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While the weather still reminds us that winter is here there are small signs of spring. The students and I have been seeing our birds carrying sticks and building nests. Our family of plovers are busy in the last days of incubating their eggs. At home the first lamb has arrived. We look forward to Spring as the days lengthen and warm up.
This week the staff at St Thomas the Apostle voted on the Enterprise Bargain Agreement (EBA)which will hopefully pass and ensure that the teachers and support staff have a small pay rise and some improved conditions.
The success of the EBA will have an impact on a number of school structures and events. Over the next few weeks we begin looking at structures and staffing for 2023. We will retain the physical organisation of class level communities as our students and staff have shared that this change has been a very positive one.
Over the next few weeks/months we will share with the School Advisory Committee and our Consultative Committee what our plans are. Then we will update you here in the newsletter.
Kate
Jerusalem Mass
We had a very enthusiastic turn out for family and parishioners attending Mass on Wednesday. Many thanks to the visitors who came to support the celebration.
The Jerusalem Community Mass focused on the theme of ‘God Is Love’. One of the students who read the introductory piece, said that “God created love”, “God created us to love Him” and that He “extends his love to each of us”. It’s quite a huge topic. If we were to sum up the entire bible, Old and New Testament, into one message, it would be exactly this!
Confirmation
Date |
Event |
Time |
20 August |
Confirmation Masses |
11am 2pm |
First Holy Communion
Date |
Event |
|
19 July |
Parent Formation Night 1 |
7pm |
23/24 July |
Enrolment Masses |
|
26 July |
Parent Formation Night 2 |
7pm |
30/31 July |
Enrolment Masses |
|
9 August |
Parent/Child Workshop 1 |
7pm |
10 August |
Parent/Child Workshop 2 |
7pm |
7 September 3 September (catechism group) |
Reconciliation |
|
10 & 11 September |
First Holy Communion Masses |
6pm 9am 10:45am |
17 & 18 September |
First Holy Communion Masses |
6pm 9am 10:45am |
Road safety - Mandatory Helmet rules
Wearing a bicycle helmet
All bike and scooter riders are required to wear a bike helmet in Victoria.
Mandatory bicycle helmet laws were introduced in July 1990. This applies when riding:
- on roads and road-related areas
- on bike and shared paths
- in bike lanes
- in recreational parks
- in car parks
- on footpaths.
Police can stop bike and scooter riders and issue a fine or a warning for not wearing an approved bicycle helmet.
Bicycle helmets and public health
In 2016, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) endorsed a position paper in support of mandatory bicycle helmet laws.
The AHPPC is made up of the Chief Health Officers of each Australian state and territory. They support mandatory bicycle helmet laws as an appropriate preventative measure which benefits the whole community.
Research
Research indicates that bike helmets greatly reduce the risk of head injuries, which are the major cause of death and injury to bike riders.
- A comprehensive systematic review of 40 studies was published in the prestigious International Journal of Epidemiology in 2016 and found that bicycle helmets reduce the chances of a serious head injury by almost 70 %
- Two years after introducing bicycle helmet laws in 1990 there was a 16% reduction in head injuries in metropolitan Melbourne and a 23% reduction in head injuries in Victoria.
Choosing a bicycle helmet
When choosing a bike helmet, make sure:
- it fits firmly and comfortably on your head and cannot be tilted in any direction
- the straps can be adjusted so there is no slack when fastened
- it has a sticker showing it is safety approved and meets the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 2063
- it is marked with the symbol of a body accredited by the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ), certifying compliance with AS/NZS2063 (for helmets manufactured or imported from 1 July 2012).
Helmet tips for parents and carers
For information about children wearing bicycle helmets visit Helmet tips for parents & carers
Lost Property Box
The lost property box is overflowing with items. Please remind your child/ren to check the box if they are missing an item of clothing, lunchbox, water bottle, toy etc.
Please ensure all items of uniform (hats/jackets/jumpers) are named so that they can be returned if found.
Spare Clothes
With the wet weather upon us and puddles galore, children might have minor accidents at school in which clothes might become wet or dirty.
It is always helpful for your child/ren to have a set of extra clothing at school in case of an accident. The spare clothes do not have to be a uniform set.
If soiled clothes are sent home, please remember to send a set of clean clothes the next day.
Dear Parents,
The Friends of St Thomas (FOST) organise social events, special lunches and other activities throughout the year as well as fundraising events.
Our first event for this Term will be ‘Sports day Subway Lunch’ which will be held on Friday September 16th.
Introducing CDFpay, which is a cash-free solution for our schools’ events or activities.
This solution is an online payment platform offered by the Catholic Development Fund Melbourne (CDF).
We are asking all parents to use this simple, cash-free platform to submit their child's lunch order.
You are able to do this via your mobile if you wish. Please click on the pdf below for the step by step process to access and register for CDFpay
Once registered, click on the link below to access the school website to place your order.
https://cranbourneeast.cdfpay.org.au/All orders for the Subway lunch must be placed by Thursday 1st September via CDFpay