Dear Parents and Friends,

I can hardly believe that we are already over half-way through the final term of the school year! This week is ‘Wellbeing Week’ and during this time we try to make things less stressful and less busy for everyone. Students don’t have homework to complete, staff do not hold meetings and parents are given an opportunity to focus on quality family time. I hope that families have had a chance to enjoy a little bit of special time together during this past week.

Kindergarten Orientation - postponed

We are very much looking forward to welcoming our new Kindergarten cohort for the 2022 school year. However, due to the high number of schools currently affected in terms of being contact sites for COVID-19, we have decided to err on the side of caution and defer our Kindergarten Orientation session to later in the term. This is also in the hope that we can proceed with the same format that we have planned should the situation improve and restrictions are further eased. The new date for Kindergarten Orientation is Wednesday 1 December. At this stage, the format and timing will be the same. Should it not be possible to proceed in the manner planned, we will communicate this to parents with further detail as soon as practicable.

Assessment / Reports

Teachers are beginning the process of report writing by finalising and moderating pieces of assessment. It is important that children are at school and on time in the mornings to complete tasks, especially during this period.

School Fees 2022

Careful consideration has been taken in reviewing the fees for 2022 to continue to support our school’s requirements while keeping increases manageable and fair for families in the current economic environment.

I can now advise you that in 2022 our fee for a single student will be $843 per term.

Our fee combines Tuition and School levies and will help to keep pace with rising salary and costs to ensure our school continues to deliver the quality education for our students that you would expect.

In 2022, sibling discounts for tuition fees will also begin reducing over three years to ensure fees are fair for all families.

Please see attached the schedule of fees for 2022 and the changes to sibling discounts for tuition fees. School-based Levies will increase by 3% as they do each year.

As always, if fees create financial concern for you, I encourage you to make an appointment with me to discuss how we can help. It is a policy in the Archdiocese that no student is refused enrolment, excluded or disadvantaged because their family is unable to afford fees. Any discussion on fees is strictly confidential.

Tuition fees are partially remitted to the System based on school advantage to meet educational and support costs.

Remembrance Day falls on Thursday this week. At 11.00am we will hold a minute’s silence to pay our respects to those who lost their lives in the fight for peace in our world. Unfortunately, we cannot hold a ceremony this year due to COVID-19 health restrictions. However, students and staff will respectfully commemorate the occasion and pray for continuing peace in our country and for peace across the world.

REPEAT NOTICES:

Classes for 2022

The process of allocating children to classes for 2022 has begun. The allocations are based on the following considerations:

• Friendships
• Learning abilities
• Balance of gender
• Behavioural considerations
• Personalities
• Religion – so that a balance of Catholic and non-Catholic children is achieved especially in Sacramental years.

As part of the process of allocating children to classes, the children are given the opportunity to nominate 5 friends with whom they would like to share a class next year. They are guaranteed to have at least one of these friends with them. These nominations are based purely on friendship and not on any other factors and are the child’s decision to make. The ‘Friendship 5’ lists will be completed by the children at a suitable time, in class, later in the term.

My firm belief is that teachers are in the best position to decide a child’s placement because they know all the children in their classes and have a view of the ‘big picture’. However, I invite parents to inform me of anything that you feel needs to be considered, for your own child’s well-being or development. I have allowed 3 weeks’ time in which to notify me of your concerns, in writing – there is now 1 week remaining. After the cut-off date of Friday 19^thNovember, it will not be possible to take further wishes into account.

Information needs to be provided each year as circumstances can change. I will do my best to accommodate your wishes but will not promise anything! Please be aware that requests for particular teachers will NOT be considered.                                                                                   

Hayfever season has arrived with the weather being particularly windy and the pollen count high. We have had many children coming to the front office with hayfever symptoms. If your child is prone to hayfever please consider the treatment you would like them to receive. If you would like your child to be given hayfever medication please fill in a Request to Dispense Medication Form and provide the medication to be stored in the First Aid area. Parents will be contacted prior to any medication being administered. On particularly windy days you may like to consider treating your child before they attend school. 

The Request to Dispense Medication Form can be accessed via this link: Request to Dispense Medication and on the school website. 

Unfortunately, there are still a large number of parents that are yet to log in to the Parent Portal. Currently less than half of the accounts have recorded a login.

If you have not already logged in, we ask that all parents log in to the Parent Portal as soon as possible to verify details.

Every parent has been sent an email with their login details. If you did not receive the email, please contact the school.

