Term 2 - Week 2, 2021

Principal's Message

Dear Parents,

On Sunday I was very proud to march with students from Mt St John’s in the Dorrigo ANZAC commemoration. The students wore their uniforms with pride and they were reverent during the service as the monument was rededicated. Photographs of the students marching are below.

On Wednesday a number of our students represented our school at the Zone Cross Country carnival - see the team photo below. The students arrived at school early to meet with Kim Brady and Mr Lee who helped us out on the day. They travelled to Grafton to compete against other students from schools in our zone. From all reports, the course was hilly and littered with cow pats. Our students did their best and represented our school well.

Finally, a reminder that next Wednesday 5th May is Staff Proclaim. This is a staff faith formation day. As such, this day is a pupil free day for all students. There is no supervision of students at school on this day.

Regards,

Nathan Trezise

Principal  

Pupil-Free Staff Development Day

Please note that Wednesday 5th May (Proclaim Lismore Staff Day) will be a Pupil Free Day. These days are essential so that we can come together as a staff to undertake professional learning. 

ANZAC Day Service

We were blessed with fine weather on Sunday, April 25th to participate in the Dorrigo ANZAC Service. The student and staff representatives at the march and monument re-dedication service was strong and we thank all of our families who were able to attend this significant day.  

ANZAC Day Service

Cross Country Ribbons

Mothers' Day Liturgy & Afternoon Tea

When : Monday 10th May 2:00pm

Where: Mt St John’s Dorrigo

Why: To celebrate and show gratitude for all the things Mums do every day for us all and to welcome parents back to celebrate with us. Afternoon tea will be provided.

Mrs Darby has requested photos of mothers from our school community with their children. She would like to use them in an iMovie for Mother's day liturgy. If parents could email a photo to sue.darby@lism.catholic.edu.au that would be great. 

EMU Homework Video Tutorials

Kindergarten - EMU Warm-up (see video below)

Bead Kebab Race - With your child repeatedly roll a 6-sided dice. Invite your child to show the number on their bead kebab. You may also like to challenge your child and race against them and take turns in rolling the dice and see who has the most and the end.

Invite your child to prove that the collection is correct. Ask them "what do you notice?"

Counting Adventure - Go on a counting adventure with your child, in which you both count collections of footsteps, ball bounces, pegs, claps and swings if you go to the park.

Stage 1 - EMU Warm-Up (see video below)

In The Middle - Each student in a group of three players selects three numeral cards from a pack (0-9cards). Next, they form a 3-digit number and show each other. The students then imagine ordering the numbers from smallest to largest. Predict which student has the middle number. Order the cards to check and represent them on an empty number line. The student with the middle number wins the point.

Enabler: Two cards.   Extender: Four cards

Stage 2 - EMU Warm-Up

Animals in the Paddock - A farmer has horses, cows and sheep in a paddock. Altogether there are 15 animals in the paddock. What different combinations of animals might be in the paddock? Explain how you worked out the different combinations. 

Helpful Hint - You might draw the animals or use some counters to help you work out all the different combinations that are there.

Stage 3 - EMU Warm-Up (see video below)

The Stage 3 children are working on reading, recording and counting from and to numbers on and off the decade. Your child can begin with a 2-digit number, but starting from a 3-digit number gives more flexibility. Some questions you might like to ask your child: What is 300 more? 15 more? 1000 more? 50 less? 100 less? 1000000 more? etc. You might like to ask your child to write their new number, especially when we are adding millions and tens of thousands as there has been confusion with this during the week, especially where numbers have contained many zeros. 

Stage 3 Excursion to Canberra Raffle

To raise money for the Stage 3 excursion to Canberra, which will be held on 24th - 28th May, the Stage 3 students are holding a giant raffle. There are some fantastic prizes, such as a load of split firewood, mini portable BBQ, push bikes, scooters, table tennis table, donations from local businesses and more! Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5. The raffle will be drawn on 17th May. A book of tickets was sent home with each family last week - if you don't feel you will be able to sell the tickets please return them to school and we will pass them on to another family. 

Tickets are also available around town at Beaumont’s Produce and Dorrigo Cellars. We appreciate your support!

Parish Sacrament of Confirmation Program 2021

This year, the Confirmation preparation program will be parish-based and run over ten weeks  (excluding school holidays) in the parish centre meeting room in Bellingen. 

A child is eligible for the sacrament of Confirmation if they are baptised Catholic, between the  ages of 8 and 15 years, and should be attending Sunday (or Saturday night) Mass every week. Enrolment and Parental Authority forms are available from the parish office and must be  collected before the day of the Parent Meeting. To obtain the forms you will need to bring with you your child’s baptism certificate (no photocopies) plus proof of ID (e.g. photo driver’s license) for all legal  guardians of your child. 

The completed enrolment form (and Parental Authority form) is to be brought to the Parent  Meeting at the Parish Centre Meeting Room on Wednesday 26th May at 7pm. Your child’s enrolment will take place at that meeting. Enrolment forms will not be available at the Parent Meeting. For more information, please contact the Parish Office on 6655 1448. 

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated by Bishop Gregory on 9th August 2021. 

Issue 3 Book Club

Issue 3 Book Club orders and money are due back at school next Thursday 6th May.

