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- RE News - Haley Stonham
- eSafety Commissioner COVID-19 Online Safety Kit
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- Jams and Sauces for Sale
- Happy Birthday
- Extra Curricular Activities
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- Working With Vulnerable People Card
| Friday 27 March |
School Prayer - 1pm - over PA System |
Dear Parents
What can I say, it been a very demanding and challenging week in all areas of the community, particularly parents who are now working from home, juggling the care of children and supervising learning.
Thank you once again for your patience and feedback as we meet the rapid change in the delivery of learning for the children. This week we launched our Online Learning Website that provided families with a centralised location for our online learning resources. Here is the link should you of missed the email or app alert.
https://sites.google.com/cg.catholic.edu.au/stmonicasonlinelearning/home
Our website currently provides a Week 8 Learning Overview which reflects the current teaching focus at each grade level. The overview contains links to a range of online learning resources. To assist parents we have added a timetable to provide a guide that indicates how long a child should spend on the various activities per day. A new Learning Overview will be added to guide learning for next week. With reduced numbers of students across the school, the teachers have spent today planning and designing for the trial of our Remote Learning platform in Week 10. The children who are attending school are being provided learning opportunities that are guided and supervised by two of our very reliable and committed relief teachers.
There has been lots of confusion created by our governments in relation to school operation - open or closed. The position of Catholic schools has not changed. If you need to send your child to school you can, however, we would encourage those families who can to keep their child/ren at home. Please stay up to date with alerts and if you have not done so register through our app to receive emails.
Fee Information
I acknowledge the unprecedented economic impact on families as a result of COVID-19 and associated government directives.
Consistent with the Catholic Education enrolment policy “no child is to be denied Catholic schooling simply because of an inability (as opposed to an unwillingness) of a parent/guardian, to meet financial requirements”.
Effective immediately are the following fee relief measures implemented by the Catholic Education:
- Credits (for amounts paid) will be placed on fee accounts for cancelled excursions (excluding non-recoverable deposits), sporting events or activities as a result of COVID-19.
- All debt collection activities will be suspended until further notice
- Fee concessions will be available on outstanding fees at the end of Term 1 for those families eligible for Government COVID-19 supplement payments.
- Fee concession will be available for Term 2 fees for families eligible for Government COVID-19 supplement payments.
I anticipate delaying the fee statements for Term 2 until there is greater clarity about the duration of the pandemic. General fee concession arrangements are being considered and will be communicated once finalised.
If you have been financially impacted by COVID-19 or have any concerns around fees, please contact me directly or email carmel.maguire@cg.catholic.edu.au
Carmel Maguire
Principal
It has been really great to be part of a school community who is continuing to grow together during such strange times. I have seen and heard kind words of thanks and encouragement to support one another to the best we can. So many of our students, their families and our community are looking to the example of Jesus - #WWJD? The feeling of being supported will strengthen our community and will last, even after the virus ends.
There have been some big changes that have had to happen regarding how we are to pray and gather as a Catholic community. The Archbishop has had to make some decisions, and these include the locking of Churches. For the faithful, this will be a very challenging time. I know that for me, mass is a time for prayer, to connect with my parish community, to renew my spirit for the following week and to hear the word of God and how I can improve my heart.
There are several great links that Archbishop Prowse and the Archdiocese Of Canberra Goulburn has sent to us all so we may stay connected and gather as a Catholic faith community. They are:
- Daily Mass online: https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/mass-online/
- Daily Gospel reflections (sign up required but free) https://cgcatholic.org.au/LivingWord/
- Loyola Press (sign up required but free) 3 minute reflections: https://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer
I will be ensuring that our Holy Week celebrations go ahead by designing activities for use at home or at school. The current plan is to celebrate throughout Holy Week (Week 10). During Week 10 the plan is:
- Friday 3 April (Week 9) – Palm Sunday
- Monday 6 April (Week 10) – Last Supper
- Tuesday 7 April (Week 10) – Praying in the Garden
- Wednesday 8 April (Week 10) – Stations of the Cross
- Thursday 9 April (Week 10) – Jesus’ Resurrection
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you need any support with continuing the religious education at home.
The eSafety Commissioner recently launched an online safety kit for parents and carers to have a reputable source to stay up to date with the unfolding situation and with practical advice for supporting children at this time.
We would encourage all families to engage with this online safety kit. A link for this has also been placed on our St Monica's Online Learning website.
https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/blog/covid-19-online-safety-kit-parents-and-carers
If you have any ideas or concerns please email them through to our Secretary Fiona Steinberg at council.stmonicas@cg.catholic.edu.au
Gemma Hansen has made a range of jams and sauces to sell at the St Monica’s Fete which has now been cancelled. Given that we have no clear date for when the Fete will go ahead, she has made these products available to the school community to purchase. All proceeds will go to the school.
Contact Gemma for items and she can arrange to have them delivered to the Front Office for you to pay and collect or you can liaise with her directly on 0414 616 696 or gemmalhansen@gmail.com
Tomato sauce - - 3 bottles approx. 375ml - $3 a bottle, 7 bottles approx. 750ml - $5 a bottle.
Ingredients: Tomatoes, Sugar, Salt, Pepper, Mustard powder, Malt Vinegar, Onions, Curry Powder, Paprika, Garlic, Apple
Apricot Jam - 6 jars approx. 200g - $3 a jar, 3 jars approx. 300g - $5 a jar.
Ingredients: Apricots, Sugar, Lemon Juice
Plum Jam - 2 jars approx. 200g - $3 a jar, 7 jars approx. 300g - $5 a jar.
Ingredients: Plums, Sugar, Lemon Juice
Berry Jam - 1 jars approx. 125g - $2.50 a jar.
Ingredients: Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Sugar, Lemon Juice
Capsicum Chilli Sauce – Medium heat 6 jars approx. 300g - $4 a jar.
Ingredients: Capsicum, Chilli, Vinegar, Sugar, Garlic, Ginger, Sultanas
Happy Birthday to the following students
Israel O, Alissa H, Liam Mc, Nicholas P, Ryan W, Fletcher B, Tomas G
Cancelled CANCECORE - Dance classes are held on Wednesdays at lunchtime in the school hall. Forms are available at the Front Office. Contact Cassie 0417 442 750.
Cancelled at school CHESS - Chess classes are held in the library on Mondays at lunchtime. Forms are available by contacting Sydney Academy of Chess (02) 9745 1170.
Contact Geromy directly GUITAR - Guitar lessons with Geromy are on Thursdays. Please contact Front Office for Geromy's contact.
School lesson cancelled PIANO - Piano lessons with Lis O'Daly. Please contact Front Office for Lis' contact.
Company to advise Instruments- Small group intstrumental lessons for Years 2 - 6 available on Tuesdays throughout the day. Enrolment fliers can be collected from the Front Office.
Cancelled School Choir & Japanese Choir - Children self nominate to attend choir led by St Monica's teaching staff.
All parents volunteering at our school must have a current WWVP card. When your card is due for renewal please ensure you have your updated card copied at the Front Office.