St Monica's Primary North Parramatta Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers,

How quickly things can change. In the last term, we have felt like we were getting back to ‘normal’ and welcoming parents into our learning spaces to celebrate Mothers’ Day, meet with teachers, engage in learning workshops and Look at what we’re learning! And now, we are on the brink of significant restrictions due to COVID-19!

We are about to enjoy a much deserved two weeks away from school to rest and recover.  Many of our families and staff have holidays booked interstate and within New South Wales, to reconnect with family and friends.  It will be devastating for some that this may not go ahead.

Pope Francis, in his book “Let us Dream”, says to us that “In the trials of life, you reveal your own heart: how solid it is, how merciful, how big or small.”  Let us reveal our hearts to those in our families and our community who need mercy, including ourselves.

My wish for you these holidays is that you appreciate these moments with your loved ones and stay safe.

Lisa Crampton
Principal

PLEASE READ

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please see NSW Health and CEDP guidelines below for students returning to school after an illness (NB: these guidelines have not changed):

• Students must not attend school if they are unwell.  This includes even minor flu symptoms.
• Students must return a negative COVID-19 test result and be symptom free before returning to school.
• Schools must sight the negative COVID-19 test result prior to allowing students to return to school.

If you are unwilling to allow your child to undertake a COVID-19 test or provide the school with a negative COVID-19 test result, the student is to be excluded from school for a 10-day period.  Additionally, the student must by symptom free for at least 3 days before returning to school.

SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 (as per the Government Health Guidelines)

Symptoms of COVID-19 can range from mild illness to pneumonia. Some people will recover easily, and others may get very sick very quickly.
People with coronavirus may experience symptoms such as:

• fever
• respiratory symptoms
  • coughing
  • sore throat
  • shortness of breath.

Other symptoms can include:
runny nose, acute blocked nose (congestion), headache, muscle or joint pains, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, loss of sense of smell, altered sense of taste, loss of appetite and fatigue.

To stop the spread of COVID-19 people with even mild symptoms of respiratory infection should get tested. 

Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring the safety of all students and staff at St Monica's.

A reminder that students return for Term 3 on Monday 12 July 2021. 

We wish everyone a wonderful holiday break!

A reminder that our first fundraising event for 2021 will be a Mufti Day which will be held tomorrow Friday 25 June .  The theme will be HAWAII HOLIDAY FRIDAY!

Please note that students must wear suitable footwear (ie joggers or closed in shoes). 

Donations can be made via the Qkr! app. 

Funds raised will be going towards school resources including technology and representative sports singlets!

Children who have received the Sacrament of Baptism,  and are in Year 3 or above, are eligible to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

Registrations will be held at St Monica's Church at Masses on Saturday 31 July (5pm) or Sunday 1 August (9am). 

There will be a Compulsory Parent Meeting on Tuesday 17 August  at 7pm  (venue to be advised).  Parents who do not attend the Compulsory Parent Meeting MUST have a meeting with Father Lam at his office before commencement of the 1st lesson.

Mr Andrew Baker
Religious Education Coordinator

In Week 4 of Term 2, our students participated in the 2021 Athletics Carnival. 

We would like to thank each student for participating so enthusiastically and trying their very best in each event.   

A special thank you is also extended to the parents and families who assisted on the day and made the event possible. 

Congratulations to the MERCEDES house who scored a total of 482 points and placed first on the day.

Each student and teacher from the MERCEDES house will receive a Zooper Dooper at lunchtime on Friday. 

Congratulations to our other houses who also scored an incredible amount of points. The McCauley and Callan houses both scored 474 points, and Clare scored 451 points.  This year, we also acknowledge and congratulate the students who performed exceptionally well in both track and field events. 

For each competitive age group, there is a boys and a girls age champion. 

8 Years Age Champion

Hugh G

Soraya M

9 Years Age Champion

Liam F 

Alessia L 

10 Years Age Champion 

Braxton C 

Pare N 

11 Years Age Champion 

Liam S 

Siria M 

12 Years Age Champion 

William P (absent in image) 

Aimee Akiko L 

There will be a house meeting on Friday afternoon at 2:15pm where we will meet and enjoy a fun afternoon with our house colour. 

We are already looking forward to our 2022 Athletics Carnival! 

Armani Barakat 
Sports Coordinator 

Congratulations to the following students who received awards at our End of Term Assembly.

Congratulations to the Bansal family (Diya, ES1) on the birth of their son Reyaan on 25 May.  

With the school holidays around the corner, the team at Healthy Lunchbox is running a campaign promoting the Healthy Holidays Guide.  The guide is full of ideas and activities to keep the kids entertained and get them cooking, crafting and moving over the school holidays.  There is even a special discount code to use in the Cancer Council NSW stores!

Healthy Holidays Guide

Monica Mango hasn’t got to see any photos of any delicious foods that have been cooked in munchboxes. Remember to share any photos of recipes you try!

Children need to eat more as they grow. As a guide, your child should eat these foods every day. (See the attached flyer for more information).

• 2 to 3 years: 1 serve of fruit; 2½ serves of vegetables; 4 serves of grains; 1 serve of meat/poultry; 1½ serves of dairy
• 4 to 8 years: 1½ serves of fruit; 4½ serves of vegetables; 4 serves of grains; 1 ½ serves of meat/poultry; 1½ to 2 serves of dairy
• 9 to 11 years: 2 serves of fruit; 5 serves of vegetables; 4 to 5 serves of grains; 2½ serves of meat/poultry; 2½ to 3 serves of dairy
• 12 to 13 years: 2 serves of fruit; 5 to 5 ½ serves of vegetables; 5 to 6 serves of grains; 2 ½ serves meat/poultry; 3 ½ serves dairy

This week’s recipe gets some veggies in, but in a delicious way! Great hot or cold!

