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- Principals' Message
- Positive Behaviour Support
- 2021 St Peter's School Account
- Year 7 MacKillop Orientation Day 2022
- Semester Reports - Parent Portal
- All About Sport
- Next Week at St Peter's
- Library News
- Canteen - Pete's Eats
- School Banking
- Awards
- School Photos
- St Agnes' Uniform Store
- Community Noticeboard
WELL I’LL BEE…..
Three generations of the Lawler family finished the final preparations for the school’s new bush beehive this week. We are very fortunate to have passionate advocates who have now created a hive for bush bees, which have no sting.
Michelle, one of the Year 2 teaching team, along with her mother Colleen and daughter Tobi, were ‘on the tools’ till late Tuesday evening completing a project that will both help our children understand the significance that bees play in the balance of nature whilst also providing an intriguing research opportunity and another space where children can build awareness and responsibility within our school community.
Earlier in the year, Michelle was successful in securing a grant from Woolworths and Landcare. The grant was to plant bee-attracting plants in the school and to foster native stingless bees, for pollination and learning.
Last holidays, Michelle and her mother purchased the plants and transformed the raised garden beds outside the Year 2 classrooms.
Michelle’s very clever mum, then built and decorated a delightful bee house for the native bee hive to go into. The native stingless bees arrived this week and were placed into their new home. We are all very excited to watch them thrive in our beautiful gardens.
CLASSES SOON TO BE ALLOCATED - CLASS PLACEMENTS 2022
Teachers will soon be organising classes for 2022. This is an important and complex process as teachers aim to create 2 or 3 balanced groups, depending on which year level. Teachers look at social supports/sensitivities, assessment data, peer dynamics, learning and behavioural needs, the ratio of boys and girls etc to make up classes.
If you believe that teachers need to consider something additional or specific for your child, please make this known via email to the Principal to the following email address
pmacp-attendance@lism.catholic.edu.au by Wednesday, 10 November. (Please do not send your requests to our school email address.)
Please understand that requests from previous years will not be referred to and late responses are particularly difficult to consider.
FAMILY FEEDBACK SURVEY TO REMAIN OPEN FOR THIS WEEKEND
Thank you to families who completed the FAMILY FEEDBACK survey through this week. We will keep the survey open over the weekend to allow some extra time for families to respond.
The survey will help our school assess families' perceptions of our current culture and inform our planning through to 2022.
The survey will take 2–3 minutes and provide us with valued family insight.
Family Feedback Survey
Please complete by Monday 1st November
RECOGNITION OF TEACHERS AND GRANDPARENTS
Our Year 3 Teaching team presented a beautiful prayer to staff this Wednesday morning, highlighting the joy and gift of grandparenting and teaching. We hope you enjoy the Prayer.
ST PETER’S ADOPTS OUR OWN PENGUIN AND KOALA
Back in Term 2 (before round 2 of COVID hit) Callum Clancy and a group of his Year 5 colleagues wanted to help some of our beautiful Australian animals that were affected by the bushfires. They showed great initiative in designing and funding some fundraising activities to raise money.
These funds were used to adopt two animals, a penguin and a koala.
Congratulations to Callum and his team and thank you to St Peter’s community who supported such a worthy cause.
A SCHOOL PHOTO
Children will dress in their sports uniform, Year 6 are asked to wear their leadership shirts and Leadership Badges. Photos will be made available in next Friday‘s Newsletter with later access provided on Facebook pages.
A huge thank you to our Year 4 Teacher, Amanda Thomas for being our photographer !!!
World Teachers' Day
Today is World Teachers’ Day, a day Australia can celebrate and thank the teaching profession! Teachers (with support from parents and carers) have ensured education continues across the country this year, despite major challenges. It’s reinforced the significant role teachers play in the lives of children and students, their families, and communities. Today is an opportunity to say a big thank you to teachers by posting a photo in your sunglasses on Twitter or Facebook, either on your own or with family or friends. Use these tags: #BrightFuture @aitsl
Explore photos from 2020 for inspiration: World Teachers Day 2020
You can also help collect a million virtual apples to thank teachers across Australia at
Australia Celebrates World Teachers' Day # Bright Future
We are very lucky to have such an inspiring and dedicated bunch of teachers here at St Peter’s, and I hope they get to take a minute today to recognise how valued they are! On behalf of the St Peter’s community, Thank You!
