“Then Jesus told His disciples, ‘If any man would come after me, 

let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”

Matt 16: 24

(from the Gospel for the twenty second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A)

Dear parents and carers

This has been another unusual week in what has already been a most unusual year. On Monday, we implemented the additional restrictions as directed to us by CEDoW. These additional directives are in response to NSW Health. The changes represent a tightening of restrictions across a range of areas. All schools within our system need to comply with these new restrictions in order for our system of schools to continue managing the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Many of the extended restrictions detailed below relate to social distancing. Health authorities continue to emphasize that social distancing coupled with observing good personal hygiene practices is the most effective way to minimise risk of infection. Of course, if your child is ill, your child should stay away from school until symptoms resolve. If your child presents with ‘flu-like symptoms, please talk to your doctor about having a COVID-19 test. In summary the new restrictions are

1. Morning Assembly will no longer be held and has been replaced by a daily whole school ZOOM assembly
2. Adults can not come into the school playground
3. Morning “drop and go”
4. Staggered afternoon pickup at Innes Road
5. Postponement of Personal Planning (PP) meetings
6. Face to face parent and teacher meetings are no longer permitted 
7. Sick bay letter advising if your child is required to have a COVID-19 test
8. Negative COVID-19 test results must be sighted before a return to school 
9. Kinder Transition Playgroup for 2021 is cancelled
10. Office staff wearing face masks when serving you; please use the hand sanitizer provided when entering the Office foyer.

On going COVID-19 Phase #3 precautions currently in place at St Paul’s until further notice

The restrictions noted above are in addition to the Phase #3 restrictions already in place. The current Phase #3 measures are

• Twice daily cleaning of all high touch surfaces in the school in addition to the normal school cleaning schedule
• No whole school assemblies on Friday afternoon (virtual award assemblies will continue)
• No sporting carnivals or inter-school sporting events
• No excursions or incursions
• Regular teaching and reminders of COVID safe hygiene practices with all children
• “Wash your hands, cover your cough, stay home if you are sick” mantra.
• Continued adherence of social distancing protocols, especially for adults
• No unnecessary visitors at the school
• Students and staff, if unwell, are expected to stay at home until symptoms resolve
• Any child or staff member presenting with symptoms of a respiratory condition will be immediately sent home
• COVID-19 response action plan is established against the possibility of a positive COVID-19 test result in a community member (student, staff, parent)
• Staggered, colour house afternoon pick up from Innes Road

We have provisioned the school with hand sanitiser, disinfectant surface wipes, surgical gloves, PPE and face masks. Should the NSW government direct CEDoW to change our management protocols, be assured we are both ready and well supplied. In all instances, we will of course keep you informed of any such changes.  

“Pirate day”- because it’s fun! To be held on Wednesday 23 September (Week 10)

We would like to finish the term with a bit a fun. We are going to hold “pirate day” during the last week of school. Your child can come dressed as a pirate or inspired by a pirate. The teachers have organised fun activities and there will be a pirate story reading for the youngest children. We want this to be fun and not a stress to anyone. We’d like the term to end with some joy. COVID-19 seems to attack joy and take the fun out of life more than anything. Let’s push back and have some fun for the day!

Check the CEDoW COVID-19 website for updates

Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) has created and regularly updates a COVID-19 specific website to communicate accurate information to all our school dicosean communities. The CEDoW COVID-19 Information centre is available here. We ask that you review this website regularly. A link to the COVID-19 Information Centre has also been placed on our school website home page. 

In following the guidance of our health authorities and the directives for our schools, we can take solace in the fact that adherence to these requirements is directly contributing to the overall benefit of public health and the safety of those most at risk in our communities.

We have more than risen to the occasion so far, and I’m confident that if we continue to look after each other and the children in our care, we will make it through this new challenge that COVID-19 has presented to us. Obviously, this is not how we like to run our school under normal circumstances. These are not normal circumstances. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we take these necessary steps. We sincerely appreciate your support.

