Newsletter 2025/09 ~ 4 April 2025

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.

From the Principal

As we bring Term 1 to a close today, I want to wish everyone a safe and relaxing break over the next few weeks.  I think everyone has deserved the upcoming school holidays.  I trust that it will be an enjoyable time for all.

I also  hope that you will take the time to reflect on the true meaning of Easter and the sacrifice Jesus made for us all.  

Lord God, 

You loved this world so much that you gave your one and only Son, that we might be called Your children too. Lord, help us to live in the gladness and grace of Easter Sunday, every day. Let us have hearts of thankfulness for Your sacrifice.

Amen.

Nhill Easter Mass Times

Holy Wednesday - 16 April - 2nd Rite of Reconciliation - 5.30pm

Good Friday - 18 April - Stations of the Cross - 10.00am

Easter Vigil - 19 April - 6.00pm

Easter Sunday 20 April - Hopetoun 8.30am, Dimboola 8.30am, Horsham 10.30am

RECENT & CURRENT EVENTS

Cross Country

Congratulations to our Years 3-6 students who competed in the Cross Country last Friday at Nhill Golf Course.  Our students achieved some very good results.

• Under 10 Boys
• 1st - Jack
• 2nd - Xavier M
• 3rd - Oscar
• 4th - Freddie
• Under 10 Girls
• 1st - Hannah G
• 5th - Tessa G
• Under 11 Girls
• 4th - Claire
• 6th - Elvi
• Under 13 Boys
• 2nd - Daniel B
• 6th - Ben
• Under 13 Girls
• 8th - Marnie

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Pyjama & Crazy Hair Day

The students finished the term with a Pyjama and Crazy Hair Day.  This was selected by Patrick House who were the overall winners of the SWPBS weekly draws throughout the term.

Speech Screening

Yesterday we had a visit from DOBCEL Speech Pathologist, Ashleigh Freckleton.  Ashleigh did speech screening of each of the Foundation students.  We will receive feedback on the screening early next term.

Building Program

I had hoped that we would have announced the successful tender for our building program by now, and that we would have already moved out of the main building to allow for demolition to commence during the holidays.  Unfortunately, we are still in a period of waiting for notification of who has won the contract and a date for the works to commence.  I am planning to start moving items out of the building during the holidays to allow for classes to commence in the hall from the start of Term 2.  

I will be advertising a working bee during the holidays via our Facebook page.  I am hoping that I can get some parents to come along and help move furniture, shelving, library books and more.  There will also be some maintenance jobs around the schoolyard.  Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for further details.

NCCD Information Sheet for Parents, Carers and Guardians

UPCOMING EVENTS

End Term 1 & Start Term 2 Dates

This first term of 2025 has flown by and concludes today at 2.15pm.

A reminder that students have a three week break at the end of this term.  The first week of Term Two is a staff Professional Learning week.  Staff members will be at school on Tuesday 22 April and will be collaborating with staff from other schools on Wednesday 23 (Horsham) and Thursday 24 April (Warracknabeal and Horsham).

Students will return to school for classes on Monday 28 April. 

Year 3-6 students will be able to compete in Athletics at Nhill College on Thursday 24 April.  See separate notice below.

Daylight Saving

A reminder to turn clocks back one hour this Sunday morning for the end of Daylight Saving.

Athletics Carnival (Nhill Schools)

Years 3-6 students will be participating in Athletics Sports at Nhill College on Thursday, 24 April 2025. Students will need to bring runners, a sun hat, water, lunch/snacks, any required medications (e.g. asthma reliever). Students must wear school sports uniform. Please ensure all belongings are clearly named to avoid lost property. Cost: $0.00. Staff attending: Mrs Bell, Mrs Dickinson, Mrs Pilgrim, Mrs Hamilton, Mrs Woods. Transport: parent/carer responsibility. Students are to meet Mrs Bell at Nhill College at 9:00am. Students will be dismissed from the venue at the conclusion of the carnival. Bus travellers can still travel by bus, but won't be going to St Patrick's School (stay at Nhill College and meet Mrs Bell as detailed above). Cost $0.00. As the venue for this activity is within the Nhill town boundaries, consent is not required as it is covered by the Local Excursions Consent provided by parents/guardians earlier in the year. The activity can be viewed in PAM (SIMON Everywhere) Calendar.

ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day will be commemorated at Goldsworthy Park on Friday 25 April as we pay our respects to all who have served.  Any students who wish to march in the parade are asked to gather by the Information Centre in Goldsworthy Park by 10.10am.  Students are asked to wear their school uniform for the march and commemorative service.

