Newsletter 171- July 31st 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 2 - Mini Vinnies for Kindness Day
Week 3- Middle B
Week 4- Senior R
Week 5- Book Week Parade Assembly
Week 6- Junior C
Week 7- Senior M
Week 8- Junior B
Week 9- Commendation Badge Presentation

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 2 Week 3 & 4- 
Week 3- Miss Kerrie Ryan LSL- Dojo messages will be answered by Bettina.

Naidoc Week:

During the school holidays, people all across Australia celebrated NAIDOC Week. This year is extra special because it marks 50 years of NAIDOC Week celebrations.

The 2025 theme is “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.”
It’s about honouring the past, celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and cultures, and looking to the future with hope and pride.

NAIDOC Week is a time for all Australians to learn more about the rich history, stories, and achievements of First Nations peoples.

Last week, we celebrated NAIDOC Week in our classes by engaging in a range of activities. Students listened to stories, songs, and videos that shared Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history, and achievements. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn, reflect, and celebrate together.

Exploring the Stages of Learning in the Stepping Stones Mathematics Program

At St Patrick’s, we use the Stepping Stones program by ORIGO Education to guide our Mathematics instruction. This program is designed around a clear structure of learning that supports students in developing deep and lasting mathematical understanding.

A key feature of Stepping Stones is its focus on the three stages of learning:

• Introducing – New concepts are explored using discussion, visual models, and hands-on experiences to build understanding before formal methods are taught.
  
  
• Developing – Students refine their understanding through practice, shared reasoning, and problem-solving. They begin to use more formal strategies and language.
  
  
• Mastering – Skills and knowledge are consolidated so students can apply their learning with confidence and flexibility in a range of contexts.
  
  

As students progress through these stages, you might hear them talk about different types of activities and assessments that they do in class. 

• Pre-tests are short assessments given at the start of a new unit to help teachers understand what students already know and where support might be needed.
  
  
• Post-tests occur at the end of a unit and allow students to demonstrate their growth and understanding of the concepts covered.
  
  
• Quarterlies are longer assessments administered four times a year to monitor each student’s progress across the curriculum. They help us track growth over time and inform planning for future teaching.
  
  
• Check-ins are informal, ongoing ways teachers gather information about student understanding during lessons—these might be short tasks, discussions, or reflection questions.
  
  

These tools are not about ranking or comparison, but about ensuring every child is supported and extended appropriately. They help our teachers plan learning that meets students where they are and stretches them towards the next stage of understanding.

Week 1: 

Angeth Kur - For the positive and enthusiastic mindset you brought into Term 3. You should be proud of the wonderful holiday recount you wrote.

Ailani Cooper - For the focus you show during Auslan lessons, consistently remembering signs taught and extending your learning with enthusiasm.

Joanna Sandeep - For being such a delightful member of the class. Congratulations and thank you for your beautiful smile and the happiness you bring each day.

Rhylen Mullane - For always being so dedicated to your learning each and every day. You are a very responsible and respectful student who enables teachers to teach and learners to learn. Thank you!

Nasar Werry - For the wonderful contributions you have been making during class discussions in all learning areas. Keep up the hard work Nasar!

Elektra McGaffin - For the wonderful enthusiasm that you have demonstrated in all learning areas so far this term. Well done Leki, keep it up!

Jai Hine - For the excellent start you have made to this term. Well done and keep up the great efforts Jai!

Marley Carlsen - For the great efforts you have been putting into completing tasks and sharing during discussion times. Keep it up!

Curtis Calantog - For the great work you have been doing in Maths with your skip counting by 5s. Keep it up!

Evie Field - For demonstrating great kindness and welcoming arms to all the new students in the Middle classrooms. Thank you Evie!

Liam Kingan - For being a fantastic addition to our classroom.  Welcome to St. Patrick’s, we love having you here!

Tahlia Darker - For the great work you have been doing in maths. Well done on correctly creating and interpreting column and line graphs!

