Newsletter 91 - April 6th 2023
Prayer of the Week:
Dear Lord God, we thank you that you are a forgiving God, who wipes out all the wrongs from the past, and starts anew with us today.
Bring healing and comfort to those who are anxious, upset, lonely, or ill today; encourage those who help and care for them. May all who suffer be led from pain to peace.
We give you thanks for your loving mercy shown to us in Jesus Christ, who endured the suffering of the cross to overcome all that separates us from you, and was raised up to new life.
Strengthen our faith in the victory of the cross and the hope of eternal life. Help us to grow in the life which does not end, in love and friendship with you, which lasts forever; through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen
Principal's Report:
Welcome,
A Reflection for Holy Week by Joan Chittister OSB
Easter confronts us with the greatest challenge of them all: faith in darkness. Just because we know that what we’re doing is right does not mean that it will be easy. It certainly does not mean that even our best efforts will prevail. It finally does not mean that what we live for will happen in our lifetime.
Mary Magdalene is our model. She was one of the women who, according to Luke’s Gospel, “followed Jesus, supporting him out of their own substance.” She banked her whole life on the fact that the vision of this Jesus would come to fullness.
She believed in him and everything he believed in: She believed in the Beatitudes. She believed that the curing of cripples was a more important moment in time than even the celebration of the Sabbath. She believed in women as he did and in the poor as he did and in the reform of the synagogue. As he did. She believed in him first, before anyone else, and she followed him to the end, even when all the others had disappeared.
She followed him in the light and, finally, like the rest of us, she followed him in darkness. She went to the tomb, to the place where it was clear that failure lay. But she went in the faith that what had come to life in her because of him, even if suppressed in the world around her for a while, could not die. Not in those who had been touched by him. Never in her. Not really.
It was then that she found him risen. Gone. Beyond the grasp of those living in whom there was no life and who had wanted him dead so that their own death-dealing could go on.
The message to us is a clear one. When we follow Jesus, the path is often through darkness to what looks to the world—to us—like failure and defeat. But when we ourselves carry the message of Jesus—when we live the life of Jesus here and now, when we, too, confront the world around us with the blessedness of those poor, those outcast, those foreigners, those women, those voiceless for whom Jesus gave his life—we carry within ourselves the promise of new life. We live the ongoing message of the Resurrection itself: What comes in the name of Jesus will not die.
With Faith in our Future
Chris McAloon
Wellbeing:
Teaching and Learning:
Senior 5/6 M:
Well who can believe we are already at the end of Term 1. Our class has had an amazing term together both socially and academically setting the foundations for a great year ahead.
In Reading time, students continue to explore a set reading strategy through the Cars & Stars Reading program, using the knowledge that they gain to improve both their literal and inferential comprehension skills. Recently, we have been looking at recalling facts and details that support the main idea in different texts. A highlight of our week is our Wednesday reading block, where we read our class novel titled “Boy Overboard” and respond to each chapter in different ways. The novel explores the life of Jamal, Bibi and their parents fleeing the control of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the obstacles they face on the way.
In the Writing block, each student has just completed a narrative piece of writing of their choice. A focus for students has been to use a mix of simple, compound and complex sentences and to include literary devices such as metaphors, similes and hyperboles to take their writing to the next level.
In Math, both Grade 5 and Grade 6 students have recently completed their first Stepping Stones quarterly assessment where they have the chance to demonstrate their knowledge of what they have learnt in Modules 1 to 3 for the year.
In Religion, students have been looking at the role Caritas plays in supporting people less fortunate than us with a focus on the people of Nepal. In addition to this, Grade 6 students have been busy preparing their presentation of The Stations of the Cross which will be presented to the whole school at today’s assembly.
In Inquiry this term, students have been involved in the DASH program, an eight week externally run program for Years 5 and 6, in which students develop and practise critical competencies through a range of modalities and experiences. The program encourages awareness of local community and builds relationships with community experts.
In Science, we have been looking at migration and hibernation and exploring the reasons why animals move or stay put to cope with extreme changes in temperature.
Cross Country
A big thankyou to all the students who were able to participate on Wednesday at our Annual school cross country. Fine weather and plenty of enthusiasm, resilience, self motivation and a bit of risk taking to extend ourselves and have a go, made for a really great St Pats community event. Congratulations to all children. Well done to Mackillop house for taking line honours over all.
School Assemblies:
Our assembly this week is this afternoon starting at 1:50pm in the school hall. Students are dismissed from the hall at 2:15pm. We invite all our community to come along.
Week 10: Senior 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 which may result in classroom teachers being out of the classroom. We will endeavor to make note of this in the newsletter whenever possible.
Week 1 Term 3:
Monday 24/4/2023 Whole school staff PD and CPR update No Students onsite
Save the date - Mothers day/ special persons day celebrations:
When: Thursday 11th May 2023.
Where: Junior hub and hall.
Students will know the area they will be in.
Please enter via hall. Time: 12:30pm
Guests gather with students for liturgy. Students each have lunch with their guest/s.
At approximately 1:00pm guests go to the hall to share a cuppa, light luncheon and chat.
Graduation
Congratulations to Josh Cunningham (Middle C) who attended his Graduation ceremony last week receiving his Bachelor of Teaching Degree.
We are thrilled to have you join us Josh.
