Term 2 Week 1 Newsletter- April 15

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the traditional owners, the Gunditjmara people, on whose land we learn, work and play. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their elders- past, present and emerging believing that we can walk together for a better future.

Principal's Message

I hope you are all looking forward to our upcoming term as much as we are. We have many exciting things happening across the term.

Welcome back everyone and I hope you have all had an enjoyable and relaxing holiday break. It was great to hear the sound of happy and excited children filling our school buildings and playgrounds today. Some of you had very interesting adventures on your holidays.

On Monday April 22 we have our school photos taking place. Ordering instructions were sent out at the end of last term. We also have the DOBCEL Board coming to visit us at All Saints to hold their Board meeting next Tuesday and Wednesday. We welcome them and hope their time at All Saints and in Portland is very rewarding and fruitful. 

On Thursday April 25 we have no school due to the ANZAC Day public holiday. Students and families are invited to join us for the community march and service on this day.

We remember at this time all of those invloved in the tragic events in Sydney over the weekend. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who died or suffered injuries and their families. Also to those who witnessed these terrible events and the first responders and emergency services who assisted people on the day. May all involved receive the support and attention that they need to help them through this challenging situation.

I wish all our staff, students and families a wonderful term 2 full of challenges, opportunities and growth and remember 'alone we can do so little; together we can do so much'. (Helen Keller)

RESPECT YOURSELF, RESPECT OTHERS & RESPECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT!

Regards

Jamie  

Catholic School Culture

Sacrament of First Eucharist

In the coming weeks a group of our Year 5 students will be completing their initiation as full members of the Catholic church by receiving the Sacrament of First Eucharist.

Preparation will begin on Saturday 27^th April with a Commitment Mass at 6pm. Candidates will then participate in weekly dismissals before receiving the Sacrament on the weekend of June 1^st/2^nd.  These students and their families will be in our prayers over the coming weeks as they undertake this preparation.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Those families wishing to have their children involved in the preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation later this year are advised that the registration period commences on 1st of May and will be open until the 24th of May.

Families are asked to contact Fr Greg, either on his mobile (best option) or email greg.tait@ballarat.catholic.org.au to arrange an appointment to complete the registration process. Please phone early in this time period and make your booking, rather than leaving it to the last week to avoid time pressures.

If anyone would like to contact Fr Greg regarding Sacramental preparation, or if there are any families who have a student in Year 3 who wish to be Baptised prior to Confirmation, please contact him on his mobile number 0475 512 530.

School Information

Assembly Timetable

Assemblies commence at 2:30pm every second Friday afternoon.

Assemblies for Term 2

Week 2 - April 26 - 1/2ID

Week 4 - May 10 - 1/2DW

Week 6 - May 24 - 1/2YW

Week 8 - June 7 - 1/2MR

Week 10 - June 21 - 5/6BS

Important Dates

TERM 2

Week 1

Monday April 15- Term 2 begins

Tuesday April 16- 1/2 swimming begins

Thursday April 18- 3/4 swimming begins

Thursday April 18- District Athletics Carnival @ Nelson Park

Week 2

Monday April 22- School photos

Tuesday April 23 & Wednesday April 24- DOBCEL Board meeting @ All Saints

Thursday April 25- ANZAC Day Public Holiday

                                          ANZAC Day March @10:15 am from RSL Clubrooms (near IGA)

Saturday April 27- Commitment Mass for First Eucharist

Week 3

Monday April 29-Friday May 3- Catholic Education Week 

Monday April 29- School Cross Country

Tuesday April 30- Year 6 Catholic Education Week Activities in Casterton

Wedenesday May 1- GRIP Leadership Conference in Mt Gambier for School Leaders

Friday April 3- Division Athletics in Warrnambool

Saturday April 4- Deb Ball # 1

Saturday April 4- First Eucharist dismissal 

Learning and Teaching

It was great to see our students back at school today and ready to get straight back into their learning. Our teachers were super impressed by how well the children settled back into routines and engaged in the activities.

We are all looking forward to a productive and rewarding term.

Day 1

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School Photos

School photo day will be Monday 22nd April.   Photo ordering forms have been given out, with each form being specific to your child with its own unique code.  We ask that orders are placed online and forms returned to school.  

Family photo forms will be available from the school office.

If you are not purchasing photos this year, please return your form with NOT REQUIRED.

Separated families are able to use the same Shootkey code to order photos.  However, please state clearly if the order is for Mum or Dad.  If you require a separate form for your family please let the office know at admin@asportland.catholic.edu.au or call 5523 3654.

REMEMBER:  all forms are to be returned to the office - even if you are not purchasing photos

Uniform for School Photos

Just a reminder that all children need to wear SPORTS uniform for school photos this year. Please remember that shorts or tracksuit pants need to be plain black- no large logos or emblems etc. If it is cold students may wear sports jumpers or black coats on the day but these will be removed for photos.  Photos will be in sports shirts and pants or shorts. Year 6 students must wear Year 6 polo shirts. Hoodies can be worn but will be removed for class photos.

Leadership & Stewardship

School Advisory Council Vacancies

We have a number of vacancies on our School Advisory Council (SAC) for 2024. If you are interested please read the following information which is taken from the DOBCEL School Advisory Council Terms of reference.  

