Newsletter 2024/16 ~ 31 May 2024
As partners in Catholic Education and open to God’s presence, we pursue the fullness of life for all.
St. Patrick’s School is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all students.
St. Patrick's School is a child safe school.
We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pay respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples.
This newsletter comes to you from the lands of the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk Nations.
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From the Principal
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Now More Than Ever - National Reconciliation Week
May 27 - June 3 2024
A Reading from Laudato Si’
“It is essential to show special care for Indigenous communities and their cultural traditions. They are not merely one minority among others, but should be the principal dialogue partners, especially when large projects affecting their land are proposed. For them land is not a commodity but rather a gift from God and from their ancestors who rest there, a sacred space with which they need to interact if they are to maintain their identity and values. When they remain on their land, they themselves care for it best.” (LS n. 146)
National Reconciliation Week takes place each year from 27 May – 3 June. It’s a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving Reconciliation in Australia.
The 2024 National Reconciliation Week (NRW) theme, Now More Than Ever, is a powerful call to action. It reminds us that no matter the challenges, the fight for Reconciliation, and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must continue.
We can’t leave this unfinished business to the 3% of our population that is Indigenous. Achieving Reconciliation will require the efforts of all Australians. So what do we mean by Reconciliation? It’s all about coming to terms with our shared history and moving forward, together.
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CURRENT & RECENT EVENTS
Professional Learning
Staff have been busy this week with their Professional Learning. Teaching staff participated in a Religious Education session after school on Tuesday with Catholic Ed Ballarat Religious Education Leader, Bernadette Luckman. Earlier, Mrs Bell had a full-day inservice regarding STEM, Coding and Robotics. Miss Attard and Ms Farnham had online sessions with teaching staff from Our Lady Help of Christians and I attended an online Child Safety Network update with other school leaders and representatives of DFFH.
Mrs Rintoule and I also met with architects and DOBCEL Planning and Infrastructure staff as planning for our building project continues.
Lockdown Drill
All students and staff participated in an Emergency management drill this week with the scenario of an intruder on-site. This required everyone to go into a lockdown situation. Students completed the drill very well. Drills with varying scenarios are scheduled for each term throughout the year.
Illnesses
As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, there have been a number of students with coughs, colds and asthma issues in the past few weeks.
News reports in recent days have advised of increasing numbers of children presenting with cold-like symptoms and respiratory issues.
Families are reminded to ensure that they are up to date with vaccinations against influenza and COVID-19 (see the below flyer regarding upcoming influenza vaccination opportunities).
Thank you for your cooperation by keeping children home when they are unwell or showing signs of illness. This helps in preventing the spread of infections and ensuring the safety of other students and staff members.
WWHS Flu Vaccination Clinic
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School Saving Bonus
Earlier this term I encouraged parents to write to our local MP regarding the Allan Labor Government’s announcement of a $400 School Saving Bonus for all school students in government schools regardless of income, but only for Health Care Card holders in Catholic schools.
We in Catholic education have stated that this is deeply unfair and believe the payment should apply to all students, or be means tested for all students.
It should not be based on which school you attend.
This policy punishes families for choosing to send their children to a Catholic school.
Our school, together with other non-government schools and our peak body, the Victorian Catholic Education Authority, are working hard to oppose this policy.
Yesterday I received the following response from our local Member, Emma Kealy MP:
Thank you for your email regarding the Allan Labor Government’s School Saving Bonus – I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and your advocacy for the families at your school, and I absolutely concur with your sentiments.
Like you, I and my Nationals and Liberals colleagues were disappointed to see that Labor has excluded independent and Catholic schools from this initiative.
I understand that families at faith-based schools are not immune to cost-of-living pressures, and in many cases might feel them even more acutely than families who choose government schools.
This policy follows the Allan Labor Government’s imposition of the unfair Schools Tax in last year’s budget on independent and Catholic schools – a tax designed to divide Victorians and reduce parental choice in education.
Please be assured that I and the Nationals and Liberals will continue to advocate for families who choose faith-based education for their children.
Thank you again for taking the time to write to me and for your advocacy on behalf of the families at St Patrick’s.
Kind regards,
Emma
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Shekere Beats
Shekere is the name of an African percussion instrument made fromthe dried fruit of the gourd vine and loosely covered with a wide decorative band of beads. The sound is produced by holding the outer cover of beads in one hand and twisting the gourd across them or simply shaking the entire instrument.
