Newsletter 2025/22~ 15 August 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
Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. In the following reflection Joan Chittister OSB explores what The Feast of the Assumption may mean in the lives of contemporary Catholic Christians.
Psalm 16 sings, “You will not allow the one you love to see the pit; you will reveal the path of life to me, give me unbounded joy in your presence.” Those whom God loves, the psalm promises, will be raised up above the thousand daily deaths that come into every life. When we raise our hearts and souls to God, the things that drag us down will lose their grip on us. When we refuse to become imprisoned by things and status and ambition and self and greed, our souls are set free and our bodies are unburdened. Life becomes livable again. Enough becomes enough. God becomes God again. But where can we possibly go to find someone, whose life is not tethered to the earth to the point of death? What proof do we have that anyone can rise above what we want to what we can become? The answer surely is Mary of the Assumption whose love of God lifted her far above the goals and gains of those who had never really seen the Christ for what he was, because their mind’s eye was taken up totally with what they were themselves. Mary of the Assumption teaches us to keep our eyes on the things of heaven; to free ourselves from the fetters of anything lesser; to develop a vision outside of ourselves; and to allow ourselves to be lifted up beyond the petty and the transient to the eternal and the unalloyed. Mary of the Assumption is a sign of what we can become if we are willing to let go of what we have planned for ourselves.
from Catholic Education Ballarat Newsletter
RECENT & CURRENT EVENTS
SunSmart reminder
We are now in the “No Hats, No Play” part of the year (UV levels are 3 or higher). Sun protection measures (sunscreen and hats) must be used each day when outside (recess and lunch breaks and classes held outdoors). Children are being reminded regularly to bring their SunSmart sun hats* to school.
- Any child without a suitable sun hat will remain undercover during recess and lunch times.
- The school does not supply spare hats, unless required for class activities.
- Peak caps and visors are not suitable hats as they do not provide adequate protection from UV to the face, ears and neck.
- School sun hats can be purchased from Cambrelle’s.
Think UV, not heat.
- Temperature does not affect UV radiation levels.
- UV radiation can be high even on cool, windy and overcast days.
SunSmart sun hats = broad-brim, bucket or legionnaire hats. Visors and peak caps do not offer adequate protection from UV rays and are therefore not suitable.
Hockey
Congratulations to our hockey team who travelled to Hamilton on Tuesday for the Greater Western Region School Sports Hockey finals. Our St Patrick’s team finished runners-up. An outstanding achievement!
Results:
- St Patrick’s defeated Ballarat Grammar 8-0
- St Patrick’s drew with Warrnambool 2-2
- St Patrick’s lost to The Hamilton and Alexandra College 1-6
- St Patrick’s defeated St Arnaud 5-0
Well done to all involved, and thank you to Mrs Bell and the parents and Jonas who assisted.
InsightSRC Surveys
This week, staff, students and parents have been completing the InsightSRC surveys. These surveys provide vital data as we prepare for a School Review and Validation in 2026 and will guide us in our planning for the next five years. If you have not yet completed your survey, I ask that you endeavour to do so. I have been notified today that the closing date has been extended until next Friday, however I encourage you to complete it as soon as possible please.
Bullying No Way National Week of Action
This week is Bullying No Way Week. It’s Australia’s key bullying prevention initiative and connects schools and communities to find workable solutions to prevent bullying. Growing positive connections with other students and the broader school community can enhance students' cognitive, behavioural and emotional engagement.
This year’s theme is 'Be bold. Be kind. Speak up.'
It takes courage to spark change.
Bullying is everyone's responsibility. It takes a community to be brave and address bullying behaviours, within and beyond the school gate.
Students can be bold, kind and take a stand to support others being bullied. While parents and teachers are there to support children and young people learn how to behave in a positive way.
In our community and in our school, we want a place where everyone can belong, a place that celebrates everyone, and where bullying is never accepted.
