Dear Families

Welcome to November - A month that will fly pass quickly.

Years ago when I was a classroom teacher I had a mock TV remote that I used during reading classes.  At different stages of the book I would use the functions on the remote to generate some discussion eg.What do you think the character would do differently if they could press 'rewind' and go back to change an event?  If you could press 'pause' what would you like to tell a particular character?  

Imagine having a remote that actually worked in your own life.  What moments would you like to have again?  What bits would you like to skip over?  At this stage of year I'm often torn.  I feel like I have the juggling act of living in two different school years - I have one eye on 2025 while the other is consumed with the busy-ness of 2024.  It would be really tempting to press fast-forward on 2024 but instead I'm determined to just let the year flow on gently and enjoy the opportunities and celebrations ahead.  In less than six weeks we will have bid farewell to our graduates, welcomed the new preps, written school reports, moved classrooms and finished Christmas shopping (that's a lie, I probably won't have started shopping!).  So I wish everyone a successful next few weeks ahead.  Enjoy the highlights and celebrations, and ride the bumps.

A highlight as a school community this month is the preparation of our Year 3's for the sacrament of Reconciliation.  Our Catholic faith story, centred on the life of Jesus, has at its core the themes of love, compassion and forgiveness.  Reconciliation is a beautiful moment when we are reminded of the power of forgiveness.  We ask every blessing on the children preparing for to celebrate Reconciliation.  Can those families involved please take note of the calendar contained in this newsletter that lists the key dates and information.  I thank those families that attended last night's workshop.

Over the long weekend I had the (unexpected) experience of attending the Cold Play concert in Melbourne.  What struck me was the optimism of Chris Martin, the lead singer.  In a world where it is easy to look at the negatives, and trust me the news is full of horrors, Chris acknowledged the love and positive energy that was flowing around Marvel Stadium that night.  Likewise it reminded me of watching our students at play and work - the positives far outnumber the negatives - so I look optimistically to our local community's future with this generation of students leading the way.  A perfect example of this positivity are the reports after the Year 6 trip to Melbourne to visit the beautiful Melbourne Aquarium.  It is so pleasing to hear about our children acting respectfully and responsibly across the day, and engaging enthusiastically in this learning opportunity.

Staff News:  We have recently appointed Stephanie Vozzo to our Admin Team.  We look forward to welcoming an extra face to the front of house crew.  Please make her feel welcome in her new role.

Have a great finish to this short week.

Dave

St.Vincent's encourages good practices around exposure to UV.

Our key strategies involve wearing hats, encouraging the application of sunscreen and providing shaded play areas. We encourage families to apply and supply their chosen sunscreen to their children, as the school does not supply sunscreen.

School hats must be worn during Term 1 and Term 4, although we actively encourage students to wear them in times of increasing UV ratings.  Having your hat at school from Father's Day to Mother's Day is a great guide.

We look forward to engaging with our 2025 Foundation students and their families across the year as they make the exciting transition to Primary School.  If you have a child joining us next year or know of a family member or friend attending St. Vincent's, please reach out.

Our transition programs run across Terms 3 and 4.  Our transition program is a wonderful opportunity and offers our incoming students an extensive introduction to school.  We encourage all families to take advantage of these opportunities while also inviting new families to feel welcome to come along to see all we have to offer.

Further information can be found on our website

Thanks to those families who have continued to be up to date with their school fee payments.  We ask that everyone's takes advantage of the next few weeks to check their payment plans will ensure their account is finalised by the end of the year.

Our 2025 Fees Schedule is currently awaiting final DOSCEL Board approval, but will essentially will remain the same structure taking into account the regular indexed calculations.  It will be available soon for families to view.

It is also a reminder for families with current Health Care Cards to make sure the office has a copy as this benefits both your family and the school as part of our funding agreement.

As always, please contact the office team if you have any questions.

Get out your Popcorn Machine - The concert video is almost here

Pre-orders are about to be released on CDF-Pay next week for $20.

Limited numbers only, order now so you don't miss out!

St.Vincent's is proud to continue our long standing relationship with Morwell RSL Sub-Branch as we support their annual appeals at ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day.  As Remembrance Day approaches on the 11th November  we offer all families the chance to purchase a 'Poppy' from our Appeal Box.  The items on sale range from $1 to $10 with our student leaders visiting classrooms and also being available before school.  The fund-raising box is also kept during the office for families that are interested in purchasing something.

Take a look at this short informational clip to learn about Remembrance Day.

Link to the RSL Australia website