Principal's Message
Dear Parents,
This week we welcome our 2024 Kinders and new families to our St Anne’s school community for the first of our Transition Sessions. We hope that they all feel welcome and find their time here both enjoyable and successful.
As Sunday was Mission Sunday, three of our Year 5 students spoke of the importance and role of the Catholic Mission. Thanks to Erica, Emmi and Gertie for coming along to Mass and sharing the important work of the Catholic Mission workers.
Next week we have Peter Sullivan returning to demonstrate high expectation teaching practice. Peter is recognised Internationally for his work with teachers in Maths.
At our Parent Council meeting this week, it was agreed to use our fundraising money from the Country Fair combined with funds from our previous fundraising efforts to continue the expansion of our play areas on the back oval which commenced during the Covid Period. This entails building a path around the outside of our oval linking two or three different play areas. These stations will include a Cultural Garden, more playground equipment and completing the Wild Space which we started originally. We feel that developing and finishing these areas will give our students more options during their breaks and improve our facilities for them. We are hoping to work with some of our talented and qualified parents to help with this work!
This Friday is World Teachers Day. I wish to acknowledge the work that our staff do, to provide the best possible learning opportunities for our students. Also for the care they have for the students.
Keep smiling, Bede
Key Dates
- Wednesday 25th October - Kinder 2024 Transition Session #1
- Wednesday 25th October - Book Club orders due
- Friday 27th October - Mercy House celebrations (including Socktober 'crazy socks'), details below
- Monday 6th & Tuesday 7th November - Kinder 2024 Transition Session #2
- Tuesday 7th November - Xavier Orientation Day (details below)
- Wednesday 8th November - Yr 3 'Disappearing Albury' excursion
- Monday 13th & Tuesday 14th November - Kinder 2024 Transition Session #3
- Monday 13th - Wednesday 15th November - Yr 6 Canberra Excursion
- Thursday 23rd November - Yr 1 excursion to Jindera Pioneer Museum
- Wednesday 29th November - Kinder 2024 Transition Session #4
- Friday 1st December - Bongiorno Day (details to follow)
- Friday 1st December - school fees to be paid in full by this date
- Monday 11th December - Yr 6 Graduation (details to be advised)
- Thursday 14th December - Kinder Nativity (time to be advised)
- Friday 15th December - Last Day of 2023 School Year
Canteen News
Wednesday: snacks only, available second break (walk up cash sales only as App is not available on this day).
Thursday & Friday: lunch orders and snacks available for second break, from the Summer menu that can be ordered using the Qkr! App. Snacks can also be purchased using cash.
This weeks tasty treats:
- Banana-blueberry muffin $1
- Apple-pie bliss ball 60c
- Berry apple slushie $1
- Choc custard raspberry ice-pop $1
- Frozen fruit juice cup $1
This week's volunteers:
- Thursday: Amber Hayes 12.30pm-2pm
- Friday: Bethany Carey, Gennifer Hamam 12.30pm-2pm
Mercy House celebrations - Friday
This Friday we are celebrating Mercy House. The Sisters of Mercy from our community have been invited to join us and parents/carers are also welcome. We will begin in the hall at 10.30am with a short prayer acknowledging the work of the Sisters of Mercy, followed by a few performances, highlighting some of our students' successes and talents.
Children can wear blue clothing on this day, along with their crazy socks (see below).
Socktober - Friday
Year 3 have kindly offered to run this year’s Socktober school event. This year we are raising awareness of the needs of students in places such as Timor-Leste and highlighting how lucky we are to have sufficient resources in our school and wider communities. Year 3 students are working in small teams to present to classes about Socktober and are also organising a sock-related game to play. Staff and students are invited to wear ‘Crazy Socks’ this Friday. There is no charge - our goal is simply raising awareness.
By Hamish, Rupert and Mr Lewis
School Fees
A reminder that fees are to be paid in full by Friday, 1 December.
Any families experiencing genuine financial hardship may contact the office to organise a meeting to discuss their fees.
Book Club - orders due tomorrow
You can preview the latest catalogue HERE.
Books make great Christmas gifts! If you would like to place a 'secret' order, just select the 'GIFT' option when ordering online, we will then let you know when your order has arrived and you can collect it from the office at your convenience.
Excursions
Yr 3 - 'Disappearing Albury' excursion (Wed. 8th November)
This excursion for our Year 3 students will include a tour of Albury's Regent Cinemas including the projector room, a walk to the Botanical Gardens, a visit to the Lincoln Causeway behind La Maison for a scavenger hunt for information relative to the development of Albury/Wodonga, a visit to the Weir wall for lunch and then the Bonegilla Migrant Experience. Consent and payment for this excursion is to be made via Compass.
