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Dear Parents and Guardians
School Advisory Council (SAC) – Call for Parent Representatives
Our School Advisory Council (SAC) is needing new parent representation as many of the parents on the SAC last year have now ‘graduated’ from St Clare’s School.
The SAC is a vital conduit between parents and the school administration and has input into policies and practises in the school.
The SAC meets one-two times per term – on a Tuesday at 5pm. Meetings do not go beyond 90 minutes.
If you would like to nominate yourself or a parent within our school community, can you please complete the attached form and return this to school by Tuesday 4 April.
SCHOOL FEES
Thankyou to the many families who have begun paying their school fees for this year.
I understand the rise in mortgage rates and the cost of living – and the school has experienced these rises also. However education is not free and commitments from the school still need to be met. I am asking therefore that parents continue to pay their fees and that the families who have not paid anything as yet please do so before the end of this month.
EVENTS TO END OF TERM
Thursday 23 March | Cricket Clinic | Years 3&4 |
Friday 24 March | Swimming | Year 2 |
Monday 27 March | Cross Country | Years 3-6 |
Swimming | Year 2 | |
Tuesday 28 March | Leadership Day Melbourne | Year 6 Student Leaders |
‘Taster’ mornings at SFX | Year 5 | |
Wednesday 29 March | Swimming | Year 2 |
Thursday 30 March | P&F Meeting at 9:15 | All parents welcome |
Cricket Clinic | Years 3&4 | |
Friday 31 March | 8:50am Palm Sunday Liturgy | Whole School – Lead by Year 2 |
Swimming | Year 2 | |
Saturday 1 April | OPEN DAY 10:00am -12:00pm | All welcome |
Monday 3 April | Melbourne Camp | Year 5 |
2:45pm Holy Thursday Liturgy | Whole School - Lead by Year 3s | |
Tuesday 4 April | 2:45pm Good Friday Liturgy | Whole School - Lead by Year 6s |
Campers return – 4:15pm | Year 5 | |
SAC Nominations close | Parents | |
Wednesday 5 April | No school for Campers | Year 5 |
Casual Clothes day for Caritas | All students | |
8:55am Easter Sunday Liturgy (Easter raffle drawn) | Whole School - Lead by Year 4 | |
School finishes at 3:10 for the Term | ||
Thursday 6 April | School Closure |
Camp Australia is providing OSHC program. Book Now |
Friday 7 April | Good Friday Public Holiday |
Attention Year 4 Families:
Please note an additional Mass has been added for First Holy Communion - Sunday 4 June at 10.30am.
The Parent Evening on Thursday 1st June is held at St Patrick’s Parish Hall at 7pm. Students do not attend and unfortunately we cannot provide supervision of students on this night.
Could families in Year 4 who have enrolled their children as Catholics (which means your child/children have been baptised) and wish for their child/children to receive First Holy Communion please complete the survey below by Friday 31 March.
Queries can be directed to Gab Verstraete gverstraete@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au
First Holy Communion - Year 4
Sat 20 May |
6:00 pm Mass |
Commitment Mass |
Thursday 1st June (changed from 31 May) |
7.00 pm |
Parent Workshop at St Patrick’s Parish Hall |
Sat 3 June 2023 |
6:00 pm Mass |
First Holy Communion |
Sun 4 June 2023 |
10.30am Mass |
First Holy Communion |
17 June 2023 |
6:00 pm Mass |
First Holy Communion |
18 June 2023 |
10:30 am Mass |
First Holy Communion |
ANZAC DAY Dawn Service
Each year some of our families attend the ANZAC DAY Dawn service at the corner of Starling Road and the Princes Highway Officer or at the cenotaph in John Street and Henry Street Pakenham.
If your family would like to attend and place a wreath on behalf of the St Clare’s community could you please let Gab Verstraete know by Friday 31 March.
Working with Children Cards
We now have a new system to collate, record and monitor WWC cards for all volunteers. As we upgrade to the new system we may ask you to supply a copy of your card which you may feel you have already done. We apologise in advance if this occurs.
You are also reminded to ensure you have regsitered St Clare's Primary School as a location at which you volunteer.
For those who don't have a Working with Children Card now is probably a good time to apply. Go to https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/individuals/applicants/how-to-apply-1
SCHOOL FEES
Here is the link for the St Clare's Parent Access Module (PAM)
St Clare's PAM
You username is the email address that you have registered with the school. The first time you log in we ask that you use the forgotten password feature to set your own password.
ALL parents must access PAM to receive up to date information and grant necessary permissions. Students will miss out on events if permission is not granted.
REPORTING AN ABSENCE
To report your child's absence please do so via PAM, email absent@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au or call 5940 6777
IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE CALENDAR!!!
Don’t forget to mark these dates on the calendar (and lock the babysitter in for Trivia night!)
- Thursday 30th March – P&F Meeting
- Friday 31st March – Last Day to return Raffle Tickets & Easter Donations
- Wednesday 5th April – Easter Raffle Draw
- Monday 1st May – School Fun Run
- Friday 2nd June – Trivia Night (for the parents!!!)
FUN RUN
It’s easy to get your child involved. Visit www.schoolfunrun.com.au and set up a student profile page then you can start fundraising. Students who raise just $10 will be able to choose a prize – the more they raise, the better their reward.
Parents can also join in the fun too! You can simply come along to spectate on the day or you can volunteer to help. If you’re keen to be involved, please email the P&F at pandf@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au . Remember you must hold a current and valid Working With Children Check to be a volunteer.
We’ll be sharing more information over the next few weeks so stay tuned.
Thank you, good luck and happy fundraising!
