St Ita’s Catholic Primary School acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

WELCOME BACK TO 2024

I would like to thank everyone in our school community for their collective efforts in what has been an extremely difficult week. As a school we have worked hard to ensure communication and supports have been offered. A letter was sent out to all families in our community, communicating a variety of support structures that families can access.

WELCOME TO A NEW PARISH PRIEST

I would like to formally welcome Fr Brendan Hogan to our Warragul, Drouin & Neerim South Parish. Fr Brendan comes to us from Our Lady Help of Christian’s in Narre Warren. He brings with him a wealth of faith, knowledge and experience that he has gathered whilst working in various parishes across the Sale Diocese.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR NEW PARISH PRIEST – FATHER BRENDAN HOGAN

I appreciate the welcome that I have received from our diverse and engaging communities; St Joseph’s, St Ita’s and St Ignatius. Our parish community is an important place in our lives. We come here to celebrate all the gifts that God gives us and to support each other in the extraordinary command that Jesus has given to us, ‘go and make disciples.’ Essential to making disciples is creating a place of prayer and worship that nourishes us and sends us out confident in proclaiming the gospel. To be affective disciples we need to remind ourselves that God is good all the time. The fruits of the spirit are sure indication of his presence in our community. Let us pray for each other as we continue building a vibrant community. We give thanks for all those who have walked this path before us.

The first Catholic Church in Warragul was opened in 1880. The first Church service in Drouin was held at the Shire Offices in July 1880 and St Ignatius Church was opened in 1905. We have much to be grateful for, however we also carry the responsibility of making disciples. Along with the leadership groups in our parishes I look forward to sharing this joy and challenge with you in the years ahead.

Fr Brendan Hogan

WELCOME TO NEW FAMILIES

I would like to welcome all our new students and families who have settled in so well to the routines of school. Your kids have made an amazing start and have turned up for their first few weeks excited and eager to learn.

I would like to formerly welcome our new St Ita’s staﬀ members for the 2024 school year.

Miss. Kristy Boetcher Grade 5-6
Miss. Lauren Misso Grade 5-6
Mr. Duncan Ireland Grade 3-4
Mr. Jordan Wyatt Grade 3-4
Mrs. Jenniffer Carpenter Grade 1 part time.
Mrs. Jessica Woodhouse Grade 1 part time
Mrs. Nicole Robinson Foundation Movement 1 Day
Mrs. Anastasia Rossi – Grade 3-4 1 Day
Mrs. Thomasine Cook – Grade 2 part time
Miss. Madeleine Baker – Grade 2 (Returning from Maternity Leave) part time
Mrs. Sonia Lombardo Library Technician 2 days
Miss. Morgan Harris ESO
Miss. Hollie Smith ESO
Mrs. Kerrie DeCort Admin /ESO 1 day

I’m sure all our new staff will be well-supported in their role as Teachers and ESO’s and they will be a great asset to our learning community.

PLEASE ALWAYS DRIVE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY WHEN ENTERING OUR SCHOOL

Please adhere to a 10km speed limit within our school when dropping oﬀ and picking up. We will publish the correct procedures for both our carlines in this newsletter.

The top administration carpark is for staﬀ cars only. Parents wanting to walk their children into school will need to park in the Church carpark or out the front of the school in designated parking zones (which are limited). The disabled car parks located in the Administration car park are not to be used by parents when dropping oﬀ or visiting the school. Any parent parking their car in the disabled carpark must have a disabled sticker on display.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS TO PARENTS RELATING TO PICK UP AND DROP OFF PROCEDURES