Shekere Beats samples the various African rhythms produced by the shekere and other percussion instruments. With quirky African style, numerous drums and percussion instruments, guitar and a uniquely African wood and seed-pod xylophone, Shekere Beats is both a great exploration into the world of live music and a wonderful glimpse into another culture.
We look forward to experiencing Shekere Beats with a performance at school on Monday 3 June.
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Long Weekend
A reminder that we have a long weekend coming up. Monday 10 June is the King’s Birthday Public Holiday. There will be no school on that day.
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WWSSA Winter Lightning Premierships
This year the Winter Lightning Premierships will be held at Nhill College on Thursday, 13 June. The Years 4-6 students will be participating in Tee Ball. Parents are welcome to come and support the students. Students must wear school sports uniform. Students will need to bring a water bottle, lunch and snacks. Students with medical needs will need to bring their medications with them. Transport - Coach. Cost - $0.00. Teacher in charge - Mrs Bell. We will leave school at 9:00am and return by 3:15pm.
You can read the full details in the calendar event in PAM (SIMON Everywhere).
Christmas In June
(repeated)
The SAC are planning a family social evening for next month. Christmas in June will be celebrated in the School Hall on Friday 21 June. See the flyer below. Invitations have been sent home to all families and we ask that the RSVP slips be returned to school by Monday 3 June to allow for catering purposes. Please note that this evening is for immediate family members only.
Please email your RSVP to principal@spnhill.catholic.edu.au if you have misplaced your invitation.
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St Paul VI Parish Sacramental Preparation
First Holy Communion
Parents of those children who have celebrated their First Reconciliation sacrament earlier this year will be notified by email in early June of an Information Session date, where resources for First Holy Communion preparation will be distributed. Initial guidance will be given at the Information Session along with the resources and two further meeting dates will follow, to complete the necessary requirements before the sacrament is received.
Celebration of First Holy Communion will occur in Sunday Masses on set dates across the parish, most likely over August/September.
Confirmation
Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation will take place with a similar structure (home preparation and consolidation discussions in different churches) on a slightly later date scale.
Confirmation will be celebrated with Bishop Paul attending/visiting the parish as part of our Diocese 150th Year jubilee. Currently that timing is set for November.
Any questions, please contact the Parish Office on 5382 1155.
NCCD Information Sheet for Parents, Carers and Guardians
Strengthening Children and Teens against Anxiety
(repeated)
In our current world anxiety in children and others seems to be more and more prevalent. An event for parents, carers, professionals and others who are involved in caring for or raising our children is being held in Horsham on 4 June.
Strengthening Children and Teens Against Anxiety – June 4th – 2 sessions each 1.5 hours. The two sessions will be at 1.30 - 3.00pm and 6.30 - 8.00pm
Anxiety is a normal human experience. Sometimes it can become too big, and when children get caught in the tail whip of anxiety, it can swipe at their belief in themselves, their engagement with the world, and the glistening unfolding of their potential – but it doesn’t have to be this way. Anxiety is very manageable, and any important adult in the life of a child has a profound capacity to strengthen children and teens against anxiety and towards courage and resilience. With all anxiety, comes opportunities to strengthen children and teens with a mindset, skills and qualities that will lead them towards deeply fulfilling, brave, whole-hearted living. Let’s talk about how.
Bookings are open for both sessions.
Sunday’s Reading
Matthew 28:16-20
Last Sunday was Trinity Sunday. The Gospel reading for the day, Matthew 28:16-20 holds profound significance for Christians. In this passage, Jesus appears to His disciples on a mountain in Galilee and imparts a pivotal command: to make disciples of all nations, baptising them and teaching them to observe His teachings. This directive underscores the universality of Jesus' message and the responsibility bestowed upon His followers to spread the gospel. Reflecting on these verses, we are reminded of the enduring call to live out our faith actively and to share it with others. It is a mandate that transcends time and culture, emphasising love, inclusivity, and the transformative power of faith. This passage also reassures us of Jesus' continual presence, promising, "I am with you always, to the very end of the age." It serves as both a mission and a source of comfort, encouraging Christians to carry forward the work of Christ with confidence and dedication.
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Our Josephite Heritage
The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, often called the "Josephites" or "Brown Joeys", were founded in Penola, South Australia, in 1866 by Mary MacKillop and the Rev. Julian Tenison Woods. In 1949, three Josephite sisters arrived in Nhill to open St Patrick’s School. In 1978, the Sisters of St Joseph informed the Nhill Parish that they would no longer be able to maintain their role within the school.
