Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

Each morning I stand at the Seymour St gate and welcome the children as they arrive at school. I get to hear snippets of things happening in their lives; teeth lost, dance classes starting, fun from football training and stories of new babies. The resilience and positivity the students bring each day is to be commended and is a reminder to us all as we continue to adjust to the ‘new’ normal we find ourselves in as we navigate how to keep each other safe in these uncertain times. 

As things keep evolving and more information becomes clear about COVID-19, it has an impact on the school and the things we have taken for granted. Last week we were informed that camps and excursions cannot proceed this year. Further information about crediting of funds already paid will be communicated as soon as possible. This is disappointing but necessary to keep everyone safe.

We had also planned on holding parent teacher interviews early this term to expand on the information from the semester one reports. In the current circumstances formal interviews are not possible, nor are student led conferences due to the number of adults who would be on site. Instead, teachers will be contacting families via email over the next week letting you know how your child has settled in. 

Some families may have received an envelope from the school regarding a survey request. This is a random selection of families. If you received one please take the time to complete the survey. The information is used by the school to inform goals for next year. Staff and grades three to six children will also be responding to this survey.

Stay well, stay safe!

Jodie

As per the fee letter sent to families on 6th April 2020, Important Message about School Fees, there will not be an automatic reduction in school fees due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

School fees are an essential portion of resources for the operation of our school and assist our leaders and staff to enhance curriculum and teaching programs.  Therefore, we are asking, for those who can, to continue to support the school financially.

If you have concerns about your financial situation, please contact Maria Churton, School Administration Officer at office@stmtraralgon.catholic.edu.au so that we can explore confidential financial support arrangements to enable your child(ren)’s education at our school to continue.

Pie Drive

Just a friendly reminder that the Yarragon Country Style Bakery Pie Drive is currently underway. There is a great variety of pies, pasties, sausage rolls and fruit pies available, baked fresh right here in Traralgon! This is a perfect opportunity to stock up the freezer for cold winter nights and it’s open to anyone, so ask your family, friends, next door neighbours or workmates. Orders close on CDFPay Wednesday the 5^th of August at 10pm. Thank you for your continued support!

Lunch Order Day    

Lunch Order Day is this Friday the 24^th of July. Orders close at 1:00pm tomorrow, Wednesday the 22^nd of July. Please make sure to have your orders in by the cut off as no late orders can be accepted. Those who have kindly offered to help will receive text messages on Thursday evening if required.

Each week students from each class are awarded Student of the Week certificates. These children are nominated for the example they have been within the school based on the School Wide Expectation focus for that week. The weekly focus will be from Wednesday until Tuesday the following week. Awards will be presented to students in class until assemblies can resume.

In Week 1, Term 3 the School Wide Expectation focus was Resilience.

I view mistakes as a learning opportunity.

I persist through challenges and difficulties in my learning.

The award winners for week 1 were: 

Mt 13:24-43

Sometimes it may seem to children that they can have very little effect in changing the world. They may think they are too small to accomplish anything in building up God's kingdom. But just as the tiny mustard seed grows into a mighty tree, all the small efforts that any of us make in being kind, loving, gentle and sharing what we have with others, makes the kingdom present in our world. Encourage your children in their efforts to be kingdom builders this week.

Answer from last week:

36 + 10 = 46
88 – 46 = 42
There are 42 female elephants in the herd.

Welcome to the 2020 Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge.

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge

The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and St. Michael’s Primary School is excited to be participating. A new application is being used this year that offers a range of exciting features including: 

• access to a library catalogue (including book images and blurbs)
• a modern user-friendly interface
• rewarding  students with badges as challenge milestones are achieved
• the option for students to mark books as a favourite, give them a star rating or complete a book review 

The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 in recognition of the importance of reading for literacy development. It is not a competition; but a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 19th September 2020. 

Children from Prep to Year 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers. Children from Year 3 to Year 10 are challenged to read 15 books. 

All children who meet the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers. 

To read the Premier’s letter to parents, view the booklists and for more information about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, visit:www.education.vic.gov.au/prc 

As you know, reading helps ensure children develop important foundational skills –
setting them up for school and for life. Just as importantly, reading also helps our kids imagine, explore and learn more about the world around them.
This year, everyone who completes the Challenge will receive a Certificate of
Achievement – and with more than 12,000 titles on the Challenge’s reading list, there really is a book for everyone.
For children not yet at school, the Challenge invites parents and carers to experience
40 books with their child. For students from Prep to Year 2, the Challenge is to read or experience 30 books and for students in Years 3 to 10, the Challenge is to read 15 books.
I also encourage you to visit the Challenge Facebook page: facebook.com.au/VicPRC
There you can join the community of avid readers to share stories, stay informed and
recommend books.