Welcome back to Term 2.

Firstly, let me thank the students who represented the school at the Anzac Day March. They looked very smart in their winter uniforms.

Students are to be wearing winter school uniforms now & only the school jackets should be worn. Students don’t need a hat in June & July as per SUNSMART school guidelines.

The P & F Pie Drive orders need to be in by next Friday. The profit of this fundraiser will be going towards buying new bubblers/water filling stations for the students. This is the first major fundraising goal for the P & F this year.

Year 6 are off to camp next week & I look forward to hearing about their adventures. Mr Myers, Mr Gerrard & Mrs Harris will be attending and our Year 5’s will be in one class with extra staff while the Year 6’ s are away.

It Mother’s Day on the 12^th May. An easy one to remember for me as my brother was born on 12 May & his only son (my nephew) was born on 12 May also. What are the chances! I hope all the mothers/carers have a great day.

During this term we will continue to remind students about the 3 rules for different areas around our school like assembly, canteen, playground, eating lunch etc. They reflect our big 3 messages to follow at school; BE SAFE, BE RESPECTFUL, BE RESONSIBLE. I am pleased to say that in Term 1 I noticed many students trying hard to live out these rules in their everyday actions.

Please note that our school Counsellor will now be visiting SPP on a Friday in Term 2.

I look forward to a busy and wonderful term of learning in Term 2.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

First Holy Communion lessons for our year 4 students and above commence TODAY Thursday 2nd of May 4pm at Our Lady of Fatima. The first 3 lessons will be held at Fatima with the 4th lesson being at Ss Peter and Paul's Cathedral. The retreat day for those making Communion will be held at St Mary's Crookwell on Thursday 30th of May during school hours. More details will come on Compass closer to the date. 

Students who enrolled for both Reconciliation and First Holy Communion won't need to enrol again. 

Please email Cassie Harris with questions or more information at cassandra.harris@cg.catholic.edu.au

INDIVIDUAL SPORT TRIALS

Individual sports trials are open through the CECG sports website. These trials are intended for Year 5 & 6 student's ONLY.

Thank you to our school leaders and student representatives for attending the Anzac Day March last week and laying our school wreath.

Musical Preparations are Happening!

This year we are staging a whole-school musical in Term 3! It is scheduled to be performed on the SsP&P stage Friday 13 September (Term 3 Week 8), so please save the date. Students from Kindy to Year 4 will mostly be performing in their year level's featured song. Year 5 & 6 students will be performing the major character roles. All of the classes have already started early preparations for the big show during their weekly Creative & Performing Arts classes. We have been busy learning lyrics and finding out how to sing harmonies. Others have been creating choreography sequences to express the story through movement. Some classes have already begun designing and creating props and scenery. Term 2 is when students will be cast into roles and actors' rehearsals will take place during some recess sessions. This is a huge effort, but the preparation offers us a million learning opportunities, fun challenges and many different kinds of teamwork. No spoilers, so please don't ask the title yet! 

This year our school canteen will continue to operate Tuesday to Friday. Student's requiring lunch from the canteen need to submit a lunch order via the QKR app by 9am the day the order is to be received (remember you can order up to two weeks in advance). It will also be open during first break for over the counter snacks, ice creams and drinks. Miss Courtney Kozel will be our canteen manager while Mrs Bennett is on leave.

• We currently have no Size 8 black sport shorts in stock, and the supplier is out of stock also. If you need them urgently, please purchase plain black shorts elsewhere in town, and we will advise when the stock arrives.
• Winter Jumpers are on their way, we will communicate when they are available.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

The uniform shop is run by parent volunteers and is open on a Wednesday morning 9-9.30am for fittings and sales. The best way to organise your child's uniform requirements is to order via Qkr. Orders need to be placed by 8.30am each Wednesday so that they are able to be sent home that day; orders placed after 8.30am will not be filled until the following week.

Birthdays 1-15 May!

STUDENT MEDICATIONS

We are able to hold student medications in the office for those children who require either short term or ongoing medication. Any medication must be supplied to us in its original packaging, with the pharmacy label attached for prescription medicine. Our system has been updated by head office so please read the following carefully if this applies to your child.

Short term medication (pain relief, antibiotics, antihistamine etc) -

• Parent/carer must visit the office to sign medication administration authorisation form so that our staff are able to administer the medication.

