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Newsletter: Term 1, Week 9 - Thursday, 31st March, 2022

Resurrection is transformation

Why are eggs associated with Easter? Why are they such a powerful symbol of resurrection? The word needs some care. It is not resuscitation, as if Jesus were brought back to life, like Lazarus or the widow’s son at Nam (see John 9 and Luke 7:11-15). Resurrection is transformation. The symbols of resurrection are many. So then, why eggs and Easter? An egg is changed. What is yellow and white liquid becomes alive with feathers and a chirp. If you look at the liquid of eggs alone, you would never tell what they would become. A liquid goo becomes a chicken – a seagull, crow or magpie. Another Easter symbol is the seed or acorn. You can look at a seed and never imagine what colour it may turn out to have, similarly to a caterpillar and butterfly. These are resurrection symbols because they become something else, totally unforeseen and beautiful. And yet there is continuity: the egg becomes a chicken; an acorn becomes an oak tree; a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.

(Source unknown)

Principal's News

End of Term One Information

A reminder that we finish the term at 1:45 on Friday, April 8th, and we commence back on Tuesday, April 26th, as Monday the 25^th is ANZAC Day.

Students will wear the Winter uniform on the first day of Term Two. If the weather is still warm, we will be flexible and allow the students to wear their summer uniform for the first two weeks of the term.

If your child (ren) is unable to wear the full school uniform at any time, please send a note of explanation to the relevant teacher. Thank you for your ongoing support in this.

As we prepare for a well earned rest over the Easter break, I would like to thank all for their efforts over the term. It has been a very settled and productive ten weeks, with a particular note on how well our 24 foundation students have settled into their class routines.

We are very fortunate to have a supportive community here at St. Augustine’s.

I sincerely thank all of our staff for their hard work, determination and commitment to caring for and educating the children at St Augustine’s. Whatever their role in our school, their contribution as an educator and role model is most important in providing the opportunities for the children to develop into the best person they can be.

Working with Children’s Check

Are you thinking about helping out at school this year?

You must apply for a WWC Check before starting child-related work and passing the Check to continue this work. You are doing child-related work if:

your work is paid or voluntary
your work is connected to one or more of the occupational fields listed in the Act
your work involves regular direct contact with children
this work is not directly supervised by another person.

Some exemptions apply.

To assess your suitability to work with children, the Check examines your national criminal history and, where appropriate, professional disciplinary findings for relevant offences.

If you pass the Check, you will receive a WWC Check card enabling you to participate in child-related work for five years. During this time, your criminal and professional records will continue to be monitored.

If the Department of Justice believes that you should not pass the Check, you will have an opportunity to make a submission explaining why you think you should pass the Check. If you do not pass the Check after your submission has been considered, you may appeal the department’s decision through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

To apply, go to this website, http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/

If you are a volunteer, there is no cost involved. Some parents have been contacted about their expired WWC. If this affects you, please get in touch with Karen in the office ASAP.

Enrolments for 2023

If you have a pre-schooler turning five before April 30th 2023, please get your “application for enrolment” form filled in and delivered to the school office as soon as possible. This will help us with planning staffing and class groups for next year. If you know of families in the area thinking of enrolling at St Augustine’s, please encourage them to contact us to formalise enrolment procedures.

Pokemon Cards at School

As these could be classed as toys, we ask that your children do what they do with all toys and leave them at home. These cards can be worth a lot of money, and therefore when traded or lost, this can cause a lot of angst for your child, not to mention the stress for all as our teachers sort out a not so happy trade or a search for a lost card.

COVID-19 Update

Mask Wearing

Mask wearing supports the capacity of the school to provide continuous learning. All staff, visitors, and contractors must wear a mask whilst indoors.

Students in Years 3-6 must wear a mask when indoors except when engaged in activities that require clear communication and/or vigorous exercise.

Students will need to provide masks as a limited number are available.

Visiting School Premises

We understand that parents will need to attend school; however, it is essential that you wear a mask at this time to minimise the potential for transmission.

Symptom Management

All students, staff, and visitors must not attend the school site if they are unwell, have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been directed to isolate themselves by Public Health.

We ask that your child does not attend school if they display cold or flu-like symptoms; stay home and phone your GP.

