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Dear Parents, students and staff
As if on cue, the icy winter winds have greeted us for the opening of the season, I hope everyone’s got a good jacket.
I am pleased to announce the Victorian Government’ new initiative, the Camps, Sports & Excursion Fund (CSEF), to ensure students of eligible families receive assistance of $125.00 to attend school camps, sports & excursions. If you hold a valid concession card you are eligible to apply. Application forms are available from the CSEF website or the school office. Applications are open until June 26 (last day of term 2). More detailed information of how it relates at St Andrew’s will be communicated this week.
I remind all parents that it is never OK to directly approach students over discipline matters. Should you feel there is a problem that needs addressing then approach your child’s teacher. It is important that you come prepared to work positively with the teacher as, rest assured, teachers want to see these things resolved as well and would welcome working in partnership. There have been a number of incidents reported recently and my experience tells me these things never end well. I understand that parents get frustrated when their child is reporting social difficulties but in most cases there is more than one perspective. Remember St Andrew’s is a primary school of four hundred 5-12 year olds, do we expect that they have learned everything there is to know in Literacy, Numeracy and other academic areas? I suspect the answer to be no. Then why do we not accept that they are still learning or developing in their social skills. I don't excuse poor behaviour but approach it from an education sense, and as a school community I'd like to see all the adults, teachers and parents work together in the interest of the students. ‘It takes a village to raise a child’.
Last week I was fortunate enough to attend a student leadership day with a number of our Year 6 school leaders. The day was organized by the students of Our Lady’s Primary School, Sunshine and included guest speakers, Charlie Bezzina (former Victoria police officer and homicide detective), Moira Kelly (Humanitarian who’s foundation organises surgery for overseas children who cannot access this in their own countries), Natalie Titcombe (Olympic medalist) and Matt Nicholls (AFL umpire). Each speaker was impressive in their own right and the students who attended were given inspiration for the future. Moira Kelly’s presentation brought me to tears.
Please have a little sympathy for our teachers at the moment as they are combining report writing duties with their normal teaching duties so exhaustion is not out of the question.
Enjoy the week
Regards Michael Gavaghan
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EMERGENCY EXIT NO EXIT
Parents please note that the double doors at the Mortimer Street end of the Year 1 corridor (Room 15) are an ‘EMERGENCY EXIT’ ONLY. Some parents have been using this entrance/exit.
We ask that you DO NOT exit here and that you use the doors at the other end of the corridor. Thank you!
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