Dear Parents/Carers,

Covid-19 has continued to strongly influence how we do things at St Michael’s Nowra. Last week I informed parents that the planned Staff Development Day scheduled for next Monday 24 August 2020 had been postponed until Term 4. This means that school will be open every day until the school vacation. We look forward to all students attending school next Monday.

Yesterday the school had two Zoom ‘Reconciliation’ meetings for Catholic students in Year 2 and their families. Due to Covid19 directives regarding the gathering of students and parents, traditional meetings are on hold until the NSW Government allows restrictions to be lifted. All meetings where possible will continue to be held via Zoom. In the two meetings for the Sacrament of Reconciliation yesterday, a video featuring Father Pat, Mrs Mathieson, Mrs Butler and me was shared with the families who joined us online. Thank you to our Year 2 teachers, Mrs Butler, Mrs Boyton, Mr Taylor and Mrs Callaghan who have commenced teaching the sacramental program in preparation for the students receiving Reconciliation over four nights in the church from Monday 7th September to Thursday 10th September.  We are still awaiting clarification regarding the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist (First Holy Communion).

Early in the week, schools were informed of mandatory Covid-19 measures to put in place. From today, the following will occur:

• Student hands to be sanitised when entering the playground and leaving classrooms in the afternoon. Staff on gates to spray each student’s hands as they enter in the morning. Students who arrive before 8.15am are to sanitise their hands from a table outside the office and immediately sit down on the wall outside the office area.
• Any parents/carers who need to enter the school grounds will report directly to the school office. If collecting a student, the office will arrange for the student to come to the office rather than the parent/carer going to the classroom.
• Following sickness with flu-like symptoms, students and staff are required to be free of symptoms AND present a negative COVID-19 test, which must be sighted by the school, before they can return to school.
• Students will now stay within their relevant cohort (i.e. class, year group or stage) for all learning activities. Unfortunately, this means that The Kindergarten and Year 6 buddy program will not be able to continue.
• Singing, chanting and use of wind instruments in group settings is not permitted. The music recorder program will not be able to continue and singing can no longer occur at school at any time.
• Parent/teacher meetings must be held online, except in very limited circumstances.
• All professional development undertaken by staff will be online, except where compliance depends on a face-to-face component, and there will be no mixing of staff from different schools.
• Only incursions/external providers essential to curriculum delivery are permitted. The present gym program in PE can continue.
• Playgroups – including Transition to School Through Play – are not permitted. This will affect our Kindergarten orientation program in Term 4 and we are awaiting further advice.

School gates will close at 8.40am each morning when the staff welcoming the students and providing sanitiser move to their classrooms. Entry to the school will be through the small gate after pressing the button on the left hand side. Sanitising stations will be set up on each side of the gate to allow visitors to sanitise their hands when entering and leaving the school. These will be in place from next week.

I am sure additional directives will be put in place to safeguard our families, students and staff. From a managerial perspective, the additional measures are further reminders of the new normal. If they safeguard all of our school community, the effort is worth it. I am available to clarify these directives. Thank you for your understanding.

The new Mobile Phone and Smart Watch Policy was shared with all families yesterday. It commences today. In short, if your child needs to bring a mobile phone or smart watch to school, it will be placed in a container on the teacher’s desk in the morning and will remain in the school office during the day. It will be returned to the classroom in the afternoon, in time for dismissal. Thank you for your support with this.

Assemblies

From this coming week, the online school assemblies will be combined infants and primary. If you have not had a look at our recent assemblies, there have been a number of additions including the acknowledgement of birthdays. The teachers and Mrs Callaghan have done an amazing job producing these regular assemblies. They are certainly worth looking at each fortnight.

School Crossing Alert – Osborne St

I ask parents who drive down Osborne St through the student crossing to take great care. Council are trying to fast track our application for a ‘lollypop’ person to be on the crossing which presently has red flags on either side. However, some motorists are not stopping at the crossing when the red flags are displayed. This is in fact breaking the law.

