Newsletter Term 4 Week 5

Dear Families

There has been a flurry of activity behind the scenes as we prepare for the end of year.  Our usual celebrations will be affected by CV19.  Catholic Education SA has advised all schools…

“…not to dilute standards or make local decisions that are not in keeping with SA Health directives or CSH&W procedures.”

As you would know the current rules around social distancing will influence what we can do and these rules change whether you are inside or outside.  A further complicating factor is that events will be different in each school depending on the space the event is to be run in and the amount of people attending and what type of event it is.  Principals are in communication with each other often about decisions being made in this area.

The following events are being organised for the end of year:

CAROLS

• Friday December 4^th, during the day
• Venue: oval/grandstand (as usual)
• Reception to Year 2 classes perform in the morning (times yet to be arranged)
• Year 3-5 classes perform in the afternoon (times yet to be arranged)
• Timing to be released soon as we are working with the sound technicians regarding setup
• Whole school attends
• Each performer is allowed to invite one adult, they will need to register and sit on one of the socially distanced chairs
• This event will either be live streamed or placed on a private You Tube channel

Inclement weather plan – the event will be cancelled

End of Year LITURGY

• This is our whole school celebration for the end of year
• Monday December 7^th
• Venue: St Michael’s – Founders Hall
• Whole school attends (we walk to and from)
• Year 6 students are allowed to invite parents, they will need to register and sit on one of the socially distanced chairs
• Depending on numbers requests for extra tickets for Grandparents might be possible
• Time TBC but in the morning
• Receptions to Year 3 return to school after the Liturgy, while other classes remain for the Graduation Assembly

Inclement weather plan – delay start/end time due to walking up and back

GRADUATION ASSEMBLY

• This will follow on from the Liturgy at St Michaels
• The time will be confirmed
• Students will have a 15 minute break
• Year 6 guests may choose to only come to this event
• This event will approximately 45 minutes Inclement weather plan – delay start/end time due to walking up and back

BOARD TALK

The School Board met this week and there were many decisions made that we would like to share with the wider community.

Oval Redevelopment

I am pleased to announce that the oval will get a major upgrade over the Christmas holidays, the work will include:

• Removal of current grass and topsoil
• Widening the concrete path around the sports shed
• Installation of a new watering system
• Import 60 tonne of topsoil to the site
• Spread soil with Dakota topdresser
• Manually grade area to match existing site levels
• Laying of Kikuyu grass, as this allows an extra 6-8 weeks of growing time each year.
• Glenelg Turf Ace will manage the maintenance of the oval for 12 months (this would include watering schedule, mowing, pest control, fertilisation, pro-coring and general lawn health maintenance).

I would like to offer Brad Dunstan and the other members of the Building and Grounds, Development and Maintenance Committee our thanks for all the work that has gone on in the background to bring this program to reality.

Trees on Seaview Road

As you may have been aware, the trees have been removed from the nature play area on Seaview Road. These trees were all diseased and progressively in danger of dropping limbs.  The stumps remain, but they blend in nicely with the surrounds and the nature play theme.  We are working with the arborist on more suitable trees to replant in this area.  The aim will be to plant the most mature trees that we can afford!

Regards
Damian Weeks

"Because life is always beautiful when we choose to live it fully, when we choose to leave a mark.” - Pope Francis

Students make a difference

In week 2 we (Maeve, Jess, Emily and Sanur), had a stall selling homemade earrings and keyrings to raise money for refugees. It all started in the holidays when I (Jess) bought heaps of coloured polymer clay to amuse myself, I came up with the idea to make earrings, after a few days of work I had produced around 150 unique pairs of earrings. I didn’t know what to do with them and I didn’t have any backs for them, I ordered backs and continued making more pairs until I had around 500. I then got in touch with Mrs Foley, who helped me to organise a stall to raise money. My friends got involved and together we worked to make posters, as well as organising many more things so that we could make the stall possible. As   we are passionate about helping refugees, we decided that we would donate our money to some local refugee families who had absolutely nothing. Our stall was a success and we raised over $300; the money has been passed on to the refugees. In the coming weeks, we will be placing a box of earrings in the school front office for parents and students to purchase more earrings, we ask that you place $2 in a tub when taking a pair of earrings, so that you can continue to help refugees. We would like to thank everybody who purchased earrings or made a donation to our stall and we hope you continue to help us by purchasing more earrings.

Thank you. Jess Burton Year 6.

We also raised $400 for the RSPCA and $600 for Socktober. I spoke to Catholic Missions yesterday and this money will assist the children who have been injured by landmines in Cambodia; many of whom have been orphaned and live in the Catholic Arrupe Centre. I have been privileged to have been associated with the centre and have met a number of inspiring young people from the centre.

God Bless our families
Stella Foley

School Fees 2020

School fee statements were sent home earlier this week via child/ren. If you are making regular payments from either a bank account or credit card, please ensure your payments are sufficient to cover any additional fees. Otherwise you will need to make additional payments to cover these fees via Bpay, QKR or payment to the School Office as they become due. This will ensure your school fee account is cleared by the end of the year.

Just a reminder: Parents/Caregivers who contribute at least $250 for a single child family or $300 for multiple child family to the Planned Giving Programme of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Henley Beach for the 2020 calendar year may apply for a full rebate of the School Capital Levy. Application forms are available from the School Office. You will need to take the form to the Parish Office for approval.

All school fees are now due unless there is a prior arrangement in place.

If at any time you are having difficulty with the payment of your school fees, or have any queries, please contact me to confidentially discuss the matter.

Jane Leonard
Finance Manager