WELCOME TO OUR NEW FAMILIES FOR 2023

We extend a very warm welcome to the following 20 new families who have enrolled in St Brigid’s and commenced at the start of the 2023 school year: Aitken, Burrows, Crocco, Crofts, Elias, Espirit, Fei, Flote, Hoskins, Kamineni, Marcano, O'Connor, Ramsay, Roeder, Stylianou, Wang, Holgate, Janrota, Zheng and Sciberras.

Our beautiful Kindergarten class of 2023 has settled in magnificently to daily life at St Brigid’s. Thank you to the parents who have been so supportive of our teachers in preparing for this special time. The first week of school is always an exciting time and seeing the Kindergarten students begin their school days is indeed very rewarding for us all.

  

    

COMMENCEMENT MASS

Yesterday, at our opening school Mass for 2023, we prayed for our elected student leaders and inducted them into their new leadership positions for 2023. As a school community we recognise and acknowledge the importance of the special role that they will play in our school community; not just as peers, but also as mentors for the students at St Brigids.

Thank you to Mrs O'Donnell (REC), Mrs Lavelle and Mrs Roche for preparing the students to led such a beautiful Mass. The readers proclaimed so confidently and the cantors sang beautifully. All students actively participated in the Mass through their fabulous singing, clear responses and prayerful gestures. Well done one and all! 

LEADERSHIP POSITION FOR 2023	RECIPIENT
School Captain	Zachary C
School Captain	Rosie S
SRC Chairperson	Philippa L
Faith	Emerson E
Justice	Amelia E
Learning	Nicolo M
Service	Eve A

Senior School Leaders	Reed B	Bailey C
Senior School Leaders	Matthew C	Lachlan E
Senior School Leaders	Rocco G	Shennah L
Senior School Leaders	Rafael M	Rio M
Senior School Leaders	Christopher M	Willow
Senior School Leaders	Eliza P	Hugo S
Senior School Leaders	Sofia S	Anthony S
Senior School Leaders	Lucas T

   

   

     

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL (SRC)

The SRC works as an advocate for the needs of the school community, and as a point of contact between the student body and the school leadership team. It addresses relevant issues and sets achievable goals which support the school.

The SRC aims to:

• develop leadership skills
• provide opportunities for students to create and to implement
• give students a greater voice in decision-making processes,
• empower students to contribute to a positive school culture and
• strengthen the school community through active participation.

It is with great pleasure that I announce the Semester One Student Representative Council for 2023:

SRC Chairperson	Philippa L
Year 6	Rio M
Year 5	Chloe M
Year 4	Ireland C
Year 3	Grace H
Year 2	Ava Y
Year 1	Sophia N
Kindergarten	Semester 2 only

The students were presented with their leadership badge today at the morning assembly.

 

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

Parents and/or carers who wish to walk or pick up from school are encouraged to use the Pedestrian gate on Gipps Road (next to the Church) and to park in this vicinity. Not only will this allow for a better flow of traffic on Vickery Street as parents leave the car zone, the crossing in Gipps Street is manned by a NSW School crossing supervisor.

If you do have to access the children's crossing in Vickery Street please be mindful of the flow of traffic. Unfortunately, there are too many impatient drivers on the road that are overtaking and dangerously entering the wrong side of the road and then trying to merge back close to our children's crossing.  

The pedestrian gate in Gipps Road is opened from 8:35 - 8:55am and 2:50 - 3:10pm

    

      

CAR ZONE PROCEDURES 

Please follow all  the school procedures and traffic rules to ensure the smooth operation of our car zone but even more importantly, for the safety and well being of all our families.

Please do not queue and block the traffic in Vickery Street. You must do a lap of the block or time your arrival when the zone is not so congested. Please do not use technology and be on your phone in the car zone. 

The car zone has a 2 minute limit. As we commence calling names from 2:55pm-3:10pm. please do not enter the zone until 2:53pm. Heavy fines can be given as a result of parking in this zone.

  

RECORDING OF ABSENCES ON COMPASS

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. 

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. 

The school will continue to support Parents/Carers and frequently send home letters giving Parents/Carers the opportunity to provide the school with an explanation for absences.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING FAMILIES

Nothing brings more joy to a family than the birth of a child. The new parents, grandparents, and siblings are all filled with joy and excitement at the thought of welcoming the newest member of their family to the world. The first little smile, the first tears shed, and the first baby laugh will surely capture the hearts of each family member and create the most beautiful and unforgettable memories for the baby's parents. Lots of best wishes to the following families....

