St Ita's Primary School Drouin
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50 Victoria Street
Drouin VIC 3818
Subscribe: https://stidrouin.catholic.edu.au/subscribe

Email: admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au
Phone: 03 5623 7222

T4 W4 2021 Newsletter

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T4 W4 2021 Newsletter

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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. 

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    ST ITAS COVID-19 UPDATE

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    Could we please ask all parents to check in daily for any alerts relating to COVID-19. Where possible updates relating to COVID-19 will be posted by the school first thing in the morning, but as has been the case in the last three weeks some alerts and updates will need to be sent out on the weekend to keep families informed.

    The two main information sharing sources we use at St Ita’s for Parents and Families are ClassDojo and Schoolzine.

    ClassDojo is a downloadable App and connects you to your child’s classroom community. Simply download the app, identify your school and your child’s class teacher will send you an invite code.

    Schoolzine is the platform that we send our weekly newsletter and any important announcements through. You can access and set up Schoolzine by following the link below

     https://www.schoolzine.com/szapp-installation

    If you do not have one of these apps set up, we strongly recommend that you connect to your preferred option as you may be missing out on important information alerts from St Ita’s.

    FACE MASKS 

    The Victorian Chief Health Officer has expanded the mandatory use of face masks indoors to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) within the population of school settings to include primary schools.

    The use of face masks assists in providing an additional physical barrier between people and to help reduce community transmission of COVID-19 across all of Victoria.

    Students in Grades 3 to 6 at St Ita’s will be required to wear a face mask when indoors on school premises, including when attending an Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program, unless a lawful exception applies.

    There are a number of lawful reasons for not wearing a face mask, including for staff and students who are unable to wear a face mask due to the nature of their disability, medical or a mental health. 

    At this time, there will be no requirement for students to wear a face mask whilst outdoors during school time.

    Whilst not required, it is strongly recommended by the Victorian Chief Health Officer that students in Foundation to Grade 2 wear a face mask indoors at school, including when attending an OSHC program.

    Parents, guardians and carers are required to supply their child(ren) with an appropriate face mask that covers the nose and mouth. Appropriate face masks include single use face masks (commonly called surgical masks) or cloth face masks made from three layers of a mix of breathable fabrics. Further information on face masks, including what face masks you can and can't wear, can be accessed from the Coronavirus Victoria website.

    All school staff at St Ita’s are required to wear a face mask, including whilst  teaching (wherever practicable), unless a lawful exception applies, to protect the health and safety of all students, staff and the wider school community. School staff are permitted to remove their face mask when necessary for effective communication. Parents, guardians and carers are encouraged to inform their child(ren) of the face mask requirements, and to continue to reinforce with their child(ren) the need to keep 1.5 metres apart from other people, to wash and dry hands thoroughly and regularly, and cough and sneeze into a tissue or their elbow.

    Parents, guardians and carers will also be required to wear a face mask when dropping off or picking up their child(ren) or if required to collect an unwell child(ren) from the school.

    If you require clarification in relation to the use of face mask at school or additional support, please contact Admin on (03) 5623 7222 or email admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au.

    2022 CLASS STRUCTURES

    We have finalised our class structures for 2022 school year and they will be as follows:

    3 x Foundation

    3 x Grade 1’s

    3 X Grade 2’s

    5 x Grade 3/4’s

    4 x Grade 5/6’s

    Over the coming weeks, staff will be working on sorting children into class groupings. Grouping of students into classes is an extremely complex and time-consuming process. We base our decisions on a number of key factors such as:

    • Current educational philosophies of the school and education
    • Social, emotional and academic needs of the children
    • A balance of social, emotional and academics in each cohort.

    Each year teachers have conversations with children asking whom they would like to be with in the following year: this can be a friend or learning buddy. There are pros and cons with this process as sometimes, best friends are not always the best support for their personal learning.

    It is important that there is a collective understanding by both parents and children that being in the same class with their ‘best friends’ or social acquaintances outside of school is never a given.

    Teachers will use their professional judgement on what they see each day within the cohort and more importantly the positive or negative impacts that friendships can have on an individual student learning.

    PARENT CLASS REQUESTS FOR 2022

    Parents are asked to communicate any class requests specific to the needs of their child/ren based on the following understandings and guidelines: 

    • All requests for consideration must be directed in email to principal@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au no later than Friday 19th November. (requests received after this date will not be considered)
    • The request must be based on individual student needs and not for preferred teachers, friendships groups or social relationships that occur outside of school
    • We do not offer any guarantees with parent requests. Factors for consideration will help to inform our process of grouping students – the request via a parent does not guarantee student placement
    • Requests from parents will be only considered for the upcoming school year.
    • I will meet with and inform all relevant staff of parent input prior to formation of classes

    We appreciate parent input and will do our best to make things work for your child, so long as the request is deemed fair and inline with the guidelines above. Once groupings have been decided and announced to the school community in mid-December, there will be no changes made to classes as it creates a domino effect across the level.

    WORLD TEACHER'S DAY 

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    Australia will celebrate and thank the teaching profession on World Teachers’ Day on Friday 29 October 2021.  

    Teachers (with support from parents and carers) have ensured education continues across the country this year, despite major challenges. It’s reinforced the significant role teachers play in the lives of children and students, their families, and communities.

    We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our teachers for their on-going commitment and dedication to their role in educating all the students in our care. The last 2 years have not been without challenges. Teachers have had to adapt, learn new approaches and change how they delivered an engaging curriculum to their students. A huge, well done and thank you to all our teachers.  

