Newsletter 2022/09 ~ 1 April 2022

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.

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

It is saddening to turn on the news each night and see the horror and atrocities occurring in Ukraine, and the millions of people fleeing their homeland to seek refuge in neighbouring countries.  We continue to pray for all who are displaced from their homes through acts of war and violence.

I was very pleased to read earlier this week that Mr Morrison’s Government had accepted New Zealand’s offer to resettle up to 450 asylum seekers currently detained in Australia.  The government has allowed 150 asylum seekers per year, over each of the next three years, to relocate to New Zealand.  Whilst it is pleasing that our government has accepted this offer, it is disappointing that it has come nine years after New Zealand first made the offer!  There is still an estimated number of more than 1200 refugees and asylum-seekers in Australia or on Nauru.  

Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, chair of the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service said, “The Catholic community continues to support and pray for all refugees and asylum-seekers in Australia and in offshore detention.

“We ask for an end to indefinite detention and for pathways to permanent visas for all those who are determined to be refugees or who meet humanitarian criteria.”

Bishop Long said the Church, which plays a significant role in welcoming and assisting refugees and asylum-seekers in Australia, continues to call for a larger humanitarian intake, “so that an appropriate response can be made to those who are fleeing conflict and violence in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Syria, Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Yemen and Venezuela”.

It is not illegal to be a refugee or to seek asylum!

As we read in Matthew 25:37-40,

Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask him, “When did we give you something to eat or drink?  When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

The King will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

RECENT EVENTS

Active Kids Voucher Program

Round 4 of The Get Active Kids Voucher Program is now OPEN !!!!

Victorian families with a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card can apply for up to $200 to support their child’s sport and active recreation activities.

This can be used to support uniform or registration fees, and is valid for Auskick, NetSetGo, junior netball, footy and hockey registrations.

Applicants can apply for one voucher per eligible child between the period Monday 21 March 2022 to Tuesday 31 May 2022. 

You can also access this program from the Service Victoria app on your phone.

Treadlightly

Thank you to everyone who was able to support our Treadlightly shoe drive last week.  In total, we collected in excess of 130 shoes which will be broken down and recycled.  Your support is greatly appreciated and the school is now also in the running to win a share of prizes valued around $12000.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Primary School Nursing Program

All Foundation students have been issued with a pack containing a questionnaire for parents to complete as part of the Primary School Nursing Program and the offer of a free health assessment of their children.  The aim of this program is to help identify children with potential health related issues that may impact on their learning and development.

A reminder to parents of Foundation students that these packs need to be completed and returned to school before the end of this term.  Karen parents are invited to come to school on Wednesday afternoon at 2.15pm for assistance with completing the form, should they need.

Cross Country

Year 3-6 students will be joining the other Nhill schools on Monday for the local Cross Country carnival.  This will take place at Nhill Golf Club from 11am.  Parents are welcome to come along and support the students in their events.

Children are asked to wear appropriate footwear for running on Monday, together with their sports uniform.

ANZAC Day

We have been invited to participate in the ANZAC Day March on Monday 25 April.  Once again we will gather near the Tourist Information Centre in Goldsworth Park for the 10am procession.  All students are invited to participate.  Please wear your school uniform on the day and we will march behind our school banner.  We will have a senior student lay a wreath at the cenotaph on our behalf and a group of our students will also be part of a combined schools’ choir.  Fifteen of our students have been practicing for the choir during lunchtimes over the past couple of weeks and will join with Nhill Lutheran School on Monday afternoon for their first combined practice.

I look forward to seeing a large contingent of St Patrick’s School students and families on ANZAC Day.  Please note, this is the day before school returns for Term 2.

Rapid Antigen Test Kits

The latest batch of Rapid Antigen Test kits (RATs) were sent home with your children yesterday. 

A reminder that children should be tested twice weekly (preferably Monday and Thursday mornings) as well as any time they are showing any cold-like symptoms.

End of Term

Term One finishes next Friday and students will be dismissed at 2.15pm.

Term Two will commence for all students on Tuesday 26th April.

Project Compassion

This week through Project Compassion we learn about Rosalie, who lives with her husband and seven children in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Forced to join the army when she was just 15-years-old, Rosalie experienced significant trauma and hardship during her years in the military. After she was demobilised from the army, Rosalie, like other ex-combatants, was left to fend for herself in the community.

With your generous support and through Caritas Australia's partners, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and Caritas Bukavu, Rosalie was able to connect with other members of her community and participate in business skills training to help her to reintegrate into society.

