Term Four Week Seven – Commencing Monday 18th November 2024

Dear Families,    

Undoubtedly, this week at St Emilie’s has been a difficult one for our community. 

In this difficult time, it has been so heartening to see and hear of how members of our community have come to assist in many different ways. I would like to thank all of the community members from St Emilie’s who have offered kind and healing words, asked how they can assist at this time or have informed us that they are praying for those in our community doing it tough. 

This community is a strong community and all throughout the year, I have had the privilege of hearing how this community supports one another during difficult times. I also get to hear about how our community celebrates the good times together too. 

I would also like to highlight the strength and professionalism of the St Emilie’s staff who this week, did what they do best. The staff at this school are a phenomenal group of people who each day go out and spread the Good News of the Gospel through their actions and in line with our school vision, mission, values and motto. 

I ask that you continue to keep all of those in our community in your thoughts and prayers between now and the end of the year. 

Very shortly, we will enter the Liturgical season of Advent. This is a time for hope and optimism as we await the birth of Jesus Christ. This is a time for us all to be grateful for what we have and look to how we can assist others as we are called to do. 

2025 Year Reps
Going home via email this week will be a nomination form that invites those in our community to nominate for the position of Year Rep for the various year levels across the school for 2025. The Yeear Rep positions as part of the P & F structure are vital in continuing to build our community here at St Emileis. 

The role of the Year Reps are: 

• Lead by living by our school motto of Growing in Grace in word and action – inclusive, welcoming, kind. 

• Vital and essential conduit between the parents in a year level and the P & F Executive and school staff. 

• Assist in enhancing the connectedness of a year level cohort through organising social opportunities. 

• Assist with the sharing of information. 

• Positive advocate for the school and the staff in that year level. 

• Facilitate the year level Facebook group. 

• Organise end of year gifts of appreciation for teachers 

For each year level across the school, we aim for two Year Reps to work in tandem with one another. If you are interested but would like some further information, please feel free to reach out to the school or see Jain Chow and Pam Lawrence who are our current P & F Executive. 

Welcome to our Community – Perm-A-Pleat
During the week, some exciting news was shared about our incoming uniform supplier. This week, Perm-A-Pleat will officially open their doors to selling the St Emilie’s uniform out of their Forrestdale retail outlet. 

We aim to share further information with the community before the doors open on Wednesday 2oth November. 

I would like to take this opportunity to once again remind parents and carers that the design and style of the uniform have not changed. There may be some small tweaks to items as we go forward and as mentioned in the correspondence last week, as a school we understand that there will be a transition period and we are fully supportive of this. 

As a community, I want to emphasise that respectful partnerships with our external providers are vital. There may be some small bumps in the road as we transition to our new supplier and I would ask that as parents and carers, we all take on the role of ambassadors for our school. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Uniform Supply Working Party from The School Advisory Council. These people have been investigating and working on finding a more appropriate fit for our school in regard to uniform supply since this time last year! It has certainly been a process. 

Thank you to Leah Bishop, Chris Day, Nicole Grima, Gill Norris and Sara Tonkin for their many hours and generosity of time. 

P & F Meeting
A reminder that our final P & F Meeting for the year will take place on Wednesday 20th November at 8:45am. All in the community are most welcome. 

Year One Remembrance Day Service
Our Year One children were phenomenal this week as they led our school in a very beautiful Remembrance Day Prayer Service in the Undercover Area. As is always the case, our children respected the reverent and solemn space in the undercover area and the prayer service was a beautiful chance for us all to give thanks. 

2025 Booklists 
This week, you will have noticed an email in your inbox that directs families on how to order booklists for 2025. Please be advised that booklist orders to ensure home delivery are due by Friday 29th November. The order forms can be accessed through the details provided in the email. 

Contact Form Details Sent Home
This week, families received an email inviting them to update their parent contact details to be shared with other families in their cohort for 2025. This email is usually sent early in Term One with the Parent Contact Lists being distributed toward the back end of the first term. For 2025, we are going to trial sending the invite to update parent contact details in Term Four and aim to have this list ready for parents and carers before the end of the 2024 school year. I would like to reiterate that this list is invitational, however, does assist with parents and carers with being able to organise play dates and birthday parties. 

Thanksgiving Mass & Community Morning Tea – Important Date Change
Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances, the traditional end of year Thanksgiving Mass and Community Morning Tea will now take place on Wednesday 4th December at 9:00am instead of Friday 6th December as originally communicated. 

Do you or someone you know need help with providing uniforms?
In 2023, a very kind and generous offer was made by one of our community members who would like to remain anonymous to supply uniforms for a child in our community whose family may be doing it tough. In 2024, this very generous person has once again made contact with the school to share this offer with the community. 

If you or someone you know is having a difficult time at present and has concerns about providing uniforms for a child in 2025, please email me at chris.burns@cewa.edu.au and we will be able to assist. All emails sent to myself will be treated as strictly private and confidential. 

Is your child returning to St Emilie’s in 2025?
As we draw closer to the end of the year, planning has commenced at the school for the commencement of the 2025 school year. If your child is not returning to St Emilie’s for the 2025 school year, can you please email the school Administration at stemiliesadmin@cewa.edu.au to notify the school. 

Fee Balances
As we enter Term Four, it is timely for families who have remaining fee balances to work toward closing these balances for the year. The school fees that parents and carers pay at St Emilie’s are a vital source of income for our school and ensure that we can resource the school in the best way for the children in our care. 

We recognise from time to time that families may have difficulty in paying school fees. If this is the case, I would ask that you contact the Administration Office to arrange a confidential conversation with myself. 

Uniform Standards
As we enter Term Four, I would like to remind parents and carers of the School Uniform Procedures for the school which can be found on the school website using this link https://stemiliescps.wa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/St_Emilie_s_School_Uniform_Procedure_2021.pdf.  

A reminder to all families that as part of the School Uniform Procedures, there are clear guidelines for the wearing of accessories, as well as for haircuts, which all parents and carers agree to upon enrolment of their child here at St Emilie’s. Locally, our school enjoys a strong reputation and this is partly down to the standards that are expected for children around such things as uniforms. I encourage parents and carers to ensure that ‘holiday haircuts’ do not return with your child back to school this term and that you continue to support the school in upholding standards around uniforms. 

Parent Circle
Please see further details below about our final Parent Circle session this year which will take place on Thursday 28th November. This session will be very festive with a Christmas lunch and some present giving. Rumour has it that a visit from Santa has also been scheduled for the day. 

Staff Profiles
Over the course of the year, we have been sharing Staff Profiles of staff from our school. This week, I am pleased to share my Staff Profile with you all. I hope you enjoy.