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- School Theme Term 3
- Principal's Message
- Drop Off and Pick Up Arrangements - Are you up to date?
- National Consistent Collection of Data - NCCD
- RE News - Haley Stonham
- Parentline - Emma Russell
- School Banking
- Updated public transport timetables from 18 July 2020
- Happy Birthday
- Community Council News - Evelyn David-Hoole
- Parish News
- Parenting Ideas
- School Counsellor
- Golf Day Tournament
- Junior Winter Touch Football - Ryan Matchett
- Irish Dancing
- Community News - Rhee Taekwon-Do
- Coerver Coaching ACT
- Working With Vulnerable People Card
Dear Parents
It was wonderful to see all the children return on Monday eager to get back into their learning. This week we welcomed back Susan Carswell. For this semester Melinda Brown will be teaching in 3L on a Tuesday as Cerryanne Kelly has elected to take leave for the remainder of the year due to changes with their family’s childcare arrangements.
How quickly the state of the nation can change. In the ACT we have been paused from moving to Stage 3 of our Roadmap. This means we are still limited with some of the community events that we can do. Unfortunately, plans for a disco need to go on hold however we will continue to do some draft planning for our walkathon, in the hope that by the time it is due, we will be at Stage 3 of Easing of Restrictions for the ACT. Fingers crossed as we are all missing our community events.
With the current concerns regarding COVID-19 across NSW and Victoria, we are still not permitted to host large gatherings. This means we are unable to come together for our Monday morning gatherings, weekly school prayer or school assemblies. We will continue to present our awards over the PA capturing the special moment for parents by emailing a photo home. Should you still be waiting for the award photo please email carmel.maguire@cg.catholic.edu.au to ensure I have your correct email.
Today the children were issued with their Semester One Report. As advised last term and in the letter accompanying the report, several areas in the report have not been assessed due to difficulties carrying out informative assessment due to the interruptions to the learning program. Please refer to the Summary of Teaching and Learning, also enclosed with the report, for the aspects the teachers focused on for assessment during the Semester. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher. Our next round of interview will be held later this term. Where a child lives between two homes a second report has either been sent home or posted depending on previous arrangements.
Canteen
This week we welcome back Wendy Regan, our Canteen Manager. For the time being our canteen will only be operating on Fridays. Please refer to Qkr for our weekly sale items. The menu will be restricted but will offer new meal ideas. All orders will be via Qkr for morning tea and lunch items. Once again, we need to restrict the handling of cash and the number of volunteers considering the size of our canteen. Thank you to everyone who responded to our Canteen Survey.
Water Bottles
As we have had to continue to restrict the use of our bubblers the children must bring their own drink bottle for use during the day. Bottles can be filled from taps in the classrooms.
Access to the School
Parents, family members and volunteers will be restricted from entering the school unless prior arrangements have been made (to see a teacher etc). Everyone must sign in at the Front Office for tracing purposes and follow hygiene procedures. Parent-teacher interviews can resume in a face-to-face format, with physical distancing and hygiene measures in place (i.e. hand sanitiser available on entry/exit). External doors, except the front office access, will be locked once the children enter following the morning bell.
Open Council Meeting
We are planning an open Community Council meeting for Thursday 30 July. Due to the ongoing restrictions, we will host our open session via Zoom with the meeting occurring between 6.30pm – 8.00pm. This is an opportunity to bring people together to hear how we are going as a school, what is in the planning phase, response to our Remote Learning Review and Canteen Survey, and share ideas. If you are interested in zooming in please email carmel.maguire@cg.catholic.edu.au so a link can be sent to your nominated email on the day prior to the meeting. Any suggested concerns or topics please let me know so they can be added to the agenda.
Families Leaving
To help with class planning for 2021 please advise the school in writing if you do not intend returning to St Monica's in 2021.
Late Arrivals - What you need to know!
Children arriving after the 8.55am bell MUST walk through the foyer to access their classroom. Children arriving late are to be signed in by a parent/carer at the Front Office. Do not just drop them off. The information documented on a late slip is now transferred to our new student roll data system to accurately record all arrival and departure times. The class roll is now taken each morning by 9.05am. Any child arriving after 9.05am will be documented as arriving late for school. Eventually, an automated SMS notification will be added to our system which will advise a parent when a child has not been accounted for at school.
