Term 4 concludes - 
Tuesday 7th December for Year 6 students at 3:00pm and Wednesday 8th December for Reception-5 students at 3:00pm

We are another week closer to the end of Term 4. Christmas is just around the corner! This coming Sunday, we enter the liturgical season of Advent. Each Sunday during Advent, we light another candle on our Advent Wreath, reminding us of our journey towards Christmas. The four weeks of Advent offer us an opportunity to prepare our own hearts for this special time where God is revealed through Jesus.

One way we prepare our hearts for Christmas, is through giving to others. At this time every year, our school community supports the Vinnies Christmas Appeal. Our ‘Giving Tree’ is on display and you are invited to send along new toys/gifts for children whose families are not able to purchase gifts at Christmas. We are also asking for donations of food, suitable for the festive season which can be brought in plastic bags to your child’s classroom. If you would like to send a voucher for families to use to purchase food or gifts, please place this in a sealed envelope and deliver to the office. Our community has been so generous in the past, and our local Vinnies Conference at Dernancourt rely on our donations. Thank you for your generosity!

Vinnies volunteers will collect our donated gifts and food on Monday of Week 9 (6^th December).

Food Hamper Suggestions
Bon-bons
Christmas lollies
Coffee
Cordial
Custard powder
Jam
Jelly
Long life milk
Mince pies
Pasta, spaghetti, sauce
Reduced cream
Savoury biscuits
Sweet biscuits
Tea bags
Tinned carrots
Tinned fruit
Tinned green beans
Tinned peas

Giving Tree Gift Ideas
Board games
Craft sets
Crayons/Texta Set
Football
Gift vouchers
Hair ornaments
Kids DVD’s
Lego
Outdoor games
Puzzles
Soccer ball
Toiletries (eg deodorant set)
Toys
Wrapping paper

Please don’t send second hand items or clothing.

Vinnies volunteers will wrap presents before gifting at Christmas, so please don’t wrap!

Blessings for the week ahead,

Dear Parents

You may have seen in the media the recent SA Government Direction concerning COVID-19 vaccinations for staff in schools and Early Childhood Education Care settings.

This school has acted quickly to inform our staff of these new requirements. It has been our previous position that for the safety of students and the community, those who are eligible, ought to be vaccinated where possible.

The SA Government Direction now specifies that staff in all schools and education and care settings must have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination by 10 December 2021 and show evidence of a booking for their second dose.

The Direction also extends to volunteers (including Board members) and any unpaid workers.

It does not apply to students and parents who are incidental visitors to the school.

You would appreciate that the 2-year journey we have experienced in dealing with the pandemic has resulted in numerous strategies and compliance measures implemented for the safety of students, families and staff.

Throughout the pandemic we have been absolutely lock-step in following the advice of the SA Chief Public Health Officer as it relates to the schooling sector. The Catholic Education Office has strong direct liaison with the SA Department for Education which has meant that each sector has been remarkably consistent in the messaging over health measures adopted at school sites.

We will continue to monitor and act upon any relevant advice and make staff aware of this new government law.

If more information comes to hand that has an impact on the wider school community, I will keep you informed.

If you are a volunteer in our community, I ask that as soon as convenient, that you provide the appropriate documentation as outlined below:

• An official transcript of your COVID-19 vaccination status (hard copy or electronic pdf version); or
• A medical certificate/exemption form from a legally qualified medical practitioner certifying that you either have a medical exemption from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine on either a permanent or temporary basis, endorsed by the Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO).

to Susan Trimboli (strimboli@stpiusx.catholic.edu.au).  

We thank you in anticipation for supplying the necessary information to be compliant with this government Direction.