Newsletter 136- May 30th 2024
Prayer of the Week:
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) – 27 May to 3 June – is a time for all Australians to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
Today, thousands of people celebrate the week in workplaces, schools, early learning services and communities around the country.
In the spirit of reconciliation we pray
Lord, open up our hearts so that we may hear the message you teach of a world in which the wrongs of the past are recognised - a world in which reconciled people walk and talk together sharing stories; a world in which all burn with the desire to have your peace and justice reign.
We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen
Principals Report:
Dear St Patrick’s community,
With National Reconciliation Week this week we are reminded of this year's theme: "Now More Than Ever." I have attached to this newsletter a blog written by Bishop Charles Gauci that emphasizes the ongoing journey of Reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, acknowledging past injustices and the need for healing and progress.
Bishop Gauci stresses the importance of addressing inequalities in life expectancy, housing, employment, and mental health, urging prayerful reflection, mutual respect, and collaboration. He calls on us to be a beacon of equality and hope.
https://mediablog.catholic.org.au/reconciliation-is-an-ongoing-journey/#more-9839
As we head towards the end of Term Two, teachers are undertaking a range of assessments to monitor student progress. Assessment is an ongoing aspect of the learning cycle at St Patrick’s, and the end-of-semester assessments are just one part of that cycle. Every day, we are monitoring student progress to inform the next learning steps.
Communication between home and school is also an ongoing process at St Patrick’s, and twice a year, families receive a formal student report highlighting student achievement and growth. Semester One reports will be available via PAM on the SIMON Everyone App on Wednesday, June 19th.
The school will also hold Parent-Teacher Interviews on Tuesday, June 25th. Bookings can be made via PAM on the SIMON Everyone App. The interviews will be held in person at the school. Parent-Teacher Interviews provide an important opportunity for families to discuss their child’s progress with their classroom teacher. If you are unable to attend on that date or require a phone interview, please contact your child’s teacher to arrange an alternative time.
Eventide visit Update: As we enter cold and flu season it has been decided that to keep everybody safe our Eventide visits will be postponed until later on in the year. We look forward to when this will be and we will keep our school community updated.
With Kind Blessings,
Bettina
From the Office:
Wellbeing:
We all recognize the significance of exercise in maintaining our physical health. However, did you know that exercise also plays a crucial role in mental health?
Research indicates that individuals who engage in regular physical activity experience better mental health, enhanced emotional wellbeing, and lower rates of mental illness.
Below outlines other benefits of exercise:
Fiona Harney
Teaching and Learning:
School Assemblies: Our assemblies happen each Friday afternoon starting at 2:50pm in the school hall. Students are dismissed from the hall on this day. We invite all our community to come along.
Week 7: Senior M and Athletics
Week 8: Junior R
Week 9: Middle C
Week 10: Junior FB
Week 11: Foundation
Professional Development: At St Patrick’s Primary School we are committed to Professional Development of our team. At various times staff members will be working off site or online which may result in classroom teachers being out of the classroom.
Week 8
Friday 7 th June Mrs Bettina Bird Principals Meeting Warracknabeal
Senior M:
Well who can believe we are over half way through Term 2 already. Despite some minor interruptions due to illness and plenty of extra-curricular activities outside of school, our class has had a very productive semester.
Throughout Semester 1 and 2 we have been reading the novel ‘Two Wolves’ by Tristan Bancks, a narrative which details the exploits of the Silver family who accidentally have a large sum of money transferred into their bank account. I think most students would agree that the twists and turns of the story have kept us on the edge of our seats every step of the way, we can’t wait to read the climax! Also in the reading block, students have been looking at different reading strategies they can use to comprehend information from a variety of text types. Our focus at the moment is ‘cause and effect’ where one action can cause another.
After completing our focus on narratives in Writing, our focus has turned to information writing where students are in the beginning stages of preparing to write an information report on an exotic animal.
In Maths, Grade 5 students have recently spent time exploring factors and multiples and have moved on to breaking 3 and 4 digit numbers into their parts to make it easier to divide. On the other hand, Grade 6 students have completed a series of lessons focussing on measuring and drawing angles and are moving onto identifying and creating geometric patterns. Both groups will finish the term by completing their Module 3-6 Stepping Stones quarterly assessment.
