Dear families

Last week we celebrated Catholic Education Week.  It was an opportunity for all Catholic Schools to celebrate our distinctive mission and to share things that are special about our schools with everyone.  We celebrated in a number of ways.  Our leading teachers attended a special mass of thanksgiving together with other school leaders from neighbouring catholic schools. Pictured below is Jamie Pistrin, Taryn Maxwell-Garratt and Trish Mulqueen with our Bishop Greg Bennett who celebrated the Mass.

We also celebrated our relationships in our community by enjoying a special morning tea with the senior students and the staff. The shared morning tea was a huge hit and further reinforced the strong and vibrant community at our school. The Gr 6s didn't even want to go outside for a play at recess, they enjoyed our company so much.  We did however send them out for a quick run before class started as we thought this best for their learning.  It’s so much fun being a Gr 6 student!

Sacred Heart of Jesus Mass

Next week on Friday we celebrate the church feast of Sacred Heart of Jesus.  We will all be going to church at 10am, everyone is welcome to join us.  In this Mass we traditionally support the St Vincent de Paul Appeal.  We ask families to donate non perishable grocery items so that we can give these to the St Vincent de Paul parish group, who then distribute the items to less fortunate families who need them.  When we support such fundraising appeals we are trying to live like Jesus told us, that is, to Love Everyone and to look after everyone, especially the most vulnerable. There will be a container in each classroom for the children to put their donations in.  Thank you for supporting this important charity. 

Coffee and Chat

Extra Long Weekend in June

Monday June 10th is the King's Birthday long weekend and on Tuesday June 11th the staff are participating in a Sacramental day with Fr Elio Capra in Warragul, this is a pupil free day. So students have an extra long weekend in June.  

May God continue to bless and guide us in our learning

Trish Mulqueen

In this edition of SchoolTV - CYBERBULLYING

With the advent of the internet, smart phones and tablets, there is now a whole new digital dimension added to traditional schoolyard bullying. There was once a time when bullying victims were given some respite outside of school hours, but sadly these days, online bullying can occur 24/7. In today’s world, teaching your child about online and cyber safety, is as important as learning to swim or cross the road!

Cyberbullying can be identified as being the repeated behaviour by an aggressor with the intent to harm or embarrass. Technology enables these aggressors to share information widely and quickly, making this form of bullying extremely dangerous and harmful. However, the answer is not to shun the internet nor social media. Instead, parents are encouraged to embrace it and instil a family internet policy to protect their children without limiting the freedom to learn, explore and communicate online.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents are provided with useful guidelines and advice on how to minimise the risks. Children have the right to feel safe, regardless of whether it is in the schoolyard or online.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Cyberbullying edition of SchoolTV
https://trafalgar.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/cyber-bullying

Pie Drive
We are running a Pie Drive this term through Yarragon Bakery. It is a great opportunity for families to purchase some delicious sweet and savoury pies while helping to raise money for our school.
Please place orders on CDF pay by Thursday the 13th of June.
Pies will be delivered to school for families to collect on Thursday the 20th of June.

Special Pasta Lunch Day
We will be having a special pasta lunch day on Monday the 17th of June. We are offering students a choice of either pasta bolangse or pasta carbonara for a nice, warm, healthy lunch order as the Winter weather rolls in.
Families will be able to order on CDF pay soon.

Weekly Lunch Orders
We are offering a weekly lunch order each Thursday through K Lee’s kitchen at the Willow Grove general store. Lunch orders include cut seasonal fruit and vegetables, cheese and crackers, a choice of sandwiches and a choice of either a muffin or yogurt. Please place orders by noon each Wednesday on CDF pay and lunch will be delivered to students on Thursday.

Halloween Disco
We will be running a Halloween Disco on Thursday the 27th of June from 5pm to 7pm. More information will be available as the date gets closer. It was great fun for the students last year and we hope it will be fantastic night again this year!

Written School Reports are now available on PAM.  Hard copy reports are available on request.