Children Sick & Unwell
Continuing this term, children who are unwell (cough, runny nose, temperature etc) are required to stay home. Parents will be called if a child presents as unwell at school to come and collect them. We appreciate everyone doing their part to ensure our school continues to operate normally by providing a safe learning environment for all.
Absentee Notification
With our new electronic student roll system now in place, it is essential parents advise when a child will not be at school by 9.00am. Please use the notification found on our school app or email the office. The next function to be added later this term will be SMS notifications when a child is not present, so let’s develop good habits now. Thanks for your support.Families should receive their Building Fund Statement early next week as they have been posted. Don't forget you can claim the payments when processing your 2019/2020 tax return.
Sport and Library Days Term 3
Our Three Key Improvement Goals
Continue to stay safe and healthy.
Carmel Maguire
Principal
Social distancing is still critical for adults around the school and your help is essential both before and after school. Due to the uncertainty regarding the ongoing expectations of people accessing school grounds we have elected to extend our Term 2 arrangements.
Morning Drop Off
Children are to be dropped off in the hall car park or at the top of the ramp to the blacktop/basketball courts between 8.25am and 8.50am. First bell rings at 8.50am.
Please note – Over the break, the blacktop/basketball courts were marked with a clear drop off zone near the top of the ramp (look for the signs) and a walking/waiting area for the children and parents around the fence line. Please do not park over the yellow lines. Children are encouraged to use the crossing near the school office. No car access, except staff, will be permitted to drive through the staff driveway in the morning. This is for the safety of the children.
Afternoon Arrangements
Drive-Thru Pick Up at Front of School
- Commencing at 3.05pm just prior to the 3.10pm bell for families with K, 1 and their siblings they will be permitted to drive through the staff carpark, entering from Moynihan Street. Clearly display your family name in the passenger sun visor. Please ensure grandparents have a label if picking up your child regularly.
- From 3.15pm other families happy to delay arrival and wishing to access this area for Years 2 – 6.
3.10 General dismissal
- Dismissal for Years 2 – 6 and all other children from K – 1 not being picked up from the front of the school.
Blacktop/Basketball Courts & Hall Carpark –
Families can elect to park on the blacktop/basketball courts and walk to the fence noting social distancing rules. Keep the yellow walk area near the fence clear for a waiting area. Please hold up your family name card so the teachers on duty can call your child/ren. For the safety of staff and the children it is essential you do not call your child across the crossing. It is very easy for the children to be distracted and suddenly run out in front of a car.
Chomley Carpark
A teacher will walk the children across to the carpark. Adults are asked to remain in their car or observe the 1.5m social distancing rule when standing around. Suggestion - families with children in Years 3 – 6 to use the Chomley carpark.
Copland College Carpark
This carpark will not be supervised. Parents are to meet the children on the school side of the underpass.
Walkers and Bike Riders
Children will be dismissed as usual. Parents can wait at the boundary of the school to collect their child/ren; please remember social distancing while you wait.
Bus Travellers
Moynihan and Copland Bus Stops will be supervised. We are now permitted to use our upgraded bus stop located near the hall.
SMOOSH
Children will be collected at the Kinder play equipment and supervised across the crossing near the office.
Reconciliation Preparation
A reminder that all who wish to be involved in this year’s Reconciliation preparation program need to attend our parent information and formation session on Thursday evening. This meeting will be via Zoom. The link is https://cgcatholic.zoom.us/j/98552849473
Notes to accompany Thursday’s meeting will be sent home tomorrow. All candidates will receive their preparation book upon registration through the parish QKR! (not the schools QKR). Don’t forget to book into a Mass for this coming weekend to make your family commitments. Bookings for Mass are made through the parish Facebook page or website.
Services
Parentline offers free telephone and face-to-face confidential counselling services to parents and carers. In addition, they host courses and provide various resources for raising positive families.
Visit http://parentlineact.org.au to find out more information
School Banking will resume this term. School Banking Day will be on a Friday starting this Friday 24 July.
From Saturday 18 July 2020, Transport Canberra will be updating timetables for bus services.
These changes will help make public transport in Canberra easier to use by providing more services and increased frequency, to ensure that people have greater opportunity to spread out their travel across the day as we recover from COVID-19.
Transport Canberra has worked closely with the school community and we are providing increased frequency and additional services for school students across Canberra.
