Term 3 Week 1 - FRIDAY 16 JULY 2021
From the Principal
Dear Families,
Lockdowns have unfortunately become part of our life in Victoria! Daniel Andrews announced a five day ‘hard’ lockdown from 11.59pm last night until 11.59pm Tuesday evening. Consequently, St Mary’s will be closed and will reopen on Wednesday of next week.
Families are invited to collect learning resources from the Hub between 2pm - 4pm today. Please access the Hub via the ramp on Moore Street.
In the meantime, we invite you to access any of the onsite learning ideas that have been communicated in the past, or engage your children in family activities that connect them to learning in ways that don’t easily happen at school. You are the experts on your children. You know what works best in your house. Let’s just take each day at a time and stay connected.
St Mary’s had a scheduled school closure day for Monday 19th July. Please be advised that this has been postponed and we will be providing continuity of learning for families for Monday and Tuesday next week. We hope to see all students back onsite on Wednesday 21st July.
The only exception is to provide care for;
- children whose parents are considered essential workers that cannot work from home and where no other supervision arrangements can be made
- vulnerable children, including children in out-of-home care, children deemed by Child Protection and/or Family Services to be at risk of harm and children identified by the school as vulnerable (including via referral from a family violence agency, homelessness or youth justice service or mental health or other health service)
As this is a requirement from the State Government, we can only accept families whose work categories comply with the above mentioned requirements.
If you are requiring onsite supervision for Monday 19th July or Tuesday 20th July, please email me so that I can identify the numbers of staff required to be on site. Alternatively, please call school for a chat.
We will return to on site schooling (hopefully) with increased hygiene routines and restricted access to the school site.
In regards to our upcoming Parent Teacher Interviews on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, they will still be going ahead via school initiated phone call at your booked interview time.
I thank you for your ongoing support and flexibility as we navigate our way through this time of unpredictability. I am so proud of the resilience and partnering that is always a hallmark of our staff and families. You are extraordinary.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you have further questions and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Go gently everyone.
Roxanne
Senior Learning Community Camp
Our Year 5/6 students have enjoyed a short, yet fruitful couple of days on camp at Sovereign Hill this week.
The students enjoyed a visit to the Eureka Centre, spent time exploring the diggings of Sovereign Hill both as visitors, as well as role playing as students from the 1850s on the diggings. They also enjoyed the opportunity to view the Winter Wonderlights in the evening.
The camp was a lot of fun, and was enjoyed by all.
Sovereign Hill 5/6 Camp Photos
Junior Art - Mrs Lyons
As part of our Art Porgram, the 1/2 students created books last term about their favourite things. This tied in well with our learning over Semester 1: Our Story.
Lunch Order Information
If your child had a lunch order planned for today, it will be rolled over to next Friday as per Marian College canteen. Thank you.
Upcoming Dates
TUESDAY 20 JULY
Parent Teacher Interviews from 3.30pm - via school initiated phone call
WEDNESDAY 21 JULY
Parent Teacher Interviews from 3.30pm - via school initiated phone call
TUESDAY 27 JULY
Middle LC Bowls Club
TUESDAY 3 AUGUST
Middle LC Bowls Club
Book Week Book Drive - Friday 27 August
Happy Birthday!
Wishing the following students a very happy birthday over the school holiday break and this week:
Jack C, Bailey N, Ava C, Hamish S, Larissa C & Jed N
St Mary's School Office Hours
MONDAY 8.30AM - 4.00PM
TUESDAY 8.30AM - 4.00PM
WEDNESDAY 8.30AM - 4.00PM
THURSDAY 8.30AM - 4.00PM
FRIDAY 9.00AM - 4.00PM
POSITION VACANT - ARARAT/STAWELL PARISHES
Finance Officer / Parish Administrative Assistant
The Catholic Parishes of Ararat and Stawell are looking to appoint one or two new members to our parish team. One person may apply for both roles.
(1) Finance and Compliance Officer (15 hours)
(2) Administrative Assistant (6 hours)
The Finance and Compliance Officer will require a good working knowledge of Reckon or similar accounting software and be responsible for BAS, ATO and other regulatory compliance.
The Administrative Assistant will attend to receptionist and secretarial tasks and communication with parishioners such as weekly newsletters.
The position(s) will be based in Ararat and will require some visits to Stawell.
Please apply to ararat@ballarat.catholic.org.au by Friday July 16, 2021