Dear Parents and Carers of Good Samaritan,

Well, we’re nearly there! Our return to face-to-face learning is just around the corner. Our staff are gearing up for the return of students to our school site beginning with Kindergarten and Year 1 next week. It will be great to get them back into the routines of school life, learning in their classrooms and most importantly, together with their peers and their teachers.

It sounds a bit glib to say that ‘we couldn’t have done it without you - our parents’ as this doesn’t seem adequate enough for the partnership that has strengthened with you and the school community. Parental engagement throughout remote learning has been extraordinary as you navigated the daily learning of your child over the last term. I feel in awe of what you have had to do as you became used to new ways of working in your own employment, managed restrictions and ran households (just to name a few things) whilst also being the conduit between your child and their teacher.  I have wondered whether or not I could have done the same had my daughter been of primary school age during the pandemic. So, it’s time to pat yourself on the back and give yourself, and your friends and family, a high five!

As we begin to take this ‘Road to Recovery’ we remain optimistic about the future. Last week, the road to recovery was described to me as a ‘collective recovery’ for our school community. Everyone will be recovering - students, staff, parents and Parish. Our focus over the last week has been on preparing a reorientation to school for our students. This will be in the form of activities within the learning plans through the week. Your discussions with your child are really important for them to feel a sense of connection and belonging. It will also be important for them to feel that they have time and space as they adjust back into school life. It will also be important for you, as parents, and us, as school staff, to keep our anxieties and stressors in check - our wellbeing needs to support the wellbeing of our children.

The Catholic Education Office Specialist Support team and CatholicCare have provided us with great support as we aim to bring our students back to an environment that is calm and predictable. Below is a resource for you about the return to school. Many children will feel fine about returning but there will be some who have a lot of questions, who may be reluctant, who seem unmotivated and who may have lost some skills in socially managing friendships or relationships. This resource will help you to prepare them for a successful return to school with conversation and activities.

Our school focus will be about re-introducing the PB4L routines and procedures with celebration and rewards forming a part of their days. Our school playground tokens will be re-introduced as will the House Cup and our merit and Principal Awards.

I encourage you to continue to communicate with your child’s teacher about the return to school. Please ask any questions that you have so that our collective recovery as a school community is as successful as possible.

Enjoy the week ahead, as we journey together, with Jesus,

Toni Sillis

Principal

You can support your child’s wellbeing for a successful return to school by preparing them through conversations and activities. 

Parents can understand their child's needs and build their resilience by: 

• Early identification of concerns or anxieties and ability to plan with the school and your child on how to address those concerns; and, 
• Focusing on your child’s strengths can build their confidence and capacity to manage their feelings, changes to routine and social interactions with peers. 

If students raise concerns:

• If your child raises concerns about returning to school and you are not sure how to respond, please contact your child’s teacher in the first instance and together we will work to give you support

Cards are included in this newsletter for you to be able to  print off and  create a game with  your child  about returning to school.

Using this activity at home  

Parents can try a variety of tactics for using this question activity. Some ideas include:

• Print off the conversation cards and stick them on the fridge and ask your child to select one or two of the cards for discussion;
• Pile the cards randomly and take turns to pick one off the pile and answer the question; and/or,
• Put the cards in the centre console of the car and ask your child to randomly pick a question (sideways conversations are always an easy way to have difficult conversations).

As students begin the staggered return to school throughout weeks 3 & 4, parents are not expected to buy new uniforms for such a short period of time until the end of the year. So, students are able to wear either sports or Summer uniforms based on what fits your child, what can be managed throughout the school week and what they are most comfortable in. Let’s make the end of the year as seamless and stress free as possible!

A reminder about Sports days:

We will return to full school uniform expectations at the beginning of the 2022 school year.

Week 3: Kindergarten & Year 1

The staff of Good Samaritan is looking forward to welcoming all Kindergarten and Year 1 students back  to face-to-face learning on Monday 18 October. Good Samaritan will be operating in Level  3+ COVID-19 restrictions so the following information for parents and carers is aimed to assist the school in managing the return within the restriction guidelines.

Morning drop off to school will remain the same. Carlines remains the school’s preferred safest and easiest mode of dropping off at school. Parents are not to enter the school grounds. Staff will be at the office/Library stairs area to greet the children returning to school. Gates will be unlocked at 8:20am when supervision begins.

Please note that students will go straight to their play area for their cohort. Staff will be there to direct them. From the playground, they will be met by their class teacher. The bell will ring at 8:45am However, with the staggered arrival during Level 3+ restrictions, the expectation is that all students will be at school by 9am.

There are changes to afternoon dismissal car lines

Car lines remain the safest and most efficient way to drop off and pick up students. 

Afternoon car lines will begin at 2:40pm. 

Students will sit in their cohort lines maintaining physical distancing.

Please observe all traffic regulations when entering the school grounds including no right turn into or out of the Parish carpark. Should the line extend beyond the carpark please drive around the block to avoid any traffic jams onto Cabbage Tree Lane and the Princes Highway.

Dismissal for bus lines, OOSH and walkers remains the same.

