Newsletter 32 - October 14th 2021
Prayer of the Week:
During the pandemic our lives are vastly different, we are facing many challenges, climate change, war and poverty exist and are a reality for many. Our school communities are facing situations like we have never experienced before. In faith we are invited to link our story, in faith, hope and love, transforming our world to a place where God’s dream is truly alive. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus illuminating the journey. Merle Shain’s poem “Better to Light Candles” is an interesting reflection about loss, faith, hope and love.
Better to Light Candles:
It is better to light candles than to curse the darkness.
It is better to plant seeds than to accuse the earth.
The world needs all of our power and love and energy,
and each of us has something that we can give.
The trick is to find it and use it, to find it and give it away.
So there will always be more.
We can be lights for each other,
and through each other’s illumination we will see the way.
Each of us is a seed, a silent promise, and it is always spring.
Principal's Report:
Welcome,
It has been wonderful to have all our students back onsite (albeit part-time for some) this week. It has been great to be able to reconnect with the students and I am sure that they have enjoyed reconnecting with their teachers and peers.
As per the roadmap set out by the Victorian Government the school will continue with the staggered re-entry to onsite learning. For next week our Foundation to Grade Two will continue to be onsite full-time; our Grade Three and Four students will be onsite on Tuesday and Wednesday; and our Grade Five and Six students will be onsite on Thursday and Friday.
When students are not onsite they will continue with remote learning with learning programs to be delivered via ClassDojo. The school will also continue to offer onsite supervision for the children of essential workers and those that are deemed vulnerable.
From Tuesday, October 26th all students will return to onsite learning full-time.
Face Masks in Schools:
Last week, Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton announced that masks for students in Grades Three and above will be mandated in indoor settings unless an exception applies. Masks are strongly recommended for students in Foundation to Grade Two in indoor settings, but will not be mandatory. Students are able to bring their own masks or the school has a limited supply available.
Transitions:
The school was set to hold our first transition session for the Foundation class of 2022 on Monday October 18th. Unfortunately, due to current restrictions it is not possible for this to happen at school. Instead the school will be sharing a ‘Welcome to St Pat’s’ video with all our 2022 Foundations families as well as local kinders. We are hopeful that our second transition session scheduled for November 3rd will be able to go ahead at school.
For our students at the other end of our school who are preparing to transition to high school, we are in constant communication with both Marian College and Stawell Secondary College in regards to transition sessions. At this stage no in person transition sessions are possible but we will continue to keep our Grade Six students and families updated.
Fees:
A reminder that all 2021 fees need to be be paid. Please contact the office to discuss payment options.
Fullness of Life for All:
Earlier this week I sent out a letter in regards to the ‘Fullness of Life for All’ resource which will be used across the school this term as the students look at the topics of My Body, Life Cycles and Relationships.
This resource was produced by the Catholic Education Office Ballarat (CEOB) in response to the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria commitment to the Victorian Government child safety reforms, which require all school governing authorities to ensure appropriate education about healthy and respectful relationships (including sexuality), together with education about child abuse awareness and prevention. The Diocese of Ballarat has developed a curriculum scope and sequence that sets out what is to be taught in primary schools from Foundation to Year 6.
In all things that we do at St Patrick’s, it is vital that our school community is informed and involved. The school will be holding two online parent information sessions on Monday October 25th at 9.30 am and 5.30 pm. We are very fortunate that one of the developers of the program, Jim Waight, will be joining both sessions. Jim held a professional development session with teachers earlier in the year.
Remind, Warn, Act!
This term at school we have introduced a new approach to dealing with minor classroom behaviour issues. If a student is not following the behavioural expectations of the school the following stepped process takes place:
1.Remind - The student is reminded of the school expectations
2.Warn - The student is warned of the consequences if their behaviour continues.
3.Act - The student is asked to go to the office where they complete re-entry reflection questions. The student will also sit out for a part of the next playtime.
More information regarding the approach is attached.
With Faith in our Future
Chris McAloon
Wellbeing:
Welcome back everyone, what a crazy two weeks it’s been!
It was amazing welcoming back the grade 3/4 and 5/6 students for two days each this week. We cannot wait until everyone is back to school on a full-time basis. I hope the students are as excited as we are about returning to school.
For our wonderful parents and grandparents, thank you for continuing to support and guide your child/ren over the countless weeks of remote learning we have endured. Now is the time to start following the roadmap out of activewear, please refer to the roadmap above.
Take a look below at the child’s path to wellness which involves all areas of wellbeing: - intellectual, occupational, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness. These are some great examples of how we can all boost children's wellness.
Thank you for taking time to check in on your wellbeing this week,
Lillie Comitti - Wellbeing Coordinator.
Living in Faith:
Mission month
October is Mission month where Christians are called to love God, and our neighbour. Mission encourages Christians to reach out, give life by sharing personal and financial resources to proclaim the Gospel, serve people in need and act for peace, justice and creation.
