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This week it was wonderful to have all our students back on site. Our students have come back together Ready to Learn and ready to reconnect with each other. Now the students are back to school they will be working on re-establishing strong routines for learning. This will include opportunities for Religious Education, English, Mathematics while embedding social emotional learning.
Watching the students walk through the gate it is obvious that they have certainly grown taller, but we have noted in just a few days how much they have grown in other ways as well. Many students have grown in confidence and maturity. They have returned with a readiness to bounce back from the many necessary changes to our school routines. Another big change is the opportunity to be in the company of one another again. This highlights our very basic need human need ~ to live in community. What a wonderful community they are a part of here, at Mary Immaculate! The energy of having all our students and staff back at our school site is palpable. We are so grateful to everyone return. This energy feeds into our whole school community bringing meaning and purpose to our work.
I am reminded of a quote by theologian, Fr Ronald Rolheiser: The fuel we need to resource ourselves for our journey in life does not lie in the strength of our own willpower, but in grace and community. We access that through prayer. We are mature to the degree that we open our own helplessness and invite in God’s strength and to the degree that we pray with others that the whole world will do the same thing. The classical definition simply defines prayer as “lifting mind and heart to God”.
As I lift my mind and heart to God, my prayer is that our collective recovery as a school community is one where we strive to see the strengths in others, acknowledge the commitment and success of us all during lockdown and where we may take comfort in knowing how important it is to remain connected with each other.
Let us continue to strive to make Christ’s way and life present within our community.
Tina Murray
Principal
WORLD TEACHERS' DAY
Australia will celebrate and thank the teaching profession on World Teachers’ Day on Friday 29 October 2021. Teachers (with support from parents and carers) have ensured education has been able to continue across the country this year, despite major challenges. It’s reinforced the significant role teachers play in the lives of children and students, their families, and communities. There are a few ways you can join in saying ‘Thanks’ to our teachers.
VIRTUAL APPLE THANK YOU
Join with your child to share a million virtual apples with teachers to let them know they’re appreciated. Visit worldteachersday.edu.au and play a virtual game of catching as many apples as you can to add some virtual apples to the collection as a super easy way to say thanks.
THANK YOU CARD
Print off a Thank You card and ask your child to write a special message to their teacher onto the card. Your child can bring the card along to give to his/her teacher on Friday 29 October. (Templates are below.)
CANTEEN UPDATE
We are pleased to announce that the canteen will re-open next week for ONLINE orders only. Parents will be able to place orders for both Lunch 1 and Lunch 2 using the online portal QuikCliq.
The Canteen Prices can be viewed on QuickCliq when you login.
quickCliq Registration, Set Up, Login Instructions can be viewed below. If you have trouble Registering or Logging in please ring the QuickCliq call centre on 1300 11 66 37.
Orders must be placed by 8:30 am SHARP.
Please ensure you choose the options for LUNCH 1 or LUNCH 2.
UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS UPDATE
Due to the shortened term and the stock issues at Lowes during Term 4, parents are not expected to buy new uniforms for such a short period of time until the end of the year. Students are able to wear either their full Sport or Summer uniforms based on what fits your child and what can be managed throughout the school week.
Let’s make the end of the year as seamless and stress free as possible!
Thank you to all our parents who have ensured that their children are wearing the correct uniform even with this leniency. It is very much appreciated!
A reminder about Sports days:
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Students wear Sport Uniforms on the following days |
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Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
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Year 3 / Year 6 |
Year 5 / Kinder |
Year 2 / Year 1 |
Year 4 / Year 6 |
A reminder that hairstyles should be neat and tidy and appropriate for school. They should not draw attention either because of the style or colour.
We will return to full school uniform expectations at the beginning of the 2022 school year.
HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL: STUDENT ATTENDANCE
As we follow the road map together to a full recovery, the consistent attendance of students at school is crucial to the ongoing academic and social success of our students.
From an early age, if children are taught that they need to 'show up' for school and make a commitment, this positive mentality aids academic and career success and brings benefits in adulthood.
This week we have seen some positive attendance trends in all grades with X% of students attending. Thank you to all our parents for the positive approach taken in supporting the regular attendance of your child.
MEDICAL PLANS -UPDATE
Due to the extended period of remote learning a number of Action Plans have lapsed.
If your child is on an Asthma or Anaphylaxis Action Plan please make sure that the school has an updated copy of their plan.
Copies can be scanned and emailed through to the school email - info@mievdow.catholic.edu.au
BIRTHDAY TREATS
As a school we believe it is important to recognise student birthdays. We do this by honouring students celebrating birthdays in classrooms each day. We also believe it is important to reinforce practices that promote positive student health and learning. We request that parents consider the following information so that learning time, hygiene and wellbeing are not impacted.
We request that parents do not send in whole cakes, instead individual pre-packaged cupcakes or an individually wrapped lollipop that can be easily distributed at the end of the day and taken home for consumption is preferred.
Please use the link below to register your attendance for the Zoom meeting and to add any General Business agenda items.
https://forms.gle/G3qPGKjZKD3uL9ax7
STUDENT WELLBEING
As students return to school, our focus at Mary Immaculate will be around student wellbeing. Over the next few newsletters, I will include a range of activities that will help build and maintain your child’s wellbeing. Most of them are short and require very few materials.
The activities cover six key elements that are important to wellbeing. There are also activities that focus on positive thinking and gratitude as well as breathing exercises that promote calm.
These activities are based on the optional Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials.
SIX KEY ELEMENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO WELLBEING
Understanding emotions
- Understanding emotions helps your child to understand themselves and other people.
- We can do this by focusing on recognising, expressing and managing emotions.
- Understanding emotions is key to building empathy and self-awareness.
Personal strengths
- Help to build your child’s ability to recognise and understand positive qualities in themselves and others.
- This will help to build your child’s self-confidence and the capacity to face and manage challenges.
Positive coping
- Provide opportunities for your child to discuss and learn different types of coping strategies.
- This will increase your child’s ability to manage stress, control impulses and overcome obstacles.
Problem solving
- Your child can develop their critical and creative thinking skills to explore different types of problems.
- This can build your child’s ability to make responsible decisions that consider the likely consequences of different ways of solving problems.
Stress management
- Learn about different calming strategies to deal with stress.
- This can help your child to cope with challenges they are facing now and in the future.
Help seeking
- In these challenging times, it is important to normalise asking for help.
- Your child will learn to recognise situations in which to seek help, identify trusted people in their lives to ask for help and practice asking for and providing help.
INTERVENTION PROGRAMS
As a result of the delayed return to school, the usual intervention programs such as MacqLit, MiniLit and Quicksmart are unable to proceed, due to the required timeframes. Additional class support will be provided in place of these interventions.
MRS LILLIAN DEL GIUDICE
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Welcome back to school to our Kinder and Year One students, they are doing an amazing job of settling back in to school routines. We now look forward to next week when we have all students back! Library lessons will resume as normal from next week so we would be grateful if all the books can be returned as soon as possible so they can be cleaned and re-shelved.
Congratulations to all those students who have already returned their Library books from Term 2. We hope that all the students will return their books as soon as possible – we need to make sure they are sanitized and back on the shelves ready for next year. We will not be borrowing this term because of the need to protect against any increased risk of contamination. Please search at home for any books that may have been misplaced – it has been such a long time they could have slipped under beds, behind cupboards, inside other books. Thank you.
As we have said Poetry is many things to many different people, but it can also be a bit of fun, like this poem from Kenn Nesbitt on his Poetry4Kids website:
https://www.poetry4kids.com/
Welcome Back to School
“Dear students, the lockdown has ended.
The school year at last has again begun.
But this year is totally different.
I promise we’ll only have fun.
We won’t study any mathematics,
and recess will last all day long.
Instead of the pledge of allegiance,
we’ll belt out a rock-and-roll song.
We’ll only play games in the classroom.
You’re welcome to bring in your toys.
It’s okay to run in the hallways.
It’s great if you make lots of noise.
For homework, you’ll play your Nintendo.
You’ll have to watch lots of T.V.
For field trips we’ll go to the movies
and get lots of candy for free.
The lunchroom will only serve chocolate
and triple fudge sundaes supreme.”
Yes, that’s what I heard from my teacher
before I woke up from my dream.
— Kenn Nesbitt
In this poem, you see poetic techniques – Dialogue, Imagery, Irony, Lyric & Dramatic Poems Time for a laugh!
Don’t forget to try to read with your children for at least ten minutes a day, maybe share some poetry. It’s best when read aloud.
"Children are made readers on the laps of their parents."
Emilie Buchwald, Children's Author
Happy reading!
Mrs Susan Bryant
Teacher Librarian
We are seeking your help to support the students in our school who are at risk of anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is potentially life-threatening. The most common causes of anaphylaxis in schools are food and insect allergies. The only way to prevent allergic reactions is to avoid being exposed to the allergen.
Our school is supporting students at risk of anaphylaxis in the following ways:
- training staff,
- encouraging students with food allergy to wash their hands before and after eating,
- encouraging students to wash their hands after eating something their classmate/friend is allergic to,
- teaching students not to share food with friends who have food allergy,
- teaching students the importance of getting help immediately if their friend with allergy looks sick,
- educating students about allergies and anaphylaxis, and
- teaching students that teasing someone with an allergy is not acceptable behaviour.
Food allergy is now common in school aged children. Children can be allergic to any food, and it is not possible to completely remove all foods from our school. To help manage food allergies, our school is following the National Allergy Strategy Best Practice Guidelines (2021) which do not recommend banning foods as this is difficult to enforce and can bring a false sense of safety. Instead, we have chosen not to stock nuts and nut products in our canteen as these foods are not staple foods in the diet. We request that parents also consider not sending nuts to school, especially for younger students. For students in younger primary school years, we may also send letters home to the class of a child with other allergies to discuss ways we may be able to support that child.
As we educate our school community to help with the management of food allergy and anaphylaxis, the parents of the student with food allergy will continue to educate their child on self-management at a developmentally appropriate level.
We ask you to support the school’s risk minimisation strategies outlined so that we can increase safety and provide an environment that meets the needs of all our students.