Dear Parent, Guardians and Carers,

Welcome to the start of the 2022 school year. It was great to see the children’s smiling faces return on Monday, refreshed and excited for a new year of learning. This year we have welcomed 29 new Foundation students and 4 students in other grades to St Patrick’s. They have all settled in beautifully already and I know that they will thoroughly enjoy their schooling journey with us. I have visited each of the classrooms on numerous occasions throughout the week and have seen many amazing things happening.

St Patrick’s School Wide Expectations

St Patrick’s values and promotes the following school wide expectations:

• Safe
• Respectful
• Responsible

The students, staff and families of St Patrick’s are expected to live out these expectations in all aspects of school life.

COVID Safety

I would like to thank you all for your acceptance and support of the COVID Safety measures that are currently in place. I understand that this continues to be a challenging time for families, however if we all continue to work together to ensure the safety of all those in our school community, our school can remain a safe and happy learning environment for all.

Rapid Antigen Tests were sent home this week. It is a Government recommendation that students and staff take a test twice a week. If your child tests positive or you have a positive COVID case in your house, please isolate and contact the school immediately.

Student Assessment

Over the next few weeks, students in all grades will complete some formal assessments. These assessments allow the teachers to get a good understanding of where each child is at and help them to effectively plan and teach them at their point of need.

Those families that have a child in Foundation should have received an email that will prompt you to make a booking through the Parent Access Module in the SIMON platform. Forty minutes will be allocated to complete the assessment. The Foundation testing days will be on Wednesday, 9^th, 16^th and 23^rd February. For those in the Foundation/Grade 1 classroom, only the Wednesday 16^th February will be available to book in your assessment time.

Students in all other grades will not need to make an assessment booking. These assessments will be conducted throughout the normal school day.

Kind regards,

Joel Brayshaw

Thursday 10th February: Swimming Trials (Years 3 -6) 

Thursday 17th February: St Patrick's Interhouse Swimming Carnival (Years 1 - 6)

(Stratford Pool)

Wednesday 23rd February: HDSSA Swimming Carnival (Sale Swimming Pool)

Tuesday 1st March - Wellington Division Swimming Carnival (Sale Swimming Pool)

REMINDER: Children are to bring bathers, rash vests, hats, sunscreen and asthma medication where required. The children will change into their bathers at school or come to school with them on. Students may bring thongs to walk down to the pool, however they are expected to change back into their full sport uniform when returning to school.

Students are to provide goggles if they need them. Please clearly name all belongings.

Please login to your PAM account to provide permission.

Thank-you.

 Year 6 Students will be running a Zooper Dooper Fundraiser every Friday lunchtime throughout Term 1.

Funds raised will go towards Stratford Shakespeare Festival

Cost: $.50c per Zooper Dooper.

New PAM (Parent Access Module) Roll Out 

PAM is an innovative parent-controlled electronic medical form for our school. It’s an electronic version of the paper-based forms we previously completed for excursions and camps. It provides parents with the opportunity to update medical information promptly and accurately while providing the school with instant access to the emergency information provided by you. We use the PAM app in the best interests of the children whilst also reducing the burden on parents to fill out the same information on multiple forms throughout the year.

Parents can use a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone to enter details including:

• Student absence - entered via ‘Parent Notified Absences’.
• Emergency contacts
• Medical contacts
• Medical checklist, including asthma, allergies, seizures, diabetes
• Notes and other care instructions from parents
• Parent teacher interviews
• Student reports
• More features will be introduced later in the year

St Patrick’s Primary School will initially also use PAM as a tool to send parents permission forms and notifications.

Please note, that it is the responsibility of parents to ensure their child’s medical and contact details are up to date and complete. In the event of an emergency the school staff will rely on the information provided via PAM.

We recommend that you add the PAM website to the home screen on your mobile device which will then display as an App. 

If you need your login credentials or a password reset, please contact our office on 51 456 463 or email: admin@stpstratford.catholic.edu.

 PAM (Parent Access Module) 

 Thank-you to all our families who have registered your PAM Account.

Please find link below for a quick and easy way to log in to PAM.

https://pam.stpstratford.catholic.edu.au/

Please note, that it is the responsibility of parents to ensure their child’s medical and contact details are up to date and complete. In the event of an emergency the school staff will rely on the information provided via PAM.

St Patrick's use PAM as a tool to send permission forms, emails, notifications and your child's school report.

Reminder: - Please login to PAM to report a student absence.

Thank-you.

School Morning Routine

8.15 - 8.20am -  Bus Students arrive

8.30am -  Gates open—Teacher commences duty.

8.55am -   Bell rings for students to line up in courtyard

9.00am -  Classes commence

Students who travel by bus wait in the courtyard until the teacher on duty open gates and puts crossing flags out. 

Students travelling by foot, bike or car are reminded not to arrive before 8.30am.

