Parent Information 2013
Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School is an integral part of the Hervey Bay City Catholic Parish, supported by Brisbane Catholic Education Centre and educating children from Prep to Year 7
Our Vision
Our vision for Star of the Sea School is to provide a quality education within our Australian Catholic tradition where children are happy, motivated and challenged to do their best.
Information for 2013
P.O. Box 5340,
Torquay, Qld, 4655
Telephone: (07) 4125 1220 Fax:(07) 4125 1822
Email: ptorquay@bne.catholic.edu.au Website: www.starofthesea.qld.edu.au
Acting Principal: Stephanie Smith
Outside School Hours Care (07) 4125 6051 Star of the Sea Catholic Child Care Centre (07) 41946155
As 2012 draws to an end, I wish you all a safe and Holy Christmas. Enjoy your children over this break. I hope the information in this newsletter will assist you in your planning for next year. The staff at the school will endeavour to continue to work with you in partnership and to accomplish this, open communication is vital.
To the new families joining us, welcome to the Star of the Sea Family. I hope that your child’s time with us is both happy and enriching and I look forward to your association with our wonderful school community.
God Bless, Patrick
Some hints for good communication:
Newsletter
This is the main source of information throughout the year. It will always be emailed on Thursday. It is also accessible on our web site.
Teachers
Your child’s class teacher has the best knowledge of how your child is progressing in class, therefore if you are concerned or would like to know about your child’s progress next year, please contact your child’s teacher to arrange an interview as soon as the concern arises.
Principal
If you have a concern about school routine or an unresolved matter from the class teacher, then I am always interested and will make myself available to you at the earliest possible time. If it is a classroom matter it will always be referred back to the classroom teacher if it has not already been dealt with. In my absence our Assistant Principal, Mrs Teresa Jirasek, can deal with such matters.
Accounts
If you ever have a concern with regard to payment of school fees or an account you have received, please contact Theresa Nuske in the office. These fees are essential to be able to run and resource our school. Payments can be made by direct debit through our school, if you wish to spread the cost over the year. Payments can also be made by EFTPOS, cash or cheque. It has been necessary to increase fees slightly in 2013, in order to be able to run and maintain our school and provide good educational resources for our students. The main difference has been in the Technology Levy, which has changed to $160 per student per year. This is to help us maintain and turn over computer hardware in the school, as well as extend our interactive whiteboards throughout the school.
Community Partnerships
At Star of the Sea, we believe that parent involvement enriches our family-oriented school. We encourage parents to be actively involved in their children’s education through a variety of means including:
• Regular assistance within the classroom or with Learning Support
• Tuckshop volunteer
• School Banking
• Volunteer at school sporting events, functions or excursions
• Star of the Sea Board member
• Parents and Friends Association participant
• Care & Concern group
Children are provided with opportunities to be active members of the wider community through things such as:
• Participation at local events
• Healing Masses and special liturgies
• Visits to nursing homes
• Participation in various charities
As part of the school partnership, the school also has three groups that work with the staff to improve and advise the school:
The Pastoral School Board
The Pastoral School Board has responsibility for the formulation of the School Renewal Plan, budget, maintenance and policy writing. It is made up of the Principal, 5-6 parent members, 1 staff member, and a delegate from the Parish Pastoral Council.
The Parents and Friends Association
All parents of the school are members of the Parents and Friends Association. This association’s role is to support the principal and staff of the school by assisting to develop a community atmosphere through the organisation of social events; through providing opportunities for discussion on current educational topics; and by administering the Fundraising Levy so as to support the School Renewal Development Plan. Meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7pm and all parents are welcome.
Care and Concern Group
From time to time, families may find themselves in a situation where they may need some assistance. This group is made up of volunteer parents who offer support and friendship to other parents. They hold a morning tea on the first Friday of each month after assembly and all families are welcome. Jenny Bill, our School Pastoral Worker, is the coordinator of this group and she can be contacted at the school or the Parish. If you ever need assistance please do not hesitate to contact Jenny or anyone in the school.
