PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
The school burst back into life this week with the return of our Year 7 students. It has been lovely to hear their chatter and laughter, to see them playing in the yard and to know that they are back to onsite learning. It has been a big week as they re-learn and settle into the rhythms and routines of the school day.
I would like to thank and congratulate each Year 7 student on the resilience, perseverance and positive spirit that they continue to show. Transitioning back to onsite learning takes a fair bit of emotional energy, I imagine most are quite tired at the end of the day. Thank you also to families who helped students to prepare for the return.
We now look forward to the return of students in Years 8, 9 and 10 on Monday 26 October. Students and families at these year levels will receive a Return to School Guide and further information on Wednesday or Thursday next week. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions at the P/T/S interviews.
Parent Teacher Student interviews: Early Finish
Year 7 families are reminded that Year 7 students will finish after period 4 (1.25pm) on Tuesday 20 October and Thursday 22 October due to parent / student / teacher interviews.
If there are any families who are unable to pick up students at 1.25pm, please contact Jill on 9366 2544 and we will arrange supervision at school.
Online classes for Years 8 – 10 will also finish at this time.
For the interviews, families will be contacted by the pastoral care teacher at the appointed time. Appointments need to be made through the Parent Access Module (PAM).
Planning and Key Dates for Term 4
With the return to onsite learning, we have included a calendar of dates in the newsletter. As with all things this year, these are tentative and could well change as the term progresses.
Like everyone in Victoria we are watching closely the easing of restrictions to see what we can and can’t do, what events and activities will be possible, whilst continuing to ensure everyone is as safe as possible.
Year 10 students, in particular will be wondering what the end of year will look like. At this time, CRC Sydenham are intending to have the Orientation program, from Monday 30th November to Friday 4th December as planned, and we hope to mark the end of their time at St Albans in as special a way as we can. What all this will look like depends on how the restrictions ease. Stay tuned. Plans A, B and C are in development. Mr Ramos will meet with some of the students next week so that we can get their input.
Enrolment for 2021
Normally in Term 4, we send home a form to Years 7, 8 and 9 families to confirm enrolment for the following year. We have reviewed this practice and decided that as all students are enrolled from Years 7 – 10, and most stay with us for this time, there is no need for all families to complete a ‘re-enrolment’.
However, if a student in Years 7, 8 or 9 is not continuing at the College in 2021, we ask that their family notifies us as soon as possible. Please email echalmers@crcstalbans.com.au or ring Eileen Chalmers on 9366 2544 with this information.
Your assistance with this is much appreciated as we have a waiting list at some levels and would like to let these families know sooner, rather than later.
Term 4 Uniform
From Wednesday 04 November all students will need to be in full summer uniform.
Sun Smart
The College Sun Smart policy is available on the website.
As we are now well into spring, forecasts of UV levels are predicted to reach 3 or higher during the period from now to the end of April. UV radiation is a major cause of skin cancer, and UV damage accumulated during childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with the risk of skin cancer later in life. We encourage families to speak with their child about ensuring they are Sun Smart during this time, including:
- wearing appropriate clothing
- wearing a broad brimmed, bucket or legionnaire hat while outside
- applying SPF30 or higher broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen approximately 20 minutes prior to going outside and re-applying every two hours while outside, or immediately after physical activity and swimming
- remaining in the shade during times when you are not involved in a specific outdoor activity, or if you are unable to follow the above recommendations
We also encourage all adults, including parents/carers, to adopt a SunSmart approach for themselves, not only to protect themselves from the dangers of UV radiation, but to also act as role models for our students.
For more information on sun protection please go to the SunSmart webiste: https://www.sunsmart.com.au/
Cup Weekend
Families are reminded that there are no classes on Monday 02 November or Tuesday 03 November.
The break provides students with the opportunity to prepare for the final weeks of Term 4. It is a good time to catch up on work and to do some exam revision.
Newsletter
In Term 4 the newsletter will continue to be published online only. Families will receive a SMS with a link to the newsletter, and students will receive the newsletter by email.
Newsletter Days for Term 4 2020:
Fridays: 30 October 13 November 27 November 18 December
The newsletter can always be accessed on the College website at: