Dear Parents and Carers,

I genuinely appreciate that it has been a really difficult and challenging time for all families and I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude for your continued support. Juggling work commitments, family responsibilities as well as taking on a more direct role in your child's learning has been an enormous role for many families over the past nine weeks.

This week the school community has focused on the importance of Wellbeing. We had a week of learning experiences that highlighted the value we as a community place on Wellbeing. Thank you to all the parents and carers who have provided staff with thoughtful messages of appreciation for the work of our teachers have done during St Paul's Wellbeing Week. Students, staff, and families connected virtually across CEDoW to create a joyful and vibrant Flash Dance with the intention of creating a virtual connection, a sense of belonging, and a spark of fun! Thank you to the St Paul's students and families who contributed to the vibrant Flash Dance.

There is one additional page in this Week 10 Remote Learning Newsletter which includes:

• Students Keeping Safe in the Digital Age

Further information regarding the above new inclusion can be found in this newsletter.

Our wonderful School Captains Ivy Armstrong and James Allen have created end of Term 3 messages for our St Paul's Community.

I am looking forward to St Paul's Carnival Fun Week, whereby teachers have organised fun remote learning tasks for students throughout Week 10 to recognise and celebrate the wonderful achievements of our St Paul's school community.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to parents and carers, the St Paul's students and staff for your continued support as together we journey through our tenth and final week of remote learning for Term 3. The St Paul's staff continue to hold everyone in our community in our prayers. 

Yours in Faith and Learning,

Michelle Rodwell
Principal

​​As we are aware many of our students are immersed in the digital world, it is important to support our students to learn the skills to keep themselves safe online and the importance of safe and positive digital use and citizenship. Parents play an important role in teaching these skills. Here are a few simple tips parents can put into place just in time for the pupil vacation.

Set limits and encourage playtime. Media use, like all other activities, should have reasonable limits. Unstructured and offline play stimulates creativity. Try and make unplugged playtime a part of your child's day.  

Screen time shouldn't always be alone time. Co-view, co-play and co-engage with your children when they are using screens—​it encourages social interactions, bonding, and learning. Play a video game with your child. It's a good way to demonstrate good sportsmanship and gaming etiquette. Watch a show with them; you will have the opportunity to introduce and share your own life experiences and perspectives—and guidance. 

Understanding the Apps your child is using. Common Sense Media is an excellent site for reviews about age-appropriate apps, games and programs to guide you in making the best choices for your child.

The Carly Ryan Foundation — App Factsheets

The Carly Ryan Foundation provides support in the areas of internet safety and crime, and cyberbullying, including delivering online safety and healthy relationship seminars to students and parents. Their factsheets provide information and parent advice on the following apps: Calculator; Tik Tok; Fortnite; Roblox; Discord; Snapchat; Instagram; Facebook; and YouTube. The pdf below has many facts about apps that you may find helpful.

Our staff thanks you for the generous support and ongoing patience you have shown over the last four weeks while, together, we continue to live, learn, and work under the restrictions and challenges posed by COVID-19.

We urge everyone to continue to follow the advice from the NSW Government and NSW Health regarding Stay-at-Home orders and restrictions in keeping all members of our community safe and well. As you know, COVID-19 case numbers continue to be high across Greater Sydney, as does the number of people who have been in the community while infectious. In light of this, the NSW Government and NSW Health have again reinforced the message that parents and carers must keep children home if they can.

We understand how difficult it can be to manage working from home as well as supervising your child’s learning, however we are requesting your support to limit the risk of COVID-19 by having your child learn from home, rather than school, unless you absolutely have no other option. As we continue to plan for supervision of students who must attend school it is vital that we schedule only the minimum number of required staff members each day. This is to ensure we meet the direction provided by Catholic Schools NSW and NSW Health.

If it is absolutely necessary for your child to attend school for onsite supervision on any day between Monday 13 and Friday 17 September 2021, please complete this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8woA3c_wQD07mrBpQbiBDulMTIxPKlM-Cx0vscs-wVVadCg/viewform

This information will enable the school to organise appropriate supervision for students onsite whilst managing teachers working remotely and ensuring there is adequate access to electronic devices for students being supervised at school to engage in online learning.

If your child is learning from home it is a requirement that you complete the attached form to indicate this by 10 am daily.

If your child needs to be at school then the supervising staff will complete attendance. 

If neither of these roll marking options is chosen then you will receive a notification at 3 pm that day to state your child has an unexplained absence. Please ensure that you inform the school if your child is sick and will not be accessing learning on that day.

Understandably, many questions may arise and it is hoped that frequent school communication via Compass, assists you in clarifying your concerns. Teachers will respond to communication in a timely manner during school hours (8:00 am – 3:30 pm) only.

Requests for technology support can be made via the form below.

Telephone (02) 42 562 772

Email Office info@spapdow.catholic.edu.au