Newsletter 162- February 20th 2025

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 4: Senior R
Week 5: No Assembly- Swimming Sports
Week 6: Middle B
Week 7: Junior C
Week 8: Junior B
Week 9: Senior M
Week 10: Year 6 - Stations of the Cross

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 1 Week 5-
Friday 28th Feb - Miss Broadbent - MHiPS PD 

Auslan:

Hello Everyone,

This year we are embarking on our ‘Expand’ year of Auslan learning. Students take part in 3-4 lessons each week learning new signs and phrases that allow them to communicate with others using Auslan, with one of the sessions being online with our wonderful Auslan Language Assistant, Jane Hage. Jane also visits with us in person twice a term and often comments on how engaged our students are with learning the language.

As well as our Auslan lessons each week, we also encourage the students to use the signs they have learned in their daily school life. Many students are now proficient in asking to go to the toilet in Auslan and are able to greet others and staff using Auslan signs.

Currently the students are working on units relating to greetings, questions and how facial expressions are important in conveying meaning and feeling while signing.

This week Lexie and Emila are going to show us the Auslan signs for A B C D E & F.

Enjoy

Melissa Bonney
Literacy and Languages Leader

Senior R:

In Senior R we have had a busy start to the year with swimming! We have had five lessons continuing to learn how to swim and a lot of us were out of breath at the end. On the playground everyone has been playing different games including; sprouts, cricket, rope games and soccer.

In Literacy, we have changed the structure of our reading and writing.  We are reading War Horse and it is about World War 1 and the story is told from the horse’s perspective.  The Horse’s name is Joey.  We have changed the structure as it is new and Mr Moloney and Miss Ryan are about to change it again so we can use our Superpowers more.

In both Grade 5 and 6 maths, we have been learning decimals, multiplication and formal algorithms. 

In Religion, we have been learning about Nedd Brockmann and his commitment to running 1600km’s in 10 days, 10 hours and 36 minutes.  He ran the distance but didn’t break the record.

In Art, we have been learning about the colour of the year which is mocha mousse and we had to mix colours to make it and whoever is closest will win a chocolate.  We have also been learning about National Women’s Day.

In Science, we have learning about habitats and biotic and abiotic factors and in Inquiry we have democracy.

In Performing Arts we have been learning about different dance styles and how they have evolved over the years.

In our preparations for assembly Miss Ryan called Brain Breaks, Break Breaks and now it is a class joke.  Besides that, Brain Breaks have been super fun. Some we have been doing are Cup Competition, Don’t Get Caught, Pac Man, Hoop Challenges, Colour Challenges and Opposite Simon Says.

We are looking forward to Swimming Sports, Maths Olympics, Harmony Day but mainly camp!

By Maya, Allira and Mia

Week 3:

Patrick McKay - For showing the Learner Superpower of a Risk-Taker when trying something new. You are making progress with writing your name.

Oliver Dickson - For showing the Learner Superpower of Resilience by saying goodbye to Mum and settling into an activity with your friends.

Harrison Allan - For being such a collaborative, self-motivated and risk taker learner. Congratulations on making such a wonderful start of Year 1!

Ada Baulch - For being such a curious, self-motivated and collaborative learner. I am impressed by the way you respond so well to new learning experiences. Well done!

Chevy Haynes - For the wonderful support and feedback you gave to one of your classmates during Paired Fluency. Well done Chevy!

Valeria Di Pietro - For the self-motivation you have been demonstrating in all areas of your learning this week. Keep it up Valeria!

Jai Hine - For demonstrating resilience and self-motivation towards your learning. Keep up the great work.

Ruby Allan - For the self-motivation you have demonstrated this week while developing your rounding strategies in Maths. Well done Ruby!

Edie MacPherson - For reading confidently and with good expression!

Harrison Sutherland - For always staying focused, helping others and bringing a positive attitude to the class. Keep it up!

Eleanor Erwin - For the self-motivation and enthusiasm you are showing in Writing. Your creative thinking and vocabulary help make your work a pleasure to read. I cannot wait to hear your story from the rabbits perspective. Well done!