Dates for 2013
Please note that school website will have more up-to-date events posted on it throughout the year
Term 1
Monday January 21-25 Office open
Wednesday January 30 Students from Yrs P-7 return
Thursday March 28 Term 1 finishes 3.10pm
Term 2
Monday April 15 School resumes for Term 2
Thursday April 25 Anzac Day Public Holiday
Friday May 24 Maryborough Show Holiday
Monday June 10 Queen’s Birthday
Friday June 21 Term 2 finishes 3.10pm
Term 3
Monday July 8 Term 3 commences
Friday, Sept 20 Term 3 finishes 3:10pm
Term 4
Monday October 7 Labour Day
Tuesday October 8 Children resume school for term 4
Monday. October 21 Professional Development &Planning Day
Friday December 6 School finishes for 2013 at noon.
School Hours
Year P-7 8:50am - 3:10pm
Office 8am – 4pm
Children should not be arriving at school prior to 8.15am when a teacher is then timetabled for playground duty.
Outside School Hours Care
Outside School Hours Care is available at the school from 7:00am to 8:50am and in the afternoon from the end of school till 6:00pm. Vacation Care is available during the holidays and on all Professional Development and Planning Days. Before school care, after school care and vacation care are all registered through Centrelink and fees can be claimed as part of your child care costs. For more details and bookings Ph 4125 6051
Staff for 2013
Class Teachers
Prep Shannon Cattell, Belinda McQuaid and Chrissie Robertson
Year 1 Karen Stringer and Karissa Goodfellow
Year 2 Lisa Grey, Amanda Sarchet & Maureen Breikers
Year 3 Carey Strong and Carmel Sauer
Year 4 Gracelyn Mitchell (Sem 1)/Yvonne Frawley (Sem 2) and Mich Welch
Year 5 Lawrie Knott , Jacinta Stewart & Stephani Barnes
Year 6 Michael Baldwin, Jo Ryan and Dave Darmody
Year 7 Tom Riley and Paul Davoren
Other Teaching Staff
Acting Principal - Stephanie Smith
Assistant to the Principal RE - Teresa Jirasek
Teacher Librarian - Mary-Clare McKinnon
Curriculum Support - Jo Ryan
Learning Support Teacher - Margaret Blomeley
LOTE Teacher - Stephani Barnes
Guidance Counsellor - Clinton Davies
Support Teacher (Inclusive Education) - Deb Quinn
Music Specialists - Gunilla Myren/Greg Molen
PE Specialists - Billie Willis, Tanya Armstrong
Support Staff
School Office (Financial Secretary) -Theresa Nuske
School Office (Secretary) - Deborah Robertson & Peita Smith
School Officers - Renate Roberts, Theresa Honey, Lesleigh Schiffke, Tracey Murphy,
Vivienne Lynch, Liz Elmer, Monique Tyrrell, Marg O’Neil and Belinda Geldard, Julie Wood, Sasha Sommerfeld
Tuckshop Convenor - Cathy Milijasevic
Uniform Shop Convenor - Marie Murphy
Groundsman - Kevin Fidge
Instrumental Teachers
Singing - Gunilla Myren
Wind and Percussion - Andre Carpenter
Strings - Jenny Conlon
Keyboard and Guitar - Lindsay Ginn
Cleaners: John Williamson & Heather Gobbert
Uniform Shop Hours over the Christmas Holidays
Jan 23-25 8:30am to 12:00pm
Jan 28-29 8:30am to 12:30pm
If you cannot get to the uniform shop at these times then Marie Murphy is happy for you to contact her on 4125 4508.
Booklists
Booklists have been given out to all current parents and to most of our new families. All books can be purchased locally at the newsagencies. The lists are available on the website.
School Fees
Fees and Levies for 2013
All fees and levies are compulsory.
Tuition Fee
This fee pays for the day to day running of the school and the purchase of resources for children’s learning.
One Child $1040 Two Children $1456 Three or more children $1768
General Purpose Levy
This levy pays for bus travel, excursions, Arts Council Performances, swimming coaching etc and in Years 5, 6 and 7 it includes the cost of camps.