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.

Sunday’s Gospel Reflection

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Jesus told a story about a father and his two sons. The younger son wanted his share of money and left home. He spent everything on unwise choices. Soon, he had no food or money and felt very sad. He decided to go back to his father and say sorry.

Instead of being angry, the father was so happy to see his son! He ran to hug him and threw a big celebration. But the older brother was upset. He had stayed home and worked hard—why was his brother getting a party? The father told him, “Your brother was lost, but now he is found!”

This story shows us how God is like the loving father. Sometimes we make mistakes, but God is always ready to forgive us when we say sorry. He is happy when we choose to do what is right!

Like the father in the story, we should forgive others and be happy when they make good choices. As we continue our Lenten journey, let’s try to say sorry when we do wrong, forgive others, and remember that God’s love never runs out!

By the Numbers

128 - the value of 2 to the power of 7 (2x2x2x2x2x2x2)

Classroom and Student News

Middle Class News

It’s hard to believe we’ve come to the end of Term 1. It’s been a busy and jam packed term for the Middle class. Year 3 students finished off last week with Cross Country and by all reports had a blast. Meanwhile back at school Year 2s were working hard on their spelling, practising our long vowel sounds.

This week has been all about wrapping up Term 1 units and making sure we’re ready for next term. We’ve completed lots of assessments for Maths and Reading and enjoyed an Art bonanza on Thursday to finish off our drawings and paintings from throughout the term. In Religion we have been learning all about Holy Week and the story of Easter in preparation for the coming Easter season. We’ve also found some time to make our own Easter baskets.

We were lucky to welcome our Auslan assistant Jane on Wednesday. Each class had a 30 minute session with her to consolidate what we’d been learning and some assistance with our assessment.

In Science the Middles have been learning about forces and have finished off their unit by making model sailboats. Students were challenged to both make a boat that would stay afloat and could be moved by air. Everyone needed to use their problem solving skills to keep the boat above the water

Students now have a three week break to look forward to due to staff attending professional development during Week 1 of Term 2. Good luck to our Year 3s and the rest of our Senior students at the Nhill College Athletics carnival during that time. I wish everyone a Happy Easter, a restful holidays and look forward to seeing everyone next term. 

Regards, Miss Attard.

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 term. We are all enjoying our Crazy Hair and Pyjama day today.

Little Joey Awards

We continue to acknowledge the significant role of the "Brown Joeys" in the establishment of St Patrick's School, and recognised Bethany with a Little Joey award.

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. 

Reading Achievements

The following students were recognised for their reading achievements:

25 nights - Bethany, Fabian, Tyler, Amity.

50 nights - Tegan.

There are lots of things you can do to help your child to read during the school holidays.

• Continue with a daily reading routine with short sessions of around 20-minutes per day
• Spend some time with your child revising their letters, sounding out difficult words, chunking the text, making predictions and inferring meaning from the writing. Discussing how the illustrations relate to the text also helps children understand what they are reading.
• Engage young children by giving them the agency to choose books for themselves. Take them to the library or a bookshop and let them find the books that interest them.
• Find stories that relate to your child’s interests or, if you’re travelling somewhere, find stories about the destination or activities you’ll be doing.

One of the very best things that parents can do is to show their kids how much pleasure they get from reading. So grab yourself a book, settle down to read and enjoy the holidays!

School Advisory Council

Parent Representatives

• Clint Beattie
• Rebecca Curtis 
• Emily Gladdis
• Bonnie McEldrew
• Zanther McEldrew
• Ashleigh Meyer
  
• Courtney Taylor

Ex Officio

• Mons. Glynn Murphy - Parish Priest
• Kingsley Dalgleish - Principal

Dates

• Meeting - Tuesday 6 May 2025, 5:30pm

Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for further details of a working bee during the school holidays.

