Newsletter February 2nd, 2022
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Principal's Message
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Message from Gabe Driscoll
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Specialist Days
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Student Medical Profiles - First Aid Medication
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Food Awareness
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School Fees 2022
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Family Fee Assistance and CSEF
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Reminders - Masks, Drink Bottles and School Hats
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Term One Dates 2022
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School Captains 2022
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School Uniform
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School Bus Travel
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Conveyance Allowance
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Birthdays
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Big Childcare
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Gordon & Bungaree Parish News
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Change of Details
Almighty God,
We give you our school.
We give you all the teachers and staff who work here,
We give you all the children who study here.
We pray our school will be a place of great discovery, adventure and creativity.
May it be a place where we love to learn and where we learn to love,
A place where every one is respected and all are deeply valued.
We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Dear Parents and Families,
Welcome to the 2022 school year! I hope your family has had some opportunity for rest and relaxation over the holiday period and we look forward to working with you to bring faith filled learning in 2022. A new year provides us with the chance to set new goals, to engage in new learnings, to make connections, to participate in school events and widen our understanding of the importance of each person to our school and parish community. We continue to keep in our thought and prayers, members of our community who are currently unwell.
Yesterday, on the feast day of our patron saint, St Brigid, we welcomed children back to St Brigid’s. It was wonderful to see happy faces enter the school grounds. Excitement filled the air at recess and lunchtime as the children explored the new play spaces. I wish all children a happy and productive year of learning.
We welcome our new Foundation students and we also welcome a number of children and their families who have joined other classes in the school.
This year, we welcome four new staff members to St Brigid’s - Julie Molloy (3/4 support), Peter Mullane (Performing Arts Teacher), Mackenzie Gould (Learning Support Officer) and Sarah Foyster (Foundation/One) Teacher.
Take care and God Bless,
Jayne Bosworth
'Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.'
Excerpt from St Brigid's Prayer
I want to express my sincere gratitude and humble thanks for the treasure trove of gifts and good wishes that came my way from the St. Brigid's community at the end of last year. From the video, the art work and the very generous gifts I was quite overwhelmed by it all and please be assured I will certainly treasure them. It was certainly not in my plans to finish at St Brigid's in the manner in which it unfolded, but as has become my mantra over the last 10 months, "it is what it is " and so I need to go forward accordingly one step at a time. That mantra has helped me to get through what has been an extremely challenging time - from chemotherapy to major surgery and all that comes with such events. I am now recovering slowly but well and my health future is looking positive!
I am so grateful to both my family and all - including those within the St Brigid's community who have kept me in their thoughts and prayers and sent messages of positive thoughts and good wishes. I am so grateful to you all.
I wish you all the best as you commence another school year - especially in the very challenging Covid times. I do still intend to visit at some point and see the finally completed playground - what a mammoth effort it has been!!
Take care and go gently.. Gabe.
Performing Arts will take place each Tuesday in the Multipurpose Room. Visual Arts and Physical Education will take place each Wednesday, and therefore all children will need to wear their sports uniform of a Wednesday. Please ensure your child has an art smock (or old shirt etc) for Visual Arts.
It is important that all student's medical profiles on PAM are kept up to date, in case of a medical emergency. Please check you have a valid Medicare number, medical details such as allergy advice (asthma and anaphylaxis plans) and regular prescription medication details e.g. dosage and time to be taken.
If your child requires regular prescription or occasional (allergy or antibiotic) medication to be administered by first aid, please ensure the medication is supplied with a pharmacy label, stating students name with time and dosage required. All medication requests also need to be accompanied by a parent signed consent form. Forms are available from the office.
Please note we cannot give any student Panadol without a parent supplying the medication and signed consent for their child. We do not have a supply of Panadol in first aid.
In the case of a minor incident or injury obtained at school, you will be notified via a PAM message at 4pm daily. In more serious circumstances eg. receiving a knock to the head, a telephone call will be made to the parent at time of incident.
Please log on to your child's medical profile on PAM to check all relevant medical information is correct.
At St Brigid’s this year, we have a number of students with severe food allergies and therefore, in alignment with our anaphylaxis policy, we encourage parents to avoid sending foods that contain nuts to school. This includes peanut paste, nut spreads such as Nutella and fruit and nut bars.
We acknowledge that due to food processing practices it is impractical to eliminate nuts or nut products entirely from an environment where there is food. Many food packaging labels include the phrase ‘may contain traces of nuts’. These foods are acceptable. Thank you for your understanding and support of our school policies.
2022 School Fee statements will be sent out to families at the end of this week.
This year we will be including all costs in our school fees right from the commencement of the school year - this will include camps, an excursion levy and a gardening levy. A letter outlining details of exactly what the fees will be for the total year is attached below.
Payment options are via direct debit, EFTPOS at the school office, cash, cheque, credit card or internet banking.
Direct debits are available as 22 x fortnightly, 10 x monthly, or 4 x termly payments. Payments will commence on Friday 18th February. Please see the attached Fee Deduction Schedule and Direct Debit Authorisation Form for further information. Hard copies of this form are also available from the school office. Please return your form by Friday 11th February.
In all Ballarat Diocesan Catholic Primary Schools, a Family Fee Assistance Scheme is available to families eligible for a means tested Health Care Card, Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card or Veteran Affairs Pensioner Card. The scheme is available to both catholic and non-Catholic families and reduces the cost of the Family Tuition Fee and Capital Levy to a combined maximum of $520 per year ($10 per week). The Curriculum Levy, Technology Levy and Excursion and Camp costs are then added to this to give a total fee amount for the year.