In other subject areas such as Religion, students have been researching the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, in History students have been investigating settlement patterns within Australia, in Digital Technologies students have been using algorithms to create a pixel art piece in Google Sheets and finally, in Science, students have been exploring the composition of solids, liquids and gasses.
Mr Moloney
Winter sports:
Last Thursday, on a beautiful Autumn day, all the Grade Fives and Sixes (and some lucky Grade 4’s) represented our school at the Black Ranges Winter Sports in netball, soccer or football. The netball girls fell agonisingly short of progressing to the next level going down in a hard fought grand final while the footballers won 3 out of their 4 games only going down to the eventual winners on the day by 3 points. While struggling against some tough opposition, our 2 soccer teams also performed admirably, demonstrating skill, teamwork and great sportsmanship qualities in every game. A big shout out to Mrs Harney, Mr Cunningham, Mrs Duxson, Chantal Thomas and Mark Fulton for their help on the day and all the parents and grandparents who came to support our students while they played.
Athletics Sports Day 2024:
On Friday 17th May, our school held their Athletics Sports Carnival at North Park. Although it was on the cooler side, we were lucky to also have patches of sunshine throughout the day. It was fantastic to walk around and see all the students laughing, smiling and encouraging their friends to do their best.
I would like to acknowledge a few people for their support on the day:
Mrs Evans, Mrs Stevens, Mrs Bird, Mr Gehan and Simon Jones for their help setting up early on Thursday night and Friday morning.
Our past students - Archie, Tom, Kaleb, Liam, Jai, Ryder, Charlie, Billy, Isabelle, Miley and Millie along with Holly, Mrs Bird’s daughter for helping out at the field events.
Mrs Gehan for her work behind the scenes with the scoring system,
Jane for scoring all day and Mrs Stevens and Travis for timing the running events.
All the members of the P&F who helped out in the canteen and in the lead up to the day.
All the parents, grandparents, carers and family members who came and supported the students as they participated in their events.
Lastly, thank you to all teachers for their fantastic work on the day.
Congratulations to all students not just for their efforts but also for the amazing sportsmanship they showed on the day. Attached is a list of the students who were lucky enough to receive age champion, runner up or sportsperson awards for their efforts throughout the day. These students will receive their certificates at today’s assembly.
Leon Moloney Sport Co-ordinator
Overall Results:
Joseph 827 points
Mackillop 790 points
Barrett 767 points
12 & Over Boys
Champion: Liam Cameron
Runner Up: Jackson Notting
Sportsperson Award: Kobe Power
12 & Over Girls
Champion: Mahli Willis
Runner Up: Greta Thomas
Sportsperson Award: Chloe Pearce
11 Year old Boys
Champion: Luke Fulton
Runner Up: William Lasslett
Sportsperson Award: Awuom Kur
11 Year old Girls
Champion: Mia Bailey
Runner Up: Harper Bibby
Sportsperson Award: Ella Tyler
10 Year old Boys
Champion: Tanner Freeland
Runner Up: Jack Wadge, Fletcher Thomas
Sportsperson Award: Boston McGaffin
10 Year old Girls
Champion: Sophie O’Callaghan
Runner Up: Lily Hine
Sportsperson Award: Kora Allen
9 Year old Boys
Champion: Mac Bibby
Runner Up: Mason Whitfield
Sportsperson Award: Isaac O’Callaghan
9 Year old Girls
Champion: Marianne Duxson
Runner Up: Edie Macpherson, Alivia Rolph
Sportsperson Award: Emila Jones
8 Year old Boys
Champion: Max Lasslett, Alfie Freeland
Runner Up: Beau Cullen
Sportsperson Award: Ace Rowe
8 Year old Girls
Champion: Georgia Campbell
Runner Up: Bonnie Wickham
Sportsperson Award: Nathalia Abraham
7 Year old Boys
Champion: Finn Greenhalgh
Runner Up: George Darker
Sportsperson Award: Nasar Werry
7 Year old Girls
Champion: Elektra McGaffin
Runner Up: Evie Gready, Evelyn Christie
Sportsperson Award: Ruby Driscoll
6 Year old Boys
Champion: Bobby Pickering
Runner Up: Rhylen Mullane
Sportsperson Award: Anthony Truong
6 Year old Girls
Champion: Amelia O’Callaghan
Runner Up: Billie Carlsen
Sportsperson Award: Indiana Schumann
Regional Cross Country result:
Last Monday, two of our students, Archie Macpherson and Marianne Duxson, travelled to Warrnambool to represent our school in the Regional Cross Country Championships. In perfect conditions, Marianne placed 18th and Archie 27th, an amazing achievement by both students, but especially Marianne, considering that she was competing against girls who were 12 months older than her. The running future looks bright for both of these fantastic athletes. Well done Archie and Marianne!