Prep $310 Year 1 $354 Year 2 368 Year 3 344 Year 4 $412
Year 5 $606 Year 6 $870 Year 7 $970
Technology Levy
This levy pays for loans on computers, future development of the technology plan, as well as computer consumables.
$160/child
Fundraising Levy
The only fundraiser now held by the school is the beach-a-thon and missions but we also support Parish fundraising activities.
$130 per family
Building Fund Levy
Building Fund Levy is $510 per family
Optional Activities
Instrumental Lessons are conducted by private music tutors and they will invoice families at the beginning of each term.
All Fees and Levies (excluding Building Fund and P&F levy) for a prep child can be claimed through Centrelink.
Building Fund is a compulsory levy and is therefore not tax deductable. Any extra donations to the building fund would be a tax deduction.
Discounts for Children at Xavier Secondary College.
Star of the Sea and Xavier Catholic College offer discounts if you have a child at each of these schools.
Star of the Sea will offer the following discounts for families who have children at Xavier College.
1 child at Xavier Secondary 5% discount off SOS tuition fees
2 children at Xavier Secondary 10% discount off SOS tuition fees
3 children at Xavier Secondary 20% discount off SOS tuition fees
4 children at Xavier Secondary 40% discount off SOS tuition fees
In the Same way Xavier College fees will also be discounted as follows:
1 child at Star of the Sea 5% discount off Xavier fees
2 children at Star of the Sea 10% discount off Xavier fees
3 children at Star of the Sea 20% discount off Xavier fees
4 children at Star of the Sea 40% discount off Xavier fees
School Uniform Supply
The Star of the Sea School Uniform Committee has been convened on a number of occasions to make recommendations on uniform to the School Community.
School uniform is compulsory and in order to comply with the correct uniform, uniforms should only be purchased through the school uniform shop. This shop is managed by the school Parents & Friends and prices are kept to a minimum to cover costs associated with the running of the shop.
The uniform shop is open Mon & Friday mornings from 8:30 – 10.30am and Wednesday afternoons from 2 – 4pm
Correct Uniform
The school polo shirt is designed to be worn in or out. It is worn every day, for class and PE. The only exception is the Yr7 leadership shirt, which is worn on Mondays & Fridays.
Shoes are to be black school shoes or black runners (preferably leather; no coloured trim; no skate shoes or volleys; soles not flat).
Socks are the green socks with school name on them.
Shorts – green shorts with school name as supplied by the uniform shop
The school hat should be worn every day. Students who do not have a school hat will remain in the under covered area at lunch breaks.
On any occasion where the correct school uniform is unable to be worn, a note from the parents must accompany the student and the situation rectified as soon as possible.
PERSONAL GROOMING STANDARDS
Underlying Principles:
1. All members of the School community should adhere to regulations stipulated by Occupational Health & Safety Standards in relation to dress, jewellery and hairstyles.
2. As we are a part of a community, the uniform we wear is a sign of the inclusive nature of Catholic schools.
3. Uniform regulations adhere to the lateral boundaries of cultural acceptability within the context of a Catholic School. Lifestyle, modesty and moral issues are also factors which impact on acceptable standards.
4. Neatness, good grooming and general presentation are the hallmarks of this policy.
These principles are used by the administration in determining uniform, jewellery and hairstyle specifications.
Specifications
Uniform, jewellery and hairstyle specifications differ for males and females based on culturally acceptable norms.
With regards to jewellery and hairstyle the following should be noted:
Girls
- 1 pair studs or sleepers in the ear lobe (plain silver or gold)
- 1 wristwatch
- Any other jewellery worn should not hinder the safety of students or others, and should not be seen.
- Uniform natural hair colour with no extremes in style or cut. Collar length hair and longer should be tied back at all times in keeping with and as close as possible to school colours (green, gold or blue). Hair should be kept neat and tidy.
Boys
- 1 wristwatch
- No earrings
- Any jewellery worn should not hinder the safety of students or others, and should not be seen
- Uniform natural hair colour with no extremes in style or cut.
Patterns should not be cut into the hair. Hair should be kept neat and tidy.
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