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St Elizabeth’s Catholic

Primary School

Parent Information

Handbook

2020

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The name chosen for our school, St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School was in recognition of St Elizabeth of Hungary, more accurately referred to as Elizabeth of Thuringia. Elizabeth was the second child of Alexander the second and Queen Gertrude of Hungary. At the age of fourteen Elizabeth married Ludwig of Thuringia.

Elizabeth was an outstanding child who directed all her actions and intentions to God. She was intelligent, well educated and regularly gave alms to the poor.

At the age of twenty on the death of her husband, Elizabeth was left a widow with three young children. Elizabeth put herself at the service of the orphans, the sick and the needy. She cared for lepers in one of the hospitals she established whom she visited regularly and tended to their needs.

Young in years but rich in good works, Elizabeth died at the age of twenty four. She is

most remembered for her gentle, charitable nature and complete devotion to God.

Our Vision St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary Schools vision is to create a vibrant, Christ centred school that is highly regarded for academic excellence and active contribution to the community.

Our Mission Statement As a Catholic community we strive for excellence, developing confident, respectful and

independent learners. We take ownership to share, respect and respond to others

through our values of Charity, Service, Humility and Compassion

Our Core Values

Charity, Service, Humility and Compassion

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility, meekness and patience...” Colossians

Brief History of St Elizabeth of Hungary

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St Elizabeth Catholic Primary School Aims to:

• deliver excellence in education, to enable our students to become successful

learners, responsible citizens, effective contributors and confident individuals.

• acknowledge parents as the primary educators of their children. You are informed

and encouraged to share the responsibility of your child’s education.

• cultivate a safe, secure and happy environment, where staff, parents and

students work as a team to maximize our learning potential.

• foster an open and welcoming partnership, to strengthen relationships; a sense

of belonging with home, school, parish and the wider community.

Our School Prayer Dear Jesus Saint Elizabeth brought care to the sick, food to the hungry and hope to those in need. Grant us the blessing that we may follow in her footsteps with love and joy in our heart, to always be faithful and to serve with humility and compassion. Amen

School Colours Our school colours have been chosen for both their religious symbolism and to reflect

the values of our patron, Saint Elizabeth of Hungry.

RED in our Liturgical Calendar is associated with Pentecost and the Holy Spirit

symbolising the presence of God. It also marks the birth of the Christian Church.

Historically red is associated with sacrifice and courage which Saint Elizabeth

demonstrated throughout her life.

GREY in our Liturgical Calendar signifies Lent. It is also the colour associated with self-

reliance, patience, perseverance, compassion and care. These attributes reflect Saint

Elizabeth’s commitment to the sick, the hungry and those in need.

WHITE in our Liturgical Calendar symbolises purity and holiness and is the colour of

Easter and Christmas; the birth and resurrection of Jesus. White is the colour of new

beginnings, complete and pure. Saint Elizabeth strived to be ‘Always Faithful’ to Christ

through her devotion to prayer and her care and compassion.

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We wish to acknowledge the Whadjuk People of the Noongar Nation, the traditional

custodians of the land on which we are standing. We recognise the strength and resilience of

the Noongar People and pay our respects to the Elders of today, those who have gone before

us and the Elders yet to come. We commit ourselves to actively work alongside Indigenous

people for justice and reconciliation.

We believe each child is a unique gift from God. We nurture children’s spiritual development

centred in Christ. Our faith is nourished through the sacraments, most especially the

Eucharist. St Elizabeth, our Patron Saint demonstrated the values of compassion, humility,

service and charity, we actively encourage each other to model these values in all our

interactions.

We believe in developing each child’s love of learning. All children are provided with learning

opportunities to maximise their individual potential in a play based context within the Early

Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards Framework for Pre-

Kindergarten to Year Two. In the middle to upper primary years, we strive for excellence using

differentiation within the Inquiry Based Learning Approach to foster the potential of each

child. We develop each child’s confidence and independence while supporting their spiritual,

mental, emotional, physical and social growth to encourage persistence and resilience when

facing challenges.

