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.

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Newsletter 155- November 14th 2024

Prayer of the Week:

God, Our Father, loving and merciful, bring together and keep all families in perfect unity of love and mutual support.
Instill in each member the spirit of understanding and affection for each other.
Keep quarrels and bitterness far from them, and for their occasional failures instill forgiveness and peace.
May the mutual love and affection of parents set a good example.
Instill in children self-respect that they may respect others and grow in mature independence.
May the mutual affection and respect of families be a sign of Christian life here and hereafter, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

Principal's Report:

Dear St Patrick’s community,

Kindness Day, celebrated on November 13th, reminds us of the transformative power of small, thoughtful gestures. Every act of kindness, no matter how simple, carries the potential to brighten someone's day and inspire a ripple effect of compassion in our community. As we reflect on this special day, let us take inspiration from St. Mary MacKillop, who famously said, "Never see a need without doing something about it." Through her example of service, dedication, and boundless kindness, we are encouraged to uplift one another through our words and deeds, creating a culture of compassion that extends far beyond a single day.

May we be guided by our faith and the example of Christ, whose love and compassion knew no bounds, and follow in Mary MacKillop's footsteps of active kindness.

A Prayer for Kindness
Loving God, fill our hearts with compassion and our minds with patience. Help us to see Your light in each person we encounter and to treat everyone with the kindness and respect they deserve. May our words and actions reflect Your love, inspired by the example of St. Mary MacKillop, and bring hope to those in need. Amen.

I want to take this moment to acknowledge and thank the members of our School Advisory Council for their unwavering commitment and dedication to the betterment of our school community this year. We held our last meeting for the year on Tuesday evening with dinner at Trackside. Their guidance and contributions have made a meaningful difference to our school and school community. As we look ahead, I warmly invite parents to consider joining the SAC at our Annual General Meeting, which will be held around Week 5 of next year. Your involvement can help continue building a strong, supportive environment for all students.

A note from Father Andrew in case it wasn’t caught on the Church Bulletin:

This week I received a new appointment from Bishop Paul. In mid-January I will take up my new ministry in the parishes of Colac, Apollo Bay and Cororooke. There will be time for more of a chat about this, but for now I am both sad to be leaving our parish and excited to have a new challenge. I did apply for the move. Ten years is plenty. By now you know all you need to know about Babylon! Gariwerd Parish will be advertised in the coming days. And that's exciting too. Fr Andrew

Kind blessings,

Bettina

From the Office:

Dear Parents/Guardians,

A friendly reminder that if you do not already have an existing fortnightly direct debit payment plan in place, your 2024 school fees are now due and payable.

For families of Grade 3 and 4 Students, a reminder that Camp is just a couple of weeks away, and Camp fees must be fully paid prior to the departure date.

Payment can be made by electronic transfer to;

National Australia BankName: St Patrick's Primary School Stawell
BSB: 083 408
A/C: 873223326
Please include your family name as a reference for receipting purposes.

A big thank you to all our families for your ongoing support. As always, if you have any questions regarding your school fee account, please do not hesitate to contact me in the office.

Kind regards

Anna Wadge
Business Manager

Wellbeing:

Supporting children’s social connections in tough times

Social connections provide an important network for supporting children’s wellbeing and helping them get through tough times. When things are difficult for families, it can be hard to support these connections.

What are social connections for children?

A child’s social connections are the relationships they form outside the home and can include extended family, friends, neighbours, educators at childcare/early learning or school and the people they meet through their wider community by being part of sporting groups, clubs or other local organisations. These relationships can help give children a sense of belonging and help their wellbeing, especially when times are tough.

It can be hard to see our children struggling to form social connections, but it is understandable that they might find it hard to connect with others when our families are impacted by things like:

Money struggles or poverty
Housing insecurity or homelessness
Disability discrimination; and ongoing distress or mental illness.

As parents we play an important role in helping children find and sustain meaningful social connections when times are tough, but these are often the times when we’re carrying a lot as well.

What gets in the way for parents?

