ISSUE 4: 18th February, 2022
Principal / Executive Leadership Team
Dear Parents, Carers, Staff, Students and Friends,
I would like to thank and congratulate you all on your responsible and positive response to the continued issues faced by the COVID pandemic. We have been very fortunate that only a few families have been impacted and we have been able to run ‘business as usual'. Unfortunately, I like several other families have been caught up as a household contact of a positive case and have had to isolate across this week. I would like to thank Mr O’Callaghan and others who have stepped up while I have been working from home.
Yesterday the Premier announced that a number of COVID rules will be eased. We are currently awaiting an updated School Operations Guidelines to see how this will impact our school. As relevant changes become clearer we will communicate important information through PAM.
School Photos
School Photos will occur on Monday, 21st February. Orders will need to be completed online. Please see the Information Flyer below.
Please note if you require a family photo this must be ordered online by 4:30 pm on Sunday, 20th February.
All students are expected to wear their full summer school uniform on this day. Any classes who have PE/Sport on Monday are required to bring their runners to change into for their lesson.
Pupil Free Days
This Wednesday, 23rd February we have a Pupil Free Day with staff involved in a Reframing Learning and Teaching Environments (ReLATE) professional development facilitated by The MacKillop Institute.
On Friday 4th March we have a Pupil Free Day with staff involved in Scaffolding Literacy professional development. This provides support to teachers to improve the writing skills and achievement of students and increase reciprocity between reading and writing.
Division Tennis
We wish James Clay, Alby Woollard, George Daley, George Miller, Oliver Farnsworth, Daisy Barber and Alice Siale all the best at Wednesday’s Division Tennis.
Beginning of Year School Mass
Our Beginning of School Year Mass will be held next Thursday, 24th February at the Sacred Heart Church, starting at 9.30 am. The 2022 Student Leadership Team will be presented with their badges during this celebration. Parents are welcome and able to attend this Mass.
School Advisory Council
Our School Advisory Council (SAC) meeting will be held on Tuesday, 22nd February at 5:15 pm in the staffroom. We will send out an agenda to parents on Monday.
Assembly
Dourim will host Assembly on Friday at 2:30 pm. Parents are invited to attend.
Canteen Helpers
Our canteen is organised and run by our canteen manager Agata Gray. Our canteen operates two days a week on a Wednesday and Friday and provides lunches for students. We rely on parent helpers in the canteen and are searching for more volunteers. If you wish to help in the canteen, please call the office on 50231204 and register your interest.
Continuous Learning Plan
Our school community has been fortunate that we have not had significant staff numbers impacted by COVID such that we have continued to provide quality learning and teaching and student care. I remind families that this could change quickly and the school may be required to ask some classes or year levels to stay home if we do not have adequate staff numbers onsite. We hope that this is not the case, but if it does become a necessity, we will work hard to minimise any disruption.
Swimming
The students have really enjoyed their week of swimming. Thanks to Mildura Waves for their organisation and program.
Shrove Tuesday Breakfast
On Tuesday 1st March we celebrate Shrove Tuesday, Shrove or Pancake Tuesday marks the end of Ordinary Time in the church's liturgical calendar. It signals that we are coming into Lent. We will celebrate Shrove Tuesday from 7:50 am-8:40 am with families welcome to join us for a free pancake breakfast on the Oval. We will need all hands on deck so if any parents can assist with serving, setting up, or cooking please let myself know. Please email principal@shmildura.catholic.edu.au or contact the Office.
Goodbye & Goodluck
Tuesday is Vijayesh Ramasubramanian (Eumeralla) last day at Sacred Heart before his family moves to Queensland. We thank Vijayesh and his family for their contribution to Sacred Heart and we wish them all the best.
COVID Cases
Over this week we have only had two COVID cases where students have been in attendance at school which is very positive. Several families have been impacted as being household contacts of positive cases. We thank families for your co-operation. We encourage families to complete their twice-weekly RA Tests as some cases within the school have had no symptoms but testing has indicated a positive test. Please inform the school of positive cases.
Students with any COVID-19 symptoms should be tested for COVID-19 and kept home until their symptoms subside even if they test negative on a rapid antigen test. If students display symptoms at school they will go to the sickbay and parents will be called to collect their child.
Rapid Antigen Test Delivery #3
The state government has announced a continuation of Rapid Antigen Testing. We hope to send home again RAT kits next Friday. If students are absent they will be sent home with students when they return to school. We ask that you store tests safely as they will be unable to be replaced.
Prep Rest Days
When students first start Prep they can get very tired so rest days are built into the program up until the Labour Day long weekend. Please see below the schedule for the first term.
Have a great week everyone and God Bless!
Mark Gibson
COVID Positive Case Procedures
Below is a summary of what you need to do in the event that your student or a member of your household produces a positive test result.
