Dear Parents,

It has been an excellent first couple of weeks with the students back on site.  The children have quickly settled back into a solid routine. Thank you to all families for your cooperation with the procedures that are required to be in place to keep the children as safe as possible whilst they are onsite.  It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the risk is minimalised as much as we possibly can. Listed below are the health and safety measures that continue to remain in place:

• No child is to be dropped at school before 8.40am. Parents are not to park but rather use the drop off lane. 
• As per last term when we were on-site we have a staggered afternoon collection. Families with a surname beginning with A - K need to collect their children at 2.55pm. Families with the surname beginning with L - Z collect their children at 3.10pm.  Again: we ask that you do not park and if you place your surname inside the front window it assists us enormously to hasten up collection.  
• When dropping off your children please do not wait for the temperature test to be done. If your child tests high we will wait and re-test them, and then call you if required.
• If you are running late for whatever reason please park in the service road at the front of the school and call the Office from the front gate. Admin staff will then come out and meet your child, temperature test, and then take them to their classroom.
• There will be no before school play and students will go straight to their classrooms.
• Promoting age-appropriate hygiene practices for all students.
• Every child must have their own drink bottle, bubble taps are switched off.
• Reminding all students to wash their hands with soap and water or when this is not possible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser on arrival at school and regularly throughout the day.
• Reinforcing with students the following hygiene practices;
  • cough and/or sneeze into their elbows or a tissue,
  • place used tissues straight into the bin,
  • avoid touching eyes, noses or mouths,
  • not to share food or drink,
  • not to drink from water fountains or bubblers directly (they will be switched off).
• Extending school cleaning programs during the school day, including cleaning school playground equipment after use.
• Communication with teaching staff is via email, dojo or phone.
• The School Office is open by appointment only.
• Remote Learning work will not be provided for those parents that choose to keep their children at home.
• A critical aspect of the return to on-site learning will be a strict enforcement of the community requirements to maintain physical distancing especially at the start and finish of the school day.
• No sports equipment is to be brought to school from home, all equipment will be provided at school appropriately sanitised after use.

For parents and guardians;

• Practise physical distancing and avoid long periods of time in close contact with other adults.
• Use the telephone, dojo or email to contact staff rather than visiting the school.
• Do not enter the school grounds.
• Adhere to the school’s pick and drop off requirements for students.
• Parents, guardians and carers will also be required to wear a face mask when attending the school, including when dropping off or picking up your child(ren) or if you are required to collect an unwell child(ren) from school, unless an exemption applies.
• If your child is experiencing signs or symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), they must not attend the school until their symptoms resolve and appropriate medical advice is obtained. This includes those showing even mild symptoms of COVID-19. Medical clearance confirmation needs to be emailed to the Office prior to return.
• The symptoms to watch out for are fever, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of sense of smell.

School Uniform

Again; I remind parents that we are aware of the fact that shops are closed and your child may have grown out of certain items of their school uniform.  If this is the case students may wear an appropriate alternative, such as their sports uniform for example, if they have a letter from their parents.  Noone is still open for online and click and collect orders.

Staffing Updates

On Friday 27th of November Emily Talbot will be leaving St Pat’s to commence her maternity leave.  We wish her all the very best for this most exciting time.  A big thanks to Rosa Mitchell who has offered to step in and teach Emily’s grade until the end of the year.  This is a terrific result for Grade 4ET as Rosa is a familiar face to the children and knows the school very well.   She will work closely with Emily over the next few weeks to ensure that it as a smooth transition.

2021 Foundation (Prep) Enrolments

Unfortunately, as of yesterday, the guidelines that we have to adhere to have changed for schools in the Cardinia Shire regarding Foundation Transition.  As a result, we cannot continue to the run the transition as planned.  We have organised new transition dates for later in the term that will hopefully be able to go ahead.  The new dates for the transition are as follows;

• Wednesday 2^nd December – 9.30-11.30am
• Thursday 10^th December – 9.30 – 11.30am

We apologies to affected families for this inconvenience and thank you for your understanding. This unanticipated change is beyond our control.  

We continue to take 2021 Foundation enrolments.  If you need enrolment forms, or know of someone else who does, can you please request them at office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

Unfortunately, during this pandemic we cannot take tours or hold large gatherings, however we are holding meetings over the phone with those that inquire.

End of Year Arrangements

Our end of year celebrations and procedures are still being finalised due to the fact that we don’t know yet what restrictions will be in place.  As things become clearer over the next few weeks we will inform parents of what will be occurring.

This year all of the children will participate in a Christmas art activity towards the end of the year that will be kept as a gift from the school.  Creating the gifts in this way ensures that there will be consistency across the school in regards to what the children are given at the end of the year.

Camps and Excursions

Unfortunately, due to COVID, camps and excursions are cancelled again for Term Four. Many of the events and activities that were planned for the year did not eventuate.  Fil will be contacting families over the next few weeks regarding levies that have been paid and whether families would like a refund or credit.

Fees

Where a family holds a valid Health Care Card there is a concession applied to the school fee account. This year to qualify, the card had to be valid before 14th April, however, for this year only, this eligibility period has been extended until 5th October.

If you have recently become eligible for a Health Care Card, please contact Fil in the school office by email: fil@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au . You will need to provide a copy of your Health Care Card and fill in the attached CSEF Application that is included with this newsletter. 

Please also feel welcome to call Fil if your family circumstances have changed and you would like a confidential discussion regarding fees.

Grand Final Public Holiday – Friday 23^rd

A reminder that there is no school tomorrow, Friday, the 23^rd, as it is the Grand Final weekend Public Holiday.

Regards,

Simon