Dates and Reminders

School Calendar

April

Fri 4 - Last Day Term 1 - dismissal time 2:15pm

Mon 21 - Easter Monday Public Holiday

Tue 22 - Thu 24 - Student Free Days

Thu 24 - Athletics at Nhill College Years 3-6

Fri 25 - ANZAC Day Public Holiday

Mon 28 - First Day Term 2 for students

May

Wed 14 - Student Free Day for staff professional development

St Patrick's Nhill

Church Times

11:00am Mass each Sunday

Nhill Easter Mass Times

Holy Wednesday - 16 April - 2nd Rite of Reconciliation - 5.30pm

Good Friday - 18 April - Stations of the Cross - 10.00am

Easter Vigil - 19 April - 6.00pm

Easter Sunday 20 April - Hopetoun 8.30am, Dimboola 8.30am, Horsham 10.30am

Our Mission

Child Safe Standards

School TV

Managing Screen Time

As a result of the global pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift in the amount of time people spend on screen-based devices. Families are transitioning back to pre-COVID routines but many are still struggling to re-establish the boundaries and rules around screen use. Some continue to deal with digital conflict and tech-tantrums on a daily basis. The latest research found that 77% of teenagers spend more than five hours on screens per day, but it is important to note that not all screen time is considered equal.

Parents play a crucial role in modelling a positive and healthy approach to using screens and assisting children to navigate the content they watch. It is better to model and mentor screen use, rather than monitor it. Children tend to do more of what they see us do, and less of what we tell them to do. However, it is still important to outline the risks and highlight the benefits of screen use to ensure you keep a balanced attitude. Encourage discussions around the issues that people experience in monitoring their screen time and be honest about your own difficulties.

Parents need to remain firm in their approach to managing screen time. Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a child’s overall wellbeing. Ensuring the correct privacy settings are in place is vital to prevent children from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate content or online predators. Parents need to also be mindful of the potential impact screen time can have on a child’s social, emotional, educational, behavioural, and even physical domains.

In this edition of SchoolTV, care-givers will be provided with a range of guidelines and strategies to help manage screen time at home.

Here is the link to the Managing Screen Time edition of SchoolTV.

Cybersafety 

Many of today’s parents grew up in a world devoid of technologies and often have little knowledge on how best to assist and guide their children. In today’s digital world, 90 percent of a child’s socialisation occurs online. As the range of social media platforms grows, so too does the opportunity for bullying and stalking. Often parents have no idea their child is a victim and kids are unlikely to report it for fear of losing access to their technology, which to them, is the equivalent of "social death”.

Young people today are growing up in an increasingly connected world where technology is part of their everyday lives –– for learning, socialising, and entertainment. While the digital world offers enormous benefits, it also comes with serious risks. From cyberbullying and online predators to inappropriate content and screen time concerns, navigating the online environment can be challenging for young people and their families.

Cybersafety is not just about blocking access –– it's about empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to use technology responsibly and safely. This includes understanding privacy settings, recognising scams, and developing healthy digital habits. At the same time, it's important for parents and caregivers to stay informed, have open and judgement-free conversations with their children, and lead by example through positive online behaviour.

In today's digital age, safeguarding a child's wellbeing must also include protecting their online life. This edition of SchoolTV will help you better understand the digital landscape your child is navigating and offer practical strategies to help them stay safe, confident and in control online.

Here is the link to the Cybersafety edition of SchoolTV.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in these editions of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact your child's teacher or the principal for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Reminders

School Office Hours

• M 8:45am - 4:15pm
• T 8:45am - 4:30pm
• W 8:45am - 4:30pm
• T 8:45am - 4:30pm
• F 8:45am - 1:00pm

Parent Access Module PAM / SIMON Everywhere app

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.

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.

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

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

1. Wear a face mask
2. Take a test
3. Stay at home
4. Meet outdoors
5. Talk to your GP about COVID medications
6. Get vaccinated

*coronavirus.vic.gov.au

Concussion Protocol

Concussion is a serious situation and children, like adults, need time to rest and recover after receiving a concussion. Schools have obligations for understanding if activities need to be adapted for students recovering from concussion sustained outside of school.

Given the requirement to rest, recover and adapt activities it is important schools are made aware when a student receives a concussion outside of the school setting.

Concussion – Important information to be aware of

If your child has experienced concussion outside of the school setting it is important that they rest for a period of 24 to 48 hours and then gradually return to activities after this time. Returning to school can be a graduated approach with the aim of increasing tolerance to a full day, the same situation could occur with sporting activities. It is always important to check with your doctor and seek medical treatment after a child sustains a concussion.

It is important to inform the school if your child has sustained a concussion outside of school; this is to ensure the school can monitor your child’s wellbeing and adapt activities as required.

Links:

• Factsheet from the Royal Children’s Hospital is valuable to read and understand.
• There is also a great evidence-based app from the Murdoch children’s research institute that walks you through what to do in the result of a concussion.

Community News

School Holidays Activities - Hindmarsh Shire Council

Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday 19th April

Horsham Rural City Council