Students of the Week:
Rhylen Mullane - For being such a fabulous risk taker when you are writing sentences and for the wonderful way you put sounds together to make a word when you are reading. Congratulations!
William Aird - For the wonderful way you put sounds together to make a word and for knowing some tricky words. Well done and keep up the fabulous efforts!
Madilyn Carlsen - For being resilient and taking risks when completing your Reading and Maths assessment tasks. You should be so proud of what you have achieved!
Mia Ampt - For the self-motivation you have been showing in your reading. Your hard work is paying off and you are reading fluently. Keep it up!
Beau Cullen - For making such great learning choices and showing resilience when you are challenged, your perseverance is wonderful!
Bonnie Wickham - For working so well in maths when learning about doubles this week! You have worked so hard and should be very proud!
Willow Boylan - For working hard on developing your compound sentences and using your conjunctions. Keep it up!
Sophie O'Callaghan – For being a collaborative member of our class and assisting others with their learning. Well done Sophie!
Texas Davenport - For the hard work you have been putting in to your Maths this week. Keep up the great work Texas!
Edie Macpherson - For using your curious superpower while completing your dinosaur information report. Well done Edie!
Kobe Power - For participating enthusiastically and volunteering information in our class discussions about information writing. Keep up the great work.
Archie Coxon - For your great work demonstrating your understanding of division strategies this week. Keep up the great work Archie!
Charli Pickering - For the amazing strategies you have been using to solve division problems during Maths. Well done Charli!
Vibeesh Ranjay - For always giving your best across all subject areas. You are a wonderful role-model for your classmates.
Living in Faith:
Do you or someone that you know need some help?
If you need help with groceries and shopping vouchers go to -
The Cottage 20 Sloane St Stawell. Open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 10:30am and 12:30pm.
In out of hours emergencies ring 0408 038 949.
If you need help with fresh fruit and vegetables go to -
Stawell Neighborhood House 42 Sloane St. Open Mondays – Fridays 9am -5pm.
If you need help other than groceries and food, contact –
Stawell St Vincent de Paul Society – 0437 344 323 and leave a message. They will contact you within 24 hours.
Mary Rita Thomas
Sec. and Public Officer, Stawell Inter Church Council (welfare Cottage)
President, Stawell conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society
Winter food appeal
As the winter season approaches, we are reminded of the importance of community support and solidarity. Many families in our community struggle to provide enough food during the colder months, and your generosity can make a significant difference.
Our Mini Vinnies group is organising a non-perishable food appeal for those in our community who are in need. If you are able we would appreciate any donations of non-perishable food. Each classroom will have a tub where donations can be put. These donations will be collected by a member of our St Vincent de Paul society from our parish and will be donated to the Stawell Cottage for local distribution.
Let's come together to make this winter a little warmer for everyone in our community. Thank you for your generosity!
What is MiniVinnies?
Our Mini Vinnies group is made of volunteer students from Grade 4-6 who are advocates of the St Vincent De Paul values within our school and local community. The group meets regularly to learn about social justice issues, develop leadership skills and engage with the wider St Vincent de Paul Society.
WHO BENEFITS FROM MINI VINNIES
Mini Vinnies is about doing good works in the community that benefit people facing social injustice. Our group also encourages young people to talk, share ideas and concerns, to have fun and support each other.
The Mini Vinnies model of “See, Think, Do” is a great way to get young people thinking and talking about their spirituality and to connect their faith with issues affecting their community through volunteering, advocacy and fundraising. Not only do the students in Mini Vinnies benefit from the experience but also the school and wider community.
Our Mini Vinnies choose to focus on our local community and other projects like supporting the Assist a Student Program, Indigenous Book Swap, Project Compassion, Caritas Australia. .
