St Paul's Newsletter: Thursday 29 April 2021
2021 St Paul's Newsletter - Term 2, Week 2
From the Principal
Dear Families,
With last Sunday being ANZAC Day, we celebrated with a memorial prayer service at our Prayer Gathering Assembly on Monday. We thank the Year 5/6 students for a moving service, as well as Carolynne Boyd for the organisation and planning. It is always important that we remember and give thanks to those both past and present, who fought in Wars, who fought for peace and dedicated their lives to keeping Australia a free and peaceful country.
Lest we forget.
2021 NAPLAN Testing
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual
assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. On Tuesday 11, Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 May, students will take the 2021 NAPLAN tests.
NAPLAN assesses skills in literacy and numeracy that are developed over time, through the school curriculum. NAPLAN is not a pass or fail type test, but rather shows how students are progressing in numeracy and literacy skills against national standards for all Australian children. It also provides valuable information that allows schools and governments to better target effort and support to help all students achieve their potential and acquire the basic skills to help them build successful and happy lives.
NAPLAN will measure fundamental skills rather than specific content, and as such is not a test for which students can study or drill. The best way you can help your child prepare for NAPLAN is to let them know that NAPLAN is just one part of their school program and to urge them to simply do the best they can on the day. An individual student NAPLAN report will be issued to parents later this year.
The 2021 NAPLAN Test schedule is as follows:
Tuesday 11 May | Wednesday 12 May | Thursday 13 May | |
Year 3 | Language conventions: 45 minutes Writing: 40 minutes | Reading: 45 minutes | Numeracy: 45 minutes |
Year 5 | Language conventions: 45 minutes Writing: 40 minutes | Reading: 50 minutes | Numeracy: 50 minutes |
Hot Lunch Days are BACK!
Our first Hot Lunch Day for 2021 is on Friday 14 May. Our Parents and Friends are offering Hot Dogs for lunch on the day. Orders can be placed via CDFPay no later than 10pm Monday 10 May.
Camps and Excursions: Year 2 Sleepover
In recent years the St Paul's staff and the St Paul's School Advisory Council have worked through an extensive process to formulate a cycle of school camps for Year 5 and 6 students. Each St Paul's student will attend 2 school camps in their primary years. At this time the two school camps we enjoy are Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, and Coonawarra in Bairnsdale.
In the past, we had Year 2 sleepover, Year 4 camp and Year 6 camp. This was an effective cycle in its time, but that time has come to an end. One of the main reasons we needed to change to Year 5/6 camps was because we no longer met the minimum requirements for numbers on camps with one year level. Having 2 year levels attend camp is also easier to staff appropriately. Even though our Year 4 students no longer have a camp, those students go along to camp in Year 5, and then also in Year 6.
With regard to the year 2 Sleepover, there are a number of reasons this is no longer being offered. School security is one reason. We can't alarm the school when students and staff are here. Staff and students sleeping in a school is also an Occupational Health and Safety Risk that I am no longer comfortable taking responsibility for. Further to this, over the past couple of years there has been a significant shift in expectations and laws around child safety and it is no longer appropriate for us to organise a Year 2 Sleepover under these regulations. In the past, these regulations were not as strict and therefore the Year 2 Sleepover was more appropriate, however we are in different times now and we thank our community for their understanding on this.
Mother's Day Breakfast and Mother's Day Stall
Mother's Day Stall - Friday 7 May
The 2021 Mother’s Day stall will be held on Friday 7 May with a great range of gifts priced from $1 - $10. The process for the Mother’s Day stall is that the children bring some money (cash) to spend on the day of the stall, and each class will be called up one by one to come to the stall for the children to select up to two gifts for their Mums (we limit it to two gifts each to begin with to ensure there are enough gifts for each child).
Mother's Day Breakfast - Friday 7 May, 8:15am
The 2021 Mother's Day Breakfast will be held from 8:15am on Friday 7 May. All Mothers or significant women are welcome as we will hold the breakfast outside (therefore no restrictions on numbers). Bacon and Egg Rolls will be served by our Parents and Friends Committee.