Ms Sparks became Grandma Kate to beautiful Addison who was born on 25 January.

Temi, in Year 1, became a big sister to Desola who was born on 27 January 2023.

NCCD

All students have the right to a quality learning experience at school. Students with  disability must be able to take part in education without discrimination and on the same basis as other students. To ensure this, schools must make reasonable adjustments if needed for students with disability. Educators, students, parents, guardians, carers and others (eg health professionals) must work together to ensure that students with disability can take part in education.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 describe schools’ responsibilities.

TAEKWONDO PROGRAM STARTS NEXT WEEK FOR K-6

The Taekwondo Kickstarters program is a modified taekwondo program, developed by Australian Taekwondo, for delivery in schools. It is a fun, safe and inclusive program that teaches kids about all of the benefits that Taekwondo has to offer.

Taekwondo is the safest martial art and the best at developing a child’s physical literacy. The program is designed to create a level of consistency with respect to curriculum and content to provide schools and participants with a quality taekwondo experience that can be delivered and enjoyed nationally.

Features of Taekwondo Kickstarters includes:

• A nationally accredited framework to help delivery in the school system.
• A safe, fun and inclusive program for all school students.
• Learning for children from K-6 in the fundamental skills and values of taekwondo, specifically those with minimal experience in the martial arts.
• Alignment with the Australian Curriculum.

Thank you to the P&F for paying for 2 weeks of the 6 week program. 

SCHOOL MERIT AWARD POLICY

The purpose of our weekly school-based merit award system is to recognise and celebrate student achievement and success in a variety of learning and leadership areas.  As the title suggests, it is based on merit for achievement and is not designed as an encouragement award or given out so everyone in the class will receive an equal amount of awards each term or year. The classroom teachers have a myriad of ways of encouraging and recognising the growth of the students at a class level. 

THE STRUCTURE OF MERIT AWARDS K-6

• 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

1. When students achieve a milestone they are required to submit the actual relevant merit awards to the school office for validation
2. The awards are verified by the Assistant Principal and/or Principal and signed, stamped and dated 
3. The next milestone award is presented at the assembly on the Friday after all the documentation is presented. 
4. The Assistant Principal and Principal will sign and date the back of the awards when they are presented.
5.  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.

COVID SMART MEASURES CONTINUING IN TERM 1, 2023

A combination of layers safety measures:

• Mask-wearing
• Rapid antigen testing (RAT)
• Strongly encouraged vaccinations
• Ventilation
• Hygiene
• Cleaning

 Allows us to keep schools operational. 

In line with the health advice and community settings, schools will continue the ‘baseline’

COVID-smart measures in Term 1 2023. These measures allow us to keep our schools operational while prioritising student and staff safety and wellbeing.

Masks

In response to NSW Health advice and the current COVID-19 situation in the state, the Minister for Education and Early Learning has strongly encouraged mask-wearing when indoors for all school-based staff and for all students when physical distancing is not possible, and for people who believe they have been exposed to COVID-19.

Masks are an effective way to reduce the risk of transmission of respiratory viruses and infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and the flu.

Hygiene and cleaning

• Encourage students and staff to wash their hands regularly with soap and water.
• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly, as incorrect use can increase the risk of infection.
• Boosted day cleaning of schools may be implemented, focusing on target areas such as high-touch areas and other hard surfaces, door handles, lockers, light switches and handrails in stairways and movement areas.

Reducing the risk of illness

All students, staff and their families should follow NSW Health’s advice to reduce the risk of not only COVID-19, but also other illnesses that may affect schools. Schools should reinforce the following NSW Health messages with their communities:

• Stay home if unwell or showing even the mildest of symptoms
• Keep up to date with vaccinations – including the flu vaccine, which is available from your local GP or Pharmacy 
• Get tested immediately for COVID-19 if you become symptomatic and isolate until
• you receive a negative result and are symptom free
• Practice good hand hygiene by washing regularly with soap and water
• Take a RAT before visiting vulnerable loved ones or going to large gatherings and
• events.

RESPIRATORY ILLNESS PROCEDURES - GOOGLE FORM

Please continue to fill in the reporting google form if your child has even the mildest of respiratory symptoms 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.

Your support in ensuring the health and safety of the St Brigid’s Community during this global pandemic has been greatly appreciated. 

REPORTING FORM

Please complete it any day or time of the week, including weekends. The information will automatically come to Ms Uroda and Mrs Benoit.