Exuro
Unfortunately, Exuro has had to be postponed. A new date will be announced soon!
Socktober
We had a ‘ball’ celebrating Socktober today! A huge thank you to all family and friends who helped the students at St Peter’s raise funds to help the Good Shepherd Sisters Kindergarten in Thailand look after the country’s poor and vulnerable children!
We have socktober for the people in Thailand who don't have enough money to even buy a soccer ball. Jack R - 4 Green
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We made a sockball to have empathy for other children's lack of resources that we take for granted. Felix - 4 Green |
Socktober is a fun way to raise money for people in need in Thailand. Amelia - 4 Green |
Socktober is a fundraiser for kids in Thailand who are less fortunate than us. Stephanie - 4 Green |
I love Socktober, because it gives us a chance to experience what other people who are less fortunate than us have to deal with daily. I also loved this day, because when we made the sockballs, it made me feel like all of us made a difference. We even tested them out! We all got to feel what it was like to make a soccer ball out of recycled materials, like they do in Thailand, instead of just going to the shops and buying a soccer ball. It was certainly a positive experience. I'm so pleased to have also donated money to this worthy cause. Airlie - 4 Red |
Socktober is a fantastic day, where we can feel how people who are less fortunate than us feel. We are very fortunate to have the opportunities to play and work in wonderful places. Socktober gives people a chance to see how others feel, with little money and almost nothing to play with. For Socktober, we wear coloured socks, however this year, we also made sockballs. Our challenge was to only play with these balls we made, to see how fortunate we are. Each person gave a donation, for the people of Thailand! We wish them the very best.
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What goals did you achieve during Socktober? I achieve my goal of really knowing what the poor children and families in Thailand have to go through on a daily basis. No matter how bad your day has been, the poor families in Thailand have had an infinitely worse day. How do you feel about donating to Thailand… I feel that giving up your money to make a famished someone, who normally has a depressing day, turns into that someone having the best day of their life. It is a wonderful concept, and for that concept to come true is truly amazing. For people to run these fundraisers and dedicate their time to helping these people is personally one of the best things you can do for others. Just to have the feeling that they made someone's day. Lennox - 3 Green |
What goals did you achieve during Socktober? We wrote a prayer about how we can take care of God's creation in nature. We designed our own sports item using recycled materials such as socks, newspapers, plastic bags and elastic bands. We wrote about when we were a good sport to somebody and when somebody was a good sport to us. How do you feel about donating money to someone in Thailand? We feel generous because we are helping people in need and we are donating money so people in Thailand can buy essential things. Joseph and Brody - 3 Green |
Smashing Our Fundraising Target!!
Please click on the link below if you would like to donate .....
Online Safety - Continued Vigilance Needed!!
A story emerged from a school in Northern NSW this week, where a Year 5 child was playing an online game designed for children and interacted with someone who seemed like another friendly child in the ‘chat.’ The person was not who they presented themselves to be.
The Year 5 child was threatened with ‘being in trouble’ with school and parents and threats were made involving the child’s family unless they sent inappropriate images. Images were taken, shared and a demand for more photos was made before the parent’s were made aware and intervened.
This provides a timely reminder to make online safety as much of a priority at home as it is at school. St Peter’s go-to resource is the website of the eSafety Commissioner. (esafety.gov.au)
There you will find a range of information, tips and resources designed to keep our children safe online. It is definitely worth exploring the site with your children and making sure the conversation around online safety is ongoing.
Thank you for your support in the ever evolving area of Online Safety.
Squeaky Clean
Year 3
As a part of our ‘States of Matter’ Science Unit, Year 3 students participated in a Soap-Making Workshop. We have been learning about Solids, Liquids and Gases and the changing states of matter. The students firstly designed their soap, choosing the colour and scent and then discussed the chemical reactions that would occur, such as the changing from a solid, to a liquid and then back to a solid form. We used pure glycerine blocks, which we melted and then added dye and essential oils. Some students then chose to add a few sparkles and maybe a small toy.
The final products were very impressive and we are sure bath time has never been so fun. No excuses for forgetting to use the soap that night!
