A Message from the Principal

Dear Parents,

We’ve made it! I must admit this time last term, I was wondering what would be ahead for our school community but with determination, cooperation and an enormous amount of effort from everyone, we have managed Term Two.

I am receiving feedback both via the online survey and through email with common themes emerging:

• Managing children’s education at home is tough
• Managing education and working from home is really tough
• I.T. is amazing when there are no hiccups and hiccups can occur any time at any stage
• Google meets can be successful and engaging
• One on one support was able to continue due to I.T.
• Online parent forums create opportunities for meaningful communication
• Relationships between school and home were strengthened

Thank you for the generosity of giving to the Mini Vinnies, grocery appeal.  Even when faced with challenge ourselves, it is marvellous to see so many in our community who are reaching out and rising up by donating non-perishable food items. There is still time to donate each day this week at morning drop off time.

Religious Education News

(Click here for this week's R.E. Newsletter)

As Mass is currently limited to 20 people, please find ways to pray, reflect and reach out to each other.
Mass can be watched on live stream at: https://melbournecatholic.org.au/Mass

Mini Vinnies are promoting the St. Vincent de Paul society’s food drive! Please donate non-perishable food items such as full cream UHT milk, tinned food and pasta. Drop them off as you drive through in the morning. These items will be distributed to the needy in our local area. Thank you.

THANK YOU to all who have contributed to Project Compassion. Boxes are still being gratefully received.

UPDATE

ALERT - 2021 ENROLMENTS 

Due to school tours being suspended because of COVID-19 restrictions, enrolment packs will be sent out via email on request only. Please contact the school for all enrolment enquiries at reception@smmountevelyn.catholic.edu.au. 

Please note that enrolment applications will close on Friday 15th May 2020

Enrolment offers will be sent out on Monday 1st June 2020

Acceptances must be returned by Friday 12th June 2020

Second round offers,  if available, will be sent out in late June.

Mass Online

As Mass is currently limited, please find ways to pray, reflect and reach out to one another.
Mass can be watched on live stream at:
                                 https://melbournecatholic.org.au/Mass

How Can I Help My Child's Learning?

This week in “How Can I Assist My Child’s Learning” we focus on Mathematics.  I invite you all to read and think about the piece that comes to us from Mrs Fotopoulos, Mathematics Leader.

Helping Your Child with Mathematics

(Mathematics Teaching and Learning Centre, Australian Catholic University)

There are a number of general principles which you may keep in mind when helping your children with Mathematics.

People learn, not so much by being told things, as by working things out for themselves and linking new ideas to ideas they already have. You may help by asking your children questions. Letting them work out answers for themselves, and then discussing answers and strategies with them.
Using Mobile devices to encourage Mathematical thinking in children

• Calendar Apps- we live our lives around our calendar, so it is important that children understand its structure. Have your child add the family events to the calendar
• Map apps-Your children can use these apps to plan the route to their next party or outing with the family
• Weather apps-Children can check the weather app a week/day before some event to assist in planning

Helpful Gifts to promote Mathematical thinking:

These items as gifts encourage your child to think mathematically. Many of these things can be purchased cheaply from a $2 shop: Playing cards, Dice Calculators, tape measures, kitchen scales/balance scales, building blocks, calendars and clocks,

Should you have any questions or would like some advice regarding helping your child with

Mathematics you can contact me via email. Jodie.fotopoulos@smmountevelyn.catholic.edu.au

Previous Articles

Stomp Team

Our fabulous Stomp Team earned the honour of performing at the Catholic Education Melbourne Celebration of Principalship.

Follow the link to read the article - St.Mary's Stomp Team

CATHOLIC EDUCATION TODAY MAGAZINE

2019 Term 4 of the Catholic Education Today Magazine (copy sent home in schoolbags), has St Mary’s featured on page 9 with an interview with none-other than our very own Principal - Angela Glennie!   If you have a moment, you may like to have a look over a cuppa! 
(Click here to view online, scroll to page 9)

NOTICE BOARD

NO NUTS AT ST MARY’S

Fair Funding Video (click here)

School funding policy is a complicated area.  The quality of education available to your children, the breadth of learning opportunities they’ll receive, the amount of fees you’ll be expected to pay, the special services and teacher training available to your school all comes down to funding.  Right now all of this is under a cloud, thanks to the Turnbull government’s proposed education changes.  The video and pages contained in the above link will explain what’s on the table, what it means for you, where Catholic education believes it should be changed and how you and your school community can work for an outcome that will ensure the best results and opportunities for your family.

Ref: Catholic Education Melbourne/Funding

Skoolbag App

      IMPORTANT INFO FOR PARENTS     

‘Skoolbag’ is an app for iPhone and Android that will enhance communications with the Parent/Student community. Parents wishing to access this service will need to download and install the ‘Skoolbag’ App from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Once installed search for our school name (St Marys Catholic Primary School Mount Evelyn). For Windows Phone, and Windows 8.1 or 10 users, search for ‘Skoolbag’ in the Windows store, install the app and find our school.

VRQA CHILD SAFE

Child Safety:

Due to new government legislation, all schools are required to raise awareness around Child Safety with the community.  Please read the attached Child Safety Policy and the Child Safety Code of Conduct.  These documents have been written in response to Ministerial Order 870. Once out of draft form, all employees and volunteers at the school will be required to sign the Code of Conduct.  We welcome any feedback you may have and ask that you direct any thoughts to aglennie@smmountevelyn.catholic.edu.au

All parents, relatives and caregivers attending St.Mary's Primary School to help within the classroom must hold a current Working with Children Check (available FREE online to volunteers) and must have read and signed the Code of Conduct.

CHILD SAFE - Code of Conduct       CHILD SAFE - Policy 2017      CHILD SAFE - Video     

eSafety

Office of the Children's eSafety Commission

The Office of the Children's eSafety commission is committed to helping young people have safe positive experiences online and encourages behavioural change where a generation of Australian children act responsibly online—just as they would offline.

They provide online safety education for Australian children and young people, a complaints service for young Australians who experience serious cyber bullying, and address illegal online content through the Online Content Scheme.

Their goal is to empower all Australians to explore the online world—safely.

Reference: https://esafety.gov.au

Facebook - St.Mary's Mt.Evelyn Parents Page

The St.Mary's Mt.Evelyn Parents Facebook page is not a page which is run by the school, however because it reflects aspects of our community, those who use it do have an obligation to behave in a manner which would make the St Mary’s Community both comfortable and proud.  Please click here for further details.