A Bacon and Egg Roll for each mum is complimentary (but still MUST be ordered!!). Extra rolls for students/siblings can be ordered at $4.00 per roll. All orders must be placed, and paid for via CDFpay, by 11:00pm Sunday 2 May.
We invite one adult per child to visit the classrooms. Sorry but we ask that younger siblings not enter classrooms. Adults that do enter the classrooms please ensure the following practices take place:
- Check in using the QR codes that will be displayed around the school
- We ask adult visitors in classrooms to wear a face mask
- Please do not remain in classrooms any longer than 10 minutes
District Athletics
This Wednesday 4 May a team of 40 students from St Paul’s will be competing in the District Athletics Competition at the Knox Athletics Track. We wish them well and we know they will do themselves and their school very proud on the day.
Mother's Day Mass - All Welcome
On Wednesday 5 May, at 2:00pm, we will have a Whole School Mass to celebrate our Mothers and significant women in our lives.
In last week's newsletter we sent a link to an "Expression of Interest" Google Form so that we could get an indication of the numbers of guests that wished to attend. Please disregard this Google Form, because with 40 students attending the District Athletics, there is room for any mum or significant person that wants to attend, to do so.
***Clash of dates: The date and time for our Mother's Day Mass was set well before the District Athletics date was communicated to us. For a number of reasons, we could not shift the Mother's Day Mass and this means that, unfortunately, the District Athletics Team will not be at Mass. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.
Transitions: Secondary School Tasters
Over the years educators have worked hard to provide a thorough transition process from primary to secondary school. We have all experienced big life changes, whether it is moving house, changing jobs, changing careers or moving schools, and these changes bring a sense of excitement as well as anxiety. We can prepare for these changes, but at times we wonder if anything can truly prepare us, until we are actually IN the situation. Providing a range of transition activities in Years 4, 5 and 6 can assist primary school students to better prepare for their move to secondary school and be able to visualise what their secondary school life will entail. Tomorrow our Year 4 and 5 boys will visit St Joseph’s College and our Year 4 and 5 girls will visit Mater Christi for a “Secondary School Taster Morning”.
Transitions: Ready, Set, Prep!
The "Ready, Set, Prep" Program is open to all 3, 4 and 5 year old pre-school children. "Ready, Set, Prep" involves a fortnightly session with a focus on preparing for school. The sessions are lead by St Paul's staff and we engage the children in a variety of experiences that introduce them to 'school life'. Tomorrow we will be reading Jack and the Beanstalk and doing some gardening, including exploring the St Paul's Kitchen Gardens. Please spread the word!
Fitness Friday - Walk FROM school
Prior to Covid-19, we ran "Fitness Friday" where one or two staff members meet any children “keen for a walk” in the Safeway car park at 8:20am on a Friday morning. We would walk TO school... However...
We have made an adjustment to "Fitness Friday" and we are now walking FROM school! At 3:00pm each Friday, one or two staff members will walk with the students down to the Bowls Club Car Park. This will be subject to staff availability, and also weather permitting of course. What a great way to end the week!
Kind regards,
Michael Watt
2021 School Closure Days
Please note the following days in your diary. There is NO SCHOOL for students on the following dates:
- TERM 2 - Friday 28 May 2021 (Education in Faith Professional Learning)
- TERM 3 - Monday 26 July (Literacy Professional Learning)
- TERM 4 - TBC
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.
Community Notices
Transition Information
To assist your decision making in relation to your child's education for 2022 and beyond, please find below a link to the 136 page March 2021 edition of the Catholic Education Guide.
CLICK HERE: https://victoriaschoolguides.starcommunity.com.au/catholic-education/
Mater Christi College – Belgrave
Mater Christi College is a vibrant, inclusive and warm community where girls feel safe and build supportive lifelong friendships. After another year of leading academic and vocational outcomes, we are experiencing a surge in demand for places.
Parents of Grade 5 students are strongly encouraged to secure a place for Year 7 2023. Visit the College website to apply or arrange a tour.
Families seeking enrolment for 2022 should contact the College Registrar 9754 6611 asap.
