Good afternoon parents/carers and guardians,

Welcome to Week 7 of Term 1.

A long term with this one being 11 weeks and the students are well and truly entrenched in their learning. It has been great to see that some of the Covid restrictions have been relaxed and we can now begin school tours once again onsite. If you know of any families looking to enrol next year, please have them contact the office on 5943 9000 or email office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au. Each week we have been receiving several enquiries for families looking to come to St Patrick’s and it is so pleasing to hear positive feedback about the work we do.

This week in the news we learned of the passing of 2 cricket greats, Rod Marsh and Shane Warne, we watched the destruction caused by the floods in Queensland and New South Wales and the war between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate. I cannot help but wonder what the children are thinking when they watch or hear the news and how they are processing information. I ask all parents to be mindful of the news they may be hearing whether that be in the background of a room they are playing or sitting in or actually watching it on tv. Please always be there for your children to answer any questions or concerns they may have about what they are hearing or seeing. Monitor how much of this news they need to be seeing as it can have an effect on them later on.

More than anything I think this is the time to be extremely grateful for the abundance of things we can give thanks for. An education, a home, our family and friends. Take the time to let people around you know they matter.

Take care and God Bless

Meg

Reminders for parents

Teacher meetings/Catch up FLCs

Please note that if you did not book an FLC last week, teachers will be notifying you of a time and date they will be available. Please note the teachers have meetings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after school until 5pm so meetings cannot be made during this time. Thank you.

Teacher emails

Please note that teachers will NOT be replying to emails after 5pm. If you send an email to a staff member after this time, it will be responded to in the following 48 hours. As I am sure you will agree, teachers have their own families and other responsibilities to attend to after this time. If the matter is an emergency, please contact the office at office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au or call 5943 9000

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Grade 6 camp

Our grade 6 camp to Canberra has been cancelled due to interstate travel restrictions on camps for schools. The new Grade 6 camp will be going ahead in December at Camp Coonawarra. Camp dates are from Monday the 5th to Friday the 9th, additionl details will be sent closer to the date.

Covid Restrictions

In our continuing efforts to keep both our students and staff safe, any visitors to the school office who are not vaccinated, must remain outside and the office staff will assist you there. I ask all parents/carers and guardians to please remain respectful and patient as we continue to work through these challenging times.

Mask Mandate for grade 3-6 and teachers to remain

This week the Victorian Government announced an easing of the mask mandate as of 11.59pm Friday the 25^th February. For primary schools however, this easing of rules only applies to our students in Foundation up to grade 2. For the junior level, it is still recommended that the students wear masks but that is a personal choice. For our students and staff in grades 3-6 however, masks will still be mandated until further notice. At this stage, it is likely to remain in place until the end of term 1.

Thanks for your understanding in this matter.

School Uniform

A uniform is meant to be worn with pride. It is especially important for our leaders of the school, our grade 6s, that the correct school uniform is adhered to.

Proper black school shoes need to be worn. Black runners are NOT acceptable nor are the wrong coloured socks and parents will be contacted if this continues to happen. If your child/ren are coming to school in clothes that are not our school uniform, communication must be made with the teachers.

Early Arrival

Students are continuing to arrive well before 8.30am and being left unsupervised. This is an enormous safety issue on many levels and I am asking parents to adhere to the 8.30 timeslot. If you have to come earlier, please do not leave your child unattended!

Assembly link for Friday

meet.google.com/qkr-jbtu-guo

Covid Update

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

If there is a positive case at school…

The school will NOT be required to close as a result of the positive case attending the school.

If your child is not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, they can continue to attend school, but you should monitor for symptoms.

Students who show symptoms of COVID-19 must get tested immediately using a rapid antigen test, or a PCR test if you can’t access a rapid antigen test. Students with COVID-19 symptoms must isolate and return a negative result before returning to school.

Students should continue with twice-weekly rapid antigen testing on school days.

Students who have recovered from COVID-19 do not need to participate in surveillance testing for 30 days after testing positive.

If your child receives a positive COVID-19 result, you must:

• quarantine your child for seven days
• advise the school about the positive result
• ensure that your child stays home until their symptoms have resolved and they are well
• ensure that everyone in your household who is a close contact isolates for seven (7) days from the date your child is tested for COVID-19.

