“In the morning, while it was still very dark, 

He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.”

Mark 1: 29- 39

(from the Gospel for the fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B)

Dear parents and carers

Welcome to school Kindergarten!

Our beautiful new Kindergarten children started school today! They were very excited to be at school. They have a great first day. They had lunch with their Year 6 Big Buddies and they sang lots of songs, rhymes and chants. It sounded like a lot of fun!! Have a look at our facebook page to see the joy!

Coming to school is a milestone in the life of every child and family. We are delighted that the thirty one new Kindergarten families have chosen St Paul’s for your child’s primary education. To our new families, you are most warmly welcomed to our community. We look forward to getting to know you. For our continuing families, we look forward to continuing our work together for the benefit of the children. 

The children are always at the centre of everything we do.

Beginning of School Mass

This morning we celebrated Mass with the Year 1 to Year 6 children. It was wonderful to be able to be together to pray and ask for God’s blessing on the year ahead and our work together. Thank you to Fr Damien from Penrose Park for saying the Mass for us. Fr Richard is on annual leave. The children were very reverent and participated beautifully. We hope and pray that Mass will again be a regular feature of our life together at St Paul’s in the year to come.

Let’s be good partners!

I am always happy to talk to you about the future of our school. I’d love to listen to your ideas and hopes for our school. Whilst not all things are possible, it can be productive to think together about what we can do and what is possible to achieve together. Please don’t be shy to say “hello”. I am always ready and willing to meet with  you to discuss anything about your child’s learning or our school. Home and school are partners in the important job of educating your children. Open, honest and respectful communication is the key to all relationships. Let’s make this a priority for our shared work together.

Listening Interviews for Year 2 to Year 6 in Week 3 (Monday 8 Feb to Thursday 11 Feb)

Knowing each child as a person and as a learner is an important part in establishing an effective learning environment for your child in their new class. 

Next week (Week 3), we will conduct what we call “listening interviews”. This is an opportunity for you to meet and to talk with your child’s teacher for the year. The purpose of these meetings is for you to tell your child’s teacher about your child. The teachers are listening to you. You know your child better than anyone and we want to know all about your child. These brief ten minute meetings are vital in establishing the home and school relationship. At the meeting you will be given a class overview for the term. You will receive an update of the overview at the beginning of each term. Bookings for the Listening Interviews are now open through COMPASS.  A link will appear on the COMPASS app home page. If you need support making a booking please contact the front office. Listening Interviews for Kindergarten and Year 1 will take place later in the term.

Kinder and Year 1 Meeting Tuesday 9 February at 6pm in the school hall

Kindergarten and Year 1 families are invited to a meeting at 6pm on Tuesday 9 February to learn about how we teach reading at St Paul’s and how you can help. After an initial presentation you will be separated into Kinder and Year 1 parent groups. These meetings are in lieu of the Listening Interviews being conducted with the Year 2 to Year 6 families. A term overview for your child’s class will be distributed to you at the meeting as well as an explanation of the expectations for the year. If you have a child in both Kinder and Year 1, we suggest you attend the Year 1 meeting. These meetings will take about 45 minutes in total.

SWIMMING CARNIVAL Friday 19 February

We are conducting our school swimming carnival on Friday 19 February at Moss Vale Aquatic Centre. Years 2 to 6 will be competing. Kindergarten and Year 1 will have water play activities at school. You received a letter detailing the organisation of the carnival as well as a nomination form for your Year 2 to Year 6 child. We ask that you discuss the nominations with your child. Withdrawals and inclusions to events on the day of the carnival are not permitted except on medical grounds.

Please return the swimming nomination form to school by Tuesday 9 February so the organising committee can get to work on planning the carnival.

COVID-19 Advice

There have been no further adjustments to COVID-19 restrictions this week. Regrettably, the restrictions on parents and community members being on the school grounds or attending school events off site remain in place. This is inclusive of the upcoming swimming carnival. If these restrictions change we will certainly let you know. We would love to have our community with us at these important milestone events. Click here for the  current COVID- 19 guidelines for Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Wollongong. 

1:1 iPad Meeting Wednesday 

Digital devices have become an integral and daily part of our classroom instruction. The 1:1 iPad program we implemented last year has been a great success. Last night, we met with the Year 3 families and provided the children with their iPads. They will use these devices as part of their learning for the next four years. The school provides a device management system for school sourced iPads which families pay off over two years as part of the school resource fee. All children commencing Year 3 are automatically enrolled in this program.

It was wonderful to be able to meet together face to face with the families of Year 3. The sheer delight on the faces of the children receiving their iPads was a highlight of the evening.

Responsible User Agreement

All children at St Paul’s are required to sign a “Responsible User Agreement”.  Last night, Year 3 parents signed their child’s Responsible User Agreement. Next week we will be meeting with the Year 3 to Year 6 classes to go over the expectations contained within the Responsible User Agreements. We will send a copy home for you to discuss and review with your child. We ask that you then sign and return the agreement.

