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- Prayer
- From the Principal
- Hub News
- 2022 Student Residential Address and Other Information
- Sustainability News
- Travelsmart News
- PFA - Easter raffle
- School Canteen
- CSEF - CAMP, SPORT AND EXCURSION FUND
- Student Conveyance Allowance
- School Photo Day Information
- 2022 Working Bee dates and Mowing Roster
- 2025 Sibling Enrolments, Open Day time and school tours
- FREE Parent Webinar
- Catholic Secondary Open Days
- Oxygen Music Lessons
- Community News
We pray this prayer of peace particularly for the people of Ukraine and their families and friends during this time.
Amen
Dear Parents and Carers
This week sees us enter the Lenten season with Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. Lent is the season in which we prepare for the mystery of Easter. It is a special time of forty days in which we joyfully embrace a conversion of heart. During this Lenten period we are asked to take time to pray, to fast and to give and do for others. Particularly during these terribly worrying and sad times in Ukraine, our hearts go out in compassion to all those who have been affected by the violent conflict. We pray for peace and unity which is at the heart of the Christian message and in Jesus' public ministry he called on those he encountered with, 'Peace be with You.' Pope Francis, Archbishop Peter Comensoli and Fr Darien are calling on all believers and people of goodwill to make this Ash Wednesday 2 March a special global day of peace, prayer and fasting. We also pray for the large number of people displaced from their homes. Let us together keep the people of Ukraine foremost in our prayers.
Lent is also an opportunity, in time, to develop our own character strengths and acknowledge our Catholic values. Firstly we must identify our strengths, and secondly we must be given an opportunity to develop other character strengths, or Catholic values, that may not necessarily be on top of our list. Throughout any given day we can pray for others and give and do for others so everyone gets what they need, whether it be basic life needs like food and water or basic needs of love, acceptance, respect, honesty, forgiveness, love, tolerance or justice. If you are interested to further reflect on and consider what Lent means for Catholics I recommend this link to you. LENT
Today the students celebrated Shrove Tuesday by eating pancakes and with their gold coin donations raised $650. We thank you all for your support.
Working Bees
An integral aspect of school life at Our Lady Star of the Sea is forging partnerships with parents. One aspect of this, which is critical to the care of the school grounds, is the commitment from parents to join in with the organised working bees and mowing roster. Whilst we did not get a big turnout on Sunday we are very thankful for the following families who attended: Glenn Ryan, Lauren Harsley, Amble and Daisy Ryan, Josh Salter, Harvey Salter, Chris Lacy, Joel Swain, Jess Swain, Isabella and Cooper Swain, Mark Monahan and Kellie and Keith Clark. We were able to achieve weeding and mulching of the gardens along the front of our hall and new classrooms. A job well done.
We hope to see more families at the following working bees. Even if you can come to one for half an hour it helps and makes a huge difference not only to our grounds but also the pride of your children in their school and making more connections with each other across the school while teaching them about the importance of volunteering or giving back to their community. It really is an enjoyable and rewarding time. Our working bees also end with a sausage however on this occasion we went for a juicy as the numbers were small.
Sunday 22nd May 10am - 12pm ( Prep Red Hub and Year 3 Yellow Hub Focus)
Sunday 7th August 10am-12pm (Year 2 Blue Hub Focus and Year 6 Orange Hub Focus)
Sunday 23rd October 10am - 12pm (Year 1 Green Hub, Year 4 & 5 Purple Hub Focus)
Parent volunteers: We hope you have enjoyed meeting your child’s class teacher over the last couple of weeks and found them helpful in building relationship and sharing information about your child. Our teachers certainly value this time and across the board have found the start with their students has been very positive.
We are now in a place where we can move forwarded with inviting parent helpers back into classrooms. Engaging volunteers at Our Lady Star of the Sea school is integral to the experience for our students. It provides an important link to the community and the home. Parents and carers are welcome and encouraged to volunteer, especially to work with children in class or on excursions. Volunteering may also include the Mowing Roster, Working Bees or school functions. The Parents and Friends is another way you can get involved and they are certainly looking for volunteers for Earth Fest on April 1.
Earth Fest: Earth Fest Information . Here is the Click here for Earthfest volunteer roster. Even if you can help for half an hour every bit helps. Please look out for the roster on the Parent facebook page also.
Parents at assembly: We are delighted to invite you all back to assembly on any Friday you can make it. We will continue to hold these outdoors and ask that you continue to show your vaccination status at the stations outside near the basketball court. Please access the area outside, not through buildings. We also ask that you carry your mask and wear it if you cannot be 1.5 metres in distance. With this risk plan in place it is wonderful to be able to have you there and build our sense of community further as we see our students shine during assembly and just be together.
I Sea I Care Ambassadors: Part of our sustainability practices and providing opportunities for student agency is the 12 students in Year 6 who were the successful applicants of the I Sea I Care ambassador role. You may be interested in reading Henry Jankowski’s brilliant application (Click here), a sample of the quality of the applications and the passion of our students in this space.
