This week has tested everyone; as parents juggled working at home with children, teachers as they adjusted to a new style of lesson delivery and the children coping with the expectations of everyone around them. Go gently is my best advice at this point in time to everyone. We will get through this together.

Thank you for all your positive comments and the suggestions provided to the teachers in response to their phone calls. We are lost without the children and the corridors are very very quiet. Remember we are still here for our families so please do not hesitate to call or email. The daily Government announcements regarding restrictions concerning social interactions and what we can and cannot do have been very stressful for parents and staff, we just do not know what is in store, if only we all had a crystal ball.  

This week we had planned to video conference with the children to connect them with their teacher and classmates. With the CE making a System decision to rollout MS Teams, a platform to support Remote Learning, we held off. We thought it would create further confusion for families at a time when we are currently deploying new apps for the children to use. As per the Director's letter, next week has been dedicated to the training of all staff across our schools to effectively use and implement MS Teams. 

To assist families with the preparation of Remote Learning we are offering the use of school iPads to families who may need a device at home. Please contact the school if you require an iPad so we can prepare the necessary documentation before you call in. Once we determine all families have a device we may be able to provide a second device, to eliminate the sharing of a device in the home. 

Next week the teacher will be preparing a new pack of school supplies in readiness for Term 2. We will advise when parents will be able to pick them up during the first week of Term 2. There are still a number of books to be collected in the office. Class teachers have advised parents via SeeSaw or Google Classrooms if there are additional books to be collected.

(Mrs Brown has asked me to remind all the children in the 3/4 Maths Challenge Groups to use the code they have been sent through their Google Classrooms to join her enrichment class)

IMPORTANT NOTICE !!. 
Next week will be pupil free days at St Monica’s due to staff engaging in Professional Learning for Remote Learning.

The following care arrangements will be in place at St Monica’s during next week for parents who must attend work and who have no other option for care for your child/ren.

SMOOSH will be running care from 7.30am - 6:00pm for those families who need to send their child/ren to school due to work requirements.
Monday 6 April – Thursday 8 April.   Friday 9 April is a public holiday

To assist families Catholic Education has kindly offered to cover the cost of this essential care next week.

St Monica's families requiring this service must email Carmel Maguire by 9.00am  Friday morning (tomorrow) so we can book the necessary care staff.  carmel.maguire@cg.catholic.edu.au

Holy Week 

A message from a student about learning at home

"I feel good about learning at home. I can choose which subject to do and when I do it. I like that I can still talk to teachers and students and there is fun work. I also like working with my Mum and learning interesting things from my sisters. Thank you for asking "  William A-C

And Now for the News

Helpful hints 

See instructions below to reinstall SeeSaw with the adequate update, if you have been issued a school iPad.

1. Delete the app from the home screen (hold down the app until it shakes, then press red cross). 

2. Go to the MySchool apps app (see below) and install SeeSaw again from there.

If any other apps are playing up this is the first step to troubleshooting.