St Paul's Newsletter: Thursday, 19 September
2024 St Paul's Newsletter - Term 3, Week 10
From the Principal
Good morning everyone and welcome to Production Day!
The students and staff are exceptionally excited to be sharing 'Ruby and the Marvellously Magical Music Cube' with you tonight. I believe there are still some last-minute tickets available, which you can access by clicking here. Tonight we have our wonderful School Advisory Council handing out free programs, so please say hi to Adam, Cara, Deb, Kathryn and Megan in the foyer as you arrive. If you haven’t already read the email or hard copy sheet from Tuesday, please refer to this for directions on when and where to drop your children off at Burrinja tonight.
Today is the last day of Term 3, therefore no school tomorrow for students. School will resume for students on Monday 7 October at normal time.
Tomorrow is the last day to fill in your MACSIS survey if you haven’t done so already. The MACSIS family survey gives valuable feedback on how we are doing at St Paul’s, and we value all opinions. If you have any issues, like losing your code, please reach out to me or Helen in the office. Thank you to those families who have already completed the survey.
We congratulate Ivy and Harris who both celebrated their First Eucharist last Sunday, and say a big 'Well Done' to all the students who competed yesterday at the Division Athletics. Speaking with parents on their return to school, there was definitely a sense of pride in each of their achievements. A big congratulations to Heidi, Jetta and Henry for making it through to Regionals next term.
We say farewell and best wishes to Pearl and her family, with today being her last day at St Paul's.
I hope that you have a safe and enjoyable break. As always, if there is any way we can support you as a family during the holidays, please email me at nfrederiksen@spmonbulk.catholic.edu.au
Thanks for another great term, and I look forward to seeing you all tonight.
Nick
School Musical: 19 September - TONIGHT!
Student Voice
Student Wellbeing
Respectful Relationships- Term 4
During Term 4 our topic focus will be Topic 8: Positive Gender Relations
This topic covers the definition of violence, gender based violence, Rights and Responsibilities, Respect, Seeking Safety and Seeking Help. These items are covered in an age appropriate way, using evidence based resources from the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships Program.
Any families interested in what activities are included or would like further information, please contact Sarah skleverkamp@spmonbulk.catholic.edu.au
Parenting Ideas Holiday Survival Guide by Michael Grose
Holidays are about kicking your feet up, relaxing and getting away from the usual routines. That’s how kids see holidays.
Holiday time can be stressful for many parents. Keeping kids busy, avoiding arguments and getting time for yourself can be hard parenting work during holidays. But school holidays don’t have to be stressful. It’s a great opportunity to get your family back on track, build strong relationships and set the tone for a positive future. These ideas will help:
Establish a holiday routine
Some kids feel comfortable with the routines of school-life and can feel lost until the new holiday routine kicks in. Be patient with these routine-junkies! Also make sure you begin adjusting the routine as a return to school comes closer, so that the kids are prepared for going to bed and getting up at earlier times.
Holidays and slow times provide a great chance for learning and making a fresh start in any part of your life, including parenting.
Resist being an entertainment officer
While we want our kids to be occupied, it’s worthwhile remembering that kids also need some downtime. The opportunity to relax and unwind is a prerequisite for good mental health, so make sure the kids have an opportunity to take a break from the usual grind, and become bored. “I’m bored” is an invitation for kids to keep themselves occupied rather than for you to keep them amused.
Arrange plenty of green-time, less screen-time
It’s well documented that today’s children spend more time in front of screens, and less time outdoors. It’s no coincidence that this increase in the use of digital devices by kids has been accompanied by a spike in anxiety. Recent research shows how time spent in natural environments is refreshing, relaxing and rejuvenating. Science now supports what we’ve intuitively known. These holidays ensure both you and you family have less screen-time and more green-time.
Create one-on-one time
At Parenting Ideas we believe that individual relationships are built through one-on-one interactions. If you’ve a child who is struggling or even annoying you a little, consider increasing the number of times you spend in each other’s company these holidays – doing something pleasant together. Just the two of you. It’s like money in the relationship bank account.
Embrace festivities
Regardless of your individual circumstances and your religious beliefs the holiday period is a great time to bring family and friends together. Creating rituals around key events is a great way to build strong family bonds and create a strong sense of family belonging for kids. Keep festivities simple. Be flexible enough in timing to include as many people as possible. Keep calm and include kids in some aspects of the organisation of festivities if possible.
Team up with other families
Team up with other families and share the holiday load. You don’t have to holiday together to gain these benefits. Share the child minding with a friend or swap sleepovers where “you look after my kids and I’ll look after yours” for a night or two. This will give you a break while giving children a different family experience.
Prioritise parent education
Holidays and slow times provide a great chance for learning and making a fresh start in any part of your life, including parenting. If most of your recent parenting education has consisted of the learn-on-the-run kind, consider using the coming down time to gain some new skills and knowledge that will positively impact your future parenting. Watch a webinar recording, read a book, take a course. There are plenty of learning opportunities available for you. Just as big hinges swing big doors, sometimes small parenting changes and adjustments can have a massive impact on your parenting.
Cybersafety
Privacy and your child
You can help your child to stay in control of their personal information, online photos and social media identity.
What are the risks?
When your child shares information like their phone number, personal email address, the name of their school, or home address online, there is a risk it could be used in ways they may not have thought about.