We endeavour to honour our Josephite heritage through the regular presentation of the Little Joey awards at our assemblies. In support of this we also include a reflection from Mary MacKillop on our newsletter each week.
In National Reconciliation Week, the following quote comes from the co-founder of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
“It is such a common thing to find politicians shaking their heads and saying so wisely that it seems destined for the black races to fade away before the white. Fade away indeed! You stop a white man’s wages and give him nothing to eat, and see if he won’t fade away!” Julian Tenison Woods, 1867
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By the Numbers
97 - The number of consecutive One-Day International cricket matches played by Adam Gilchrist (1997-2001). This remains the most consecutive ODIs by an Australian cricketer.
The problem with losing on a Thursday night is that you have nothing to get excited about, in terms of footy, for the upcoming weekend. It’s even worse when you’re sitting on that loss for the next 17 days thanks to next week’s bye. I’ve got a dose of the blues for the next couple of weeks!
God Bless you all.
Kingsley Dalgleish
Principal
Classroom and Student News
Junior Class News
Hello wonderful families and welcome to the end of another week. I don’t know about you, but I feel the weeks are just flying by.
The juniors, as always, have had another week of fabulous learning. As you are aware, this week is Reconciliation Week. The F/1’s learnt what was special about May 27th 1967 and June 3rd 1992, and how Reconciliation Day is about respecting all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and working together to make our future happy and united. We discussed the key skills in reconciliation or making up that our juniors could comprehend – you might fight with a close friend. Then, you need to reconcile the friendship or make up. When you argue with friends, you don’t forget about the friendship or cause more problems with them. You reconcile or make up with your friend. You talk about the problem, are honest and say sorry for things you did. This is how you repair problems and continue to be even better friends.
In Maths this week, we have been focusing on time. The Foundation students have been connecting the days of the week with different events that happen in their lives and the different activities we do at certain times of the day. The Year 1 students have been learning to read and write both analogue and digital times to the hour and half hour. They have been learning the importance of being able to skip count by 5, and the important role the numbers and little and big hands are on a clock. See if you can test their knowledge at home!
In Literacy, the Green group gave been working hard to identify their learnt sounds and blending sounds together to read and write words. They have also been practicing how to correctly form their letters and identifying their tricky words. I hope that you all received the keychain with the letters and tricky words we have been learning. You will notice new letters and words are placed into your child’s diary as we learn them. Challenge your child to say the sounds, identify their tricky words and see what words they can create! This week, the Blue group have been looking at the ‘ar’, ‘or’ and ‘ore’ sounds, as well as plurals. They have looked at the suffix ‘s’ and tricky plurals, such as man/men, foot/feet, mouse/mice etc. They are learning to read fluently and the importance of reading punctuation. I am currently working on a keychain for the Blue group to add their learnt sounds and tricky words to also practice at home. Keep your eyes peeled!
Before I leave you for the week, I thought I would add a bit of family fun for all! Once you have found the answer, write your answer and family’s name down on a bit of paper and have your child give it to me. At next week’s Thursday assembly, I will draw out a winner for a little prize! Mrs Kupper
How many total squares are there in this image?
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School Wide Positive Behaviour Support SWPBS
Throughout the day, staff monitor for students demonstrating aspects of Respect, Responsibility
and Safety within our school. Students are issued a ticket to place in their classroom container. During assemblies, a draw takes place and those who have their ticket drawn out are invited to place a marble in their House container. The House with the most marbles at the end of each term will be rewarded.
Congratulations to all children who were recognised for their positive actions around the school. This week Samual, Declan and Avery were randomly drawn from the nominations for Respect, Responsibility and Safety, and have added tokens to their respective Houses' tallies.
Little Joey Awards
We continue to acknowledge the significant role of the "Brown Joeys" in the establishment of St Patrick's School, and recognised Avery, Harlow, Claire, Brodyn, Adoni and Treesa with Little Joey awards.
Our Little Joeys receive a certificate, sticker and a voucher/goods donated by a local business. We are very grateful for the contributions from our local businesses.
