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Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,
There are many positives to report about our school and community this week.
St Nicholas Before School Care commencing in Term 4!
It was fabulous to hear that our Diocese is supporting the introduction of Before School Care with our St Nicholas OOSH from the start of Term 4 this year. We are planning for this to commence on Monday 12th October from 7am and will let you know further details when they become available. This decision was made as a result of the requests from our families and the willingness of our Diocese to support the families within our schools. I encourage as many families as possible to support this program and thank you for your patience as we worked to achieve this goal.
New Transition to Kinder 2021 Plan
This week I appointed Mrs Sarah Praschinger to coordinate our revised Transition to School Plan for Kinder 2021 students and their families. Our staff really value our time with new students and their families in the year prior to starting school and wish to build the same positive relationships in different ways following the COVID-Safe guidelines. A letter went out today to our Kinder 2021 families, outlining how we are going to make sure our Kinder class of 2021 are feeling very connected to our community by the time they start next year. We are excited to be preparing and sharing a mix of online, face-face and written resources to support this process. If you know any families with a schoolage child, please pass on our details for enrolment and let them know we are beginning transition to school early this year to make sure we capture everyone's needs.
Building work
This week I was involved in a conversation with the Diocesan Building and Facilities Team that may result in some building work taking place at our school over the 2020/2021 summer break. I have my fingers crossed that we will see a new toilet block and some changes to the storage areas in and around the hall at this time. The Diocese is also reviewing the submissions from this year and will advise in the near future whether our proposal to improve our Yr 4 and Yr 5 classroom spaces has been accepted. This week I also contacted the fencing group and they apologised for the delay with the cricket nets and are planning to get here in the next few weeks. I have also had a quote to open up an area of the Carawa Street entrance for students and staff to gather at pick-up time.
Parent Teacher Interviews
In Week 10, on Tuesday 22nd September between 3:30-6:00pm, we will host our regular Parent-Teacher interviews, with a twist. This year, the interviews will be 10mins with your child's teacher via zoom and will focus on your child's reading development. Teachers will give a brief overview of what they are doing in class, talk about your child's achievement and reading growth, and highlight goals we are working on for Term 4. We are hoping this will engage our families in the work we are focusing on in reading and also give you the chance to learn how to support your child to achieve their reading goals.
Parents wishing to lock in a 10min time on Tuesday 22nd September need to do so via the link below. If you would prefer a phone call, please use the link to lock in a time but also email your classroom teacher of your preference for phone contact. Please excuse our teachers in advance if they cut you off after 10mins on Tuesday as there will be another set of parents in the online waiting room. If you cannot join in the Tuesday meetings but would like to catch up, please email your child's teacher to arrange a suitable time.
Today, the parents of students in 5H, Mr Haire's class, would have received a letter from Mr Haire, outlining his upcoming leave and an alternate process to catch up with him about your child's reading progress. Please email Mr Haire for an interview next week, in Week 9, before he goes on leave, or after her returns in Week 2 next term.
All parents in 4P will be invited via email to a combined Zoom meeting at 3:15pm on Tuesday 22nd September to meet Miss Nolan. From 3:30pm, Miss Nolan will commence the regular meetings with parents but the conversation may be broader as you share any vital information you wish to share about your child. Miss Nolan does have the data on how your child is going with their reading and is able to share this with you as well.
Term 4 events
The Leadership Team are meeting next Friday to review the proposals for the regular Term 4 events, including the Yrs 5 & 6 excursions, Yr 6 Graduation Mass, The Awards Assembly and the Christmas Concert. We hope to have information out to parents at the start of next term.
Canteen
We are currently working with one of our families and hope to have the canteen resume in some capacity at the start of next term. Depending on whether we can get the necessary documentation in place, we hope to be open for some of next term. I am unsure yet whether the canteen will be open each day or whether it will be just a day or two but will keep you posted!
MidCoast Council
Following up from one of the P&F agenda items, the traffic engineer from MidCoast Council is looking into ways we can promote and improve the way traffic is managed around our school site. They are currently looking into some new signage and ways to promote the rules around using the Kiss n' Ride Zone on Carawa Street. We have also had discussions about how to manage the safety at the Lake street entrance at pick-up time to avoid confusion for traffic and to improve the safety for our students and parents.
Please pass on all of this good news about our school to your family and friends, and encourage them to read our Newsletter.
Warm regards,
Brooke Stephens
Enrolments are currently being accepted for 2021
Father Greg Barker has been an important part of our school community for over 6 years. Father Greg takes the time to get to know our staff and students and his smiling face can often be seen at school events. Father Greg took the time to answer a few questions for us about his role in our Holy Name community:
I love visiting Holy Name and seeing how well the children enjoy being there on the most part. That says we have a warm and caring community and an environment the supports their learning and their relationships with each other. And that is evident from kindergarten to year 6.
Father’s Day Liturgy
Last week we celebrated Father’s Day as individual classes in their rooms with their fathers, father figures and grandparents joining them on zoom. Fr Greg celebrated the Father's Day Liturgy Year 1, connecting our students and fathers in prayer.
Mission Liturgies
Many of our classes have celebrated their Mission Liturgy this term. Today Yr 5 and Yr 6 joined Fr Greg to give thanks for what they have and donated many pantry items for the Community Kitchen. Next Friday, Kindergarten and Fr Greg will join together in their classroom to think about the poor and will fill their baskets with food to give to those in need. The Community Kitchen staff take some of the donated goods and put them together for food parcels for local families.
Sock it to Poverty in Cambodia
Unfortunately, due to COVID, Mr Richard Cootes will not be able to join us on Thursday 24 September for our Mission Day where we raise funds for Catholic Mission. Mr Cootes is a representative of Catholic Mission and each year he guides us in prayer and also helps bring to mind the amazing work of Catholic Mission. This year our class teachers will use the Catholic Mission resources online to break open what Catholic Mission are doing for the people of Cambodia in 2020 and will show students how money we raise on the 24 September will be spent in the country to build stronger and healthier communities.
We are inviting all Holy Name students to Sock it to Poverty and help raise money for Catholic Mission on Thursday 24 September. The cost is $5 and you can wear your favourite Silly Socks to school and enjoy a sausage in bread and a popper for lunch.
We are hoping we can also help us fill a large hand drawn heart on the netball court with silver and gold coins. All money raised will go to the people of Cambodia. Each class will have their photos taken around the heart to show off their silly socks.
Our 5c Friday tally is growing, thank you to all the wonderful families and students who have been sending in their 5 cent donations. Our total is currently $227.75!!
Saving the Environment Beeswax Wraps
Would you like cut down on your single use plastic????
The Mini Vinnies team have been working in small groups to make our own Beeswax Wraps. They can be used in place of single use plastic, like sandwich wraps and covers for salad bowls. They are reusable and only require a quick wash with soap and cold water to be ready to go again.
If you would like to purchase one of these wraps please send in $5 with your child’s name and class and we will send one home for you.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade....
We’ve had an excess of lemons donated to Holy Name School so we’ve made some Homemade Lemonade Cordial. It is available to purchase at our school office for $5.
We thank you for your contributions.
Kristie Banham
St Nicholas OOSH Spring Holiday Booking form
Dear all families,
It is that time already for Spring school holiday fun to begin. I have attached our Spring Holiday Program along with the booking form. Please feel free to look and if you require Vacation Care for these upcoming holidays please do fill this form out and return to myself or Sarah Barlow ASAP as spots are filling up fast. Also, a reminder we are a 30-place service so once we reach 30 a day, I can't take any more over 30.
Kindest Regards
Kimberley Van Steen (St Nicholas OOSH)