Newsletter Term 1 Week 1 (Wednesday 1st February 2023)

The Feast of St Brigid

We are lucky to have our patron saint’s special day as we start our new school year, giving us a chance to remember and learn about her legacy and life and how it influences our school today.

One of the important things we need to remember as a Catholic school is that we are not just Catholic in name. How we act, our choices and the examples we set need to reflect our Catholic identity.

St Brigid is a role model for how to live a Catholic, faithful life as a follower of Christ. Here is a little part of her story:

Brigid and her mother were said to have been slaves in fifth-century Ireland; her father was believed to have been an Irish chieftain. As a young girl, one of Brigid’s responsibilities was to care for the dairy farm on the property. After Brigid milked the cows, she gave the milk away to the poor. She gave the needy, the eggs she collected from the hens and churned cream into butter to share with the hungry.

When her master protested that she was giving away all his profits, Brigid reportedly replied, “Christ lives in every creature.” She was telling her master that God wants us to share our blessings with others.

After many years, Brigid and her mother were given their freedom. Now Brigid had the time to devote herself entirely to serving God. Brigid established the first convent in Ireland. The convent educated women and trained them to recognise and respond to the needs of the poor. She taught her nuns this saying: “What is mine is theirs.” It was meant to help them remember that God calls us to share our blessings with others.

Brigid also founded the first double monastery in Ireland. It was a place of training and prayer for both monks and nuns. Because of her great charity and her work for the education of priests and nuns, the Church in Ireland experienced great growth.

St Brigid is a true example of faith, charity, compassion, peace, gentleness and strength - all virtues that we strive to live by at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, Kyogle.

From Our Principal

Welcome to 2023!! After a restful break we return for a wonderful year! We welcome you all to a new year. We particularly welcome our new students and their families. Welcome to Belle Clarke and Scarlett Connell in Year 5. We would like to commence the year by thanking you all for your support during our first week. This first Newsletter of the year will also be sent home as a printed copy. Please place it in a safe place to refer to during the year. It will also be sent to you via Compass and a link placed on our school Facebook page. All future Newsletters are sent via Compass and a link on our Facebook page. If you require a printed copy your child can collect one from the office.

Many thanks for the way in which all students have been presented for their MAI and Best Start Assessments prior to school getting back into full swing.

I would like to extend an official warm welcome to Ms Emma Davis who will be teaching Year 2 and to Miss Jennifer Ross who will be one of our Teacher Assistants in Kindergarten.

We look forward to seeing as many families as possible at some of our upcoming events. All students were given a hard copy of our Term 1 Calendar, so I ask that you place it in a handy spot for easy reference throughout the term.

Take care,

Tony Hunter

Congratulations

We extend a huge welcome to the families on the safe arrival of "little ones" over the Christmas break.

To Chris and Natalie Bryant, a little boy Jack. He is the proud brother of Adam and Olivia in Year 4.

Congratulations is also extended to Edythe Saville and Sebastian Anthony on the safe arrival of their little girl. Igziah is a very proud big brother in Year 1.

A big welcome to Keziah and Scott on the safe arrival of Casey Jay Tough. He has a couple of very proud siblings in Ella (Year 6) and Nate (Year 3).

Congratulations to all families on this wonderful news and we very much look forward to meeting your latest family members in the near future.

Assistant Principal News - Learning

It has been wonderful to welcome our students back to school today across Years 1-6. At the beginning of the week, our teachers have had two days conducting the Mathematics Assessment Interviews for our students. We thank all parents & carers for supporting us to have the students attend their individual appointments. The information gathered as a result of the interview is important in helping us to assess where a child's understanding is in order for teachers to plan teaching that is targeted to the needs of their learners.  

On Friday, we will welcome our new Kindergarten students. Mrs Esslemont is continuing the Best Start and MAI interviews for the next two days. The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment is a state-wide assessment that highlights the Literacy skills of each student at the beginning of Kindergarten. Like Yrs 1-6, Kindergarten students will also complete a MAI interview so that teachers have an understanding of their Numeracy skills. The MAI interview is a Diocesan wide assessment that all primary school children complete at the beginning of the school year.

The data collected through the Best Start and MAI will be shared with parents during Term 1. If you have any questions regarding these assessments please speak with your child’s teacher or myself.

