NEWSLETTER
1st February 2001
Dear Parents,
Welcome back for school year 2001. The children have settled well into the school routine. We welcome all our new families and our two new teachers Mrs Christine Dodd and Mrs Leonie Malouf. This week at our first school mass our school captains, vice captains and sports captains received their badges from our parish priest, Fr Bill Burston, who has just completed his 5 year term as Vicar General of the diocese. He flew out on Wednesday for Wales where he will complete a sabbatical retreat. We look forward to his return in early June. Fr John Tobin and Fr Brian Brock will cover his parish duties during that time. Congratulations to our:
School Captains – Dominic Va and Gabrielle Taylor
Vice Captains - Christopher Breton and Sarah McPherson
Green Captains - Daniel O’Donnell and Stacey Parker
Blue Captains - Matthew Casserly and Amanda Wolfe
Red Captains - Roberts Puliuvea and Adrienna Gain
Gold Captains - Andrew Luong and Lauren Hewitt
STAFF FOR 2001
Principal : Mr Michael Doyle
Assistant Principal : Mrs Jennifer Crichton
Co-ordinator : Miss Nicky Di Santo
RE Co-ordinator : Mrs Maureen Rak
Kinder : Mrs Christine Dodd
Year 1 : Mrs Paula Northfield
Year 2 : Mrs Leonie Malouf
Year 3 : Mrs Maureen Rak
Year 4 : Mrs Bernadette Searl
Year 5 : Miss Nicky Di Santo
Year 5/6 : Mrs Mary Anne Bilson
Year 6 : Mrs Jennifer Crichton
Executive Support Teacher : Mrs Emma McCulloch
Pastoral Care : Sister Marie Jones, RSJ
Clerical Assistant : Mrs Catherine Ryan
School Assistant (Library) : Mrs Dianne Smiljanic
Integrative School Assistant : Mrs Maria Stephens
Cluster Librarian : Mrs Helen Schulz
Cleaners : Mrs Robyn Allardice
: Mrs Marian Pietraszek
SPORT. The Regional Swimming Carnival is on at Stockton Pool February 15. The school swimming program years 3-6 resumes February 14 at Mayfield Pool and continues each Sports Day (Wednesday) until Easter.
Separate notes will be sent home by Mrs Bernadette Searl. The Diocesan Summer Sports Trials will be held February 13 for Tennis, Cricket, Basketball and Softball. Children who nominated for these trials please see Mrs Searl for further information.
EXPENSIVE TOYS/JEWELLERY/CARD COLLECTIONS. Please keep expensive toys and jewellery at home. No responsibility is taken for their loss or damage. Studs only to be worn in ears as a matter of safety on the playground.
UNIFORM. The school values the uniform. It is generally cheaper in the long term, promotes school pride and minimizes the differences between children from different socio-economic backgrounds. Your support with the school uniform is appreciated. Skate shoes and surf caps are NOT PART of the school uniform.
MUSIC LESSONS. Music lessons will resume on Tuesday 13th February with Miss Monica Orman.
OFFICE HOURS. The office is open 8.30am – 3.00pm every day.
APPOINTMENTS. If you wish to make an appointment to see Mr Doyle or any staff members please contact Mrs Ryan, the school secretary.
SCHOOL FEES. School fee accounts will be forwarded to you early this term. School fees can be paid in full or by weekly or fortnightly instalments.
SCHOOL HOURS. The school opens at 8.10am. This means there is only a teacher on duty to supervise your children after 8.20am. Please ensure your children don’t arrive too early.
LUNCH ORDER/CANTEEN. Lunch orders can be placed at the canteen Monday to Friday. The canteen price list will be sent home shortly. Canteen will open next Monday.
BEFORE SCHOOL/AFTER SCHOOL CARE. A free bus service courtesy of Mayfield Ex-Services Club transports children to and from the before and after school care program at Mayfield West. Ring 4968 3337.
PARENT INFORMATION. Teachers will be sending out information sheets regarding class routines next week.
COMMISSIONING MASS. Catholic school staff throughout the Diocese will attend a special mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral on February 6 at 6.30pm to begin the school year.
BREAKFAST CLUB. The Red Cross Breakfast Program will resume operation on February 12. COST IS 20 CENTS PER CHILD. We are in need of helpers for this important service.
NEWCASTLE SHOW HOLIDAY - MARCH 2. Schools in the City of Newcastle and the City of Lake Macquarie will be closed on that day.
