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.

MESSAGES FROM THE PRINCIPAL

As we get to the midway point of the year, it’s a good time to reflect on the challenges of the past and look forward to what the second semester will bring. School reports have gone out to parents, and we are currently in the process of conducting Parent Teacher Interviews.

Parent Teacher Interviews are a great opportunity to talk about your child’s growth and areas to work on in relation to their academic social and emotional development. It's also a great opportunity to have rigorous conversations with your child around their growth and potential going forward.

We have once again put our best foot forward as we continue to battle the challenges of Covid within our school. Going forward our most important goal is to make sure we place students and staff in the safest environment possible. As we enter the second semester, we’ll have continual updates regarding where we stand with Covid, and do our best to open the school up to all.

I’d also like to acknowledge our wonderful staff at St Ita's for their continued efforts to support all our students with their learning, and their personal development. The staff of St Ita’s continually go above and beyond to make sure your child’s school experience is a positive and supportive experience.

To all in our community I wish you a safe and relaxing winter break and hope you come back recharged and rejuvenated.

MESSAGE FROM THE BISHOP

Correspondence_re_Director_s_Retirement_21.6.2022.pdf

Correspondence_re_Director_s_Retirement_21 _6 _2022 _pdf 260.75 KB

WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH TO POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR CELEBRATION

We will be having our WSAPB colours dress up day on Friday 24th of June (Last day of school for the term). On this day students can bring in a gold coin donation and can dress up creatively in the colours of our WSAPB (White, Blue, Green, Yellow and Purple). They can do any combination of these colours or any of them straight out.

The gold coin donation will be used to fund education for disadvantaged children overseas through the St Vinnies organisation.

Children will be participating in a mixed age group activity in Foundation - Grade 2 and then from Grade 3 - Grade 6 and will be doing some activities around our WSAPB values of Respect, Inclusiveness, Compassion, Teamwork and Resilience.

END OF TERM 2

A reminder to all parents and families that next Friday 24th of June will be the final day of term 2, it will be an early finish time of 2.20pm. Please ensure that you have made pick up arrangements for this early finish time.

CANTEEN CLOSED - FRIDAY 24th JUNE

An important reminder to all families there will be no lunch orders available on the final day of Term 1, Friday 24th June. Please ensure your child has a packed snack and lunch on this day.

END OF TERM ASSEMBLY

Our end of term assembly will be held in the Multi-Purpose Hall this Friday at 12.30pm. Parents are welcome to attend this assembly, however due to the current COVID climate within our school could I ask that all parents attending the assembly please wear a mask.

LOST & FOUND UNIFORM

We currently have a very large number lost and found items that are unlabelled, and we have been unable to return to students. A table will be set up at the entrance of the Hall on Friday during the whole school assembly, if you have lost any uniform items dring Terms 1 & 2 we encourage you to come and have a look, and to collect anything that may belong to you.

ART ROOM

Robyn Leary, our Art room teacher, requires white or light coloured socks of any size and also any wool that families are able to donate for an Art project.

Students can bring them in on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and take them to the Art room or their classroom.

TERM 3 - ASSESSMENT DAY (1st day of Term 3 - Monday 11th July)

A reminder to all parents that the first day of term 3 (Monday 11th July) will be a school closure and Maths Assessment Day. You will need to book an interview time through PAM. Interviews will times be made available next week to avoid confusion for Parent Teacher Interview time slots. Communication will come out via ClassDojo and Schoolzine to notify parents to book these time slots. Interviews will be 20 minutes.

ST ITA’S SCHOOL CONCERT— “Dance With Me In Africa”

West Gippsland Arts Centre - July 28^th, 2022

Art Centre Practice—Wednesday, 27^th July

Concert Day—Thursday, 28^th July — costumes required at school.

This year’s school concert is titled “Dance With Me In Africa” and will be on Thursday 28^th July at the West Gippsland Art Centre, Warragul. There will be 2 performances and all students are required to perform in each show. There is a matinee show at midday and an evening performance at 7pm.

Important – All students will be required to be at school by 9am on Wednesday 27th July and Thursday 28^th July.

On Wednesday 27^th July, students will be taken with their grade by shuttle bus to/from the Arts Centre to practice coming on/off the stage.

On Thursday 28^th July, all students will be taken from school by shuttle bus to the Arts Centre for the matinee show and will be returned to school by 3pm after the matinee performance.

Please look out for the permission form on PAM in Week 1 of Term 3, for parents to sign to enable their child to travel to and from the Arts Centre by bus.

All students will need to be collected from school at the 3.20pm finish time. Parents will then drop their children off at the Art Centre at 6.30pm for the evening performance & collect them afterwards.

Tickets are will be on sale via the West Gippsland Art Centre, WGAC ticket office, phone or on-line, as of Monday, 11^th July for $15 each (children under 2 free on parent’s knee).

This year a pensioner concession ticket is available for a reduced price $10 for the matinee performance at midday only.

