Dear Parents

It was wonderful to hear yesterday’s announcement by the Victorian Government that school will return to onsite learning tomorrow (Friday).  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all families for your cooperation with the Remote Learning program.  As a parent of three school aged children myself I know that it is not easy.

I want take this opportunity to again congratulate and sincerely thank all of the staff for the effort they put into Remote Learning.  Parents would appreciate that it is a difficult task to completely adjust the way that they deliver the curriculum.  They also have the added complexity of delivering the curriculum from home when they have families themselves.  We are very blessed to have the dedicated and professional staff we have here at St Pat’s who regularly go over and above to provide the best learning opportunities they can for the students in our care.

We ask that parents please adhere to the following procedures in place to ensure the safety of all;

• Masks are required to be worn by parents at all times when in the school.
• Parents wishing to come into the grounds to drop off or collect their children must scan the QR code on the way in and wait out the front of the classroom. Please do not enter the rooms and social distance whilst waiting.  You must limit your visit to less than 15 minutes, gates open at 3pm at the end of the day.
• Parents waiting for children in the pick-up lines need to ensure that their children know which carpark to go to.
• If you do park your car you must walk over and collect your child. Please do not call for your children to walk across to your car unaccompanied. 
• Meetings with staff are by appointment only. Any parent that is going to be in the school for more than 15 minutes needs to sign on and complete the COVID form at the Office.
• Please communicate with staff via phone or email.
• The Office is open if required, however, please observe the density limits (maximum of 6 people). It is preferable to phone or email if possible rather than come to the Office.
• All extra cleaning and hand hygiene that was in place is still being adhered to.
• Please do not send food items to share with others when it is your child’s birthday as they cannot be handed out.
• If your child is sick, or displaying symptoms, please keep them at home. Children that present as sick or displaying symptoms at school will be sent home and ask to gain a medical clearance or negative COVID test before they return to school.
• Bubble taps are operational at school.
• An ample amount of sports equipment will be provided at school so we ask that students do not bring equipment from home.
• Camps and Excursions are still to be confirmed.  

Sacraments

The Parish are waiting on restrictions to further ease before they plan the new Eucharist dates.  Parents will be informed as soon as possible.

Term Three School Closure Day

Please note that the Term Three School Closure Day is Monday the 12^th of July which is the first day of Term Three.  Staff will be participating in a Learning Adjustment Day with Trinity and Don Bosco Primary Schools.

Important Dates for Your Diary

• Friday 28^th May – Grade 4 Excursion POSTPONED (new date Wednesday 23^rd of June).
• Monday 31^st May – Grade 2 Swimming Commences POSTPONED (new dates to be confirmed).
• Thursday 10^th / Friday 11^th June – Grade 3 Camp POSTPONED (new dates to be confirmed).
• Monday 14^th June – Queens Birthday. No school.
• Friday 25^th June – Term Two concludes / Reports distributed. Early dismissal – 2.10pm
• Monday 12^th July – School Closure Day (staff attending Learning Adjustment PD at Trinity PS).

Regards,

Simon

Are You Accessing the Parent Access Module (PAM)?

Over the last six months as a staff we have completed the background work to move onto the SIMON Management System for St Pat’s.  The benefit of this system is eventually we will be able to house all of our student information, assessment data, reporting data and staff information all within the one system. 

A major component in deciding to move to SIMON was also our intent to be able to streamline our mode of communication to parents.  Eventually all communication will come to families through an app called ‘SIMON Everywhere’ which will be a parent one stop shop for all school communication.  However, to get to this point we first need all families to be on PAM.  If you are not yet on PAM you need to search for an email from noreply@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au (please check your junk and spam folders), which contains a link to set up a password, or contact the School Office for assistance or click on the following link to access PAM.  Use your email as the user name and choose 'forget password' to recieve a link to create a password.  

Link to PAM 

Please make the effort to join PAM so we can get to our goal of using the efficient SIMON Everywhere App for communication.  I thank you for your cooperation here.  Please call the Office if you have any further questions.