School News
Updated / Revised / New Directives in relation to Covid-19
Major changes to our COVID-19 protocols:
This week NSW Health released further restrictions and directives that schools must follow to maintain the health and safety of everyone, students, staff and parents. A summary of this was sent home this week. Please find below a repeat of these directives.
- Following sickness with flu-like symptoms, students and staff are required to be free of symptoms AND present a negative COVID-19 test, which must be sighted by the school, before they can return to school.
- Students will now stay within their relevant cohort (i.e. class, year group or stage) for all learning activities.
- Schools cannot travel outside of their geographic region, including for all inter-school activities.
- Student activities at offsite locations are no longer allowed, except in very limited circumstances (i.e. inter-school activities within our region and day field trips to outdoor locations within walking distance of the school).
- Participants in attendance at inter-school sport and physical activities must be limited to 100 people per venue, including staff.
- Singing, chanting and use of wind instruments in group settings is not permitted (Band has ceased until further notice)
- Assemblies are limited to stage groups (primary) and year groups (secondary) and cannot run for longer than 15 minutes. (As a school we will continue with the short assemblies every fortnight via zoom)
- Only incursions/external providers essential to curriculum delivery are permitted.
- Community groups using school facilities must now have a COVID-19 Safety Plan.
- Playgroups – including Transition to School Through Play – are not permitted.
- P&F meetings must be held online and P&F social events are not permitted.
- Parent/teacher meetings must be held online, except in very limited circumstances.
- School formals, dances, graduation and other social events are not permitted.
- All professional development undertaken by staff will be online, except where compliance depends on a face-to-face component, and there will be no mixing of staff from different schools.
I thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding as we implement and follow the updated directives.
COVID-19 Catholic Education Information Centre
Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong has launched a new COVID-19 Information Centre on its website. It is the best place to find the latest information about CEDoW's systemic response to COVID-19.
We will continue to provide you with updates if the situation changes and as soon as new information becomes available.
Stage 2 iPad Information Night
Next Thursday 27th August is the Stage 2, 2021, 1:1 ipad parent information night. This is for parents of students currently in Year 2 and Year 3. As this is a new approach it is important that at least one parent from each family is able to attend via zoom. It will begin at 6.30pm. We look forward to sharing this initiative with you.
Stage 3, 2021, 1:1 iPad night will be later on in the term.
School Site - Update on Current and Future Works
At the recent P&F meeting I shared some current and upcoming works to be completed at the school. We certainly have some exciting projects planned before the end of the year.
Front Garden
The front school garden was given a significant clean up in the last holiday break and some new plants that are appropriate for school settings were planted. It is part of a 2 year approach to beautify the front aspect of the school.
BasketBall Court
We are finally seeing the basketball court being relayed and fixed in order to provide a safe, even and up to date playing surface for our students. The significant rain we have experienced this term was certainly an inconvenience in being able to complete this project on time.
Year 5 Classroom Space
The year 5 classrooms are in need of significant refurbishment and updating. It is anticipated that in the next school holidays the rooms will receive a considerable upgrade. This includes removal of outdated cabinet work, new carpet, installation of pinboards and whiteboards, a double opening door in between the 2 rooms, the installation of a new wet area in both rooms, painting and environmentally friendly electrical. In addition the CEO has agreed to also fund new contemporary furniture to match the refurbished rooms.
Lighting throughout the school
Before the end of the year, the lighting in all classrooms, library, toilets and canteen will be replaced and upgraded to be energy efficient. This will significantly reduce our environmental footprint and also reduce the school’s electricity bill.
Top Playground
The top playground will be resurfaced to provide an even playing space for the students, eliminating the safety hazards that are currently present. This is currently in the design phase with the estimated time of completion by December this year.
A sincere thank you to the P&F and you the parent community for the funding needed to complete such a task.
I look forward to being able to share photos of the completed works with you as they become available.
Creative Arts News
‘The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."
Albert Einstein
This fortnight’s "Creative Corner” is our amazing Year 3 students sharing their wonderful creativity in the processes of creating ‘Girl in The Mirror’ inspired artwork by Pablo Picasso.
The Christmas Story, Art Exhibition and Competition 2020
Key Dates:
- Selected artworks due to CEO by Friday 18th September
- Shortlisting of artworks - Monday 22nd September
- Judging of artworks 4th October
- Installation of artworks - Thursday 5th October
- Exhibition Opening Night - Wednesday, 14th October - 5-7pm (Depending on Restrictions)
- Exhibition open to public - Saturday 7th October - Wednesday 25th October (Depending on Restrictions)
The start of Term 3, students from St Michael’s in Years 5 and 6 have been busy through the process of ‘breaking open’ Scripture, students bring their understanding of the Scriptures of Advent and Christmas to artistic expression. They illustrate their understanding of the themes of our faith story through art.
The Diocese of Wollongong Christmas Art competition for 2020 is in alignment with Stage 3 English, Creative Arts and Religious Education Syllabuses. This is an initiative of the Catholic Education Offices in Wollongong and Sydney to celebrate and explore children’s creative and artistic ability in illustrating the Christmas story. The exhibition and competition provides the opportunity for teachers to select artworks from Years 5 and 6 to share with the wider community and create a greater awareness of the role of the arts in Religious Education. Students will develop a deeper appreciation for their talents and recognise the value of the arts in expressing understandings of the Catholic faith.
Exhibition Opening - The judges are again looking for artworks that reflect an understanding and interpretation of one of the scripture verses that also includes authentic imagery from the time of Jesus. The best 50 artworks which have responded to the criteria will be hung in the Wollongong City Art Gallery. The exhibition will open on Wednesday 7th October and will run until Sunday 25th October. (Depending on Restrictions)
To Enter - Each school is invited to select a maximum of six artworks (three from Year 5 and three from Year 6) for the exhibition and competition:
- Quality of presentation is a criterion for selection and awarding of prizes.
- Each artwork must be framed to comply with exhibition guidelines of the Wollongong Art Gallery (Please do not mount artworks in frames with glass). Artworks can be painted on a stretched canvas or a canvas board or mounted on foam-core within the frame. (Individually purchased)
- Diptych, triptych and other multiple-image artworks MUST be mounted on one board. (Individually purchased)
- Minimum size for artwork is 30cm x 40cm; maximum size is 80cm x 120cm.
- Artworks may be landscape or portrait mode.
- Each artwork entry must have a separate printed copy of the CEOW entry template attached to the back of the work.
Helpful Resource:
The link below provides helpful ideas and activities for parents to do at home in creative learning and development: creative play, arts and crafts, digital media, drama, music, dance, movement and creative writing for primary school-age children.
Please feel free to contact me via the school office, if you have any questions or queries. Thank you
Mrs Paula Jackson – Creative Arts Teacher