FUN FOOD FRIDAY CONTINUES
SECOND HAND UNIFORM SHOP
The second hand uniform shop will be open the following dates and times throughout March:
- Tuesday 28th March 8:30-9.15am
- Thursday 30th March 2:30-3:10pm
If you have any uniform you’d like to sell please make sure;
- it’s been washed and saleable (no rips/major stains).
- Place it in a bag with your name and phone number.
- You can add prices you’d like to sell for or we can do this for you.
- Bring it into the uniform shop when we’re open or drop it to the office.
At the end of each term if you have sold items you will be sent a text message and money can be either sent home with your child or collected from the office.
*Please note that $1 from the sale of each item is donated to the P&F
ST CLARE’S COMMUNITY FACEBOOK GROUP
Did you know there is a St Clare’s Community Facebook Group? We encourage every parent or family member to join the group to keep up to date with what’s happening around the school and for reminders of important dates and activities. It’s also a great way to connect with other fellow parents and families that you might have met!
To join, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/1159577690721184 answer a few short questions and you’re in!
Harmony Week is celebration held annually in March across Australia. It’s aimed at promoting diversity, respect and inclusiveness. This event is an excellent opportunity for parents to teach their children about different cultures, traditions and customs. The goal is to encourage everyone to appreciate and celebrate differences and promote a sense of community and belonging for everyone.
During Harmony Week, there are a number of events and activities held to bring people from different cultures together. These activities include multicultural food festivals, cultural performances, art exhibitions and workshops. Participating in these events helps children to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse communities that make up Australia.
As a parent, you can engage your children in discussions about multiculturalism and encouraging them to ask questions. Promoting a more harmonious and inclusive society, can help children grow up with a greater appreciation for the richness and diversity of Australia's cultural landscape.
This Special Report hopes to instil positive values and create an opportunity to start a conversation with your child about understanding diversity and multiculturalism. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please consider seeking medical or professional help.
Click on this link to view the Special Report https://stclaresofficer.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-celebrating-harmony-week-au
How to Help Kids Stay Safe Online
Adapted from: https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/blog Office of the eSafety Commissioner
- Start the chat
It’s not possible to be at your child’s side every second of the day, so it’s important to talk with them about online safety issues to help develop their critical thinking and ability to make good choices. It’s also good to let them know they can come to you for help if they have any concerns. You may feel they know more about the latest technology than you do, but you have more life experience to guide them.
- With primary school aged children use online devices in the open living spaces at home to make parent supervision part of the expectation for your child.
- Take the opportunity to set some boundaries around when and where they can use devices like tablets, smart TVs and gaming consoles, to help limit potential tech tantrums — you could even fill in an Early Years Family Tech Agreement
- Screen free time before bed is important for good sleep. Consider charging devices in a central location at a regular time each night to allow an hour screen free before bed.
- While you are all at home more, it’s a great time to co-view and co-play with your kids, so you can understand what they are doing and experiencing online.
- Learn about the games, apps, social media and platforms they are using at The eSafety Guide, including how to protect their information and report inappropriate content or conduct.
- Use parental controls and safe search options
Parental controls can help block your child from accessing specific websites, apps or functions. They can also monitor your child’s use of connected devices and set time limits. But beware! You cannot always rely on them — they should be used in combination with other online safety strategies.
- Parental controls are available on most tablets, smartphones, computers, TVs and gaming consoles.
- You can also download family safety controls or buy robust filters out of the box.
- You can set up child-friendly search engines, or select safe search settings on digital devices, to help prevent your child from stumbling across inappropriate sites and content.
- Check smart toy settings
It’s surprising how many toys or devices can connect online these days, from drones and smart teddies to tablets and wearables. While they can be both entertaining and educational, they can reveal your child’s personal details and location — and allow other people to contact them without you knowing. You can help keep them stay safe by:
- setting strong passwords
- turning off location settings
- limiting the amount of personal information shared.
The eSafety Gift Guide has advice on what to check for and how to stay safe.
- Look out for unwanted contact and grooming
Unwanted contact is any communication that makes your child feel uncomfortable or unsafe, even if they initially welcomed the contact. It can come from a stranger, an online ‘friend’ or even someone they actually know. At worst, it can involve ‘grooming’ — building a relationship with the child in order to sexually abuse them.
You can help by:
- making sure their accounts are private — including chat functions on games
- encouraging them to delete requests from strangers and any contacts they don’t know in person
- checking in with your child as they use online devices in the open living spaces at home
- reporting and blocking anyone suspicious on a website or service
- remembering that if suspicious online contacts become aggressive or threatening you should contact your local police.
- Know the signs of cyberbullying
Kids who are bored by long periods at home can pick at each other, and that happens online too. So it’s important to keep an eye out for cyberbullying. It can include mean posts, comments and messages, as well as being left out of online group activities like gaming.
- Remember, when they are away from school, kids have less access to their usual support systems, including friends, teachers and counsellors.
- eSafety research shows that girls are more likely to be affected than boys and the person doing the bullying is generally someone they know from school.
- Watch out for signs such as your child appearing upset after using their mobile, tablet or computer, being unusually secretive about their online activities or becoming withdrawn.
- Cyberbullying can make social isolation worse and the longer it continues, the more stressed kids can become, impacting on their emotional and physical wellbeing.
What to do if your child is being cyberbullied
As parents, our first instinct may be to ban our children from social media, disable the wi-fi or turn off the data access. But this can actually compound the problem, making your child feel as if they’re being punished and heightening their sense of social exclusion.
There are four simple steps that can help minimise the harm:
- report the cyberbullying to the social media service where it is occurring
- collect evidence of the cyberbullying material
- if the material is still public 48 hours later, make a report to eSafety — we work with social media platforms to have the harmful content removed.
block the offending user.