Zucchini slice

• 5 eggs
• 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour, sifted
• 375g zucchini, grated
• 1 large onion
• 200g rindless bacon, chopped
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil

Optional extras – could also add in an extra egg and leftover vegetables, or other vegetable options could be pumpkin, capsicum, mushrooms, corn, mixed vegetables

Method:

1.    Preheat oven to 170 degrees.

2.    Beat the eggs in a large bowl until combined. Add the flour and beat until smooth, then add zucchini, onion, bacon, cheese and oil, stir to combine.

3.    Grease and line a 30 x 20cm lamington pan. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in oven for 30mins or until cooked through.

See the 'Healthy Eating for Children Brochure' below which includes  information about the Australian Dietary Guidelines and up-to-date advice about the amount and kinds of foods that we need to eat for health and wellbeing. 

Healthy Eating for Children Brochure

Recipe credit: taste.com.au

Ms Kellee Bagnall
Teacher

Our second fundraising event will be a DISCO on Friday 23 July (Term 3)

from 5:30 - 7:00pm for Years K-6.  More information to come!

Our condolences are extended to the Bernardez family (Aiva, Year 1) on the recent passing of Aiva's grandfather.   

Please keep the Bernardez family in your thoughts and prayers at this sad time. 

Thank you to those parents who have downloaded the Qkr! app.  

To ensure payments are processed correctly, we request that you please update your child's profile.  A profile needs to be created for each child. 

Please check that you have correctly entered your CHILD'S NAME and CLASS.  If you are unsure what class your child is in, please contact the office.

There are a number of payment options available on the app.

• Enrolment Deposit - only to be used for NEW students to the school.
• Library Book Replacement Cost - only for parents who receive a letter from Mrs Davino requesting payment for library books.

Please do not use these two payment options unless you have been requested to. 

Instructions to download the Qkr! app can be found here.

Thank you.

“We are SAFE, RESPECTFUL LEARNERS”

CLASS JARS
Students are continuing to work hard in class to earn "bees" from teachers acknowledging when they are safe, respectful learners.

Students encourage each other to contribute to the class jar so they can enjoy a reward as soon as it is filled.

Bees are given out frequently so students can contribute to and enjoy a whole class reward often.

Bees can also be earned in the library when borrowing & returning books and even when students visit the office and display respectful behaviour.

PLAYGROUND CASES

Safe, respectful playground behaviour is also acknowledged with a white “bee” given out by teachers. 

Students place these bees into the class boxes in the playground.

There is great competitive fun to see who the next winner will be and what fun activity they will get to enjoy.

Class rewards that were earned last week:

• ES1 will have a movie afternoon this Friday!

Mrs Rita Davino on behalf of the PBS4L Committee

Congratulations to our Term 2 'Bookworms of the Term'!

These students borrowed the most books in their class this term. 

They have won a prize and will have their faces proudly displayed on our
 Bookworm Wall in the library!

Parents are requested to ensure that your child has a water bottle EVERY DAY. 

There are still a number of students attending the school office each day requesting cups of water.  

As the bubblers are not in use, it is most important that students bring at least one bottle of water each day so that they are not dehydrated.

NO glass bottles please.

Thank you in advance for your assistance. 

Skoolbag is the school’s primary avenue for immediate communication with parents.

Skoolbag is a communication app which all parents are strongly advised to install on their smartphones, ipads etc. 

Please ensure you have this app downloaded so that you do not miss any important messages.   

Remember to subscribe to your child's class group! 

Once you open the St Monica's Skoolbag app - Select Groups - then add your child's class.      You may add/remove class groups as required. 

Parents are reminded that morning supervision commences at 8:20am. 
Students ARE NOT supervised before this time.
If you need your child/ren supervised before this time, please contact COSHC.  (Details below)

Phone: 0429 990 179
Email:  COSHCStMonicasParra@parra.catholic.edu.au  
Morning 6:45am to 8:45am            Afternoon 3:00pm to 6:30pm

We remind students that there is NO SHARING OF FOOD at St Monica's. 
Parents are requested to please send only healthy food options for your children to eat at recess and lunch. 

Chocolates, lollies and lollipops are treats for home and should not be sent to school.

Thank you for your support. 

To keep informed of upcoming events, parents may subscribe to the School Google calendar.  The Google calendar will be the primary source of information about school dates in the future.

Go to our School Website and scroll to the bottom of the calendar.

Click  “subscribe" near Parent Calendar.

Please ensure that every item of your child's clothing, lunch boxes, drink bottles and mobile phones (if applicable)  have a CLEARLY MARKED NAMED LABEL. 

It is easy to return items that are clearly marked with a child’s name. 

We thank you in advance for your support. 

Dear Parents/Carers 

All Contractors / Volunteers who visit St Monica's School must have a BCSC number before they will be allowed to enter the school grounds.

CEDP has launched a new Building Child Safe Communities form and online training module that all volunteers/contractors are required to complete. 

• You must provide your BCSC number to the school prior to assisting at an event. (Please forward the automated email to the school email address stmonicasnparra@parra.catholic.edu.au or provide a hard copy)
• No Contractor / Volunteers (parents included) will be granted permission to assist with a school event without a valid BCSC number.