We certainly seem to be back in the swing of things at St Ita’s and there’s a strong sense of calm and normalcy, which is testimony to the efforts of all our children and teachers as they embark on another school year. Transition into new classrooms across the school has been amazingly smooth and I was informed that our Foundation kids did a super job attending and participating in their first whole school assembly last Friday.

Tonight, we have our St Ita’s whole school family picnic, which will be held on the school’s bottom oval. This event is to welcome families both old and new for a social get together. The picnic will start around 5.00pm and finish at around 6.30pm. The Drouin Rec Reserve gate will be open for parking, as well as the lower gate on the school’s bottom oval, which will be open so that families can access the school.

Feel free to bring a blanket, grab some takeaway or bring something from home, unfold a chair, sit and relax for the evening. This is a great opportunity to open up our school with a bit of meet and greet. Look forward to seeing you there.

WALKERS, BIKE, SCOOTER, SKATEBOARD RIDERS EXITING VIA DROUIN REC RESERVE

On Tuesday I met with all students who exit the school at the end of the day via the Drouin Rec Reserve to access Civic Park. All walkers, bike, scooter and skateboard riders are expected to wait under the shelter until a teacher on duty collects them and escorts them through the gate.  Students have been advised to keep left and walk behind all the parked cars to access the safety of the grass banks that lead to Civic Park.

All parent using the Drouin Rec Reserve to collect students must ensure that they are not pulling up and exiting vehicles whilst in the pick up/drop off loop.  Please also ensure that you do not park on the ovals fence within the pick up/drop off loop. The speed limit within the reserve is 10km. We thank you for keeping all of our students safe during pick up/drop off times.

NO PARKING ZONES AROUND OUR NEW CROSSING

A reminder to all parents to observe the No Parking Zones in front of our school on Victoria Street, which are active both before and after school. We have been advised that fines will be imposed on parents parking in the No Parking Zones on both sides of Victoria Street. Please don’t park there, even for a few minutes during drop off. If parents are sending grandparents or carers please make sure you remind them of where they can and cannot park.

NEW SCHOOL BUILD AND UPPER PLAYGROUND REFURB

This week I will be meeting with MINX architecture to look over plans for our new Stage 2 build at St Ita’s. The project will enable us to say farewell to our current portable classrooms, and give us up to six new learning classroom spaces, an I.T./STEM room, parent meeting spaces and an open presentation space that caters to all students in the area. This is such an exciting project and it will be a great opportunity to beautify and upgrade our school.

NEW JUNIOR PLAY SPACES

We are currently in the process of sourcing a new junior (F-2) playground to replace the current junior playground. In the area outside the old library and staffroom we will be installing a Gecko Grass area, which will include some large cubby houses, water and chalk boards, mini soccer goals and mini basketball and netball hoops. A big shout out to our Teacher/Parents Nicola and Nicole for working with our foundation team to get this up and running. We appreciate the constructive feedback, and they will be a great support in getting this up and going and it will be a great addition to our junior school playground.

SCHOOL SWIMMING SPORTS

Big thank you to our amazingly talented PE teacher Miss Roberts for the outstanding job she did organising another great swimming carnival this year. It’s a great way to showcase our school, and the kids did a fantastic job of supporting their houses.

Sadly, we did have a dampener on the day, after an official protest was lodged by student Harry McCarthy with the race stewards. There were murmurs and whispers leading up to the day's showcase event the relay between Teachers and Students, and further evidence came to light that a "Fine Cotton" ring-in was subsituted into the teachers swim team. Harry protested that the so called 'ring-in' substituted into the teachers team, swimming the last leg of the relay, was controversially not an official employee of St Ita’s Primary School and evidently coaches the Warragul Warrior junior swim team, and swims a sub 30 secound 50m consistently. Thanks Riley!

So, it is with much disappointment that I need to inform the teachers relay team that the protest has been upheld and the teacher’s relay team was judged to have come second on the day. Teachers, and our imposter, will be required to present the student winners with their winners ribbons at our next assembly.

In the words of Harry McCarthy, “Swimming is the winner today Mr Osler. Justice has been served. For the sake of future swim meets, we need to keep the industry squeaky clean and then some!”

Touché Harry McCarthy, Touché

Andrew Osler

St Ita's Principal