Wishing you and your child a wonderful term 1!

Vanessa Walters

Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Assistant Principal News - Mission

I’d like to extend a very warm welcome to our students and families for 2023! Our year begins with faith formation, Mass celebrations and opportunities for students to volunteer in social justice and acts of Mercy. I look forward to working closely with families, students, teachers and the Parish to achieve the goals set out in the area of Mission for the 2023 year and ensure that St Brigid’s continues to be a place where our motto, Strong in Faith is evident in everything we do. 

Wildfire: 
We are very excited to welcome Wildfire to our school in Week 4 of this term. I have been fortunate enough to experience the talents, passion and high energy of Wildfire and am so glad that our students get to be a part of such a wonderful formation experience. On Monday, 20th of February at 5pm the Wildfire crew will be leading Eucharistic Adoration and worship hour at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. You are welcome to come along and join Wildfire as they pray in song in front of the Blessed Sacrament. 

Ten:Ten is a high-energy experience focused on enabling students to achieve the fullness of life. Inspired by the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John, “I came so that they may have life, life to the full” (John 10:10), this experience is an opportunity for students to celebrate life with their peers and hear the relevance of the Gospel from a team of faithful youth ministers. Each of the Ten:Ten sessions are an invitation for students to encounter Jesus through music, talks, interactive activities and prayer. 

This experience is facilitated by the Ten:Ten Team. This includes the Proclaim Lismore Wildfire Worship Team, well-known for their original new worship music, and local Youth Ministry Officers. 

Who: All students, K-6

What: A visiting worship team facilitating a youth ministry program 

When: 20-21st February, 2023

Where: St Brigid’s Primary, Kyogle 

Cost: Nil. Students to provide their own morning tea and lunch

Mini Vinnies :

Mini Vinnies empowers students to become advocates within our school and local community and is a wonderful way of putting the seven Mercy values into action; Compassion, Justice, Respect, Hospitality, Service and Courage. The Mini Vinnies group will meet regularly to learn about social justice issues, develop leadership skills and engage with the wider St Vincent de Paul Society. Students from year 2-6 have the opportunity to sign up and be a part of Mini Vinnies for 2023. If you would like to support and be a part of the St Brigid’s Mini Vinnies group and assist the group in engaging in acts of mercy, please email kelli.bugden@lism.catholic.edu.au . It would be wonderful to have a parent or parents involved. 

Parish Family Mass:

We are looking forward to continuing Parish Family masses this year. Term one dates are February 26th and March 26th. Early Stage One and Stage One students and teachers will lead our first Family Mass on February 26th, however the whole school community is always welcome to celebrate mass with us. A part of the Family Parish Masses will be Children’s Liturgy. Children's Liturgy of the Word is when the children leave the congregation to celebrate and reflect on the Sunday Gospel reading in an age appropriate way. The children are led through prayers, songs and readings that are adapted to their level of understanding. Mass led by Stage Three students will look a little different with students remaining in the Church to hear the Gospel and actively participate in readings and the offertory procession.

Kelli-Ann Bugden,
Assistant Principal, Mission 

The Power of Prayer

Use the form below to submit prayers of intention. 

Important Information for 2023

COMMUNICATION:

With changes to our school systems last term (Compass & Tech One) and ever changing information about regulations around us, it is crucial we ensure clear communication with all of our staff and families. With a weekly Newsletter on offer, we hope we can ensure all families know what is happening and can therefore be involved in all aspects of school. We are always distressed for students who arrive unprepared for events because families didn’t access the information. This is heartbreaking when it involves young students not being ready for excursions, knowing about fun days at school or not wearing casual clothes on special days. We all know how busy life can be but we believe if we offer the clearly explained information in the Newsletter, it is crucial it is read as it supports our students. Likewise, Compass information needs to be read to stay informed of changes. Our plea for 2023 is for you to please take the time each week to read the information provided and make notes on calendars or whiteboards at home for the benefit of your child.

SCHOOL TIMES:

School starts at 8:50am. There will be a teacher on duty from 8:30am. Before this time children are required to sit on the steps in the Assembly area. If your child needs to be at school before this time please contact the school. There is NO school supervision until 8:30am.

School finishes at 3:15pm. A bell will ring at 3:10pm to allow classes to pack up and be ready for the second bell at 3:15pm.

