Newsletter 106 - August 25th 2023
Prayer of the Week:
We pray when we read that the seeds may fall in good soil. We pray for books to reach all people all over the world. We pray for those who read books with children and teach children to read. Thank you for giving us books. Thank you for the ability to read for we know not everyone enjoys this privilege, Amen.
Interim Principals Report:
Dear St Patrick’s community
Happy Book week!
Book week is such a great week to be involved in. It allows us to celebrate the magic of reading and the endless possibilities for growth and learning that books offer. As I’ve been in and out of the classrooms this week it has been great watching our dedicated staff deliver a wide range of engaging lessons and activities for our students.
For our students, book week is a time to deepen their love for literature and also foster critical thinking and creativity. Research shows that reading stimulates the part of the brain that allows children to understand the meaning of language and helps build key vocabulary, literacy and social skills. It allows us to be transported from our own world to another. Between the pages of a book, we can become immersed in the lives of fictional characters and learn about a culture entirely different from our own.
We can also learn new words and phrases, experience a range of emotions, and acquire skills and knowledge. In addition to this, sharing stories is a great way to enjoy time together and help children build a love of reading for pleasure. Thank you to our families for fostering the love of literature with your children which we support and build on at school. It is such a wonderful experience to witness the excitement in our children’s eyes when they begin reading.
We are all super excited about our book parade tomorrow. This event is always a great morning with our community. The parade will start at 9:00am in the hall. All are welcome. After the parade you are invited down to the classrooms to be a part of the students' learning. There will be morning tea in the hall at 11:00am.
Thank you for all your hard work preparing for Book Week and making costumes to ensure the day is a great success and lots of fun.
New Principal
Earlier this week I posted the announcement of our new Principal Mrs Bettina Bird who will commence with us on Monday 30th October, 2023. We look forward to welcoming Bettina to our St Patrick’s Community. Thank you to Catholic Education Ballarat and all those involved in the process of appointing a new Principal for us.
With faith in our future Maryanne Comitti
A word from the office:
Wellbeing:
Teaching and Learning:
School Assemblies: Our assemblies are led by a different class each week and will happen on Friday afternoons starting at 2:50pm in the school hall. Students are dismissed from the hall at 3:15pm. We invite all our community to come along.
Week 7: Book Week Week 8: Senior M Week 9: Middle C
Week 10: Whole School Assembly 1:50pm
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. Wk 8: Nil
Book Week Learning:
Each year since 1945 the CBCA has brought children and books together across Australia through Children's Book Week®. During this time schools and public libraries spend one glorious week celebrating books and Australian children's authors and illustrators.
This year’s theme is Read, Grow, Inspire.
Book Week is one of the highlights of the school year at St Patrick’s and this week the students have been immersed in reading different books, learning about authors, illustrators, book themes and engaging in creative activities based on the Shortlisted Book Week books read in class.
All our activities culminate in our annual Book Week Parade which occurs this Friday at 9am in the school hall. Staff and students dress up and share their favourite books and characters. It is also a time for all the Grandparents and special people in our lives to come visit our classrooms and see what wonderful work our students have produced this week and throughout the year.
There will also be a special Book Week assembly Friday afternoon where students from different classes will share some of the amazing Book Week activities they have participated in.
The theme is read, grow, inspire.
The highlight of book week is tomorrow Friday 25th August where students are invited to dress as their favourite book character with a whole school parade at 9am where our community/grandparents day are able to attend and then come into the classrooms.
Followed by shared morning tea in the hall.
Great Book Swap - happening at St Patrick’s Primary School,2023. Literacy is a major issue facing remote Indigenous communities. Has been temporarily postponed.
This term Social Justice will begin working on The Great Book Swap in support for Indigenous Literacy. The idea is that our school would donate any quality unwanted children’s books, and Social justice will then conduct a Book swap where students are able to purchase any of these donated books for a gold coin donation. All money raised will be donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. *Please send any donated books (in great condition) into school, thanks to those who have already donated.
*Thank You to those who have returned their RSVP, if you haven’t returned your form yet could you please do so ASAP.
Annual Fathers day/special persons Celebrations: Our annual Fathers day/special persons celebrations will take place next Friday 1st September, 2023. While Fathers Day is a celebration of fatherhood, it's a time for us to honour, celebrate and to be thankful for all of the men, father figures and male role models in our lives. We recognise the very important role you have in the lives of children.