2023 FOUNDATION SIBLING ENROLMENTS

Our 2023 sibling enrolments for Foundation are currently open to St Ita’s families. To arrange an interview and school tour for your child, please contact Beck or Helen at admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au or 5623 7222.

NCCD INFORMATION SHEET FOR PARENTS

NCCD Information Sheet.pdf

NCCD Information Sheet _pdf 310.44 KB

COVID UPDATE

We are still getting cases of Covid-19 and Influenza at St Ita’s across all grades.

Whist we are getting our staffing back on track, it’s vitally important that we do our best to keep everyone safe at St Ita’s. Thanks to parents for supporting us by keeping kids away from school whilst displaying symptoms.

If your child is displaying any symptoms at all, please keep them at home, RAT test them and only send them back to school when all symptoms have cleared.

If children present at school with symptoms you will be contacted by the classroom teacher or admin and you will be required to collect your child.

We will continue to work together to get through this current outbreak and make sure we provide students and staff with the safest possible environment whilst at school.

SCHOOL FEES & CONCESSIONS

Term 1 & Term 2 fees are now overdue, please ensure payment is made at your earliest convenience.

If any families would like to set up a weekly, fortnightly or monthly direct debit schedule for school fees, please complete the Direct Debit Form below and return to the school office. For any assistance regarding calculations of payments, please contact us via email on: admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au

For any families that have recently received a Government means-tested health care concession card, 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.

If your current Health Care card is due to expire this year and your card is re-issued, please send a copy of your new card details to the office as soon as possible for the concession to be checked and applied for next year's fees, if not already done so.

2022 Direct Debit Form

2022 Direct Debit Form 671.20 KB

2022 CSEF Concession Form

2022 CSEF Concession Form 309.21 KB

THANK YOU & FAREWELL

The St Ita's community would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mrs Cristina Brown, who has been a part of our cleaning and maintenance team for the past three years. Cristina initially came to us as a parent volunteer, and her hard work and committed attitude soon made her a valuable part of our staff community.

It is with much sadness that Cristina has recently decided to resign from her position with St Ita's, and we wish her all the happiness and success she deserves in her future endeavours.

PARISH NEWS

Good News of the Kingdom

Jesus tells the Apostles (and us) this week that our duty is “to go and spread the good news of the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:51-62). The “Great Commission” in Matthew’s gospel similarly commands us to “Make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Mt 28:19)

So how do we go about “spreading the Good News”? Once when I was in the United States I saw a large procession of people parading up and down with signs full of threats and lightning bolts; hurling lines of scripture at unsuspecting citizens walking past. Telling them they are doomed unless they get with the demonstrators program. I’m pretty sure that’s not what Jesus is calling us to do. In fact I wonder if those placard holders have actually read scripture prayerfully at all or if they simply cherry-pick “gotcha” moments to damn everyone who isn’t them. Unfortunately one can find plenty of examples of Catholic “Christians” doing much the same.

Of course Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. But his delightfully simple message is about understanding our human condition, flawed as it is, and about the absolute and infinite love he holds for each of us, about leading us, like lambs, towards our ultimate salvation and about forgiveness no matter what. This is the mercy that Pope Francis talks about, which extends way beyond hurling accusations and harsh justice to loving forgiveness, even when we have been at our worst. Our mission is to understand Jesus’ message ourselves and then to let others see how we joyfully live our lives.

Through quiet repentance and living lives of love rather than screaming threats, we truly will spread the Good News to the corners of the world.

Deacon Mark Kelly

RECONCILIATION

The Parish and school community of St Itas would like to congratulate all our students who completed their Sacrament of Reconciliation this week. We hope the following students hear and receive our prayers, thoughts and best wishes as you continue on your Sacramental journey.

Elysian Admiral	Patrick Reidy
Tahlia Atkins	Eli Rushbury
Connor Gregory	Riley Seabrook
Natalie Hateley	Claire Upston
Eleanor Noonan	Declan Walsh
Oisin O’Muireagáin	Theia Wells
Lola Proctor	Georgia Wassenberg

SACRAMENT PROGRAM UPDATE

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION 2022

Our Reconciliation candidates will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation tonight, Wednesday, 22^nd June at 7pm in St Ita’s Church, Drouin and on Thursday, 23^rd June at 7pm in St Joseph’s Church, Warragul. We ask all families to please arrive 10 minutes early for a 7pm start.

We warmly ask our school communities to please keep these families and their children in your prayers.

CONFIRMATION 2022

An Invitation is extended to families who wish to have their children continue their journey of initiation into the life of the Catholic Church Community of Warragul & Drouin, through the Sacrament of Confirmation this year. This Sacrament is for children who have celebrated the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. An invitation will be sent out to families this week via your school.

There will be a Parent /Child information evening at St Ita’s Church, Drouin on Wednesday, 20^th July, at 7pm and at St Joseph’s Church, Warragul on Thursday, 21^st July, at 7pm. Parents are asked to choose one of these nights to attend with your Confirmation Candidate. Information packs and enrolment forms will be handed out on the night.

We are looking forward to seeing you all at one of our information nights.