Dear Parents,

Welcome back for Term 3! We hope that the holidays were an opportunity to rest and relax. It has been nice to hear different recounts from children of their holiday adventures. From movie days at home, to family bushwalks and even little trips away. The holidays are always a welcomed opportunity to step away from rushed morning routines and spend quality family time together.

Term 3 is set to be a quiet and productive term. Students and staff are focused on their quality learning and teaching. As has been the case last term, there will be very few interruptions throughout the learning day. This ‘quiet time’ is seen as an opportunity for students to continue to strengthen their positive relationships and work with focus on Semester Two learning goals.

Keeping across the latest information about COVID-19 seems to be the new normal. The health, safety and wellness of all in our St Joseph’s community is always the highest of priorities. Last week there was communication across ongoing practices here at school. This information is included below as a reminder. To add to this information, if your child has been tested for COVID-19 we ask that they remain at home until the results come back. Please be assured that if the school receives any updated information or if adjustments need to be made, we will communicate with you promptly. This will ensure clarity and understanding of any developing circumstances.

In order to keep everyone in our community safe and healthy we ask the following:

1. All children who are unwell need to be kept away from school until they are well again. If your child presents as sick in the morning before school we ask that you do not send them to school with messages along the line of: “Just let your teacher know if you are still feeling sick or if you feel worse.” We understand that sometimes your children aren’t seriously ill and that this is an approach that successfully gets your children to school however in this current climate we cannot take risks. If children are sent to school with symptoms of illness we need to call parents and ask you to come and collect them.
2. If your children are late to school or you require an early pick up you are asked to only come as far as the witch’s hat outside the Office. Speak with the office staff via the gate intercom on arrival informing them of your child’s arrival or reason for an early departure and they will put this into Compass.
3. If your child has left something at home please only drop it off if it is essential for your child and their day at school. We ask that when you drop it off you use the intercom at the gate. Office staff will release the gate and will ask you to place the item inside the gate rather than coming into the office. We will then collect it and arrange for your child to get the item.
4. Please regularly remind your children to take responsibility for their own lunchboxes, hats and jackets in order to reduce the amount of items in the lost property basket. If your child has misplaced something they are the only ones who can go through the lost property. No parents are able to come on site to do this.
5. Hand sanitising stations are at each entry. Please remind your children to use these upon entry each morning. 6. Our bubblers and water filling stations are still turned off so please ensure your child brings enough water to last them the day. Thank you for your support in keeping our community safe and healthy.

Staffing Update

Our Learning Support Teacher (LST) and Gifted Education Mentor (GEM), Belinda Pearson has been seconded by the Catholic Schools Office, to offer her expertise and support within another school community, for the first 5 weeks of Term 3.

Sally Chaston will be acting in the role of LST in Belinda’s absence. Sally has extensive knowledge of the needs and routines of our school community. Both her primary teaching experience and her background in psychology will ensure consistency for the students, parents and staff within our community. Sally will continue to work closely alongside our School Counsellor, Sharon Beckett.

Leah Temple will be acting in the role of Gifted Education Mentor (GEM) for one day a fortnight. Leah will continue to work on our school’s current Gifted Education Lead School (GEL) Action Research Project as well as liaising with the Virtual Academy students and educators.

Kiss and Drop

The purpose of a Kiss and Drop Zone is to quickly and safely move children on and off the school site. We ask that you not get out of your cars at drop off or collection time and that your children enter and exit the car from the kerb side, not the roadside.

If you do need to assist your child, then it is advisable that you must not move more than 3 metres from your vehicle. To facilitate this, children should travel with bags in the car and not in the boot. Alternatively, please park in a designated parking area to do this rather than use the drop off and collection zone. Traffic officers have advised us that they will be making regular visits. We appreciate your support with the above as it also alleviates traffic congestion and frustration.

A reminder for all parents using the Kiss and Drop pick up Zones on Union and Farquhar Street. Please follow our pick up procedures within these zones:

• No parking in these zones between 8am-9.30am and 2.30-4pm on school days
• Please ensure your family name sign is displayed clearly on the passenger side of the windscreen of your vehicle.
• Please queue patiently behind waiting cars and progress to the safe pick up zones marked by the coloured cones. Staff will direct students to these cones, where they will wait for your car to come to a complete stop before accessing the vehicle.
• Please do not queue across intersections. Complete a lap of the block and return to the queue.
• Please do not cut into the queue at any time. This puts the safety of others at risk.
• Please do not beckon your child to approach your car if they have not been directed to a coloured cone by a staff member.

We thank you for your continued support and cooperation with these safety procedures.

Extra-Curricular External Providers

This week we happily welcome back several extra-curricular external providers to the school.

Band, Choir, Mandarin, Piano and Drama lessons have all resumed this week. We will continue to follow and adhere to current Covid-19 safe practices and recommendations as directed by the Catholic Schools Office.

We will keep you updated, should changes to these current plans occur.

Karen McGinlay

Principal