Last Friday staff from St Michael’s and St Gabriel’s gathered together to participate in a day of professional learning provided by Michael Ymer. Our theme for the day was “ Effective Strategies for teaching Mathematics”. Teachers will now consider some key take aways from the day, and to consider how they could implement these into their current teaching practice. 

Students using smart watches at school 

It has come to our attention that a number of students across all year levels are using their smart watches to contact their parents whilst at school. At times, parents have also contacted their children during school time to relay messages.Unfortunately, sometimes these messages create a moment of anxiety in the child receiving them and then results in the teachers needing to intervene. 

I have attached a snippet from our school technology agreement as a reminder of the school expectations that form the conversations teachers may have with any child seen using their device. 

'If I have a smart watch, I will have it disabled during school hours so no messages or calls can be sent or received. If I am found to be using my smart watch to send or receive messages or take photos, it will be confiscated and not given back until the end of the day or ...confiscated until a parent comes to collect it'

The school office or teacher email should be the first point of contact if parents require relaying a message to their child. 

School Uniform update 

Firstly, an update on the new sports tracksuit. As mentioned in Term One, a new sports tracksuit is currently in production with Lowes. Same design, different material. This has resulted in the current track pants being discontinued and it is no longer available in store. Until the new tracksuit is available in store, we have approved of a fleece track pant option that you can purchase instead. 

A reminder that in the cold weather, all students should have an approved school jacket or woollen jumper with them. Students are constantly being reminded about the correct uniform and wearing it in a respectful way. We ask for your assistance in ensuring the children come to school in the school approved uniform items. Any student in other attire such as hoodies will be asked to remove them and will be offered a jacket from the lost property box as an alternative. 

Jackets or raincoats can be worn outside during break times over the top of their school uniform. 

Multicultural Day Traditional attire

This Friday we celebrate Multicultural Day and we invite you, if possible, to dress in attire from your country of origin and showcase your traditional dress. Please do not go out and buy costumes for this event, as students could wear the colours of their country’s flag. For example, blue and white for Greece; orange, green and white for India or green and gold for Australia. This day is all about celebrating the many cultures that make up our school community and it is a lovely way to be able to teach students about their peers' cultural backgrounds. 

Gates after school 

A reminder that both the Front Gate and back Church Gate are fully supervised by teachers at the end of the school day. We understand that parents may be running late or held up by traffic, and we will remain with your child until you arrive. This is an important conversation to have with your child. Often there are lots of tears and worries when parents are not there to meet their child at the classroom door, but by reassuring them that sometimes you may run late, and that there will be a teacher to watch them, will calm and provide them with a sense of safety. 

Kind regards 

Lia DiCorleto 

Important Dates:

• Thursday 12 June - 5/6 Gold Rush Expo 2:50pm 
• Friday 13th June - Multicultural Day - Mass at 11:30am 
• Thursday 26th June - Grandparents afternoon 2pm 
• Thursday 3rd July - Italian Week Dress up Parade 9am 
• Friday 4th July - End of term - School finishes at 1pm