This Bullying No Way Week, and every week, we're asking students, families and the community to be bold and say something, be kind and support someone, and be proud to take a stand against bullying.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Book Week Dress Up Day
Next week is Children’s Book Week. This year’s theme is “Book an Adventure!”
On Monday, we’ll be holding our Book Week Dress-Up Day. Students and staff are encouraged to come dressed up, ready to embark on a literary adventure! Costumes can be as creative or simple as you like - let’s make it a fun and memorable day for our students.
West Wimmera Athletics
Next Wednesday we will have a strong contingent of students heading to Warracknabeal to compete in the WWSSA Athletics Championships. We wish all the students well and look forward to reading of a successful day in next week’s newsletter. Please remember to consent to the excursion via PAM as soon as possible.
Gifting Mass
We will be combining with Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School, to celebrate a Gifting Mass on Friday, 29th August.
As part of this special occasion, we are inviting families to donate non-perishable food items. These will be collected and donated to local community services to help support individuals and families in need.
If you are able to contribute, donations can be brought to the Office.
Free Dental Visit - St Patricks School Nhill- Term 4, Week 1
Australian Dental Health will be providing free dental check-ups and treatment for eligible students.
Regular dental check-ups are essential for maintaining a healthy smile.
This service is provided at no cost to eligible families through Medicare’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).
If you haven’t filled out the paper consent form yet, please complete it by clicking the link below.
It only takes a few minutes! If you’ve already submitted a paper form, no need to fill out the online one.
Don’t miss the chance to keep your child’s smile healthy!
If you have any questions, please contact ADH directly at info@adhv.com.au or 03 9323 9607.
Australian Catholic Education Conference
Next week I’ll be joining many other Principals from our Diocese, together with staff from Catholic Education Ballarat, in attendance at the Australian Catholic Education Conference in Cairns.
The conference will be an engaging professional learning experience for an anticipated 1,500 Catholic educators, leaders, clergy, parents and others from the broader Church involved in Catholic education.
With the theme ‘hope, anchored in faith’, the conference will focus on the strategic vision and mission of Catholic education across three key areas – Faith, Excellence and Access. It will feature a broad range of speakers, presentations and workshops focused on Catholic identity, mission and formation; learning and teaching; leadership and governance; parent engagement; parish and community engagement; resourcing and infrastructure; advocacy and marketing; and more.
Interdenominational Prayer Seminar
A free interdenominational prayer seminar will be hosted by the Church of Christ in Horsham on Sunday 23 August between 9am and 4pm. For more information or to register your attendance please go to https://www.horsham.org.au/whatson
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 12:32-48
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells His followers not to be afraid, because God delights in giving them His kingdom. He encourages them to focus on heavenly treasures rather than earthly ones, reminding them that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” He also uses the image of servants waiting for their master’s return, ready at any moment to serve.
For us, this is a challenge to live with purpose and readiness. Life can feel busy and distracting—school, friends, sport, and hobbies—but Jesus asks us to keep our hearts focused on Him. Being “ready” doesn’t mean living in fear; it means living in a way that reflects God’s love and values every day.
Jesus also says that those who have been given much are expected to use it well. Our talents, time, and opportunities are gifts to be used for good, serving God and helping others.
By the Numbers
141 - The Conservatorium of Music at University of Melbourne is located in Building 141 (also referred to as Melba Hall).
For much of last Saturday’s AFL match between Port and Fremantle, it was a good game. The last two minutes however, were bitterly disappointing and resulted in a six point loss. With only two games left in our season, hopefully we can give Carlton a dose of the blues tomorrow! Meanwhile, the AFLW season has commenced and the Power take on the Dockers on Sunday. C’arn Port!!
God Bless you all.
Kingsley Dalgleish
Principal
Classroom and Student News
Middle Class News
It's hard to believe we’ve reached the end of Week 4. The Middles have been hard at work in the classroom and the weeks are flying by.
In Maths we’ve continued our multiplication unit. We’ve been practicing our skip counting patterns and applying these to help remember our timetables. We’ve also been learning how to use arrays to solve multiplication problems. We are going to keep practising these skills as we move onto division next week.