If a student displays cold or flu-like symptoms at school, parents will be contacted, and your child will need to be collected and returned home.

Rapid Antigen Testing

Rapid antigen testing is a crucial component of Public Health’s approach to self-diagnosis of infection and close contact management.

RAT’s will continue to be provided for staff and students.

Reporting a Confirmed Case or Close Contact

If your child tests positive for COVID, please notify us immediately and call the Coronavirus Hotline at 1800 675 398.

If there is a positive COVID Case in your child’s class, we will send you a notification on Seesaw reminding you that classes will continue but monitor for symptoms. If your child tests POSITIVE to COVID, please notify us immediately. This allows us to inform others. If your child is home due to being COVID Positive or as a CLOSE CONTACT, please let us know, and if you would like work for your child, we will share some packages we have put together.

Victoria COVID-19 testing and isolation guidelines

Testing advice
Isolation period

I have COVID-19 symptoms

RAT test. PCR only if you are unable to access a RAT or have been instructed
Isolate for seven days and test daily if symptoms persist

I have been diagnosed with COVID-19

Diagnosis can come from either positive PCR or RAT
Isolate for seven days. Can leave isolation after seven days if symptoms dissipate

For example, if you had the test on a Monday, you would leave isolation any time the following Monday.

I’m a household contact – no symptoms

Advised to take RATs and monitor for symptoms throughout the isolation period.
If you have recovered from COVID-19, you aren’t required to test, quarantine or isolate if you are exposed to a case within eight weeks of ending your isolation period
Isolate for seven days

If you have recovered from COVID-19, you aren’t required to test, quarantine or isolate if you are exposed to a case within eight weeks of ending your isolation period

I’m a household contact – have symptoms

RAT test. PCR only if you can not access a RAT
Isolate for seven days

Other or casual contact – social, workplace etc.

Monitor for symptoms, RAT advised

Curriculum News

NAPLAN: Tuesday 3rd May – Friday 6th May 2022

In May every year, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 take part in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).

This year we will administer the NAPLAN tests through the Online National Assessment Platform.

The year three Writing test is the only test that will continue as a pen and paper assessment this year. More information regarding NAPLAN Online will be communicated via the newsletter in the coming weeks.

If you have any questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact myself (Mrs Morris) or your child’s classroom teacher.

PE / Sports News:

This week we are heading to Clunes on Friday for the Goldfields Cross Country. We are taking a field of 22 students. We wish them all the very best of luck for this coming race.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Zahra Winduss from Grade 6 who has been selected for the U14 Regional Academy Program for Basketball. Well done, Zahra!

We have had a number of students participating in some wonderful events out of school and we would like to share that with you.

Will Grant and Max Clohesy Won the Mt Prospect Tennis Grand Final on Saturday with their team.

They Played Roy Martin and his team who came runners up. It was a nail-biting match and both teams played amazingly! Great little sportsmen.

Jack Clohesy won the Mt Prospect Tennis 10 & U singles and doubles club champion. There were a number of students from St Augustine’s who participated in this championship.

Isla Keating was runner up in the Mount Prospect Junior Tennis Association club championship in girls 11 and under singles and doubles.

Lenny Harris from foundation is competing this weekend at Lilydale for the VIC series Rd3 BMX competition. Riders come from all over the state to compete. Lenny competed at Bendigo last month for Rd 1&2. All the very best of luck Lenny for this weekend!

Also, good luck to all of our students who are preforming at CresFest this coming weekend.

Mrs Morris

Year 6 Editorial

As the term has progressed, the school has attended some exciting events such as the Year Six Leadership assembly, Goldfields Cross Country and the Indigenous Food and Fibre Festival.

Recently we had our very first school assembly since Covid hit. It was a special Leadership assembly that only Year Six parents could attend. All the Year Six students received their leadership badges from the principal and they also told a little bit about their leadership role. In this assembly the Year Sixes introduced their Foundation buddies to the school.

Five Year Six students went to the Indigenous Food and Fibre Festival. Those handful of students were lucky enough to be able to learn about Indigenous food and culture. It was an enjoyable and educational experience, being able to try Indigenous food and be able to attend a smoking ceremony. We would love to do it again.