Fruit Break is held any time from 9:30am onwards. This break is a short break during the morning session when students have a piece of fruit or vegetable. Parents are encouraged to cut up fruit for younger children if they are not able to manage a whole fruit on their own. Fruit break MUST be FRESH fruit or vegetables or dried fruit. Fruit straps etc. will not be allowed during this time. If your child is having a lunch order you MUST still send in fruit break.

Lunch: (12:50pm – 1:35pm) Children all come out together and play first. A bell then sounds at 1:20pm when students are required to sit and eat their lunch. Please pack your child a healthy lunch as they will need this energy to help them get through the remainder of the day.

Recess: (10:45am – 11:05am) Recess is a time for the students to have a snack and a short play. Please ensure your child has a snack for this time. If you are putting in yoghurt or other items which need to stay cold, it is a good idea to freeze items or put in ice bricks. Don’t forget to include a spoon if needed. Children are given time at the end of each break to go to the toilet, have a drink and wash their hands before going into class. Please remind your child of this and remind them that if they need to go to the toilet during class time they need to see their class teacher.

SIGNING IN AND OUT:

It is a legal requirement that visitors to the school sign in and out at the Front Office. If you are coming in to help in a classroom, attending a meeting, coming to assembly or working in the Canteen, please remember to sign in. This allows us to know who is in the school and make sure everyone is accounted for in the case of a fire or evacuation. Please do not just pop into school to give your child a forgotten lunch or book. Enter through the office at all times. The only access to school after 9am is through the office gate.

STUDENT INFORMATION:

There is an ongoing request to update ANY information which may be different to what we already have on record (i.e. phone numbers, alternative contacts, medication, family situations, change of address, etc.). This also includes letting us know of any change in home arrangements please. Please remember to do this as information changes.

CHANGES TO HOME TIME ARRANGEMENTS:

Please phone the Office PRIOR to 2:45pm to advise of any changes. This will provide our office staff with the best chance of ensuring that your child gets the message. Last minute phone calls at this busy time of the school day are not ideal and we cannot guarantee that late messages will be received.

WHAT IS A MUFTI DAY?:

Occasionally throughout the year the school will have a mufti day (these are no uniform days). Usually, mufti days are a social justice or fun event and students are allowed to wear plain, casual clothes for the day in exchange for a gold coin donation. Sometimes these days will have a theme e.g. Crazy Hair and Sock Day. Information will be in the school newsletter when these days are coming up. When dressing children for these days, they need to have covered shoulders, covered shoes and a hat, no midriff tops etc. please.

HEADLICE:

Something you will come in contact with at school is Head Lice. If your child gets Head Lice they will not be alone but they must be treated. Children with Head Lice are not allowed into the school until they have been treated and all eggs have been removed. If your child is found to have lice at school they will be sent home to have it treated. There are several treatments out there to treat Head Lice but the main issue is to remove all the eggs and re-check your child’s hair every couple of days for the next week to make sure no new eggs have hatched. You will need a fine tooth comb and some conditioner to check your child’s hair. It is a good idea to wash hats and pillow cases and check the whole family. To help prevent Head Lice (nits) encourage your child not to play with other people’s hair; do not share hats, keep hair tied back and neat, use gel or hairspray as this can help stop lice gripping to hair, spray hair with a combination of water, conditioner and tea tree oil; check your child’s hair regularly.

CANTEEN:

The Canteen is run by Krystal-Lee Hyde and is open on Mondays for recess and lunch and Tuesdays for breakfast. The Canteen is at the back of the School Hall. Lunch orders can be lodged through Compass or students may still bring in the traditional order in a lunch bag. The Canteen Menu is attached and will be in use for a number of weeks. We do welcome volunteers to assist in Canteen please.

STUDENT WELFARE:

Each year we receive funding from the Catholic Schools Office in Lismore to support student wellbeing. This year we have Bronwyn McNulty as our Counsellor and Sereena Zanuso and Nikki Devine as the other members of our school Wellbeing Team. Should a staff member identify a student who might need extra support they will bring this to the attention of the Principal. The process of organising support will then be put in place. Next, contact will be made with the child’s parents and a letter of consent signed by the parents. If a parent chooses not to consent then the school may ask the parent to seek outside support. If the school believes the problem being experienced is too big for us to manage effectively, we may also ask parents to seek support. Methods for doing this can be explained as needed. If you think your child may benefit from this type of support you can also talk to your child’s Pastoral teacher to begin the process.

