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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 TERM FOUR
Where has the year gone? We’re already in the final term of the 2024 school year and a lot is happening. I hope everyone had the opportunity to rest and relax over the term break to help set themselves up for the home run.
We’ve finally received the Certificate of Occupancy for our new building, and our Grade 1 and 2 students are now getting comfortable in the new classrooms. It’s an amazing learning space and the teaching staff and ESO’s have done an amazing job moving and setting up the classrooms.
This term students will be participating in Kinect2Dance every Friday with Bree and her sidekick Kyle. The dance workshops have been really well received by students and we look forward to the showcase concert to be held towards the end of the year.
Our Grade 4 students are currently preparing for the Sacrament of the blessed Eucharist in partnership with their parents, the school and the parish. We pray for all our students as they embark on this important part of their faith journey.
EVERY DAY OF SCHOOL IS IMPORTANT
Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school every day – missing school puts them behind.
We want all our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day. If students miss school regularly, they miss out on learning the fundamental skills that will set them up for success in the later years of school.
There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes. The research clearly shows that each missed day of school is associated with progressively lower achievement in numeracy, writing and reading.
Attendance patterns are established early – a child regularly missing days in kindergarten or in the early years of school will often continue to miss classes in the later years, and receive lower academic success than their classmates. It’s vital that students go to school every day – even in the early years of primary school.
In Victoria, school is compulsory for all children aged 6 - 17 years. Whilst its inevitable that there will be sometimes student absences occur in any school year, they still need to be monitored. The main reasons for student absence are:
1. Sickness – There are always times when students need to miss school, such as when they’re ill. It’s vital that they’re only away on the days they are genuinely sick, and developing good sleep patterns, eating well and exercising regularly can make a big difference.
2. Family holidays - It's vital that holidays are planned during school holidays where possible, and not during the term. If you are planning to go on holiday during term time, make sure that you talk to your child’s teacher in advance, and work with them to develop an absence learning plan.
3. “Day off” – Think twice before letting your child have a “day off” as they could fall behind their classmates – every day counts.
4. Truancy – This is when students choose not to go to school without their parent’s permission. There can be many reasons for truancy. The best way to address this is for schools and parents to work together.
5. School refusal - School-refusing children will experience significant emotional distress not only when going to school but also at the thought of going to school; they may be absent from school for weeks or even months at a time. School refusal differs from truancy as children generally stay home with the knowledge of the parents and despite their best efforts to encourage their child to go to school.
FACT: BEING AWAY FROM SCHOOL FOR ONE DAY A FORTNIGHT EQUALS MISSING 1.5 YEARS OVER 13 YEARS OF SCHOOL
If for any reason your child must miss school, there are things you can do with your school to ensure they don’t fall behind:
# Inform the school of your child’s absence
# Speak with your child’s classroom teacher and find out what work they need to do to keep up.
# Develop an absence learning plan with your teacher and ensure your child completes the plan.
# Remember, every day counts. If your child must miss school, speak with your classroom teacher as early as possible. Openly communicating with your child's school about all absences is a good way to prevent attendance issues being escalated to a School Attendance Officer.
# A School Attendance Officer is a Department of Education and Training Regional Director who has authority to follow up attendance issues. Chronic or ongoing attendance issues that are escalated can lead to an Infringement Notice being issued to parent/s.
# If you’re having attendance issues with your child, please let your classroom teacher know so we can work together to get your child to school
TOP ATTENDANCE TIPS FOR PARENTS
Schools want to work in partnership with parents – act early if you have any concerns by contacting your child’s school and asking for advice and support
• Remember that every day counts
• There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness
• Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day
• Open and prompt communication with your child’s school about all absences is a good idea
• Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term
• Seek help from your school if you are concerned about your child’s attendance and well-being.
Schools want to work in partnership with parents to support student attendance and well-being. Further information For more information and resources to help address attendance issues, visit: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/studentmanagement/attendance/Pages/improveattendance.aspx 2
SUMMER UNIFORM
All students should now be in summer uniform. This means school hats are compulsory for all students, no hat, no play. St Ita’s is a Sun Smart school and has set policies in place to help protect all students. Parents please ensure your child’s name is on their hat and reinforce that it’s school hats only. Students without hats will play in designated shaded areas.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
- Monday 4th Nov - Pupil free day
- Tuesday 5th Nov - Melbourne Cup
- Monday 18th November - Planned Colour Run in school grounds
- Tuesday 17th Dec - Last day of term 4
NEW BUILDING UPDATE
We are pleased to report that our Grade 1 and 2 students are now comfortably settled into their new classrooms in the new building.
REMEMBRANCE DAY
St Ita's Primary School will again be supporting Warragul RSL by selling Remembrance Day merchandise, in the days leading up to this special day.
The following items will be available for students to purchase- poppy wristband $3, fabric poppy badge $2 or $5, poppy pen $5, slouch-hat badge $5, and a $10 'Lest We Forget' poppy appeal badge.
