Good afternoon Parents/carers and guardians,

Welcome to week 11! We have come to the end of our first term and what a wonderful and busy term it has been. This term has certainly been a big one. We have celebrated Harmony Day, Easter Dress up Day, school photos, whole school cross country event, Family Learning Conversations, Program Support Meetings, Incursions and many more! We look forward to school camps and excursions resuming over the next three terms.

It is also important for us to take the time to be grateful for the little things that make a difference. We have successfully navigated through first term without any school closures and only small Covid numbers. Our teachers have worked diligently to ensure your child/ren are getting the best education and every opportunity to shine.

Today our Parents and Friends drew the prizes for the Easter Raffle and they presented over 100 gifts to our families and community! What a magnificent effort from the St Pat’s community. A HUGE thanks to our P&F for the wonderful organisation!

I have conducted many school tours already this term and our enrolments for 2023 are beginning to build up. Please let family and friends know we are open again to the community and to call the office to make an appointment for a tour. If you also have a younger child beginning next year, please remember to enrol them as soon as possible.

Just a reminder that tomorrow Friday the 8^th April, the school term finishes at 2.10pm.

Staff Updates

Tomorrow we farewell Katie Matos, one of our ESOs who has resigned her position here to take on a role at Officer Secondary School. Katie began at St Patrick’s in 2019 and has been a wonderful asset to our school community. We wish her every success in her new role and thank her for all her contributions to the school.

IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE

I am continuing to see students arriving well before 8.30am and being left unsupervised. If this continues to happen next term, I will be contacting parents directly to discuss my concerns and to make alternative arrangements as this is not acceptable when we consider the dangers of leaving children unsupervised. Children are not to be here until 8.30am. Thank you.

Online Safety

In the last few weeks of this term, I have had the unfortunate task of dealing with many issues and concerns related to the childrens use of social media. Communciation has been directed out to the grade 6 parents but this is not the only year level affected. I cannot express my concerns enough when I say to parents that children do not appear to be understanding the impact their actions on social media can have. It is absolutely vital that parents are maintaining a constant vigilance of what your child/ren are doing on social media.

One question to ask yourself- Do you leave your front door open to let strangers come in to the family home? No. So why do we think it is okay to leave the Cyber door open for strangers to walk in, figuratively speaking, into our children’s lives?

I would encourage all parents to log on to the e-safety commissioner website which is rich source of information for parents and children. I have included links below.

The E safety website

https://www.esafety.gov.au/

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/big-issues 

Take care and God Bless

Meg

SCHOOL Tours and ENROLMENTS for 2022

Please contact the school office if you have a child that is due to begin school in 2023.

Head Lice

There has been an outbreak of head lice in our Junior School. Can I please ask that parents are checking their children for any signs that they may have this and go through the correct protocols to ensure it does not spread in school. Please see the link below for advice.

https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/head-lice-resources

School Fees

Your School Fees statement will be sent out tomorrow. Please do not forget to let the school know if you hold a Health care card as you may be eligible for fee concessions. The simplest and easiest way to pay your school fees is to arrange payment via a direct debit. If you have any questions or concerns about your school fees please email Cindy at cbyrne@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

Catholic Schools do rely on the fees as a way of providing for your children and their education. If you are having financial difficulty, please contact the office at office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

Teacher emails

Please note that teachers will NOT be replying to emails after 5pm. If you send an email to a staff member after this time, it will be responded to in the following 48 hours. As I am sure you will agree, teachers have their own families and other responsibilities to attend to after this time. If the matter is an emergency, please contact the office at office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au or call 5943 9000

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Covid Update

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

If there is a positive case at school…

The school will NOT be required to close as a result of the positive case attending the school.

If your child is not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, they can continue to attend school, but you should monitor for symptoms.

Students who show symptoms of COVID-19 must get tested immediately using a rapid antigen test, or a PCR test if you can’t access a rapid antigen test. Students with COVID-19 symptoms must isolate and return a negative result before returning to school.

Students should continue with twice-weekly rapid antigen testing on school days.

Students who have recovered from COVID-19 do not need to participate in surveillance testing for 30 days after testing positive.

If your child receives a positive COVID-19 result, you must:

• quarantine your child for seven days
• advise the school about the positive result
• ensure that your child stays home until their symptoms have resolved and they are well
• ensure that everyone in your household who is a close contact isolates for seven (7) days from the date your child is tested for COVID-19.

Advice and further resources about what to do if your child tests positive to COVID-19 or you are a contact, are available on the following Coronavirus Victoria web pages or you can call the 24/7 Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398:

Checklist for COVID contacts

Checklist for COVID contacts

• Checklist for COVID contacts - coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-contacts
• Checklist for COVID cases - coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases

Reporting your child’s positive test

If your child was at school during their infectious period, you need to report the positive case to office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au or please phone the school office on 5943 9000.

If your child tested positive using a rapid antigen test you must also report your child’s positive test to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

General advice and support

Advice and further resources about coronavirus, including what to do if you test positive or if you have been told you are a contact, are available on the coronavirus website www.coronavirus.cgov.au or you can call the 24/7 Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.

Other resources on the Coronavirus Victoria website include:

• information on symptoms - coronavirus.vic.gov.au/symptoms-and-risks
• how to get tested - coronavirus.vic.gov.au/taking-test-covid-19

Further information for languages other than English

For school information in languages other than English, call TIS National on 131 450. 

For translated written information about COVID-19 and health advice in languages other than English, visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/translated-information-about-coronavirus-covid-19

Parents, guardians, carers and/or students can also call the Department of Education and Training COVID-19 hotline on 1800 338 663 and they will help interpret. 

Please be aware that we are unable to provide any information about students, family members or staff who may test positive to COVID-19. I would ask that all in our community continue to pray for those who are unwell with COVID-19 and respect their privacy.

The health, safety and wellbeing of the school community remains our highest priority. We are committed to continuing to communicate with you as promptly as possible and supporting you and your children during these challenging times.

If you have any questions about the arrangements, please contact office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au or call 5943 9000