Living in Faith:
Thankyou to all those who have returned Project Compassion boxes. If you still have a box at home could you please return it first week back next term.
In case you missed it, here is our March edition of the CSPV Connect News.
In this issue we included the following:
Advocacy - CSPV survey for parents to share what's important to them in education
Advocacy - CSPV opportunities for parent members
Wellbeing - CSPA survey for parents to share views for a national review on classroom disruption
Curriculum - MACS invitation for parents to participate in a forum to share views on technology in education
Parent Engagement - Webinar with Anne T Henderson
Child Safety - Vaping Webinar for parents
Curriculum - Premier's Reading Challenge resources
We hope you enjoy the information we share and that you are able to publish in your school newsletters or on your school website. Please share with parents and follow us on social media so you can access other information that is relevant to you.
We'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for reading and sharing our content and look forward to supporting you and the families in your school in 2023.
Click to download the email update - CSPV Connect
Regards,
Rachel Saliba
Executive Officer - Catholic School Parents Victoria
PO Box 3, East Melbourne Victoria 8002
Around 70% of the chocolate we consume comes from West Africa, where it's estimated that more than two million children and young people under the age of 18 work as labourers in cocoa harvesting. Some of these children are trafficked; many are working under harmful labour conditions. The cocoa they produce that ends up in the chocolate we eat.
Some suggestions for ethical chocolate brands following:
- Aldi's UTZ Certified Dairy Fine, Choceur, Moser Roth and Specially Selected Easter chocolate ranges.
- Chocolatier Australia's Fairtrade milk and dark chocolate 100g eggs, available through Coles, Woolworths, David Jones and other chocolate suppliers.
- Coles also has a range of branded UTZ, Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance-certified Easter chocolates.
- The Haigh's Chocolate-made Easter egg range is UTZ Certified.
- Devine chocolate eggs and bunnies are Fair Trade certified, and are available through IGA, other selected stores and online.
You can find the Be Slavery Free Chocolate Scorecard here. The scorecard features most of your favourite brands and explains how they rate in several key areas including child labour, payment of a living income and the impact on climate.
Turkey/Syria Earthquakes:
- On February 6, 2023 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeast Turkey near the Syrian border.
- On February 20, 2023, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Hatay province in southern Turkey, causing more damage
- More than 850,000 children remain displaced in Turkey and Syria.
- Over 1.9 million people are seeking shelter in tents and temporary shelters in Turkey and 500,000 people in Syria are homeless.
- Even before this disaster, more than 6.5 million children in Syria needed humanitarian aid due to the ongoing conflict.
- The combined death toll has surpassed 46,000 in both countries, with many more injured.
Peru:
Heavy rainfall has been affecting most of Peru since January 2023, causing floods, rivers to overflow and triggering landslides that have resulted in casualties and damage. The Government has declared the state of emergency for 1,030 districts (54% of the total of districts across the country).
Some of our students have been learning about Catholic Social Teaching and the reasons why Catholic Christians choose to support those in our communities who are not as fortunate as we are. Just like Jesus, we want to look after the poor, respect human dignity and work towards the common good.
This is a social justice/Mini Vinnies St Patrick’s School initiative.
Today will be our last Social Justice/Mini Vinnies lunch for selling Zooper Doopers.
Thankyou for your support Maryanne Comitti Religious Education Leader
Please follow us on instagram; stpatsstawell
Parish news:
Easter services:
Thursday: Ararat 7pm Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday: Stawell 3pm Passion
Saturday: Lake Bolac Easter Vigil 6.30pm
Easter Sunday: Ararat 8.30am // Stawell 10.30am //Landsborough 12.30pm
Other Prayers on Good Friday
Stawell 11.30am “A walk through the Easter Story” in the Stawell Town hall carpark garden. BYO chair optional.
Ararat 11am - Anglican Stations of the Cross Alexander Gardens,
Ararat 3pm Anglican Church Passion
Stawell Combined Churches Ecumenical Services Easter Sunday - 9th April. Dawn Service on Stawell’s Big Hill. Beginning at 6.30am, followed by a breakfast in the Uniting Church hall.
Gariwerd Parish
Parents and Friends News:
Up coming house activity:
Mackillop - Athletics Day - Term 2 - Friday 5th May - Kate and Melissa
Thank you
Parents & Friends Committee
Birthdays:
Congratulations to these students who celebrated their birthday this week and over the upcoming school holidays:
Ruby Driscoll, Jack Sullivan, Charlie Sullivan, Fletcher Thomas, Imogen Nelson, Archer Cooper, Beverly Parkin Alamo, Mason Scott, Tanner Freeland, Avaya Hollis, Elektra McGaffin, and Madilyn Carlsen.
Around Our Community:
*Please see attached poster:
Scavenging Stawell will be a Scavenger hunt for all ages to participate in at Cato Park Stawell from 7 to 21 April.
The Event will initially be online over Easter by following the QR code to enter,
or people can wait until Tuesday 11th to pick up a hard copy of the questions at Stawell Neighbourhood House.
There are great prizes to win:
Garmin watch donated by DASH and Garmin
2 x $200 voucher to Sportspower
$100 Grampians Adventure Golf Halls Gap voucher
$100 Halls Gap Zoo voucher
5 x Netball balls
5 x Footballs
$100 Stawell Leisure Centre voucher
$75 Stawell Fitness Centre voucher
Upcoming Events:
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.