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St Ita’s Catholic Primary School acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
PRINCIPAL MESSAGE
BACK FROM REMOTE LEARNING 6.0
Yesterday we welcomed all our students back to school after another snap lock down. It is an extremely disruptive process but we have to learn to work through these tough times and most importantly support everyone as best we can in the process.
The School will continue to implement the drop off and pick up procedures from Drouin Rec Reserve and Admin to limit the number of students and families congregating on or near school grounds at the beginning and conclusion of the school day.
The school will continue to ensure that the health, safety and well-being of all students, staff and the wider school community remains our highest priority. We will continue to emphasise this for all staff and students in attendance at school.
Visitors including parents, guardians and carers will be required to wear a face mask when on school sites, both in indoor and outdoor locations, including reception areas and classrooms. Parents must also sign in via the QR code in reception. Any appointments for parents wanting meet with teaching staff must be made via a call to Admin on 56237222.
I would like to take this time to thank both the parents and the students for their efforts through these challenging times. The community as a whole has united to push through these tough times and soldier on to best support their child/ren. I have received so many emails and calls of support from parents letting me know that whilst remote offsite learning is tough and presents many challenges, the teaching staff of St Ita’s have gone above and beyond to support all our students to achieve their best.
I am really grateful and appreciative of all the St Ita’s staff; our Teachers, our Aides and our Admin who have done an amazing job in relation to their planning and preparation, their delivery of work to our children and their communication and follow up with students and parents. The positive way that they have approached offsite leaning and onsite learning has been nothing short of outstanding.
To all our parents and carers, thanks for your ongoing support during these snap remote learning lock downs. Let's hope we can get on top of this COVID Delta variant and give our kids the chance to have the rest of the term onsite with minimal interruptions.
Stay well and stay safe and thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to implement COVID safe practices at our school.
HELPING PARENTS COPE WITH THE STRESS OF COVID LOCKDOWNS
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on our lives. Many of us are facing challenges that can be stressful, overwhelming, and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Public health actions, such as social distancing, are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but they can make us feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety. Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about, and those around you become more resilient.
Stress can cause the following:
- Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
- Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
- Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
- Worsening of chronic health problems
- Worsening of mental health conditions
- Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances
It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are ways that you can help yourself, others, and your community manage stress.
Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but hearing about the pandemic constantly can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from phone, TV, and computer screens for a while.
- Take care of your body.
- Take deep breaths, stretch meditate
- Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
- Exercise regularly.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Avoid excessive alcohol, tobacco, and substance use.
- Continue with routine preventive measures (such as vaccinations, cancer screenings, etc.) as recommended by your healthcare provider.
- Get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine when available.
- Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
- Connect with others. Talk with external people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
Connect with your community- or faith-based organisations. While social distancing measures are in place, try connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.
Helping Others Cope
Taking care of yourself can better equip you to take care of others. During times of social distancing, it is especially important to stay connected with your friends and family. Helping others cope with stress through phone calls or video chats can help you and your loved ones feel less lonely or isolated.
LIBRARY NEWS
CHROMEBOOKS AND CHARGERS
During remote and onsite learning, we have had a number of student chrome books returned to school admin in what can only be described as states of disrepair.
In some cases student have peeled and picked the keys off their keyboards, screens have been cracked and broken, either by standing on their computer or dropping them, charging ports have been damaged because students have tried using different chargers and drinks have been spilt on computers.
In situations like those mentioned above, insurance will not cover any of the above issues and the cost will need to be incurred by the parent.
Can all students please remember to be respectful of their chrome books especially when they are at home. Parents pay a lot of money for the Chromebooks and if they are looked after in the right manner, they will last the four years that students have a 1 to 1 device.
MEDICAL ALERT!
We have had reports of students in our school being diagnosed with hand, foot & mouth disease.
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is caused by a virus. It causes blisters on the hands and feet, in the mouth and often in the ‘nappy’ area. It is generally only a mild disease that lasts seven to ten days.
HFMD occurs mainly in children under ten years of age, but can also affect older children and adults. This infection is spread by direct contact with fluid from the skin blisters, nose and throat discharges (including saliva, sputum or nasal mucus), droplets (sneezing, coughing) and faeces (stools). Good personal hygiene is important to prevent spread of the infection to others.
The skin blisters of HFMD are infectious until they become crusty and there is no fluid in the blisters. Diagnosis is made by a local doctor, and there is no specific treatment.
Children with HFMD should be excluded from school and childcare centres until all of the blisters have dried. To assist in prevention of spread, parents should report the illness to the director of the childcare centre or school principal.
MINI OLYMPICS MONDAY 16TH AUGUST
FOUNDATION & GRADE 1
We have rescheduled the planned Mini Olympics which will now be held on Monday 16th August. The Foundation and Grade 1 students will compete together in a mini-olympic activity morning to celebrate the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. The activities will be a range of small relays and mini challenges supported by some Grade 6 buddies. There will be small prizes given out for children showing persistence, encouragement or displaying 'olympic' sportsmanship.
