St Pat's News

September 16, 2020

From The RE Leader - Annie Forrest

From The Principal - Peter Sanderson

Dear Parents, Parishioners, Carers, Staff & Students,

Child Protection Sunday

Last Sunday was Child Protection Sunday marking the end of Child Protection Week. The safety and wellbeing of our students is at the forefront of all we do. This year, we have constantly been reminded of the importance of being aware of our students’ use of technology. I remind parents and carers to be aware of your child’s access to technology and their use of it. The following tips come from an open letter to school principals from the eSafety Commissioner:

  • Engage in your child’s online activities – ask what apps, sites and games they’re using and make sure they’re age-appropriate

  • Use parental controls on devices to help limit what your child is exposed to

  • Help them report and block upsetting content they see on social media sites or apps

  • Let them know they can come to you about anything upsetting they see online.

Return To School Road Map

With the improved situation and easing of restrictions in regional Victoria, the advice we received last week has changed.

  • Onsite learning will resume for all students at the start of Term 4, Monday 5th October.

  • Children who are unwell must remain at home. Children who present at school as being unwell will be sent home.

  • All staff and students will observe hand hygiene with regular use of hand sanitiser and washing of hands throughout the day.

  • High contact cleaning will continue to be carried out twice a day.

  • Parents will not be permitted to enter the school unless attending a scheduled meeting or conducting business at the office. Please avoid unnecessary entry into the school.

  • Staggered dismissal of students will resume so as to avoid large numbers of adults gathering outside the school. As previously, students being picked up will be dismissed in their house groups as follows:

    • 3.05 MacKillop House

    • 3.10 Polding House

    • 3.15 Samaritan House

    • 3.20 Winnen House

Students not being picked up (walkers, cyclists and bus travellers) will be dismissed at 3.20.

As I said last week, much planning and consideration is going into our return to onsite learning so as to continue our efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and to maximise the learning and wellbeing of our students. Our learning and teaching focus will be on reacquainting our students (particularly our Foundation students) to school life and addressing gaps that may exist in essential learning as a result of our interrupted year.

We may also need to be creative in the way we observe significant Term 4 rituals such as transition for our 2021 Foundation students, information sessions for the parents of these children, Year 6 transition to secondary school and our End of Year Awards and Year 6 Graduation ceremony. All of these are dependent on the restrictions on gatherings and we will keep you informed as plans progress.

Public Holidays and Pupil-free Day

The following public holidays and pupil-free day will occur during Term 4:

  • Friday 23rd October AFL Grand Final Eve / Thank You Day

  • Tuesday 2nd November Melbourne Cup Day

  • Friday 13th November Report writing day (to be confirmed)

Swimming Program

Our swimming program which would normally take place in Term 4 has been cancelled due to restrictions on gatherings. Parents will be reimbursed the cost of this program. The Yr 6 SurfGroms program will be able to go ahead.

Sporting Schools

Our Sporting Schools program will begin in Week 2 of next term and will run on a Wednesday and Thursday with a focus on basketball and minor games. Further information can be found below.

End of Term

This Friday is the last day of Term 3. School will be dismissed at 2.20pm on that day.

Hats and Summer Uniform

As per our Sunsmart policy, school hats are now required to be worn when outside. Now is the time of year when UV levels begin to rise and the Cancer Council recommends the reintroduction of Sunsmart measures. Students attending school will need to ensure their hats are at school. Those working from home should put their hats in their schoolbags, ready for a return to school next term. Students should be in summer uniform from the beginning of Term 4.

School Improvement Surveys

Thank you to those who received an invitation to complete School Improvement Survey and have done so already. Surveys are open till Friday 16th October, so, if you were lucky enough to receive an invitation last week, I urge you to take the time to submit a response. Every four years schools in the Ballarat Diocese undertake a School Improvement Survey. Data is collected from a random sample of parents, senior students and staff and this data assists in the development of our School Improvement Plan and Annual Action Plans. As with any survey, the more data we receive, the better overall picture we can gain for our analysis and future goal setting. 

Kind regards,

Peter Sanderson

Principal

Managing illness in schools during COVID 19

Download

Term 4 - School hats are to be worn

Time to find your child's school hat and have it ready for the beginning of Term 4. If your child need a new hat, order one through CDFpay and it can be picked up this week.

