St Paul's Newsletter: Thursday, 29 February 2024
2024 St Paul's Newsletter - Term 1, Week 5
From the Principal
Hello to our families of St Paul’s,
Last week was a reaffirming week for our school community in the knowledge that we are on the right track with our teaching and learning. Last Thursday, I attended the launch of MACS’ Vision for Instruction - Flourishing Learners position statement. The intent of the position statement is:
‘By 2030, we aim to become the benchmark for excellence in teaching and learning, through a coherently integrated, academically competitive and distinctively Catholic educational offering.’
The two goals are;
Excellence - ‘All MACS schools deliver a knowledge-rich, evidence-based teaching and learning program.’
Equity - ‘Every student, regardless of background, achieves literacy and numeracy proficiency.’
This will be achieved throughout the system using evidence-based practices focusing on coherent, knowledge-rich teaching and learning programs and the explicit instruction model. These practices are well and truly on their way to being embedded in how our teachers teach, and our students learn at St Paul’s, which is fantastic.
If anyone is interested in this, there was an article in last Friday’s Age newspaper (23/2/24), ‘The big change coming to the way Catholic school kids are taught.’
Commissioning Mass
Yesterday, we had our commissioning mass for the staff and students for the 2024 school year. The teachers committed as follows:
“We commit ourselves to spreading the good news of Jesus Christ by working together in respect, love and peace and by cooperating in making God’s kingdom a reality in the world. Today we recommit ourselves to Catholic Education and to care for all those in our school community.
Spark in us the energy of your Holy Spirit that we may be enlivened in our efforts as we travel the learning journey with our students, families and parish throughout 2024.”
Parent Teacher Interviews
Next week on Wednesday 6th March, we have our Parent Teacher Interviews. These will be running from 12 pm throughout the school day, meaning that the students will attend school as usual and are not required at the meetings. You can book a meeting at http://schoolinterviews.com.au and use the code purrf.
Working Bee
We also have our first working bee on Thursday 7th March from 3.15 - 5.15 pm. Thank you to those families who have opted to attend next week.
If you haven’t already done so, can you please check your Operoo account and sign up for either a working bee (next week or in the future) or to assist at one of our three Emerald BBQs? If you require assistance or help with this, please contact myself or Helen in the office.
Whole School Sports Day
While you are checking out Operoo, are you able to assist with our upcoming Sports Day on Thursday, 14th March? This is a day that I believe is well and truly looked forward to by our students. If you are interested in helping, please fill in the Operoo form and ensure your Working with Children form is current.
NAPLAN
We also will be having NAPLAN which begins on 13 March for our Year 3 & 5 students. If you have any queries regarding this, please speak to your child's teacher during your Parent Teacher Interviews next week.
School Closure Day - 12 March
Please note there is no school for students on Tuesday 12 March. Staff will be engaged in professional learning around Student Wellbeing.
Please check the calendar, as it is a busy few weeks ahead. More information about some of these events is included throughout this newsletter and will be discussed in the coming weeks.
I hope that you have a great week ahead. Please let me know if there is any way we can help.
Many thanks,
Nick
Condolences
On behalf of our community, we extend our deepest condolences to the Gipp/Flynn families on the recent loss of Shane Gipp and Sarah Flynn's father, grandfather to Willow and Charlotte. Our thoughts and prayers are with these families at this difficult time.
2025 Enrolments Now Open!
We are off to a great start at St Paul’s in 2024 with many new families and several new students who have settled in well to St Paul's life.
We are already preparing our enrolment timelines for our 2025 Prep students - enrolments for 2025 are now open!
We respectfully request that enrolment packs for existing families with a child/ren intending to commence Prep at St Paul's in 2025 be completed and handed into the school office by the end of Term 1 (Thursday 28 March). Enrolment Packs can be downloaded from the school website. Alternatively, paper copies or emailed forms can be requested from the school office. Thank you!
If you know of a family that is considering St Paul's for their child/ren, please encourage them to get in touch with us and book a tour, or direct them to our website.
School Car Park and Traffic Flow
Please don't park on footpaths
School Procedures for Bushfire season
Important Dates
TERM 1
- Wednesday 6 March - Parent Teacher Interviews (normal finish time for students)
- Thursday 7 March - Working Bee - 3.15pm
- Friday 8 March - Division Swimming
- Monday 11 March - LABOUR DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY
- Tuesday 12 March - School Closure Day - No school for students
- Wednesday 13 March - Open Day
- Thursday 14 March - WHOLE SCHOOL SPORTS DAY
- Friday 15 March - St Patrick's Day (Student School Leaders)
- Thursday 28 March - Holy Thursday: Term 1 Concludes
- Friday 29 March - Good Friday
- Sunday 31 March - Easter Sunday
From the School Office
Operoo - Student Medical and Contact Details
As we begin another school year, it is important to ensure that you have reviewed and updated your child's Operoo profile, carefully checking that all information held about your child and emergency contacts are accurate and up to date.
- Have any of your family or contact details changed?
- Have there been any changes to your child's medical profile?
- Have you uploaded your child's updated Allergy, Asthma or Anaphylaxis plan?
Fee Statements - Levies now due
A reminder that all itemised levies on 2024 Fee Statements are now due. Thank you to those families who have already attended to payment. If your levies are still outstanding we would appreciate you attending to payment as soon as possible.
To set up a periodic payment plan please complete this Direct Debit Request Form.
If you require assistance setting up a payment plan, are experiencing financial hardship or wish to discuss your school fee account please contact the school office.
BUS - OSHClub Transport
St Paul's and OSHClub is lucky to have a bus service picking students up from the front of our school. The Bus Route for St Paul's students travelling to OSH Club or home is - left into Mount Pleasant Rd, left into Main Road, left into David Hill Rd for the OSHClub drop off. The bus then continues to Monbulk College, collects students and heads off to drop students at their home bus stops. The bus travels in the reverse route each morning, picks up from OSHClub (Monbulk PS) and drops students at school.
Please ensure that you let the school know (email the office/classroom teacher) if your child is to use this service. This is especially important if circumstances change.
- The Bus Company is Ventura.
- A staff member puts the students on the bus each day at 3:00pm or when it arrives at the front gate. The staff member does not travel with or supervise the students on the bus.
- The bus arrives at St Paul's at approximately 8:35-8:40am
- It is not a public bus so unknown adults cannot get on the bus.
- Each driver has a ‘Working with Children Check.’
- Usually there are several students travelling on the bus, but be aware that it could be possible that your child is the only one on the bus.
If you have any questions in relation to bus travel, please contact the school office.
Conveyance Allowance
Please see the flyer below for information relating to Conveyance Allowance.
If you received Conveyance Allowance for your child in 2023, you do not need to complete an application form for them again in 2024, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.
You only need to complete a new application form if any of the following have occurred:
- You have a new student that has started at St Paul’s in 2024 - you will need to complete a new application form for that child only
- You did not apply in 2023
- Changed family circumstances, such as a change of address since 2023
If you are unsure as to whether you are eligible, please check with the school office.
Important Notices for Health Care Card Holders:
If you are the holder of a valid Health Care Card and have not yet provided a copy to the school office, please do so as soon as possible. We can then check if you are eligible for any fee discounts and if so, apply them to your school fee account.
Camps, Sports & Excursion Fund (CSEF)
2024 Concessional Fee Policy
From the commencement of 2022 Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) introduced a Concessional Fee Policy. Please refer to the Policy to determine whether you may be eligible for discounted school fees.
Parents & Friends News
Child Safe Standards: Ministerial Order 1359
St Paul's Primary School is a child safe organisation which welcomes all children, young people, and their families. We are committed to providing environments where our students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives.
Our child safe policies, strategies and practices are inclusive of the needs of all children and students. We have no tolerance for child abuse and take proactive steps to identify and manage any risks of harm to students in our school environments. We also take proactive steps to identify and manage any risk of harm to students in our school. When child safety concerns are raised or identified, we treat these seriously and respond promptly and thoroughly.
The original Child Safe Standards were implemented in Victoria during 2016. They were developed in response to The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse (2013 - 2017). In 2019 Victoria agreed to adopt the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. Schools are one example of a Child Safe Organisation.
There are eleven Child Safe Standards:
Child Safe Standard 1 – Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
Child Safe Standard 2 – Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
Child Safe Standard 3 – Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
Child Safe Standard 4 – Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
Child Safe Standard 5 – Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
Child Safe Standard 6 – People working with children and young people are suitable and
supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
Child Safe Standard 7 – Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused.
Child Safe Standard 8 – Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
Child Safe Standard 9 – Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
Child Safe Standard 10 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
Child Safe Standard 11 – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.
MACS provides Catholic schools with templates for the required documentation which we are required to adapt to reflect our school community whilst ensuring all legal requirements are met. Below are 3 key documents that we continue to review in light of the new standards:
Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
Child Safe Standards: Identifying and Responding - Reporting Obligations
Uniform Shop
Ross Haywood Sports - Update:
St Paul's Online Uniform Shop
https://www.rhsports.com.au/product/school_wear/st_pauls_monbulk_ps
For in-store purchases RH Sports are located at 12/100 New St, Ringwood.
The store is now a CASHLESS STORE, EFTPOS transactions will be the only acceptable method of purchase.
Online ordering continues as normal with all delivery options available including contactless pick up. Delivery is free for orders delivered directly to St Paul's School and will then be distributed to your child to take home.
Please phone the store direct on 9870 1377 if you have any further queries.
Secondhand Uniform Shop
Our secondhand uniform shop is onsite at school and is managed by one of our parents, Kelly Garrett, with items being purchased by gold coin donation. If you are looking for items of secondhand uniform please feel free to text Kelly on 0435 810 954 with your wish list. Items will usually be sent home via class tubs or collected from the school office by arrangement. Cashless payment for items is via CDF Pay, selecting the Second Hand Uniform option and the quantity of items purchased.
The secondhand uniform shop welcomes donations of St Paul's current school uniform items which are still in good condition. We do not accept the old St Paul's round neck jumpers, yellow shirts or non-St Paul's items. If you have any current uniform items you no longer need please feel free to leave your donations at the school office.
St Paul's Policies
OSHClub
Out of School Hours Care: OSH Club
Enrolments, Bookings and Enquiries
Parents will need to enrol with OSHClub. Please visit https://www.oshclub.com.au/ and click on "REGISTER". You will need to enrol with the Monbulk Primary School service.
Transition Information
Victorian Catholic Schools Guide
To assist your decision making in relation to your child's education for 2025 and beyond, please find below a link to the March 2024 edition of the Catholic Education Guide.
CLICK HERE: https://victoriaschoolguides.starcommunity.com.au/catholic-education/
Community Notices
Open Door Community Care - Local Support Services
Monbulk Care Network has recently changed its name to Open Door Community Care. It is the same community service with a new name. Please see below for details if you would like to access these community support resources.
Food Pantry hours (next to Open Door Community Church)
Cnr David Hill Rd & Moxhams Rd
Every day: 9.30am – 5.30pm
The Op Shop & Laneway Nursery hours
Mon-Fri 10am -4.30pm
Saturday 10am -1pm
Financial Resource Support for Families
Shire of Yarra Ranges - Newsletters
Please click the link below to access latest family news and events from Shire of Yarra Ranges.