Dear Parents

It has been so lovely to be able to engage with parents and grandparents, while only briefly, as people drop off or pick up their children. Thank you to everyone for observing our COVID-19 safe measures and keeping children home when not well. It was wonderful to have everyone back together again. 

Staffing News

I am delighted to announce that the following staff have been successful in being granted a full-time permanent teaching position at St Monica's from 2022 - Melinda Brown, June Edwards, Kathy Moir and Brendan Hague. Congratulations on achieving permanency as you are all very committed to developing the life and learning at St Monica's. 

Thank You For Spoiling Us

Thank you to a very special Kinder family who treated the staff to morning tea last Friday and the Community Council for the beautiful lunch we enjoyed as part of World Teachers Day. The staff felt affirmed and valued by the community for all their efforts, particularly during our remote learning weeks. It is so good to be back together again.

Special Prayers

Please keep the Houliaras family - Nikolas (3CF) in your prayers as his grandfather passed away recently. 

Use of Check In CBR app

Parents and carers cannot enter the school grounds. They are allowed on campus for essential purposes only or in the case of an emergency.

Exceptions include:

• to pick up a sick student
• to access After Hours Care - please use the Hall Check In App
• to provide necessary supports for a child or young person with additional needs (which must be negotiated with me in advance).

Student illness

No students are to attend school if they are showing any COVID like symptoms.  They must remain at home and follow all ACT Health directions in relation to testing and/or quarantine instructions and can only return to school when cleared to do so. Students who present as unwell or with symptoms will be required to go home.

Hygiene and cleaning

Bubblers are not available for use. Please remind all students to bring and use a suitable refillable water bottle each day.

Masks

Staff and visitors must wear a face mask when indoors, unless exempt, when eating or drinking and when communicating with a person who is hard of hearing.

Students in Years 3 to 6 are encouraged to wear a mask at school if they are comfortable doing so (at the discretion of the student and their parents/carers). Although the ACT Health directives say people 12 and above must wear a mask in the ACT, this does not include primary school children when at school.

Children in preschool to Year 2 should not wear masks as they are likely to be worn incorrectly and may present a choking hazard.

Physical distancing

Students will be encouraged to minimise close contact and close interaction where possible. Parents and carers gathering outside the school grounds for collection and/or drop off must socially distance.

Wellbeing supports

Our School Counsellor has recommenced. Conversations with parents will be conducted remotely. 

Cohorts

St Monica’s will limit unnecessary physical interaction between students on school grounds and the mixing of student cohorts (those year groups not routinely learning together) where possible. This will include identifying entry and exit points for different year groups. Limiting interaction between students does not apply to siblings.

Managing cohorts differently is challenging but necessary as we navigate our way beyond the recent lockdowns prompted by the pandemic. While we are keeping our break times as normal, we are alternating eating and playtime within the breaks for the various cohorts.

SMOOSH will continue to operate as usual from the School Hall.

Hats

All students are required to wear a school hat at recess and lunch, as per our Sunsmart Policy. It will be problematic for us if students attend without a hat as they must sit in the shade in our designated ‘no hat spot’ and we will have mixed cohorts. Please ensure your child has a hat ready for their first day.

Birthday celebrations

Students will not be allowed to share food or drink. This includes celebratory events such as birthdays. No sharing of birthday treats until advised. We will continue to review and adjust these measures based on the most up to date advice from the ACT Government, ACT Health and Catholic Education.

Morning Drop Off Reminder

Quick drop off zone on the basketball courts

Please keep this line moving

To reduce the time the children are gathering and mixing with other grades each morning, it would be of great assistance if children could be dropped off as close to 8.45 am as possible. Our first bell goes at 8.50 am when the children will line up in their designated areas. Courtyard supervision will still commence at 8.25 am. Please no drop off in the staff car park area. Refer to further COVID safe school plans later in the newsletter. 

• Children need to provide their own water bottles as bubblers will be closed.
• Send in a packet of antibacterial wipes to be kept on your child's desk so it can be cleaned regularly.  
• Make sure your child knows who will be collecting them and where they are to be picked up from, remember parents will not be able to walk to the classroom door.  

Congratulations to Emma Odubenu who has had her first chapter book titled: ''Stick Together, Family Forever'' published on Amazon and is now available for orders. 

What a wonderful achievement. Along with Emma's parents, we are very proud of her hard work and amazing achievement.  

Follow the link to order Emma's book on Amazon. 

Stick Together, Family Forever

BYODD - Year 4 

Apologies for the delay in releasing our information about our plans for 2022. We are moving away from iPads to Chromebooks. Details will follow tomorrow regarding minimum requirements and our transition program.

The weeks are starting to slip away quickly with end of year plans commencing, despite it feeling like the term has just started.

Continue to stay COVID safe and may God's blessing be with everyone.

Principal