'School Advisory Councils provide a forum for discussion and discernment, where the parent/guardian voice and perspective are available to inform and support the decisions made by the principal for the good of the school.

It is important that School Advisory Council members understand that their primary role is to provide 
support and advice on important school matters to support the principal in the context of the DOBCEL 
governance arrangements. School Advisory Councils do not have a legal identity and do not become 
involved in the day-to-day management of the school. The School Advisory Council must act within the 
parameters of the Terms of Reference.

The following are some ways School Advisory Councils support the school and the principal:
• supporting the enactment of the DOBCEL Strategic Intent and Directions
• articulating and enacting the school's vision and mission
• endorsing the school's Catholic ethos and culture
• provide input into and support for the school improvement/strategic plan development and 
delivery
• actively supporting and promoting child safety practices within the school, including the National 
Safeguarding Principles for Child Safe Organisations and Ministerial Order 1359 
• supporting the processes of school improvement and school review
• supporting the principal in meeting responsibilities and accountabilities for educational outcomes, 
effective stewardship of resources, master planning and annual reporting
• supporting the principal in the encouragement of family engagement
• supporting the ongoing sustainability of the School Advisory Council and its membership in its 
succession and learning
• enriching faith formation and development
• implementing school policies as required

While a vital forum for parent and community voice, the School Advisory Council is not a forum for 
individual parent advocacy or special interest representation and does not become involved in the day-to-day management of the school. 

All management and operational matters such as the delivery of curriculum, human resource matters, 
parent complaints, programs and policies are the responsibility of the principal, who may seek the advice of School Advisory Council members concerning these matters from time to time. 

The Executive Director or the principal is the approved spokesperson for the school for initiatives, 
announcements and issues raised in the local media. No School Advisory Council member has the authority to speak on behalf of the School or the School Advisory Council unless explicitly delegated and authorised by the principal.'

Currently the All Saints Parish School SAC meets once per term with the option to hold a second meeting if neccessary to discuss any pressing matters.

If you wish to join our SAC or would like more information plaese contact the school office.

Community Engagement

ANZAC DAY

The Community of Portland will again gather on ANZAC Day (Thursday April 25) to pay respect and remember those men and women who served and made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We have been asked to join other schools and community groups in participating in the main service for the day.

This service will begin with a march at 10:30am through the town. We will walk to Memorial Triangle where we will gather for the Remembrance Service. Our school leaders will lay a wreath on our behalf.

We would love to have students and their families represent our school for this event. Students are invited to meet by 10:15am outside of IGA Supermarket in Percy Street, to walk behind together in the march. Students will then sit together during the service and can be collected from staff at the conclusion of the official service.  Students are asked to wear school sports uniform for this event.

ANZAC Day 2023

Child Safety & Wellbeing

Webinars for parents and carers

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars 

Join one of our free webinars for parents and carers.

These live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences.

On this page:

• eSafety 101: How eSafety can help
• Wellbeing and digital technologies
• Consent and online boundaries: how to support your primary-aged child
• Setting your child up for success online
• Download and share the Term 2 webinar schedule
• In case you missed it

Download the schedule

2024 parent and carer webinar schedule (PDF, 99.3KB)Download

Download

SchoolTV - Wellbeing Platform

All Saints Parish School’s ‘School TV’ can be accessed using the following link: https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me 

In this edition of SchoolTV - MANAGING SCREEN TIME

As a result of the global pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift in the amount of time people spend on screen-based devices. Families are transitioning back to pre-COVID routines but many are still struggling to re-establish the boundaries and rules around screen use. Some continue to deal with digital conflict and tech-tantrums on a daily basis. The latest research found that 77% of teenagers spend more than five hours on screens per day, but it is important to note that not all screen time is considered equal.

Parents play a crucial role in modelling a positive and healthy approach to using screens and assisting children to navigate the content they watch. It is better to model and mentor screen use, rather than monitor it. Children tend to do more of what they see us do, and less of what we tell them to do. However, it is still important to outline the risks and highlight the benefits of screen use to ensure you keep a balanced attitude. Encourage discussions around the issues that people experience in monitoring their screen time and be honest about your own difficulties.

Parents need to remain firm in their approach to managing screen time. Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a child’s overall wellbeing. Ensuring the correct privacy settings are in place is vital to prevent children from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate content or online predators. Parents need to also be mindful of the potential impact screen time can have on a child’s social, emotional, educational, behavioural, and even physical domains.

In this edition of SchoolTV, care-givers will be provided with a range of guidelines and strategies to help manage screen time at home.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Managing Screen Time edition of SchoolTV
https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/managing-screen-time

Happy Birthday

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

STUDENTS: Mak M, Ayden M, Piper S, Paige V, Zion N-R, Sienna O, Faith E, Chaz H, Ethan C, Lillianna R, James A, Ahmalia P, Inga M, Savarnna L, Kaden H, Alicia I, Rose M, Lucy C, Neveah S, Dolly B, Jaxon G, Althea H, Skye H

STAFF: Jo, Sam, Mrs Walsh

Praying With Children

COMMUNITY NEWS

Tickets for this Blue Light Disco need to be purchased online via the QR code.