FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK
The annual Year 6 Masses, which are a coming-of-age tradition for students graduating from their primary school education, are an opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist and they also remind students how they can foster their relationships with Jesus through compassionate actions and loving words as they grow.
The NSW Education Act (1990) and Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) require Parents/Carers to ensure that children of compulsory school age attend school on each day that the school is open for instruction. If students are absent from school, Parents/Carers are required to provide the school with an acceptable explanation, within seven days of the absence.
The settings in compass were adjusted to reflect the requirements of the Education Act (1990). After seven days, absences will automatically be recorded as Absent - unexplained / unjustified if the school is not provided with an acceptable explanation from Parents/Carers. Parents wishing to provide the school with an acceptable explanation after the seven-day period, will need to contact the school and the school will adjust the attendance register. Parents will no longer be able to enter the absence through the parental portal in Compass after the seven-day period.
It wonderful to recognise the learning and leadership achievements of stuents in addition to the living of our school values. Please remember if you are motivated to achieve your milestones, keep your awards in a very safe place and then follow the school procedure.
THE AWARD STRUCTURE
- Step 1 - 5 Merit awards = First Assistant Principal Award +
- Step 2 - 5 Merit awards = Second Assistant Principal Award +
- Step 3 - 2 Merit awards = First Principal Award +
- Step 4 - 5 Merit awards = Third Assistant Principal Award +
- Step 5 - 5 Merit awards = Fourth Assistant Principal Award+
- Step 6 - 2 Merit awards = Second Principal Award+
- Final Step - 2 Merit Awards = St Brigid Medal
THE PROCEDURE
- When students achieve a milestone, they are required to submit the actual relevant merit awards to the school office for validation.
- The awards are verified by the Assistant Principal and/or Principal and signed, stamped, and dated
- The next milestone award is presented at the assembly on the Friday after all the documentation is presented.
- The Assistant Principal and Principal will sign and date the back of the awards when they are presented.
- The final awards of the year are presented at the final assembly in Week 9 (if it is a 10-week term) and Week 10 (if it is an 11- week term). No awards will be presented after this assembly.
As you are aware, next month, Wollongong will host an international professional cycling race - the 2022 UCI Road World Championships. The race will run from Sunday 18 - Sunday 25 September 2022 and is organised by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body for cycling, in conjunction with Events NSW and Wollongong City Council and supported by a range of government and local community organisations.
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF THE RACE ON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
While the dates and course maps have been known for some time, it has been quite difficult to confirm accurate and detailed information from the event organisers. In recent days, we have had the information needed to assess the impact of the race on our local Catholic schools in relation to safety, access, transport, and the ability to respond to an emergency or critical incident that might occur at a school site during this time.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR OUR SCHOOL
As a result of our assessments, both St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, Gwynneville and Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School, Fairy Meadow will move to remote learning for the entire final week of this school term (Monday 19 - Friday 23 September 2022). During this time, the two school sites will be non-operational and unavailable for regular access by students, parents/carers and staff. As announced previously, the last day of Term 3, 23 September 2022, is a Staff Development Day for the St Brigid’s staff. Therefore, no remote learning will occur on this day and the last day for the students is Thursday 22 September 2022.
We will welcome students back at school for Term 4, in full summer uniform, on Tuesday 11 October 2022. Much like the COVID-19 remote learning phase, students will continue to learn and be supported by their teachers using online learning platforms such as Google Classrooms and Seesaw. More specific details about the arrangements for remote learning in the final week of the term will be communicated to parents/carers and students in the coming weeks.
ROADS CLOSED
Foley Street, Throsby Dr, Irvine St (Saturday 17 September– Friday 23 September Gipps Rd (Saturday 17 September – Sunday 25 September)
William St (Saturday 24 September -Sunday 25 September)
Irvine St (Murphys Ave to University Ave)
Throsby Dr (Princes Hwy to Foley St)
*William St (Sat 24 Sept 11:30 – 15:00, Sun 25 Sept 09:15 – 12:30)
| DATE | APPROXIMATE TIME |
| Saturday 17 September 2022 | 7:30am - 12:00pm |
| Sunday 18 September 2022 | 8:00am - 6:00pm |
| Monday 19 September 2022 | 11:30am - 6:00pm |
| Tuesday 20 September 2022 | 8:00am - 6:00pm |
| Wednesday 21 September 2022 | 12:30pm - 6:00pm |
| Thursday 22 September 2022 | 8:00am - 13:30pm |
| Friday 23 September 2022 | 7:00am - 6:00pm |
| Saturday 24 September 2022 | 6:45am - 6:00pm |
| Sunday 25 September 2022 | 9:15am - 6:00pm |
Navigating the online experiences of your children requires effort and diligence.