End of Day Routine

3pm Gates opened

3.30pm Bell rings

3.30 - 3.40pm Teacher supervises school crossing.

3.30 - 3.50pm Teacher supervises students catching buses home.

Communication

St. Patrick’s utilises a range of communication tools to keep families informed.  This includes the fortnightly newsletter, class dojo, email, PAM and the school website. From time to time we will also use text messaging to contact families.

Communication is two way and staff can be contacted via phone, email and class dojo. When the need arises to speak to a staff member in person please be mindful of the timing of this eg.  If a teacher is in the room before school with other students/families around, this really isn’t a good time to start a confidential conversation.  

An appointment can always be made if necessary.  Most importantly, don’t hesitate to ask when questions arise.

Our School Newsletter is uploaded to the school website every second Friday.  

To subscribe to our newsletter, please go to: www.stpstratford.catholic.edu.au

Class DOJO

All classes use “CLASS DOJO” as a tool for positive communication between home and your child/ren’s classroom.  Families will be contacted with sign up details to gain access.  Once you have signed up you will be able to communicate with the teacher and see what your child/ren’s classroom is up to. If you have any questions regarding CLASS DOJO please contact your classroom teacher.

Please note that staff will set Dojo quiet hours from 5.30pm till 8am and on weekends.  

Administration of Medication at School

Any medication to be administered at school requires detailed information and authority. A Medical Authority Form for communicating this information is available from the school administration, and website.  Requests must be supported by specific written instruction including the name of the student, dosage and time to be administered (original medications bottle or container should provide this information). 

Medical Management and Emergency Plans

Children will Asthma and Anaphylaxis are required an up to date management plans (signed by a doctor).  Relevant documents must be uploaded via PAM.

Sign In/Out

For safety and accountability reasons, visitors and late/early arrivals are required to sign in and out at the front office.  The iPad located at the front desk allows this to be done quickly and easily. 

Children arriving late or leaving early are to be signed in upon arrival or out when leaving.  (This includes when returning to school from appointments).

Invoices for school fees will be emailed in the coming weeks.

Please ensure we have your correct email address.

If you are paying by termly instalment please see due dates for payment below:

1st Instalment due by Friday 22rd April 2022.

2nd Instalment due by Friday 22nd July 2022.

3rd Instalment due by Friday 21st October 2022.

Our preferred method of payment is by Direct Debit.

If you have any concerns regarding school fees, please contact the office.

CAMPS SPORTS EXCURSION FUNDING (CSEF)

Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF) will be provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the cost of camps and sporting activities.  If you hold a valid means-tested concession card, you may be eligible for CSEF.

Please pick up an application from the school office if you believe you are eligible.

No need to complete a new application if you previosuly held an eligible concession card.

At St Patrick’s we have a standard of uniform of which the members of our school community can be justifiably proud.  It is an expectation of parents and students that the correct uniform is worn.

Jewellery is not permitted except for small sleepers and studs.  Extreme hair styles and hair colouring is not permitted. Long hair must be tied back off the face in school band colours.

BOYS’ SUMMER:  

                                             School jumper (bottle green with white logo)

                                             Black leather school shoes or boots

                                             Grey socks- above ankle

                                             Grey shorts

                                             White shirt - short sleeved

                                             School hat – bottle green with logo

GIRLS’ SUMMER:                 

                                             Green check summer school dress.

                                             School jumper (bottle green with white logo)

                                             Black leather school shoes / T-bar school shoes or                                                    leather lace up shoes

                                             White socks- above ankle

                                             School hat.

                                             Hair ties – school colours only

SPORTS:                               

                                             Bottle green shorts

                                             School sport shirt

                                             St Patrick’s sport jacket

                                             Sneakers – no skate or fashion shoes

                                             White socks- above ankle

                                             Hair ties – school colours only

Our school uniform is avaliable from JSM Embroidery, Workwear and Safety in MacArthur Street Sale.

A reminder to ensure that jumpers, hats and jackets have children's names clearly marked on them.

Summer Uniform days:  Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday

Sports Uniform days:  Monday and Thursday

BRICE - Named after Sister Lauraine Brice.

Sr. Lauraine was principal of St. Patrick’s from 1968 - 1990.  She is remembered for her incredible commitment to, and care of, the children and families of the school.

RYAN - Named after Bishop Richard Ryan. 

Bishop Ryan was Bishop of Sale Diocese from 1926-1957. In 1929 St. Patrick’s was reopened by Bishop Ryan with the Sisters of St. Joseph’s in charge.

MACKILLOP - Named after Saint Mary MacKillop.

Mary’s life is an inspiration to us all. From humble beginnings, she established the Sisters of St. Joseph’s, a religious order that has grown. St. Patrick’s was run by the Sisters of St. Joseph’s from 1929 to 1959.

Children can be vulnerable road users and all adults are reminded to observe all road rules and take care around the school.

Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrate

their birthday in the coming weeks: