St Canice's Primary School Newsletter

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Parish

Parish Administrator Fr John McSweeney

 Presbytery Contact  Ph: 02 4782 2804

                                     Fax: 02 4782 6090

Website: marymackillopupperbluemountains.org.au

Monday 8.30am Friday 12.00pm Saturday 9.00am Sunday 10.00am

Saturday 9.30am Confession outside this time is available on request

Saturday Cenacle Rosary and Consecration following benediction after 9am Mass

1st Friday of month, 12.30pm

Fridays (Except 1st Friday) 12.30pm

Benediction Saturdays following 9am Mass

Sundays 12.00pm to 1.00pm

4th Monday of month - 6pm

Dear Parents and Carers, 

As I write this Shrove Tuesday, we have very excited students enjoying pancakes with cream and maple syrup- Yum! Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. Traditionally, people used up all of their flour, sugar and eggs ahead of the fasting season of Lent. 

Make sure to ask the children this afternoon about the yummy pancakes they enjoyed. My thanks to Karissa, Lisa, Natalie and Rochelle, who cooked the pancakes in the hall and delivered them to the office for distribution by our staff.

The purpose of Lent is to enable us to prepare for Easter. We prepare in three ways:

• Through prayer

• Through fasting

• Through giving to those in need

This year, again, we will participate in Project Compassion fundraising. Students will bring a Project Compassion fundraising box home once we receive and distribute them. The children are asked to place gold coins in the box and to encourage other household members to do likewise. The fundraising boxes will be returned to school before the Easter holidays and passed on to Project Compassion.   

The theme of Project Compassion this year is

"Aspire not to have more, but to be more."- Saint Oscar Romero

We encourage all families within our faith community to “be more” for each other and for our world.

This is the time of year when we seek new enrolments for 2022. Open Day is a day when we welcome visitors who may be seeking an education at our great school. Please pass on the word that we are keen to showcase our school on 3rd March. Those interested register on our web site and we then follow up with them with a mutually-suitable time on 3rd March, outside of school hours, as per COVID guidelines. Of course, every day is an Open Day at St Canice’s. Prospective parents do not need to confine their visit to 3rd March if this does not suit. A phone call to the office is all that is needed to visit us at a different time.

My thanks to Mrs Wedesweiler for coordinating all of our faith experiences related to Lent and Easter. We look forward to involving you in our lenten activities and will have more information in the weeks ahead.

God Bless,

Miriam Meaney, Principal

mmeaney@parra.catholic.edu.au 

Parents, student safety is our top priority at St Canice’s. Many of you witnessed the traffic incident last week that compromised children’s and parents’ safety. I would like to outline the measures in place at this stage to ensure community safety at drop off and pick up.

• Hazard cones are in place in the mornings and afternoons, restricting vehicular access to the school

• Mr White and I are visible during drop off and pick up, observing student movement

• Our Parramatta Schools Road Safety Officer has visited the site and has offered advice related to signage. Once we receive the signage, we will put it in place

• All children have been spoken to about arriving to and leaving the school safely

• I have made contact with the Road Safety Officers at Blue Mountains City Council and have set up an onsite meeting with them

This is a good time to remind our students and our community of general road safety. Many of you are concerned about double parking during drop off in the Studleigh Place car park. It disrupts the flow of traffic and causes confusion for our young children who cannot be sure whether the offending car is going to move or not. We ask that you exercise great care at these times, that you park in vacant spots and that you walk your child into the school grounds.

Students learn best when they arrive at school on time and ready for learning. Late arrivals and early pickups disrupt the flow of the day not only for those students who arrive late or leave early but for many other children and for teachers and office staff. We ask that you make every attempt to have your child here for 8:30am each day to enable them to prepare for a great day of learning. We are fortunate to have the help of Mrs Ranson in the office. Her role is to work with me and the teachers to support you in ensuring your children are at school all day every day. Please do not hesitate to contact the office or myself if you feel the need for a little extra help in managing your child’s attendance at school.

We are planning more opportunities to welcome you back whilst ensuring distance from the students a little later this term. Our Open Day is on Wednesday, 3rd March. On that day, we look forward to taking the learning out onto Katoomba Street, as we did in Term 4 last year. Should we have unsuitable weather, we will revert to the hall and will share videos with you. Let us all pray for a fine day on Wednesday 3rd March! 

Parents and carers, mark your diaries. We look forward to our first parent meeting of the year on Tuesday, 9th March at 2pm. We will provide further information about that meeting in the near future. 

School Photos - Thursday 25th February

Mrs Debien Farewell Assembly - Friday 19th February 2:10pm

Meet and Greet Week - Monday 22nd - Friday 26th February

Last day of Term 1 is Thursday 1st April

Good Friday Public Holiday - Friday 2nd April

Staff Development Day - PUPIL FREE DAY - Monday 19th April

First Day of Term 2 - Tuesday 20th April

We will acknowledge and celebrate Mrs Debien on Friday afternoon at Assembly. Whilst we would love to include parents, we are unable to. Your children will act on your behalf in thanking Mrs Debien for her years of service and wishing her well for her next chapter.

Our school’s Summer Splash Day will be held at Katoomba Sports and Aquatic Centre next Tuesday 23rd February 2021. 

• The Summer Splash is a compulsory school day.

• The students are to come to school as per usual and will walk from school to the Aquatic Centre. 

• Parents and/or carers wishing to attend must remain in the specified spectators area

• Both in water and out of water activities will take place under strict supervision.

• Students will walk back to school at approx 12pm. 

• As per CEDP Covid-19 regulations, no pickups can be organised from the pool. 

  PERMISSION DUE  by Wednesday 17th February 2021.

   

  What to Wear - Swimmers & Sun safe mufti clothes

  What to Bring - Hat, water, towel, recess & lunch (Canteen will be unavailable) 

  Sunscreen is not supplied by the school, so please ensure your child has sunscreen so that it can be reapplied if necessary.

Dear Parents/Caregivers, 

School photographs will be taken at school on the Thursday 25th February.

Students are to wear full summer uniform. 

Order forms for individual student photographs  were sent home on Thursday 11th February.  If your child was absent, please call the office on 4780 6800.

Individual Portraits - Prior to filling out your order check that your child’s name is spelt correctly on the Order form, please  make any necessary changes. Please complete the order online and students may then return the Order forms on the day of  photography. If you misplace your order form please contact MSP Photography for your child’s shoot key.  

Family Photos - Should you wish to have a family photograph taken, please fill out the family section at the bottom of your  ELDEST child’s Order form . These photos are for school aged students attending the school and no family photo will be taken  unless an order form has been received on photo day. Please ensure your children present to the portrait location to have their  photo taken.  

Split Families - you can use the same shoot key provided on the order form to order for your child. Any students with multiple  orders processed will have their photographs sent in separate satchels to the school. There is a section on the order form for  you to tick “Split Family” so we can place a “Mums Order” or “Dads Order” sticker on the satchel. If you think there may be a  problem in receiving the photographs or you don’t have an order form/shoot key, please phone MSP Photography on  02 9831 5505 so we can assist you. 

NO LATE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE SCHOOL OFFICE. 

How to Order Online  

Log on to www.msp.com.au and click ORDER ONLINE. 

Place your order using the online system. 

Record your Order Reference Number on your student’s Order form. 

Your child must present their own Photo Order form to the photographer on photo day. 

If you have no access to the internet or no credit/debit card – the school office does have some blank envelopes for cash  payments. Should you have any further questions please contact MSP Photography – Sydney West directly; 

When a child is marked absent from school you will receive a text message notifying you. 

Please reply to these texts as we then enter the explanation into the attendance register.

If you know your child will be away for an extended period please notify the office and we can enter the leave so that you do not receive the texts.

Coming to school on time not only helps students learn the value of punctuality and routine, but helps children build and maintain friendships with other students.

Regular school attendance is essential in building a solid foundation for your child's future. It is also compulsory.

As a school we are required to monitor each and every students attendance and to follow up on any unexplained or unsatisfactory absences.

Please note that late arrivals /early departures are recorded as a  partial absence and must be explained.

You can help your child be the best that they can be by:

Being punctual in arriving at school and collecting your child on time.

Work in partnership with the school on intervention strategies to improve attendance.

If a student is absent for three or more days without the school being notified, the school will contact the parent/caregiver for an explanation .

A reminder that parking is not permitted on the ramp that connects the two car parks in Studleigh Place as you restrict traffic flow and create danger for other road users.

Only vehicles transporting a current Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) permit holder can park in areas displaying this sign. The permit must be displayed in the parked vehicle. Permit holders must comply with the conditions of use of the permit.

No Stopping Spaces are clearly marked with both a sign and lines - please do not use these space.

Please be considerate of all others.

Blue Mountains Portraits 2021 

On exhibition from 23 Jan – 7 Mar 2021 

Blue Mountains Portraits is the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre’s annual celebration of the local community and its diverse members.  