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Reading Achievements
The following students were recognised for their reading achievements:
50 nights - Julian, Zoe, April, Samual, Oscar, Brodyn
75 nights - Charlotte K
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School Advisory Council
Parent Representatives
- Rebecca Curtis
- Emily Gladdis
- Moo Khu James
- Michaela Koop
- Zanther McEldrew
- Ashleigh Meyer
Ex Officio
- Mons. Glynn Murphy - Parish Priest
- Kingsley Dalgleish - Principal
Meeting Dates
- Tuesday, 23 July 2024, 7:30pm
- Tuesday, 15 October 2024, 7:30pm
Dates and Reminders
Term Dates 2024
Term 2 15 Apr to 28 Jun
Term 3 15 Jul to 20 Sep
Term 4 7 Oct to 20 Dec
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See dates on PAM (SIMON Everywhere)
School Calendar
June
Mon 3 - Incursion: School Performance Tours "Shekere Beats"
Mon 10 - King's Birthday Public Holioday
Wed 12 - Senior Class Iona Visit
Thu 13 - WWSSA Winter Lightning Premierships - Tee Ball - Years 4-6
Fri 28 - Years F-3 excursion to Grug, Horsham
Fri 28 - Last day of Term 2 - dismissal time 2.15pm
July
Mon 15 - Student free day for staff professional development
Tue 16 - First Day Term 3 for students
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St Patrick's Nhill
Church Times
11:00am Mass each Sunday
Our Mission
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Child Safe Standards
All students enrolled at St Patrick’s School have the right to feel safe and be safe. The safety and wellbeing of children in the school’s care will always be our first priority and the school will not tolerate child abuse. The school will create a child-safe and child-friendly environment where children are free to enjoy life to the full without any concern for their safety. Particular attention is paid to the most vulnerable children and young people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, those from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with a disability, children who are unable to live at home, international students, and LGBTQIA+ students. The full policy can be accessed via our school’s website: https://spnhill.catholic.edu.au/policies-procedures
The school’s Child Safety Officer is the Principal, Mr Kingsley Dalgleish.
We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and well-being and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures, and practices. If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions, please contact the Principal either by phone or email principal@spnhill.catholic.edu.au
SchoolTV
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The State of Youth Mental Health in Australia
“In Australia young people are facing more challenges than ever before, and as parents, it’s crucial that we are aware of these challenges and take action to support our children.” Dr Michael Carr-Gregg
Reminders
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Parent Access Module PAM / SIMON Everywhere
The Parent Access Module PAM (SIMON Everywhere app) is our "go-to" for all parent information. Download the SIMON Everywhere app from the app store on your mobile phone and login using your PAM credentials.
Simon Everywhere delivers instant notifications to parents' mobile phones, delivering the functionality of PAM in an easy to navigate app. We will use Simon Everywhere for all important notifications.
You will be able to manage all your day-to-day school needs from Simon Everywhere, including:
- notify us of absences;
- view the school calendar;
- provide permission for student activities;
- update medical/contact information;
- view the lunch orders menu;
- read the newsletter.
Please contact the office with any questions.
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Student late arrival, early departure, temporary absence procedures
All student late arrivals, early departures or temporary absences must be recorded in the Passtab iPad located in the foyer. Please ask office staff for assistance.
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Lunch Orders
Lunch orders should be written onto an envelope with correct money sealed inside. Please don’t use plastic bags or waxed bags. The writing wipes off these and the staff at the bakery find it hard to read.
You can find the lunch orders menu in SIMON Everywhere: - >Home, scroll down to >School Links
Bus notes
Parents of bus travelling students please note that Nhill College has requested that any changes to travel arrangements (e.g. if you are picking up your child after school) be notified before 3.00pm on that day.
You can do this by -
- use the Bus Change Notification Form on their website (link below) - this is a quick and easy process on your mobile phone (hint: add this as a quick link on your phone's home screen)
- we have put this link onto PAM (Simon Everywhere) >Home, scroll down to >Parent Links
- calling our school office 53911575
- sending an email to principal@spnhill.catholic.edu.au or krintoule@spnhill.catholic.edu.au
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Remember to follow us on Facebook
Those who are on Facebook are encouraged to follow our page at St Patrick's School, Nhill. 'Like' our page, enjoy our posts, and share them with your friends. Stay connected through our Social Media page.
What you need to know about COVID-19 in Victoria
Please visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria website (link below) for all up-to-date information about the response to COVID-19.
- All staff, students and visitors to schools should undertake regular hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet.
- Hand sanitiser will continue to be available for staff, students and visitors.
- The most important action school communities can take to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is to ensure that any unwell staff, parents/carers and students do not attend school sites, even with the mildest of symptoms, and get tested.
*Six simple steps to protect yourself and those most at risk
- Wear a face mask
- Take a test
- Stay at home
- Meet outdoors
- Talk to your GP about COVID medications
- Get vaccinated
*coronavirus.vic.gov.au