Newsletter 141- July 18th 2024

Prayer of the Week:

A prayer for Naidoc week 7th - 14th July, 2024. 

NAIDOC Week's a time to celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It’s held each year during the first week of July and is an important annual event where everyone’s invited to join in the celebrations. 

God of all creation, as we journey together in this Great Southern Land, 
We pray for healing, forgiveness, and unity, 
Creating a path of goodwill, with justice and compassion. 
Jesus, through the power of your love, 
You have given us the courage, wisdom, and strength 
To share our gifts and talents in humility.
In peace and understanding we reconcile with each other. 
Creator Spirit, we come together in prayer and thanksgiving 
For the many blessings we have received.
Allow your Spirit to wash over us and give us strength to walk together as one.

Amen 

Principal's Report:

Dear St Patrick’s community,

Welcome back to Term Three! The year is flying by, as they all seem to do, and we can’t wait to enjoy the great things we have planned for the term with our students and families. On Tuesday morning, we welcomed three new students: Flynn in Foundation, Fletcher in Year 3, and Charlie in Year 6. We’re a few days in, and Charlie is not yet used to seeing his mum at school! We’re expecting two more arrivals before the end of the term and welcome all into our wonderful school community. 

School Closure Day last Monday

Our school closure day on Monday was highly valuable to our staff as we completed our CPR refresher course with PulseCPR. Katie, an experienced nurse and presenter, shared her valuable knowledge with us. In the afternoon, we worked with Anne Ruddel from the Catholic Education Office to continue fine-tuning our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support process. We reviewed our posters and procedures and were pleased to find that, after a full Term Two of implementation, minimal changes were needed. There is further information on the outcomes from this closure day in Lillie’s wellbeing section of the newsletter. 

Parents and Friends Fundraising

We have had a wonderful delivery of new wooden sandpit equipment. To ensure it is protected from the weather, we have purchased a trolley that will be able to be wheeled in and out of cover. We hope to get longevity of the toys keeping them out of the weather better. 

We have also had delivery of our new excursion phone that has been purchased using PNF funds. This phone enables a clear process for contacting staff when classes are on overnight excursions and ensures that staff can keep their personal devices separate from their work duties. This phone will also serve as a device for taking photos of students at school events rather than staff using their personal devices. This assists us in ensuring Child Safety is a priority and data such as images of students is protected. 

Right to Disconnect

On August 26th, updated legislation will come into effect from FairWork Australia regarding the Right to Disconnect for employees. As a staff we have worked through the recommendations surrounding this legislation. Here is a snippet of what, we have formed in our guidelines: 

St Patrick’s Primary School expects staff to engage and reply to communication from the School, students, parents, colleagues, or others within the staff member's designated working hours. If contact is made outside these hours, staff are encouraged to respond on their next designated working day, where reasonable. To help manage expectations, staff are encouraged to stipulate their working hours in their email signature, indicating that responses will be provided within these hours. The recommendation from St Patrick’s Primary School staff is that these hours are listed as 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, unless the staff member is part-time. Part-time staff members will list their specific days and hours of work.

It is clear in the guidelines that emergency situations do not apply to this legislation. If a student’s attendance, mental health or wellbeing has been or will be impacted by an emergency situation, families are encouraged to make contact by email or Class Dojo even if it is after hours. 

Jacket Survey

Thank you to the parents who provided input for the jacket survey. The data has given us a clear direction to move forward and will be discussed with the SAC in our Term 3 meeting. Additionally, the information regarding other elements of the uniform has been analysed, and initial conversations have begun with Fosters about potential improvements.

Instrumental Music

The response to the guitar, ukulele, and bass lessons with Future Sounds Studio has exceeded our expectations. As such, we will have two teachers on-site on Thursdays to ensure there are more spots available and that all students can attend. In the coming weeks, I will start building a potential timetable, taking into consideration key learning times, individual student data, and our need for some students to participate in their boost groups or interventions. The timetable will be designed to be easy for students, families, and staff to follow. I am still waiting for the flyer for the piano teacher. It’s exciting to see the passions and interests of our students outside of our standard school curriculum. 

