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Dear parents,
Firstly, I want to congratulate the teachers at St Michael’s who are finding creative ways of engaging with their students remotely. As I have said previously, this is a journey that will evolve, we are all living and working in a way we haven’t experienced before. Already there has been a significant change from an initial learning phase where routines and expectations could be established into a teaching phase where more explicit instruction is starting to be provided. Each learning team are investigating ways of engaging with students and again more opportunities will evolve and be rolled out over the coming weeks.
The following really resonated with me over the past week as I heard from some families about the pressures they are under as they manage the demands of isolation, working and supporting your child(ren) with remote learning.
COVID-19 Kids – what if?
When people say kids are going to be ‘behind’ I say, behind what?? Not each other- they’re all in the same boat. Only ‘behind’ the age expectations of a curriculum that currently has limited context due to these extraordinary circumstances. In front on so many other more important fronts I say.
What if instead of “behind” this group of kids is advanced because of this.
What if they have more empathy, they enjoy family connection, they can be more creative and entertain themselves, they love to read, they love to express themselves in writing.
What if they enjoy the simple things, like their own backyard and sitting near a window in the quiet?
What if they notice the birds and the dates the different flowers emerge, and the calming renewal of a gentle rain shower?
What if this generation is the one to learn to cook, organize their space, do their laundry, and keep a well-run home?
What if they learn to stretch a dollar and to live with less?
What if they learn to plan shopping trips and meals at home?
What if they learn the value of eating together as a family and finding the good to share in the small delights of the everyday?
What if they are the ones to place great value on our teachers and educational professionals, librarians, public servants and the previously invisible essential support workers like truck drivers, grocers, cashiers, custodians, logistics, and health care workers and their supporting staff, just to name a few of the millions taking care of us right now while we are sheltered in place?
What if among these children, a great leader emerges who had the benefit of a slower pace and a simpler life, who has a fine sense of empathy and care and concern for fellow humans.
What if he or she truly learns what really matters in all this…
Stay safe everyone,
Jodie
The leadership team at St Michaels Traralgon will provide a care and supervision program for some students. These students must meet one of the below criteria:
- The child’s parents/carers are classified as essential worker/s and cannot work from home during school hours
- The child is in statutory (court ordered) out of home care
- The child may be at an immediate risk of harm
It would be expected that this would only be necessary during the days you are at work, if you are working part- time then the days you are at home your child would be learning at home with you. We know that we will have families who meet one of these criteria and whilst the majority of staff will be working from home, we will have staff available to provide supervision during this time. To ensure we have adequate numbers please fill in the intention form each week.
| Students who can learn from home, MUST learn from home. |
Victoria's Chief Health Officer, Doctor Brett Sutton has amended the current stay at home directions to provide further clarity about childcare arrangements. You can have another person come to your house to look after your child if you need to go out for one of the four listed reasons (food and supplies, medical care and care giving, exercise, and work or education), or if you are working or studying at home. You may also drop your child at another person’s house to be looked after, while you are out, if it is for one of the four listed reasons. This may help some families who have concerns about how they will manage their work commitments during this time.
The intention form for week 4 is due by Thursday 30th April by email to principal@stmtraralgon.catholic.edu.au
Onsite Intention 4th May - 8th May 2020
The Office team will also be working remotely for Term 2 therefore the office will be unmanned.
- If you need to contact the Office please email office@stmtraralgon.catholic.edu.au or call the school mobile on 0455 952 026 and they will pass on messages via email to staff.
- If you have any questions regarding remote learning please contact your child's classroom teacher via email.
- Please refrain from contacting all staff via personal mobiles/email or social media.
As per the fee letter sent to families on 6th April 2020, Important Message about School Fees, there will not be an automatic reduction in school fees for term 2.
School fees are an essential portion of resources for the operation of our school and assist our leaders and staff to enhance curriculum and teaching programs. Therefore, we are asking, for those who can, to continue to support the school financially.
If you have concerns about your financial situation, please contact Maria Churton, School Administration Officer at office@stmtraralgon.catholic.edu.au so that we can explore confidential financial support arrangements to enable your child(ren)’s education at our school to continue.
2020 Camp Fees
At this stage all camps are still proceeding and therefore camp fees have not been removed from fee accounts.
Grade 4 camp - September, due 07/08/20
Grade 3 camp - October, due 30/10/20
Grade 6 camp - November, due 30/10/20 (this fee is not due in term 2 as shown on fee statements)
We will keep you updated on any activities that are cancelled such as camps and swimming and where no alternative is available those fees will be removed and not payable.
Thank you for your understanding.
Save the Date
Mum and me stay at home style
Many of you will have joined in our annual ‘Mum/special person and me’ night which we hold each year in our school hall prior to Mother’s Day. This year will be a little different to other years as we will not be able to gather as a community. Our hope is that this will not stop us from being creative and taking up the challenge to recreate our fun night in our homes.
Date: 8th May
Time: 6.30-7.30 pm
Venue: Somewhere relaxing in your house!
Get your best stay at home outfit ready and stay tuned for more details next week!
Here are some fantastic examples of some of the artwork received by Mrs Hanrahan and Mrs Hill.
Answer from last week:
$159.95 - $83 = $76.95
$76.95 - $20 = $56.95
The profit on each skateboard sold is $56.95.
Welcome to the 2020 Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge.
Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge
The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and St. Michael’s Primary School is excited to be participating. A new application is being used this year that 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 4 September 2020.
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 booklists and for more information about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, visit:www.education.vic.gov.au/prc
As you know, reading helps ensure children develop important foundational skills –
setting them up for school and for life. Just as importantly, reading also helps our kids imagine, explore and learn more about the world around them.
This year, everyone who completes the Challenge will receive a Certificate of
Achievement – and with more than 12,000 titles on the Challenge’s reading list, there really is a book for everyone.
For children not yet at school, the Challenge invites parents and carers to experience
40 books with their child. For students from Prep to Year 2, the Challenge is to read or experience 30 books and for students in Years 3 to 10, the Challenge is to read 15 books.
I also encourage you to visit the Challenge Facebook page: facebook.com.au/VicPRC
There you can join the community of avid readers to share stories, stay informed and
recommend books.
Victorian Premier's Reading Challenge
Please follow the link if you wish to order from this catalogue. Orders Will close the 8th of May. We will not be accepting cash payments for this catalogue.