Be prepared for the reality that, despite the best filters and parental controls, at some time your child may stumble across, or be exposured to sexually explicit material, grooming and unwanted approaches from strangers, cyberbullying, internet addiction, privacy issues and sexting, to name a few.
The website for the Office of the eSafety Commissioner has great resources. See below.
Resources:
- https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-and-advice/family-tech-agreement (Amazing for family rules around technology- includes different ages/ how to have a conversation about these)
- https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/online-safety-basics
- https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/hard-to-have-conversations
- https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide (this includes apps/ games)
- https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/taming-technology#using-third-party-software – software to assist in supporting children’s online use- free and step by step guide, as well as paid for applications such as Safe Family (McAfee), Norton 360 w/FamilyNorton.
LUMEN CHRISTI PARISH DINNER
We will continue to invite a cohort of parents each week to engage in the faith and learning environment. The staff really appreciate your support as you continue to follow our existing COVID-Smart measures. We are in a very fortunate position that the staff are remaining healthy and can continue to deliver quality education and work towards achieving learning continuity for the students.
|
WEEK |
PARISH MASS and CUPPA THURSDAY 9:30am |
GUIDED LEARNING WALK & TALK FRIDAY 1:50pm |
AWARDS ASSEMBLY FRIDAY 2:30pm |
|
6 |
Year 2 |
BOOK WEEK CELEBRATIONS - TUESDAY 23/8 |
|
|
7 |
Father’s Day Liturgy |
Year 1 |
Year 1 |
|
8 |
Year 6 |
Year 5 |
Year 5 |
|
9 |
Year 3 |
Kinder (Thursday) |
Kinder |
|
10 |
UCI |
Staff Development Day |
Staff Development Day |
COVID-19 SMART PROCEDURES FOR COMING ONTO SITE
Despite many restrictions being lifted, the St Brigid’s staff have elected to continue to wear face masks to keep healthy and to achieve learning continuity for the students by avoiding sickness and absenteeism. Therefore, I ask that you show your support for the staff by adhering to the 4 COVID-19 smart procedures below when you come onto the school site as a volunteer or visitor.
Please continue to fill in the reporting google form if your child has even the mildest of respiratory symptoms; is a close household contact, or has tested Positive for COVID-19.
The information contained in this form gives me very good data about prevailing illness in the school which I can communicate to parents to help us all work together to ensure the health and safety of our community.
This google form can be found on the St Brigid’s website, as a link in the Brigid Bulletin and by clicking the link in the COMPASS news-feed.
Students and staff who have undergone testing and have been directed to self-isolate can return to school when: they have received a negative test result, completed their 7 day isolation period AND are not displaying symptoms of illness.
Your support in ensuring the health and safety of the St Brigid’s Community during this global pandemic has been greatly appreciated.
Please complete it any day or time of the week, including weekends. The information will automatically come to Ms Uroda and Mrs Sammut.
2022 SAVE THE DATE
| 1 September | Family Breakfast and Father's Day Stall |
| 23 September | Pupil free day - SDD |
| 10 October | Pupil free day - SDD |
| 14 October | Student Disco |
| 1 December | Lumen Christi Parish Dinner |
| 9 December | Christmas Carols Concert and dinner 5:30pm |
| 15 December | Year 6 Graduation Mass / luncheon / prize giving / ringing of bell |
| 16 December | Final awards assembly of 2022 |
| 16 December | Year 6 Graduation Excursion |
| 19 December | Christmas fun day and special food day - Wiseman Park |
| 20 December | Pupil free day - SDD |