43- 21st January, 2025

Principal's News

Dear Families,

We hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and that your New Year has started well. The 2025 school year is shaping up to be a busy and exciting one for all!

Below are some reminders to help with organisation of the year ahead:

• Staff return to school on Tuesday, 28th January, 2025.
• Students begin school on Wednesday, 29th January, 2025.

The office will be open from 8.15 am to 4pm on Wednesday, 29th January, 2025 for parents wishing to come in to settle accounts and hand in forms. 

Upcoming Dates

Below is a list of upcoming dates that we recommend for your calendar (please note that these are subject to change and we will notify parents through the newsletter).

January

• 28th - Staff resume 
• 29th - Office opens
• 29th - Term 1 begins, students resume

February

• 5th - Prep Rest Day
• 6th - Beginning of Year Mass
• 10th - SSG Meetings (information will be sent out at the beginning of the term)
• 12th - Prep Rest Day
• 13th - SSG Meetings (information will be sent out at the beginning of the term)
• 17th/18th - Parent Teacher Meetings
• 19th - Prep Rest Day
• 24th - 28th - Swimming Lessons (Gr. 3 to 6)

March

• 4th - Shrove Tuesday
• 5th - Ash Wednesday
• 10th Public Holiday
• 18th - School Photos
• 24th - 28th - STOMP
• 27th - Family Night

April

• 2nd - Parent Information Night - Confirmation
• 4th - End of Term One (2.30pm)
  
• 22nd - Staff Professional Development - Pupil Free Day
• 23rd - Students return - Term Two begins
• 24th - OLSH Cross Country
• 25th - ANZAC Day - Public Holiday
  

School Fees

The office will be open from 8.15am to 4pm on Wednesday, 29th January, 2025 for parents wishing to come in to settle accounts and hand in forms. 

Student Fee (Book Fee) Payment:  We ask that the Student Fee ($260 per student) be paid on Wednesday 29th January, 2025. Those families who use Direct Debit or Centrepay, or who have made other arrangements, do not need to pay the Student Fee at this time.  Payments can be made directly into the school bank account, or in person at the school office.  If you choose to make your payment directly, please ensure you clearly indicate the name of the student/s and notify the school that you have made the payment.

School Bank Account Details:

Merbein Catholic School      National Australia Bank       BSB 083-764       Account 515871761

2025 School Fees

• Family Fee:  $915
• Student Fee:  $260
• Capital Fee:  $175 per family

Family Fee:  The family fee is used to cover the shortfall between combined Government funding and the actual running costs of operating the school (e.g. power, heating, maintenance, insurance etc.), and it also includes one school magazine for each family.

Capital Fee:  The capital fee assists us with our borrowing capacity to enable us to undertake capital projects.

Student Fee: The student fee also assists in making up the shortfall of funds, but it is put towards the costs associated with providing the students with necessary requirements and resources.  There is a 50% student fee concession for the 3rd child attending OLSH at the same time in the one family, and 100% for any subsequent children.

Student Medical Profiles on SIMON Everywhere

Every students medical profile has been reset.  We ask that ALL parents log on to SIMON Everywhere and update each child’s Medical Profile as soon as possible.  Thank you to those families who have already done so.  

Please note: it is the responsibility of the parent to make OLSH aware of any changes as well as uploading any supporting documentation required.

SIMON Everywhere App

Our new families should have received an email with instructions to log in to our SIMON Everywhere app.  OLSH use this app for the following:

• Student Attendance
• Parent Notified Absences
• Student Reports
• Consent to go offsite
• Surveys
• Student Medical Profile
• Booking meetings throughout the year 

Please contact the school if you are having any issues with this app - admin@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au

Reminder: Register for the new CDFpay mobile app today

The new CDFpay mobile app and website is now available for online canteen ordering.

If you haven’t already, please register for a new CDFpay account today:

1. Download the CDFpay mobile app on the Apple or Google store, then click ‘Sign up now’.
   No app? Register here

Important:

• You will not be able to use your existing CDFpay credentials to log in to the new CDFpay mobile app. You will need to follow these steps to create a new CDFpay account (you can use the same email address if desired).
• Register for a new CDFpay account before the start of Term 1 2025 and we will transfer any remaining balance on your account before the end of March 2025.