Yr 6 - Canberra (Mon 13th - Wed 15th November)
Our Year 6 students will be visiting the nation's capital next term. They will visit many of Canberra's landmark attractions including; a guided tour of Parliament House, visits to the National Gallery of Australia (stories of Australian art), the Australian Institute of Sport, Embassy Drive, Questacon, War Memorial, Mount Ainslie Lookout, CSIRO Discovery Centre, Ten Pin Bowling, National Electoral Education Centre and MoAD (Museum of Australian Democracy) at Old Parliament House.
Yr 1 - Jindera Pioneer Museum (Thurs. 23rd November)
Our Year 1 students will explore the historic buildings, equipment, relics and grounds of the Jindera Pioneer Museum. This excursion will complement their learning experiences in History. Students will then enjoy their recess break at the Jindera Pioneer Park. Consent and payment for this excursion is to be made via Compass.
2024 Yr 7 Xavier Orientation Day
Our Year 6 students who will be attending Xavier High School next year will be attending an Orientation Day on Tuesday, 7th November. This will be a fun-filled day of engaging classes and activities. Students are to wear their sports uniform and take along their school hat, a drink bottle and a snack for morning recess (lunch will be provided). St Anne's staff will walk these students over to Xavier in the morning and then back to our school in the afternoon.
Absences for after-school-care
If your child attends after-school-care and they are absent from school, please remember to advise the care provider. We often have providers waiting/searching for children who are absent from school.
Extended Leave
A reminder to families that if your child will be away for 10 or more consecutive school days (eg. for a family holiday), then you will need to submit an 'Application for Extended Leave'. See the 'Compass Attendance' information towards the end of this newsletter for further details.
Volunteering at school
We are very grateful for the assistance that parents/grandparents provide in our school. Any helpers/volunteers (including canteen, sport, fundraising and classroom helpers) will need to either -
- Provide the details of their Working With Children Check (if they have one). We require full name, date of birth, WWCC number and WWCC expiry date. These details need to be verified before a volunteer can help in our school, so please email this information to the office (sana-info@ww.catholic.edu.au) well in advance.
- Complete a CEDWW Volunteers Declaration and show an identity document (eg. drivers licence). These forms are available from the office. This declaration needs to be completed annually, therefore anyone who completed a form last year will need to complete a new form.
Uniform Shop
Our Uniform Shop is open each Friday from 3-3.30pm. Please email sana-info@ww.catholic.edu.au with your requirements if you can't make that time and we will pass your request on to Luisa to process.
We have lots of good quality second hand uniform items for sale as well as new hats, bags and art smocks.
Qkr! App
Our Qkr! App is the platform that we use to process transactions for our Canteen Orders and some special events, like the School Disco.
Qkr! is an efficient and accurate way of tallying our daily canteen orders and a brilliant time saver when collating and organising our students' lunch orders.
Recently we have had several students report that they have not received their lunch orders, only to find that the canteen has no record of their order. We would suggest that parents check their receipt on the Qkr! App to ensure that their order has been processed for the correct date and for the correct menu items and quantity.
Compass School Manager
Our Compass School Manager is the platform that we communicate with parents about all aspects of their child's school life. Our school attendance, calendar, news feed, student reports, parent teacher conference bookings, event consent/payments and many other services are accessible.
We strongly advise all parents to ensure that they have access to their Compass account on a mobile App or a desktop computer. All parents are issued a username and temporary password when their child is enrolled at St Anne's. If you are experiencing any difficulties accessing your account, please don't hesitate to contact Karon on grimmerk@ww.catholic.edu.au.
Compass Attendance
A reminder that all students who arrive at school after the morning bell at 8.55am, must be accompanied by an adult into our office to sign in on our Compass kiosk. This is a legal requirement and students may not sign themselves in. You will now be asked to provide a reason for the late arrival.
If you are picking up your child during the school day, for any reason eg. medical appointment or early departure, please send a written note in with your child to their teacher with all relevant details. Compass can not be used to notify teachers of early pickups. Compass is only to notify the school of full day absences. If you arrive at school to collect a child without prior notification, please allow extra time to locate your child on the school grounds, especially during break times and when at music, science or sport.
Parents/carers are required to submit an attendance note for any full day absences of their child from school. This can be done in the Compass App or in the Compass portal online. Please ensure you provide all the relevant details for why your child/children are not at school, as any notes added without a comment or details will be recorded as an unjustified absence. Please see the relevant link below for guidance on how to record an absence on the Compass App.
When families take students out of school during the school term for holidays, there are strict legal requirements that need to be met. If a student is going to be absent for up to 9 days, no formal application is required and parents may enter the absence on Compass under the 'Travel' option. If the absence is for 10 days or more, an application is required to be completed by parents prior to travel and approval will be required by the Principal or officials from CEDWW. If the leave is 21 days or more, parents are required to provide an educational plan to the school for approval. Extended leave forms are available from the school office.
Bus Pass applications
Bus Pass applications for travel between home and school, can be made via this link
Past Newsletters
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