Term 4 Week 6
I am pleased to tell you that the refurbishment and building has well and truly begun. These past two weeks have seen the demolition of the verandahs and the stripping bare of the classrooms. The back section of the building has been boarded up to separate the building works from the rest of the school. We can still have a sneak peek at what is going on as we move to the oval for lunch time. I had a walk through with the site manager last week and could already see the vision emerging. Site meetings on a Thursday have become a regular bi weekly event. I have started to post pictures of the works (as above) on the boarded up walls so the students can see the progress.
Last Thursday we conducted an emergency evacuation drill. We conduct an emergency drill each term. This drill was to iron out any issues that may have developed due to the building works and modified routes of travel to classes. The school community is very familiar with these drills and I am happy to write that from the first siren to the end of the drill took only 9 minutes.
We have begun the 2023 Prep Transition days with our 42 incoming preps. These transition days are invaluable in easing the children into the school, ready for a positive start next year. They were excited to receive a T-shirt with, ‘I am going to St Augustine’s PS’. We have also begun meeting with transition staff from various secondary schools as we work with them to assist our Year 6 children in their transition to year 7.
The School Advisory Council met this Tuesday night. The agenda discussions were: using data to drive student improvement, updates on the renovation and building project, updates on the staff EBA and school fees. I am calling for nominations for the School Advisory Council (previously called the Education Board). This is a two year tenure with seven meetings throughout the year. During the colder months these meetings are conducted online. Please see information on the Noticeboard page for more information and access to the ‘Expression of Interest’ form.
There has been much discussion with the School Advisory Councils over the past four years as we looked at introducing a Building and Maintenance levy to the school fees. Catholic schools are required to fund the vast majority of their capital expenditure through borrowings and Capital Fees. St Augustine’s has not, in the past, charged a Building and Maintenance levy to families, whilst many other Catholic Primary Schools in Melbourne charge from $100 to in excess of $1,500 per family. A Building and Maintenance levy is important to ensure the school is able to afford repayments to undertake building and maintenance projects throughout the school. The school will soon undertake repayments to pay for the current building works. These works and future works will rely on this levy from families to continue with capital works and maintenance on the school. The Building and Maintenance levy will be introduced in the 2023 fee schedule for all families. With advice from our Business Manager and the School Advisory Council, the fee is being kept at the lower end of $200 per year per family. We are all facing the rising costs of living and the school is certainly not immune to this. I thank you for your continued support and recognition of the need for this fee. Open this link to view the 2023 School Fee and Composite Fee schedule.
The Parents Auxiliary have managed and run a very successful Fun Run with children enjoying the day while raising money for the school. They raised $21,725.40! What a magnificent effort. Congratulations to Claire Boskovic and the parent helpers for all her hard work in organising this event. The money will go towards goal posts and soccer barriers and seating on the top oval.
Tonight our Year 2 students will be enjoying their ‘Out and About’ evening at school. This event is part of the Outdoor Education program for the school where the Yr 2 children have dinner at school and participate in fun activities until 6.30pm where they are then picked up by parents. It encourages them ……
Tonight our Yr 5/6 children and their parents will come together online to listen to information about ‘Things are Changing’. This is the first time we have introduced a family and child evening were a guest speaker will talk on the topic of puberty education. Having a puberty parent night hosted by experienced Family Life Educators allows the school to fully support parents as the primary educators of their children and deliver comprehensive, age appropriate and modern puberty education.
This Friday, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we will commemorate Remembrance Day to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty We will be gathering around our flag poles as a whole school community. “Lest we forget”