Have a great week, 

Bettina

Kindness Day:

At St Patrick’s we teach the importance of service following the examples set by Jesus. As a Catholic school we strive to educate the whole person, mind, body and soul. Our students are exposed to learning about working for the common good in solidarity with others, upholding their dignity and right to full participation in their community.  Being of service can take may forms. These range from action which promotes the dignity of those who are marginalised and vulnerable, through to raising awareness of social justice issues. By teaching service this provides a way for our students to enact compassion, hope and justice in the interests of creating a kinder and more connected community.  For Catholic schools this learning is an important part of witnessing God’s love. 

Kindness Day will take place on  Friday 26th July, 2024. Our dedicated group of Mini Vinnies members will be organising Kindness Day for our whole school to be part of.  Throughout the day students will take part in learning activities within the classroom and will be going out into our community showing kindness to others. 

Activities that will be happening throughout the day are:

Various groups heading out to visit Marang & Aussie Kindergarten, Greenfingers, St Vinnies winter food appeal, St Vinnies activities, making thank you cards for volunteers throughout the community.  

Our afternoon assembly will be hosted by the MiniVinnies group.  Here we will be showing what we have been doing throughout the day.  We have invited representatives from the community to come along and receive their cards and gifts the students have made throughout the day. 

If anyone is interested in helping out on the day please see Ms Comitti.

In the evening our dedicated staff will be showing kindness to our families by inviting our students and 2025 students back to the school hall to watch a movie.  Students are invited to come along at 6pm till 8pm.  During this time they will watch a movie whilst being supervised by staff.  This will allow parents/carers a couple of hours free to perhaps go out for dinner, watch some netflix or relax.  

Wellbeing:

Welcome back to Term 3! This term promises to be an exciting journey as we continue to prioritise our students happiness and growth. We're continuing to dedicate our time to providing a nurturing environment where all students can learn essential life skills and build resilience. Throughout this term, all classes will explore various activities and discussions designed to enhance children's emotional intelligence and foster positive relationships with peers. Remember, your children's wellbeing is our top priority, and we're here to support you every step of the way. Together, let's embark on this new term with enthusiasm and a commitment to our personal and collective wellbeing. Here's to a term filled with learning, laughter, and meaningful experiences!

Breakfast Club 

Breakfast clubs for students at school offer numerous benefits that contribute to their overall wellbeing and academic success:

• Improved Academic Performance: Eating a nutritious breakfast improves concentration, memory, and problem-solving skills, leading to better academic outcomes.

• Nutritional Benefits: Breakfast clubs ensure children receive essential nutrients that might otherwise be missed, promoting healthier growth and development.

• Social Interaction: It provides a relaxed setting for children to socialise with peers and staff, fostering positive relationships and a sense of belonging.

• Establishing Routine: Regular attendance at breakfast clubs helps establish healthy eating habits and a consistent morning routine, which can improve overall behaviour and attendance at school.

• Reduced Hunger: Children who eat breakfast are less likely to experience hunger during the morning, allowing them to focus on learning rather than their empty stomachs.

• Support for Families: Breakfast clubs can ease morning stress for families by providing a convenient, affordable option for ensuring their children have a nutritious start to the day.

Overall, breakfast clubs contribute significantly to the physical, emotional, and academic wellbeing of children, making them a valuable resource for schools and families alike.

Breakfast club will continue to be run in term 3 on Wednesdays and Fridays. 

There will be no breakfast club in week 6 due to events in the hall already. 

The conversations and interactions that take place throughout Breakfast club are simply amazing to see and hear. 

As part of the Mental Health and Wellbeing role I also analyse the data generated by our reporting system when incidents are logged to identify trends in who, when, and what is occurring. This analysis allowed me to work with classroom teachers and LSO staff members to plan targeted approaches to address specific behavioural issues. On Monday whilst working with Anne from CEB we discussed potential systematic changes, whole-school 'Blitz' strategies, targeted classroom initiatives, and individual student programs moving forward.

An outcome from this work was the decision to undertake a 'Blitz' on the use of equipment in the school, specifically how it is accessed by students and then packed away. Many of our families have likely noticed the balls and other items left out at the end of the day. We are awaiting the arrival of some new trolleys that will be filled with equipment for the Junior, Middle, and Senior areas. These trolleys will be wheeled out at the start of the day and wheeled back in at the end. Junior students have been missing out due to the distance to the crate and finding most of the 'good' balls gone by the time they get there, or they are hoarding the equipment in bags and under tables to ensure access. Having their own trolley will make the equipment more accessible to them.

We are hoping that by regularly analysing our data we will be able to see significant improvements in our students behaviour and choices. 

We are focusing on our values of: 

• Be safe 
• Be Respectful 
• Be Learners 

We would love to see images shared with us from home where the children are demonstrating the ‘Blitz’ at home. They can be sent through Classdojo to your child's classroom teacher. 

The ‘Blitz’ we are currently focusing on is the use of equipment in the school, specifically how it is accessed by students and then packed away.

If you have any questions or concerns around this please feel free to contact me. 

Thank you, 

Have a lovely weekend, 

Lillie Marshman 

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 1: Senior H

Week 2: Mini Vinnies
Week 3: Middle B
Week 4: Junior FB
Week 5: Foundation
Week 6: Senior M
Week 7: Book Week
Week 8: Middle C
Week 9: Junior R
Week 10: 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.

Term 3 Week 2 - NIL 

Senior H:

Welcome back as we kick off Term 3! I hope you all had a restful holiday and managed to stay nice and warm during this chilly weather. This Term we have a lot to look forward to, in particular with the up and coming Olympics. 

A warm welcome to Charlie

We also welcome a new student to our classroom and school, Charlie. Charlie comes to us from Horsham and we hope he has enjoyed his first week at St Patrick’s. 

Here is an outline of what we have started learning so far this term;

Religion

To start the term, our whole school joined together for a beautiful liturgy. To make this even more special, Ms Comitti and Mrs Bird explained to us about the ‘Message Stick’ which helps signify and represent the 150 year anniversary of the Catholic Diocese. This was a lovely way to start the term. 

In Religion we are learning about ‘Promises’. We started this unit by watching an entertaining Bluey episode about making and breaking promises. It was an engaging way to start a conversation about making promises. This theme of ‘Promises’ will continue for the rest of the term, heading into scripture and relating this to our world today. 

Literacy

In the Senior H classroom, we look forward to continuing our Cars and Stars reading program, which has proven to be both engaging and educational. This term, we'll also be diving into texts about the Olympic Games, providing students with an opportunity to explore and analyse these fascinating events. In writing, we've kicked off the term with Recount writing, and we'll be shifting focus to Descriptive writing as the term progresses. Additionally, students will have the chance to write a Biography of an Olympian, allowing them to connect their reading with creative expression and in-depth research.

Mathematics

Grade 6

Grade 6 students have begun exploring fractions, with a particular emphasis on understanding equivalent fractions. Fractions will be a major focus throughout the term, as we delve into their various applications and properties. Other topics throughout the term will include interpreting data and measuring perimeter and area.

Grade 5

Grade 5 students have also embarked on their journey with fractions, focusing on common fractions, improper fractions and  mixed numerals. They are currently learning how to add fractions with the same denominator, building essential skills for more complex operations. 

Inquiry

This term we are all very excited to be learning about the Olympics for the first four weeks of the term and from there we will delve into some Geography, in particular, posing the question; How do Australians connect with other people and places?  How does Australia support other countries? We will then investigate countries by using resources such as atlases, globes or Google Earth. 

Science

Ms Toomey will continue teaching both Senior M and Senior H about our fascinating solar system which I am sure will be engaging for all. 

Auslan

In Auslan this week we started learning to ask, Do you want to play cricket with me and Can we work together? We will continue working with Chantelle during zoom sessions who will assist us with our signing. 

Breakfast Club

Last term the Grade 6s  enjoyed volunteering and participating in ‘ Breakfast club’. Students across the school come and enjoy a social chat with peers while enjoying eating some breakfast. On the last day of Term 2 we hired a smoothie bike and made some smoothies for the rest of the school to enjoy - it was a lot of fun. Hopefully we can do this again at some stage.

Fiona Harney

Book week this year runs from August 17th to August 23rd, 2024. During this time all classes spend time each day celebrating books and Australian children's authors and illustrators.  The theme for book week this year is:  Reading is Magic.  

