Newsletter 53 - May 6th 2022
Prayer of the Week:
All-loving God, we give you thanks and praise for mothers young and old. We pray for young mothers, who give life and count toes and tend to our every need; may they be blessed with patience and tenderness to care for their families and themselves with great joy. We pray for our own mothers who have nurtured and cared for us; may they continue to guide us in strong and gentle ways. We remember mothers who are separated from their children because of war, poverty, or conflict; may they feel the loving embrace of our God who wipes every tear away. We pray for women who are not mothers and others that love and shape us with motherly care and compassion. We remember mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers who are no longer with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love. Amen.
Principal's Report:
Welcome,
Mother’s Day
This Sunday we celebrate Mother’s Day. This is an important day to remember the important role that our mother and mother-figures play in our lives. From aunts to grandmothers to friends, we all have many women in our lives that we can look up to.
From a Catholic perspective, Mother’s Day also provides an opportunity to reflect on the role of Mary the Blessed Mother. Mary has a unique place in the Catholic faith. She is the Mother of God, born without sin, yet still one of us. Her willingness to say “yes” to God’s calling is one that we try to emulate in our lives every day. Mary demonstrates the important role a mother plays in their child’s life, even if that child is the Son of God.
At a school level, today we hold our annual Mother’s Day Liturgy and Luncheon. This is a real highlight of the year. It is wonderful to be able to have so many mothers, grandmothers and special people at school to mark this occasion. On Thursday our wonderful Parents & Friends group ran a very successful Mother’s Day stall. A big thank you to all involved.
Staffing Announcement
I am very pleased to announce that Allistair Gehan has joined the St Patrick's team as a Learning Support Officer. Allistair comes from a hospitality and tourism background. He has also been a volunteer on a number of St Patrick's school camps and has demonstrated a great ability to connect with students. We look forward to Allistair bringing his talents to our school.
COVID Update
Unfortunately, there is currently a number of active Covid-19 cases in our school community. I would like to thank everyone for doing everything possible to limit the spread. I also hope that all those affected recover quickly. A reminder that if a student or family member tests positive for Covid-19, it is still a requirement to inform the school. This allows the school to inform the school community when someone who has been onsite during their possible infectious period tests positive to Covid-19.
CODEFLIX Email
Earlier this week, I understand a number of people received an email that appeared to come from the school promoting a product called CODEFLIX. This is a computing coding tutoring program that may well be valuable but is no way endorsed by the school. The email was sent on behalf of Skoolbag, which is a service the school had previously used to communicate with families that is no longer in use. The school is in contact with Skoolbag and CODEFLIX to inform them of our disappointment with the way in which the email was presented and to ensure no future advertisements are sent out to members of the school community.
Athletics Sports
Our whole school athletics carnival is being held on Monday 9th May, 2022 at the North Park sports ground. All students will participate and will be transported to and from the event by bus, departing school at approximately 9.30am and returning at approximately 2.45pm for dismissal as usual at 3.15pm. Should a parent/guardian wish to take their child home directly from North Park, they will need to notify their child's classroom teacher at the conclusion of the program.
With Faith in our Future
Chris McAloon
A Word from the Office:
Kind regards,
Anna Wadge, Business Manager
Wellbeing:
Held at Stawell Secondary College on Monday May 16th and 6:30pm
Teaching and Learning:
Assembly:
How exciting - Whole school assemblies are back. We are able to have all parents & friends in the hall. All assemblies commence at 1:50pm on Friday afternoons in the Hall.
Assembly roster for term 2:
Week 2 Junior H/2
Week 3 Middle H 3/4
Week 4 Junior R/1
Week 5 Senior F
Week 6 Middle B 3/4
Week 7 No Assembly
Week 8 Senior M 5/6
Week 9 Foundation
2022 Foundation Families BBQ dinner - Wednesday 11th May, 2022.
Parents of current 2022 Foundation students are invited for a BBQ dinner, meet and greet on Wednesday 11th May at 6:00pm.
Staff will also present practical information about how you can best support your Foundation child/ren at home in developing their reading skills. They will share their expert knowledge, reading strategies and activities that all families can implement at home. Foundation parents will be able to meet the staff at St Patricks and ask any questions they may have.
Could you please RSVP to Anna in the office by Monday 9th May, 2022 for catering purposes.
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 which may result in classroom teachers being out of the classroom.
Maryanne Comitti - Teaching and Learning Leader
Naplan - Grades 3 & 5 10th - 13th May, 2022.
The National Assessment Program - Literacy And Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a set of tests undertaken by all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 across Australia each year in the month of May. Students will be undertaking Writing, Reading, Language Conventions and Numeracy assessments.
This year NAPLAN will be held online for all schools with the exception of the Year 3 Writing test which will be paper and pencil.
The aim of NAPLAN assessments is to highlight the educational developments that students make over the course of their time at both Primary and Secondary School.
NAPLAN is not a pass or fail style of test, but rather it demonstrates how individual student’s Numeracy and Literacy skills are progressing, against national standards for all Australian children. The results of this testing provides information for students, parents and teachers, which is used to improve student achievement.
Later in the year you will receive your child’s personal NAPLAN report. This report will describe your child’s particular skills in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. The report will also show how your child performed in relation to national minimum standards. These describe the minimum acceptable standards for students across Australia.
