Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

It has been wonderful to see our students so happy and excited to be back at school with their teachers and friends and hear the excited chatter around the school as they reconnect with each other and enjoy getting back into the routine of school.  Across the school, staff are reporting that students are settled and the Learning Spaces are already  a hive of activity as students settle into the routines and expectations of learning at St Michael’s.  

Our Foundation students have settled in so well! The Foundation teaching team are enjoying getting to know them and seeing their personalities appear. Thank you to all the families who quickly navigated setting up PAM to book in their child’s Foundation Assessment. Your support has been appreciated. If you haven't already done so there are time slots still available. 

We all know that communication is vital for a positive relationship between home and school. To support this we will be holding Parent Teacher Interviews via google meet next Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th February from 3:30pm for Grades 1 to 6 only. This is an opportunity for you as parents to share information about your child with their teacher to ensure the best possible learning outcomes are achieved this year. You will be able to book into these interviews via PAM. You will receive notification when they are available to be accessed. We are also available throughout the year to meet if you have any queries or concerns. Please don’t hesitate to contact your child's teacher or me to make a time.  

In the 5/6 area the students have elected the 2022 house captains. I am pleased to announce that the following students have been chosen by their peers in this leadership role:

Green House: Matilda Fenech, Miah Moloney, Ruby Kus & Tyler Zandona

Blue House: Alex Yeates, Lulu Ross, Milla Rayner & Nicole Betera

Gold House: Adele Calabro, Campbell Milliner, Jayda Field & Spencer Campbell

Red House: Aston Fue, Lily Ogg, Macey Manzo & Ruby Roscoe

Congratulations!

Mrs Dortmans is also starting a running group for students in grades 3 - 6 for interested students who would like to build their fitness. It will be held each Wednesday before school at 8:40am and the students will be running laps inside the school ground. Students may bring their sneakers to school and change back into their black school shoes at the end of the session. 

Uniform update:

Lowes have contacted the school to say that the new cotton blend version of the school jumper is expected to be available in early April. We will keep you updated! 

Rapid testing

We are expecting more tests to arrive later this week and will send them home with the eldest child in each family. If your child has a positive result on a RAT please follow the below steps. 

Reporting and Managing positive results

If a student receives a positive test result at any time, they must:

1. Parents, guardians or carers must advise the School.
2. Parents, guardians or carers are required to register the result on the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form available on the Coronavirus Victoria website as soon as possible.
3. Students who report a positive result must isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
4. Where a student is a household contact of a positive case (that is, they have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility) they must inform the school and isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.
5. Ensure students refrain from returning to school if they are symptomatic, unless it is known that their symptoms are caused by an underlying health condition or medication.

Kind regards

Jodie