The Victorian Government offers a Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) providing payments to assist eligible families to cover the costs of camps, sporting events and excursions.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card you may be eligible for CSEF. The allowance will be paid to the school to use towards expenses related to camps, excursions, or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is currently $125 for primary school students.
Please see the attached information regarding Family Fee Assistance and the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF). For further information, please contact the school office.
Wearing a mask is required for everyone aged 8 and above in all indoor settings in Victoria (unless an exception applies). Please supply a mask for your child/ren to wear for Grade 3-6 students.
Just a reminder that children also need to bring drink bottles and hats to school each day!
Term One – Key Dates
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.
Term 1:
Friday 28th January, 2022 | First day for Staff |
Monday 31st January, 2022 |
Professional Learning Day for Staff – Visible Learning (Student Free Day) |
Tuesday 1st February, 2022 |
First day for ALL students from Foundation – Year 6 |
Monday 14th March, 2022 |
Labour Day Public Holiday |
Monday 21st March, 2022 |
Moorabool Sports Day |
Thursday 24th March, 2022 |
Professional Learning Day for Staff – Religious Education (Student Free Day) |
Friday 25th March, 2022 |
Professional Learning Day for Staff – Religious Education (Student Free Day) |
Tuesday 29th March, 2022 |
School Photo Day |
Friday 8th April, 2022 | Last day of Term 1 |
- Please note; Foundation students will not attend school on Wednesdays until Wed 16th March
Congratulations again to our four school captains! We wish you all the very best in your new role.
Tahni Muscat, Angus Tranter
April Yearwood, Jake Plageman
Please ensure that your child is wearing the correct uniform to school each day. The St Brigid’s uniform consists of the following:
UNIFORM – BOYS:
Grey shorts (Term 1 and 4) Grey trousers (Term 2 and 3)
Blue school logo short sleeved shirt / polo t/shirt
Grey school jumper
Grey socks with black shoes (no runners)
Navy blue school logo hat (Term 1 and 4)
UNIFORM - GIRLS:
Blue summer dress or skorts (Term 1 and 4)
Winter tunic/ navy trousers (Term 2 and 3)
Light blue or grey socks (Term 1 and 4)
Grey socks or stockings (Term 2 and 3)
Pale blue skivvy / shirt / Logo polo
Grey school jumper
Navy blue school logo hat (Term 1 and 4)
Black shoes (no runners)
SPORTS UNIFORM:
School logo Rugby Top
School logo Polo Shirt
Navy blue shorts /navy netball skirt/navy blue skort
Navy blue tracksuit pants NO LEGGINGS
White socks
Runners
Navy blue school logo hat (Term 1 and 4)
Sports Uniform is only to be worn on Wednesday and as directed by the class teacher.
Second-hand uniforms are available for sale. Please enquire at the school office.
School Uniform is a parental responsibility. If your child is not wearing the correct uniform (including socks) a note explaining the reason must be given to the child’s teacher or the school office.
Currently, two school buses operate to and from St Brigid's School Ballan
Bus 1 serves Greendale
Bus 2 serves the Mt. Wallace and Bunding areas
To be eligible to use the bus service, students must live at least 4.8 km from the school on the bus route. If eligible, parents are required to complete and sign the attached permission form to access the service. Hard copies are also available from the school office. Students who already travel on these services and will have previously completed the form, do not need to complete a new application. Due to insurance issues, non-bus travellers who need to use the bus occasionally must complete an adhoc travel form at least two days before the date of intended travel.
Please note the following recent changes to the Department of Education and Training’s Code Red Day policy and procedures.
Any school bus routes that are within, or pass-through, weather districts where the fire danger is determined to be Code Red will be cancelled. Based on the experience of the 2019 Code Red day in Mallee and Northern Country weather districts, the Department has decided that all school bus routes will be cancelled on future Code Red determined days in impacted weather districts. The Department’s primary rationale for making this policy change is to protect and preserve the lives of students, staff and education communities by taking the most prudent approach to the risk posed by the most catastrophic bushfire conditions.
The Conveyance Allowance assists families with the cost of transporting their children to and from school. To be eligible to receive a conveyance allowance you must:
- Be aged between five years (by 30 April in the year that the allowance is sought) and 21 years.
- Live more than 4.8km by the shortest practicable route from the nearest Catholic school attended, or, live more than 4.8 km from the nearest bus service.
- Further information regarding the Conveyance Allowance can be found in the link below. If you believe you are eligible, please contact the school office.
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/conveyance-allowance/policy
Mass Times:
Fr Sajan celebrates mass each weekday morning (except Mondays) - Bungaree 9.30am All Welcome
1st Sunday | 2nd Sunday | 3rd Sunday | 4th Sunday | 5th Sunday | |
Saturday 6.30pm | Dunnstown | Springbank | Dunnstown | Clarkes Hill | Springbank |
Sunday 8.45am | Gordon | Bungaree | Gordon | Gordon | Bungaree |
Sunday 10.30am | Ballan | Ballan | Ballan | Ballan | Ballan |
Korobeit Sat 6.30pm ~ Creswick 8.45am ~ Daylesford 10.30am
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