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Term 2, Week 8: Thursday 10th June, 2021

A Prayer for Reconciliation Week

Loving Creator God,

We rejoice in the beauty of this ancient land and her waters.

We marvel at the awesome way they have been formed.

We give thanks for her First Nations Peoples, their stories of creation sung by countless Ancestors.

We pray for your healing of this land and her Peoples.

We pray that love will make a new way, a harmony way, the way of Jesus.

Holy God, today we are grateful, and we celebrate this nation’s true history, beginning long before time.

The First People of this ancient land who gave them birth, who gives them life – Mother Earth.

We honour them and share their joy.

You, Wisdom, call us body, call us one.

To walk together, people from many lands, under this same golden sun.

Together First Nations Peoples and all of us who have since come.

Together there is a new song to be sung, as old as time.

Wisdom, help us to listen, to follow, to learn, to grow.

In the name of Christ, we pray.

Amen.

Winter Uniforms - Terms 2 & 3

A reminder as we enter winter in full force, all students should be in correct winter uniform. Please refer to the expectations listed below.

Boys:

Black leather school shoes (black runners/athletic shoes not accepted)

Navy socks

Maroon school polo shirt (short/long sleeve)

Navy gabardine pants

Navy V-neck school jumper3

Boys Sport:

Runners (casual sneakers not accepted)

Navy socks

Navy track pants (cuffed or straight leg)

Maroon school polo shirt (short/long sleeve)

School rugby top

Girls:

Option 1: Black school shoes (black runners/athletic shoes not accepted)

Navy tights

School tartan tunic

Maroon school polo shirt (short/long sleeve)

Navy V-neck school jumper

Option 2: Black school shoes (black runners/athletic shoes not accepted)

Navy socks

Maroon school polo shirt (short/long sleeve)

Navy gabardine pants

Navy V-neck school jumper

Girls Sport:

Runners (casual sneakers not accepted)

White socks

Navy track pants (cuffed or straight leg)

Maroon school polo shirt (short/long sleeve)

School rugby top

Extras

Navy school beanie (no alternative beanies accepted)

Navy school softshell jacket (If you are purchasing a jacket for school, please buy this one, as we will transition to including this jacket as a part of our mandated uniform).

School Evacuation Drill

Schools must provide a safe environment for children, staff, volunteers and visitors. Therefore, careful preparation, planning, and regular practice drills are designed to equip staff to react quickly and calmly, act in a coordinated and thoughtful manner, and minimise the risk of harm to all present, particularly children, in an emergency.

Please note that we will be conducting a drill before the end of this term.

Types of emergency incidents

Evacuation from school buildings - Internal threat, gather in the assembly area.

Lockdown/Lock-in – External threat, stay inside and secure all entrances.

Outside to inside – External threat, all present on the school grounds to move inside and secure all entrances.

Off-site evacuation – A serious escalated risk, all to move from the school site. Our off-site evacuation site is Creswick Primary School.

Student-focused preparation

Practice drills will be undertaken across the year. Students will know that the drill is a practice to reduce panic and fear in an actual emergency.

Key things teachers will do to support students who are apprehensive or worried:

Let students know that feeling inconvenienced, annoyed, scared or apprehensive by evacuations or lockdowns is normal. However, the fear or annoyance will subside as students understand the procedures to be adopted during various emergencies.

Provide perspective: Let students know that moving from one location to another is designed to keep everyone safe. Answer questions or correct inaccurate information honestly, simply and age-appropriately.

Provide a sense of safety and control: Appropriate training for staff and students ensures that everyone is well rehearsed during an emergency.

Watch for vulnerable students: Students who have experienced trauma can be vulnerable in a drill situation and may show signs of agitation.

Make sure vulnerable students are partnered with competent friends, teachers or teacher aides throughout the drill.

Review what has happened

After the event, we will talk about the evacuation or lockdown scenario in terms that students can understand. Staff will also debrief after the event and make adjustments to procedures to ensure that the drill will go smoothly and safely when needed.

COVID-19 Restrictions

We thank all of our families for the way they have followed the COVID-19 restrictions that have been placed upon schools. Every fortnight, we will remind you of these restrictions in our newsletter, assuming there are no significant changes.

Here is this weeks:

Students should not come to school if sick (especially with cold or flu symptoms) and parents and carers are also asked not to come on to the property if sick
If waiting for your child outside the buildings or dropping off your children, please maintain social distancing from others
Should you wish to contact your child’s teacher, you can contact them through phone, email or Seesaw
If you are inside or unable to maintain a 1.5 metre distance when outside, a mask must be worn
Masks must be carried at all times
If there is a need to visit school and your stay exceeds 15 minutes, please sign in at reception.

School Advisory Council

The purposes of the School Advisory Council is to:

Act as a forum for discussion on matters concerning education in our school
Promote community development by fostering a solid interrelationship between our community and our school.

Your School Advisory Council Members are:

Alicia Achterbosch - Beth Civelle - Andrew Fraser

On your behalf, I offer a sincere thank you to the three volunteers and I hope their time on our School Council is worthwhile and rewarding.

School Council responsibilities

The responsibilities of the school council are to:

Plan for the future of the parish primary school and its ability to accommodate future enrolments
Provide advice on budget planning and finance-related matters
Contribute to the selection process for the school principal

The School Advisory Council

Membership

The school advisory council shall be composed of members who appreciate, value and share the educational mission and ethos of the school. It shall consist of:

The parish priest (by invitation)
The school principal (ex officio)
At least two parents of children attending the parish primary school
A nominee of the Parent and Friends Association (if active)
Other persons co-opted for a period to serve a particular need.

Student Reports

The teachers are very busy at the moment writing reports. They use assessment data they have collected during the year to report on your child’s academic progress as well as their work habits. With all being well, the reports will be ready on Friday the 25^th of June, with parent-teacher interviews scheduled to take place early next term.

The report format has been designed to present a simple, streamlined layout that will support you in gauging a clear understanding of your child’s learning strengths and areas for continuing focus. Your child’s achievement in each learning area is displayed with a dot indicating if they are working below standard, at standard or above standard.

News from the Art Room

The Foundation students made these fantastic self-portraits. They started with a cardboard cut-out of a person, which they decorated using wool, buttons, paper, felt and foam. As you can see, the end result looks amazing!

The Year 1 and 2 students created some Autumn Artwork. They traced around leaves found in the school yard using black texta and then painted the leaves using water paints. The students really enjoyed this activity and the finished pieces look fantastic!

The Year 3 and 4 students created some Underwater Artwork, featuring jellyfish as the main focus. They used paint, pastel and chalk pastel to complete their work. As you can see the pictures are very vibrant and eye-catching. Well done to the students!

Tuck Shop

We are receiving great feedback from our volunteers with regards to the ease of preparing student lunch orders, a big thank you to all of our helpers. We now seek helpers for the term 3 roster, please see below the list of dates we will require assistance:

* 16th, 23rd & 30th July * 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th August * 3rd, 10th & 17th September

Please email Mandy if you are able to assist during Term 3, ensuring you specify your chosen date - your assistance would be greatly appreciated! msimpson@sacreswick.catholic.edu.au

The Roster for the remainder of Term 2 is as follows:

11/06/21: Shondra Baker & thank you to Emma Grant for filling in on such late notice!
18/06/21: Lana Taylor & Sarah Prendergast
25/06/21: Josie Stephens & Brenton Smith