BEE KIND
Our PBS value for this fortnight is Being Safe.
As you know our school now has native bees, so keeping safe around our new additions is our focus. Native bees are stingless, however, we still need to practise safe and calm behaviour around our precious bees. After all, these are some of the benefits of keeping native bees.
- They help to pollinate our treasured plants.
- They may supply us with a taste of their unique honey.
- They have interesting social behaviour like the commercial honey bees, but they are stingless and easier to handle.
- Best of all, they are "true blue" Australian bees.
The things we need to remember are:
- Please look, but don’t touch.
- Enjoy the bees from the path, not in the garden.
- Let’s not crowd around the bee dwelling.
- Let’s be mindful of how we are moving around in that area, so we don’t bump or knock the bee hut over.
We are also reminding students of ‘Safe’ playground behaviour.
Our school has so many amazing places to play before school and at lunch! It’s important that we use these places and facilities safely and for what they are designed for.
- I sit and wait at the basketball court until a teacher comes.
- I walk on the concrete and run on the grass.
- I use equipment properly.
- I follow rules and play fairly.
- I keep my hands to myself.
- I play in the correct areas.
- I wear my hat on my head.
One of the most important ways to keep ourselves and the people around us safe in the playground is to look out for each other and always be kind! If you see someone not being safe, always tell the teacher on duty. Over the next two weeks, teachers at St Peter’s will be looking to give extra Vivo points for students being safe in the playground!
2021 St Peter's School Account
Credits have been processed to St Peter's School account for activities that were cancelled due to COVID restrictions.
Credits have been applied for the following -
- Dance Program
- Elective Sports
- Eisteddfod Program
This has now placed many accounts in credit for 2022!
If you have not finalised your account for 2021 could you please do so before the end of the year. If you are having difficulty finalising your 2021 account please contact the school office on 6584 1962 to arrange a payment plan.
Thank you to the many families who already have a plan in place and who finalised their accounts promptly!
St Peter's School Account 2022 invoices will be sent out to families early in Term 1 next year. This account is separate to the Parish School Tuition Fee account and includes your child's bookpack, ICT levies, Dance program etc.
Year 7 MacKillop Orientation Day 2022
MacKillop College will be holding their Year 7, 2022 Orientation Day on Friday, 12th November. A letter will be sent out to all of our Year 7, 2022 families this week outlining details of the Orientation Day and the commencement for Year 7 in 2022. |
Semester Reports - Parent Portal
Semester Reports ... delivered differently!
A reminder for Parents and Carers
School Semester Reports will no longer be sent home in paper form at the end of each semester. Instead they will be available in digital form via a Parent Portal Login!
If you have not already done so please register NOW ... in readiness for our Semester 2 reports!
Parent Portal Login
The Parent Portal is a secure web based application which contains information about the school and your child including calendar, semester reports and NAPLAN results.
If you don’t already have a Parent Portal login it is a simple task to create one ... please see Creating an account in the Parent Portal
For security reasons the username for this account must be your email address recorded at the school.
Once an account has been created, parents will be able to access the Parent Portal at anytime via http://parent.lism.catholic.edu.au/ - this link is also available on SZapp as well as our school website.
If you do not have an email address which is known to the school or you have changed your email address or provider please contact the school office to update your details.
For those parents with children in high school (MacKillop/Regional and/or Newman Colleges) you may already be using the Parental Portal. One simple login will give parents access to all of their childrens’ past reports plus future ones as they are complete. Just use your existing Parent Portal Login to access! The Parent Portal will show reports for both primary and high school students (ensure your email address is the same at all schools.)
Hard copies of reports will only be provided upon request.
Meet Another Polding Representative for 2021
Name: Amaya Davis
Year: 3 Green
Polding Representative Sport: Cross Country
Other St Peter's Representative Sports: Cross Country, Swimming and I made the St Peter's Athletics team this year.
Favourite Sports: Cross Country, Athletics, Netball and Touch Football
What is your most memorable Sporting memory at St Peter’s and Why?
My most memorable sporting memory was making the Cross-Country Polding team at Eastern Creek in June. I am 9 years old and in year 3 and I had given myself the chance to compete at NSWPSSA Cross Country. Even though this was cancelled it gives me fire in the belly to come back even faster next year.