We foster an open and welcoming partnership to strengthen relationships, a sense of

belonging with home, school, parish and the wider community. Parents/Guardians are the

first educators and we value strong partnerships between our families and educators through

open and respectful communication.

We value our children’s families and their cultural heritage. Our practices and teaching and

learning programs accept and nurture cultural diversity, beliefs and practises within our

school and the wider community.

We provide a learning environment delivering educational excellence with strong foundations

in literacy and numeracy. Our teaching approach fosters the desire for all students to become

lifelong learners. Our children are encouraged to be inspired and engaged learners who are

willing to take risks.

All children are loved, respected, accepted and valued. They are encouraged to make choices

and to be challenged in their learning journey. We inspire children to develop confidence in

their own identity, build resilience and interact with others with compassion, humility, service

and charity.

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ST ELIZABETH’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

TERM DATES

2020 SCHOOL YEAR

TERM ONE 2020

Staff Commence – Thursday, 30 January & Friday, 31 January

(School Closed - Professional Development Day)

Students Commence

Monday, 3 February PP – Year 5 Students Commence

Tuesday, 4 February Kindy Students Commence

Monday, 2 March (Public Holiday - Labour Day)

Monday, 9 March - School Closed (Professional Development Day)

Thursday, 9 April - Last Day of Term One

Friday, 10 April – Good Friday

School Holidays: Friday,10 April – Monday, 27 April

TERM TWO 2020

Monday, 27 April Anzac Day

Tuesday, 28 April Kindy – Year 5 Students Commence

Monday, 1 June (Public Holiday - WA Day)

Friday, 19 June School Closed (Professional Development Day)

Friday, 3 July -Last Day of Term Two

School Holidays: Saturday, 4 July – Sunday, 19 July

TERM THREE 2020

Monday, 20 July School Closed (Catholic Day for Staff)

Tuesday, 21 July School Closed (Professional Development Day)

Wednesday, 22 July Kindy - Year 5 Students Commence

Friday, 25 September - Last day of Term Three

School Holidays: Saturday, 26 September to Sunday, 11 October

TERM FOUR 2020

Monday, 12 October - School Closed (Professional Development Day)

Tuesday, 13 October Kindy – Year 5 Students Commence

Friday, 11 December - Last Day of School for Students (TBC)

Friday, 18 December - Last Day of School for Staff (TBC)

School Holidays: Saturday, 12 December – Sunday, 31 Jan 2021 (TBC)

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St Elizabeth’s CPS School Board

Currently our School Board Members are responsible for assisting the Principal with

the financial management of the school. The School Board Members help the school

fulfil its financial responsibilities and ensures that policies and practices are in

accordance with Diocesan guidelines. With the change to CEWA Ltd in December 2020,

it is unknown if the role of the School Board will continue under the current Mandate.

Catholic School Parents’ Western Australia (CSPWA) The Catholic School Parents’ WA usually meets once a month, generally days and times are chosen to suit the consensus. The main functions of the Catholic School Parents’ Committee are to:

✓ help build community by providing parents with opportunities to be involved,

✓ encourage all parents to attend community activities, ✓ support social activities for the school community,

✓ provide a voice for parents to ask questions and seek responses as appropriate,

✓ fundraising for the school and for charity.

All parents are members of the Catholic School Parents’ WA and they are encouraged to actively support the Association. If interested, parents may also nominate for executive positions. Membership is by election, which usually takes place at the first meeting of the new school year. Notification of the date and nominations are sent via the newsletter. Parent Involvement Parents, you are your child’s first educator and we strongly encourage you to actively participate within the school community. Parent help in class activities is appreciated. The teachers in each classroom have a Parent Helper Roster, please approach your child’s teacher if you wish to assist in the classroom. If you are a working parent and would like to help in some way, there are usually plenty of ‘jobs’ to share; washing the towels, cutting out resources or covering books. Please note, siblings cannot be with a parent helper in the classroom. Our concern is

the child, regardless of whether he/she is in a pram or a toddler, is an added distraction

as much as we love them. The little ones are also not covered by our insurance policy.

Just as important is the mental anguish of an enrolled student as well as, his/her

parents should an accident occur causing injury. We appreciate your understanding.

