Newsletter Thursday 17^th Feb 2022

Good afternoon all and welcome to week 4 of Term 1.

The students have well and truly settled into their learning and it is a real credit to both parents and staff at how engaged the students are.

This week, we have seen a slight rise in the diagnosis of COVID amongst our students, however I am so very grateful that families are continuing to do the right thing and undertaking the RAT tests and informing the school immediately. We have been checking in with families to monitor the health of their children and providing work for them whilst they recover at home. More RAT tests were issued this week to families.

You may have noticed that some of the playground has been roped off with the red and white safety tape. There are some OH & S concerns that the school is following up as we speak and once the issues have been rectified, the children will be allowed to access these areas. For now, however, they are being asked to play in other areas of the school in order to keep them safe.

I am working closely with Dom Veltin, our maintenance man and we have designed a new sandpit and sensory play area which will be open later this term. We are very excited about this.

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

Staffing update

I will be conducting interviews on Tuesday with Lisa McDonald for a new administration officer for our school office. Thanks to parents for being patient throughout this process.

Thanks to Cindy and Chris for all the extra hours they have put in these past few weeks to stay on top of everything. Thanks also to Tania Parmley, one of our ESOs who has been working in the office as well to support Cindy and Chris.

Reminders for parents

Students are continuing to arrive well before 8.30am and being left unsupervised. This is an enormous safety issue on many levels and I am asking parents to adhere to the 8.30 timeslot. If you have to come earlier, please do not leave your child unattended!

Family Learning Conversations will be held in week 6 of this term on Tuesday the 1^st and Wednesday the 2^nd of March. Bookings can be made via PAM and will be open from Monday.

Our First Assembly is at 2:30 Friday 17th Feb. Our year 6 leaders will be introducing themselves to the school.

Meg Escalante

Family Learning Conversations

The Family Learning Conversations are an opportunity for you to meet with your child's teacher.

These will be held on Tuesday 1st March - 3.30pm - 7.45pm and Wednesday 2nd March - 3.30pm - 5.45pm and will be held via google meet. 

During the 15-minute conversation the teacher will outline how your child has settled in, the data of the latest testing in reading, writing and mathematics and the next steps in your child's growth in the classroom. Don't hesitate to contact your classroom teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

BOOKINGS for Family Learning Conversation can be made via PAM. 

Bookings will open Monday 21st February at 9:30am and close Monday 28th February at 4:00pm. 

Lisa McDonald and Jacki Taylor

Curriculum Leaders

ACTIVE CLUB is back on for 2022!

It has been wonderful to see students arriving at 8:30am and taking part in Active Club again.

Active Club gives students from Years 1-6 the opportunity to get their bodies moving before learning each day except Tuesdays. As Foundation students are still settling into the routines of school, they are not taking part at this stage and will be advised by their teachers when it will be suitable for them. 

Some things to remember so that everyone can enjoy Active Club:

• Take your bag inside and set up ready for your day first
• Walk or run counter clockwise around the large oval only
• You can stay for the whole time or just a few laps
• Encourage each other to be active
• If it is raining, it will be cancelled
• If the oval is too wet, it will be moved to the basketball courts and will be WALKING ONLY
• You must move quickly back to learning spaces when Mrs Breeden is wrapping up.

Have you set up your PAM account yet! 

Operoo is no longer being used!!!

From the start of 2022 PAM will be our main form of communication.  All emails, Student Attendance, Sick Bay notes, School Reports, commonly used forms, excursion/camp permission notes and Family Learning conversations, will all be communicated via PAM.  

A new app (SimonEverywhere) will soon be available to download to allow easy access to PAM but for now please save the PAM log on screen to the home page of your device or bookmark it in your browser.  

Access PAM via this link   Link to PAM 

SIMON -  a Learning Management Software solution for schools.

St Patrick’s Primary school is now using SIMON in the classroom to keep track of your child’s progress and learning as well as attendance.  SIMON will also be used for School Reports and Student Wellbeing.

PAM, SIMON’s Parent Access Module

PAM (Parent Access Module) is our new Parent to School communication platform.   PAM will provide real time access to keep parents updated with their children’s progress, important dates and messages. Relevant resources – calendar events, student reports, parent notified absences, absence data and sick bay notes will all be accessed via PAM.

Parents will be able to easily book Parent Teacher interviews through PAM, and access teacher email addresses. 

PAM accounts are linked via your email address that we have in our systems.  If you have recently changed your email,  please call or email us on office@stppakenham.cathlic.edu.au

Click on the 'forget password' link to set your password and then verify your email address.  (Email addresses must be verified for PAM to work properly).  Once your email is verified, your email can be used as the username for your account.

Once you have successfully logged in, you can save PAM to your homescreen on your device.

If you have any issues or need help with PAM please contact the school via email, office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

PAM Instructions

Parent Notified Absences via PAM

Once you have PAM set up and saved to your home screen you can easily send in Parent Notified absences.   Please use this platform going forward as this automatically syncs with the class roll.   This will fix the issues of receiving SMS notifications even though you had already notified the school. 

Please remember to update your contact details and any relevant medical details for your child.  

Most medical profiles have now been updated. Please remember to keep them up to date and upload any asthma/allergy plans that may be relevant 

To update any contact details please contact the school office. 

Book club catalogue's went home last week!   Orders are due in by Thursday 24th February.   All orders must be done on line via the scholastic web site.  

Please see the flyer below for instructions on how to order.   Cash payments will not be accepted!

CSEF Applications are now due! 

The applicant must be one of the following:

1. a parent/carer (of a student attending a registered Government or non-government Victorian primary or secondary school) who is:
   • on the first day of Term 1 (31 January 2022), or the first day of Term 2 (26 April 2022)  a holder of one or more of the eligible financially-means tested cards (Centrelink Health Care Card or a Pensioner Concession Card), or
   • a temporary foster parent

The parent/carer must submit an application to the school by 24 June 2022.

If anyone has any questions or would like to discuss their school fee account, please contact Cindy in the school office cbyrne@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au   

Please download and fill in the form below if you qualify.

Our much awaited Church Renovation is about to begin and is anticipated to cost in the order of $4.2 million. After contributions from Parish funds, the “Be a Sponsor of Church Renovation” programme aims to provide extra funding for the Sacred Artwork that will adorn our new church as well as reducing the loan repayments to Catholic Development Fund and thereby reflecting our strong Parish Community.

Please see the flyers below for more information and keep up to date on the Parish webpage.   https://stpatrickspakenham.com.au/fundraising/