Handbook

Address
Little Church Street Windsor
(PO Box 406 Windsor 2756)

Phone
4560 2300

Email
stmatthews@parra.catholic.edu.au

Website
www.stmatthewswindsor.catholic.edu.au

Principal
Mr Tim Vane-Tempest

Pastors
Rev Father Robert William

Parish House
4577 3073

Teachers begin playground duty at 8:30 am. We ask you not to bring children into the school grounds prior to this time because they will be unsupervised.

Children arriving after 9:00 am are to be accompanied to the office by their parent to collect a note for late arrival.

School finishes at 3:15 pm. Parents & guardians are expected to collect children at this time. If you are delayed for any reason, please notify the school office so that arrangements can be made to supervise your child until you arrive. Parents who require their children to be supervised outside of school supervision hours are to engage the services of the COSHC.

School term dates and holidays are generally the same as government schools.

*Please check with your school for staff development days.

To allow for whole staff development, the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta supports 6 pupil-free days each year. These development days enable the school staff to work together on a selected focus related to spiritual enrichment, curriculum or policy formation.

Children are not required to come to school on these days. However supervision is available for children at the COSHC if required. Dates are advised well in advance on the school calendar and in the fortnightly newsletter.

All School Uniform items (except shoes) are by order through the school office.

General Uniform Guidelines

• Full school or sports uniform is to be worn on relevant days.
• Uniforms and shoes should be clean and neat.
• Shoes must be black, polishable, hard leather, lace-up, closed school shoes.
• Students should only use the designated school backpack.
• Hair is to be kept tidy and off the face.
• No nail polish is to be worn.
• Jewellery is limited to a wristwatch, sleepers or small plain studs in pierced ears.
• The school hat is the only acceptable hat.
• Sunglasses are permitted during recess, lunchtime and at outdoor events where extended sun exposure may be an issue, but are not permitted indoors.
• St Matthew's Primary reserves the right to enforce these uniform guidelines and will make every effort to do so fairly and consistently. Parents and students are asked to support the school's efforts in setting a high standard of uniform dress. We aim for our uniforms to reflect respect of our students, our school and our community.

Girls Uniform:

• Summer – Check Dress, Blue Socks, Black Leather polishable Shoes
• Winter – Check Tunic, Yellow Blouse, Maroon Ribbon tie, School Jacket, Blue Tights, Black Leather polishable Shoes

Boys Uniform:

• Summer – Grey Shorts, Short Sleeve Blue Shirt, Grey Socks, Black Leather polishable Shoes
• Winter – Grey School Pants, Long Sleeve Blue Shirt, School Jacket, Grey Socks, Black Leather polishable Shoes

Sports Uniform (girls & boys):

• School Sports Shorts, School Sports Shirt, Sports Shoes, School design Tracksuit

Hats

• A no hat, play in the shade rule is enforced and children are only to wear the school hat.

Jewellery

• Students are required to minimise the wearing of jewellery.
• Bracelets, necklaces, etc can be a safety concern if they were to be caught on something or someone causing injury.
• Stud earrings are to be worn (if at all) to assist in the prevention of injury to the ear by being caught.

Hair

• We ask that children are assisted in the appropriate grooming of their hair.
• Girls are to have their hair tied back with a school coloured band or 'scrunchy'.
• Hair being tied back is meant to assist with the prevention of headlice as well.

Library Bags

• Every child needs a school library bag in order to borrow from the library.
• Library bags are available through the school office.

Bus passes/ T-Passes are available to children in Kinder-Year 2 and eligible children in Years 3-6 on application. Bus passes/T-passes must be carried at all times and produced on request. The bus company can withdraw the passes in cases of misbehaviour. The Principal works in conjunction with the bus company and will advise them to withdraw a child's pass in cases where the code of conduct has been breached.

The bus company that provides travel to and from St Matthew’s is Busways (Mulgrave) – 45749200.

For the purpose of school sports carnivals (swimming & athletics), the school is divided into four house teams: Red Macquarie, Blue Fitzroy, Green Hawkesbury & Gold Tebbutt.

Parents are always welcome to be present at assemblies. School assemblies are held once a fortnight at which time the whole school comes together in prayer and celebration.