Managing Anxiety at this time: We are acutely aware that yet again we are in a time where our students may be talking amongst themselves or asking questions about what is happening in Ukraine at present. Here is an article you may find helpful as a parent in supporting your child. Please reach out if you feel your child is requiring any further support. Article about anxiety around Ukraine (New York Times) Michael Carr Gregg Schools TV also has some helpful articles.
Wishing you peace and good health over the coming fortnight.
Kerryn
Click here for Earthfest volunteer roster
Click here to join a group for Clean up Australia Day
The Travelsmart Group met this week and it is our responsibility to try and promote healthy travel to school. We conduct surveys fortnightly to determine how many students from each class are travelling to school walking, riding or scooting. The class with the most students travelling actively wins the Golden Sneaker Award. During the year, we will also be a part of Walk to School day and Ride to School day. Let's have a great year and get active!
Each fortnight we award the Golden Sneaker to the class who has the most active travellers. Thanks, Travelsmart leaders.
Families are asked to donate as follows
Year 3-6: Easter eggs
Prep - Year 2: Bags/ baskets
Please send tickets and eggs in no later than Tuesday 26 March
If tickets could be separated and folded upon return,
we would be forever grateful.
Let’s all do our best and try not using snap lock bags/plastic.
Raffle to be drawn the last day of term Thursday 28 March.
Welcome to the School Canteen
The canteen is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
All orders are placed online through the School24 platform. You can either get the School24 App or go online to the School24 website.
How to get yourself started
You will need to set up an account to start – please go to www.school24.net.au and the school registration ID is 2587963.
You will need set up your profile, then your child/children’s details under students.
There are two ways to pay through School24, one being your credit card or alternatively you can load your account with money and then just draw back from your account. See the tab Topup/Recharge.
Should the canteen need to debit or credit your account for any reason this will appear as a – or + on your account. It would be appreciated if you could please ensure that this is kept in the positive and promptly pay any outstanding amounts by loading money onto your account.
Tips for ordering
The cut off time to place an order is 8.50am
Please take care to ensure you order for the correct date, as you can easily preorder for future dates.
When you are ordering you will only see what items are available for that day – for example, we only have pies & sausage rolls available on Wednesdays. These items will not show on the system on a Thursday or Friday.
When you choose an item and add it to your cart it will provide further options - for example if you order a pie – sauce will come up as an option. If you order the Gourmet Salad & Meat Sandwich - different breads & ingredient options will come up.
When you have placed and paid for your order you will receive an email confirming that your order has been received.
If you have any issues getting yourself set up, the team at School24 are very helpful so please do not hesitate to contact them.
If you miss the order cut off time, you can phone the school for help, however we may not be able to provide your child with their preferred lunch order but an alternative will be offered.
Volunteering
The canteen requires volunteers every day that it is open. If you would like to help out please contact Kerry Street on 0414 926 144 or by Messenger.
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.
School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors. Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works while sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. All are a part of a healthy curriculum.
CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is:
- $150 for primary school students
HOW TO APPLY
New applicants should Click here for CSEF Application Form or contact the school office to obtain a CSEF application form.
If you applied for CSEF last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.
You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:
- new student enrolments; your child has started or changed schools this year.
- changed family circumstances; such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing this year.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about CSEF visit:
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/csef.aspx
The Conveyance Allowance is a form of government financial assistance to help families in rural and regional Victoria with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest appropriate school/campus. The allowance is available to eligible students providing the eligibility criteria is met.
Students attending a government or non-government school must:
- attend their nearest government or non-government school/campus appropriate to their year level at which admission is permissible.
- be enrolled at a school/campus outside Melbourne’s metropolitan conveyance boundary.
- reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from that school/campus attended.
- be of school age (5 to 18 years old at time of application) and reside in Victoria.
Click here to access the Student Conveyance Allowance Form for Private Car Travellers This form must be returned to the school office no later than Friday 8 March 2023.
Essential to the care of the school grounds, is the commitment from parents to join in with the organised working bees and mowing roster.
The following dates are the proposed working bee dates for 2022. You are encouraged to committ to one or more of these dates.
2022 Working Bees 10am - 12pm
Sunday 22 May 10am - 12pm ( Prep Red Hub and Year 3 Yellow Hub focus)
Sunday 7 August 10am-12pm (Year 2 Blue Hub Focus and Year 6 Orange Hub focus)
Sunday 23 October 10am - 12pm (Year 1 Green Hub, Purple Hub Year 4 and 5 focus)
If you have a child due to start school in 2025 we ask that Applications for Enrolment are lodged before the end of Term 1. As applications are received by the school, you will be contacted to make a time for you and your Prep 2025 child to meet with Kerryn. To access forms and further information click here.
Open Time and School Tours
The school will be open for student led tours on Tuesday 26 March between 9.15am and 10.30am. Parents and children welcome. No bookings are required.
Information Session for Parents
Parents are invited to an information session on Tuesday 26 March at 6.30pm – 7.30pm.
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