Unfortunately due to remote learning and COVID regulations we are unable to have our traditional Mission day activities.
One missionary in the Catholic church was Saint Teresa of Avila.
Saint Teresa of Avila was someone who dedicated her life to God and living out God’s mission. Teresa was born in 1515. Teresa was born in Avila. Avila is a town in Castile, Spain. When Teresa was seven years old, she tried to run away with her brother, Rodrigo, to Africa. Teresa wanted to go to Africa to tell the people there about Jesus. They didn't get very far. Their uncle brought the children back home. Teresa's mother died when Teresa was 14. When Teresa was 15, her father had her move into a convent. A convent is a house where nuns live. In the 1500s it was common for young girls from wealthy families to go to a convent to be educated. When Teresa was 20, she became a nun. A nun is a religious person who devotes herself to God's work. Teresa prayed a lot about living a simpler life, and when she was 40 years old, she started a new convent. The sisters in this new convent all agreed they would live simply and spend their days studying and praying.
St Teresa of Avila expresses what the mission may look like for followers of Jesus in the following prayer:
Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on Earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks with compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on Earth but yours.
- St. Teresa of Ávila (attributed)
Fullness of Life for All - Information Sessions:
This resource was produced by the Catholic Education Office Ballarat (CEOB) in response to the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria commitment to the Victorian Government child safety reforms, which require all school governing authorities to ensure appropriate education about healthy and respectful relationships (including sexuality), together with education about child abuse awareness and prevention.
The Diocese of Ballarat, has developed a curriculum scope and sequence that sets out what is to be taught in primary schools from Foundation to Year 6. Please click on the link below for the Scope and Sequence of the Fullness of Life for All program.
We will be having an online parent/carer information session, which will be facilitated by Jim Waight from the Catholic Education Office. Jim was instrumental in writing the program. The Fullness of Life for All program will commence in Term 4.
We will be holding remote online information sessions with Jim on Monday 25th October at 9:30am or 5:30pm. We will post a link on the school story on dojo closer to the date where you will be able to access the meeting.
Teaching and Learning:
A reminder to please send your childs school hat to school or they can be purchased from Mensland in the Main St Stawell. Hats are reversible with all house colours on the inside for sports days. It is compulsory for all children and staff to wear a hat for outside play in terms 4 and 1. Thankyou
FOUNDATION:
We have had a great start back to school for Term 4 in Foundation.
In Reading we have been learning new digraph sounds. This week we have learnt the digraphs ‘th’ for thumbs up and ‘oo’ for moon. We have also been learning the new tricky words: what, want, and where.
In Maths we have been learning about the order of events and the order things have to happen in. We have looked at what comes first, second and third. We have also been learning about the teen numbers. We have had lots of fun learning that ‘teen’ means a number and ten more, for example fourteen is four and ten more.
In Writing we have been reading the book Click, Clack Moo - Cows That Type. We have been talking about the meaning of the words demand, furious and impatient from the story. We have been writing about the demands the animals made of Farmer Brown and how furious Farmer Brown got when the Cows and Hens stopped giving him milk and eggs.
In Religion we have been learning about looking after our world. We have watched David Attenborough talk about the natural world and thought about what we can do to help keep our planet clean and safe. We made promises of things we could do to help look after God’s world.
In Wellbeing we have been learning about being grateful and saying thank you. We have thought about a time when someone helped us and wrote a letter to say thank you.
Mrs Sharp
Around the town:
Northern Grampians Shire Online Art competition:
Please find attached the updated poster for our Children's Week Online Art Competition, including two additional themes: Active living or Healthy places to help inspire all of the budding artists out there.
I look forward to seeing some wonderful creations, and ask if you could please indicate your participation and potential entry numbers in order for me to be able to make prize preparations.
If you have any queries, please let me know.
Kind regards,
Bernadette Thursby
SUPPORTED PLAYGROUP FACILITATOR
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Email: bernadette.thursby@ngshire.
PO Box 580, Stawell, VIC, 3380
Mobile: 0438 838 765
Upcoming Events
October 18th- Foundation 2022 1st Transition Day - Not Onsite - Welcome Pack and Video to be shared
October 25th - Monday Parent online Fullness for Life session - 9:30am and 5:30pm
October 26th- All Students back on site
November 3rd - Foundation 2022 2nd Transition day TBC
November 5th - School photos TBC
November 12th - School Closure Day - Staff Professional Development
November 15-17th- 3/4 Camp TBC
November 18th - Foundation 2022 3rd Transition day
December 7th- Statewide 2022 Transition Day
December 8-10th - 5/6 Camp TBC
December 16th- Students final day 3:15pm dismissal
December 17th-Teachers Final Day
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land on which our school stands.
We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
We thank them for sharing their cultures, spiritualities and ways of
living with the land in this place we all now call home.