St Paul's Newsletter: Thursday, 28 November 2024
2024 St Paul's Newsletter - Term 4, Week 8
From the Principal
Good afternoon to our beautiful St Paul’s family,
The weather at the moment most certainly has a tropical feel to it with 100% humidity. If I close my eyes, am I in Port Douglas?
This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. The real countdown to Christmas begins. I know my little ones are excited about putting up the Christmas tree this weekend. It is such an exciting time for most families and also coincides with the end of the school year. We are in the process of finalising grades for 2025, which will be released on Friday 13 December, on 'Meet the Teacher' Day.
School reports also go home on Friday 13 December. This semester the reports will again be sent electronically via nForma, but you will be need to download a new app - 'nForma For Parents', which we encourage you to download now from the App Store or the Android Store in readiness. Please ensure you register on the app with the same email address you have registered with the school. You will also need to update your password. The good news is that we will be moving our forms, communication, permissions, first aid notifications, school calendar and absence notifications to this app. This will centralise our data, hopefully making these tasks easier for families and reducing the number of different platforms and log ins required. More information will be sent home shortly, including a paper copy with instructions on how to access school reports via the new app.
Up until 10pm tonight you can still donate to the Colour Run, which is the fundraising initiative of the Mini Monbulkers team to support our local community through the Monbulk Care Network. At the time of writing this, almost $1,600 has so far been raised, which is such a fantastic effort by our community - Thank you for your support!
We have a busy week next week, starting with a SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY ON MONDAY 2 DECEMBER, so we can plan for 2025. There will be no school for students on that day.
On Wednesday we have our Gratitude Mass at 10.15 am. I invite you all to attend and join us in giving thanks for all we have shared throughout 2024. This will be followed by a morning tea to thank YOU for your help and support of our school.
Thursday we have the last of our Hot Lunch and Sushi Days for the year, with orders closing on Sunday Night. That evening, we also have our Christmas Carols Evening. Unfortunately there was an error in the Operoo form, and the evening will begin at 6pm as per our calendar. I will send a reminder again about the time next week. I look forward to seeing you all there.
Friday we have a free dress day organised by the P&F with 'A Touch of Christmas' theme, with the request of a gold coin donation. Further raising funds in preparation of our Country Fair. Please make sure to check the Country Fair Update below.
Friday 6 December is also Merry Monbulk in the Main Street and we have over 40 students, led by Mrs Fraraccio, who will sing Christmas Carols at 6pm. This is a fantastic opportunity for the school. P&F will also be selling Choc Tops, so why not swing by them too.
Last night we had our AGM for the School Advisory Council. I would like to formally recognise the contributions of Cara Kirby and Deb Czaja to the Council. We were trying to add up all the years last night; in short, it is a lot from both families and I, on behalf of the school, am very grateful and thank them for their contributions. From the start of next year we welcome Luke Farrelly, father of Quinn in Prep onto the SAC. We are still after more people, so if you are interested in volunteering please contact the school office. Adam Carne (Gus and Beatrix) will be our new Chair, Megan Bourke (Ivy) will continue as Secretary, and Kathryn Sheers will also continue. I thank everyone for their work this year, and also make special mention of Carolynne Boyd for representing the staff on SAC.
On Monday I met with three architectural firms that were tendering to create St Paul’s Master Plan. Before the end of the year we would like community feedback about a vision for St Paul’s. If you, as a parent in the community, are interested in being involved in this process, please let me know.
I love this time of year. Even amongst the ‘busyness’ of it all it is a great time to catch up with families and friends, and also to stop and think about our gift from God, Jesus. I also know that some families struggle throughout this time, so please reach out if we can be of assistance. For those who would love to do something for others, remember we have our Angel Tree in the foyer for gifts for families in the Monbulk community who might struggle at this time. Thank you to families who have already made a donation.
Have a great week, and I will catch you at Mass on Wednesday or Carols on Thursday.
Regards,
Nick
Student Voice
Angel Tree
Important Dates
TERM 4
- Monday 2 December - SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY
- Tuesday 3 December - 2025 Prep Transition - Day 3 (9.15am)
- Wednesday 4 December - Gratitude Mass
- Thursday 5 December - Hot Lunch & Sushi Day
- Thursday 5 December - Christmas Carols (6pm start)
- Friday 6 December - Merry Monbulk Christmas Event - St Paul's Choir (from 6pm)
- Wednesday 11 December - 'Passing On' Ceremony
- Wednesday 11 December - Year 6 Graduation
- Friday 13 December - 'Meet the 2025 Teacher' orientation session
- Friday 13 December - 2025 Prep Transition - Day 4 (10am)
- Tuesday 17 December - Term 4 Concludes - Last day for Student
TERM 1 - 2025
- 29 & 30 January - Student Testing Days
- 31 January - First full day of school for students
From the School Office
Thank You!
A huge THANK YOU to all of the families who have supported our school library this year, either through purchases from Scholastic Book Club or the Book Fair. Your support is very much appreciated and continues to assist in keeping our library well-stocked for our students.
Regards,
Alayne
CDF Pay: Current Events
Event: Mini Monbulkers Colour Run - Sponsorship Payment
Event Date: Monday 18 November 2024
Open: Now (sponsorship payment options: via CDF Pay or Cash)
Close: TONIGHT - Thursday 28 November 2024 at 10pm
Event: Final Hot Lunch & Sushi Day for 2024
Event Date: Thursday 5 December 2024
Open: Now
Close: Sunday 1 December @ 10pm
Please note: No late orders can be accepted.
For a direct link to CDF Pay click here.
**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 - COUNTRY FAIR NEWS
Country Fair Update
Thank you to all those who donated for the free dress day and who ordered from our hot lunch last Monday on the day of the Colour Run.
Reminder: We have a free dress day, with 'A touch of Christmas theme' next Friday, requesting a gold coin donation. With the money raised from these days we will have enough to purchase what we need for lob-a-chock, fizzy quoits and at least purchase brand new jars for students to collect and then fill for the mystery jars. Like previously mentioned, having the funds raised now to purchase all that is needed, means the start of next year is far less crazy, without having to ask for all these items to be donated by families and brought in by students in Term 1.
We have $250, $500 and $1,000 packages. Please, if this is something you may be interested in contact
Bec Magnay bwiering_15@hotmail.com
2025 Country Fair Team
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.
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
