Dear SCA Families,

Schools have been asked to prepare should the time come that we are faced with a shutdown due to COVID-19. There have been no decisions made to date but it is highly desirable that all students have remote access to their learning should this occur. SCA is working proactively behind the scenes to ensure all is in place to support students. In the event of a school shutdown, student work will most likely be in the form of an online presence using shared documents and other online platforms.

To this end, please ensure you have connected with the platforms being used in your child’s Year level:

Kindergarten – Year 4         - See Saw

Year 5 – Year 6                   - Google Docs and See Saw

For Action:

• Refer to the list of recommended apps for your child’s year level. These can be found at https://www.sca.act.edu.au/digitaltechnologies
• Please check with your child/ren that they have access to appropriate online platforms from home.
• Please check that your child/ren have their access codes  to access 'google classroom’ or ‘See Saw'. Teachers will also ensure that their students have classroom codes recorded for ease of access.

If you know your child is having difficulties with their login or assistance is required with navigating the online learning platforms we use, please email your child's teacher or the school at sca@cg.catholic.edu.au as soon as possible and help will be provided.

One challenge may be reliable internet access. If your child will not be able to access the internet or an appropriate device, please inform us via the above mentioned email address.

I am pleased to report that students and staff are happy and settled at present. Taking a proactive approach to this situation is essential. SCA will do its best to provide guided learning and engagement for our students if we are faced with a school closure. I will continue to keep you updated as information is received.

FAQs

Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn has prepared a fact sheet with answers to some frequently asked questions. Please find this later in the newsletter.

Two Big Feasts

You would be aware that yesterday was St Patrick’s Day. But did you know that this week we also celebrate the feast day of Saint Joseph?

We know little about the life of St Joseph but we do know that God chose him to play a special role in the salvation story. Joseph stood by Mary and trusted her account of God’s intervention in her life through an unexplained pregnancy. It was Joseph who protected the infant Jesus and Mary when they fled as refugees to Egypt to escape certain death. Under Joseph’s care and influence, together with that of Mary, “Jesus grew in wisdom and grace, finding favour with God and among people”. (Luke)

St Joseph is a model for us of good living, of living and acting in such a way that reflects God’s goodness and love by constantly doing what is right and good. We celebrate the Feast of St Joseph on 19^th March^.

May St Joseph and St Patrick bless our school community this week with a desire to always do what is right, and with a firm faith in God’s loving presence within and among us.

School Fees

Term 1 Fees were electronically sent to family email addresses on 19 February 2020. Fees are to be paid by this Friday, 20 March 2020 unless paying by Direct Debit or other approved method. If you would like more information regarding Direct Debit payments or have any queries regarding your fees, please contact the Front Office.

Communication

It is VITAL that we maintain accurate and current contact information for all families. If you change a phone number, email address, postal address or emergency contact, you must inform us immediately.

Our primary and most effective form of communication is via the SchoolZine App. (SZapp). Emergency announcements, including information about possible school closures, will be communicated via the app.

Please ensure you have installed the app on your devices, enabled notifications, and checked the settings for the correct year levels.

If you would like help accessing or installing this, please contact the Front Office.

A Reminder

The following was sent home via SZapp on Tuesday, so please refer to it as a reminder rather than news.

Large Gatherings

We will avoid all gatherings of larger than one class group. Year level teachers will continue to plan together, but classes will not participate in combined Year level activities.

All whole school assemblies and liturgies have been cancelled for this term.

All external excursions and sporting events have been cancelled.

Friday morning Parish Masses will not be held at SCA this term.

Morning line-up in the Hayshed will not be held. Instead, students are to move straight to class when the bell goes.

Parents are requested to stay away from classroom entrances at this time.

White cards will not be presented at morning line-up. They will be distributed in classrooms during the day each Friday.

Parent Volunteers

At this stage, parent volunteers, who are healthy and feeling well, may continue to help at school. However, it is imperative that all volunteers sign in and record where in the school they will be helping. Volunteers must not sign in for one area, and then move on to another area, without returning to the Front Office to change their sign-in.