• All parent pick up will continue to take place in Cram Park on the corner of McGrath St and Cabbage Tree Lane. Dismissal will be staggered in the following order:

• Students will be supervised safely across the road by a teacher of their cohort
• Parents are asked to wait on the perimeter of the park until all students have crossed to the park. Please do not gather at the crossing area to allow all students to get into the park safely.
• Parents are asked to allow time for teachers to settle the students before collecting them
• Students will be asked to indicate to the supervising teacher who is picking them up
• Parents are asked to always be considering social distancing whilst in the park.

Students and staff must not attend work or school if unwell, even with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Any person with any COVID-19 symptoms must be sent home and not return to school unless:

●  they have a negative COVID-19 test result and are symptom free; or
●  they have isolated for 10 school days, when no medical certificate is available.

In circumstances where children have other medical reasons for recurrent symptoms, a letter from their GP is sufficient to negate the requirement for a negative test.

Anyone who is unwell with COVID-19 symptoms is strongly encouraged to get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.

To provide a safe learning environment for students, minimise opportunities for transmission and enable the most effective contact tracing and containment measures in the event of a COVID-19 case, schools will be required to adopt a cohort model.

The principles of student cohorting are to:

• minimise unnecessary physical interaction between students on school group

• ensure that students learn and play only with those in their cohort, wherever possible

• minimise opportunities for transmission and enhance contact tracing

• minimise the potential for widespread infection across the school and wider school community

In the early stages of returning to school (Kindergarten and Year 1), students will be placed into class-based cohorts.

• During this period:

• Masks will be worn by all staff

• Masks are strongly recommended to be worn by all students, at all times, indoors and outdoors.

• Each cohort will return to their classroom as the primary learning space, completing all lessons and break times with their allocated cohort.

• Break times, playground and canteen access will be staggered by cohort.

• Within each cohort, students should maintain strict personal hygiene and physical distancing wherever possible.
  
  

• The year-based cohort system will be maintained at break times, and break times will be staggered by cohort wherever possible.

• Structured play breaks will be supervised to support students’ socialisation and playground skills

• Physical distancing of 1.5m should be maintained, wherever possible.

• Playground equipment will be wiped down between use wherever practicable.

The Canteen will reopen in November following the return of all students to the school site. Parents are asked to pack morning tea and lunch. You might also consider an extra snack as the children may be hungrier returning to school than usual given they have been able to eat at different times throughout the day.

Last week Year 2 parents attended an information session about the School Managed iPad Program. You will find attached the School Managed iPad FAQs and Compass Tip Sheet Responding to an Insights Cycle.

Thank you to all our students who participated in Jump Rope for Heart last term. Our school raised $1277.48 which is a tremendous effort given that we had to hold Jump Rope during remote learning. Thank you to all those who raised money but also to everyone who participated in the weekly skipping challenges. 

The money raised is one aspect of building awareness of heart disease and how it affects people’s lives including Yussef, who was born with congenital heart disease and whose story you can watch here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HitjLFfHEs&feature=youtu.be

Dear Parents and Carers

Thank you for your patience as we navigate through the current COVID restrictions. It has become necessary to restructure the Lumen Christi Preparation Programme for the Sacraments for the remainder of 2021. 

Bishop Brian has announced that with the easing of restrictions the Churches in the Wollongong Diocese will open for Mass when the population will reach the 80% vaccination target.

At Lumen Christi atholic Parishes we value the health and safety of our parishioners. We understand the apprehension many may feel during these uncertain times.

We greatly appreciate your patience however having considered all of the options available it has been decided to ask you to enrol your child in the Sacramental Programme for 2022. 

Please mark this date in your diary for the 2022 Sacramental Programme Parent Meeting and enrolment evening on 29/30 June 2022 SJV 6:30 pm. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the commencement of this meeting.

You will receive further communication regarding the Sacramental Programme for 2022 in the New Year either through your child’s Catechist or through your school.

Yours in Christ

Fr Bernard Gordon

From the School Handbook:

STAGES OF HOME-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

1. If you have any educational/behaviour concerns about your child always contact your child’s classroom teacher in the first instance. Your child’s classroom teacher will always make contact with you if they have any concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. 
2. Grades and classes across the school are supported by Middle Leaders. You are asked to contact the Middle Leader/s responsible for your child’s class/grade if you have continued concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. The Middle Leaders will also contact you when and if necessary.
3. All academic and behaviour concerns made to the office will be directed to the classroom teacher in the first instance. This may be followed up by support from the Middle Leader responsible for the stage/grade.

The Middle Leader represented in bold will be your first port of call beyond the classroom teacher.

TERM 4 DATES:

October:

• Wednesday 13 October ICAS Writing 

• Thursday 14 October ICAS English

• Monday  18 October Kindergarten & Year 1 - Return to School 

• Monday 25 October Years 2,3,4,5,6 - Return to School 

• Friday 29 October World Teacher's Day 

November:

• Monday 1 November All Saints day

• Tuesday 2 November All Souls Day 

• Thursday 11 November Remembrance Day