Newsletter 147- August 29th 2024

Prayer of the Week:

A Prayer for fathers and father figures 

Loving God,
You give us fathers who show us how to live and love.
Through them we see a glimpse of what you are like and the unconditional, tender love you have for us, your children.
As we honour all fathers on this day, we pray that you bless and keep them close to your heart. 
We ask this in Jesus’ name.

God took the strength of a mountain, the majesty of a tree, the warmth of a summer sun, the calm of a quiet sea, the generous soul of nature, the comforting arm of night, the wisdom of the ages, the power of the eagle’s flight, the joy of a morning in spring, the faith of a mustard seed, the patience of eternity, the depth of a family need, then God combined these qualities, when there was nothing more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete, and so, He called it … Dad.

• Author Unknown

Principal's Report:

Dear St Patrick’s community,

As the Abraham family embarks on a new chapter in Ballarat, we bid a fond farewell to Nathaniel and Nathalia. We wish them all the best in their new school and community. May their journey ahead be filled with success, joy, and new friendships. They will be greatly missed!

This Friday, we are honored to welcome Bishop Paul Bird to our school as part of the ongoing celebrations for the 150th Anniversary of the Diocese of Ballarat. Bishop Paul is visiting parishes across the area, and we are delighted to have him with us. It has been seven years since his last visit, and we look forward to his presence at our Father’s Day breakfast and liturgy. We warmly welcome Bishop Paul back to our school.

This Sunday, we celebrate all the amazing dads, grandads, and special people in our lives. Your love, guidance, and support mean the world to us. We are grateful for everything you do, and we hope you have a wonderful day filled with love and joy. Happy Father’s Day!

Have a great week, 

Bettina

Tomorrow we welcome Bishop Paul Bird.  Bishop Paul will be a guest at our Father’s day breakfast and liturgy.  Fr Andrew will also will helping us celebrate Father’s day.

Our annual Father's day/special persons celebrations will take place Tomorrow Friday 30th August, 2024.  While Father's Day is a celebration of fatherhood, it's a time for us to honour, celebrate and to be thankful for all of the men, father figures and male role models in our lives.  We recognise the very important role you have in the lives of children. 

Program for the day: 

8:15 - 8:50 am - after dropping children off dads/grandads and special male figures in our children’s lives are invited up to the hall for brekkie, cuppa and a chat.

9:00 am - whole school will gather in the hall for a liturgy praying for our dads

9:15 am to 10am - Open classrooms - if you are unable to attend please call in throughout the day. We invite our dads/grandads and special male figures in our children’s lives to come into the students' classrooms and interact with them during their learning. This is a great opportunity to see first hand the wonderful learning our students are doing.  

From the Office:

2024 School Fees are due

A friendly reminder for families paying School Fees in one instalment, payment is due to be received by Friday 20th September 2024.  Payment can be made by electronic transfer to;

National Australia Bank
Account Name:  St Patrick’s Primary School Stawell
BSB 083-408
Account:  873223326

Please remember to include your surname as a reference.

Alternatively, please contact the office to make payment by credit card, cash or cheque.

For families on direct debit plans, as we near the end of Term 3, please review your account and contact the office should you need to adjust your instalment amount. 

Anna Wadge
Business Manager

Wellbeing:

Once a day five days a week all students at St Patrick’s take part in mindfulness. 

Mindfulness is simply being in the present moment. It can be practised by acknowledging your thoughts, paying attention to how your body feels and noticing what you see, smell, hear or taste. By practising mindfulness, we can sustain our awareness for longer periods. If you want to support children’s emotional and mental wellbeing through teaching mindfulness, here are some activities to help young learners connect with their thoughts, feelings and the present moment. 

Mindfulness for kids—breathing exercises

When little ones are faced with unpleasant feelings, mindful breathing can help them stay calm whilst they attempt to deal with them. Introduce them to breathing exercises when they are relaxed, feeling good, willing to learn and ready to practise. Find a quiet space and time that are conducive to mindful breathing practice. 

You can first teach them the ‘flower breath’, where you encourage them to think of their favourite flower and imagine smelling it. Guide them to calmly breathe through their nose and out through their mouth. Children can feel better by connecting with their breath and releasing tension in this simple way. Another kind of mindful breathing to try is the ‘hissing breath’, where they breathe in through the nose with long deep breaths and release it with a hissing sound coming out of the mouth. This technique is used to calm the mind and cool down the body.

During nap or story time, you can practise the ‘hibernating bear breath’ technique with children. They can do this by breathing in for four seconds, pausing for two, exhaling for four seconds and pausing for another two seconds before repeating. You may lead them through this five to seven times. It helps children to relax and may help soothe themselves to sleep. 

Teaching breathing exercises is imparting a lifelong mindfulness tool. Children can practise these breathing exercises anywhere, anytime and may find them helpful when experiencing difficult emotions.  

Mindfulness for kids—beginner yoga

Because our bodies are designed to move, exercise and movement help reduce stress and anxiety, according to research. Practising yoga asanas (poses) is an excellent way to improve toddlers’ mental and physical health. The good thing about this yoga is that it doesn’t require any special skills or prior knowledge to practise it. You can start with easy asanas, like the tree pose, downward facing dog, cat pose, cobra pose, frog pose or lion pose. 

Regular yoga practice will help children develop better body awareness, self-control and concentration while becoming spiritually connected and mentally and physically agile. Guide children through the poses and make sure that they’re comfortable. Assure them that it’s normal to stop holding a pose when they start feeling uncomfortable. Some poses need extra precautions, so be sure to research them thoroughly and consult an expert before practising with children.

Mindfulness for kids—sensory engagement

One way to train a child’s ability to stay in the present is through sensory activities. The simple practice of counting the things they see, hear, feel, smell or taste can be an excellent way to remain present. Create opportunities for children to engage and explore their senses—playtime in a sandbox, tasting delicious and nutritious foods, finger painting, play dough, water play and so many more. 

You can ask questions or play a game to make it more fun and exciting. For example, blindfolded children can touch things with different textures and share with the group what it feels like and what they think it is. This can also be done with food where they guess what snack, fruit, or vegetable they took a bite of while blindfolded. Besides helping children develop mindfulness skills, sensory play can also be beneficial to calming a child feeling anxious or stressed. Through these activities, they also make sense of the things around them. 

Mindfulness for kids—nature time

Outdoor play has many benefits for young children, not only in terms of physical development and learning but also for their psychological and emotional wellbeing. Allocating time to go out, explore and observe the environment helps children develop their self-awareness and a sense of belonging. 

During outdoor playtime or quiet time, encourage children to listen to the sounds of nature. Get them to look at the trees, flowers, sky, and birds and feel the breeze and the warmth of the sun. Little sensory observations like this in nature spark curiosity and creativity. Children who are connected to nature become more empathetic toward the plants and animals they share the world with. They develop an awareness that considers the needs of everyone they share their environment with, including animals, plants and other people. They learn to value every member of their community, respecting the diversity and complexity of others. 

Scavenger hunts, gardening, blowing bubbles, walking and running are also practical outdoor activities you can use to practise mindfulness in nature with children. 

Mindfulness for kids—colouring mandala art

A mandala is art formed by a series of circles, geometric patterns and symbols representing the infinite universe in Buddhism and Hinduism. They are used in mindfulness meditation practices and bring mental and emotional benefits. You can teach children to draw a circle on a piece of paper and mindfully outline shapes and patterns within the circle. Encourage them to colour it precisely and calmly.  

You can play relaxing music while they carefully draw and colour to set the mood. Suppose you’re in a younger class of students who might find drawing challenging. In that case, you can download free mandala colouring sheets available online, print them and distribute them during the colouring session. Colouring the mandala can help improve a child’s hand-eye coordination, shape recognition, precision, focus and reasoning. 

What are the benefits of mindfulness for children?

Emotional regulation and stress reduction

Coping mechanisms—Including mindfulness for kids in your program equips them with effective coping mechanisms for managing stress and emotional challenges. Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing and focused attention, help children regulate their emotions and reduce anxiety.

Stress resilience—Mindfulness fosters resilience in the face of stressors. Children who practise mindfulness are better equipped to handle everyday pressures, navigate changes and maintain emotional well-being. 

Improved concentration and cognitive skills

Enhanced focus—Mindfulness activities, such as meditation and mindful breathing, contribute to improved concentration. Children learn to direct their attention to the present moment, enhancing their ability to focus on tasks and academic activities.

Cognitive development—Regular mindfulness practice has been linked to enhanced cognitive skills, including improved memory, problem-solving abilities and creative thinking. These benefits positively impact a child’s overall learning experience.

Social and emotional intelligence

Empathy development—Mindfulness encourages the development of empathy and compassion. By fostering an awareness of one’s own emotions and the feelings of others, children build strong foundations for positive social interactions and relationships.

Conflict resolution—Mindfulness equips children with valuable conflict-resolution skills. By teaching them to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively, mindfulness promotes healthier communication and problem-solving in interpersonal relationships.

Integrating mindfulness into a child’s education and daily routine is essential for promoting emotional regulation, enhancing cognitive skills and nurturing social and emotional intelligence. These benefits contribute to the overall well-being and success of children in various aspects of their lives.

Document your efforts in teaching mindfulness to kids and share photos and videos with families with our educator app, Playground, to ensure you never miss a moment.

Sources: 

• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-03/meditation-hailed-as-important-tool-for-helping-kids-with-stress/11168336
• https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/blog/2020/05/05/meditation-in-schools/
• https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/ight-mindfulness-activities-to-try-at-home-with-kids/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/sensory-play 

Patricia Podolig Donaldson
Marketing Content Specialist

Marketing and communications professional with over eight years of experience, writing about Xplor Education’s comprehensive suite of products since 2021.

Lillie Marshman - Wellbeing Leader

Teaching and Learning:

School Assemblies:  Our assemblies happen each Friday afternoon starting at 2:45pm 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

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 8-
Weds 4/9  -  Mrs Bettina Bird Compliance workshop Ballarat

Senior M:

Well here we are, Week 7 already and we are almost in Spring. It has been wonderful to observe the students' growth both in their learning and in their maturity this term.

In Reading time, students continue to explore a set reading strategy through the Cars & Stars Reading program, using the knowledge that they gain to improve both their literal and inferential comprehension skills. Recently, we have been looking at how to identify, compare and contrast signal words in texts, and will be shortly moving on to using context clues to make predictions when reading. In Reading we have also been reading our class novel ‘Trash’, a story set in a place called Behala which follows the adventures of 3 boys who find a bag at a dumpsite and become targets of the Police and Government officials who will do anything to take possession of what was inside.

In the Writing block we have been looking at how we can use our senses to ‘paint a picture’ of the place we are writing about for our audience and completing a ‘sentence a day’ to keep our knowledge of complex sentences. We are currently writing a descriptive piece about “Our Special Place’, I can’t wait to read what the students produce.

In Grade 5 Maths, we have just completed a sequence of lessons exploring angles and are now focusing on reading, writing and breaking apart 7 digit numbers, while the Year 6’s have just completed a series of lessons looking at common fractions and mixed numerals and are now working on converting between different units of measurement.

In Religion, we have spent a fair bit of time unpacking the term ‘covenant’ with a focus on how Jesus invited his disciples to share a covenant with him while sharing a meal with him at The Last Supper.

Finally, in Wellbeing, we have been teasing out the topic of bullying in response to ‘National Say No To Bullying Day’. During these lessons, we have defined the word bullying, explored examples of bullying and looked at the role of bystanders when bullying is taking place.

Leon Moloney 

Students of the Week:

Book Week:

Thank you to all those who were able to come along to help us celebrate book week.  It was a fantastic week full of exploring rich literature.

Living in Faith:

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

Parents & Friends:

Thank you to our wonderful families for the overwhelming response to the Book Week Morning Tea donations. We were lucky to have enough slices leftover that have been frozen, and will be used next Thursday at the Black Range Aths Sports. 

I would like to extend my thanks to the parents who have also generously offered their food donations for next week, and as a result of it we haven’t needed to put a call out to the broader school community. The Black Range Aths sports is a huge outside fundraising event as we prepare to feed around 200+ kids and their families. 

The committee have been busy working behind the scenes to prepare for the Father’s Day Stall, which we will hold tomorrow. There are a brilliant array of gifts for the children to purchase, ranging between $1 individual items and $15 gift packs. We hope the special Dad figures in our lives can open something exciting this Sunday morning. 

Looking ahead to the last day of term, we will be providing a lunch order at school to coincide with Oodie, Hoodie and Footy day. The lunch pre-order form will arrive home in the coming days. 

These final few events round out a successful Term 3 of fundraising and as always I thank everyone for your ongoing support. 

Don’t forget to like our Facebook page - St Patrick’s Primary School Stawell, Parents and Friends Association - for continuing updates. 

Kate Field
President

Birthdays:

Congratulations to this student who celebrated their birthday  this week: 

Kora

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

Please find below the link for the July 2024 edition of
“Our Diocesan Community”
This Magazine is a way to share the good news stories of our schools, parishes and agencies across the diocese.

 https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ODC-July-2024-web.pd

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.