Children will attend excursions from time to time as part of the curriculum. All children are expected to participate. Excursions are always well supervised and are non-profit making, with costs kept to a minimum.

Little things mean a lot…

• Please mark all items clearly with your child’s name
  
  
• Please put an identifying mark on the outside of school bags so that children can quickly locate their own bags
  
  
• Please advise the teacher of any circumstances that may affect your child – e.g. new baby, death in the family, illness
  
  
• Let the teacher know of any health problem that may affect your child’s learning ability
  
  
• Discuss anything that you may think is worrying your child
  
  
• Please send a note confirming your child’s absence from school on their return to school
  
  
• Children are to keep long hair tied back for safety reasons, and for security reasons, not to wear any jewellery (except sleeper or stud earrings)
  
  
• Please make sure that the office has up-to-date contact numbers where you can be reached in case of illness or accident
  
  
• If you are picking your child up from school, please ensure that you are on time to avoid your child being upset
  
  
• Make sure your child knows what to eat for recess and lunch so they have food throughout the day
  
  
• To allow your children to become settled and independent, let them come to their classrooms on their own and carry their own bags.

Our pastors are actively involved with the school and staff. Each class has the opportunity to participate in regular liturgy and sacraments. The students have the opportunity to receive reconciliation each term.

Preparation for reconciliation, Eucharist and confirmation is according to the parish-based program.

St Matthew's parish has two parish primary schools:

• St Matthew's Primary
• Chisholm Catholic Primary

The two schools operate in collaboration to promote parish goals.

Enrolment applications need to be submitted directly to the school you wish to enrol in.

The history of St Matthew's is also the human story of a wonderful parish, the region and the dedication of those who served the school, often against adversity.

Parents are most welcome to speak with teachers. Please arrange for an interview by either sending a note with your child or by contacting the school office. Teachers are unavailable for interviews during class time and when they are on playground duty.

These are held periodically during the school year and provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s strengths and challenges for the year.

A school newsletter is available each fortnight from the school website. Apart from the school website, these notes are our main source of information for parents.

Accompanying the school website is the school Facebook site as a more immediate source of ongoing information. This site does not require the reader to have a Facebook account. The Facebook page is accessible by clicking on the link on our school website

Any correspondence, such as permission notes, offers of help, surveys, etc. which need to be returned to the school will be printed on PINK paper. We ask your assistance with returning any PINK note to school promptly.

Absences
If your child is away from school for any reason, a written note of explanation to your child’s teacher is necessary. If your child will be away for an extended period please notify the office and your child’s teacher.

Illness/Injury
Children who become unwell or injure themselves at school will be referred to office staff who will determine whether parents need to be contacted. For this reason it is vital that we are advised of current contact numbers, as well as an emergency contact person who can be rung as needed.

Parents are asked to keep children home if they are sick or injured. Please contact NSW Health on 9391 9000 for details of exclusion periods for infectious diseases (e.g. chickenpox, measles, head lice).

Medication
Only medication prescribed by a doctor can be given at school. In the event your child requires medication while at school, parents are required to provide written authorisation for office staff to administer tablets/medicine. Children may keep asthma puffers in their school bags.

'You are here so this is Holy Ground' - Monica Brown

What does 'Holy Ground' mean?

To make something ‘Holy’ means to make it different. We want St Matthew’s School to be different. We want this difference to be reflected in our relationships, especially in our communication with each other. We want to be different so that within our community will speak with respect and dignity.

If we are speaking with respect and dignity, we will not be using offensive language, we will not be putting others down or teasing, we will not be shouting or name calling. We will listen to each other with respect and sensitivity. Our words and actions will be life giving!

This will not be an easy transition, especially when offensive language is very much a part of radio, television and ordinary conversation for many.

Why should we do this?

Many of us would accept the fact that people speak to each other in an offensive manner. We can’t change what anyone else does, we can only ensure that we are respectful in speech and behaviour. Our respectfulness as individuals will hopefully have a ripple effect in our community.

If we are able to make St Matthew’s ‘Holy’ – different – then perhaps we can take this holiness with us when we are away from St Matthew’s. Perhaps this will enable us to make a difference wherever we go.

Of course our efforts will need to continue each and every day.