Photos of our Mini Vinnies hard at work.
The Saint behind the Society:
St Vincent de Paul Date of birth: 24th April 1581 Place of birth: Pouy, France
Died: 27th September 1660 Canonised a saint: 16th June 1737
Vincent was a very intelligent young man, who spent four years with the Franciscan friars obtaining an education. He tutored children of wealthy families and was ordained at the age of 20. At the age of 24, Vincent was taken captive by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery. During this time, Vincent witnessed the terrible conditions in which slaves were forced to live, although his own master was a doctor who treated him well and taught him about medicine. When his master died, Vincent escaped and returned to France. 8 In France, Vincent became a parish priest. He committed himself to serving the poorest of the poor, pledging his life to people who were sick, insane, orphaned, elderly, starving or abandoned, and to beggars, prisoners and slaves. There was no form of poverty or suffering – physical, emotional or spiritual – which Vincent did not try to alleviate. He was appointed Royal Chaplain General and set about improving conditions for prisoners, slaves and people in hospital. Vincent started an order of priests called the Congregation of the Mission – more commonly known as Vincentians – whose mission it was to share Jesus’ good news to the villages through preaching and service. Along with Louise de Marillac, he also started the Daughters of Charity, who cared for people who were poor and sick. St Vincent de Paul is the patron saint of: charities, charitable societies and workers, hospitals and hospital workers, lepers, prisoners and volunteers. The town in which Vincent was born is now known as Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.
Vincent believed that in serving the poor, he was serving Christ: “Go to the poor: you will find God”
What does prayer look like at St Patrick’s.
We are currently undertaking an audit of what prayer looks like at St Patrick’s through a Prayer Renewal Project. The project aims to create a culture of prayer at school which is reflective of our school and world context. Currently we have established a Prayer Renewal Team which consists of four grade five students, Fr Andrew, Gina Bernasconi from Catholic Education Office and myself.
We have begun exploring how prayer currently looks at St Patrick’s and examining the Ten Characteristics of Prayer.
The overall aim of the Prayer Renewal Project is to enable a shift in the school culture towards a Recontextualising Catholic Dialogue School. Recontextualisation tries to re-interpret the Catholic faith in a contemporary cultural context. By the faith engaging with culture, it transforms itself, giving it a new plausibility, new meaning for people of today. Recontextualisation involves finding ways to reimagine a symbolic understanding of the wisdom of the Catholic tradition, and reimagine it in a way that invites dialogue with a broader pluralised, detraditionalised cultural context.
Mary MacKillop Award:
Mary MacKillop lived a life dedicated to her faith and serving the needs of others. Wherever and however she could, Mary MacKillop did everything possible to improve the lives of others. This award acknowledges the thoughtful actions of the students at St Patrick’s to help others. “When I could not see my way God kept my heart full of trust to make all come right” Saint Mary MacKillop
Congratulations to this weeks award recipient: Oliver
For being inclusive and demonstrating kindness.
Thank you for your kindness.
Birthdays:
Congratulations to these students who celebrated their birthday this week:
George, Marianne, Ella, Billie & Amelia
Diocesan/Parish news:
Mass Times:
Ararat Sunday 8.30am
Stawell Sunday 10.30am
Lake Bolac 1st, 3rd, 5th Sundays 6.30pm Vigil Sat
Landsborough 2nd, 4th Sundays 12.30pm
Glenthompson (Hamilton Parish) 2nd, 4th Sundays 8.30am
Around Our Community:
Please follow us on instagram; stpatsstawell
Stawell Wildcats
Please see below link for competition information and link to join.
Upcoming Events:
Our Vision and Mission:
Vision Statement: St Patrick's School is a community which reflects and celebrates Christ as its centre point: By honoring our story we value our whole community. By coming together our vision is for a loving, just, compassionate and tolerant world. Mission Statement: In the tradition of St Patrick, we are committed to: Promoting and celebrating a love of God, self and community. Recognizing and enhancing the talents and uniqueness of each person through our vision of Prayer, Care and Learning. PRAYER We nurture and grow our relationship with God as members of a faith community. CARE We foster recognition of difference, compassion for others and the strength to act on our beliefs. LEARNING We develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills essential to reaching our full potential as life- long learners.