St Monica’s Primary School - Evatt eNewsletter

Dear Parents

To keep the community connected and provide an opportunity for discussion about all things school-related we are opening our Council Meeting, to be held tomorrow Thursday 30 July commencing at 6.30pm, to the parent community. The meeting will be hosted via Zoom so you can attend from the comfort of your home.

Zoom Invitation

Carmel Maguire is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Open St Monica's Council 6.30pm
Time: Jul 30, 2020 06:30 PM

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: Click on the link to join.
https://cgcatholic.zoom.us/j/92120708432

You will be directed to a meeting room to be accepted into the meeting.

Agenda

Prayer

Reports

Enrolments

Annual Surveys – Parent, Student, Staff

School land acquisition – update

Walkathon/Wellbeing Fun Day Plans

AIP

Remote Learning Review Feedback

Canteen Survey Feedback

Funding Issue

Fete

Community Library

Hope you can Zoom in!

Kinder 2021 Sibling Enrolments

Just a reminder that all Parent Commitment Agreements for Kinder enrolment for 2021 need to be signed and returned to school by Friday 31 July 2020. Please email through to stephanie.flynn@cg.catholic.edu.au or drop off to the office.

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.

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.

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.

Congratulations to Brando B (3GB) who was baptised on the weekend. A very special occasion for Brando and his family, one he will remember.

We have a number of families in our school community who need our prayers as they face the challenges of an illness, an operation or are currently in recovery. I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. I am also thrilled to let you know that Mackenzie B (6M) is home from the hospital and recovering well.

Continue to stay safe and healthy.

Carmel Maguire

Principal

Term 3 Focus - Patience

Our theme this year is ‘Growing Together’. Each term we have been exploring what it means to be ‘Growing Together’ the St Monica’s way. St Monica provides us with her extraordinary example of prayer, perseverance, patience and praise.

This term, we will be investigating what patience means and how this characteristic can help our school community to continue to grow together. As a school community, we are getting used to our new ‘normal’ and are all hoping that we can come back together like we used to. However, it will take some patience.

Exploring what it means to be a patient learner is also important, especially when we are learning something that is new or challenging. We all learn differently and sometimes we need to have patience with ourselves and keep on trying!

In Week 6, we will be celebrating the feast of St Monica. It is one of the reasons why I love Term 3 so much! I would love to hear how your family have drawn on the example of St Monica through prayer, perseverance, patience and praise, especially during the current pandemic. Sharing our stories as a faith filled, Catholic school community is one way we are Growing Together!

Praying together as a family is an important way to connect with each other and with God. Often, through prayer, I am able to discover the worries and the joys of my children. This leads to conversations that we may not have had. Family prayer also provides a safe space for my children to develop their relationship with God. Recently, I bought the YOUCAT Youth Prayer Book as a Reconciliation gift. We are using it as a resource to expand their understanding of personal prayer as a relationship with God.

Another great resource to support family prayer is an online resource from Liturgy Brisbane. Each week is focused on the Gospel reading for that week with support for family discussions and activities around the message from the Gospel reading.

Here is this weeks link: https://litedliturgybrisbane.weebly.com/family-prayer-week-by-week.html/

18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – 2 August 2020 -“They all ate and were satisfied.”

Sacramental Program—First Reconciliation 2020

Registration for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is due by 31 July 2020 via the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Qkr! App.

Reconciliation Commitment Masses

It is so wonderful to see our Year 3 students and their families beginning their preparation for the sacrament of Reconciliation. Thank you to the parents who attended last week’s Parent Formation Session via Zoom – it was different to what we are all used to but it was lovely to still be able to connect all together.

Commitment masses began last weekend giving us all the opportunity to connect in person at either St Michael’s or St Monica’s Churches. The commitment masses are a way for our candidates to be presented to our Parish community and know that they are supported by each member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish.

Commitment masses will continue over the next 2 weekends due to the COVID-19 Protocols. I invite you all to come to a mass to support our Year 3 Candidates and their families. You will need to book in through the online booking system via the Our Lady of Perpetual Help website: http://cg.org.au/belconnennorth/Home.aspx

Commitment Masses

Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 August

Saturday 8 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.

On Tuesday Kindergarten celebrated their 100th day of school. It was a great day investigating the Number 100. The children were very exicted.

You may remember during remote learning we published the flyer below tilted ‘Assessment @ St Monica’s’. The flyer outlines our focus on The Assessment Waterfall for achieving growth in all aspects of learning, one of our three goals over the next three years. The Assessment Waterfall has been developed by Lyn Sharratt, a leading researcher in education who has achieved improved outcomes for students in many schools all over the world. The leadership team at St Monica’s have all participated in workshops with Lyn and knew her work would be a great resource to complement the successes we had already achieved in our school, whilst moving the students learning further.