Thanks Mr Pitt & Mrs Lewry
CONCERT UPDATE
It is with great disappointment that we have now postponed the school concert to 10th November 2021. There will be a rehearsal at the Warragul Arts Centre on the 9th November 2021. With the current restriction in place we would not be able to offer all families a chance to attend. We will have more information later this term or early next term on how families can purchase tickets.
SICK BAY VISITS
PARENT ACCESS MODULE (PAM)
All visits to the sickbay will be recorded on our Parent Access Module under Sick Passes.SCHOOL FEES & FEE CONCESSION
Term 1 & 2 School Fees are now overdue & Term 3 School Fees are due by Friday 6th August. BPay details are available on your school fee statement. School fees are due by the 4th week of each term and must be paid in full by the end of the school year they are due, December 2021.
If any families would like to pay off their fees either weekly, fortnightly or monthly, please set up a direct debit schedule by completing a Direct Debit Form and returning to the school office at your earliest convenience. Please calculate the total fees payable by the number of weeks/payments required for your fees to be paid by December 2021. For any assistance please contact the school Admin office via email on: admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au
For any families that have recently received a Government means-tested Health Care Concession Card and have not already advised the school office, please forward a copy of your card to the office to check your eligibility, as a fee concession may apply. The card must be in the name of the parent/fee payer for a fee concession to apply with the student details listed on the card. A CSEF (Camp, Sport & Excursion Fund) form must also be completed. Application forms must be completed each year.
If your current Health Care Concession Card has expired, or is due to expire and your card is re-issued or any details have changed, please send a copy of your new card details to the office as soon as possible for the concession to be checked and applied to your fees.
PARENT ACCESS MODULE (PAM)
We have had very good feedback with the access of school reports through the new parent portal. Please contact the school if you still have not been able to do this or please follow the instructions on the school website. This portal is accessible via https://pam.stidrouin.catholic.edu.au/
If parents can please continue updating the medical information through this portal that will be great.
2022 ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN
Enrolments are now open and we are now taking bookings for enrolment interviews and school tours. (COVID-19 Dependent).
If you require an interview and school tour with your child, please contact our school Admin on 5623 7222 as soon as possible to book a time.
All parents will be required to complete a student questionnaire prior to the commencement of your interview (this takes a couple of minutes and you will receive it on arrival). You will also receive an enrolment pack with an enrolment form enclosed.
We strongly advise you to book your interview and return your application form promptly to guarantee enrolment for next year.
BUS FREE DAYS
School buses will not be operating in the Drouin network on the following days in Term 3. All bus travellers will need to make alternative arrangements to/from school on these days.
Term 3 - Monday 16th August 2021
Term 3 - Wednesday 25th August 2021
GRADE 4L - 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS PROJECT
PARISH NEWS
SPECIAL MARY
Christians (as well as Muslims and others) recognise Jesus’ mother Mary as special. Along with every Sunday and Christmas, the feast of Assumption is a Holy Day of Obligation in Australia. We take celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary seriously! Why?
Most miraculous of mothers, Mary is central to the wonderful event of Jesus’ Incarnation, the extraordinary entwining of the Creator with creation. Joyfully she proclaimed God’s intervention in the world (Luke 1:39-56), bearing the Christ child, raising him to adulthood, was his faithful disciple at the foot of his cross, gathering in that upper room with his other disciples after his crucifixion and again at the Pentecost event which we see as the birth of the Church.
Mary is assumed to be a major source of Luke’s gospel; her story intimately recounted as only she could. Mary’s joyful “Magnificat”, prayed every day in the prayer of the church, models faithful love of the Lord and openness to God’s will. Scripture says nothing definitive about post-Pentecost Mary but for the lyrical passages in Apocalypse (Apoc 11:19, 12:1-6, 10) taken to refer to her, about a woman adorned with the sun defying a dragon with a star dragging tail. The miraculous circumstances of her motherhood, her proclamation of faith and her exemplary life make Mary unique. We can imagine how the earliest church revered her and certainly she has been venerated in the Church since the second century.
From the fifth century the church has celebrated Mary’s death and, though there were various fables and traditions about Mary post-Pentecost, understanding of her Assumption grew over the centuries. One of only two clear examples of Papal Infallibility, the Church has taught since 1950 that the Virgin Mary "having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory". (Pope Pius 12thMunificentissimus Deus).
Deacon Mark Kelly
CONFIRMATION WORKSHOPS
WORKSHOP 1
Our first workshop will be held this Wednesday, August 4th in St Ita’s School Hall commencing at 7pm. Also on Thursday, August 5th in St Joseph’s Church at 4pm or 7pm.
Please bring along your completed preferred Confirmation Mass form for the Sacrament of Confirmation and your choice of Confirmation name and sponsor’s name form.
WORKSHOP 2
Our second workshop will be on the following week the 11th and 12th of August at the same venues and times.
For all enquiries please contact Therese on: 0499 116 428