    FAMILIES LEAVING THE ST ITAS COMMUNITY IN 2022

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    If there are any families that know they will be moving on from St Ita’s in the 2022 school year, it is important that we are informed of your intentions so places can be offered to those families who are currently on waiting lists. Please contact our School Admin if you are moving on 03 5623 7222 or admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au

    ONSITE RESTRICTIONS

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    Just a reminder to all our families that as a part of the COVID-19 onsite restrictions, we are required to limit the number of visitors we have onsite. 
    This means that all student drop off and pick up must occur outside the Admin building, and parents must call Reception on (03) 5623 7222 prior to entering the Admin building.
    If your matter is essential and you are required to come onsite, we kindly request that you wear a mask whilst you are in attendance.

    COVID-19 FINANCIAL SUPPORT

    - SCHOOL FEE CONCESSIONS

    Many in our school community continue to face financial impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to supporting families experiencing financial challenges through our School Fee Concession programs, and encourage any parent/carer/guardian experiencing difficulties to contact us regarding fee assistance.
    Please contact our Administration Officer - Beck Bradley on (03) 5623 7222 or admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au to explore confidential financial support arrangements or to obtain further information.

    2022 ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN

    We strongly advise families to return application forms for their 2022 Foundation students to guarantee enrolment for next year, our places are filling quickly.

    If you require an interview and school tour with your child, please contact our school Admin on (03) 5623 7222 as soon as possible to book a time (COVID-19 Dependent).

    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.

    SCHOOL FEES & FEE CONCESSION

    School Fees for 2021 are due and payable by December 2021. 

    BPay details are available on your school fee statement. All school fees are now due and payable and all accounts must be finalised by the end of the school year they are due, December 2021.

    Direct Debits can be implemented at any time, if any families would like to pay their fees by instalment weekly, fortnightly or monthly, please complete the below 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. 

    LIBRARY NEWS

    by Mrs Catherine McKenna, Library Teacher

    Email: cmckenna@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au

    THANK YOU TO THESE STUDENTS

    WHO CREATED A

    BOOK POSTER 

    OF THEIR FAVOURITE BOOK IN

    TERM 3 DURING REMOTE LEARNING.

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    Bethany 1G

    Connor 2T

    Jack FAN

    Beni 30

    Bella 3O

    Annabelle L. FAN

    Hope 1KG

    Luca 3V

    Lexi FAN

    Scarlett 2T

    Isaac 2T

    Tia 2T

    Nick 4L

    Elizabeth 4L

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    Bethany, Connor, Beni and Jack received a prize pack and everyone received a participation certificate. Harry_Potter.png

    SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB - ISSUE 7

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    Book Club Issue 7 - CLICK HERE

    Orders close Tuesday 26th October for free delivery back to school. 

    You also have the home delivery option with an addition fee of $7.50

    PARISH NEWS

    THAT’S ALL FOLKS

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    Love God, love neighbour! (Mark 12:28-34) That’s it? Surely Jesus, you’ve missed something here!

    What about all the holocausts and sacrifices, traditional rules and regulations, deciding who to love and who to condemn? We can’t simply love God and everyone else! That would include non-Catholics, non-Christians, sinners and even atheists! Surely Jesus, folk need to be ruled by fear: fear of a vengeful creator, fear of the world around them? If we followed this “love” notion then people would feel liberated. Soon they might even stop following the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses. It would be mayhem!

    What’s that? So the Ten Commandments and Moses’ Law are because we wouldn’t follow this Great Commandment! And all the other rules we’ve devised are subject to it also? Perhaps at times we have created “a religion of rules alone [which] can imply faith in a God who only punishes, not a God who creates. Rather than a religion leading its followers to the God who gives them what the universe is for, they wind up with the religion of a God who can only give them what-for” (Consolmagno, G. God’s Mechanics Jossey-Bass 2008, p75.).

    Certainly Jesus, you’ve modelled this Great Commandment for us in your own loving non-judgemental actions and healing, your compassion for the least, your preference for the poor. Your teaching is all about the Kingdom of God. Honouring and worshipping the Father.

    So how would this work, Jesus?  You are calling us to love and worship God as we see and hear him amid his creation, delighting in and cherishing the natural world in which we find ourselves; the enormity of the universe, the planets and stars down to the smallest of creatures and proclaiming this astounding Good News of God’s Kingdom in which all are cherished and valued, just as they are. Are you sure? Ok – if you say so!

    Deacon Mark Kelly

    FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2021

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    In light of ongoing complications related to COVID -19, the decision has been made by Fr Peter to defer First Communion celebrations until early next year. We apologise for the late notice but hope that putting it off until the early part of next year may be better for both preparation and celebration. 

    CONFIRMATION UPDATE 

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    At this stage Fr Peter is looking at having the Confirmation ceremonies late November or early December, possibly at evening Masses, a Friday or Saturday night. We will keep you informed when we know more.

    Email: Warragul.sacraments@cdsale.org.au

    For further inquiries please contact Thérèse on M: 0499 116 428

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    Check out our Catholic Parishes of Warragul & Drouin Facebook presence.

    ONLINE PARENT COURSE – NO SCAREDY CATS™

    Anxiety in children is at an all-time high.

    Parentshop® has developed No Scaredy Cats™, a parent-led program to give parents the tools to help their anxious children to become more resilient.

    At this time, when it is difficult to get support, Parentshop® are delivering an online parent version of No Scaredy Cats™, presented by the course author, Michael Hawton MAPS.

    CLICK HERE for dates and to sign up for the webinar

    PUBLIC NOTICES

    CAMP AUSTRALIA

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    DRUM AND GUITAR LESSONS

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    COMMUNITY NEWS

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    BULN BULN CRICKET CLUB

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