“We're celebrating reading stories and their amazing power to transport minds. We are encouraging kids to be curious about the wonders in our world. It is a positive and affirming message for our young people. The magic of reading also lies in its power of enticement; a good story provokes conversations. Talking about the stories with others connects the reader with other readers. Wrapped around all of this are the "tricks" and skills of our amazing writers and illustrators, as they use all their powers of language and illustration to engage the reader in this world they are building.”
The Children’s book council, Australia. 

The highlight of book week is on Friday 23rd August where students are invited to dress as their favourite book character with a whole school parade where our community is able to attend.  After the parade our community are invited into the classrooms to join in some of the book week activities.  This is then followed by a cuppa in the Hall. 

Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

Re: Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about support provided to students with disabilities. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019). 

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools 
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disabilities.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on students and your students will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please do not hesitate in contacting me at school on 53582493 or via email kryan@spstawell.catholic.edu.au

Kind Regards

Kerrie Ryan

Learning Diversity Leader

First aid:

Teachers and school staff have lots of responsibilities that go beyond providing quality education. On Monday all staff completed their first aid CPR course.  

Students of the Week:

Living in Faith:

On Tuesday we gathered as a whole school to celebrate 150 years of our Catholic Diocese and received one of the five AboriginalMessage Sticks that were gifted to carry the message to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12).  The Message Sticks will remain with us at St Patrick’s for approximately one week, before being handed onto the next school community, connecting over time, community to community.

In Aboriginal culture, Message Sticks were passed between different clans and language groups to establish information and transmit messages. They were often used to invite neighboring groups to corroborees, initiation ceremonies, right of entry to the country and invitation to religious rituals.   

There will be a meeting with Fr Andrew for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and Confirmation on Tuesday 30th July, at 3.15pm or  5:30 pm in the Middle/Senior hub. 

Thank you to those parents who have expressed interest in the Sacraments. 

If you would like any information regarding the Sacraments please contact me.

Maryanne Comitti
Religious Education Leader

Indigenous Book Swap Term 3

Literacy is a major issue facing remote Indigenous communities. Being unable to read and write is a significant barrier to education, employment, health and wellbeing. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation works to address this through providing books and literacy resources (some in first languages) to families, schools and service organisations in remote communities; and publishing stories by Indigenous people that are reflective of community life and culture.

Low literacy levels is a major issue affecting Indigenous communities today. Being unable to read and write is a significant barrier to education, employment, health and wellbeing. Remote Indigenous communities are the most disadvantaged. 

MiniVinnies are working on our School and Parish community taking part in The Great Book Swap in support for Indigenous Literacy. 

The idea is that our school/parish community would donate any quality unwanted children’s books, Social justice will then conduct a Book swap where students are able to purchase any of these donated books for a gold coin donation.  All money raised will be donated to the Indigenous Literacy foundation.  Please drop any donated books into the school office. 

For more information please visit:  Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Students are encouraged to bring gold coins to purchase books.  We have hundreds of books to choose from ranging from picture books to chapter books.  

When?   Monday 19th & Tuesday 20th  August, 2024.  

Students will have the opportunity to purchase a book from the book swap throughout the day.  Book swap will be open to the public 3:15-5:00pm on Monday 19th August, 2024.  

Why? This is a MiniVinnies  initiative and has been co-ordinated by our dedicated group of students that are in our MiniVinnies team. As a Catholic School as part of our education of the Catholic Social Teachings (CST).  CST offers a way of thinking, being and seeing the world.  It provides a vision for a just society in which the dignity of all people is recognised, and those who are vulnerable are cared for.  Learn more about Catholic Social Teachings at https://www.caritas.org.au/learn/cst-toolkit/ 

“Without the right to education there is no real freedom, which allows every person to be the protagonist of their own destiny!” 

Pope Francis 2018 

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. “Let us help one another, and bear with one another and ever strive to become what we should be and what with God's help we can become” Saint Mary MacKillop

Birthdays:

Congratulations to these students who celebrated their birthday  this week and over the Holidays: 

Tahlia, Nathaniel, Alexandra, Mackenzie B, Henry T, Ted, Peter, Jai, Dixie, Chloe & Jackson

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

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.