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Safety Precautions

All visitors to the school must sign in at the office before entering a classroom. Parents,

if you are rostered to assist in the classroom, you must sign in at the office and receive

a parent helper lanyard. Once your time in the classroom is completed the lanyard is

returned to the office when you sign out. Parents do not require a Working with

Children Card. However, later this may change for overnight camps in the future.

Grandparents are also welcome to assist in the classrooms. All children love grandparents who appear to have so much love and patience to give. However, grandparents do require a Working with Children Card which must always be current. We keep a copy on file in a locked cabinet for confidentiality. Grandparents need to sign in out at the front office and wear a school lanyard. School Hours Pre-Kindergarten Three-year-old Kindergarten operates on a Monday. Kindergarten Kindy operates Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Parents take their children to the classroom door and collect them at the end of the day.

8:30am Doors open Children undertake their daily routine (unpacking bags, putting away their drink bottle and lunchbox). Parents read to their child or solve a puzzle.

8:45am Class commences

Bell sounds. Parents leave and the teacher commences instruction.

9:30am Crunch n Sip A short break for children to have a small piece of non-juicy fruit and water.

10:30am–10:50am Recess Children play and have their morning tea. A piece of fruit or, at least, one healthy item of food is recommended. Pre Kindy and Kindy children often have extended play time which is negotiated between the two classes to ensure there is adequate supervision.

12:50pm– 1:30pm Lunch Children sit together on donut rings and share social chit chat whilst eating their lunch. Any children with a food allergy will be supervised by the teacher on duty.

2:50pm Class finishes End of school day

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Pre-Primary to Year Five 8:15am Doors open

8:30am Class commences

9:30am Crunch n Sip

10:30am – 10:50am Recess

12:50pm – 1:30pm Lunch

2:50pm Class finishes

Arrival and Pickup Arrival

Children who arrive to school earlier than the classroom open times are to remain the responsibility of their parent/guardian. Teachers cannot take responsibility for children before these times, therefore you are responsible for your child’s safety. All playground equipment and grassed areas are out of bounds before and after school.

Children who arrive to school later than the class start times are to be signed in at the office by their parent/guardian and obtain an “I Have Arrived” slip which must be presented to their teacher.

Pickup

Children are to be collected from the designated pickup areas at 2:50pm. The Pre Kindy to Pre-Primary children are released to their parents from their classrooms. If a family member or guardian is to collect your child/ren, you must inform the school prior to pick up time. Please note, if someone other than a parent is collecting your child for the first time, they must go to the office on arrival and present their Driver’s License for identification purposes.

Leaving School Early

When your child needs to leave the school during normal school hours, please sign your child out on the iPad at the Office and collect a “Leaving Early” slip to hand to the teacher. Present the slip to the class teacher when you collect your child.

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Absences When your child is absent from school, a telephone call must be made advising the school of the absence unless the teacher has already been advised via email. You will be telephoned no later than 9:15am to follow up on your child’s absenteeism. On your child’s return to school, a signed note must be supplied detailing the reason for the absence. This is a legal requirement and is required by the Education Department. The Absenteeism Forms are also on our website. You are also able to email your child’s teacher directly and, in this case, no signed note will be required.

Parking

Parents should obey all traffic regulations when parking in the bays at the front of the

school. Arriving to school and at the end of the day is a very busy time, please ensure

your children are safe.

Please observe the signs in the school carpark and drive in and out slowly. Children in Pre Kindy, Kindergarten and Pre-Primary should be holding an adult’s hand to and from the car park. The Year One to Five children should be walking near a parent. Communication It is important that communication between home and school is frequent, open, and honest. A Parent Information Evening is held early in term one of the new school year and parents are invited to attend and meet with the teacher. An Information Booklet providing information relevant to your child’s class is available. This informs parents of curriculum content, classroom policies on homework, expectations of teachers, behaviour management, policies, and other relevant matters. We encourage you to come along and ask ‘that’ question everyone else in the room wants to know but will not ask! Official Interviews Interviews between teachers and parents are offered in term two for all students and your attendance is strongly encouraged so that you are fully informed about your child’s learning journey . Parents of children who are not meeting the appropriate standards will also be invited to meet with the teacher in term one and term three. We need to work together to support your child. However, if you have concerns about matters regarding your child or wish to check his/her progress, please do not hesitate to raise the matter with the class teacher at any time during the year.

