St Paul's Newsletter: Thursday, 3 March 2022
2022 St Paul's Newsletter - Term 1, Week 5
From the Principal
Dear Families,
To mark the beginning of Lent we all attended a beautiful Ash Wednesday Mass last Wednesday, 2 March. It was wonderful for our students to join together in prayer back inside our Church. Lent is the season that marks 40 days of preparation for Easter. It mirrors the experience of Jesus’ preparation for his ministry. While in the desert, Jesus spent 40 days in prayer and fasting. As Catholics, we are called to experience our own desert, in which we also enter into a period of prayer and fasting while we reflect on our own life.
(Re) Introducing Fr Anthony Cruz
These past couple of years have affected our ability to attend Mass regularly, both on Sundays and our school Masses. Some people may have not yet met our Parish Administrator, Fr Anthony Cruz. Fr Cruz is our Priest, and he is based at St Thomas More's, Belgrave. He is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the administration and ministry for the 5 Churches in our Parish - St Thomas More's, Belgrave; St Paul's, Monbulk; St Joseph's, Emerald; Sacred Heart, Gembrook; and St Clare's, Mt Dandenong. Fr Cruz works with a Parish Council, as well as the 2 schools in our Parish, to guide and support all people in our Parish.
The leadership and support of our Priest, Fr Cruz, is much appreciated. He thoroughly enjoys visiting our school and leading Mass with the children. We are grateful that staff and students can now gather for Mass, with Covid safe protocols in place. Fr Cruz ensures that he is inclusive of all when he leads Mass, delivering messages that relate to us all. If you see Fr Cruz around, please be sure to say hello!
A Message from Mrs Curwood: Division Swimming
Volunteers Please!
One of the cultural strengths at St Paul's is the way our community comes together to support our school. St Paul's School relies on the generosity of parent volunteers, and there are SO MANY benefits to helping out around our school.
Over the next few days you will receive two Operoo eForms:
- 2022 Engaging Volunteers - Child Safe Standards: This eForm will contain documents that form part of our volunteer recruiting requirements under the Child Safe Standards. All parents that wish to volunteer at St Paul's in 2022 are asked to read the documents and acknowledge that they understand the terms and conditions of volunteering at St Paul's.
- 2022 Working Bees and Emerald BBQ - Supporting St Paul's School: We respectfully request that each family please look ahead at your commitments for this year, and nominate for either: ONE Working Bee OR ONE Emerald Barbecue. The dates are contained within the Operoo eForm.
WORKING BEES
We are incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated families, willing to pitch in and help, whenever the need arises. We are also very fortunate at St Paul's to have well maintained and attractive school grounds. Throughout this year we will hold 3 Working Bees to help with the upkeep of the school grounds. The school currently pays for all lawns to be mowed on a regular basis. However, we do not have the budget to employ a person to maintain the gardens. Therefore, Working Bees are essential to maintaining our beautiful school grounds, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for our children.
EMERALD BBQ
Emerald Meats, managed by Alan and Joy Mills (a past St Paul's family) kindly donate sausages and barbecue facilities in the heart of the Emerald township - right outside the Emerald Meats store - 3 times, on a Saturday, throughout the year. This wonderful opportunity has been afforded to us for many years and we are extremely grateful to Alan and Joy.
St Paul's is in the enviable position of having a location on offer where the school's name and profile can be promoted, and necessary funds can be raised. Other benefits of the Emerald Barbecue over the years have been the opportunity to network with other families and build connections throughout our community. Each barbecue requires 4 families to assist, with two families from 9:00am - 11:00am and two families from 11:00am - 1:00pm.
We hope that each St Paul's family will contribute some time to helping with either of these events, at least once during the school year.
Ready, Set, Prep!
We invite 3yo, 4yo and 5yo preschool children, and their families, to experience a "taste" of school through our "Ready, Set, Prep" program. We run fortnightly sessions throughout Term 2 and Term 3 for those families that wish for an insightful school transition experience. The program is open to all preschool students, not only those enrolling at St Paul's. If you have family or friends with preschool children, please invite them along to our "Ready, Set, prep" program, beginning in May.
Open Day Tours
The school has three Open Days planned for parents intending to enrol their children in 2023 and beyond. The school will be open to visitors from 9:30am - 10:30am on Thursday 17 March and Tuesday 29 March and Wednesday 11 May. If you know of anyone considering enrolling their children at St Paul’s, please encourage them to contact us and register for a tour. Alternatively, they can take a school tour at any other time, by arrangement. Remember, the greatest form of school promotion/marketing is ‘Word of Mouth’.
Prayer Gathering Assembly
This Monday afternoon at 2:10pm we have our next Prayer Gathering Assembly. The assembly will be held in the Church, however, we are still working with restrictions on visitors and therefore we will live stream the Prayer Gathering Assembly for parents that wish to view.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Watt
Newspower Easter Colour to Win Competition 2022
Newspower newsagency are running an Easter Colouring In Competition. Please click the link below for details.
From the School Office
Operoo - Student Medical and Contact Details
It is important to regularly check and update our records for students and Parents/Guardians.
- Have any of your family or contact details changed?
- Have there been any changes to your child's medical profile?
Please ensure that you have reviewed and updated your child's Operoo profile, carefully checking that all information held about your child and emergency contact details are accurate and up to date.
News from Alayne in the Library
I am so happy to share the latest complimentary books the library has received from Scholastic Book Club. Sally M does a brilliant job coordinating the book club orders for us at St Paul's. Any book orders you make through Scholastic book club accrue points, which can then be used to acquire free books for the library. Our children love these new books - often making requests when the catalogues come out.
Thank you everyone!
Alayne
Now due: Student Levies - 18 February
Annual statements for this year's school fees have been emailed to families. The levies portion of school fee accounts was due Friday, 18 February. Please complete this Direct Debit Request Form or contact the school, if you require assistance to set up your periodic payment plan, or to discuss your school fee account.
Conveyance Allowance
If you received Conveyance Allowance for your child in 2021, you do not need to complete an application form for them again in 2022, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.
You only need to complete a new application form if any of the following changes have occurred:
- You have a new student that has started at St Paul’s in 2022 - you will need to complete a new application form for that child only
- You did not apply in 2021
- Changed family circumstances, such as a change of address since 2021
Check with the school office if you are unsure.
Important Notices for Health Care Card Holders:
Camps, Sports & Excursion Fund (CSEF)
New from MACS in 2022 - Concessional Fee Policy
CONCESSIONAL FEE POLICY
From the commencement of 2022 Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) have introduced a Concessional Fee Policy. Please refer to the Policy to determine whether you may be eligible for discounted school fees.
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 (subject to any COVID restrictions in force at the time).
The store is now a CASHLESS STORE, EFTPOS transactions will be the only acceptable method of purchase. Recent changes to improve the health and safety of staff and customers include perspex screens at the registers and the supply of hand sanitiser. We ask that customers please apply this on entry to the store.
Online ordering continues as normal with all delivery options available including contactless pick up. Please phone the store on 9870 1377 if you have any further queries.
Secondhand Uniform Shop
Our secondhand uniform shop is managed by Carla Rademaker with items being purchased by gold coin donation. Payments can be made via CDF Pay. If you are looking for items of secondhand uniform please feel free to text Carla on 0409 866 901 with your wish list. Items will usually be sent home via class tubs or collected from the school office by arrangement.
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.
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
