Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Matt 25: 13

(from the Gospel of the solemnity of All Saints, Year A)

Dear parents and carers

BOOK PARADE “Curious Creatures, Wild Minds”- tomorrow Friday 6 November

We will conduct a modified book parade tomorrow Friday 6 November. This year’s theme is “Curious Creatures, Wild Minds”. 

We will conduct the “parade” on a class by class basis in order to comply with social distancing requirements. Regrettably, parents, family and community members will not be able to attend. We will film and photograph the children and share this with the community via Facebook.

Our Year 3 to Year 6 children will continue with their field events preparation from 12:30pm after the book parade. It is important that the children wear suitable footwear for sport. If their book parade costume is unable to be adapted to sportswear, the children are free to bring a change of clothes to wear at the field events.

We are looking forward to the book parade. The book parade will go ahead irrespective of the weather. It should be a wonderful day for the children.

KINDERGARTEN 2021 SCHOOL VISIT Tuesday 24 November

We are delighted to be now able to offer a “Meet the teacher and classmates” visit for our new Kindergarten children. COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed to allow limited Kindergarten visits. We are conducting the visits in two sessions, in the school hall. 

The children will meet their teacher, meet some of their classmates and receive a gift from their Big Buddy. Parents are asked to drop the children and pick them up forty five minutes later. Parents and carers will have the opportunity to also meet the Kinder teacher as well as collect an information pack. We have created an e-Book welcoming the Kinder children to St Paul’s. 

Whilst these arrangements are not what we had hoped for and beyond our control, we have worked hard to make our newest children feel welcome to school. We will write to the Kinder families with specific details this week.

STAFF PLANNING DAY - PUPIL FREE DAY FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER

We will be conducting a staff planning day on Friday 13 November. This will be a pupil free day and no classes will be conducted. We need to review the year, name our achievements and challenges. We need to plan for 2021 especially given the contingency that COVID-19 restrictions will likely remain in place.

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL Thursday 12 November 

We will be conducting some of the athletics carnival events on Thursday 12 November. This will be a modified event. We need to continue to observe the “no mixing” social distancing precautions. This means that we will not have children of similar ages from different classes competing in the same heats. All events will be conducted on a class basis. We will keep times and relevant records to be able to determine age champions.

Unfortunately, events such as marching and the war cries, which rely on children mixing to be in their colour houses, will not be possible. The children will remain in their class groups throughout the day. They will not be able to sit in their colour houses.

We have begun field event trials. Children will have the opportunity to both learn skills and compete in heats for the field events over the next four weeks ahead of the carnival day. Finals for the field events will be held on the carnival day. As noted above, the Year 3 to Year 6 children will continue with field events after the book parade tomorrow.

Observing COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing is critical in being able to offer this event for the children. At this stage, parents will not be able to spectate or attend. If this changes we will certainly let you know. 

We will film events and make a carnival movie to celebrate the children’s achievements. This will be shared on our school Facebook page. 

After the carnival we will be able to award age champions and the winning colour house. This too will be filmed and shared.

WATER SAFETY PROGRAMS for INFANTS in Week 6

In Week 6, we will be conducting the annual water safety program at Moss Vale pool. This year Kindergarten to Year 2 will participate in this program. We will bus the children to and from the pool. The program will run for four consecutive days commencing on Tuesday 17 November and concluding on Friday 20 November.  Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the children will not be changing at the pool. The change rooms are only to be used for the toilets on a needs basis. The children will therefore change at school. We will send more detailed information closer to the program commencing.

WATER SAFETY PROGRAMS for PRIMARY in Week 7

Our Year 3 to Year 6 children will participate in a surf safety and awareness program. On Friday 20 November, surf life savers will visit the school to provide an introductory theory program to the children. This will involve general beach safety as well as learning about rips and how to “read” a beach. 

During Week 7, the children will travel by bus to Sandon Point near Bulli, where they will work with a company called Sea Australia. Our school staff will attend in a supervisory role. The program will be delivered by qualified instructors. For further information regarding the company and the range of programs they offer please visit this website:

https://www.seaaustralia.com.au/

Year 5 and Year 6 will be attending on Wednesday 25 November. Year 3 and Year 4 will attend the next day on Thursday 26 November. We will travel to Sandon Point by bus.

We need parents to complete the Sea Australia waiver form available at the link below by Monday 23 November.:

https://www.seaaustralia.com.au/school-waiver-form 

Please be sure to select St Paul’s Moss Vale from the drop down menu when asked “What school does your child attend?”

Both programs are included in your resource fees and are at no additional cost to families. We anticipate that this program will be both helpful in developing the children’s water safety skills as well as fun in what has been a pretty drab year due to COVID-19!

Check the CEDoW COVID-19 website for updates

Stay up to date with the latest information regarding COVID-19 and its implications for our school by visiting Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) COVID-19 Information centre available here. This site has been created and regularly updated with COVID-19 specific advice for all our school diocesan communities. 

Thank you everyone for your ongoing understanding, patience and support as we move through time this together. As difficult and often inconvenient as it is, this is how we do our bit in keeping everyone safe and continuing to manage the pandemic. 

SUMMER UNIFORMS IN TERM 4

All children will wear the summer uniform from the beginning of Term 4. Our uniform suppliers are Whytes Tailoring and Clothing in Argyle Street Moss Vale (02 4868 1911 or visit https://www.whytesclothing.com.au/)and  NSW Uniforms (0400 805 596 or email ethne@drewdesigns.com.au). Both suppliers have our summer uniforms in stock.

Sport Uniform Days by Class 

Your child will need to wear the sport uniform on the following days each week.

Kindergarten- Friday

Year 1 – Wednesday & Friday

Year 2 – Wednesday & Friday

Year 3- Wednesday & Friday

Year 4- Wednesday & Friday

Year 5- Wednesday & Friday

Year 6- Wednesday & Friday

DAYS AND DATES FOR TERM 4

Given recent changes to COVID 19 restrictions, we are now in the position to plan events. The dates for these events are listed below. I would particularly draw your attention to the Week 10 arrangements with Tuesday 15 December being the last day of the year for the children. Staff will continue to work on site until Thursday 17 December.