1. Enter and confirm your email address, then click ‘Sign up’.
2. Check your email inbox and follow the prompts to complete your account registration (check junk/spam if lost).

Bell Times

Conveyance & CDC Bus Information

CONVEYANCE

Victoria: All children who live 4.8km away from the school, by the shortest route, are eligible for a Conveyance Allowance Bus Pass paid by the State Government. Application forms must be completed and returned to the office no later than Friday 17th February.

NSW: There is a bus travelling from Wentworth each morning and afternoon. Please contact CDC for information regarding the bus route. Applying for a bus pass is done online at http://www.transportnsw.info/school-students. If you live more than 1.6km from the pick-up/drop off area you will be eligible for a conveyance payments as well.

CDC INFORMATION

CDC offer prepaid term passes you can purchase from our office in Bathurst Court. You will need to bring a small headshot of the child to go with the pass. If you email the photo, name of your children and the school they attend we can print the photo, create the pass and let you know when the pass is ready to collect save having to wait.

These passes are based on the student concession prices; prepaid options are no cheaper than purchasing tickets on the bus however, they are a more convenient options for parents.

•  Term 1 (29/01/2025-  04/04/2025): $132.00
• Term 2 (22/04/2025-  04/07/2025): $146.00
• Term 3 (21/07/2025-  19/09/2025): $126.00
• Term 4 (06/10/2025- 19/12/2025: $152.00
• Yearly Pass (All terms excl school holidays): $556.00

 These passes can be used 7 days a week including weekends during the school term only, they cannot be used during the school holidays.  These passes can be used on any of the CDC Mildura Victorian services.  We accept payment by cash, cheque or eftpos.

If you choose this option and throughout the Term the child lose their pass, you will be required to come into our office and pay $10.00 for a replacement card and another photo is required to make another pass.   Alternatively, you can purchase tickets upon boarding the bus with be fares below.  Please note that our buses are cash only and it is preferred to have change close to the ticket price. 

Ticket concession price

• 2hrs       $1.50
• Daily      $3.00
• Weekly $14.00

 If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact our CDC Mildura Office.

• Phone (03) 5023 0274
• Address 8 - 10 Bathurst Court, Mildura, VIC 3500 / PO Box 752, Mildura, VIC 3502
• cdcvictoria.com.au

Links:

Enrolments at OLSH:

OLSH Calendar:

General News

School Advisory Council Members:

Thel O’Shea, Hannah Mills, Grant Finlayson, Courtney Portaro, Amy Cupper, Sandra Hammet, Lana Borchard, Adam Lawrence (Staff Rep) & Narelle Gallagher (Principal). 

Change of details:

Please contact the office if you have had a change of details. Phone: 50252258 or Email: admin@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au

SIMON Everywhere App

This can be downloaded from either the Google Play Store or the Apple Store.  The app has been updated earlier this year and an email was sent out to parents.  If you are having issues with logging in, can you please contact Mia in the office. 

Student Medical Profile

Medical Profile: Please make sure that the school has been notified of any changes that have been made to your child’s Medical Profile on PAM and to also include this on the pink Parental Authority and Consent Form each year. 

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENT TO MAKE OLSH AWARE OF ANY CHANGES.

Parent Notified Absence

If your child is unwell and will be absent from school, you are able to complete a Parent Notified Absence (PNA) on the SIMON Everywhere App or Parent Access Module (PAM) which will automatically notify the teacher and a text message will not be sent.

Newsletters

These are distributed every Friday on SIMON Everywhere and the OLSH Website. Please contact us if at any time you have any queries or require any further explanation about events, dates etc. Any items for the newsletter are asked to be handed in at the office by 9.00am on Friday.

Attendance & Sign in

A reminder to parents that the school needs to be notified of a student absence by 10 am on the day.  This can be done by calling the school office or by using SIMON Everywhere or sending an email to admin@olsmerbein.catholic.edu.au.

Second Hand Uniform

Please contact the school if you require any second hand uniform.