As a new timetable is being introduced, there will be minor changes for all students travelling to and from school on public transport across Canberra from the first day of Term 3, 2020 (Monday 20 July 2020). In most cases, this will mean that students will catch the same service from the same stop, but the times that services arrive and leave may change.
In addition, Transport Canberra has made the following changes:
Bus stop re-opened at St Monica’s Primary - Our very exciting news!
- From the beginning of Term 3, 2020, a bus stop on Moynihan St, Evatt will be reopened. This stop is adjacent to St Monica’s Primary School.
- This will address an issue raised by the school about the safety of students walking to stop further away from the school.
- In the morning, students will be able to catch one route 41 service to this bus stop. While most route 41 services will no longer travel down Moynihan St, one bus each morning will divert to provide a service from St Monica’s Primary and Miles Franklin Primary to Flynn and Melba.
- In the afternoon, students will be able to use a new school special (school route 1068) to make the return journey, leaving from the same bus stop.
- Students catching other buses stopping at the school (Rapid 3 and route 43) will be able to continue to use bus stops adjacent to the school on Copland Drive. Students crossing Copland Drive at these stops can use the pedestrian underpass.
- There will be no changes to services in Term 2, 2020.
All schools, parents and students can find out more about the specific changes by:
- checking the information packs for each school, which are online at transport.act.gov.au
- checking timetables for each route (including school specials), which are online at transport.act.gov.au
- calling 13 17 10.
Open Meeting
Next Wednesday the community council are having an open meeting via zoom from 6.30pm. If you are interested in joining us from the warm comfort of your home please email the Council for invite details or Carmel Maguire.
Survey responses
Council will be discussing the canteen survey results. It was great to see the level of community support for the canteen. The results from the remote learning survey will be used be discussed. The community council on behalf of the school community would like to thank all the staff for their wonderful effort and quick implementation of the remote learning curriculum. We are fortunate to have such dedicated staff.
If you have any ideas or concerns please email them through to our Secretary Fiona Steinberg at council.stmonicas@cg.catholic.edu.au
Sacramental Program—First Reconciliation 2020
Registration for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is due by 23 July 2020 via the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Qkr! App (not the school app).
A reminder for the parents/carers of students in Year 3, wishing to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation this term, the Zoom Information Session will be held tomorrow (Thursday - 23 July) at 6pm.
All aspects of the Reconciliation Program will be outlined at this meeting.
The Zoom access for Thursday night is https://cgcatholic.zoom.us/j/98552849473
Below is a copy of the Housekeeping/Info note regarding the organisation of the Sacrament and a copy of the presentation for the night.
3_Worlds_of_the_Text_Sacrament_of_Reconciliation_2020.pptx.pdf
It would be a good idea to have these documents readily available in case there is any tech issues on the night (fingers crossed).
Commitment Masses
Students and parents must attend one of the Masses listed below to make their commitment. Please remember to make a booking for the Mass in advance, through the parish website. http://cg.org.au/belconnennorth
Saturday 25 July and Sunday 26 July
Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August
Saturday 8 August and Sunday 9 August
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Tuesday 8 September in St Michael’s Church
Wednesday 9 September in St Monica’s Church
Thursday 10 September in St Monica’s Church
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is not available in 2020 for the School of Religion due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Regards
Sue Collins
Parish Sacramental Program Coordinator
0418 623 895
Parents and carers are welcome to contact the school to make an appointment with our School Counsellor if you have any questions and/or concerns about your child’s emotional wellbeing. Please contact your child's teacher or Carmel Maguire for a referral form for your child. Our counsellor works every Tuesday and for a morning every second Wednesday (odd weeks).
During the holiday Vsevolod K (4R) and his team came first at 9 hole Ambrose competition - the JNJG of Isolation Golf Day Tournament at Gungahlin Lakes Golf Course on 16 July 2020.
Please find information for Junior Winter Touch Football in Flyer.
Rhee Taekwon-Do - Martial Arts Lessons
Rhee Tae Kwon-Do is an effective affordable martial art for all ages.
You improve personal confidence, fitness, discipline, self-control, co-ordination and respect.
Classes held at St Monica’s Primary School, Moynihan Street, Evatt on Monday and Wednesday nights
Monday - 6:30 – 7:30pm, Wednesday - 6:30 – 7:30pm
For more information contact Lee on 0412 406 359 visit: http://rheeact.com.au/classes/evatt
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.