As per our Sunsmart policy, school hats will be required to be worn during all playtimes and outdoor PE classes from next Monday by all students and staff.

Wellbeing News - Antonia Balmer

Coping with Infectious Diseases

The last few weeks of remote learning will present many challenges for families. The novelty of working from home may have started to wear thin, students are missing their ‘normal’ routines and their classmates and you may find that they become disengaged with their learning. A statement that I have heard from students and adults this week has been, ‘It is so hard to have anything to look forward to!’ It is very difficult in these times to plan ‘something’ to look forward to. As we enter this week try and plan something for your family to look forward to- it doesn’t need to be grand. Something as simple as - riding your bike into town to buy an ice cream on Saturday. This pre planning of a fun activity early in the week may assist your child and yourselves to change your mindset to a positive one.  I have attached a link to information which includes tips for coping with infectious diseases. Concentrate on tip 7, 8 ,9, 10 over these last few weeks of remote learning. We are all in this together!

Head to Health - Coping tips

Riding the Corona Coaster

In this presentation, Riding the Corona Coaster, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg explores how the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen next may impact students, families and staff in school communities. He examines increasing concerns regarding mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and substance abuse amongst young people and emphasises the importance of promoting help seeking behaviour and reducing stress levels at home. Dr Carr-Gregg provides tips for parents/carers on looking after their wellbeing during this challenging time.

P & F News

How to make Paper Pots

Check out the video on our Facebook Page on 'How to make Paper Pots'. Paper Pots can be dropped in at the school office.

School News

School Uniform - Term 4 Summer Uniform

Just a reminder that in Term 4 your child needs to be wearing their summer uniform. Don't forget that this means their hat as well!

If you require any uniform items they can be ordered through CDFpay and collected from the school office.

Runners are not part of the uniform, black school shoes should be worn with the regular uniform. Runners are to be worn on sports days only. 

Sporting Schools - Term 4

Our Sporting School Program will commence week 2 of Term 4 on . The days the program will run are Wednesday and Thursday. Our first session will be Wednesday October 14 and Thursday October 15.

Last sessions for Sporting Schools will be on Wednesday November 25 and Thursday November 26.

To register your child for Sporting Schools you must, for each session they will be attending, fill in the Sporting Schools form in Skoolbag. Please only fill in the form, the night before or the morning of the session that they will be attending. The cut off time for Sporting Schools will be 11am on days the program is running.

Friday September 18 @ 2.20pm - End of Term 3

Monday October 5 - All students return to school

Wednesday October 14 - Sporting School @ 3.20pm-4.30pm

Thursday October 15 - Sporting Schools @ 3.20pm-4.30pm

Friday October 23 - AFL Grand Final Eve Public Holiday

Tuesday November 3 - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Friday November 13 - Pupil Free Day - Report Writing (TBC)

Thunderstorm Asthma

By the last weekend of September, you should be taking your hay fever nasal spray, asthma preventer, or both – and you shouldn’t stop until New Year’s Day (most adults with asthma do need to take a preventer all year, not just in springtime).

What is thunderstorm asthma?

Thunderstorm asthma can happen suddenly to people in spring or summer when there is a lot of pollen in the air and the weather is hot, dry, windy and stormy.

People with asthma and/or hay fever need extra protection to avoid thunderstorm asthma between September and January in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. This means using preventer medicine every day and always having a reliever inhaler (blue puffer) ready. See your doctor to get the best asthma and/or hay fever medication plan.

Spring thunderstorm weather can cause pollen grains to burst into tiny pieces and the wind then blows them around us. When people breathe in these tiny pieces of pollen they can get deep inside the lungs and trigger an asthma attack.

Spring weather can also lead to breathing problems for people who get seasonal hay fever. People who wheeze and sneeze with hay fever from pollens during spring are more likely to get thunderstorm asthma even if they haven't had asthma before.

November 2016: Victorian Thunderstorm Asthma Event

On Monday 21 November 2016, severe thunderstorm activity in Victoria led to thousands of people suddenly having asthma attacks and finding it hard to breathe. Because so many people needed urgent asthma treatment at one time, it was hard for ambulance and hospital emergency rooms to help everyone.

