Dear SCA Families,

I love the start of the school year. The energy and enthusiasm was evident as we welcomed everyone back today, refreshed and ready for all this year will bring. The staff have been here for nearly two weeks now, working hard to ensure every student has many great learning experiences.

I offer a warm welcome to all of our new staff, students and families. It’s great to have you as a member of our St Clare’s family. I hope your time with us is rewarding and enjoyable.

Whether you are a student or parent, guardian or grandparent, a new family or returning one, I look forward to the contribution you will each make this year. I also offer you my full support and invite you to contact me should you wish to discuss any matter.

Annual Improvement Plan

You may be interested in our strategic priorities for 2024. Staff will continue to work hard in all areas, however, we will especially focus on three priorities this year:

Our Vision is to Be the Light.

Our Mission is to be leaders in faith, learning, community and leadership, so that every person in our school is able to do the best they can to contribute to the growth and wellbeing of students.

Key Improvement Goals

1. That every student is a competent reader.
2. High impact teaching practices are used by all teachers all the time.
3. Be a faith-filled, Catholic learning community.

 Staff Are Learners Too…

I would like to acknowledge the dedication of all staff during the last couple of weeks. There have been endless hours of planning programs, updating information and preparing classrooms to ensure that your children have a smooth start to the 2024 school year. Staff have also been involved in professional learning, reflection and dialogue, and we are looking forward to implementing some great new initiatives.

2024 Staff

Welcome to Emily Michell (4 Blue), Brianna White (5 Green) and Jordan Wells (Year 6 support) who join our staff this year.

Parent Information Night and Meet and Greet – For all families

All families are encouraged to join us next Tuesday 6^th February. Our format this year will be the same as the last couple of years.

5.00 – 6.00pm                    Sausage Sizzle under the Hayshed

6.00 – 6.25pm                    Classroom Information (session 1)

6.30 – 7.00pm                    Classroom Information (session 2)

Following the sausage sizzle, each classroom teacher will present an overview of their classroom and the significant events and happenings for 2023. To cater for parents with more than one child, teachers will repeat the session at 6.30. (For families with more than two children it may not be possible, unless two parents split up, to attend a session for each class. Please feel free to contact the teacher with any questions or concerns you may have.)

This is a great way to meet your child’s teacher and get to know other families. All welcome.

If any parents can assist with cooking sausages, it would be greatly appreciated; please contact the Front Office on 6294 1860.

COVID Safe Protocols for the Evening

• Please use sanitiser before and after eating.
• Please bring your own drink bottles, as shared water facilities are not appropriate.
• Please stay at home if you are unwell.

Newsletter every Wednesday!

The newsletter will come through via the COMPASS app each Wednesday. I encourage all families to install the COMPASS app on your smart phone and/or Tablet.

Please update your preferences to ensure you receive messages for the correct class and year level. This is done by opening the COMPASS app, going to the settings tab, and sliding on the appropriate buttons.

School Council AGM Tuesday 13^th February at 6.00pm

We invite all parents to come along to our first School Council (SCA SC) meeting for the year. The Community Council provides an important leadership role in our school by undertaking an advisory role in policy and finance matters, and a hands-on role in community building and school promotion.

We are seeking new members in both an executive (Chair, Secretary, Treasurer) and non-executive (parent representative) capacity. If you would like to be involved in your child’s school, and you can meet twice a term (at 6pm on Tuesdays in Weeks 3 and 8 of each term) please consider nominating yourself and joining us in the staffroom on the 13^th.

Terms of office are usually set at 2 years, so no one should feel they are committing themselves for life!

Calendar

A reminder that the calendar is available online through the School App and Website (https://www.sca.act.edu.au/) .

Facebook

We are on Facebook. Search for @scaconder on Facebook.

Safety Plans

Our school’s safety plans rely on us having correct and up to date contact and medical details for every child. Please ensure you inform the school of any updated personal information as a matter of priority.

School Fees and Remissions

School fee invoices will be sent home shortly. Parents facing real difficulties paying are encouraged to apply for fee remissions. Any applications for fee relief must be made annually. Forms are available from the front office.

Student Safety

The start of the school year is a particularly busy time in our school carparks and surrounding streets. To help keep students safe when making their way to and from school, please ensure you drive and park safely and legally, at and around, school grounds. We all have an important role to play in supporting road safety. Access Canberra has notified us that mobile speed and parking vans will be in operation to support our students’ safety. These enforcement teams play a critical role in supporting our students get to and from school safely and we thank them for their ongoing support. In addition to sticking to the speed limit, please remember to park safely – including not parking across pedestrian crossings, in no stopping zones, on corners, verges and double parking. Unsafe and illegal parking can reduce visibility of our students and motorists to see each other, creating a significant hazard when students cross the road. Let’s work together to keep our kids safe.

Finally, I thank you for your efforts in preparing your children so well for what has been a smooth start to the year. Our theme for 2023 is “We are the light”, and we will reflect more on this in coming newsletters. With this in mind, we look forward to the year ahead and I wholeheartedly offer my support to you as we walk together in the education of your child.

It was once said…

You will never learn if you don’t make mistakes.    Unknown

Blessings to you and your family.

Matt Egan-Richards

Principal

• Starting time is 8:45am sharp. Students arriving late will need to be signed in at the Front Office.
• Supervision commences at 8:25am and no student should be at school before 8.25am (unless at OSHC). Students arriving before 8.25am are unsupervised. Please use before school care if necessary.
• A student’s hair should be cut off their face and, if longer than shoulder length, it must be tied back in an appropriate school coloured band. Hair should also be of natural colour and extreme haircuts are not permitted.
• No jewellery should be worn to school and only plain studs, small sleepers and watches are acceptable. No bracelets, bangles, sparkly ear rings, nail polish, make up, etc are allowed.
• Black ‘jogger’ or canvas type school shoes are not part of the school uniform. The only school shoes allowed at St Clare’s are the traditional or formal black leather school shoes.
• Students who are collected by their parents during the day for appointments must be signed out/in at the Front Office before and after the appointment.
• Parents visiting the school to assist are required to have a Working with Vulnerable People Card and are also asked to sign in at Front Office and receive a Visitors Badge.
• St Clare of Assisi is a NUT FREE Please remember this when preparing recess and lunch, including peanut butter, Nutella, cakes with nuts, etc.
• Dogs are not allowed on school premises.
• Absences from school – it is a legal requirement that all absences are explained. Please notify the school of your child’s absence by either :
  • Using the App
  • Calling the Front Office;
  • Emailing the Front Office at sca@cg.catholic.edu.au indicating your child’s name, class, reason for absence and date.
  • Sending a note to the classroom teacher indicating date and reason for absence.

Please return form to the Front Office or email to matt.egan-richards@cg.catholic.edu.au

I wish to nominate myself as a member of the SCA Community Council.

Name: ………………………................………….       Email: ………….........................………..

Child/ren and Class: ……………………………………………………………………..

All nominations are for parent representative. However, I would also consider serving in an executive role such as Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary or Treasurer. (Please circle if you would be willing to serve in one, or more, of these roles.)

Signed: ……………………………………………                        Date: ………………………………..

Opening School Mass

SCA Opening School Mass will commence at 9:15am on Friday 2nd February.  All welcome!

Rachel Kennedy

Religious Education Coordinator

A shout out for shoe boxes and gift baskets.  All donations can be dropped into the front office.

Thank you in advance

Administration Team