All classes in the school will undertake a digital citizenship program during Term 1 at an age and stage appropriate level. We want all our children to be skilled, critical and safe users of technology.

CODE 5 update

Our school’s Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) team and the school staff have reviewed our school’s Code 5 system. Accordingly, we have adjusted the language to be more embracing of the concept of respect. Code 5 remains at the heart of our school’s affirmation and correction sequence. We have printed signs and banners with the updated Code 5. They are placed in every classroom and around the school. The teachers will continue to teach and explain Code 5 with the children throughout the year.

The new Code 5 language is

• Respect myself
• Respect others
• Respect learning
• Respect the environment
• Be a Mission Star

P&F Annual General Meeting (AGM) Wednesday 10 February at 7pm & nomination process.

St Paul’s has a long and proud history of parent and community involvement in the life of the school. The Parents and Friends (P&F) is the parent body that facilitates and coordinates this involvement. The work of the P&F is to fund raise in order  to support the school and provide much needed resources for all our children. All parents of St Paul’s are automatically members of the Parents & Friends Association. You do not need to join or be invited. Everyone is welcome.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the P&F was in abeyance for 2020. We are now in a position to revive the P&F for 2021.

The P&F meets on the second Tuesday of the month for one hour.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the P&F will be held on Wednesday 9 February  at 7:00 pm in the school hall.  Attached to this newsletter is a nomination form for the executive positions within the P&F. If you would like to nominate someone for these positions, please write the person’s name and indicate the position (or positions) for which you wish to nominate them. As a courtesy, please let the person you are nominating know that you are doing so. All nominations will be seconded at the AGM. Place the nomination form in a sealed envelope addressed to the Principal and return it to the school office before Tuesday 9 February. 

Gym on Fridays for all classes

We have engaged a specialist sports company, Gymnastrix, to conduct gymnastics lessons with all classes on Fridays. The company provides qualified teachers, who deliver the program and assess the children against NESA syllabus outcomes. They also provide all the necessary gym equipment for the program. The cost of this program is included as part of your school fees. All children will need to wear their sport uniform on Fridays for Term 1.

All students will wear their sports uniform tomorrow. 

Sport Uniforms- same  as last week

Sport uniforms are to be worn on the following days for each class:

Kindergarten - Wednesday & Friday

Year 1 - Friday

Year 2 - Friday

Year 3 - Wednesday & Friday

Year 4 - Wednesday & Friday

Year 5 - Wednesday & Friday

Year 6 - Wednesday & Friday

Whole School Assembly on Thursdays in Term 1

We are now able to recommence a weekly whole school assembly with COVID-19 social distancing precautions. We will conduct the assembly at 2:15pm each week during Term 1. At the assembly, we will pray our school prayer, sing the national anthem, acknowledge birthdays and celebrate children who have reached affirmation milestones. Unfortunately, we are unable to have parents or community members at these assemblies. Should this change, we will of course notify you.

Photograph Permission

You will recieve tomorrow the photo permission form for your children. We are required to seek this permission from you annually. The consent form allows for your child’s image to be used in the school newsletter, our school facebook page or by the diocese in their publications (print and digital). If you do not give consent for your child’s image to be used or do not return the permission form, we will not be able to use your child’s image. Your child therefore, will not appear in  any of our school publications (print and digital inclusive). We love to celebrate all children’s achievements and participation in school events. Publishing pictures is a good way to do this. We ask that you return the consent forms at your earliest convenience.

School Terms for 2021

Sacramental Program

A compass notification was sent out last week with information regarding the Sacramental Program for 2021. Parents of students who wish to complete any of the sacraments this year (Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation) must contact the parish immediately in order to receive the enrolment details (see email address below).

Traditionally, students in Year 3 will make their First Reconciliation and then their First Holy Communion shortly after. However, we understand that some students may have missed this opportunity, so these sacraments are open to older students as well.

• Reconciliation (Year 3 and above) – these students must be baptised Catholics.
• First Holy Communion (Year 3 and above) – these students must be baptised Catholics and have made their First Reconciliation.
• Confirmation (Year 6 and above) – These students must have completed their Reconciliation and First Communion.

Parish email address:

sacramentsmossvale@gmail.com

Thank you

Catherine du Bois

Religious Education Coordinator

MORNING ENTRY AND AFTERNOON PICK UP ARRANGEMENTS

Welcome back to the school Year and a very warm welcome to our new families. It is wonderful to see the children’s smiling faces eager to share their holiday stories. In the afternoons the children are especially excited to see their families and share their news about the day. This means their attention can be distracted while around roads. Please familiarize yourself with our morning entry and afternoon pick up procedures. We want to ensure we are all safe around roads.