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Reading Communication – Newsletter, Notes, Emails and Letters It is extremely important in any successful relationship to have appropriate communication skills; both speaking and listening. We send out a regular fortnightly newsletter via email. Notes and letters will be either emailed or placed in your child’s Communication Bag.

Your child’s teacher is contactable via email before 8:00am and after 3:00pm until 4:30pm Monday to Friday. If you wish to speak to the Principal, please telephone 9303 7600 for an appointment or email your concerns. In the case of an emergency or serious issue, please come to the office and we will accommodate and support your needs. Social Media

The school has a Facebook page “St Elizabeth’s CPS Parents” which parents are invited to join. Appropriate use of the Facebook page is always expected. It is a timely reminder that we are all working together for the best outcome of every child. You, the parents, are the best advertising for our school. Our enrolments will rapidly increase both through word of mouth and social media when parents share the ‘good’ things we do and the wonderful experiences the children enjoy across all domains of their development. Therefore, we request that any issues you may have, be addressed appropriately; either with your child’s teacher or the Principal and not be shared over social media.

All forms of electronic media have great advantages for us, however it is easier to clarify or apologise for words spoken face to face. This becomes more complicated when comments are written on social media as the personal contact is removed and the important non-verbal information and tone are absent.

Parents/Guardians are asked not to raise school issues via social media platforms and allude to the school in anyway, name the school or identify staff. This is not best practice for resolving issues/problems. Any persons bringing the school or staff into disrepute on Social Media will not be operating within the school ethos and will be assisted to move to another school.

Parent Term Calendar A term calendar is issued, generally in the first week of the term, to parents which details important events taking place throughout the term. Events such as; liturgies, assemblies, CSPWA and School Board meetings are featured, as well as activities occurring throughout the year; Our Feast Day, Book Week, Waste Wise events, excursions, incursions, Movie Night and Christmas Carols are examples of events held throughout the year. Please be aware that the term calendars are a working document and are subject to change. Although we aim to plan as much as possible, there will be times when events need to be cancelled or rescheduled.

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Masses, Liturgies and Assemblies Father Benedict Lee celebrates mass once a term on the third Wednesday of the month. The assemblies are currently at 8:45am on particular Fridays and are held in the classroom. Merit and Christianity Awards are presented at the assemblies. Parents are notified in advance so that you maybe be able to make arrangements to attend. The class liturgies commence at 2:20pm on Wednesdays as per the calendar. Parents from all year groups are welcome to attend these events.

Religious Education

The Religious Education program aims to develop the students’ knowledge and faith

dimension. It respects the freedom of each individual to respond to God’s personal

invitation.

Sacramental Programs The Catholic Sacramental Programs at St Elizabeth’s CPS are Parish based, family focused, and school supported. The programs commence from Year Three -Reconciliation, Year Four - Holy Communion (Eucharist) and Year Six - Confirmation. We are an integral part of the St Anthony of Padua Parish with Father Ben as the Parish Priest. The preparation of the sacraments is under the guidance of Father Ben which includes parent meetings, enrolment masses and workshops, all of which must be attended. Parents are advised to maintain communication with the school regarding the Sacramental Program and to read all relevant information that is sent home. Children receive the sacraments at the discretion of the Parish Priest who ascertains their readiness.

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Pastoral Care In keeping with our Vision Statement and the stated ethos of Catholic schools, a Pastoral Care Policy has been developed. In doing so, the school assists parents in developing a set of values and a code of behaviour, thereby ensuring that all members of our school community feel a sense of belonging in an atmosphere of trust and acceptance.

