St Paul's Newsletter: Thursday, 9 May 2024
2024 St Paul's Newsletter - Term 2, Week 4
From the Principal
Good afternoon everyone. Again, I get to laud the weather we are having at the moment. I was in Sydney on the weekend, which made me even more grateful for the sunshine. I was listening to a conversation about how the autumnal trees can’t drop their leaves at the moment as there is no breeze. As I was blowing leaves yesterday for school photos, it did make me think that the trees just need to get on with it rather than dropping their leaves sporadically. Here are my random thoughts for the week.
Yesterday we had our school photos. It was fantastic to see everyone looking smart in their winter uniforms. On the whole, I find the uniform pretty good at St Paul’s and I appreciate the support from families. If you need to send your child who is not in uniform for whatever reason, please reach out to the classroom teacher. I look forward to seeing the photos from SchoolPix shortly.
Our Mother’s Day breakfast is tomorrow morning, followed by our Mother's Day Stall, where the children will be buying quality gifts sourced by our Parents and Friends Committee. This is a shout out to all the dads to find some cash to send with your children. I am grateful for all the work the P&F have put into the day, to help celebrate the mothers in our school. I look forward to seeing the community tomorrow morning from 8.00am.
Andrew Chinn is visiting us next Tuesday and as a staff we are excited about this, as he is very engaging, fun and gets the best out of our students. There is a concert next Tuesday night at 6.30pm in the church. All families are invited. If you get a chance, please respond to the Operoo notification.
While mentioning Operoo, this is a timely reminder to make sure all the details are up to date, especially if you are not getting notifications. If you have any questions, please contact Helen in the office or myself.
Yesterday marked our Preps attending their 50th day at school! Next Wednesday the Prep students will be celebrating this fact with a party and dressed as what they will be when they are 50, which needed an explanation to the students that this isn’t old.
As you might have seen on the news last night, Dr Ed Simon, Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools (MACS) was questioning the decision in State Government’s Budget not to provide relief for our families. I hope to be able to provide more information in the coming days regarding this issue.
In the coming weeks, we will be filming updates for our school website. I have three favours to ask please:
- If you are interested in being a parent representative to talk in a short video about your experiences of St Pauls, then please reach out to me.
- If you do not wish your child to be filmed, either directly or in the background, please let your teacher know. We will also check the permissions held on file for your children, which is through Operoo (hence the update)
- If you have any feedback or suggestions about what we should add, keep or change on the website, I would love to hear from you.
There is Prayer Gathering in the Church on Monday from 2.10pm. The Year 1/2M students will be celebrating the Ascension of Jesus, followed by awards. Everyone is welcome to attend.
I hope all our mothers have a sensational day on Sunday, and that you are spoiled rotten.
Many Thanks
Nick
Student Voice
Mother's Day Newsletter!
Tomorrow we have a Mothers Day stall and breakfast, which the mothers are invited to. We are all looking forward to seeing all the mums enjoying a morning breakfast with their children. We hope all the mums have a good day on Mothers day, enjoy the gifts bought for them and have a yummy brekky.
We are all grateful for the special mums helping around the school. All of the students benefit from it and thank you to the rest of the parents who help out on the Mothers Day stall.
Olivia and Esther
2025 Enrolments Now Open!
We are already preparing our enrolment timelines for our 2025 Prep students - Enrolments for 2025 are now open!
We respectfully request existing families with a child/ren intending to commence Prep at St Paul's in 2025 submit their completed Enrolment Packs into the school office as soon as possible. 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.
Learning Diversity (Student Support)
Important Dates
TERM 2
- Thursday 9 May - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Friday 10 May - Mother's Day Breakfast / Mother's Day Stall
- Monday 13 May - Prayer Gathering/Assembly
- Tuesday 14 May - Andrew Chinn: Student Workshops & Evening Concert
- Wednesday 15 May - Prep Taster Day - #2
- Saturday 18 May - Emerald BBQ
- Thursday 23 May - Open Day
- Monday 27 May - Prayer Gathering/Assembly
- Thursday 30 May - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Thursday 30 May - Prep Taster Day - #3
- Tuesday 4 June - Open Day
- Wednesday 5 June - School Advisory Council Meeting - 7pm
- Thursday 6 June - Working Bee (3.15pm)
- Thursday 6 June - Lighthouse Expo Night
- Friday 7 June - School Closure Day - No school for students
- Monday 10 June - KING'S BIRTHDAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY
- Wednesday 12 June - Prep Taster Day - #4
- Wednesday 12 June - First Reconciliation
- Tuesday 18 June - First Eucharist Family Workshop @ 3.30pm
- Thursday 20 June - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Friday 21 June - Reports emailed out
- Monday 24 June - Prayer Gathering/Assembly
- Monday 24 June - MLMC Future Stars (Year 5s)
- Monday 26 June - 3 Way Conferences (aka Parent/Teacher/Student conferences)
- Friday 28 June - Term 2 Concludes for Students
- Saturday 29 June - St Paul's Feast Day
TERM 3
- Monday 15 July - Term 3 commences for Students
- Thursday 25 July - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Tuesday 30 July - International Friendship Day
- Thursday 1 August - MLMC 'Addam's Family Musical' (Years 5&6)
- Thursday 8 August - Feast of Mary MacKillop
- Sunday 11 August - First Eucharist
- Thursday 15 August - Feast of the Assumption
- Thursday 15 August - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- 17-23 August - Book Week - Reading is Magic!
- Friday 23 August - School Closure Day - No school for students
- Thursday 29 August - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Thursday 29 August - Working Bee @ 3.15pm
- Wednesday 4 September - School Advisory Council Meeting @ 7pm
- Friday 13 September - Footy Day - Hot Dog Lunch
- Thursday 19 September - SCHOOL MUSICAL
- Friday 20 September - Term 3 Concludes for Students
TERM 4
- Monday 7 October - Term 4 commences for Students
- Wednesday 16 October - School Advisory Council Meeting @ 7pm
- Thursday 17 October - School Disco
- Thursday 24 October - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Thursday 24 October - Working Bee @ 3.15pm
- Saturday 26 October - Emerald BBQ
- Monday 4 November - School Closure Day - No school for students
- Tuesday 5 November - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
- Wed 6 - Fri 8 November - Swimming Program - Monbulk Aquatic Centre
- Monday 11 November - Remembrance Day
- Thursday 14 November - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Wednesday 27 November - School Advisory Council Meeting @ 7pm
- Thursday 5 December - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Tuesday 17 December - Term 4 Concludes - Last day for Students
From the School Office
**HOT LUNCH & SUSHI Days**
Please see below for 2024 dates and menus
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?
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
St Paul's School New Uniform Supplier: Spartan School World
For online orders: www.spartanschoolworld.com.au
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
Shire of Yarra Ranges - Newsletters
Please click the link below to access latest family news and events from Shire of Yarra Ranges.
Financial Resource Support for Families
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
