tassie Devils who tipped 9 this round. Bat Nat was also outstanding with 8 correct. Jenn Finn has extended her lead after tipping 7. Tommy Dale and Stacey Atkins are still second and third, but Tassie Devils, Ticketyboo66 and Sharyn Grinter are putting on the pressure.
Key Dates for the Diary
Term 2
Tuesday 24th May School Open Morning, 9am
Tuesday 24th May, combined HCSN dinner
27th May- HCSN Network Day
1st June- Tri Sports 5/6 students
9th June-SAC Meeting, 7pm
13th June- Public Holiday
17th June-School Trivia Night
20th June- Raffle drawn today
23rd June- Whole School Excursion to Annie the Musical (Warrnambool)
Term 3
1st August- School Closure: First Aid Training
8th September- School Closure: Liturgy (Religious Education)
Term 4
17th October- School Closure-Literacy
Our Schoolzine calendar is now operational so there's numerous dates available on the app.
COVID Reminders
Vaccination
Triple vaccination status will continue to be a requirement for all staff onsite with students and will be required for any volunteers and visiting workers. This will include:
- Parents assisting in classrooms.
- Visiting medical and allied health professionals.
- Visiting speakers, presenters and performers.
- Student teachers.
Parents visiting the school to attend school events (ie sports, performances, classroom visits) will not be required to declare their vaccination status.
Rapid Antigen Tests
Staff and students are invited to continue RATs twice a week. Staff or students who have previously had a positive COVID test are not required to test for 12 weeks after their initial positive result.
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 7 days.
In the event that school receives notification that a staff member or student was infectious while onsite:
- All staff must use a rapid antigen test if they have symptoms.
- All students must use a rapid antigen test if they have symptoms.
- Where a positive case is recorded from a staff member or student who has been on site, the school community will be notified. Personal information will not be released in this communication.
If a staff member or student tests positive with a rapid antigen test but does not have symptoms or has not been in contact with a positive case, a PCR test is recommended. If a subsequent PCR shows a negative result the staff member or student can return to school.
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.
Masks
Masks are no longer required to be worn by students, staff or visitors. However the wearing of masks continues to be a recommended practice which will still be required in certain circumstances including bus travel or a period of high levels of prolonged transmission.
Any staff of students who are identified as close contacts must wear a mask indoors.
RAT tests will be sent home tomorrow. If you do not wish to receive these please make contact with the school.
CATS
This will be our third attempt at bringing CATS to Warrnambool, with Covid interrupting our attempts in September 2021 and January this year. Our cast, crew and orchestra will have been preparing for this season for over a year by the time we take to the stage.
We are calling on our community to sell our season out and celebrate the work of our extraordinary cast, orchestra and crew.
Warrnambool Holiday Actors and Theatre Company