Ongoing medication (asthma inhaler, antihistamine, ADHD medication, etc) -

• Parent/carer must visit the office to sign medication administration authorisation form so that our staff are able to administer the medication. 
• Parent/carer to ensure medication remains in date, and that there is sufficient supply for one term, each term.
• Parents/carers of students with asthma action plans or other official diagnosis must provide current paperwork from the doctor
• Asthma Inhalers - if your child is in year 5 or 6 or capable of self-administering their ventolin, they are able to keep their inhaler with them in their bag; if this is the case there is no need to complete the authorisation form.

DROP OFF/PICK UP INFORMATION

If you remember the following details school drop off and pick up should run smoothly. Please view the map below for parking restriction details:

Morning Drop off:

• Supervision at school starts at 8.30am. Students arriving earlier than this WILL NOT be under active adult supervision so please avoid dropping your children off before this time. Between 8.30am and 8.55am students are to take their bag to their classroom and then make their way to either the hall or basketball court where they are to wait in year groups until the morning play bell rings.
• Knox Street/Princes Avenue parking (front school entrance) - ideally families with students in Kindergarten only should be parking in this area. Please be aware of the bus zone, parking restrictions and keeping our neighbour's driveways clear. We also ask that you consider our staff when parking in the morning as there are limited all day parking zones where they are able to park.
• Hall gate (Knox Street) - Bus students are dropped off here. 
• Princes Avenue/Adam Street (back school entrance) - Parents are able to park on either side of Princes Avenue (outside car line) or in Adam Street if you need to walk your children into school (please note that this part of Princes Avenue is a one-way road). Be aware of parking restrictions and keeping our neighbour's driveways clear.
• Car Line (off Princes Avenue) -  Car line is a 'kiss & go' system where parents drop their children off without getting out of the car; please do not park and exit your car in car line as this creates major traffic issues. Car line is our preferred method of parent drop off as it ensures student safety.

Afternoon pick-up:

• Knox Street/Princes Avenue parking (front school entrance) - ideally families with students in Kindergarten only should be parking in this area. Please be aware of the bus zone, parking restrictions and keeping our neighbour's driveways clear. Kindergarten parents are welcome to park and wait for their child outside the classrom. Kinder students are also able catch the bus or get picked up from carline.
• Hall gate (Knox Street) - Bus students only are collected from here. A teacher is rostered on duty at this gate each afternoon and stays to supervise students until the last bus comes.
• Princes Avenue/Adam Street (back school entrance) - Parents are able to park on either side of Princes Avenue (outside car line) or in Adam Street if you need to walk into school to collect your children (please note that this part of Princes Avenue is a one-way road). Be aware of parking restrictions and keeping our neighbour's driveways clear.
• Car Line (off Princes Avenue) - Car line is available for parents to pick their children up without having to park and get out of the car; please do not park and exit your car in car line as this creates major traffic issues. Car line is our preferred method of parent pick up as it ensures student safety. Car line can be very congested in the afternoons. If the waiting line is outside of our driveway the advice from NSW police is that you should continue around the block via Adam Street until the line moves forward. Please consider arriving at 3.30pm or after to ease this congestion; your child will be safe and supervised until you arrive. Two teachers are rostered on and supervicion at car line is until 3.45pm. After this time your child will be taken to the office and a call will be made to parents to arrange pick up ASAP.

Before & After School Care

Is your child neuro-divergent? 

As we navigate our own journey on this path, we are keen to connect with other parents and carers in our SPPG community who have walked, or are walking that same path. If this is you, and you're interested in building a (neuro) network to offer support, increase our local expertise and share experiences, please join our WhatsApp group by contacting Lauren on 0449 720 650.

Our newsletter, The SPP Chronicle, is normally published fortnightly (odd weeks) on a Thursday afternoon at around 5.30pm.

Each fortnight we include anything and everything that has happened in the preceding two weeks such as excursions, assemblies, sporting results and photos, liturgies, etc. We also provide information about upcoming school activities and events, student birthdays and important information and correspondence for families. We love to give shoutouts to our students and school community like thankyou's, baby announcements, special achievements and EOI's for sporting & other school or community group involvement, so if you have news that you think we could include just email it through to office.sppg@cg.catholic.edu.au.