Please do not park cars in the no parking / no standing zones at the front of school crossing during the listed times
School gates at Drouin Rec Reserve and St Ita’s Admin are open to families for entry from 8.30 am and close at 8.50 am. Teachers are rostered on this gate and must leave for their classrooms at 8.50am to ensure duty of care is maintained. If you arrive after this parents will need to drop them through the front administation to obtain a late pass.
The gates open for Walkers, Bus Travellers, and Car line pickups at 3.20pm. Please be patient for the teachers to open the gate. Teachers maintain a duty of care to supervise the exit for all students.
Parents parking in the bottom church park can only collect their children from the Bus/Walkers gate. Please don’t collect children via the admin gate and cross the carpark.
Foundation parents can enter through the Admin walker’s gate to go to their child’s classroom at 3.15pm

BEGINNING OF THE YEAR SCHOOL ASSEMBLY

Our first Whole School Assembly will be held this Friday 16th of Feb starting at 2.30pm in our school hall. Parents are welcome to attend. At this assembly we will present our student leaders with their badges.

DOGS IN THE SCHOOL YARD

In line with current child safety standards and OHS school policy we need to inform parents that dogs cannot enter through the gates and onto school grounds. Parents can walk their dogs to the school gate but will need to ensure they are on a lead, muzzled and cannot access children or parents while tied up.

SCHOOL CROSSING REGULATIONS

A reminder to all parents who park at the front of school for drop off and pick up. It’s been reported that some parents are parking within the “No Parking / Standing Zone” very close to the school crossing in the mornings to drop off students this is obstructing the view of oncoming traffic. In the interest and safety for all, can I please ask all parents using the front of school to adhere to the no parking /standing zones. (fines do apply from local council who drive by and take photos)

COMMUNICATION FROM PARENT TO STUDENT DURING SCHOOL TIMES

Could we please ask all parents to refrain from contacting teachers via ClassDojo during the school day to change pick up arrangements. All messages required to be given to students needs to go through our school administration. Some teachers have been unable to check or pass messages on during school time as they have been teaching, duty or planning time and therefore request are being missed. This has caused distress to parents, students and staff. We thank you for your support with this issue.

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

We have our parent teacher interviews scheduled for Monday 26^th February 3.40pm – 5.30pm and Wednesday 28^th February 3.40 – 7.30pm. Interviews will be held in the school hall and it is a chance for parents to meet their child’s teacher. It also provides parents the opportunity to share any information that may be useful in supporting your child’s learning. Foundation Collocott interviews will begin next week - please ensure any parents from this class choose the correct booking platfrom. To make a booking please log into the Parent Access Module (PAM) and select the class and time.

BUILDING PROJECT UPDATE

Our building project is coming along nicely and is on schedule. Over the holidays the site was cut and they are preparing to pour the footings and the concrete slab by the end of this month. Two dates have been booked for the delivery of concrete, Wednesday 28th February and Tuesday 5th March. They are also completing the construction of a 3-bay shed so that we can gain storage capacity which is currently at a minimum. This will come with some disruptions, but we will try and mitigate this as best as possible. We thank everyone for their patience in this space.

PARENTS AND FRIENDS

Our newly formed P&F are busily planning a Trivia Night for our school community. More information will come in the next few weeks. Save the date – Saturday 23^rd March!

A big thank you to Maree Admiraal for coordinating the St Ita’s Bunnings BBQ and all the school families that supported this event. It was a wonderful event to promote the school and raise money for our playground and library. Thanks to Tiff Clarke, Peter Deguara, Michelle Hateley, Cathy Pedersen and Sam James for all your work on the day!

P&F have also been working on designing a whole school approach display for children to use on the top yard. Ben James has kindly been working weekends to build, paint and install the boards for our kids to use. A photo will be posted once this project is complete!

IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Monday 26th February - Parent Teacher Interviews 3.40 - 5.30pm
Wednesday 28th February - Parent Teacher Interviews 3.40 - 7.30pm
Monday 11th March - Labour Day
Tuesday 12th March - pupil free day
Wednesday 27th March - last day Term 1
Thursday 28th March - pupil free day
Friday 29th March - Good Friday
Monday 15th April - pupil free day
Tuesday 16th April - Term 2 starts all students
Thursday 25th April - Anzac Day
Friday 26th April - pupil free day
Monday 10th June - Kings Birthday
Tuesday 11th June - Pupil Free day
Thursday 27th June - last day Term 2
Friday 28th June - pupil free day
Monday 15th July - pupil free day
Tuesday 16th July - Term 3 starts all students
Friday 20th Sept - last day Term 3
Monday 7th Oct - Term 4 starts all students
Monday 4th Nov - pupil free day
Tuesday 5th Nov - Melbourne Cup
Tuesday 17th Dec - last day term 4
Wednesday 18th Dec - pupil free day
Thursday 19th Dec - pupil free day
Friday 20th Dec - pupil free day

Andrew Osler

Principal

IMPORTANT DATES

Monday 12th February - Grade 1-2 Inform & Empower Incursion

Tuesday 13th February - Launch Project Compassion 2024

Wednesday 14th February - Ash Wednesday Liturgy

Monday 19th February - District Swimming @ Warragul

Tuesday 20th February - Grade 5-6 Inform & Empower Incursion

Wednesday 21st February - Grade 3-4 Inform & Empower Incursion

ALLERGY AWARENESS

CONVEYANCE ALLOWANCE

Eligibility

An application on behalf of a student may be submitted if the student is:

a Victorian resident;
school aged and enrolled (3) three or more days per week at a school; and

A student who meets the above requirements may be eligible if they:

attend their nearest appropriate non-government school/campus
reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from the school attended

Note: Eligibility is assessed when the School completes your child’s application on the Student Conveyance Allowance System

(SCAS). If approved, the allowance payable is based on the one-way distance to make the journey to and from school.

If you are eligible and wish to apply for this allowance, please click the link to the Conveyance Allowance Application Form, which must be printed and completed and returned to the school office by Monday 4th March, 2024. Late claims cannot be accepted.

You must complete a new application even if you have applied for this allowance previously.

SIMON EVERYWHERE

Simon_Everywhere.pdf

Simon_Everywhere _pdf 162.12 KB

STUDENT ABSENCES

REPORTING_STUDENT_ABSENCES_IN_THE_SIMON_EVERYWHERE_APP.pdf

REPORTING_STUDENT_ABSENCES_IN_THE_SIMON_EVERYWHERE_APP _pdf 198.09 KB

ANGLICARE ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE ONSITE ON THURSDAY

Age appropriate conversations are important because they help children understand the world around them in a way that matches their cognitive and emotional development. By tailoring discussions to their age level, children can grasp complex concepts gradually and feel supported in their understanding. This approach also fosters trust and strengthens the parent child relationship by establishing open communication and promoting a sense of safety and security. Furthermore, it helps children develop critical thinking skills and prepares them to navigate various situations as they grow older.

A few things to keep in mind;

Know their developmental stage – understand the cognitive, emotional, and social development typical for their age group. This will help gauge what topics and information they can comprehend and handle.

Use age appropriate language – tailor your language to the child’s level of understanding. Avoid using jargon or complicated terms and instead use simple, straightforward language.

Listen actively – Pay attention to their questions, concerns, and interests. This will guide you in tailoring the conversation to their needs and level of understanding.

Encourage Questions – Let your child know they can ask questions and express their feelings. Encourage an open dialogue by listening actively and responding with empathy. This can help nurture their intellectual and emotional growth.

Provide reassurance – Address any fears or worries they may have by providing comfort and support. Let them know they can come to you with any questions or concerns and that you’re there to help them navigate difficult topics. Reassure your child that they are safe and loved, even when discussing challenging topics.

Focus on the child’s perspective – Consider how the topic might impact your child and address any concerns or fears they may have. Validate their feelings and offer comfort as needed. Pay attention to their reactions and cues during the conversation. If they seem uncomfortable or disinterested, its ok to pause or revisit the topic at a later time.

Be honest, but selective – Provide truthful answers to their questions, but adapt the depth and detail of your responses to their level of comprehension. Avoid overwhelming your child with information that may be too mature for them to handle.

Follow up – Check in with your child after the conversation to see if they have further questions or need additional support. Let them know you're available to talk whenever they need.

Some topics of conversation can be a delicate process and it's okay to seek guidance or support.

If you are struggling with understanding what is age appropriate conversation for your child or how to navigate conversations in an age appropriate manner please reach out to Heath from Anglicare who is onsite each Thursday or via email at heath.mills@anglicarevic.org.au or phone 0499 007 031

Teacher: Mrs Catherine McKenna

Email: cmckenna@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au

LIBRARY INFORMATION

All students (including ⅚) at St Ita’s require a library bag. These keep our books
clean and safe in between school and home. Library bags are available from
Beleza Uniform Shop.

Due to the number of books we need to process weekly, we ask students to
return their library bag and books the day before their library lesson. (Monday
classes are an exception).

If your child is reading a chapter book and may require more than a week to
read it, please just return it once they have finished reading.
Students may borrow 2 books each week.

LIBRARY DAYS

MONDAY	GRADE 3/4G
	GRADE 3/4JW
	GRADE 3/4I
	GRADE 1ST
	GRADE 1CW

TUESDAY	ALL FOUNDATION CLASSES
	GRADE 2MW

WEDNESDAY	GRADE 2CB
	GRADE 2AK
	GRADE 1G
	GRADE 3/4D
	GRADE 3/4BW

SPORTS NEWS

Sports Teacher/Co-Ordinator: Hayley Roberts

Email: hroberts@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au

STATE CROSS COUNTRY

On Thursday 18th July, Charlotte Bills (Grade 6) and Eli Spargo (Grade 5) proudly represented St Ita's at the State Cross Country held at Yarra Valley Racing Club. They both ran 3km on a very muddy course and should be extremely proud of their efforts. Eli finished 20th and Charlotte finished 76th. Well done!

AFLW HAWTHORN FOOTBALL CLUB

St Ita's were very lucky to have some of the AFLW Hawthorn Football Club players come to our school last Monday. They ran a Q&A session for anyone interested and it was a great turnout. They inspired many boys and girls to play in the AFL.

PARISH NEWS

Which program am I with?

Jews in Jesus’ time saw illness as punishment for some kind of sin or unfaithfulness but Jesus wasn’t having any of that! His message is that God doesn’t see them that way but instead Jesus is especially devoted to the ill, marginal, unwashed and unwanted above everyone else. He came nearest to those who were seen as God’s forsaken, touching the lepers (Mark 1:40-45) whom no-one else would touch, assuring them of the Father’s boundless love and restoring their dignity. “Of course I want to (cure you)!”, he says. And does so.

Beyond the crippling physical effects of bodily disease, the overwhelming tragedy of these sufferers is the shame and humiliation of being shunned as dirty and repulsive. Ostracism and exclusion from normal lives and participation in community activities and events eroded their dignity. We meet such people in the streets of our towns today.

Jesus Program: Caring lovingly for the unwashed and unwanted. Catholic icons like Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Saint Mary McKillop, Pope Francis and other Christians and non-Christians have made Christ-like care their life’s work. Ambiguously Christian, Eric Blair (aka George Orwell), the profoundly influential author of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty Four, lovingly served the dirty, shunned and unwanted, those with horrendous skin conditions; cleaning and binding disgusting ulcers and wounds, restoring dignity to the ostracised.

Anti-Jesus Program: Excluding from their love and the community’s care those who don’t fit a particular work ethic or moral code, class, ethnicity, race or gender profile. Those (including erstwhile Christians) who by act or omission, directly or indirectly, shun, ostracise, berate, deprive, neglect and humiliate the poor, unwashed, lonely, ill, frightened or fleeing are following the anti-Jesus program.

Jesus is our model and guide. His followers must bind and comfort where we can, support the experts who can do what is beyond us and, as citizens and taxpayers, ensure our governments wisely and compassionately spend our resources.

Deacon Mark Kelly