CROSS COUNTRY to be held in Week 7

We have organised a cross country event for the children to be held next week in Week 7 and Week 8. We will run a single cross country event each afternoon spread over a week for Year 2 to Year 6. Kindergarten and Year 1 will run their modified cross country after the second break during Week 8. We have adjusted the event organisation so that your child will run with his or her class group. We will record times and thus be able to compare times by age in determining age champions. We will give the age champion medallions during a virtual assembly later in the term. 

On your child’s class cross country day, your child should wear the sport uniform.  

The cross country days for the each class next week are:

Monday 31st August - Year 6

Tuesday 1st September - Year 5

Wednesday 2nd September - Year 4

Thursday 3rd September - Year 3

In Week 8, we will have the youngest classes running on the following days:

Tuesday 8th September  - Kindergarten & Year 1

Thursday 10th September - Year 2

All races will take place after second break.

Kindergarten will run one lap of the oval.

Year 1 will run one lap of the course and one lap of the oval to finish.

Year 2 will run 2000m (5 laps of the course plus one lap of the oval to finish).

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, parents and spectators will not be able to attend these planned events. 

Basketball skills clinics: we have organised weekly, class based basketball clinics at the stadium commencing in Week 7 until Week 10. This would involve the children in Year 2 to Year 6 walking down to the stadium for a 30 minute clinic one class at a time. We have worked with the stadium to ensure that we have clear COVID-19 safe protocols in place.

Sport Uniform Days by Class

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

Kindergarten- Friday

Year 1- Thursday & Friday

Year 2- Thursday & Friday

Year 3- Wednesday & Friday

Year 4- Wednesday & Friday

Year 5- Wednesday & Friday

Year 6-Wednesday & Friday

LOLS: Lessons and Liturgy and Scripture

Check out the latest LOLS episode on our school Facebook page. The theme for this episode is ‘Forgiveness’. The LOLS videos are also uploaded onto all of the Google Classrooms to support students with their learning in Religious Education.  

Reconciliation Program

Students participating in the online Reconciliation program should have competed all of the Modules by now. At this point, it is not certain as to when the actual ceremony will take place.

Catherine du Bois

Religious Education Coordinator

Active listening

The pandemic and ongoing restrictions, with no real sight in end, are causing feelings of anxiousness and concern for all of us. You may be noticing these feelings in yourself but also in your children. Aside from the pandemic your children are growing and developing  and you may find as a parent you are suddenly noticing changes in behaviours at home and possibly at school which are concercerning you. Quite often what you are experiencing,  other families in your child’s year group are also experiencing. These behaviors are often natural parts of growing up and how you deal with them can be the difference between a harmonious home and a frustrating and deflating experience. There are many resources in how to support your children at these different stages of development and many of these resources have simple and  practical tips that can assist you as a parent in getting through these latest challenges with your child. One strategy is to use active listening. The Raising Children website has a great link to a fact sheet about active listening. Active listening is giving your child your attention and hearing what they are saying. It doesn’t mean you necessarily agree however it ensures you are acknowledging that you have heard your child’s concerns. Take some time to have a read on the website. Active listening does take practise and the more you do it the better you get at it. You can access the Raising Children website via our Parent portal Wellbeing page.

https://raisingchildren.net.au/pre-teens/communicating-relationships/communicating/active-listening

https://sites.google.com/dow.catholic.edu.au/st-pauls-moss-vale/home

From this week - Week 6 - The canteen will only be open one day per week - WEDNESDAYS ONLY.  This will continue for the remainder of the term.

From Term 4, unfortunatly due to Fresh Start's financial hardship during covid, the canteen will no longer operate. This may change in the future, however for Term 4, 2020, the canteen will not be operating on any days of the week.

Student banking now needs to be handed into the school office on a Thursday.

Tamara and Taliah Sidorenko competed in the Arndell Interschools competition in Mid August.