Advice and further resources about what to do if your child tests positive to COVID-19 or you are a contact, are available on the following Coronavirus Victoria web pages or you can call the 24/7 Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398:

Checklist for COVID contacts

Checklist for COVID contacts

• Checklist for COVID contacts - coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-contacts
• Checklist for COVID cases - coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases

Reporting your child’s positive test

If your child was at school during their infectious period, you need to report the positive case to office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au or please phone the school office on 5943 9000.

If your child tested positive using a rapid antigen test you must also report your child’s positive test to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

General advice and support

Advice and further resources about coronavirus, including what to do if you test positive or if you have been told you are a contact, are available on the coronavirus website www.coronavirus.cgov.au or you can call the 24/7 Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.

Other resources on the Coronavirus Victoria website include:

• information on symptoms - coronavirus.vic.gov.au/symptoms-and-risks
• how to get tested - coronavirus.vic.gov.au/taking-test-covid-19

Further information for languages other than English

For school information in languages other than English, call TIS National on 131 450. 

For translated written information about COVID-19 and health advice in languages other than English, visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/translated-information-about-coronavirus-covid-19

Parents, guardians, carers and/or students can also call the Department of Education and Training COVID-19 hotline on 1800 338 663 and they will help interpret. 

Please be aware that we are unable to provide any information about students, family members or staff who may test positive to COVID-19. I would ask that all in our community continue to pray for those who are unwell with COVID-19 and respect their privacy.

The health, safety and wellbeing of the school community remains our highest priority. We are committed to continuing to communicate with you as promptly as possible and supporting you and your children during these challenging times.

If you have any questions about the arrangements, please contact office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au or call 5943 9000

Meg Escalante

TERM DATES

Parents are reminded that student emails are for student - teacher correspondants only. It is a way for students to communicate with their teacher and access their google classroom when they need to.

Parents should NOT be accessing these accounts, if you need to correspond with a teacher please use the approprate channels.

Please contact the office if you need further clarification.

St Patrick’s Cross Country 2022

St Patrick’s Cross Country Event will be held on Friday March 25th.

Students need to wear their full PE uniform with sneakers and may choose to wear a T-shirt in their house colour FLYNN HUNT AHERN BOURKE.

NO SLIP ON SHOES or STREET SHOES, and NO SINGLETS. Classroom teachers are able to check house colours if you are unsure.

All students from Foundation to Year 6 are expected to participate to their own standard. Students have been developing their running skills during PE lessons throughout the term. We have also been discussing the value of “Team Spirit” to encourage each other to “meet or beat” our goals. 

The overall goal has been to build running confidence so that students can run consistently all the way without stopping. They have been encouraged to take advantage of Active Club mornings to practise as well as lunchtimes. Students have also suggested running around the backyard, running around a local oval or park and running on the way to school. I appreciate and thank those families who have supported students to fit some extra running into their weekly schedule.

Whilst there is the opportunity to represent St Pat’s at the next level of competition (Pakenham District) not everyone has the ability to achieve this level. Students have been encouraged to work on improving their individual skills and shifting their mindset to achieve success. This will look different for all students, but some of the things we have spoken about include:

• using a run/walk model (some will call it “50/20”)
• run with someone of equal ability to encourage each other
• set markers to run to (eg: run to the next tree)
• count steps between points on the track
• sing your favourite song
• use a personal tracker to time
• recall your past personal achievements in the lead up to the event and try to “meet or beat” them

Years 3-6 will run DURING THE MORNING BLOCK from 9am-11am.

As Years 3-6 will be running outside the school grounds (using grass areas at the back of the school block) they will be required to respond to a permission note on PAM. This note will be posted in the coming days so please look out for it. Any student who does not respond by the due date or declines will still be participating but completing a course of similar length within the school grounds. Students in Years 4, 5 & 6 will NOT be running in level groups but in age/gender groups as this aligns with the next level of competition. Year 3 students WILL run as a level and in gender groups.

Please remeber to access PAM to give your child permission to leave the school grounds to run the course. Otherwise your child will be running a similar course within school grounds.

Years F-2 will run AFTER recess from 11:30am-12:50pm.

These students will not require permission to run as they will be running inside the school grounds.They have also been developing their running skills during PE lessons.