Lilly Hine - For your willingness to take risks when completing multiplication tasks in Maths. This has allowed you to correctly use the partition and formal algorithm strategies. Keep up the great work!

Aaliyah Carlsen - For your willingness to spend more time with a staff member during Maths to consolidate your knowledge of challenging concepts.

Lenny Field - For always being willing to involve yourself in classroom discussions. Well done Lenny!

Week 4:

Elsie Devery - For always trying your best in your learning. You are making great progress in your drawings, adding extra details and using bright, interesting colours.

Ailani Cooper - For showing great focus during InitaLit lessons and sharing your understanding of rhyming words and syllables.

Johan Joseph - For a wonderful start to school in Year 1 at St Patrick's. Thank you for working so hard and for always trying your best. Congratulations!

Mackenzie Bourke - For using all of the learning super powers each and every day. It is an absolute pleasure to be your teacher and see your enthusiasm for learning. Keep it up!

Mackenzie Stevenson - For the wonderful way you have been contributing to class discussions in InitiaLit this week. Keep it up Mackenzie!

Elektra McGaffin - For the self-motivation and enthusiasm you have been demonstrating in all learning areas. Keep working hard Elektra!

Bonnie Wickham - For the fantastic efforts and enthusiasm you have been putting into your daily spelling tasks. You are very nimble! Keep it up!

Lexie Bailey - For the self-motivation and enthusiasm you show during Maths lessons. Your number busting skills this week have been tremendous! Well done!

Wilem Lovett - For settling in so well to our class and always being a kind, welcoming and an enthusiastic learner. Keep it up!

Daniella Parkin Alamo - For being a kind and positive member of our class and always striving to do your best in all learning areas. Well done Daniella!

Archie Coxon - For the self-motivation you have put into your learning. I cannot wait to see what you achieve this year. Keep working hard!

Awuom Kur - For the wonderful way you ask questions and challenge your thinking to gain a deeper understanding of new learning. Keep it up!

Augus Justin - For the amazing resilience you showed when completing our fitness circuit during Sport.

Ethan Prydderch - For your willingness to involve yourself in whole class discussions. Keep it up Ethan!

Fundraising: 

Each Friday till the end of Term 1 our MiniVinnies group will be selling Zooper Doopers for $1.00 each St Vincent de Paul Sponsor a student program. As always we thank our St Patrick’s community for your support. 

Why do we at St Patrick’s raise money for the poor?  

Catholic schools participate in the Church’s mission “to bring the Good News to the poor” (Luke 4:18). In partnership with parents, parishes and other agencies within the Church and the broader community, Catholic schools are called to give witness to a faith which does justice with love. All have a responsibility to read the signs of the times and to respond with love and compassion, ever seeking to protect human dignity and serve the common good. The Catholic Church teaches that the poor represent those who are marginalised in society. Jesus himself taught the importance of helping those who are poor and need help.

Jubilee Year

This year is a jubilee year. Pope Francis has set the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope. In ancient times, a jubilee year occurred every 50 years and involved the cancelling of debts, a period of rest for people and the earth, and land being restored to the landless. Now, in The Catholic Tradition, ordinary Jubilees Years are celebrated every twenty five years.

Jubilee years invite Christians to set out on a journey and to cross boundaries. When people travel, they do not only change places physically, but also possibly change within themselves. 

From:

https://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/documents/ju_mag_01051997_p-78_en.html

https://cafod.org.uk/news/uk-news/why-is-2025-a-jubilee-year-in-the-catholic-church

In his explanation of the the theme Pilgrims of Hope, Pope Francis reflects:

Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from  serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness.

For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope. 

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/bulls/documents/20240509_spes-non-confundit_bolla-giubileo2025.pdf

Do you know 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.  

 Thanks,

Mary Rita Thomas
Secretary Stawell Inter Church Council

Thank you for your Kindness.

Congratulations to these students who celebrated their birthday in the last fornight: 

Indie, Lexie B, Isaac, Harrison A, Curtis, Elsie De, Adalind and Jye