Login emails have been re-sent today for accounts that have not yet logged in.

Please direct all enquiries regarding the Parent Portal to the front office. office.rosaryps@cg.catholic.edu.au

When logging in, you will be asked to confirm your email and phone number. If they are incorrect, please update them.

You will then be asked to change your password.

Please note that it is recommended to use the desktop version for greater functionality.

Please do not share your login details with anybody. Each parent has their own login which provides them access to their child’s records and their own email and phone numbers only.

Please note that all absences should now be notified via the Parent Portal. You will also need to log in to Parent Portal to view reports at the end of the Term.

Due to current restrictions, there are limited events planned for the following two weeks. Updates will be provided once known if we can proceed with previously postponed events.

• Kinder Health Checks - Monday 15^th November & Tuesday 16th November
• Kinder 2022 Orientation - Postponed until Wednesday 1 December 2021
• Year 6 Confirmation - Friday 26th November

If your child is absent from school, please submit details of the absence via the Parent Portal. This should be completed within 7 days of the absence.

Please note that Schoolzine absence notifications are no longer functional.

Unexplained absences for your child will be displayed on your homepage when you log in to Parent Portal.

If an unexplained absence appears that you believe to be incorrect, please send an email to the front office for investigation.

It’s a wrap for this year’s Floriade community garden at Rosary

Now that Floriade has concluded, this update covers the close out of the Bee Inspired displays.

A big thanks goes out to the Year 6 Students, teachers and Holy Rosary Catholic Church volunteers who assisted with the Bee displays. I’d also like to thank Olivia and the team from Red Box Design Group for an inspirational design concept. Floriade organisers have provided a certificate of appreciation for our participation in this year’s event, which I’m sharing with you (attached).

Unfortunately during ACT’s Covid-19 lockdown period we couldn’t continue with an ACT for Bees educational presentation for the students but that didn’t stop the public from enjoying the Bee inspired garden beds. While tending to the garden beds over a weekend I was approached by an elderly lady who commented on how beautiful the garden displays were and that “the tulips are a delight to see” on her walk.   On another week, while tending to the Bee at the Church I had a young couple give praise to the flowers from their car window saying “They look amazing. They should be there every year!”

Here is a link to a short drone video taken of the Bees from above of the displays and some pics attached.

What’s on the horizon for the Bees?

From next weekend the garden beds will be taken down and available for sale at a 50% discount. Click here to claim your garden bed. Bulbs will be made available for year 6 students to collect from the school. Some tulip bulbs will also be available for church volunteers to collect as well.

School banking will continue each Thursday until Week 10 of Term 4.

Unfortunately, school banking will not be returning in 2022 due to government restrictions.

Even though the CommBank School Banking program will not be returning after this year, you can continue to make deposits into your child’s Youthsaver account through online transfers or at any CommBank branch. If you need further information please phone 132 221 or visit your local CommBank branch.

The school counsellor, Jessica O'Rourke, is available every Monday and until 1pm on Friday.

You can refer your child for counselling by filling in a referral form available on Catholic Care’s website or follow this link: https://catholiccare.force.com/housing/s/school-referral-form

After you have filled out the referral form you will automatically be sent an email requesting your consent for your child to access the service. In the case of families where parents are separated, consent of both parents is normally required. If this is difficult for you please feel free to discuss with Jessica.

The Rosary Community Council Representatives for 2021 are:

Old Watson High School Oval site.

Consultation on the proposed new inner north play space has just opened.

Transport Canberra and City Services is planning to upgrade the green space adjacent to Canberra Technology Park in Watson to provide a wider range of outdoor recreation opportunities for inner north residents (and visitors) of all ages and abilities. The proposed upgrade will feature a new play space and recreation park.

Residents are invited to help shape the future upgrade by telling us what recreation facilities and play equipment you would like considered. Children can have their say too by submitting a drawing or short story via our online kids’ corner.

For more information visit:

Inner north play space | YourSay ACT

https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/inner-north-play-space

Consultation closes Tuesday 14 December 2021.

The school year is divided into four terms. Term dates for the year 2021 are as follows:

Term 1 (9 weeks)     Monday 1 February - Thursday 1 April

Term 2 (10 weeks)   Tuesday 20 April - Friday 25 June (Monday 19 April is a system wide Pupil Free Day)

Term 3 (10 weeks)   Tuesday 13 July - Friday 17 September (Monday 12 July is a system wide Pupil Free Day)

Term 4 (11 weeks)   Tuesday 5 October – Friday 17 December