A student tests positive to COVID19, either through RA test or PCR test
- Isolate at home or in private accommodation for 7 days (inclusive of weekends) and do not attend school during this period.
- Inform the school that they have tested positive to COVID-19.
- Self report via https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/rapid-antigen-tests#report-a-positiveresult-on-a-rapid-antigen-test
- A negative test is not required to return to school following completion of 7 days of Isolation.
- Anyone who has recovered from COVID-19 is exempt from testing and quarantine requirements if they are re-exposed to a case within 30 days of testing positive.
- Follow the Checklist for COVID cases located at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases
A student is a household contact to a positive COVID-19 case:
- You have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility.
- Inform the school that the student is a household contact.
- Follow the Checklist for COVID contacts. https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklistcases
- Students must quarantine for 7 days (inclusive of weekends) and must not attend school during this period.
- Contact at school is not included in this definition, unless contact has occurred in a school based residential setting, e.g. school camp or boarding school.
A student has been in contact with a case of COVID-19 at school:
- If asymptomatic, students should continue to attend school and monitor for symptoms.
- If symptomatic, all students must stay or return home, take a rapid antigen test, or get a PCR test if a rapid antigen testing kit is unavailable.
- On receipt of a negative test result, and if well enough, the student can return to school.
- If students are too unwell to attend school, usual leave/absence policies apply.
Follow the Checklist for COVID contacts. https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases
Religious Education
Sacrament of Reconciliation & Parent Information Session
Year Three & Four students have received an Enrolment Form (blue) for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If you wish to register your child for this Sacrament please fill in the form and return to the Sacred Heart Parish Office (257 Eleventh St Mildura). Please also bring a cash payment of $50 and provide your child's Baptism Certificate. Registration needs to be completed by Friday 18th February. The Parent Information session for this Sacrament will be held on Wednesday, 23rd February at the church at 7pm. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be held on Wednesday, 6th April.
Please contact the Parish Office if you have any questions or Ryan O'Callaghan at school via phone or ryocallaghan@shmildura.catholic.edu.au
2022 Sacramental Program Dates
Sacrament of Reconciliation 2022 Year 3 & 4 students
Parents Information Night Wednesday 23rd February 7pm Sacred Heart Church
Celebration of Sacrament Wednesday 6th April 7pm
Sacrament of Confirmation 2022 Year 3, 4 & 5 students
Parents Information Night Wednesday 27th April 7pm Sacred Heart Church
Celebration of Sacrament Friday 3rd June, Saturday 4th June & Sunday 5th June
Sacrament of First Communion (Eucharist) 2022 Year 4 students
Parents Information Night Wednesday 7th September 7pm Sacred Heart Church
Celebration of Sacrament Friday 21st Saturday 22nd Sunday 23rd October
Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) 2022 Year 2 students
Parents Information Night Wednesday 12th October 7pm Sacred Heart Church
Celebration of the Sacrament Wednesday 23rd November 7pm Sacred Heart Church
Learning and Teaching News
Nothing to report this week.
Prep Unit News
This week in Prep we have continued our A.M.A.Z.I.N.G learning of the sounds ‘s’, ‘a’, ‘t’, ‘p’ ‘i’ and ‘n’. We have been on a hunt around the school to find words that have the ‘s’ sound at the beginning, made all the sounds with playdough and had a go at writing each sound beginning at the correct starting point.
This Monday is our school photo day. All children need to be in full summer uniform.
A friendly reminder that ALL students should have their own headphones at school please.
Today your child/ren has brought home their school workbooks, could these please be covered in clear contact and returned to school on Monday.
Prep Unit Team Contact Details
- Unit Leader: Mrs Rebecca O'Callaghan
- Cooinda (Year Prep): Mrs Rebecca O'Callaghan
- Wahroonga (Year Prep): Miss Courtney Sheridan
Junior Unit News
It was a magnificent week of Swimming, Valentine's Day and FUN with students smiling, laughing and telling many stories about their experiences. We appreciate all the extra organisation that you have put into this week, ensuring that our children were able to fully participate in our swimming program.
Our students are establishing sound morning routines and getting better at remembering to bring their library bag each day which has their diary and take-home reader.
This MONDAY is our school photo day. YAY!! We look forward to seeing all our students in their Summer school uniform on this day.
Should you need to cover your child's workbooks, please arrange a time with your child's classroom teacher.
A friendly reminder that ALL students should have their own headphones at school ASAP please.
All Junior Unit students should have received their passwords for both PM eCollection and Reading Eggs. These logins can be used at any time, especially if your child needs to isolate for a period of time. You are welcome to contact your child’s teacher should you need any assistance with Reading Eggs of PM eCollection.
Junior Unit Team Contact Details
Click on the teacher's name if you wish to email them.