It is important to note that the twice yearly individual student reports prepared by the classroom teacher, give a more comprehensive and accurate picture of what your child is able to do and areas they may find challenging.
If you have any questions regarding NAPLAN please see your child’s classroom teacher who will be happy to help.
For more information about the tests, please visit the VCAA website at www.vcaa.vic.edu.au or the NAP website at www.nap.edu.au
Living in Faith:
There will be a meeting with Fr Andrew for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist on Wednesday May 18th, 2022 at 3.15pm or 5:30pm in the Middle/Senior hub.
Thankyou to those parents who have expressed interest in the Sacraments.
If you would like any information regarding the Sacraments please contact me.
Maryanne Comitti
Mothers day/ special persons day celebrations:
When: Friday 6th May 2022.
Where: Junior hub and hall.
Students will know the area they will be in. Please enter via the hall.
Time: 12:30pm
Guests gather with students for liturgy. Students each have lunch with their guest/s.
At approximately 1:15pm guests go to the hall to share a cuppa, light luncheon and chat.
Please RSVP by Wednesday 4th May, 2022.
(invitation sent home with return slip)
A shoutout to our Parents and Friends Committee Nicole Osborne and Libby O’Callaghan for organising gifts. Thankyou to our generous parents who volunteered their time to run the Mothers day stall. Students love the independence of purchasing a gift for their mother/special person.
We appreciate and value your support.
Students of the Week:
Beau Cullen - For trying really hard in InitiaLit this week sounding out and reading words. Great work Beau!
Max Lasslett - For the wonderful neat writing in your mothers day card. Keep up the brilliant work Max!
Edwina Crouch - For your amazing work in maths. You are correctly using the Count On strategy when adding on one, two or three. You are a superstar!
Daniella Parkin Alamo - For the wonderful reading and spelling you have been doing during InitiaLit lessons. Keep up the hard work!
Bailey Matthews - For working so hard at learning the jump split addition strategy in Maths. Great work Bailey.
Akech Kur- For your wonderful work in Initialit when learning new spelling rules. Excellent work Akech.
Maddox Austin - for your great efforts to improve your understanding of the subtraction algorithm.
Archie Coxon - for your excellent vocabulary work with suffixes and prefixes
Liam Cameron - for demonstrating the value of the school, be a Learner, during writing and reading lessons. Keep up the excellent work!!
Serena Daniel - for demonstrating the values of the school, be respectful, during all subject areas. Continue to be a wonderful role model for your classmates. Well done!
Bonnie Kuchel - For your calmness in the classroom and for always completing learning tasks with such a positive attitude.
James Hemley - For your creativity towards your learning and the contributions you have been making to class discussions. Keep up the super work.
Azariah Ciavatta - For the amazing work you have been doing in Maths to master multiplication algorithms.
Will St. Clair - For the wonderful leadership you demonstrate in and out of the classroom.
Parents and Friends News:
Mothers Day and Aths sports day update:
What is happening this term....
Welcome back to term 2, we have started with a bang!!
Yesterday we had a beautiful Mother's Day stall for the students to select gifts for their mums/special people. We were lucky to engage local business person Susan Byron from Grampians Unique Baskets and Gifts for some beautiful gifts. Thank you to Trish, Kerry, Yas, Libby and Nicole for giving their time to run the stall and Will and Zarah from grade 6 for coordinating the students to visit the to stall. Thanks to Nicole for organising the event, your hard work doesn't go unnoticed. It is Trish, Kerry and Nicole's last Mother's Day stall for the school and the P&F acknowledge all the wonderful work they have done over the time their children have been at St Pat's. If you are interested in helping for next years please let me know. We hope all mums and special people enjoy their gifts as much as it has been an enjoyment in preparing them for you all.
On Monday we have our Athletes day. There will be food available for spectators on the day with soup, sausages, hamburgers, dim sims, tea/coffee/hot chocolate, slices and lollies. We have had a great response for helpers and a roster will be drawn up soon and distributed through a Facebook messenger group. If you have been allocated a time and can't make it, either swap with someone else or please let me know. Good luck to all our little athletes and hope you have a great day.
Thanks, Libby O'Callaghan
Birthdays:
Congratulations to our students having their birthday this week:
Hunter Weavell
Max Lasslett
Around Our Community:
Please follow us on instagram @stpatsstawell
Mass times/Church Bulletin:
Upcoming Events:
Monday 9th May - Whole School Athletics Day-please wear house colours - North Park
Tuesday 10th May - Friday 20th - Naplan online Testing window
Wednesday 11th May- Foundation Meet and Greet BBQ Dinner 6pm
Monday 23rd May - Catholic Education and Reconciliation Week
Tuesday 24th May - Open Morning 9am for 2023 Enrolments. Details to come
Wednesday 25th - Senior 5/6 Winter Sports Day
Thursday 2nd June - Junior R and H excursion to Historical Society
Friday 3rd June - School Photos 😁
Tuesday 7th June - Wellbeing Day
Friday 10th June - School Closure Day RE PD for staff
Monday 13th June - School closure Day - Queens Birthday public holiday
Tuesday 21st June - Discovery Day at the SSC
Acknowledgement of Country:
We acknowledge the Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali people as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land. 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.