Charli Pickering - For going above and beyond in all activities to extend your learning.  Keep working hard!

Harper Bibby - For contributing to class discussions with depth and clarity.  Thank you for sharing your wonderful knowledge with others!

Week 2: 

Elsie Dalton - For beginning the term with a positive attitude and staying focused on your reading and writing tasks. You have been brave in taking risks with your spelling.

Ayah De La Cerna - For your positive attitude towards all learning and for independently planning and writing your own fairy tale.

Leon Prockter - For the fantastic work you are doing in Maths. Your counting skills have really improved and you have a great knowledge of 2 digit numbers. Well done!

Bobby Pickering - For being such a happy, kind and enthusiastic member of the class.  You have 'joi di vivre'! I hope you continue to find happiness and joy in each day.

Finn Greenhalgh - For being a risk-taker and working hard during maths. Well done Finn!

Oliver Prockter - For being a risk-taker to create some fabulous sentences during our Sentence a Day writing this week.

James Hooper - For the great enthusiasm you have shown towards our new class novel - RUNT.

Lexie Bailey - For the amazing resilience, thoughtfulness and efforts you have been demonstrating during our Wellbeing lessons. Well Done Lexie!

Isaac O'Callaghan - For the great enthusiasm and curiosity you have shown towards our new class novel - RUNT.

Jack Driscoll - For your amazing sentence of the day about the dog and his BBQ challenge. Can't wait to see your next sentence. Well done!

Thomas Truong - For the way you collaborated with peers in Maths to solve problems involving perimeter and area. Keep up the great work!

Mia Bailey - For the self-motivation you are showing to uplevel your writing when completing your information report. I look forward to seeing your final presentation on the bilby!

Adi Ratcliffe - For making choices which benefit your learning in Maths whether it be by completing extension activities or seeking help when needed.

Augus Justin - For the way you have engaged your audience when writing your introduction for your information report. Keep challenging yourself Augus!

This week, our school has been immersed in acts of kindness as part of our Kindness Day. Across every classroom, students have taken time to reflect on what it means to be people of compassion, service, and generosity in both their words and actions.

At the heart of this work lies the message of Jesus—to love one another as He has loved us. Kindness, in its most powerful form, is not just about good manners or gestures—it is about recognising the dignity of every person, acting with courage, and building a community where all feel welcome, valued, and included.

This connects deeply with the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which remind us that we are part of one human family. Whether we are caring for someone who is lonely, protecting the earth, or standing up for what is right, we are living out our faith.

As our students learned through their actions this week:

• Human Dignity calls us to treat every person as precious.
  
  
• Solidarity invites us to stand together, especially with those who suffer.
  
  
• The Common Good urges us to seek what is best not just for ourselves, but for everyone.
  
  

Together, we grow in kindness not as a one-day event, but as a lifelong mission.

Do you or someone that you know need some help?

 If you need help with groceries and shopping vouchers go to -

The Cottage 20 Sloane St Stawell.  Open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 10:30am and 12:30pm. In out of hours emergencies ring 0408 038 949.

If you need help with fresh fruit and vegetables go to -

Stawell Neighbourhood House 42 Sloane St.  Open Mondays – Fridays 9am -5pm.

If you need help other than groceries and food, contact – Stawell St Vincent de Paul Society – 0437 344 324 and leave a message.  They will contact you within 24 hours.

Mary Rita Thomas
Sec. and Public Officer, Stawell Inter Church Council (welfare Cottage)
President, Stawell conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society

FUNDRAISING:

Each Friday 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. 

Maya

For always going above and beyond to help staff and students in our school.

Thank you for your Kindness.

Wilem

For showing kindness and being a supportive and encouraging member of the classroom

Thank you for your Kindness.

Congratulations to these students who celebrated their birthday in the last fortnight and over the Holidays: 

Mackenzie B, Henry T, Ted, Jai H, Dixie, Johan, Lexi M, Saviero, Levante and Zeke