The Catholic Education Office has released information this week on changes to when staff development days are held. This will now be the case from 2022 onwards, this change is in line with the direction that the Department of Education has also taken. Please see below a summary of the dates for 2022. (Term 2 and Term 3 2022, Staff Development Days are yet to be determined)

Specifically for 2022 the CEDoW gazetted dates are as follows: 

• 26 January - Australia Day holiday (Wednesday) 
• 27 January - Student vacation (Thursday) 
• 28 January - Staff Return Pupil Free Day (Friday) 
• 31 January - Staff at School Pupil Free Day (Monday) 
• 1 February - Students return (Tuesday) 

For Primary schools - Best Start will be conducted 1 February to 7 February and the first official day of  school for the 2022 Kinder cohort is 8 February (Tuesday). 

• 8 April - Last day of Term 1 (Friday) - 11 weeks (10 plus 1 day) 
• 25 April - First day of Term 2 (Monday) 
• 1 July - Last day of Term 2 (Friday) - 10 weeks 
• 18 July - First day of Term 3 (Monday) 
• 23 September - Last day of Term 3 (Friday) - 10 weeks 
• 10 October - First day of Term 4 (Monday) 
• 19 December - Last day of Term 4 (Monday) - 11 weeks (10 plus 1 day)
• 20 December - Pupil Free Day 

Covid-19 Ease of Restrictions

Please see the link below outlinging recent changes relating to Covid-19 restrictions.

PB4L

How exciting to see family faces back on our school grounds! 

All the students and staff have been re familiarising ourselves with the afternoon dismissal. Last Monday, Miss Cole facilitated a whole school practice to ensure that all students were aware of the expectations and procedures that ensured a smooth transition in the afternoon.

We have a structure around how the students are dismissed and from all accounts is going very smoothly.

Parent Pick Up

• By 3:15pm, all students are seated in class lines while parents and carers are invited into the school grounds. 
• Parents may wait for their child to be dismissed along the silver seats. Once you have collected your child, please move off quickly so that the area is free of congestion. 
• Each class is invited to depart with their parent or carer in an organised manner. It was lovely to see how even Kindergarten have adapted to the new procedure. One of the Kindergarten boys sat so very patiently while dad was beckoning him to come, however, our kinder student sat so very patiently and mouthed to him that he had to wait. The procedure of waiting helps the staff to ensure that all students are safe and going with the appropriate persons. 

Car Pick Up

• Between 3.15pm and 3:20pm, car pickup commences. 
• A gentle reminder to assist the flow of traffic is to continue around the block until there is room for you to pull up in the designated drop off and pick up area. 
• Adults must remain in the car. If you require to leave the car and adjust seating or handle bags, please find an appropriate place to park and collect your child via parent pick up.

Thank you for all the patience shown as we move into a new and exciting COVID safe environment.

Mrs Ronelle Peardon - Middle Leader 1

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

Clean Up Australia Day

On Thursday 4th March, all classes were involved in Clean Up Australia Day.
The main aim of our clean up was to pick up rubbish in the areas that were allocated for each class. Year 6 also did a wonderful job of weeding the garden beds.

Thank you to all staff and students for your enthusiastic involvement in the Clean Up Day. 

Primary Student WEN Day

On Friday, 26th March there is going to be a Primary Student WEN Day ‘Caring for Our Common Home – A Call to Action’ held at St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Albion Park. I’ll be attending the day as the Wollongong Environmental Network Contact for St Michael’s.  Four Stage 3 students will be joining me for the day.

I’m sure the day will be one full of inspiration, sharing and collaboration for both students and teachers.

Mrs Katie Kelly (WEN – Wollongong Environmental Network Contact)

2022 Kindergarten Enrolment Applications

2022 Kindergarten Enrolment Forms are now available from the school office. You may also access the forms from our school website. We look forward to welcoming siblings and new families to our wonderful community.

The enrolment package is available from our school or online at www.dow.catholic.edu.au

Lowes Wollongong

Lowes have advised that their Wollongong store will be holding a 20% sale on Thursday, 11 March and Friday, 12 March. This includes all St Michael's school uniform items. Flyer in Community Notices