Do you have any advice to give future sports stars at St Peter’s?
Train hard and never give up because your victory is around the corner.
Who do you admire to be like as a sporting person and why?
I have always admired my big brother Preston who is in Year 6. For a long time, I have watched him train and compete and it has made me want to run as fast as him. He trains very hard, and he always gives 110%. I think I am pretty lucky to have Preston to train with and also be at my competitions helping me to warm up and to get ready to race.
What are your future sporting plans?
I am lucky to be able to join Preston's training programs except Brad modifies them for me and I don’t run as many days. I also train with a local coach 1-2 days a week. I have such a passion for running that I want to continue to achieve great results at a school level in Cross Country and Athletics. I want to one day represent my country and wear the Australian uniform with pride. I think it would be pretty cool to have my brother there with me.
Thank you Amaya .....
Summer Sports
Due to COVID restrictions, the proposed Hastings Zone Summer Sports Trials won’t occur in 2021. Due to this, certain sports will now skip the Zone trial and go through to Lismore Diocese Trials. Basketball will now have certain criteria placed on it for selections. This may mean that only Representative basketballers or weekly competition basketballers may only trial at Diocese level. We are waiting on confirmation from the Lismore Diocese of the criteria. I spoke to all basketballers early this week and gave them permission to trial for Touch Football. This is because Touch Football at this stage, is the only Summer Sport without specific criteria for selection.
Winter Sports
Shortly, we will be calling for registration for the 2022 Winter Sports Zone Trial. The sports for Years 4 and 5 will be: Rugby League, Rugby Union, Hockey, Netball and Soccer. Trials will occur at school for all events and as always, teams will be selected primarily on each child’s PBS Values and lastly on their sporting skills. There will be selection criteria for certain sports.
An Update on Sport
We received information late this week in terms of restrictions around sport. We will looking at ways to kick start Sport over the coming weeks with these guidelines in place.
Sport Within An Individual School
School sport may proceed by cohort in outdoor settings as follows:
- No more than 50 people, including participants and organisers.
- Organisers must have a COVID-19 safety plan in place including plans to minimise mingling and mixing between cohorts entering and exiting the location where the sport is taking place.
- Schools can make use of school facilities or local outdoor facilities (e.g. parks, ovals) but must minimise contact with those outside of the school cohort.
- The school must maintain a list of all students and staff that participate and attend each session for contact tracing purposes.
- If transport is required, schools should ensure that transport arrangements minimise mixing and mingling between cohorts. For example, schools may support students to walk or to take a bus if the cohort has sole use. Masks are required on buses for staff and students in Year 7 and above and are strongly encouraged for primary students.
School sport activities may proceed in indoor settings as follows:
- Organisers must have a COVID-19 safety plan as part of the usual risk assessment process, in place including plans to minimise mingling and mixing between cohorts entering and exiting the location where the sport is taking place.
- Maximum capacity limit of no more than 1 person per 4 square metres when using indoor spaces for sport or exercise.
- Schools may use indoor facilities on school sites or make use of public indoor recreation facilities in line with community settings.
- Students aged 16 and older (and staff) must be fully vaccinated to enter public indoor recreation facilities until 1 December and will be required to show proof of vaccination status to facility staff on arrival.
- Students in Year 7 and above (and staff) must wear masks indoors at all times when not exercising, including change room and bathroom facilities.
- As much as possible, schools should negotiate to have sole use of the recreation space for the time required and minimise use of shared spaces including change room facilities.
- The school must maintain a list of all students and staff that participate and attend each session for contact tracing purposes.
- If transport is required, schools should ensure that transport arrangements minimise mixing and mingling between cohorts. For example, schools may support students to walk or to take a bus if the cohort has sole use. Masks are required on buses for staff and students in Year 7 and above and are strongly encouraged for primary students.
- Indoor and outdoor pools are permitted to be used with the above requirements, including for swimming carnivals.
Inter-School Sport Activities
Inter-school sport trials, training and competitions, Inter-school representative sport, and grade sport training and competitions will not proceed during school hours in Term 4, 2021 so schools can focus on learning during the school day. Subsequently all diocesan Term 4 representative sports trials will not proceed.