In Spelling the current focus for our InitiaLit group is silent letters. So far we’ve learnt about silent k, b, w and n and when we might see or use these spelling rules.
Spelling has looked a bit different for the Phormes group this term. In the first half of the year we continued to learn spelling codes - the sounds letters or groups of letters make, but the focus is now on etymology and how the morphemes that make up a word - the individual parts of a word: prefixes, suffixes and base words - create a word’s meaning and can be changed to alter that meaning. It’s very exciting to see the group progress to this next stage.
In Art we’ve been working on our entries for the National Water Week Poster competition. We’ve spent some time learning about drought, the importance of conserving water and ways we can do so. Now students have started working on their final poster entries.
Next week is shaping up to be just as jam-packed. On Wednesday, some of the Middle and Senior students will be heading to Warracknabeal for interschool athletics, and we wish them good luck. Next week is also Book Week, and everyone is very excited about our dress up day on Monday. This year’s theme is ‘Book an Adventure’. We will also be reading some of this year’s shortlisted books throughout the week and completing some activities to go with this, as well as talking about some of our own favourite books.
Wishing everyone a restful weekend and we look forward to seeing you all next week.
Warm 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. Students who were randomly drawn from the nominations for Respect, Responsibility and Safety, and have added tokens to their respective Houses' tallies, were Xavier M, David and Zion.
Little Joey Awards
We continue to acknowledge the significant role of the "Brown Joeys" in the establishment of St Patrick's School, and recognised Stella 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 - Paweh
50 nights - Freddie
100 nights - Stella
175 nights - Tegan
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 and Reminders
Term Dates
2025
Term 3 21 July to 19 September (students finish 18 September)
Term 4 6 October to 19 December
See dates on PAM (SIMON Everywhere)
School Calendar
August
S-S 16-23 - Book Week
Mon 18 - Book Week Dress Up Day
Wed 20 - WWSSA Athletics, Warracknabeal
Fri 29 - Gifting Mass 12pm
September
Wed 10 - Little Desert Athletics, Stawell
Thu 18 - Last Day Term 3 - dismissal time 3:15pm
Fri 19 - Student free day for staff professional development
October
Mon 6 - First Day Term 4
St Patrick's Nhill
Church Times
11:00am Mass each Sunday
Our Mission
Child Safe Standards
The Child Safe Standards began in Victoria in 2016. The 11 Child Safe Standards are designed to help keep children safe from abuse and harm. Organisations working with children must comply with these 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
School TV
How to bully-proof your kids for life
Arm your kids with the right tools, and you'll empower them against bullies – and stop them becoming one themselves.
Visit the link below to read more.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is when someone is repeatedly mean, nasty, horrible. Harassing and/or threatening towards another person using any form of digital technology, including social media, mobile phones, or online games. Cyberbullying is pervasive and incessant. It differs from face-to-face bullying in that the bully can ‘follow’ their victim home and into their house. This means that it can continue 24/7.
Visit the link below to read more.
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.
Parent/Carer News from the office of the eSafety Commissioner
Help your child navigate cyberbullying
This week is Bullying No Way: National Week of Action (11-15 August) - an Australia-wide bullying prevention initiative for schools. Parents and carers also have an important role to play in preventing and addressing bullying. If you’re concerned your child may be experiencing bullying online, here are 7 ways to support them:
- Reassure them that you're here for them and that you won't take away their devices.
- Listen without judgement when they open up.
- Collect evidence of the bullying, like screenshots and URLs.
- Help them report it to the platform or social media site. Read The eSafety Guide for advice on how to do this on specific platforms.
- No response? Report it to eSafety.gov.au/report.
- Update their privacy settings across devices and accounts.
- Encourage and help them to reach out for support.
Other links:
New Resources:
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.
If the office is unattended, please use the QR code on the door (which will open the Passtab iPad in your phone).
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
- 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
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.