Parents and carers should not be in a classroom unless they have signed in at the front office.

Please note that staff members also sign in and out of the school each day.

Sick Children and Staff

All children and staff who are unwell will be sent home. 

There is a shortage of teachers in Canberra, which may impact on our ability to employ enough relief teachers on any given day. We will do our best to ensure each class has a teacher, but this may not always be possible. There may be occasions when your child is given appropriate work and directed to spend time in another class for the day. All class teachers are planning to ensure that, if this is necessary, the work is relevant and will support what is planned for the term.

Though these measures could seem a little unfriendly, we will do our best to maintain a positive and welcoming demeanour.  We will continue to be guided by relevant Territory, State and Federal bodies, and will put the health and safety of our students and staff first.

It was once said…

“Nothing is permanent in this world, not even our troubles."

– Charlie Chaplin

Blessings to you and your family.

Matt Egan-Richards

Principal

matthewer@cg.catholic.edu.au

Heavenly Father,

We praise and thank you for your loving presence, especially in the Lent/Easter season.

We offer heartfelt thanks, dear Lord, particularly for our recent rains.

Once again, we come to you in our need. As your children we are in need of your healing and protection.

Just as we have been recovering from our dangerous bushfire summer, we have now been thrown into a fearful coronavirus (COVID 19) autumn.

We are tired and frightened. We feel a sense of panic and future uncertainty on a global scale.

Be with us now, Loving Master. Without you all is nothing – only empty hearts and a total reliance on our own feeble resources.

But with you “there is mercy and fullness of Redemption” (Psalm 130/7). With you there is “the loving mercy of the heart of our God (who) will give light to those who sit in darkness, those who dwell in the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1/79).

It seems that so many public gatherings are now postponed or cancelled. There is virus death, the sick, and the anxious. We are spending more time on our own, or with family or friends.

We pray for the sick and those looking after them. Help us to offer practical help to those who struggle.

Let us use these times, O Lord, for your greater glory, especially during Lent and Easter. Let us pray more, and truly listen to you more in loving silence, stillness and simplicity.

Almighty Father, you always journey with us in life’s challenges. Help us to meet you often in the scriptures and our sacraments. Increase in us faith, hope and trust.

Protect us from this coronavirus. Remove it from our common home. Heal those who are sick and dying.

Mary, Help of Christians, as always we fly to you in our need. Be close to us and point out your Son, Jesus, to us in this pandemic. St Therese of Lisieux and her parents, Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, pray for us.

We make this and all our prayers through Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever,  

AMEN

Be the Light 

'Let Your Light Shine Before Others'

Congratulations to the children who will be awarded white cards on Friday. 

White cards will not be presented at morning line-up. They will be distributed in classrooms during the day each Friday until further notice.

Can you volunteer? - We need your help with the School Banking program!

Our students really enjoy participating in the Commonwealth Bank School Banking program and to keep this program running we need your help. 

The program only requires a small amount of time each school week and is easy to do. Your help with the program will greatly benefit students as they develop vital saving skills and also help our school with fundraising.

Currently, School Banking day is Friday but this day can be changed to suit volunteers' availability. Young children are able to join the volunteers and grandparents or carers are also able to volunteer their time if they’d like.

If you are interested in volunteering for this great program, please contact 

Renee R at stilleys@hotmail.com or  

Renee H at renee_and_dave@hotmail.com

Afterschool Auskick Cancelled.

Due to the ever evolving COVID-19 situation the AFL has today made the difficult decision to postpone all Auskick and community football programs until May 31st. Therefore we will no longer be going ahead with the remaining weeks of the St Clare of Assisi afterschool auskick centre. Further communications will be sent to parents regarding this. Our participant health and safety is of utmost importance. Please stay safe and updated as we all navigate these challenging circumstances.

For any further information please contact Auskick.