Several St Canice's Students have their Artwork on display!

The exhibiting artists portray the unique people that make up  the cultural fabric of the Blue Mountains and tell the stories  behind the person.  

Fifty artworks in a broad range of styles and media such  as painting, photography, drawing, collage and video will be  exhibited together with a selection of local students’ work.

In the event of a bushfire during school hours the following procedures must be followed.

When there is a bushfire throughout the Mountains, the emergency personnel (Police and SES) provide advice to the school in respect of road conditions and closures and evacuation notice.

Should a decision be made for the school to evacuate, the school will take the following measures according to Police and SES advice:-

If it is safe to evacuate the students to their residence:

• Students who normally catch buses will be assembled ready for the buses.

• Students who live close to the school and normally walk will be given permission to do so unless otherwise advised by parents. 

• The school will attempt to contact parents where children are unsure if anyone is home and if they live a long distance from a bus stop.

• Students who do not catch buses or walk will remain at school until parents collect them.

or

If it is unsafe to evacuate the students to their residence:

•  the school staff will care for the students in a safe location according to the advice from the Police or SES.

It is impossible to telephone every family as the time frame for this operation is short. However, every avenue to contact parents will be sought. Communication will also be placed on Facebook and an alert sent via Skoolbag. 

The school will remain open and therefore parents of bus travellers and walkers who require their child to stay at school can make that choice. 

At all times the children’s best interests will be paramount.

Parents are asked to discuss arrangements they require with their children so that students know what is expected of them.

We continue to have good interest by prospective parents in our school and this often results in new enrolments. The children are always excited to welcome new children to St Canice’s and we too are always eager to expand our community by welcoming new families.  Parents who visit tell us that it is word of mouth that encourages them to have a closer look. Parents and Carers, thank you  for speaking highly of this great school in the community. I hear praise of our teachers and of our beautiful students from prospective parents time and again. I want to encourage you to keep up this great work. It has been proven beyond doubt that the single greatest advertisement for a school is the good word that is passed on. 

For those students participating in private lessons, please ensure your child brings their instrument to school on the following days

Ensemble - Wednesday Morning 8.20am - 9am with Bonita Silva

Violin Lessons & Strings Program - Wednesday with Ms Frazer & Ms Silva

Cello - Friday with Paul Smith

We are now taking enrolments for Kindergarten 2022, if you know of people looking for a school for their child (even if it is for the other grades), please let them know about St Canice’s. The power of your words of recommendation has an enormous effect on our enrolments. Let’s keep working together to make St Canice’s that great school that has been in operation for the past 120 years.

All messages and notifications from the school are sent through the "Skoolbag" app.

Please make sure you have this app on your devices for all current and up to date school alerts.

Download skoolbag from the app store

Select St Canice's Catholic Primary Katoomba

If you have any difficulty accessing the app, please contact the school so that we can ensure everyone is receiving information sent out.

Building Child Safe Communities - Volunteer Undertaking

Dear Parents/Carers 

All Volunteers have until 30th September 2020 to submit a new Undertaking in the new system.

In Catholic Education Diocese Parramatta (CEDP), we see parents and carers as partners in your child's learning journey. Parents and carers are encouraged to become involved in our schools in many important ways such as supporting classroom learning, being part of advisory groups, mentoring programs, coaching sporting teams and supporting other extra-curricular activities and other kinds of help.

A range of checks and undertakings are required for people who work for or provide services to CEDP. These checks reduce potential risk and form part of our strategy to build child safe communities.

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

The purpose of this training is to inform you of the standards of behaviour and other requirements that must be adhered to when volunteering for CEDP.

The undertaking should take no more than 5 minutes to complete and the training module approximately 10 minutes. Once the form and training modules are submitted, an automated email will be sent to you within two business days to confirm the status of your submission.

The undertaking form will expire within two years or when your Working With Children Check expires (if applicable), whichever is sooner. At that time you will need to complete the undertaking form and training module again. You will receive an automatic reminder email when this occurs. 

Further information on the new online form and training module can be found at www.parra.catholic.edu.au and clicking on about us/building child safe communities. Within the form you will also find help sheets and a video tutorial to assist you. 

Thank you in advance for your support.

The Diocese of Parramatta’s Office for Safeguarding and Professional Standards (OSPS) has launched a new website, strengthening their ability to deliver advice and support to parishes, agencies and ministries to ensure the Diocese is safe for all people. Visit the website at www.safeguarding.org.au