Child Protection

At Mt St John’s, we follow the Lismore CSO Child Protection Policy. This policy informs our practice with regard to keeping our students safe. Our Child Protection Policy ensures that staff are adequately trained annually with an online assessment. We also have face to face child protection training every 3 years. All staff at Mt St John’s have obligations as mandatory reporters. As Mandatory Reporters, staff are required to report if they have any concern regarding the safety, welfare or well-being of a child.  

A copy of our Child Protection Policy is attached. It can be found on our school website also, the link is below:

Parent Assembly Recruitment

Library Day - Wednesday

Library day for all students is Wednesday - please make sure your child brings in his or her cloth library bag on this day. Each student may borrow four books per week. 

School Uniform Items Available

We have a stock of school uniform items available for purchase from the front office. We accept cash, cheque or bank transfer. Uniform prices are as follows:

School hats - $15

School shirts - $25

Skorts - $20

Shorts - $20

Rain jackets - $50

We also have some items available to buy from our 2nd-hand uniform pool.

Canteen

Thank you to Amii Francis and Michelle Wright, who were our canteen volunteers today. If anyone is available to volunteer in our canteen one or more Fridays per term, please contact our canteen co-ordinator Alicia on 0488 280683. If we have no volunteers available we will have to cancel canteen for that week.

A reminder to place your canteen order before Thursday night each week.

Please note - if you top up your canteen account via bank transfer, the funds will take a week to clear so you will not be able to order canteen immediately. 

Please send your lunch wallets into school and we will keep them here.

Parent Assembly Family Retreat

School Bus Travel

Applications for student travel can now be made online. Apply here 

School Drive Subsidy

The School Drive Subsidy is available for eligible school students where there is no public transport available for all or part of the journey. If you have to drive your child more than 1.6km to a school bus stop, you may be eligible for this subsidy – go to the link below to apply. 

Head Lice

If you notice head lice on your child, please treat his or her hair ASAP and notify the school that you did this. Remember – long hair must be tied back at school.

After School Lego at Dorrigo Library

Flu Clinic - Dorrigo Pharmacy

Working With Children Check

For those parents who are volunteers at school, such as canteen helpers, we need to ensure that you have a current Working with Children (Volunteers) Check. To apply for this check, go to 

COVID Student Attendance

Staff and students exhibiting even mild COVID-19 symptoms should be sent home and are required to produce proof of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to school. 

As per these guidelines, a screenshot of the text message, confirming a Negative result, is all that will be required to return to school. 

Instrumental Music With Hazel

We have music tutor available to teach instrumental music through private tuition. Hazel Buchanan is interested in working with our students. Hazel can teach:

- flute

- clarinet

- saxophone

- oboe

- bassoon

- trumpet

- trombone

- percussion

- bass guitar

The school owns a flute and a clarinet, which are available for families to borrow long-term at no cost. The payments for lessons are billed each term and paid directly to Hazel. An Essential Element Band Book will be supplied by the school too.

Students wishing to learn these instruments can do so in individual lessons or in small groups depending on the instrument chosen. It is hoped that one day, we can start a small ensemble or band for instrumental students to play together. 

If you are interested in taking up this opportunity, please contact Hazel directly on 0458 572 525.

Lessons will take place on Fridays. 

Updated Bell Times

This year we have modified our bell times.  The current times are as follows:

8:55 am - 11:00 am English Block

11:00 am - 11:15 am Lunch (children sit and eat)

11:15 am - 11:35 am Lunch Play

11:35 am - 12:55 pm Mathematics Block

12:55 pm - 1:05 pm Recess (children sit and eat)

1:05 pm - 1:20 pm Recess Play

1:20 pm - 3:05 pm Other Key Learning Areas (Science, Arts, History etc)

Term 2 School Fees

SCHOOL FEES: Term 2 school fee statements will be sent home in Week 3. Term 2 fees are payable by Friday 28th May, unless you are paying by regular direct deposit amounts. 

Several payment methods are available; 

• Regular direct deposit payments (see suggested amounts below).
• Lump sum direct deposit
• Cash
• Cheque

If you are planning to set up regular direct deposit school fee payments for the 2021 school year, following are instructions on how to do this: 

Suggested direct deposit amounts (from beginning of February 2021)

1 student - Term 2 - $276.00

       $46.16 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $23.08 per week (x 50 weeks)

2 students - Term 2 - $483.00

       $81.28 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $40.64 per week (x 50 weeks)

3 or more students  - Term 2 – $621.00

       $105.36 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $52.68 per week (x 50 weeks)

If you would like to arrange a regular direct debit payment from your Bananacoast Credit Union account into the school’s account, the BCU Credit Union in Dorrigo will organize this for you.

When using Internet banking, please use your child’s surname as a reference.

Bananacoast Community Credit Union   BSB no. 533-000

Account no. 3282 0430                 Name: Mt St John’s Primary School

GLUE

GLUE: "God Loves Us Eternally" (formerly GFS) is on each Wednesday from 3-5pm at the Anglican Hall. Afternoon tea, games, fun worship and craft. All primary kids welcome, as are newcomers. For more info, ring Gwenneth on 6657 2135. COVID-safe practices will apply.

Nutrition Snippet

ASIST Training in Dorrigo