Gr 3/4 reports have been written by Michele Midgley and myself, with extra information supplied by Janet Poelsma and Wendy Oates, it has been a real team effort. 

Parent/teacher interviews will be held in week 6 next term, on Wed Aug 21st. Of course, if you would like to see your child's class teacher before then you are welcome to arrange an appointment anytime.

Conveyance allowance private car travel, or Conveyance allowance multimode travel
What is a conveyance allowance? 
The conveyance allowance is a form of financial assistance for parents/carers to transport children to and from school in rural and regional Victoria. In some locations, students are unable to access free school buses. In these instances, students may receive a conveyance allowance to assist with travel costs. Allowances are available for public transport, private car and private bus. 
If you live more than 4.8km from your closest school you can apply for the conveyance allowance. This is a payment towards the cost of transporting your child to school by public transport, car or school bus
Eligibility
An application on behalf of a student may be submitted if the student is:
• a Victorian resident;
• school aged and enrolled (3) three or more days per week at a school; and 
• attending a school/campus located outside the Melbourne metropolitan conveyance boundary
A student who meets the above requirements may be eligible if they: 
• attend their nearest or designated neighbourhood government school/campus appropriate to their year level, at which admission is permissible, or  
• attend their nearest appropriate non-government school/campus appropriate to their year level, at which admission is permissible, and 
• reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from the campus attended 
Note: Eligibility is assessed when the School completes your child’s application on the Student Conveyance Allowance System (SCAS). If approved, the allowance payable is based on the one-way distance to make the journey to and from school. No private car allowance is payable if the journey to and from school could be made using a public transport service or contract school bus. For further information regarding the Conveyance Allowance Program see: 
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/conveyance-allowance/policy
*Multi-mode conveyance allowances
Multi-mode conveyance allowance applies when a student uses more than one mode of transport (e.g. private car and public transport) for a journey between home and school. 
If you fall into this criteria, please call the office on 5633 2169 or 5633 1151 to request your application form.  
Parents should submit their completed application form to their child's school for processing.

November

Fri 29                          Gr 3/4 full day at Mill Valley Camp

December

Mon 2 to Fri 6              SWIMMING program

Tues 3                         Second Orientation Session for Foundation 2025

Wed 4                         Trafalgar Community Carols 7pm McGregor Park

Fri 6                            3pm Advent Assembly and sending off Gr 6s

Tues 10                       Third Orientation Session for Foundation 2025

Thurs 12                    End of Year & Graduation Mass 2.15pm

                                 Gr 6 Graduation

Fri 13                         Gr 5 & 6 Fun Day

                                 School Reports go out

Tues 17                      Last day of school 1pm dismissal

Wed 18 to Fri 20         Planning days for 2025

2025

January

Tues 28                     First day of school for teachers

Wed 29 & Thurs 30    Individual Testing Days

Fri 31                        First day of school for all students

February

Mon Feb 24 to Wed Feb 26   Urban Camp for Gr 5/6 students

March

Fri 3                         Student Free day (Staff Professional Learning in RE)

2024 School Advisory Committee Members are: Brett Hicks, Scott McCartin, Lauren Baldassa, Taryn Maxwell-Garratt, Fr Bernard Buckley, Kate Westbury, Megan Shiels and Trish Mulqueen. The Committee met on Wed July 24 and Church and Parish connection was discussed and staffing in Gr 3/4 was highlighted. The great work of the P&F was articulated, and the progress of the Masterplan was explained.  The idea of before and after school care program was workshopped and the results of the survey discussed.

The group considered the question What can we affirm in our way of ‘being church together’ is working well? Ideas were discussed and people thought we were doing a great job in this space.  It’s important to continue to welcome and invite people to our celebrations. Trish spoke about inviting people to learn about our faith.

More recently, the Committee met on Wed September 11.

The Committee workshopped the Father’s Group idea as a follow up to our Father’s Day celebrations. The Committee also talked about After School Care Program which we plan to have operational in term one 2025.

If you would like anything discussed at the School Advisory Committee, please see one of our members.