Some of the things that parents told us get in the way of supporting children’s social connections are:

Having the mental space to pay attention, notice, or bring it up in useful ways
Feeling lots of uncomfortable emotions when thinking about it
Figuring out how to support children to be safe while being social
Dealing with big issues like health, family violence, family court, homelessness or having to move
Not having enough time or energy to support and manage your or your child’s relationships with school or childcare/early learning; and
Not having enough money for children to be involved in or travelling to activities and social events.

What gets in the way for children?

Some of the things that families and children told us get in the way of children’s social connections are:

Not having enough money to pay for social activities
Having ongoing health issues in the family
Not being able to afford lunch orders
Being bullied
Moving all the time and not being in one place for long
Being homeless
Having a distressed parent
Not feeling you can trust people because of family violence
Feeling embarrassed to have friends visit; and
Not being able to afford clothes or things that other children have.

Before you read on, take a moment to think about…

What things are your family up against that might be getting in the way of your children’s social connections?
Have you noticed anything about how your children are responding to the challenges your family is experiencing?
What might help you work together with your children to support them with connections that are right for them?

Learning about children’s social connections

Finding ways to learn about our children’s social connections can help us to:

Understand each other better
Work together to feel more connected within and beyond our families; and
Help us navigate through tricky times in these relationships.

Sometimes our children may be already telling us about relationships that:

Are important to them
They wish for; or
Are making them feel unsafe.

But we aren’t always able to hear what they’re telling us, especially when tough times are making life stressful.

We can try asking children about their interactions at school or in other parts of their life to learn more about their social connections and how we might be able to support them. We could also help them to reflect on their relationships by asking themselves questions like:

Does this person accept me for who I am?
Do I feel safe with this person?

This can also be really useful if we’re worried they are in a difficult friendship or relationship, and can give them a chance to think about the kinds of relationships they want to have and what is not OK for them.

Other questions you might think about asking your child

If you were feeling sad or worried, who could you talk to?
Who did you hang out with at school today? What did you do together?
Who are the other people in your life that you feel safe and supported by?
Who do you like to have fun with other than us (parent/s)?

Before you read on, take a moment to think about…

What do you know about the social connections that are important to your children right now? Are they with your family dog, their grandmother, their netball teammates, or an imaginary friend?
What do you already know about things that make social connection harder for them?
What might you not know about these things? How could you find out and work out how best to support them?

..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Please make your children aware of what ASD is and how it can look for children at our school who have been diagnosed with it.

What is autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental condition. It affects how people behave and interact with the world around them.

People with ASD will all have different experiences and need different levels of support. Along with some challenges, a person with autism will also have a range of strengths.

Health professionals used to think that Asperger's syndrome and autism were separate conditions. It is now understood that they are both part of one condition, called autism spectrum disorder or ASD.

About 1 in 100 Australians has ASD.

What are the symptoms of ASD?

The main symptoms related to ASD fall into 2 broad areas:

difficulty with social interactions and communication
restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests

The features of ASD usually start in infancy, but they may not be noticeable until the age of 18 months or older. Sometimes ASD is only noticed much later in life.

Children

For young children with ASD, signs of social difficulties may include:

lack of social exchanges such as pointing or showing you things
reacting to other people in an unusual way
frequently wanting to be alone
delayed speech or repeating specific words over and over
avoiding eye contact

Signs of behavioural difficulties in young children may include:

excessively following routines and excessive distress at changes
repetitive movements, such as flapping hands, rocking or spinning things
strongly reacting to sensory input, such as loud sounds or crowded places
restricted interests, such as only playing with certain toys
frequent tantrums

There may be different signs of autism at different ages. In older children with ASD, signs may include:

trouble understanding body language and social cues
following instructions very strictly
difficulty making friends
restricted interests, such as only talking about certain topics
aggressive behaviour

Videos:

Ms Lillie Marshman

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 6: Senior H

Week 7: Junior B
Week 8: Middle B
Week 9: Junior R & Junior B
Week 10: Grade 6
Week 11:

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 4 Week 7- NIL

Senior H:

Senior H

It’s hard to believe we’re already in the final term of 2024, especially for our Grade 6 students who are preparing to head off to Secondary College soon. So, what’s been happening in this exciting last stretch of the year?

Religion

In Senior H, our Religion unit titled Solidarity has focused on the importance of coming together to make a meaningful difference. Students have explored ways to support those in need and learned that small actions can create significant change. This commitment was displayed during our Socktober Day, where our school community raised an impressive $418.00. These funds will go to support communities in Mongolia, helping to make a positive impact. We are incredibly grateful to all our families who contributed to this special day and demonstrated the spirit of solidarity in action.

Reading

In Reading this term, we have been developing our skills with two key strategies: finding word meaning in context and drawing conclusions and making inferences. These strategies are helping us become more thoughtful and analytical readers. We recently completed our PAT Reading assessment, giving us a great benchmark for our progress. Each week, we continue to build fluency by working with partners in Paired Fluency reads, where we give and receive valuable feedback to improve our reading flow and expression. We've also enjoyed exploring current news items through Kids News articles, sparking lively discussions and keeping us informed on what’s happening in the world.

Grade 6 Maths

In Grade 6 Maths, we've been focusing on understanding percentages and how they connect with fractions and decimals. This knowledge helps us see how different forms of numbers are related and how they can be converted from one form to another. We discussed how percentages are used in real-life situations, like calculating discounts on items, which made the concept even more relevant and exciting. Now, we’re able to approach shopping deals and other real-world scenarios with confidence, understanding how much we’re saving and how percentages work in practical contexts.

Grade 5 Maths

In Grade 5 Maths, we have been learning to analyse nets, focusing on the key features that differentiate the nets of pyramids and prisms. We practiced drawing 3D objects from various viewpoints, helping us to visualise their shapes in new ways. Additionally, we completed a 'Check-up' assessment to review our understanding of these concepts.

Writing

In Writing this term, we have been learning all about letter writing. The Grade 5s practiced their skills by writing formal letters to Mrs. Bird to apply for leadership positions for 2025, while the Grade 6s crafted something special for their parents as a memorable end-of-year gift. Recently, we enjoyed a hands-on activity where we made stress balls using balloons and rice. Afterward, we carefully wrote a procedure on how to make them, detailing each step. This experience helped us practice clear, instructional writing in a fun and engaging way!

Remembrance Day

On Monday, the whole school honored Remembrance Day by observing a minute of silence to remember the soldiers who risked their lives for the peace we enjoy today. Throughout the week, students learned how to write Cinquain poems, focusing on creating stanzas that captured the themes of Remembrance Day and war. This poetic activity allowed us to reflect deeply and express our gratitude through carefully chosen words.

Auslan

This week, we had a visit from Jane, who helped us learn Auslan. She taught us how to sign phrases like “close the door,” “close the book,” “I don’t have...,” and “How do you sign...?”. Jane shared some helpful tips and stories from her own experiences with Auslan, making the lesson both educational and inspiring. We ended the session with a fun game, which made practicing our new skills even more enjoyable!

Design and Technology (with Mrs Cox-Hayward)

This week in Design and Technology, we started learning about the production of food. One stage of the Design Process is investigation. As part of the investigation process the Grade 5 / 6 students conducted taste testing of different cheeses in readiness to make a mini pizza. The pizzas will be one of the activities the grades 5/ 6 students participate in next week at Marian College.

Mrs Fiona Harney

Students of the Week:

Amelia O’Callaghan - For the incredible reading expression you have been using each reading lesson. Keep up the wonderful work Amelia!

Evelyn Hoare - For the sensational work you’re putting into your writing. I have been very proud of the ways in which you’ve been working.

Scarlett Rickard - For using your Self-Motivation Superpower to accurately tell o’clock and half-past times on analogue and digital clocks. Keep up the amazing work!

Chelsea Duck - For the amazing improvement you have shown in your reading fluency. You are reading very smoothly and like you are talking. Keep up the great work!

