‘Well done, good and faithful servant’

Matt 25: 14

(from the Gospel for the thirty third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A)

Dear parents and carers

Jesus says, “Let the children come.”

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says to His disciples to “let the children come… for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven”: (Matt 19:14). It has been wonderful seeing the children filled with such joy and excitement in recent weeks with the book parade last Friday and the athletic carnival today. I hope that you have enjoyed viewing the photographs and videos we have posted to our school facebook page. Whilst it is not the same as having parents and community members with us, we hope that these images give you a sense of what is happening at school, are keeping you in touch and giving you something to share and celebrate with your child. In the difficult year we have had, the children’s joy and love of life is just the tonic for we weary adults!

In the coming weeks, the children are looking forward to the water safety program (for Kinder to Year 2), the surf safety program (for Year 3 to Year 6) and the Year 5 and Year 6 camps.

I am very proud that our school staff has prioritised the children’s needs and continued to work extra hard to plan and deliver these events. They did this not because they had to but because they knew that this was in the best interests of the children’s physical, mental and social wellbeing. This is the living embodiment of our school motto, “All to all in faith and learning”.

I am grateful for the staff’s commitment and to the families who have contacted the school to offer their thanks for doing the “extra” for the benefit of the children. Such reciprocity is the heart of a healthy sense of partnership between home and school. I’m sure that is what Jesus meant in saying “let the children come”. As the old saying goes, “The difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary is the little extra”.

STAFF PLANNING DAY- pupil free day tomorrow FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER

We will be conducting a staff planning day tomorrow Friday 13 November. There will be no classes conducted on Friday. It will be a pupil free day. We need to review the year, name our achievements and challenges. We have begun planning for 2021. It certainly looks as if we will need to continue to plan around the requirement that COVID-19 restrictions will likely remain in place at least for the early part of 2021. Thank you for your understanding and support in making arrangements for your child tomorrow.

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 and families feel welcome to school. We have written the Kinder 2021 families with specific details.

WATER SAFETY PROGRAMS for KINDER to Year 2 commencing Tues 17 Nov (next Wk 6)

Next week (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 before and after the water safety program. A letter has been sent home with all the details.

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.

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.

Registration for surf safety required by Monday 23 November

We need parents of Year 3 to Year 6 children 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?”

The costs of both the water safety program and the surf safety programs are included in your resource fees. These programs are fully covered by the school 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 having some fun together as they learn.

1:1 iPAD PROGRAM 2021

This year, we introduced a school managed 1:1 iPad program that commences in Year 3. The iPad is a powerful learning tool. The school managed program we introduced this year means that the school supplies, populates the device with the required apps and manages the device as part of the school fees. The iPad is paid off over two (2) years. School management of the devices involves providing, updating and managing apps, limiting screen times outside school, restricting the child’s capacity to install additional apps and programs including social media as well as filtering content. We emphasise that the iPad is a learning tool and not an entertainment device.

The program has been a great success. The benefits of the program were clearly demonstrated during remote learning earlier in the year. Once the device has been paid off over two years, the child will continue to use it until the end of Year 6. Once all financial obligations to the school have been met at the end of Year 6, the device will be wiped, given a factory reset and then given to you to keep.

Children entering Year 3 will be supplied with an iPad 8 32GB as well as a protective cover. This year we are able to offer Apple care for the device if families would like to take up this option for an additional fee.

It is our very strong preference that all families of Year 3 children participate in this program. Whilst existing iPad can be subscribed to our school system for some elements of the program, it is not ideal.

I will write to Year 2 families (Year 3 2021) with further details about the program shortly.

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.

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.

Confirmation Program

A group of students have commenced classes for the sacrament of Confirmation. Online Communion classes are also underway. The ceremonies for these sacraments are due to take place in Week 8. Please continue to pray for these students and their families.

Thank you

Catherine du Bois

Religious Education Coordinator