- Unit Leader: Mrs Katrina Groves
- Karinya (Year 1): Mrs Katrina Groves (Monday-Thursday) & Mrs Amilea Pacher (Friday)
- Bundaleer (Year 1): Mrs Maree Irvin (Tuesday-Friday) & Mrs Amilea Pacher (Monday)
- Barramunga (Year 2): Miss Georgina Hewitt
- Waminda (Year 2): Mrs Chris Carmichael
- Kyema (Year 2): Mrs Kim Taylor
Middle Unit News
We’ve had another very busy week in the Middle Unit! This week we have enjoyed participating in our Swimming Lessons at Mildura Waves. All students learned some important skills to stay safe around water.
Next week we look forward to our school photos (all students to be in full summer school uniform) on Monday and our Beginning of Year Mass on Thursday.
Some friendly reminders:
- Please ensure your child has a named set of headphones at school.
- Students are asked to bring their own mask to school. It might be a good idea to purchase a packet to be left in your child’s bag.
- Please ensure books have been covered.
- Home reading has commenced so we do ask that parents support their child by ensuring they read for at least 20 minutes each night and have their diary filled in and signed by a parent. This is currently our homework expectation.
Middle Unit Team Contact Details
Click on the teacher's name if you wish to email them.
- Unit Leader: Miss Sophie Price
- Minga (Year 3): Mrs Cathryn Rowles
- Eumeralla (Year 3): Mrs Sarah Beckwith
- Amaroo (Year 4): Mrs Natalee Johnson
- Yongana (Year 4): Mr Corey Barbary
- Mootwingee (Year 4): Miss Sophie Price
Senior Unit News
Students have had a great week participating in our Swim & Survive Program. They have learnt many new skills and refined their swimming technique.
Students will need to wear their summer uniform on Monday for our School Photos. They are encouraged to bring their runners to change into after the photos so they can participate in their Sport lesson after lunch.
Dourim will be hosting next Friday’s assembly. We look forward to seeing you there.
Reminders:
- Students need their own set of headphones to use at school.
- Homework has commenced. This includes a homework sheet that is handed out each Monday and is due back each Friday for correction. Daily home reading is an important part of the students’ homework. Students have been given a ‘Student Diary’ to track their daily reading.
Senior Unit Team Contact Details
Click on the teacher's name if you wish to email them.
- Unit Leader: Mrs Jo Campbell
- Myalla (Year 5): Mrs Kerryn Weaver (Monday-Wednesday) & Mrs Emma Kotsiakos (Wednesday-Friday)
- Illawarra (Year 5): Miss Belinda Zappia
- Narooma (Year 6): Mrs Jo Campbell
- Dourim (Year 6): Mrs Xana Priestley
Performing Arts News
Choir rehearsals are underway on Fridays. Thank you to all who came to our first rehearsal last week. If you were absent, there is still time to sign up, just come and see me on Friday or email ctaylor@shmildura.catholic.edu.au
Please remember your commitment is needed for ALL rehearsals in both Term 1 and Term 2 as we will be competing in the Mildura Eisteddfod in June. This may include some lunch and recess rehearsals.
Thank you
Miss Taylor
Library
Why reading is important for children:
Sharing stories, talking and singing every day helps your child’s development in many ways.
Reading and sharing stories can:
- help your child get to know sounds, words and language, and develop early literacy skills
- learn to value books and stories
- spark your child’s imagination and stimulate curiosity
- help develop your child’s brain, ability to focus, concentration, social skills and communication skills
- help your child learn the difference between ‘real’ and ‘make-believe’
- help your child understand new or frightening events and the strong emotions that come with them
- help your child learn about the world, their own culture and other cultures.
Sharing stories with your child doesn’t mean you have to read from the book. Just by looking at books with your child and talking about them, you can be a great storyteller and a good model for using language and books. Reading stories with children has benefits for grown-ups too. The special time you spend reading together promotes bonding and helps to build your relationship with your child.
For more information on the importance of reading with your children, visit Raising Children
Library Timetable:
Monday - Mootwingee, Bundaleer, Yongana, Year 6, Amaroo
Tuesday - Year 5, Kyema, Barramunga, Waminda
Wednesday - PUPIL FREE DAY
Thursday - Preps, Eumeralla
Friday - Minga, Karinya
Please ensure library books and bags are at school EVERY day, as some classes may adjust their time due to the Pupil Free day or other unforeseen circumstances.
If you come across a book that is damaged, or you are unable to find your child’s books, please send me an email at wcollins@shmildura.catholic.edu.au
Scholastic Book Club Issue #1
When the Book Club order arrives at school it will be distributed to children in their classrooms. Please contact me with any queries.
Students of the Week & Ray White Awards
We had no Ray White or Student of the Week Awards this week.