From that terrible event we learned that thunderstorm asthma can affect people living in city or country areas, even if they've never had asthma. We also learned that some groups of people are much more likely to get thunderstorm asthma.

People more likely to get thunderstorm asthma

  • Those who get asthma and seasonal hay fever
  • Those with hay fever who have never had asthma
  • Those with past asthma or unrecognised asthma

Common symptoms of asthma

  • Wheezing - a whistling sound coming from the chest while you are breathing
  • Breathlessness
  • A feeling of tightness in the chest
  • A persistent cough

Asthma symptoms can be different for different people.

A person's asthma symptoms can also change - sometimes there are no symptoms, like when our asthma is well controlled by preventer medication or when allergy triggers aren't around.

Common symptoms of seasonal hay fever

  • Runny nose
  • Itchy nose
  • Sneezing
  • Itchy, watery eyes

People with springtime hay fever be aware

If you already have springtime hay fever, you could suddenly get an asthma attack if you are outside in gusty wind during a thunderstorm in a place where there is ryegrass pollen in the air (most of south-eastern Australia). This can happen even if you don't have asthma. The risk is highest between October and the end of December. 

What you can do to keep safe

  • During spring and early summer, use a doctor prescribed nasal spray medicine (like Avamys, Azonaire, Beconase, Budamax, Budesonide, Flixonase, Nasonex, Omnaris, Rhinocort, Sensease, Telnase). Start at the beginning of September and keep using it until the end of December.
  • Stay up to date with pollen counts and weather forecasts during spring and early summer so you know if a storm is coming.
  • Just before and during storms with wind gusts, get inside a building or car with the windows shut and the air conditioner switched to recirculate/recycled.

People with asthma be aware

If you have asthma and pollen allergy, you could have a severe asthma attack if you are outside in gusty wind during a springtime thunderstorm in a place where there is ryegrass pollen in the air (most of south-eastern Australia). 

How do I know if I’m allergic to ryegrass pollen without having allergy tests?

If you get asthma or hay fever symptoms more often in spring, then pollen is probably causing your symptoms. If you're not sure, follow the safety steps anyway. 

What you can do to keep safe

  • Always use your preventer medication as much as the doctor advised. Even if you do not normally use a preventer all year, you should use it every day during September to December if you are going to be in an area where there is ryegrass pollen.
  • Always carry your reliever inhaler (blue puffer) too.
  • Keep up to date with pollen counts and weather forecasts during spring and early summer so you know if a storm is coming.
  • Make sure your written asthma action plan is up to date and includes thunderstorm advice - talk to you doctor.
  • Avoid being outdoors just before and during thunderstorms, especially in wind gusts before the rain. Get inside a building or car with the windows shut and the air conditioner switched to recirculate/ recycled.

Community News

Marriage Encounter Online Weekend

If you are spending time together, but feel the distance between you …

THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A WEEKEND IMPROVING YOUR COMMUNICATION IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME



This VIRTUAL Weekend gives couples the chance to sleep in their own beds and check-in on kids or animals during meal times.

Come and learn how to keep/rekindle the passion in your relationship and how to keep your love growing!

The weekend we offer is based around Catholic values but couples of all faiths are welcome.

Couples from regional areas may find this option ideal.

Next weekend is on  9-11th October 2020.

Information/Bookings: Phone Mercy & James 0409 183 676 or

Email: vicbookings@wwme.org.au    Website: wwme.org.au

Friday Night Live Arts Festival

Open to all performance types - song, dance, acrobatics, comedy, juggling etc. 

Open to people under age 25

Submit your performance video (no longer than 7 minutes)

Over $2,000 worth of prizes to be won - all you need to do is enter

Dates:

Friday 25 September @ 7pm. Applications close Friday 18 September at 4pm

Friday 2 October @ 7pm. Applications close Friday 25 September at 4pm

To apply head to https://bit.ly/3hN0ypK

This button takes you directly to PAM for Absences, School Activities, Reports, Learning Conversations, Numeracy & Literacy Interviews

Instantly translate this newsletter to 100+ languages

With our Google Translation integration, your community can access your newsletter in ANY language. Simply scroll to the bottom of the newsletter preview to give it a try.