Over the course of this term, we will break open The Assessment Waterfall each week giving highlights of how it is used across the school. Take some time to reread the ‘Assessment @ St Monica’s’ flyer for a taste of articles to come. We look forward to sharing a video created by some budding news presenters next week!

Assessment_St_Monica_s.pdf

Assessment_St_Monica_s _pdf 2.78 MB

On Monday 27 July 12 students from Years 5 and 6 competed in the Canberra heat of the Kid's Lit Quiz. This is a global contest that is run each year for children between the ages of 10 and 14 that celebrates the 'sport of reading'. Students are quizzed on a range of subjects about different books and authors with questions ranging from 'Who gave King Arthur the sword Excalibur?' to 'What type of dog was Scooby Doo?'

This year our contest was held remotely with 30 teams from 11 schools competing in the Canberra heat. Six of those schools were High Schools. I am thrilled to report that the teams from St Monica's did an outstanding job, not only topping the Primary category but all three teams placing respectably among the teams from the high schools! Not only did all three teams do remarkably well against the schools with years more practice than them, but two teams won prizes for topping scores in the categories of "Fictional Families" and "Middle Earth" (a point of personal pride for Mr Evans).

This result continues St Monica's strong tradition in the Lit Quiz which we hope to build on next year. If your children are strong readers in Years 4 or 5 they should keep their ears open as Mr Evans and Mrs Brown will be holding tryouts in the next few weeks to select members of next years teams!

St_Monicas_Uniform_July_2020.pdf

St_Monicas_Uniform_July_2020 _pdf 102.91 KB

This week Issue 5 of Scholastic Book Club was sent home with the eldest member of each family. Orders need to be place by Monday 10 August. The books can only be ordered through the Loop at www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP . Pleae do not send in cash and orders to school. The orders will be delivered to classes on arrival. It is fantastic way to grow your child’s love of reading. If you have any questions please contact me.

1 in 5 of people will experience symptoms of mental illness in any given year. In Australia that’s around 5 million people. And roughly 60% of these people won’t seek help.

Black Dog is a medical research institute in Australia that investigates mental health across the lifespan, with an aim to create a mentally healthier world for everyone.

Black Dog Institute integrates research studies, education programs, digital tools and apps, clinical services, and public resources to discover new solutions, foster connections and create real-world change.

They partner with federal, state and local governments, communities, schools, corporate Australia and others in the mental health sector, to drive evidence-informed change in mental health where it’s needed most. Visit https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/ for more information.

Have a look at the attached information for an example of the resources available through the Black Dog Institute.

Black_Dog_Institute_Weekly_mental_health_check_in_Coronavirus.pdf

Black_Dog_Institute_Weekly_mental_health_check_in_Coronavirus _pdf 315.09 KB

Maggie Dent - Author, Speaker & Parenting Educator

Does your child know what anxiety feels like for them and what they can do about it when it arises? Here are some simple strategies to figuring out your child’s physical responses to feeling anxious, their triggers, and some great calmers.

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).

In 2019, Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn (CECG) engaged Integroe Partners to conduct an independent review into student counselling and wellbeing services in CECG schools. As part of this review, Integroe Partners conducted online surveys of parents, Principals, students and school staff. They also conducted individual interviews and face to face consultation forums with parents, Principals, teachers and CECG staff. Integroe Partners also conducted face to face and online consultations with CECG’s primary provider of student counselling services, CatholicCare.

CECG would like to thank all those who participated in the review, especially those who travelled to Canberra for the face to face meetings as well as those who participated in the online surveys and forums. The information gained from the review enabled Integroe Partners to deliver an evaluation of existing programs, structures, systems and processes. Integroe Partners identified a diversity of challenges across the schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, requiring a model of counselling and wellbeing service delivery that is flexible and responsive to the student wellbeing priorities of individual schools and their communities. Integroe Partners were also able to propose structures and systems aimed at delivering services to schools that reflect best contemporary practice, optimising resource efficiency into the future.

As part of its initial response to the findings and recommendations of the review, CECG have increased the school counsellor allocation for each of its schools for 2020 and have appointed a full time Student Counselling and Welfare Manager. The Student Counselling and Welfare Manager will now look to work closely with schools, Principals and CECG staff to respond more fully to the review and to develop appropriate policies, procedures, frameworks and best practice to support high quality school counselling practice and service delivery in our schools now and in to the future.

Happy Birthday to the following students

Harriett B, Ava C, Sophie C, Makenna M, Diing A

If you have any ideas or concerns please email them through to our Secretary Fiona Steinberg at council.stmonicas@cg.catholic.edu.au

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.

School Banking has begun again. School Banking Day will be on a Friday.

Mel_Soccer.pdf

Mel_Soccer _pdf 162.24 KB

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.