Term 1, Week 6, 2021

Principal's Message

Dear Parents,

This week, we worked with Leah Rowlandson from the Occupational Therapy Clinic of the University of Newcastle. This partnership has been organised through Lismore CSO under the direction of Cathie Blair. Leah worked in each classroom to observe students learning and provide assistance to us in ensuring that all students are able to access learning based on their needs. In the coming weeks, Leah will again visit classes. She will also work one on one with a number of identified students. In her final week with us, she will run Professional Learning for staff based on her observations. We are hoping this will be in the form of recommendations to us as educators in how we can support the students at Mt St John’s. We are excited to be part of this partnership and look forward to learning from Leah.

On Thursday 18th March, our Stage 3 students are organising a School Social for all students in the school. The School Social will run from 5:30pm to 7pm. A Parent Assembly event will be run at the Dorrigo Hotel at the same time. A number of parents have stepped into the role of Parent Assembly Representatives. Our first event will be a dinner for parents as well as a Q & A with myself. The topic will be:

What do your children need the most? How do we work together to achieve this?

I have received some great feedback from the recent parent meetings and the ‘Two Stars and a Wish’ forms. I’d love the opportunity to talk more with parents. Our Parent Assembly Representatives are keen to ensure that we can set up many worthwhile community-building events this year. Whilst we are still bound by COVID rules, there is certainly a desire for us to again create meaningful partnerships with parents so we can support our students. 

Please look out for the flier which will be sent home regarding this event. Dinner is free, parents can buy their own drinks at the bar. All children from Kinder to Year 6 are allowed at the School Social. I hope you can make it and I look forward to talking with the parent group. 

Finally, please note the following dates as they will be Pupil Free Days. These days are essential so that we can come together as a staff to undertake professional learning. 

Thursday 1st April (Term 1 Pupil Free Day)

Monday 19th April (Term 2 Pupil Free Day)

Wednesday 5th May (Proclaim Lismore Staff Day)

Please note, the last day of term is Wednesday 31st March. School resumes for Term 2 on Tuesday 20th April.

Regards,

Nathan Trezise

Principal  

Easter Raffle

We are holding an Easter Raffle again this year to raise money for the Stage 3 excursion to Canberra. Donations of Easter eggs or other Eastery things are welcomed! Please bring your donations in to school. 

Year 5/6 Aussie Day Fundraiser

To raise money for the Stage 3 excursion to Canberra, the Year 5/6 class held an Aussie Day fundraiser yesterday, which made over $130. Students and staff came to school dressed in some fantastic "Aussie" fashions and enjoyed sausage sangers for lunch. Thanks to Anna Guest for cooking our sausage sizzle. 

In the afternoon we participated in some fun Aussie activities! 

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Stage 1 Excursion to Dorrigo Museum

As part of the Stage 1 History unit this term on significant historical sites and technology of Dorrigo, the Year 1 & 2 students will be visiting the Don Dorrigo and Guy Fawkes Society Museum in Dorrigo next Tuesday 9th March. Students will have the opportunity to learn more about historical sites in and around Dorrigo and to see historical objects and collections from the region. They will be walking to and from the museum (weather permitting). A permission slip was sent home earlier this week - please complete and return this to school by Monday 8th March. Students are to wear full school uniform, including the school hat. There is no cost for this excursion.

Orienteering in Dorrigo 13 March

Last week we distributed a poster about the orienteering event being held at the Showground in the afternoon of Saturday 13 March. This is a tremendous opportunity for Mt St John's kids to enjoy a social and mildly challenging event, in a safe environment. Hopefully they will be keen to participate, if they can, in the event on the Saturday.
In order to participate, children will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. The adult will need to complete an entry form for the child and sign a standard waiver form. The cost is $5 per child, for the map and electronic card needed for the course. 
The entry form can be completed online at www.dorrigoshow.com Printed forms will also be available at the school office. Printed forms should be completed and returned to Mt St  Johns by Tuesday 9 March.

Term 1 Swimming Program

Swimming lessons are held each Friday. Swimming is a compulsory part of the PDHPE curriculum. Students will need to bring swimmers, a towel, goggles, a cap and a sun shirt for their lesson. There is no cost for swimming lessons, as the school covers the pool entry fees and payments to the swim teachers. Swimming lessons will take place each Friday in Term 1 at the following times:

Stage 3 at 1pm

Stage 2 at 1.40pm

K - 2 at 2.20pm

Students will walk to and from the pool. Please note, K - 2 students are to be collected from the pool at the end of the day each Friday as their lesson will finish at 3pm. Due to Covid regulations Tracey has asked that parents pick their children up from outside the pool. K - 2 students catching buses will be supervised at Dorrigo Public School by our staff. 

Weekly Awards

This week's class awards went to:

Ryan Beaumont - for remembering his manners and showing respect in the classroom.