PARENT HELPERS – READING PROGRAMMES. We are in need of parent helpers to assist with our reading programmes. If you have the time and would like to help, please see Mary Moffat. Mrs Moffat organises all special education programmes.
COMPUTER HELPERS. We need parents as helpers for computer activities in the classrooms. No experience necessary. Please contact Mrs Crichton.
LIBRARY BORROWING. Classes will begin borrowing from the school library in Week 3. Your school has an excellent selection of books and tapes for the children to choose from and teachers will encourage each child to borrow once a week. Children may borrow or return books any time the library is open. This includes before school and lunchtime but each class has been allocated a time when the teacher will bring them to the library for this specific reason. Class borrowing times for 2001 are listed below:
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
Kinder Year 3
Year 1 Year 4
Year 2 Year 5
Year 5/6
Year 6
The school has a policy NO BAG NO BOOK so we would ask parents to ensure that their child has a bag to put the borrowed book in. Library bags are available from the office. Books are due to be returned a week after the date borrowed.
LATE BOOKS: A REMINDER IS SENT.
LOST OR DAMAGED BOOKS: A LETTER WILL BE SENT HOME WITH DETAILS OF THE BOOKS AND AN ACCOUNT FOR REPLACEMENT. The library computer system is set up so that a child may not borrow another book until his/her overdues are returned or paid for. Helen Schulz, Librarian
EARLY LEAVERS. Parents regularly taking children before the final assembly and prayer will be asked to sign a formal release form. The school accepts no responsibility for children leaving before the official closure of school.
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE – WHO PAYS FOR A CHILD’S ACCIDENT AT HOME? Children will always have accidents whether in the school playground or in their own backyard. That’s why Catholic Church Insurances (CCI) offers Children’s Accident Insurance – a simple low cost insurance cover which provides a lump sum payment to reduce the financial pain if their child is in an accident. Children’s Accident Insurance is a truly affordable cover. For less than 8 cents a day it covers full-time students of any religion, 24 hours a day anywhere in the world for up to $7,500 per accident. Please find brochure attached to this newsletter and please consider this offer.
ROAD SAFETY. New parents are advised that the front car park is locked between 8.30am and 9.00am and from 2.30pm – 3.00pm on the advice of police and council. This has been the practice for many years due to problems with cars pulling out behind parked buses, into the path of parking buses or driving through lines of children arriving or departing the school. The back car park remains open each afternoon from 2.30pm. This will resume from Monday February 5.
UNIFORM. Label hats and jumpers please to avoid loss.
COMPLAINTS/DISPUTE RESOLUTION. If you have a problem with matters of school policy and personnel please make an appointment to discuss the matter with the class teacher and the principal. In serious matters this can be referred to the Catholic Schools Office after consultation with the parish priest. The Director of Catholic Schools can then refer to other agencies if required. By following the correct procedure we protect the interests of the student and avoid the gossip and misinformation that can damage individuals and families within the school community.
CANTEEN HELPERS. Maria Stephens is organising the roster for canteen helpers to enable the canteen to stay open everyday. So if you have assisted before and would like to assist again, or if you are a new parent and would like to help, please contact the office. Any help – weekly, fortnightly or monthly would be greatly appreciated. There will be a meeting of canteen helpers on Friday at 9.00am in front of the canteen. Everyone is welcome.
THE COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENT – PARLIAMENTARY EDUCATION OFFICE. Senior primary students have completed a special project on all the Australian Prime Ministers which has been chosen to be published by the Parliamentary Education Office on the PEO Website First Parliament Project (www.peo.gov.au) for the Centenary of Federation celebrations. The Director of the Parliamentary Education, Mr Brenton Holmes wrote "This has been a most rewarding project for our office – we have learnt so much from your students. Thank you for supporting our project. Well done students and congratulations to the teachers".
Allan Morris MHR, Member for Newcastle wrote, "I would like to congratulate you on your participation in the Parliamentary Education Office project. It is good to see young people getting involved in such projects and taking an interest in their region.
David Watkins was a Labor member in the first parliament and held his seat for about thirty five years and, as such, would have played a significant role in the development of the city. An interest in such people is good for the local community and can help to create a greater sense of community.
The participation of your school shows on your part a sense of community and it is good to see children being involved and taught about the history of their community." Congratulations to Miss Cousins, Mrs Crichton, our teachers and students.
Michael Doyle
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