Personal information gathered online can be misused and result in things like spam, scams, fraud, identity theft or grooming and unwanted contact potentially leading to child sexual abuse online.
Photos of your child that are posted online or shared through social networks might end up travelling more widely than intended or they could be ‘harvested’ from social media or other websites and used for unintended purposes.
It is important that your child is aware of where and how information that identifies them is available online. They should also think about who can access it, what others may be doing with their information and the impression they are leaving for others to find.
Get involved and explore the online world alongside them
Sit down together and check privacy settings on social media accounts, apps and devices — ensure they have selected the highest privacy setting. Learn how in parental controls or explore The eSafety Guide for links to help you understand and adjust privacy settings.
Play alongside them in online games to see what kinds of information they may be sharing. Get to know the apps and devices your child is using. If you would like to learn more about individual apps, games or services, check The eSafety Guide.
Respect their privacy
Think before sharing or tagging photos of them (see can I safely share photos of my kids online? below).
If you are concerned that a photo or video of your child has been
posted online without your permission, ask for it to be removed
As a first step, you can ask the person who posted the photo or video to remove it. If the person refuses, or you do not know who posted it or do not feel able to contact the person, you may wish to report the content to the site or social media service it was posted on.
Visit The eSafety Guide for more information about contacting or reporting material to social media services.
If the photo has been posted through your child’s school or a sporting club or other group, contact the organisation directly to raise your concerns. They should be able to refer you to their social media policy, which should provide details about the type of photos that can be posted, the way they will be used and how they obtain consent from parents or carers.
Can I safely share photos of my kids online?
Involve your child
You do not legally have to ask your children for their consent, but involving them in decisions about what to post or share will give you the opportunity to demonstrate good practice. See involve your kids in decisions to share their photos on this page.
Think before you share
- Avoid sharing photos and videos that contain personal details, such as full names, personal contact information, or uniforms that identify particular schools or locations.
- Avoid adding comments to photos that identify locations, for example street addresses, the name of your child’s school, or even identifying features in front of your home.
- Ensure schedules of children’s activities are not shared online.
- Only share with people you really know and trust. Rather than posting to all of your friends on social media, you can be selective and use the privacy settings on your social media platform. Also, be aware that if one of your friends likes your picture, it may also become visible to their friends.
- Always check with other parents before posting, sharing or tagging images that include their children.
- Remember that the information and photos you share contribute to your child’s digital reputation.
Be mindful of metadata and geo-location
Most digital photos contain information about the time, date and GPS coordinates of where the photo was taken. Some social media platforms automatically hide or remove this data, so double-check and find out how much information you are sharing.
Check the location settings on your device to know which apps are using geo-location and turn them off or limit the function. Find out more about location-based services in The eSafety Guide.
Understand that photos and videos posted on social media
sites may become the property of the site owners
Some social media sites give themselves the rights to copy and use your photos and videos. Their Terms and Conditions or a Statement of Rights and Responsibilities should outline how they manage sharing your photos, videos and information. Review these terms carefully before making any decisions on whether you consent to photos of your child being posted.
For more information about protecting personal information in individual apps, games or services, see The eSafety Guide.
Check before you take photos or videos of your child at school or
club events, or in places where there are other people involved
At school or club events, the organisation should be able to provide details of their social media policy or photography/recording policy. Take a look at our Sports hub for more advice on photo and video sharing at sport.
In public places it’s generally OK to take a photo unless you do so in a way that is offensive or creates a nuisance for those around you.
When an event takes place at a private place people can enforce rules about photography, so you should consider gaining consent before taking photos and videos.
Consider ways to share photos and videos other than social media
Other ways that may give you more control when sharing photos and videos include:
- sharing photos by email
- using a secure online service (secure online facility enabling organisations to authorise access through secure passwords)
- multimedia messaging service (a standard way to send messages that include photos and videos over a cellular network)
Involve your kids in decisions to share their photos
Involving your child in taking and sharing photos of them can be a great learning experience as well as demonstrating what respectful behaviour looks like.
Explain why you would like to take a photo of your child, and ask them whether it is OK.
Something like: ‘I’m proud of you riding your bike. I’d really like to take a photo so we can remember this moment. Is that OK?’
The next step is to talk to your child about how, why and with whom you would like to share the image — and ask them if it is OK. For example, ‘I would like to share this photo with your grandparents because they are so excited that you can ride your bike all by yourself. Is it OK if I post it online for them to see?’
Involve your child in the process of sharing their image online if possible. Get them to help you choose which image/s to share. Ask who they would like to share it with. Use this process as an opportunity to talk about who it is appropriate to share with and why. You can also explain how they can choose who to share images with — for example, by sharing images to select groups on Facebook or Instagram.
If your child would rather you did not share their pictures, you could say you are disappointed (explaining why) but respect their decision because this is about modelling appropriate behaviour for your kids.
Important Dates
TERM 3
- Thursday 19 September - SCHOOL MUSICAL
- Thursday 19 September - Term 3 Concludes for Students
- Friday 20 September - School Closure Day - No School 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
- Wednesday 23 October - 2025 Prep Information Night
- 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
- Thursday 5 December - Christmas Carols
- Wednesday 11 December - 'Passing On' Ceremony
- Wednesday 11 December - Year 6 Graduation
- Friday 13 December - 'Meet the 2025 Teacher' orientation session
- 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 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