*We will have an evening bbq and games where we invite all fathers and special male figures in our children's lives to come and celebrate as a community.
Students of the week:
Archer Cooper - For the resilience and risk taking you’ve been taking to improve your writing. Keep up the great work Archer!
Nasar Werry - For the self- motivation you’ve been showing towards improving your reading, keep up the great work Nasar!
Delilah Terwisscha - For the effort you have been putting into your maths. Well done on identifying how many tens and ones in a two-digit number. Keep working hard!
Dixie Davenport - For the care and effort you have put in to your Book Week activities this week. You are a very creative girl!
Curtis Calantog - For the self-motivation you have had with your maths work, the way you are taking on challenges is something you should be very proud of.
Emila Jones - For the self-motivation you have shown with learning about multiplication. Keep up the super work.
Tanner Freeland - For your ability to take on feedback and apply it to your writing. Your self- motivation to improve in this learning area is commendable. Keep it up!
Peter Aird - For the fantastic results you achieved on your recent spelling assessment. Well done Peter!
Willow Boylan - For the outstanding results you have achieved in your spelling and maths this last week. Be very proud of yourself Willow!
Oliver Sutherland - For scoring a perfect 20/20 score on your Stepping Stones Module 8 check-up. Keep up the awesome work Ollie!
Callum Reading - For showing persistence when writing complex sentences. Your writing has improved so much! Keep it up Callum!
Catherine Fulton - For showing self-motivation and persistence in every learning activity you complete. Keep it up Catherine!
Lolah Freeland - For being an amazing leader both in and out of the classroom. You are an amazing role model for your peers.
Riley Carlsen - For the amazing complex sentences you have been creating during our sentence a day activity.
Birthdays:
Congratulations to these students who are celebrating their birthday this week: Henry C, Mahli, Charles, Edwina and Kora
Living in faith:
Sacraments:
It was lovely on Sunday to see the following students celebrate their Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation: Sophie, Bill, Jack D, Harper, Ethan Pr and Boston.
We pray for God to strengthen these children with gifts of grace, to love and serve as a disciple of Christ.. Fill them with the joy of your presence. Increase in them the fruit of your Spirit: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of love, patience and gentleness, the spirit of wonder and true holiness. Amen
Mary Mckillop Award:
Mary MacKillop lived a life dedicated to her faith and serving the needs of others. Wherever and however she could, Mary MacKillop did everything possible to improve the lives of others. This award acknowledges the thoughtful actions of the students at St Patrick’s to help others.
"No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted."
This weeks award recipient is Luke .
For showing great kindness and going out of his way
to reach out and help a younger student who had been injured.
Parents and Friends News:
Fathers day/special persons stall:
Thankyou once again to P&F who will be running a Fathers Day/special persons stall next Friday 1st September, 2023.
If you are able to help P&F either preparing gifts or setting up next Thursday 31st August or manning stalls please contact Vaughan, Kate R, Libby, Marietta, Erin, Melissa or Kate F.
Gifts will be available to purchase by the children, ranging from $1:00 to $ 10:00. The children take such pride and excitement in carefully selecting their gifts for their Father and special person in their life.
Diocesan/Parish news:
Mass Times:
Ararat Sunday 8.30am
Stawell Sunday 10.30am
Lake Bolac 1st, 3rd, 5th Sundays 6.30pm Vigil Sat
Landsborough 2nd, 4th Sundays 12.30pm
Glenthompson (Hamilton Parish) 2nd, 4th Sundays 8.30am
Please follow us on instagram; stpatsstawell
Around Our Community:
Upcoming Events:
Our Vision and Mission:
Vision Statement: St Patrick's School is a community which reflects and celebrates Christ as its centre point: By honoring our story we value our whole community. By coming together our vision is for a loving, just, compassionate and tolerant world. Mission Statement: In the tradition of St Patrick, we are committed to: Promoting and celebrating a love of God, self and community. Recognizing and enhancing the talents and uniqueness of each person through our vision of Prayer, Care and Learning. PRAYER We nurture and grow our relationship with God as members of a faith community. CARE We foster recognition of difference, compassion for others and the strength to act on our beliefs. LEARNING We develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills essential to reaching our full potential as life- long learners.