I have included two excerpts from  Roads and Maritime Services.

School Carpark

The school carpark has improved except for one ongoing problem. On the attached map I have indicated the area which is to remain free so that cars can leave the carpark from the north end. Please let anyone know who picks up your child as it does cause chaos at times.

Drink Bottles

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the bubblers are not in use. We encourage all students to bring a drink bottle to school each day. These can be refilled at our drinking station.

Thank you for your ongoing support during these challenging times. Despite many obstacles, our students continue to remain resilient and most respectful at all times. They are a credit to you.

Yours in Faith and Virtue,

Mr Christopher Paton

Unfortunately, due to current CEDoW COVID guidelines, we are unable to go ahead with any further Grade Excursions and Sporting Events for the remainder of 2020. The teachers and I are very disappointed to share this news with you. 
 
Parents/Caregivers will receive over the next coming weeks a pro-rata fee reduction or a credit to your school fee account.
 
We understand that the students will also be disappointed by this decision but their health and safety is important in these challenging times.

Thank you.

Nicole Skeers

SSSO

School photos will be held on Monday, 9th November (Term 4).

On Tuesday the 18th of August 2020 the Year 6 Environment Leaders planted 13 native shrubs at the back of the Black Cockatoo Garden out on the oval. The shrubs are a gift from the Year Six students of 2020. They are to help grow our plant variety at St Michaels and encourage small birds into our school.

While we were planting the shrubs we had a little visitor. His name was Planet the blue tongue lizard. He was just waddling by while we were planting the shrubs. Planet has a safe area where he can sun bake and sleep. Planet is now able to chill out in the shade without being in fear of getting trampled on by running kids. 

Miriam Hutchison 6W

MOTHER RUTH FUNDRAISING DAY

The Mother Ruth Scholarship Committee ask for your support

Students are asked to wear coloured socks for Crazy Socks Day

Friday 28th August and donate a gold coin!

Thank you for your continued support

The Mother Ruth Scholarship Fund was established in 1968 in memory of Mother Ruth, who was the Principal of St Michael’s School when she died at the age of 39 years. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist children from St Michael’s School with a Catholic Secondary Education in the Shoalhaven. The first award was made in 1970, money having been raised by friends and admirers from throughout the whole of the local community not just the Catholic sector. At present the scholarship is awarded annually.

The Award is not necessarily granted to the child with the highest academic ability.  The Annual Scholarship of $600.00 is paid direct to St John’s towards the cost of School Fees from Year 7 to Year 10 inclusive.  If the pupil progresses to Senior Years 11 and 12 the Scholarship will continue at $1,000.00.  If the pupil leaves at the end of Year 10 the scholarship ceases.  The scholarship is not transferable to any other school.

There is a large amount of lost property outside the school office. Many items do not have a name on them.

Could you please check if any items belong to your child.

Thanks.

Art Competition

Defence Community Organisation Nowra invites you to show your artistic flair by creating an artwork of your ADF family member. Send a photo of your creation and a short written piece (150 words maximum) about your favourite memory of your ADF family member - maybe it's the time they came home from deployment, how you stay connected when they are at work or what you like to get up too when they are home, to the email address below. Entrants will go into the draw to win one of three prizes!

Submit your photo and short blurb to dco.canberra-nowra@defence.gov.au by Wednesday 26 August 2020.

Winners may be showcased on DCO social media sites. Photo submissions must be under 4MB in size.

DCO Webinar

DCO is hosting another Education and Schooling During and After COVID-19 Webinar. 

This webinar will be held this evening Thursday 20 August at 7:30 AEST. 

Families can register for the webinar via Eventbrite. I have placed the link below but details can also be found on the DCO Facebook page. 

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/an-adf-families-webinar-education-and-schooling-during-and-after-covid-19-tickets-116187378577?aff=erelpanelorg

Thank you.

Mrs Wenban