Wednesday, 2nd September 2020 - School Photo Day 
Friday, 11th September is a Student Free Day - OSHC will be available for those families needing care.

Last week I met with the Board and discussed how we would organise children being picked up in the event that the Department of Health instructed us to close the school due to a report of COVID-19 in the community.

If this occurs during the school day, families will need a plan for child pickup at this time, so please consider if you are unable to leave work that a family/ friend is available for pickup. This would also mean that OSHC would not be available as the whole school would require closure and deep cleaning.  

In the event of child/ren pickup we are organising that either parents come to Kiss ‘n’ Drop or Acton Avenue gates (maintaining social distancing) and staff will alert classrooms via Microsoft Teams and children will be sent to the pick up zone. In Kiss ’n’ Drop, staff will be standing further back in queue and notifying classrooms of your arrival so by the time you reach the front of the queue your child/ren will be waiting.

Our aim is to minimise interaction of visitors and interaction of children across classrooms.  

I pray this would not be necessary but Victoria has shown us how small incidences lead to massive outbreaks, such is the nature of this virus.

Friday is the Day

We are committed to moving furniture into the new building this Friday all in readiness for children in Year 1 and 2 on Monday. Parents are asking to ‘have a peek’ so I will try to offer opportunities and provide lots of photos on Facebook once we have settled in.

COVID-19 reminder
Please do not enter the school grounds if you have:

• Returned from NSW, ACT or VIC within the past 14 days and are required to quarantine.
• Been in close contact with a person who has returned from NSW, ACT or VIC within the past 14 days.
• Been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 14 days.
• Are currently unwell and experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Fever
Cough
Sore Throat
Shortness of Breath
Body aches
Chills
Runny nose
Fatigue

Thank you for helping us to protect the health and safety of our school community. 

2020 School Photo Day - Wednesday 2nd September

Envelopes for ordering School Photos were distributed to all students on Monday. Please take the time to read the information on the envelopes carefully.

• Do not seal envelopes inside each other—you can pay for all children in one envelope however each child needs to have their own envelope on photo day.
• Family Photos are ordered separately (cannot be ordered online) and envelopes are available at the front office. Parents who are ordering Family Photos are asked to bring their children to the De Mazenod Hall at 8.25am so that the photographers can commence these photos before school starts. Any family photos not taken in the morning will be taken during the day.
• Please enclose correct money as no change is given—cash only in envelopes or pre-payment online is available.
• Individual and class group photos will be taken.

Students will be required to wear the new Active Wear Uniform. We have purchased some new soft-shell jackets (sanitized in between wearing) for students to borrow if you have not purchased the new uniform.  In this time of transition, we understand that not all families have all items of the new uniform.  Year 6 students will wear their Senior Jackets.

All school rules in relation to grooming, hair, accessories and jewellery apply on this day. The photographers will have rubber bands available to provide to any boy or girl with hair longer than shoulder length that needs to be tied up. Only plain navy hair accessories will be permitted.

Please do not bring your children to school if they are not well or display symptoms of illness in the morning. It is very important that we protect our staff, the photographers and other children from illness and we ask for your co-operation.
If you have any questions in regards to this, please phone Master School Portraits on 8132 1148.  Alternative arrangements can be made.

Please return photo envelopes to the Front Office -  OFFICE BOX 1 or to your class teacher by Friday 28^th August.

This week, we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Pius X, the patron saint of our school.

St Pius the tenth was born in Riese, Italy, in 1835 and was given the name Giuseppe Sarto. He came from a large, poor family who made big sacrifices so that he could get an education and study to become a priest. At the age of 23 he became a priest. As a priest, he was very kind and generous, and would often give his possessions away to help other people, even though he needed them himself.

He was always very concerned about justice, and wanted to help look after the poor and oppressed. Above all, he wanted peace in this world. Later in his life, he was made a Bishop, then a Cardinal, and then finally he was elected Pope. Pope Pius the tenth is remembered for his saying that the main aim of the Church should be “to restore all things in Christ”. He was made a Saint in 1954 and is now known to all as St Pius the tenth.

I encourage you to pray this prayer as a family in the coming days:

God, you filled Pope Saint Pius X with wisdom and strength to spread your news to all people and to protect the Catholic faith. Help us to follow his teaching and example so that one day, we may rejoice in heaven with you and all the saints. We ask this prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever,

Amen

Fruit fly is in the area of Windsor Gardens.  Please see attachment.