News and Events

Dear Parents and Carers, General Faith Night On Tuesday I attended the General Faith Night at St Thomas’ Greensborough. It was an informative evening where I learnt a great deal from Fr Kevin Lenehan. If your child is in Year Two, Three or Six and you were unable to attend on Tuesday, you are invited to attend tonight’s repeat faith night. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Sacraments together. Communication Just a reminder to all parents how crucial it is to read the Candela. This fortnightly newsletter provides important news ensuring all families are informed, aware and fully engaged in St Mary’s Parish School. The Principal takes the time to write the Candela so that there is clear communication about events, issues and celebrations. There is now a two-month calendar attached and updated each fortnight. Happy reading! Parent Literacy Workshops Just a reminder of the change of dates for the Literacy Helpers sessions to support parents around the acquisition of Literacy, conducted by Laurina van der EL in Term 1. The original date clashed with the Ash Wednesday Mass. Apologies. Please note the new dates. All parents who have not previously attended the sessions and who would like to assist in the classrooms are required to attend a Parent Literacy session. The correct dates are on the calendar further in the Candela. Information/Permission forms/Agreements Sorry for the delay in sending all Permission notices. The forms will be sent by Friday this week. Please keep a look out for these as it is essential we have the correct permissions. Financial Assistance All families that hold a valid means tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, may be eligible for financial support provided by the Victorian Government. There is a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families. For those eligible, a grant of $125 per primary school student and $225 per secondary students is payable to the school. This money is to be allocated to costs associated with sport activities, excursions and camp. If you are eligible, you are encouraged to apply. The $125 will be deducted from your School Levy. Please contact Rochelle in the Office for an application form. School Closure On the 6 March, St Mary’s Parish School will be closed to accommodate learning for the Staff. All Staff will be trained in level two First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis management. Working Bee Thank you to the families in Year 4 who attended the Working Bee last Saturday. The school looked magnificent when I returned on Monday. A special thank you to the MaD team for organizing and managing the day. Congratulations to Paige for winning the raffle. Please read our President’s message further in the Candela. The next Working Bee is supported by Prep and Year 6 on March 14th. I look Parents Association AGM Thank you to the families who attended the PA AGM last night. A special thank you to Carley and Emma for organizing the event. I am grateful to the parents who have offered to be conveners of the various events throughout the year and to those who have volunteered to be on the Committee. It is crucial that families support this important entity which provides opportunities to build community and fundraises for the school. Prep yr. 6 Buddy Picnic Just a reminder that the Prep Yr. 6 Buddy Picnic is on Thursday the 27th February. I look forward to gathering together and enjoying each other’s company. These events are a wonderful way to build relationships and to relax and have fun as a school community. FIRE Carrier Program At our Ash Wednesday Mass on Wednesday 26 February, students and staff will be inducted as our new FIRE Carriers. These people will lead the FIRE Carrier program in 2020. “FIRE Carriers,” an acronym for “Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education,” is an initiative through the Catholic Aboriginal Ministry of Victoria. Through this program, the FIRE Carriers are commissioned to raise awareness of reconciliation for the wrongs of the past and to promote peace and justice for all, along with learning about and appreciating the rich culture of the Aboriginal peoples. Over the coming weeks, the students will be painting the Totem Poles that stand in our Reflection Garden. There is a Totem Pole for each Level, one for the teachers and one for our community. Each year these are painted to reflect our story for the year. The Totem Poles will be blessed in a ceremony commencing at 2.40pm on Tuesday 10 March. Nomination for School Advisory Board 2020. The Annual General Meeting of the School Advisory Board will be held in the Conference Room in the Administration building on Thursday 26 March. Nominations are now being called for. Any parent who would be interested in joining the Board for a two-year term is welcome to nominate. Please find nomination attached. Skoolbag App Please ensure you have downloaded the Skoolbag app as all important alerts, notices and dates will be transmitted through the App. If your child will be absent from school please communicate this via email, phone call or the Skoolbag e-Form. All dates for the year are already posted on the Skoolbag events calendar. To locate this calendar go to the toolbar at the bottom of the screen and click on the events icon. All important dates will be sent through this function. Events are able to be added to your own calendar. To download the Skoolbag App please go to skoolbag.com.au and search for St Mary’s Greensborough. Please see further information in the Candela Parent Engagement I have attached an article from the Catholic Education Today magazine which speaks about Parent Engagement and the fundamental role, you as parents/carers play in improved outcomes for your child. I welcome any feedback regarding the article or the Candela. Traffic Management Expectations This week the Traffic Management Expectations document will be distributed to all families. Please familiarize yourself with the maps and expectations as safety of our children cannot be compromised and is paramount. Marisa Matthys Principal