Filter Content
Dear Families,
Welcome back for Term 3. I hope that you and your family had an opportunity for a good break during the school holidays.
Parent Teacher Interviews - Week 1 Term 3
Thank you to the parents and carers that were able to attend their child’s parent teacher interview. Some were in person (Kindergarten and Year 1) and some were online via ZOOM (Years 2-6). If for some reason you have not made a time yet, please contact your child’s teacher via Class Dojo to make a suitable time. Given the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, it is important we try to have a meeting with each parent/carer.
Just so you are aware, ELC Parent/Teacher Interviews are being conducted in Weeks 2 and 3 on their respective full time or part time days.
Subjects not assessed in Semester One will need to be taught and assessed in Semester Two. Students have been working in Italian through the classroom lessons and remote learning period and many students did complete some of the work set by Ms Gabry Borzatti. However, to be fair to all students no grade was given for Italian in Semester One. Instead, work completed by students will be taken into account for their grade in Semester Two.
Term 3 COVID -19 Update for St Anthony’s:
I think we have all been keeping an eye on how the COVID-19 cases have been tracking in ACT and across the country. The situation is still very serious and at St Anthony’s we continue to be cautious about the restrictions at school.
Catholic Education representatives are meeting daily to monitor the COVID-19 situation in the ACT and other regions. They have developed a roadmap to guide us back and forth through various stages of restrictions.
At St Anthony’s:
- Parents are still only permitted to attend/enter the school for a pre-arranged/booked appointment. All parents and visitors entering the school grounds must sign in and out, including parents coming in for short meetings. The are ipads (and a paper back-up) in the school foyer is the current place for entry and exit to the school, antiseptic wipes and sanitiser available.
- Morning Assemblies at 8.55am will continue. Staff and students can speak or include items for daily assemblies. The brilliant STAN News will continue on Wednesdays.
- Friday Assemblies - if permitted we will resume assemblies in the hall but they will be at 10.30am leading into recess as no parents are allowed to attend at this point. Awards will be given out at the assemblies.
- Excursions - are permitted up to 100 people including adults but only in the local area. It is unlikely that our students will be attending excursions at present unless the activity is essential for learning.
- Incursions - these are permitted and are a safer option than excursions at this point. Those presenting the activity must comply with social distancing and hygiene measures. There may be a few incursions allowed and risk assessments will be undertaken.
- Interstate Excursions/Camps - As of this week NO overnight camps are allowed. We are still planning for Year 5 Camp in September to go ahead, but with day activities only. The Year 6 Camp in November is still booked but we will review closer to the time.
- Year Level Assemblies and Community Prayer - Only Year 4 had the opportunity to present an assembly before COVID-19 restrictions came into force. Large assemblies are not permitted at this point. Large adult gatherings are also not allowed. We have decided the best way forward for the remaining year levels is to put together one presentation (between now and say mid-Term 4) of student work and activities that can be recorded and shared with parents and carers. It could be a collection of stories, work samples, a prayer, project presentations by students. The idea is that we share good news stories about learning. We know it is challenging for parents not to be able to come into classrooms and school so we hope this helps.
- Whole School Liturgies - Again, these will be limited to major feast days and events only, hopefully recorded and shared with the community. We hope that Kindergarten can still present their Christmas Nativity towards the end of the year.
- Sport - Community Sport has started recently under strict conditions. Sports clinics and inter-school sport may be a possibility at some point. I’m not sure how much community sport we will participate in as a school but I am confident we can organise some sports events within the school that promote team play and individual skills.
Heath and Hygiene Precautions MUST Continue in the School, ELC and OOSCA
- Students, staff and visitors should not attend school if they are unwell.
- Social distancing of adults of 1.5m
- Frequent washing of hands by students and staff
- Frequent hand sanitising by students and staff
- Student desks and common work areas in your classroom wiped down daily.
- Our school cleaners continue to clean hard surfaces and frequent touch point surfaces nightly.
- No sharing of food. Birthday treats can be individual cupcakes or pre-packaged treats.
Car Park - COVID-19 Still Impacting Drop Off and Pick Up Routines
As parents are still unable to access school grounds I expect that there still needs to be careful consideration given to how the car park flow works before and after school. I expect that there will still be extra cars at both morning and afternoon peak times of the day. I will continue to work with Michelle to support ELC parents as well as our primary parents at these times. Some staff are parking in the gravel overflow park to allow ELC parents a place in the main car park to collect students before and at 3.00pm. Extra staff are on duty at the front of the school to assist the safety and flow of traffic.
We are working to ensure families that only have an ELC child at the school to collect are able to leave the school driveway before primary students are picked up. Thanks for supporting us in this consideration. If you are caught in that loop of traffic, you may have seen that we are asking some cars to do an extra loop of the internal car park to keep traffic moving.
You can assist us by not coming to the drive through areas too early before 3.05pm. You can pick up your children anytime between 3.05pm and 3.30pm.
Staff News and Changes
Anissa Syminigton - Mrs Symington has finished her chermotherapy, and will soon start radiotherapy. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. We hope to have her back to school soon.
Welcome back to Olivia Le in the ELC office. Olivia has returned from maternity leave. Olivia will return 18.5 hours per fortnight and job share with Emma in the ELC office. Emma will also work 18.5 hours per fortnight in the ELC. They both bring a range of skills and experience that will continue to support Michelle and the staff in the ELC.
Welcome to Emma Neal who joins Katie Akers and Sarah Waller, our primary school front office team one day per week (Tuesdays), providing time for the office staff to be able to complete more of the tasks that are required. This will also provide a nice link between the ELC and the primary section of the school. As mentioned above Emma continues to work in the ELC Office with Olivia.
Welcome to Laura Adams 6P - Laura will teach one day per week on 6P with Angela Bartkowiak. I know Laura from my time at St Clare of Assisi a few years ago. More recently Laura has taught at St Gregory's in Queanbeyan where she is currently on leave. Laura also knows Mrs Bartkowiak so that will help in the process of providing consistency in the teaching and learning for the students in 6P.
School Photo Day
School photos were held last Wednesday, including some family photos. Staff and students have had individual photos so they can be put into composite groups. If your child was away or missed a family photo opportunity, our photographer is coming back on Wednesday 5 August (morning). Please let Katie in the front office know if you require a photo taken. Our new photo company this year is Master School Portraits (MSP).
Student Sign in and Out Procedures
With the recent introduction of the new ‘Compass’ school administration system across CE schools, the signing in and out process at St Anthony’s has had to become more stringent. The start of the school days is 8.55am and students are expected to be at school at this time. There is a short leeway for students that may be up to 10 minutes late for some reason. HOWEVER, if students arrive at school at or after 9.05am they are considered to be officially late to school and MUST be signed into school by their parents or carers. Parents/carers must come into the school and physically sign their child/ren in on the ipad in the front office.
Short term parking is allowed in the school driveways from 9.05am for this to occur.
As usual, teachers will receive a notification directly from the ipad entry by the parent or carer - this is used for completing the class attendance rolls. Late arrivals and early departures/pick-ups from school will be logged and tracked in the Compass administration system.
New Parent Agreement.
Recently all parents enrolling students in the school were provided with the new Catholic Education ‘Parent Commitment Agreement’. This must be signed by all new parents enrolling their child in a catholic school and for a place to be offered at St Anthony’s. If parents do not wish to sign the form and comply with the guidelines then a place in catholic education will not be offered. Parents and carers of students already in the school will be made aware of the Parent Commitment Agreement and its content and in good faith will be asked to follow the same guidelines.
A copy of this agreement is attached for your information. I think the ‘Parent Commitment Agreement’ will provide clarity around the expectations of the relationships that best support a productive and respectful partnership between home and school. It is a step in the right direction to respecting the professionalism of staff and also reduce incidents of workplace bullying and harassment. The agreement also provides a guide for the support parents will receive from our staff.
2020 Enrolment Interviews ELC and Primary
Early this term Michelle and I will be conducting a large number of 2021 Kindergarten and ELC respectively. This is an exciting and pleasant process as we meet our new students and families. 2021 Enrolment numbers for both the ELC and Kindergarten are very good.
Thank you for your continued support as we navigate the forever changing climate regarding COVID-19.
Take care,
Greg Walker
Principal
Happy Birthday to everyone in our community who had a COVID birthday during April and June.
July Birthday wishes....
Isaacs W, Gabrielle S-C, Alexander B, Maggie K, Erin K, Lachlan Mc, Michael R, Ryan H, William D, Khloe D, Naomi D, Zorawar R, Halina W, Keturah C, Harrison W, Kailey C, Elyse H, Sophie M, Emily R, Nate S, Jackson B, Audrey K, Thomas K, Toby O, Isabel L-P, Griffin R, Daniel R, Caitlin W, Rafael Y, Oscar H, Zacharie T, Elettra C, Cody O, Suella B, Ari C, Noah H, Tala N, Lucas K, Auriol L, Madalin S, Isabelle B, Vannessa P and Blake R.