Money raised will go to RSL Victoria and Warragul RSL to support local veterans.
Thank you for your support,
Mandy Buttner (Warragul RSL member)
RAINBOWS FOR ROSE
On Monday 18th November, we would like to raise money for an additional friendship chair to remember the life of Rose McMahon. With the completion of the Grade 1 & 2 building and Renovated Art/music room we are looking to have another permanent friendship chair erected on the top playground. Due to the Rec Reserve being out of action we will postpone the colour run to a later date. This will give our P&F time to consolidate and coordinate the event. It was an agreed consensus from the parent representatives to not coincide the colour run with fundraising and prizes and just focus on celebrating the memory of Rose and bringing a gold coin to go towards the purchase of a new friendship chair.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ST ITA’S WHOLE SCHOOL/GRADE 6 GRADUATION PHOTO DAY
On Friday, 22nd November, Schoolpix will be attending to capture our whole school photo and our Grade 6 graduate’s photos. It is important that all students are dressed in full Summer school uniform.
All students must also be wearing black school shoes and their jumpers. Grade 6 students will need to wear their Grade 6 Bomber jackets.
Please do not send your child to school dressed in sports uniform. Children who usually have PE classes on a Friday are asked to please bring their sports shoes in their schoolbag. It is most important that all students are dressed in a presentable and uniform manner.
GRADE 6 GRADUATION
Our Graduation Mass and student presentation will be celebrated in St Ita’s church commencing at 6 pm on Thursday 5th December.
Due to the significant growth of our Grade 6 population and school, we have elected to celebrate our Graduation dinner at the Drouin Football Club rooms. Our Graduation dinner will be catered by Alimentos Catering who will provide a sit-down, two-course dinner which includes a main meal and dessert. Soft drinks can be purchased over the bar, and a reminder that this is a school function therefore this is an alcohol-free event.
The cost of this event will be $32 for adults and $16 per child. The graduation event is for parents and Grade 6 students only, unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to host siblings or extended family. All family members are welcome to attend our Graduation Mass.
Closer to the event, we will advise parents to park on Victoria St or in the Church carpark and walk up entering the gate off Victoria St near the Scout Hall as car parking is limited at the ground due to the renovations.
KINECT2DANCE
In Term 4 our students will be participating in the Kinect2Dance program which runs for the full term and culminates with a whole school performance. Today we had our first dance lesson for the week and the children have come back buzzing with excitement. The lesson schedule will be as follows
8.50-9.30 - Grade 56
9.30-10.10 - Grade 3/4
10.10-10.50 - Grade Grade 2
11.20-12.00 - Grade 1
12.00-12.45 - Foundation
This year our performance will be held on our new deck, in front of our new build.
SCHOOL FEES
School Fees are now due and payable. Statements have been forwarded to all fee payers, please ensure you check your statement and bring your account up to date as necessary. All school fees must be finalised in the year that they are incurred.
Direct debit payments can be arranged at any time, please contact Beck Bradley (03) 5623 7222 or admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au to discuss payment options.
STUDENT MEDICATION
ST ITA'S MEDALLION
Our newest St Ita’s Medallist is Harlo Sharp from grade 5. Harlo is a person who works really hard in class and always supports students who need assistance. Her beautiful manners towards staff and peers are always on display. Congratulations Harlo.
Congratulations to Scarlett Byrne (2AK) who was our St Ita's Student of the Week winner in Week 3.
PARISH NEWS
That All Be Saved
Jesus affirms in today’s gospel that salvation is impossible for men “but not for God: because everything is possible for God.” (Mk 10:17-30) This is the great hope of us all! Even the best of humankind, who might have given away everything including their lives for God, still cannot “earn” salvation. No number of points we can score, or medals win which can force God to admit us to eternal life. We are generously offered that out of love for each of us, despite, not because of, our flawed selves. Of course, we do have it in our power to reject the offer of salvation; that is our free will.
Each of us recognises the plight of the rich young man in today’s story, because we have all been there ourselves. Most of us want to do good, to be good, but we find ourselves repeatedly falling short of perfection. We do try, but like the young man, our circumstances, our worldly possessions and interests retard us. Rightly we are sad; how are we to be saved?
From earliest days the Church has taught the possibility that all people are saved and, echoing today’s gospel, the Catechism (CC 1058, 1821) reminds us that, “The Church prays that no one should be lost”. Pope Saint John Paul II often taught the possibility of universal salvation, expressing the hope that all will be saved. If it is true that no one can save himself, it is also true that God 'desires all men to be saved' (1 Tim 2:4), and that “everything is possible for God.” (Mk 10:27). Joyfully we recall God’s awesome mercy and fathomless love for us. Against all the odds, our efforts are good enough for God. We struggle as best we can, and in so doing, we are assured, not that we will earn salvation, but that it will be given to us.
Deacon Mark Kelly