WHAT IF MY CHILD IS SICK?:

As inconvenient as it may be, if your child is sick please do not send them to school. Sick children spread germs which in turn make more people sick. If you are unsure if your child is too sick to come to school use these tips:

• Do they have a temperature?
• Are they coughing uncontrollably?
• Do they have green or yellow mucus coming from their nose?
• Are they tired, lethargic and grumpy?
• Have they been vomiting or had diarrhoea in the past 24 hours?
• Has anyone else in your family been sick in the past few days?
• Do they have an unidentified rash?
• Are they on antibiotics and are still unwell?
• Have I tested them with a RAT for Covid?

Please make sure you let the school know if your child is sick by responding to our SMS or emailing/ ringing the office. If your child has an illness which is contagious or they will be away for a prolonged period of time due to illness, please notify the school immediately. If your child is exhibiting even mild Covid symptoms, please arrange a Covid test and advise the school that you have done so. Parents and staff don’t like children to miss school. But please consider others when making the decision to send an unwell child to school.

WHAT IF MY CHILD IS ON MEDICATION?:

Sometimes children need to take medication at school. This may be something as simple as cough lozenges (strepsils) or it may be ongoing regular medication (e.g. asthma puffer). Whatever the case, all medication must be sent to the office with a note and in most cases a Medication Authority form outlining the dosage and time it needs to be taken etc. If you need more details about this please contact the School Office. Parents are responsible for ensuring medications supplied to school are in date. If your child takes medication, but only at home, please ensure staff are aware of this medication too.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY CHILD IS UPSET WHEN I PICK THEM UP AFTER SCHOOL?

Sometimes children can be upset after school. This is not unusual at the end of a long day, especially as we settle back into school. It is much like a parent some days after a long day at work. Try not to interrogate your child immediately. Have afternoon tea, do your normal after school activities and then after dinner sit down and talk through the situation or problem. As the Principal, I receive many 3:35pm phone calls from worried parents. Often it turns out to be the child has had a few things go wrong during the day and they just need time to process this. Sometimes it is just a case of a tired student. But if it is a problem that the school needs to assist with, a phone call, note or email will get our help. Please do not phone other parents. This places them in a difficult situation, alerts other students to a potential problem and you may not have the whole story. If it is a school related problem please allow us to sort it for you.

WHAT ARE SPORTS HOUSES?

When your child enters the school they are given a Sports House and each House is represented by a colour. St Brigid’s has three houses represented by the colours Red (Sutton), Blue (Doyle) and Gold (Colahan). Your child will be able to wear a coloured shirt representing their House on sports carnival days. If you are unsure what Colour House your child is in please ask their class teacher.

WHAT ARE SPORTS CARNIVAL DAYS?

St Brigid’s has three main school carnivals – Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics.

• The Swimming Carnival is held in December each year and all students are involved. Students under 8 years, compete in water games and activities in an infants carnival, this is a fun event and non competitive. Students over 8 years can elect to swim in a number of different events. This section of the carnival is competitive and students who do well can then go onto higher levels representing the school and diocese.
• Cross Country is a long distance running carnival which is usually held later in Term 1. The infants complete a fun run on the school playground. Older students compete in a more structured long distance run and may go on to represent the school or diocese.
• The Athletics Carnival is usually held in Term 2 and all students compete in a range of athletic events including running, Shot Put, Long Jump and High Jump. Students 8 years and over may be selected to represent the school or diocese. Mrs Lee Love is our Sport’s Co-ordinator in 2023.

HOW CAN I HELP IN THE SCHOOL?

What are the benefits of being involved? Research tells us that students do best when their parents are directly involved in school.

• Students enjoy having you involved with the class and in their learning. They can show you their skill.
• Teachers appreciate having you involved with the class and assisting them. Many hands make the load easier at times.
• You get to know other children and their parents, forming friendships and building school community.
• You enjoy the satisfaction of being part of the team and school improvement.
• You only need do what you can realistically fit in to your life.