MORNING PROCEDURES

Staff supervision of students begins at 8:20am. No student should be arriving at school before this time without prior approval from the Principal. 

When students arrive at school by bus, they disembark and walk up the entrance path into school. Students must come into the school immediately after departing the bus. 

Students that arrive by car may be dropped in the 2 min drop off zone at the front of the school. This is NOT a parking zone. Parents are not able to leave the car in the drop off zone and come into the school. Students must immediately walk into school via the side path. Please discuss the importance of going immediately into school with your child.

Parents may choose to park and walk their child into school. Please ensure it is not in the bus zone or the drop off zone. There is ample parking in the vacant lot opposite the school and further along Garrett Street. Police do monitor the area.

AFTERNOON PROCEDURES

Buses: Children line up in bus lines and are escorted by the duty teachers to the buses on Garrett St from 3pm. Bus drivers are asking the children to have their bus passes ready for them to see. If your child has not yet received their bus pass in the mail then please contact Berrima Buslines for further information.

Walkers and riders: Leave from the Garrett Street exit after the first three buses have left. If you are going to be walking with your child, we ask that you wait out the front and once the buses have left you may leave with your child. No student should be leaving by car from this exit unless previous arrangements have been made with the principal. There are circumstances where a parent or carer may need to collect a student from the front entrance. This is arranged with the family and often occurs after the buses have left for safety reasons.

Cars: If you are picking a child up by car then you must pick up from Innes Road unless an agreed arrangement has been put in place with the principal to collect your child from the front entrance. We deliberately keep cars and buses separated to ensure everyone’s safety. Children are walked in colour house groups by the duty teachers down the egress to the yellow painted line, (Blue House followed by Red Followed by Gold). We ask parents to wait inside the gate and behind the yellow line. Once the children have arrived they may walk to their parents and then leave via the exit gate. Children must hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road. Children are not permitted to walk out the gate to meet you. Parents must come inside the gate. This is to ensure everyone's safety and that no child can get through the gate without an adult.

Teachers wait until 3:10pm before walking back into the school. Children who have not been collected by this time are taken to the office. We ask parents to please be prompt in collecting your children. Your children are not supervised by a teacher after the pick up times. Colour house order for arrival at the Innes Rd exit is Blue, Red and then Gold house.

Changes to pick up arrangements: Please notify the office by 2:30pm. It is very difficult for messages to be delivered after this time and can result in confusion. For younger children it can be helpful for parents to make a small card the same size as a bus pass that says what the arrangements are each day if they are not the same everyday.

We appreciate and thank you for your support with these arrangements as it ensures everyone is safe when going home.

National Consistent Collection of Data NCCD.

The NCCD is an annual collection of information about Australian school students with disability. The NCCD enables schools, education authorities and governments to better understand the needs of students with disability and how they can be best supported at school. 

This process has begun and involves students who have a Personal Plan for medical conditions or learning needs. Not all students have a Personal Plan. We contact you should your child require a Personal Plan. Later this term we will hold Personal Planning meetings where we will review the plan and discuss the adjustments that are being put in place to support your child at school with their learning or medical condition. This collaborative approach between parents and the teachers ensures the best possible support for your child while at school.

These plans take a lot of administration time by the teachers and reflect the current adjusmtents and supports that are in place for your child at this moment in time. Our Diocese supports our school with funding by providing time for teachers to maintain the plans and attend meetings with you. Below is the link to the NCCD website which provides further information about Personal Plans and the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data that forms the basis of our funding to support students with additional needs.

https://www.nccd.edu.au/

This link takes you to a fact sheet.

https://www.nccd.edu.au/sites/default/files/fact%20sheet%20for%20parents%20guardians%20and%20carers.pdf

There are two gym day changes for the term:

Was - Friday 19th February - Due to the swimming carnival

Now - Wednesday 24th February - Please make sure your child is in their sports uniform on this day.

Second Change:

Was - Friday 2nd April - Good Friday

Now - Monday 22nd March - Please make sure your child is in their sports uniform on this day.

We would like to congratulate 2 parents and a student at our school - Mrs Bowen, Sazal Gurung (Year 1) and his father Mr Gurung on becoming Australian Citizens on Australia Day this year at the Moss Vale Services Club.  We hope they were able to share this tremendous occasion with family and friends.  A big congratulations to Mrs Bowen, Sazal and Mr Gurung.

Charlotte Gillespie, Mrs Gillespies daughter received the 2021 Young Citizen of the year award for her volunteer work across the community, especially with aged care.  Here she is photographed receiving her award.  Congratulations Charlotte!

Just a quick reminder, if your child has a covid test please let the school know and email or pop into the office with the results once you have them.

Healthy Back to School Lunch boxes made easy!

The link below will take you to the Cancer Council's Healthy Lunch Box Website for some fabulous lunch box ideas:

https://healthylunchbox.com.au/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nsw_hlbbts21&utm_content=schools_t1email