Rory O'Leary - for participating enthusiastically in swimming lessons on Friday.

Mia MacDonell - for getting straight to work at the beginning of each task. Keep it up!

Eden Gibson - for the amazing effort you put into Mathematics tasks. Well done.

Mia Gilbert - for leading our discussion in maths when adding together lengths.

Ronny Tooth - for adding to our discussion when making our 'bump it up' wall and helping to set class expectations.

Shyla Guest - for creating an engaging character description in her introduction.

Ava Mila - for wanting to improve the quality of her own learning and understanding of fractions through questioning and seeking help outside class maths time.

Library Day - Wednesday

Library day for all students is Wednesday - please make sure your child brings in his or her cloth library bag on this day. Each student may borrow four books per week. 

School Uniform Items Available

We have a stock of school uniform items available for purchase from the front office. We accept cash, cheque or bank transfer. Uniform prices are as follows:

School hats - $15

School shirts - $25

Skorts - $20

Shorts - $20

Rain jackets - $50

We also have some items available to buy from our 2nd-hand uniform pool.

School Bus Travel

Applications for student travel can now apply online. A new

School Drive Subsidy

The School Drive Subsidy is available for eligible school students where there is no public transport available for all or part of the journey. If you have to drive your child more than 1.6km to a school bus stop, you may be eligible for this subsidy – go to the link below to apply. 

Head Lice

If you notice head lice on your child, please treat his or her hair ASAP and notify the school that you did this. Remember – long hair must be tied back at school.

Soccer Registrations Open

The Dorrigo Highlanders Football Club is now taking registrations for Miniroos, Juniors, Intermediate and Senior players in the 2021 North Coast Football season.  Player registrations are also needed to fill a Mixed 14s team.  Register online at www.playfootball.com.au with your Active Kids Voucher.  The NCF season for community club football begins Saturday 13 March.

Canteen

If anyone is available to volunteer in our canteen one or more Fridays per term, please contact our canteen co-ordinator Alicia on 0488 280683. If we have no volunteers available we will have to cancel canteen for that week.

Please note - if you top up your canteen account via bank transfer, the funds will take a week to clear so you will not be able to order canteen immediately. 

Please send your lunch wallets into school and we will keep them here.

Working With Children Check

For those parents who are volunteers at school, such as canteen helpers, we need to ensure that you have a current Working with Children (Volunteers) Check. To apply for this check, go to 

COVID Student Attendance

Staff and students exhibiting even mild COVID-19 symptoms should be sent home and are required to produce proof of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to school. 

As per these guidelines, a screenshot of the text message, confirming a Negative result, is all that will be required to return to school. 

Updated Bell Times

This year we have modified our bell times.  The current times are as follows:

8:55 am - 11:00 am English Block

11:00 am - 11:15 am Lunch (children sit and eat)

11:15 am - 11:35 am Lunch Play

11:35 am - 12:55 pm Mathematics Block

12:55 pm - 1:05 pm Recess (children sit and eat)

1:05 pm - 1:20 pm Recess Play

1:20 pm - 3:05 pm Other Key Learning Areas (Science, Arts, History etc)

Term 1 School Fees

SCHOOL FEES: Term 1 school fee accounts have been sent home. Term 1 fees are payable by Friday 19th March, unless you are paying by regular direct deposit amounts.

Several payment methods are available; 

• Regular direct deposit payments (see suggested amounts below).
• Lump sum direct deposit
• Cash
• Cheque

If you are planning to set up regular direct deposit school fee payments for the 2020 school year, following are instructions on how to do this: 

Suggested direct deposit amounts (from beginning of February 2020)

1 student - Term 1 - $326.00 (includes $50 resource fee per student)

      Terms 2, 3 & 4 - $276.00

       $46.16 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $23.08 per week (x 50 weeks)

2 students – Term 1 - $583.00 (includes $50 resource fee per student)

        Terms 2, 3 & 4 - $483.00 per term

       $81.28 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $40.64 per week (x 50 weeks)

3 or more students – Term 1 - $771.00 (includes $50 resource fee per student)

       Terms 2, 3 & 4 – $621.00

       $105.36 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $52.68 per week (x 50 weeks)

If you would like to arrange a regular direct debit payment from your Bananacoast Credit Union account into the school’s account, the BCU Credit Union in Dorrigo will organize this for you.

When using Internet banking, please use your child’s surname as a reference.

Banancoast Community Credit Union   BSB no. 533-000

Account no. 3282 0430                 Name: Mt St John’s Primary School

Dorrigo Showground Markets

GLUE

GLUE: "God Loves Us Eternally" (formerly GFS) is on each Wednesday from 3-5pm at the Anglican Hall. Afternoon tea, games, fun worship and craft. All primary kids welcome, as are newcomers. For more info, ring Gwenneth on 6657 2135. COVID-safe practices will apply.

Coffs Coast Hockey

Nutrition Snippet