Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

Whilst we know that it can be tricky to navigate drop off and pick up times at school, we have noticed that a growing number of children are being collected from school much later than 3:20pm. Teachers are on duty until 3:30pm for those unavoidable late pick ups, however all staff then have commitments such as meetings to attend to after school. 

We ask that parents are on time to collect their children after school to ensure that we are able to meet our after school demands. If you know that you are going to be late to school pick up, we ask that you consider an alternate after school care arrangement for your child as it cannot be expected that staff will continue to care for your child for long periods of time after the school day has finished. We appreciate your co-operation with this matter. 

School Swimming Program

The school swimming program has commenced for the grades 5/6 children at the Ford Centre in Traralgon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to cancel our planned swimming and water safety programs in 2020 and 2021. Swimming and water safety is included in the Health and Physical Education curriculum from Foundation to Level 10 so is an important aspect of the learning program we offer at St Michael’s.

The Swimming in Schools initiative provides funding for the delivery of quality swimming and water safety education so all students have the opportunity to:

• learn how to swim
• develop lifelong skills in water safety to reduce their risk of drowning and injury.

By the end of primary school, it is anticipated that students should be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills identified in the Victorian Water Safety Certificate.

The certificate is awarded when a student can:

• swim 50m continuously
• answer water safety-based questions
• perform simple rescues.

Being able to swim and be confident in the water is an essential life skill for children. It is an expectation that all children will participate in this program.

New Child Safe Standards

The newly revised Child Safe Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2022. 

The protection of children and young people is based on the belief that each person is made in the image and likeness of God and that the inherent dignity of all should be recognised and fostered. 

St Michael’s is committed to child protection strategies and procedures to ensure the care and protection of all children and young people in the school and safeguarding children and young people against all forms of neglect and/or abuse. 

The new Child safe standards were mandated on the 1st July 2022 to further strengthen child safe environments and protect children from abuse. These standards will replace the previous seven standards and the focus of each one is detailed below. As a part of St Michael’s ongoing commitment to child safety, our Child Safety Team will ensure that these are unpacked, implemented and actioned within the school environment with all staff, students and families. This will take place over the remainder of the year. More information will be shared through the school newsletter. 

Child Safe Standard One

Establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.

Child Safe Standard Two

Ensure child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.

Child Safe Standard Three

Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

Child Safe Standard Four 

Families and communities are informed, and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

Child Safe Standard Five

Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.

Child Safe Standard Six

People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.

Child Safe Standard Seven

Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused.

Child Safe Standard Eight

Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.

Child Safe Standard Nine

Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed. 

Child Safe Standard Ten

Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.

Child Safe Standard Eleven

Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.

Kind regards,

Jodie

On Thursday 21st July Mark Clarke from Catholic Mission came to visit our school. Mark spent the morning working with the Student Leaders and then had the opportunity to work with all of the Grade 5/6 children. 

Over the morning Mark shared with the leaders the importance of being “student leaders rather than student followers” and to be thinkers in the world rather than just roll along with the crowd. Together we explored equality and equity and what this looks like. We created a picture of what Justice looks like and the need to restore balance.

Mark also worked with the children to develop a sense of what Mission is about and why it is so important today. According to the Oxford Dictionary mission is 1. an important assignment to a person or group of people, typically involving travel abroad. 2. The vocation or calling of a religious organisation, especially a Christian one, to go out into the world and spread its faith.

Mark then spent time talking about the work that Catholic Mission is doing in Ethiopia this year to “go out into the world and spread faith”. One of the projects that they are working on is to support the Goat Rearing Centre in Emdibir, Ethiopia. By supporting this project we are allowing the community to expand their Goat Rearing Centre through a breeding program. This will be an ongoing project that the community will continue to run. Along with the meat that the goats provide, the community will also have access to the nutritional benefits of the goat through milk and cheese and will be able to use their fleece. The community will also be able to sell the goats, providing an income. The Goat Rearing Centre is teaching the community to become independent and create a resource for the future while providing important nutritional elements for today.

The students had an informative day with Mark. Here are a couple of comments from our Student Leaders:

We had to take our shoe off to see what it was like to be uncomfortable -Indi

I liked learning about what the catholic mission is going to do this October to help Ethiopia. Learning all about the goats was very interesting. - Chloe

We look forward to sharing more about our mission as the term progresses. 

Each week students from each class are awarded Student of the Week certificates. These children are nominated for the example they have been within the school based on the School Wide Expectation focus for that week. The weekly focus will be from Wednesday until Tuesday the following week. Awards will be presented to students at assembly on Friday.

In Week 2 the School Wide Expectation focus was Safety: 

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge

The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and (insert school name) is excited to be participating. The PRC application offers a range of exciting features including:

• access to a library catalogue (including book images and blurbs)
• a modern user-friendly interface
• rewarding students with badges as challenge milestones are achieved 
• the option for students to mark books as a favourite, give them a star rating or complete a book review

The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 in recognition of the importance of reading for literacy development. It is not a competition; but a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 2 September 2022.

Children from Prep to Year 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers. Children from Year 3 to Year 10 are challenged to read 15 books.

All children who meet the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers.

To read the Premier’s letter to parents, view the booklist and for more information about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/premiers-reading-
challenge

To join the challenge please click on the link below:

Victorian Premier's Reading Challenge 2022