Thank you for the wonderful attendance by families to last week’s Family Games Night and Picnic. Although the weather was a little on the cool side it was wonderful to have so many families engaging in a happy social event so early in the year. The idea for this event came through some of the consultations and meetings held last year as we explored different ways of managing parent involvement.
We had a reasonable attendance at last Monday night’s Parents & Friends meeting, and a number of apologies, making a willing band ready to reinvigorate the school community with a blend of social and fundraising ideas. A surveymonkey questionnaire will be circulated this week seeking feedback and commitment by those interested. One of our first ideas for the year will be an Easter Raffle, drawn at the final assembly for the term, Monday 1 April. More information soon. The main events that are planned are a Trivia Night, A Family Movie night, Mother’s Day stalls, Father’s Day stalls, Christmas stalls, a Jollysoles Socks fundraiser. Most of these dates now appear on the school calendar available on the website and skoolbag app.
From next week, Wednesday 6 March, our Foundation students begin full time attendance. Thank you to all families for your support during this initial beginning phase to the children’s schooling. Having the Wednesday’s off school not only helps students it enables the teachers to conduct early learning assessments.
2020 Foundation enrolments open on Friday March 1. Applications are invited for those children who will turn 5 before 30 April 2020. Families will have to provide copies of Birth Certificate, Immunisation Certificate and a Baptism Certificate for Catholic children. There are two information sessions on Tuesday 26 February - 9.15am and again at 6.30pm. The target of these sessions is new families to St Andrew’s School. Current families are welcome but will most likely already be aware of the content to be covered.
CSEF Camp, Sports and Excursion Fund applications are available at the school office. If you have a current healthcare card, you are entitled to receive a $125 payment towards these expenses, deducted from the student levy for each primary school aged child. This increases to $250 for secondary school aged students. New applicants should present their healthcare card at the office.
The Australian Government has requested schools update the student residential address data that is currently collected as part of student enrolment. The information is used by the Australian Government to assess school communities’ capacity to contribute towards the recurrent costs of schooling in order to move towards a fairer, needs-based funding model for non-government schools. If you feel that the address the school currently holds on file may need updating please contact the school office immediately. This data is required to be uploaded by March 7.
Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne are required to participate in Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) surveys as part of the school improvement cycle every four years. Our school community has now entered the ECSI survey period and families will shortly be requested to complete the surveys either online from home or via parent forums held here at school. Please keep an eye out for further information as the greater the participation the more accurate the data. The survey is open until Friday 5 April, the last day of Term 1.
There is currently a Plenary Council running in the Australian Catholic Church. A Plenary Council is the highest formal gathering of all local churches in a country. A Plenary Council, or synod, can discuss and legislate on a wide range of issues, including matters of faith, morals and discipline. All Catholics are invited to participate in local ‘listening and dialogue’ sessions. From now until Ash Wednesday 2019, everyone is invited to take part in the Listening and Dialogue phase, reflecting on the plenary question: ‘What do you think God is asking of us at this time in Australia?’. Individual contributions are sought, to do so you can visit the Melbourne Plenary Website: www.cam.org.au/plenary. St Andrew’s Parish is also offering an opportunity for parishioners to get involved and is inviting everyone in our Parish to join in the Listening and Dialogue Session on Thursday 28th February 2019 at 7.30pm in the Penola Hub.
In closing, I’d like to remind all parents that the 2019 Season of Lent commences with Ash Wednesday 6 March. Lent focuses our attention on our need for reflection, as individuals and as communities – reflection on what we are doing or not doing that strains or breaks our relationship with God, with others and with our deepest self. It is a time for restoring right relationships based on compassion, truth and justice. Please feel free to be part of the school and parish liturgies as advertised.
There is a parent letter from the Acting Director of Catholic Education Melbourne that will be distributed shortly. The letter is more than just a welcome to the school year, but an important statement of the values, ethos and achievements of Melbourne Archdiocesan Catholic schools and our commitment to work with parents, along with a brief outline of some key issues confronting Catholic education. Please ensure you take the time to read it.
Parking
We are currently receiving complaints about the parking around the school at drop off and pick up times, this is going to come under greater pressure with the commencement of our building program and workers cars being added. I urge all parents to continue to observe and obey the parking by laws. We are asking you to consider child safety over convenience and perhaps plan to park a little further from the school and walk. The council bylaw officers are contacted by us to patrol regularly. I will not support anyone who receives an infringement for disregarding these by laws.
We also ask that parents DO NOT STOP in the middle of the road in Mortimer Street waiting for their children to get into the car. This practise is endangering children’s lives. Please use the parking bays.
2020 Enrolment Information Session
Tuesday 26 March Sports Centre 9.15am & 6.30pm.