Whatever you can do will contribute to making our school a better place. And we all want to keep improving! We always welcome volunteers and parents in whatever capacity they are able to assist. There are many opportunities in which you can help the school, some of these are: Parish School Forum, Class Parent Representative, Parent Assembly, Canteen. In the Classroom - Guided Reading, changing Home Readers, listening to kids read, working with small groups, Art volunteers, helping at sports carnivals, assisting on excursions, become a member of group or committee, LAP tutor – these are people who come and work one-on-one with students for around one hour a week. These are just a few ways you can help. Your assistance helps your child and other children all at once! Please don’t ever feel that we don’t value you volunteering - we are in constant need of all sorts of help! We need you on the journey.

WHAT IS PARISH SCHOOL FORUM OR PSF?

The Parish School Forum is a group of parents and staff who come together approximately twice a term to discuss issues within the school and help the Leadership Team make decisions about the direction the school is heading. It is open to all parents who wish to attend and it is a great way to find out more about how the school is run. There are several smaller groups and committees within the school who have representatives who come along and present to the forum when they have events coming up so that the forum can assist them if needed. In the past, the PSF has taken part in the school review process and had input into the development of the three year school plan; discussed various ways we can encourage more parent involvement in the school; helped organise events, discussed learning ideas; organised Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day stalls; and developed education programs for parents with help of the Parent Assembly. This is an excellent way to be part of the school and work together with staff to create a great learning environment for your child. To find out more come along to a PSF meeting. Our first meeting is Tuesday 21^st February at 3:30pm in the School Library.

WHAT ARE CLASS PARENT REPS?

Each Stage has at least one Parent Representative. This parent volunteers to support the class, teacher and parents in developing a positive working relationship. It is designed to help welcome parents into the class and school and develop friendships and a social network for families. Some of the ways in which Parent Reps assist teachers is to welcome and assist new families in to the class or to help farewell a student who is leaving. Parent Reps. normally organise social gatherings for class parents and families like cake, coffee and play dates at the park, or nights out for the Mum’s or Dad’s, they may also organise a card or gift for a specific family event – new baby or passing of a family member.

WHAT IS A TEACHER AIDE?

We have several Teacher’s Aides in our school who assist a variety of students in the classroom setting. Our TAs are vital members of our school community and work hard alongside the classroom teacher to bring out the best in all our students. Their knowledge and skills are invaluable and they provide a wealth of opportunities to the classrooms they work in. Mrs Morabito is our Additional Needs Co-ordinator in 2023. She will contact you if we are planning meetings for students with additional needs, require paperwork for students or to sort out appointments with specialist support.

WHAT IS PARENT ASSEMBLY?

Parent Assembly was set up by the Diocese of Lismore to give parents of all our schools a voice in the education of their children. It is an excellent way for parents and schools to work together to provide the best educational opportunities for all. Our school is entitled to have Parent Assembly Representatives. These parents are PSF members and attend meetings in Lismore once a Term to give feedback on how things are going at St Brigid’s, ways in which Parent Assembly may be able to support the school and ideas on how to involve families and parents in their child’s education. We would love to have additional representatives. If you would like to join them please let us know. Parent Assembly also has a Parent Library which is located in the teacher resource section of the School Library. All parents are welcome to come and borrow items from here and can come and see Mrs Love or Mrs Barsby if they need assistance. This section contains books, DVD’s and other resources on a range of topics. Parent Assembly also organises a range of events throughout the year to assist parents and families in educating themselves about relevant issues. In the diocese, we have a variety of guest speakers and programs which run free of charge to the parents of all diocesan schools as well as an annual conference which includes guest speakers usually experts in the field of children, family and parent education. Look out for posters in the newsletter for upcoming events. Finally, the Parent Assembly also has a Family Faith Gathering every year. It is a weekend away for families of children attending diocesan schools and is provided free of charge for families who wish to attend. It is a great opportunity for families to come together, meet new people and build on their faith.

 COVERING SCHOOL BOOKS:

The staff have agreed that it is not compulsory to ask families to cover books this year. The manner in which we use exercise books in conjunction with whiteboards, write and swipes, computers, ipads and other methods of recording, means we don't feel it is cost effective (or fair) to continue to ask parents to cover books. We are also trying to teach students not to use unnecessary resources. Staff will make labels to assist students to know their books and the different uses of books. We are leaving it with parents if they would like to cover their children’s books..

