Newsletter 73- October 21 st 2022

At this time, we hold in our minds and hearts all those affected by the floods and pouring rain.  Our hearts go out to those whose homes, possessions, businesses and crops have been destroyed or damaged by floods.  We remember in prayer:

Those whose lives have been disrupted, those who are feeling vulnerable and weak, Those who are facing both long-term and short-term needs, those who are homeless 

We pray also for all those who are meeting needs at this time:

Volunteers and community workers,  those working to clear roadways and homes that have been damaged

Police officers, emergency personnel, medical and social welfare responders

We make all our prayers in the name of Jesus, who reached out always to those most in need.   AMEN.

https://theresilienceproject.com.au/at-home/podcasts/s4-episode-33-dr-kiran-martin/

Please enjoy this weeks Podcast.

Assembly:

It is fantastic to once again have our Friday school assemblies happening. Assembly starts at 2:50pm every Friday afternoon in the hall. All family and community members are welcome. 

Assembly roster for term 4:

Week 3 - Middle H

Week 4  - Senior M

Week 5- Middle B

Week 6 - Foundation

Week 7 - Junior R

Week 8 - Senior M

Week 9 - Middle B

Week 10 - Middle H

Week 11 - Buddy & Foundation

Professional Development:

At St Patrick’s Primary School we are committed to the 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 4:

25/10/22 Miss Ryan & Ms M Comitti       Data Literacy in Schools       Offsite  

26/10/22 Ms M Comitti, Miss L Comitti, Mrs Harney 8-10am

The Writing Revolutionary

27-28/10/22 Miss Hughes       Offsite 

Thankyou:

Valhalla Catering - A massive shoutout to Matt Cameron (Valhalla bbq) and Linda who helped on the night.  We are very grateful to Matt for the time and care he took in preparing a delicious dinner for us. 

End of year celebration - Save the date

Wednesday 14th December, 2022.  

Our next community celebration where we can come together will be 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 2022.  

Students will begin working on a classroom Christmas presentation that they will perform on the night.  We hope you can join us in celebrating a terrific year of learning and teaching and growing together as a community of learners.

More details to come. 

What a busy start of the term we have had! Students have settled back into their learning and are engaged and working hard. 

In Reading, we have been learning about figurative language such as: idioms, similes and metaphors.  Middle H has really been trying to wrap their brains around the idioms. Ha! Ha! Also, we have started reading the text ‘The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane’ and the students have been examining the character of Edward in each chapter to identify how his character traits change.

In Writing, we have been learning how to write persuasively. It was great to see the students' faces as they walked into the classroom and realised their chairs had gone on strike and had left a letter that stated the reasons why they were on strike and the children would have to write a letter to convince them to come back. There have been some excellent discussions and arguments created as well as fantastic displays of emotive language used. I can’t wait to read the children’s letters. 

In Grade 3 Maths, students have been learning about fractions. Our main focus was counting fractions on a number line beyond 1. We are now able to write improper fractions and mixed numerals. 

In Religion, we have been learning about the Uluṟu Statement and read the children’s book, ‘Heart of a Nation’. Children were able to share their understanding and illustrate their 'take aways' from the story. 

In Wellbeing, we have introduced the concept of being kind in the classroom and out of the classroom.  Students discussed what they think an act of kindness would look like before creating a pledge of an act of kindness they were going to try and do this term. 

Sacraments:

If there are any families that would like their child to celebrate the Sacrament of Eucharist this year and I have not made contact with could you please contact me as soon as possible.

Fundraising: 

From next Friday 21st October our Social Justice group will be selling Zooper Doopers for $1.00 each every Friday. 

October is World Mission Month, a month dedicated to the life-giving work of missionaries around the world.  This year Catholic Mission is raising money for local communities in Ethiopia to help provide life-changing opportunities to those most in need.  

If you would like more information or wish to make a donation please visit:

https://www.catholicmission.org.au/worldmissionmonth

Below is an extract from Catholic Mission and their current work in Ethiopia. 

We are currently supporting a range of mission development programs in Ethiopia addressing malnutrition, the lack of access to education for young children, and the vulnerable position of women in society.

In the rural region of Emdibir, where 70 percent of families struggle to put food on their tables, we are working towards providing them with a sustainable source of nutrition by building a goat rearing centre. The resources produced through the Centre will help fight malnutrition, a phenomenon that contributes to 50 percent of child deaths. 

In the capital, Addis Ababa, the life-giving work carried out by our local partners is helping children access education.

We are also supporting women in the town of Meki to learn skills and gain financial independence by providing access to vocational training, which can help them secure employment or start their own businesses. 

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

Maryanne Comitti  Religious Education Leader

Mason Scott - For the hard work you have shown in all learning areas throughout the first 3 weeks of Term 4. Keep up the great work Mason.

Joel Kuriakose Parayil - For the positive transition you've had back into our classroom after being away last term. We're all pleased to have you back Joel.

Lexie Bailey - For your awesome performance in the Andrew Chinn concert.  What a star you are!

Henry Carter - For your excellent work and accuracy when making Fact Families.  You are a mathematician!

Texas Davenport - For settling in to life at St Patrick's and for following our school values of; we are safe, we are learners and we are respectful! Well done Texas!

Peter Aird - For displaying confidence and leadership during our Andrew Chinn concert on Wednesday - you were a super star! Well done Peter!

Henry Wadge - For your well thought out OREO paragraphs in your persuasive writing piece. Keep up the great writing!

Jackson Notting - For your dedication to self- improvement and making positive learning choices. Keep it up!

Thomas Truong - For your well written persuasive introduction demanding your chair to be returned. You stated your opinion and included 3 reasons. Great work!

Charli Pickering - For your persistence when learning about challenging fractions. You have demonstrated a growth mindset and the attributes of a great learner. Keep it up!

Ethan Jones - For the positive way you have been engaging with your learning and for asking questions to deepen your knowledge and understanding.

Maddison Prydderch - For the fantastic efforts you have made with your writing and the pride you have shown towards your learning.

Torah Pickering - For working extremely hard in all subject areas, especially Mathematics.

Grace Oram - For always giving your best in all areas of your learning. Well done Gracie!

Congratulations to these students who are having their birthday this week:

Evie Field

Thomas Truong