St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School staff, with the support of the parents, aims to develop in our students the values of:

• a personal commitment to Christ, Gospel values and the Catholic Faith, • prayer in their daily life - both spontaneous and formal, • believing in their own abilities and qualities and accepting their limitations, • a caring attitude towards all people, • love and respect of family life, • being honest and truthful, • taking and accepting responsibility for their actions, • respecting their own and others property, • expressing their emotions in an appropriate manner, • respecting their own culture and that of others, • using leisure time in an enjoyable and constructive manner, • appreciating and caring for the natural environment.

Code of Conduct and Student Engagement Both the Parent’s Code of Conduct and the Students’ Code of Conduct with the Engagement Strategy are sent out with the Acceptance of your child’s enrolment. They have been included in this booklet for you as a reference.

Christian Service Learning A number of fundraising events occur during the year including, but not limited to; Project Compassion, Children’s Brain Cancer Research, and St Vincent de Paul. We ask families to please contribute to the needs of others with their generous donations. Usually we only ask for gold coin donation and/or food items to support our local community in need.

Health Matters Please keep children home if they are ill and inform staff if your child has an infectious disease or condition. Your child should be kept home from school if they are displaying any of the following symptoms:

• Green/yellow runny nose

• High Temperature

• Vomiting

• Diarrhoea

• Unidentified rash or spots on the body

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Medical Plan

A Medical Plan is required for a child with an ongoing condition for example; asthma, or allergies such as diary or peanuts. This must be completed and signed by a Doctor and lodged with the school office. A child with allergies requires an EpiPen in date and clearly labelled. Children with asthma must have their own medication and spacer together with the Doctor’s Asthma Plan. EpiPens, Ventolin and spacers for individual children are placed in a bum bag and carried on duty when necessary, by one of the staff. The bag has a photograph clearly identifying the child and the medical condition. If a child becomes ill or suffers an accident whilst at school, the parent o r guardian will be contacted immediately. You may be asked to take the child home or, in the case of an accident, you will be notified of the situation. Please keep the school informed of any changes to home or work telephone numbers, emergency contacts and email addresses.

When possible, student medication should be administered by the parent/guardian during school hours. If this is not possible, written information or a letter from the Doctor may be supplied or an authorization form completed at the school office. Prescription medication must have the pharmacy label clearly identifying the child’s name and the required dosage. Medication must be held at the school office.

Food Allergies

Recommendation from Anaphylaxis Advisory Groups on school policy is that we are

an “Allergy Friendly School” as opposed to “Nut Free School”. Our current policy is

that children can have all foods in their lunch box as we, the adults, have the

responsibility to ensure the children do not share their food.

Canteen Whilst we have a canteen, it is not currently operational. This year we have enrolments from Pre-Kindergarten to Year Five and each year we will increase by one class group. To date, many parents have said they would not use the canteen at present, however, as we grow the canteen will over time become operational with parent assistance. We currently use a local business to supply school lunches once a week on a Thursday. To order, you must write your child’s name and year level with their food order on an envelope with the correct money. Karen and Eliana continue to support delivering and collecting orders, bless you.

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Lunch Boxes and Snacks We encourage healthy eating at St Elizabeth’s CPS as a healthy diet aids alertness, learning and general wellbeing. Please send your child to school with nutritious food. For example: fruit rather than potato chips. Library

Children from all classes borrow from our library. All library books are taken home inside the blue Library Bag. Please ensure books are returned to school in the same way they went home. The cost of replacement for damaged or lost books will be invoiced to the family. We encourage parents to read to, or with your child for the love of reading. Parents are encouraged to ask their child about the story to assist them in understanding what they are reading.

Homework Homework is given for any one, or a combination of the following:

✓ Reading ✓ Practise/revision of work already covered in class; or ✓ Research into topic being discovered through learning in class.

The total time spent on homework out of school hours: (Monday -Thursday) should not exceed:

Pre- Primary/Year One 10 to 15 minutes Year Two and Five 15 to 25 minutes Stationery Requirements St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School bulk orders all stationary requirements for your child. This enables us to purchase the items at a reasonable price. The cost is included in your Annual School Fees.

Personal Toys and Sporting Equipment Personal toys or sporting equipment are not permitted to be brought to school except when requested by a teacher (e.g. for ‘Show and Tell’). This avoids disappointment should the item be broken or stolen.

However, children are permitted to ride bikes or scooters to school. On arrival at school, children need to dismount their bike or scooter at the front gate and walk it to the bike rack. You are welcome to bring a bike lock to secure the bike to the rack. The school will make every effort to keep the bike or scooter safe, however leaving it on school grounds is at your own risk.

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Personal Electronic Devices Personal electronic devices, including MP3 players, iPods, cameras or mobile phones, are not to be brought to school. Later, when we have children who will need to walk to and from the school on their own, may require a mobile phone to contact parents. When this occurs, the mobile phone will be handed in at the office before school and collected after school

At this current time, St Elizabeth’s Catholic School does not require parents to purchase a child’s iPad or laptop. When this is necessary, parents will be informed in a timely manner to assist with the necessary financial arrangements. The school will take no responsibility for personal items not handed in that are subsequently lost or stolen. Items confiscated by teachers will need to be claimed back by a parent or guardian.

Use of Mobile Phones on School Property Staff are expected to switch their mobile phone off during the school day and lock them in the designated drawer. They are permitted to use their mobile in the administration area during their recess or lunch break.

Parents, guardians and grandparents helping in the classroom are expected to switch their mobile phone off and ask the teacher to lock it in the drawer.

Parents are permitted to take photographs of their own child at assemblies and school functions such as Book Week. Photographs should not be uploaded to any form of digital media for example; Snapchat, Instagram and or Facebook. School Banking School banking with the Commonwealth Bank is held on Thursdays and information packs are available from the school office. Volunteers are welcome to help with the banking. Our Banking Officers for 2020 continue to be Alana Marshall and Karen Bone. Thank you! Before and After School Care Camp Australia is a Before School and After School Care for all enrolled students for kindergarten and primary aged children and is located onsite. Krystal Nguyen is our current Camp Australia Coordinator and is well respected by parents and loved by the children. Before School Care commences at 6:30am to 8:20am. After School Care is from 2:50pm to 6:00pm. Information for this service is available at the office.

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School Uniform Requirements

Our uniform at St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School is a symbol of the school community and assists students to develop a sense of unity and belonging. Parents are expected to support the Uniform Policy and see your child/ren leave home in the correct neat and tidy uniform.

All children from Kindergarten to Year Five wear the school uniform as specified. If a student is not wearing the uniform correctly, a uniform infringement notice will be issued. All items of clothing are to be clearly marked with the child’s full name. The ‘No Hat, No Play’ rule exists throughout the school year.

There will be times throughout the school year when the children will be invited to dress up, ie: Pirate Day, Book Week etc. Please ensure your child is dressed in appropriate Sun Smart clothing (ie: clothes with a sleeve). Although children are not in uniform, they must wear their school shoes or an appropriate form of enclosed shoes for safety reasons.

Personal Grooming Hair must be clean, neat and tidy and styled or restrained so that it does not fall onto the face.

Fringes must be no longer than the top of the eyebrows. If long, hair clips must be used to keep hair off the face. Hair that is longer than the collar is to be neatly tied back always with a scrunchy, ribbon or elastic band in school colour/s (red, grey or white). Extremes in hair colour and styles are not appropriate for primary students nor are they acceptable.

The wearing of nail polish and makeup is inappropriate for our young students. Acceptable items of jewellery are; a watch, holy medal on a fine chain and one set of silver or gold stud earrings. Some of these items may need to be removed for some activities for safety reasons. Expensive jewellery should not be worn to school. A plain red or grey scarf may be worn in winter.

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Summer Uniform

Red Polo Shirt with the school crest

Shorts with red and white piping

White ankle socks

All black sneakers

Black SunSmart hat with the school

name

Winter Uniform

Tracksuit Top (School Polo Shirt to be worn underneath)

Tracksuit Pants

White ankle socks

All black sneakers

Black SunSmart hat with the school name

Footwear Requirements

All black sneakers – with Velcro for children who cannot tie their laces please (No

leather or Mary-Jane styles please)

The Uniform Shop The uniforms are available for sale in the Administration area and we open on Thursdays between the hours of 8:30am - 9:00am and 2:30pm - 3:00pm.