SCHOOL WEBPAGE AND FACEBOOK

The school webpage can be found at http://www.kyogplism.catholic.edu.au  Important information, notes, newsletters are all placed here. Search for and “like” the school Facebook page - St Brigid’s Kyogle. We place photos and other relevant information here. A link to Facebook can be found on our webpage and our Newsletter. (Please share this too!) Our Newsletter is delivered online. Some hardcopies are available from the school office and at the back of the church.

COMPASS:

In 2022 Compass was introduced as our communication method. This replaces Schoolworx and Skoolbag. All parents need to have signed in so that all events can be accessed. This allows you to give permissions for attendance at events and make payments without the need for notes being sent home. It is vital that ALL families have a device connected to Compass. You will be contacted if you have not as we will require this so your child can take part in ANY event here at school. Compass is used for Roll marking each day here at school. If your child is absent when the roll is marked you will receive an SMS. Please respond before 3pm that day to confirm this and give a reason. Don’t email teachers to tell them. You can ring the office if you need to give more information or email kyogp@lism.catholic.edu.au You will receive more information about booking interviews and receiving School Reports during the year.

RELEASE FROM FACE TO FACE:

This is a requirement for all teachers. If they hold a fulltime workload they must be given at least two hours release per week. In 2023, we will again be releasing class teachers on a weekly basis from 12:20pm on particular days. Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) Release takes place every Tuesday. Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6) Release takes place each Wednesday and Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 (Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2) takes place each Thursday. To allow the learning to occur at all levels, the teachers work on planning the next week’s learning sequence during this time.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY STUDENT ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT

As new year begins all students from Year 2 to 6 will be asked, along with their parents to read and sign this agreement in accordance with the use of technology here at St Brigid’s. Students need to be aware of what this agreement means. They are constantly reminded in class. It may be useful for parents to also revisit this agreement. This agreement stays in place until the end of 2023. Encouraging good digital citizenship and making the online landscape a less dangerous place for young people are fundamental aspects of learning. Visit here if you would like to know more https://www.esafety.gov.au/

SOCIAL MEDIA:

It is quite common for parents to establish social media groups or pages to share information or connect with other parents in your child’s class and school community. Please be reminded that it is not permitted to establish a social media presence using the school's name or logo without written permission from the Principal. Any permitted social media pages/groups/ accounts must adhere to the schools and the Catholic Schools Office Diocesan Social Media Policies.

We do have a school Facebook page. Please follow that for regular updates and information. Please be aware that sharing photos of other children on your social media is a breach of the policy and can result in serious issues. If you are wanting to post photos of your child, crop others out of the photo prior to posting.

WHAT IS A LITURGY?

A liturgy is a religious service which is held in the church, the hall or the classroom. It is less formal than a Mass, will usually not include the priest and will not offer communion. The school has several big liturgies throughout the year including: Ash Wednesday, NAIDOC week (Aboriginal and Indigenous Australians) and Family Day. All classes will usually have a liturgy at some point throughout the year. Families are always welcome and encouraged to attend these events. Remember it is all part of the journey. Please remember if you are attending an event in the school sign in at the School Office first.

WHAT IS MASS?

Mass is the formal religious service, usually held in the church. Sometimes Mass will be moved to the hall to accommodate for larger numbers. All children attend Mass both as a whole school and in class or Stage groups. Mass is different to liturgy in that it is more structured, it is longer and communion is celebrated. Families are encouraged to come and join in the school and class Mass and there is usually a morning tea organised after class Masses. The School and Parish also encourage and welcome families along to Mass every weekend. Saturday night Mass is at 6pm. Sunday Mass is at 9am. Look in the Newsletter for special Masses. We encourage your participation at these events. We are a Catholic School within the Parish of Our Lady of Sorrows and are very proud to continue the traditions of our Catholic Faith.

HOMEWORK:  

Our school policy on Homework is very simple… We believe that students do enough learning during the day. What they do after school can be diverse, dependant on family interests and circumstances. After school activities we know about for our students include sports training or competition, dance, gym, karate, singing classes, music tuition, out of school hours care, horse riding, drama class, speech therapy. If I left anything off, my apologies. Our decision on what is essential from our point of view is based on the concept that if parents try to ‘teach’ their children after school it should be in things they want. The only extra we expect from EVERY child is nightly reading. Reading is compulsory.

STUDENT’S PERSONAL DEVICES:

Please remind your child, if they bring a phone or other device to school, to bring it to the office in the morning and collect it at the end of day. No device is to be left in a school bag or on a student. These will be confiscated if found. School cannot accept any responsibility if these devices are broken or stolen. If your child uses this device at school without permission there are consequences in place. There really is no need for a student to bring a device to school.

SCHOOL FEES:

There are a number of changes to our accounting system due to the new Compass program introduced in Term 4 last year: - Fee Statements will now be issued automatically each month by Compass. Your Bpay details (preferred payment option) will appear on this Statement. - The system will bill fees across the four school terms. Tuition Fees for each Term will only appear on your Statement at the beginning of each Term. You will need to use the Compass app. to view your account details, balance and payment records.

All families must pay the Parish, Technology, Resources and Year Book levy entirely. Consideration can only be given to support the Tuition fee component. If you think you require school fee support please make an appointment with our Principal to discuss this early. Being in arrears in school fees can be avoided by letting us know of any issues.

Paying fees in instalments is the most convenient option for most families – weekly, fortnightly, monthly. Consistent regular payments are the best way of ensuring you don’t fall behind in your commitment. If you have had a pre-existing arrangement, this must be revisited for 2023.

Bus Travel Information

Transport for NSW information and application portal at transportnsw.info is designed to help families find all their travel information in the one place.
SCHOOL TRAVEL APPLICATIONS FOR 2023 ARE NOW OPEN: Parents are asked to plan ahead and make sure their child has a valid School Travel Pass from the start of the 2023 school year.
 A new application will need to be submitted if students are applying for a school travel pass for the first time or if they are requesting an additional travel entitlement as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation (eg joint custody). Students who need a school travel pass for 2023 can  apply now.
 Students who change address or school, should update or renew their details before the end of Term 4, (eg progressing to Year 7). This will ensure that schools can endorse applications and current entitlements are updated and remain valid. All students in Kindergarten to Year 2 are eligible for free bus travel. If a student’s distance eligibility has changed based on their Year, (eg progressing to Year 3), the system will automatically update their entitlement if they meet the new criteria. If they do not meet the new eligibility criteria, they will receive an expiry notification via email.
 Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.
 Students living in rural and regional (R&R) areas should receive their travel pass at the start of the new school year from their nominated transport operator. Note: some R&R operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.
 For some families, last minute changes to school enrolments mean they may not have a Travel Pass for the start of the new term. In this instance, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs. Bus operators are flexible and understanding, particularly at the start of the school year, and will ensure students can travel safely to and from school. To best support bus operators, we encourage all students to have a valid travel pass, as early as possible, from the start of the new school year.

BPay - Preferred Payment Option

Account Payments - For families wishing to make one off or regular payments to your Fee Account, our preferred payment option is BPAY. 

The school's BPAY Biller Code is:   395004

Individual reference numbers will appear on your statement, which is automatically emailed at the end of the month. 

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning

Focus for Week 1:  We follow teacher instructions and expectations because we are happy chappies. 

Sushi Orders

Due to insufficient orders being received during Term 4, we will now only be providing sushi as a canteen alternative on the following dates this term:      Monday 6th March.

Sports News

Winter sports Trials

The Richmond Zone Winter Sports Trials will be held on Thursday 16th Feb. These are representative trials for netball, boys and girls football, rugby union, rugby league (11's and opens) and boys and girls hockey.

Please complete the nomination form. It will be closed on Monday 13th Feb at 4:00pm and no late nominations will be accepted this year. 

Please use the following link for nominations https://forms.gle/PmCtRGW8riCbn6E3A

Zone swimming Carnival

Congratulations to the 24 students that have made it through to the zone swimming carnival which will be held on Monday 13th February at Alstonville. More information will be shared to parents this coming week.

Yours in sport Lee

Happy Birthday to You

Wishing the following children all the very best for their special day which they celebrated earlier this:      

January

5th - Harper Grieve, Piper Marychurch

13th - Brooklyn Stubbings

14th - Landan Faulks

16th - Bella Telford, Elliarna Devenish, Harlow Schneider

17th - George Schottelius

19th - Tess Cannington

23rd - Ruby Farrah, Yari Howes. 

Upcoming Dates

FEBRUARY

13th - Zone Swimming @ Alstonville