For inter-school representative sport and grade sport outside of school hours, organisers must ensure the following safety measures are in place, in line with settings for community sport:
- The organiser must prepare a ‘community sport’ COVID-19 safety plan if there will be more than 50 people on-site.
- Students aged 16 and older (and staff) must be fully vaccinated to participate in inter-school sport until 1 December and will be required to show proof of vaccination status to the organiser on arrival.
- Anyone aged 16 and over must check-in and check-out using the event’s QR Code. The school must maintain a list of all students and staff that participate and attend each event for contact tracing purposes.
- The number of people allowed on-site is limited to 1 person per 2 square metres for outdoorevents and subject to the capacity limit of the venue (including all staff and volunteers required to run the competition) if held in an indoor venue.
School Swimming Carnival
Our Swimming Carnival has now been moved to Monday November 29. We also have a backup date of December 9 (This is a change from December 7).
Sporting Schools
Through the Sporting Schools Program, we were able to gift every Year 3 student 2 table tennis bats and 2 table tennis balls to play at home with family. I trust this has been an exciting time where families have come together and got active.
3 x 3 hits the courts with a slam dunk
36 eager Year 6 basketballers hit the court this week in the St Peter’s 3 x 3 Competition. This week was preseason games. Next week will be the first week of the knock out where in a couple of weeks time, we will crown a 3 x 3 Champion Team. Thanks Year 6 for getting out and active.
Up Coming Events
The following events are scheduled for Term 4 , however under Level 3 restrictions, all events below are either on hold, will be postponed or will be cancelled.
Lismore Diocese Summer Sports Trials - Tennis | Tuesday November 16 at Sawtell POSTPONED |
Lismore Diocese Summer Sports Trials | Friday November 19 at Coffs Harbour (Softball, Cricket, Basketball, Touch Football) POSTPONED |
School Swimming Carnival | Monday November 29 - back up date Thursday December 9 |
Jeff Arkinstall - Leader of Sport
Due to current COVID-19 Level 3 Restrictions
the Canteen is unable to have volunteers.
Thank you for your understanding.
Monday 1st November |
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Tuesday 2nd November |
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Wednesday 3rd November |
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Thursday 4th November |
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Friday 5th November |
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Staff Development Day
Wednesday 10th November
Childminding is available for families unable to make alternaitive arrangements. Please click on the following link to make a booking. Bookings close Monday 8th November.
Monday 8th November |
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Wednesday 10th November |
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Thursday 11th November |
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Friday 12th November |
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Monday 29th November |
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Wednesday 1st December to Friday 3rd December |
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Monday 6th December |
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Tuesday 7th December |
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Wednesday 8th December |
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Thursday 9th December |
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Friday 10th December |
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Monday 13th December |
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End of Year Dates 2021
Wednesday 15th December | Students last day |
Thursday 16th December | Staff last day |
Start Dates for 2022
Friday 28th January 2022 | Staff first day back (Admin Day) |
Monday 31st January 2022 (Week 1) | Professional Learning Day |
Tuesday 1st February to Thursday 3rd February | MAI Interviews for Years 1 to 6 |
Tuesday 1st February to Monday 7th February | Best Start and MAI Interviews for Kindergarten |
Friday 4th February | Years 1 to 6 Commence |
Tuesday 8th February | Kindergarten Commence |
Canteen Volunteers for 2022
Please click on the link below if you would like to help in the Canteen next year !! Volunteering is a great way to connect with other parents, whilst also providing a service for our children.
Canteen Assistance Form 2022
You can also contact the office directly or Debbie Robins in the canteen
Due to current COVID-19 Level 3 Restrictions
the Canteen is unable to have volunteers.
Thank you for your understanding.
Fresh for Kids
The Fresh for Kids Campaign will now run until Friday 26th November.
TNT'S Until further notice, all TNT's will be UNAVAILABLE Sorry for the inconvenience |
Milkshakes
Available Term 4 - Lunch 1 only
50c
Chocolate - Strawberry - Caramel
Not Returning in 2022.....