Delilah Terwisscha - For using so many super powers to write a fabulous recount about your wonderful holiday to see your grandparents. I was so impressed with your self-motivation and risk taking skills. We are so proud of you!

Georgia Aird - For being such an honest and caring friend to all. Thank you for finding someone's money and for immediately passing it back to them. We are so lucky to have you in our class!

Willow Boylan - For demonstrating a great understanding of 'The Kindness Boomerang' during our World Kindness Day activity.

Mason Whitfield - For the kindness, patience and collaboration you demonstrated during our 'Diary of a Wombat' activity with the Grade 2s. Well done.

Oliver Sutherland - For the hard work and self-motivation you have put into your fairy tale. You have challenged yourself and have gone above and beyond in your writing. Fantastic work Ollie!

Arli Werry - For the fantastic use of figurative language you have been demonstrating in your writing this week. It is a joy to hear what you have written. Well done Arli!

Ally Smith - For displaying confidence and determination in all tasks - keep working hard Ally!

Bill Lasslett - For showing self-motivation as well as a great understanding while writing our Remembrance Day poems! Super work Bill!

Charles Carter - For achieving another strong result in your recent Maths check-up. Keep working hard Charles.

Vibeesh Ranjay - For continuing to use effective strategies during Maths lessons. Well done Vibeesh!

Remembrance Day

Students from Grade 3/4 attended the Remembrance Day service this week to commemorate and remember all those who have served our country and to pay respects to those who have given their lives for us.

Our students were all highly respectful and represented our school well. We laid a wreath at the memorial on behalf of all the students and staff of St Patrick’s, which was brought up by Akech and Boston.

After the service ended the students all went and paid their respects at the memorial before returning to school.

End of Year Celebrations:

When: Thursday 12th December, 2024.

Where: St Patrick's Primary School Oval

Time: 6:30pm

Catering: TBA

BYO: chairs/picnic blanket

Carols: Each classroom will present a Christmas Carol throughout the evening

Our end of your celebration is where we can come together to celebrate our end of year and Grade 6 Graduation. It will be an evening to celebrate learning, strive for personal excellence and celebrate our achievements. It will also be a chance to say goodbye to our Grade 6 students and families that will be leaving at the end of 2024.

We hope you can join us in celebrating a terrific year of learning and teaching and growing together as a community of learners.

End of year Grade 6 Graduation liturgy: Thursday 12th December, 2024 5:30pm

Our Grade Six liturgy will be held in the school hall. Details to be advised.

Living in Faith:

Do you or someone who is doing it tough?

Please ask them to come to The Cottage 20 Sloane St Stawell. We are open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10:30am and 12:30pm. For out of hours emergencies ring 0408038949. If anyone needs help at Christmas, please come to the Cottage in November to put their name down. Christmas distribution will be on Tuesday 17^th December.”

Thanks,

Mary Rita Thomas
Secretary Stawell Inter Church Council

Fundraising:

From this Friday (11th October) each Friday till the end of the year our MiniVinnies group will be selling Zooper Doopers for $1.00each. The money raised will go towards Stawell Inter Church Council Welfare Centre and St Vincent de Paul Sponsor a student program.

As always we thank our St Patrick’s community for your support.

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. “True charitable humility is open. It is generous in its motives. It troubles not about either the esteem or censure of people” Saint Mary MacKillop

*Congratulations to this weeks award recipient: Harry Sutherland.*
For showing kindness and care for others like Mary MacKillop each and every day at school towards all of the children and teachers. You are a very special person Harry and we are so lucky to have you here at our school.

***Thank you for your kindness.***

Parents & Friends:

Raffle donations are still welcome, please drop them off to the office. Your generosity is much appreciated.

Birthdays:

Congratulations to these students who celebrated their birthday this week:

Andy, Mackenzie S & Bill

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

Bulletin_Nov_17.pdf

Please find below the link for the November 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/2024/11/ODC-October-2024-web.pdf.

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.