Newsletter March 18th, 2025

This week, we welcome Videographer Kevin Cummins (Modular Media) who will be visiting St Brigid’s to commence taking footage of our school in action with the ultimate aim of producing an updated school video capturing the key features of St Brigid’s. This will include drone filming, professional photos, visits to classrooms, interviews with staff, etc.

On Wednesday 19th March, St Brigid’s students will be participating in the annual inter-school sports competition at Mason’s Lane in Bacchus Marsh. The children need to be at the venue by 8:45am for a 9:00am start and the day is usually finished by about 2:30pm once presentations have been made.

Although our sports day doesn't take place at school, it is considered an essential learning day where we would request that all children attend. The students compete against other children of similar ages from other schools and this is a great way for us all to practice the skills of responsibility, resilience and being a good sport.

You are all invited to cheer on your children and their classmates as they compete in the events. It is usually a lovely day for a picnic lunch and the children really do appreciate their family members being there. We would appreciate that all students attending the sports day with their family stay after all the events have been run so that they can participate in the awards presentations.

Reminders:

In preparation for our Sports Day, please ensure that:

• children who are booked to catch the bus to Masons Lane are at school no later than 8:15am. The bus will be leaving at 8:20am sharp!
• long - lasting sunscreen is applied to your child/ren before arriving at Mason's Lane
• your child/ren are wearing their St Brigid’s sports uniform and school hat
• your child/ren have a drink bottle, snacks, lunch (there will be no canteen on this day)
• you log into your PAM account to give permission for your child/ren to participate in this event

For further information regarding this day, please refer to the letter circulated via PAM.

An active P&F committee allows families the opportunity to play a valuable part in providing social and fundraising activities.  All funds raised contribute to resources and materials to support your children in their holistic development.

At our first meeting, we explored the possibility of assigning key roles within the SAC. We are now inviting expressions of interest for the following positions:

P&F Chair

• Facilitate P&F meetings.
• Collaborate and liaise with the Principal to plan and coordinate the school calendar of events.
• Organize and oversee volunteer involvement.

Administration

• Manage incoming and outgoing correspondence.
• Record and maintain minutes of meetings.

Treasurer

• Collaborate and liaise with St Brigid’s Finance Officer.
• Provide financial updates and reports to the P&F.

If you are interested in any of these roles, please fill out an expression of interest via the survey below. Your involvement is invaluable in supporting our school community!

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FVPPNHF

P&F meetings will take place in our school Library from 3:15pm - 4:00pm on the following dates:

• Term 1:
  Monday 24th March, 2025
  
  
• Term 2:
  Monday 5th May, 2025
  Monday 2nd June, 2025
  
  
• Term 3:
  Monday 4th August, 2025
  Monday 1st September, 2025
  
  
• Term 4:
  Monday 20th October, 2025
  Monday 17th November, 2025

As in past years we will once again be conducting our Annual Easter Egg Raffle.

All families are asked to donate an Easter related item for our raffle. Raffle tickets for the Easter Raffle have been sent home. 

The raffles will be drawn on the last day of Term 1, Friday 4th April, 2025.

Please find below information in relation to the $400 School Saving Bonus.

The $400 is only available to be applied to school activities.  It cannot be paid out in cash.

Please click on the link below should you require any additional information.

https://www.vic.gov.au/receiving-school-saving-bonus

Again this year, students from Year 1-6 will be participating in the Inform & Empower Cyber Safety & Digital Wellbeing program. This means that our classes will be tuning in to live streamed incursions (with their teachers) every term that focus on healthy and safe digital habits. The incursion content is all written and delivered by qualified teachers who are endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider.

These sessions aim to help children better navigate the online world and become more aware, clever, brave and kind. They will focus on topics including navigating unwanted contact, cyberbullying, help-seeking strategies, unsafe content, balancing screen time with "green time" and sharing personal information.

The following website will provide you with further information regarding Inform and Empower.

https://www.informandempower.com.au/

Suzanne Beaver will again be at St Brigids every Tuesday this year. 

Suzanne is available for individual sessions with children. Common issues addressed are managing strong emotions, self esteem, friendship issues, anxiety, and family challenges such as illness, grief and separation.

Suzanne is also available for individual sessions with parents. Topics can include a range of parenting challenges, i.e. managing strong emotions, school reluctance, helping your child form strong friendships, and helping your child to navigate family separation.

Suzanne can also assist you in finding the right external support for your child and family.

This is a great service provided right here at school. Please don't hesitate to contact Suzanne with any concerns you might have. Contact Suzanne by phone on a Tuesday or by email any day sbeaver@sbballan.catholic.edu.au.

You can also access the service through the office or your classroom teacher.

Whole School Prayer/ Assembly will take place on a fortnightly basis at St Brigid’s Church. To ensure uninterrupted Literacy time and as specialist classes will take place each Friday, we will need to move assembly to Monday afternoons from 2:30pm.

Term 2 dates:

• Monday 28th April, 2025 @ 2:30pm 
• Monday 12th May, 2025 @ 2:30pm
• Monday 26th May, 2025 @ 2:30pm
• Monday 23rd June, 2025 @ 2:30pm

All of the timetabled events (to date) for the school year can be found on our school calendar which can be accessed through PAM and via this newsletter.

Hot lunches will recommence Friday 2nd May via the online ordering system - Spriggy Schools on SZapp.

Volunteers

We will re-introduce a roster looking for volunteers to help prepare and serve lunches on each Friday. Ideally 2 helpers are required.

If you are available to help out on a Friday between 11.30am-1.00pm please contact the school office with your dates (valid Working with Children Check is required).

The children really enjoy hot lunches and this can only happen with the help of volunteers!

All children are expected to be at school ready to begin by 8:55am. Arriving on time for school is important. The first 10 minutes of school is a vital time of the day when the day's routine and structure is established. It is a time for ‘tuning in’ and focusing on the learning intentions for the day. It is very difficult for children arriving late to ‘catch up on this missed information. Parents are expected to phone through to the office the child’s absence on the day, or through our school Parent Access Module (PAM). If there has been no contact from the family in the morning of the absence, a sms from the office confirming the child’s absence from school will be sent.

SZappp Mobile Application is a fantastic way for communicating and making information or resources available to our St Brigid's school community. 

Please follow the instructions in the below guide on how to install the SZappp and register an email account for communication.