A number of state and territory governments have announced bans on banks delivering programs in their schools, and the NSW Government announced a similar decision this week, because of a report from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Due to the ASIC review and these government decisions, the Commonwealth Bank is unable to continue providing programs in schools and the bank has had to make a difficult decision to close the School Banking program nationally.
As a result, the CommBank School Banking program will not be returning to schools beyond 2021.
To find out more about these changes and to access resources, visit commbank.com.au/schoolbanking
Redeem Your Rewards for 2021....
For every 10 tokens you can redeem a reward. If you don't do this before the end of the year you will loose your reward.
Kinder Red | Kinder Blue | Kinder Green |
Nate Nolland Lilli Fowler Oliver Daven |
Max Bridle William Hay Lachlan Patterson |
Parker Smith Matilda Webb Bodhi Wright |
Year 1 Blue | Year 1 Green | |
Olivia Jones Caleb Burton James Rummery |
Amelie Abi-Saab Joshua Blemith Franklin Crilley |
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Year 2 Red | Year 2 Green | |
Fletcher Bemmann Jasmin Dickinson Tess Donohoe |
Gabriella De Somma Pippa Hudson Mason Duffy |
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Year 3 Red | Year 3 Blue | Year 3 Green |
Chloe Sutherland Jessie Winter Ava Baldock |
Charlie Munday Ivy Clarke Aiden Walsh |
Ezekiel Eshman Arlie Webb Cayden Ahearn-Gray |
Year 4 Red | Year 4 Blue | Year 4 Green |
Chloe Owen Noah Marchant Thomas Robb |
Ruby Rule Torie Matheson Joesph Blundell |
Stephanie Banham Kyan VonBun William Ebbs Charlotte McQuade |
Year 5 Red | Year 5 Blue | Year 5 Green |
Andrew Slavin Sophia Sivell Ruby Ford |
Laila Bannon Indy Lorger Lucia Hurdle |
Leila Castles Rocky Mann Ruby Winters |
Year 6 Red | Year 6 Blue | Year 6 Green |
Jack Hartley Rhys Jones Charlie Power Tait Beddoe |
Josephine Campey Baylyn Maitland Jessica Moore Luke Westman |
Preston Davis Vilius Philp Charlie Wise Peter Duffy |
Informal School Photos - Wednesday 3rd November
Kindergarten to Year 5 students are to wear their sport uniform.
Year 6 students are asked to wear their Leadership shirt and badges.
Due to COVID-19 Restrictions - Level 3The School Photographer is unfortunately unable to enter the school this year Payment InformationThe School Photographer has advised that any online payments made for 2021 will be carried over to 2022 - if for any reason you would like a refund please contact the photographers directly to arrange your refund on (02) 9674 9824 or via email admin@theschoolphotographer.com.au Envelopes with cash payments have been sent home. |
Sale of Discontinued StockINSTORE SALE ONLYNot available onlineAll uniform items that will not be sold after the end of this year are on sale at 50% discount NO REFUND OR EXCHANGE ON SALE ITEMS On Sale Monday 4 November until Friday 10 December |
ORDERING NEW SCHOOL UNIFORMS FOR 2022
The St Agnes' Uniform Store have indicated they are on track for delivery of the new school uniform at the end of the year. This will enable them to be ready for January trading of new uniforms from when they open on 4 January 2022.
The Uniform Store will only be selling the new uniform.
Lay-by is available now for your convenience, this system will work this way:
- Sizing can be gauged using the existing uniform items
- The lay-by will be set up and a deposit taken
- Progress payments can be made
- Lay-bys can be collected in January, 2022
- Sizing will be checked at the time of collection and adjusted if required
At this stage, the St Agnes' Uniform Store still have supplies of most sizes for the existing uniform items.
Trading Hours
Last day of trading for 2021 is 10 December.
January 2022 Trading
Re-open 4 January 2022
10.00am - 5.00pm Monday to Fridays
9.00am - 12 noon Saturdays
Photography Competition
Closing date has been extended to 23rd November
Free to Enter....
- Choose up to five of your best images !!
- Email the photos along with your name and the name of your school to canvas@momentz.com.au before 23rd November
- Remember to name your Photo
- Attach the media form if applicable to the email
Please click on the following links:
Richard 65812666
46 Uralla Road, Port Macquarie