Dear Parents & Guardians,
As we enter the season of Lent this week, it is important that as a school community and as faith-filled people, we take time to reflect on the meaning of Lent. While Lent is a time when we traditionally make sacrifices’, perhaps it is just a worthwhile to consider Lent as a time to reflect and make any necessary changes to our lives and our practices so that we continue to seek to follow the messages and the teaching of Jesus Christ.
In this newsletter, Jamien Russell, our Religious Education Leader, will be sharing some information from Caritas concerning this year’s Project Compassion Appeal. Caritas does incredible work supporting many communities in need, both in Australia and overseas. I hope that this is an appeal that everyone in our community works to support. As a Catholic school, we must always try and support those who need our help; Not only is this what makes us truly Catholic but it helps us develop empathetic, considerate and kind children who understand the importance and the need to those less fortunate.
PARKING!
I am going to be honest in saying that I am increasingly concerned, disappointed and frustrated with parking situation around school. There are increasing number of parents and guardians parking illegally or parking in dangerous places that create a serious risk to the safety of our children.
I appreciate that parents and guardians are sometimes in a hurry but is this really worth the safety of your or someone else’s child? I dread to think what would happen and how someone who feel if they accidently hurt a child because they were not taking more care when collecting their children. I am beginning to lose count of how many parents and guardians I have asked not to park in no-standing zones or across the exit to school. Dotty and Rohini at the school crossing regularly tell me that we have parents and guardians parking in the road to let their children out.
What is particularly confusing is that there is plenty of parking in local side streets that are only a short walk away so even if parents and guardians chose not to use the kiss n’ go, they have the option to park there. The school went to considerable time and expense to have a kiss n’ go built to avoid these problems and to keep the children safe and yet despite constant reminders, this situation is still happening.
Please take more care when dropping your children at school and do not park in no-standing zones or across the exit to the kiss n’ go. If the problem continues, I will have to contact the local police to come and enforce the road rules for the safety of our children.
I have included below some information from Melton City Council regarding this matter. Please take the time to read it:
BUDDY BENCH
One of the focus areas discussed at the last SCT at the end of last year was the idea to have a ‘buddy bench’ in our school. A ‘buddy bench’ is place where children can go if they are feeling a little lonely or left out and other children can then support and nurture these children. Once children know what this is for and how they can help, a ‘buddy bench’ can make a really positive contribution to the culture of a school community. I know several local schools have used these successfully.
If you know of anyone who is handy with woodwork or connected to an organisation like Mens Shed and might be able to help us build a buddy bench, please let me know. I would be very grateful for your assistance.
CHALLENGE & CURIOSITY LEARNING COMMUNITY CAMP
Just a reminder that year’s Challenge Learning Community camp will take place from Wednesday, February 21 to Friday, February 23 at Camp Sunnystones in Merrimu. Our Curiosity Learning Community camp is runs from Tuesday, March 12 to Wednesday, March 13 with our Grade Three and Four children heading to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat.
If you have been given documents to complete for these camps, these must be returned to school promptly and with all the required information. Accurate medical information is necessary to ensure the safety of our students.
STUDENT ABSENCES
The state government and our governing authority, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools are placing a renewed focus on school attendance. Did you know that a child that only attends school for 80% of a school year will have missed more than a year of schooling by the time they finish their time at school! This is obviously going to have a dramatic impact on their learning.
It is a legal requirement to send your child to school. If they are sick, they should be at home recuperating, but parents and guardians are expected to notify schools if they are absent. If children are away for more than three days without notification, we will contact you to enquire as the reason for their absence. Persistent absence from school does require us to notify our governing authority and the Department of Education who can issue an infringement notice to parents who are not sending their children to school without a valid reason.
It is important that parents and guardians are aware of the following attendance requirements:
https://www.slweirviews.catholic.edu.au/?p=2333&preview=true
- If your child is absent, you must notify the school, ideally by Operoo, stating the child’s name, date of absence and a reason for their absence. If the administration team cannot contact you, this will be recorded as an unexplained absence.
- If your child is attending a medical appointment (including a dental appointment) within school hours, parents and guardians are expected to provide some evidence that this is a legitimate medical appointment.
- If your child is participating in a non-school sports event in school hours and is absent from school, parents and guardians should provide some evidence that this is a legitimate sporting event.
- It is the principal’s discretion to determine if a holiday during term time is legitimate and can be counted as a reasonable absence. Any absence due to a holiday should be discussed with the principal prior to the child leaving.
- Absences due to birthdays, shopping or visiting friends or relatives is not considered a legitimate absence within the government requirements and principals are not supposed to approve these as a reasonable absence.
This updated information will be posted shortly on our website. If you have any questions about student absence please make a time to meet with me. Please do not be offended if we call you regarding the absence of your child as this a legal requirement for all Victorian schools.
SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY TEAM
The School Advisory Council (SAC) fulfils an important leadership role in our school. If you are interested in either of these groups, please come and speak to me. We have tried hard to build our school around a partnership with parents and we really value their contribution.
2024 FORMS & FEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Please remember to return any fee forms and fee assistance applications to Emma in the admin office. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the payment of fees, please make a time to come and see me. This is a confidential conversation and will be treated with utmost discretion.
God bless,
Bill Hill
PRINCIPAL