There is a need for parents/caregivers to assist with on-course supervision for the duration of the Year 3-6 Cross Country Event on Friday March 25th from 8:30am-11:00am.

If you would like to help, the following valid documentation is required:

• Current WWCC
• Current Vaccination Status

You will also be required to attend an induction session on Wednesday March 23rd at 2:30pm. Please bring your relevant documentation to this session.

Please send an email to lbreeden@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au if you are able to assist.

Lastly, in exciting news, parents will be able to watch the event this year. There will be a designated Spectator Zone, and spectators are asked to follow all necessary requirements regarding vaccination status, wearing of masks and/or social distancing.

This week students drew the Parables from the Gospel of Luke.

   

    

   

St Patrick's Day's Feast Day 17th March

To celerate the Feast Day of our Patron Saint, students can wear green accessories with their school uniform. 

Please be mindful that this day is also the catch-up for school photos.

Classes will celebrate St Patrick in various ways, including a prayer service.

National Harmony Day - Monday 21st March

Harmony day is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.​ 

On the 21st of March we invite all staff and students to wear something that represents their culture. Orange is the offical colour of Harmony Day, so students can come to school in something orange as well.

Have you set up your PAM account yet! 

Operoo is no longer being used!!!

From the start of 2022 PAM will be our main form of communication.  All emails, Student Attendance, Sick Bay notes, School Reports, commonly used forms, excursion/camp permission notes and Family Learning conversations, will all be communicated via PAM.  

A new app (SimonEverywhere) will soon be available to download to allow easy access to PAM but for now please save the PAM log on screen to the home page of your device or bookmark it in your browser.  

Access PAM via this link   Link to PAM 

SIMON -  a Learning Management Software solution for schools.

St Patrick’s Primary school is now using SIMON in the classroom to keep track of your child’s progress and learning as well as attendance.  SIMON will also be used for School Reports and Student Wellbeing.

PAM, SIMON’s Parent Access Module

PAM (Parent Access Module) is our new Parent to School communication platform.   PAM will provide real time access to keep parents updated with their children’s progress, important dates and messages. Relevant resources – calendar events, student reports, parent notified absences, absence data and sick bay notes will all be accessed via PAM.

Parents will be able to easily book Parent Teacher interviews through PAM, and access teacher email addresses. 

PAM accounts are linked via your email address that we have in our systems.  If you have recently changed your email,  please call or email us on office@stppakenham.cathlic.edu.au

Click on the 'forget password' link to set your password and then verify your email address.  (Email addresses must be verified for PAM to work properly).  Once your email is verified, your email can be used as the username for your account.

Once you have successfully logged in, you can save PAM to your homescreen on your device.

If you have any issues or need help with PAM please contact the school via email, office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

PAM Instructions

Parent Notified Absences via PAM

Once you have PAM set up and saved to your home screen you can easily send in Parent Notified absences.   Please use this platform going forward as this automatically syncs with the class roll.   This will fix the issues of receiving SMS notifications even though you had already notified the school. 

Please remember to update your contact details and any relevant medical details for your child.  

Most medical profiles have now been updated. Please remember to keep them up to date and upload any asthma/allergy plans that may be relevant 

To update any contact details please contact the school office. 

Our much awaited Church Renovation is about to begin and is anticipated to cost in the order of $4.2 million. After contributions from Parish funds, the “Be a Sponsor of Church Renovation” programme aims to provide extra funding for the Sacred Artwork that will adorn our new church as well as reducing the loan repayments to Catholic Development Fund and thereby reflecting our strong Parish Community.

Please see the flyers below for more information and keep up to date on the Parish webpage.   https://stpatrickspakenham.com.au/fundraising/ 

CSEF Applications are now due! 

The applicant must be one of the following:

1. a parent/carer (of a student attending a registered Government or non-government Victorian primary or secondary school) who is:
   • on the first day of Term 1 (31 January 2022), or the first day of Term 2 (26 April 2022)  a holder of one or more of the eligible financially-means tested cards (Centrelink Health Care Card or a Pensioner Concession Card), or
   • a temporary foster parent

The parent/carer must submit an application to the school by 24 June 2022.

If anyone has any questions or would like to discuss their school fee account, please contact Cindy in the school office cbyrne@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au   

Please download and fill in the form below if you qualify.

 Please read the flyer below from our School House Captains.