She joined a savings group which helped her with a loan to start her own small business selling second-hand shoes and natural remedies.

“I can eat, dress, maintain my health and help others. My children study and manage to eat twice a day. I have learnt to work hand-in-hand with other members of the community. Really, there is more joy in sharing with others.” - Rosalie

Please remember that your Project Compassion collection boxes are to be returned to school by the end of next week.

Sunday's Gospel Reflection 

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Sunday’s Gospel is perhaps the most famous of the parables that are unique to the Gospel of Luke - the story of the Prodigal Son.  It is the story of the younger son asking his father for his inheritance and then setting off for a foreign country where he squanders it all and ends up having to feed pigs in order to stay alive.  Upon realising that his father’s servants live a better life than he is, he returns home to ask his father’s forgiveness and to be treated as a servant.  His father, however, forgives the son, gives him new clothes and a ring and organises a feast to welcome him home.  This doesn’t sit well with the older brother who has diligently worked for his father during his younger brother’s absence.  He is angry and upset with both his father and his younger brother.  He can’t understand his father’s willingness to give more to his ‘wasteful’ son.  However the father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found."

Who am I in this story?  

Am I like the younger brother, steeped in freedom to do what I want to do regardless of how it might affect others?  

Am I like the older brother, who is resentful that the unfaithful have received forgiveness?  

Or am I like the Father?  Have I been so transformed by the love and grace of God that I will stop at nothing to share that same love and grace with others regardless of their past actions. 

Lord, help us to be like the Father in the parable. We all need people who are like the father to embrace us in our unfaithfulness and in our resentfulness.

This gospel demonstrates the joy of a loving God when one who was lost returns and it is symbolic of the extravagance of God’s love that will be poured out for any ‘sinner’ who returns to God.

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.

Classroom and Student News

Junior Class

Mrs Creek

Our Big Book shared story is titled Possum Magic by the great Australian author Mem Fox. Grandma Poss had all good intentions at the start of the story to keep Hush safe. She made her invisible. But sadly Hush realised that she did want to be seen. Luckily by the end of the story, magically Hush turned visible again.

Foundation students started copying letters and a sentence into their new lined writing books.

Measurement is a key focus for our studies in mathematics.

We conducted our first whole school Assembly this week. Everyone was able to participate and we hope you enjoyed our signed story, Where is the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

Middle Class

Miss Williams

This week the Middles have been working on the book On the River by Roland Harvey. We have been looking at the words in the story and how the author uses them in different ways. We have then taken a sentence and used it to create our own sentences for our writing that we can use.

In Maths this week we have been looking at measurement and have been out in the school yard practising for athletics at the beginning of next term. We have been measuring our jumps for long jump and triple jump and measuring our throws for shot put and discus.

We have had some wonderful activities this week with soccer clinics back on and morning practices for cross country next week. We are all definitely looking forward to finishing up next week and winding down for the term to a well deserved break and rest in the holidays.

Senior Class

Ms Murphy

Over the past week we have continued our reading of Wicked! and have thought very hard about how we can use our knowledge of what we read to help us improve our writing. We will work very intensely until the end of term on our ability to write wonderful paragraphs and brilliant narratives. We are continuing our revision of place value, addition and subtraction algorithms in Mathematics and working through our understanding of multiplication strategies. As we finish up with Integrated Studies we close our focus on democracy and community with an independent research project. I look forward to showing these to you in the future.

We are looking forward to learning more about Easter this week as we head toward the end of the Term.

Little Joey Awards

This week we continue to acknowledge the significant role of the "Brown Joeys" in the establishment of St Patrick's School, and recognised Liberty and Olive 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. 

Reading Achievements

The following students were recognised this week for their reading achievements:

25 nights - Liberty, Hannah E, Jack M, Freddie, Oscar, Jody.

50 nights - Olive, Tyler.

Important Dates and Reminders

Term Dates

Term 1

28 January (staff) 1 February (students) to 8 April

Term 2

26 April to 24 June

Term 3

11 July to 16 September

Term 4

3 October to 20 December

School Calendar

APRIL

Reminders

From the office

Please remember to -

• Return fees and digital technology notes
  

Visitors to school - Assembly

We love that we are once again able to host visitors at our weekly assembly on Thursday afternoons.  It's so great to be able to share our school and classroom happenings and celebrations with our families after all the closures, restrictions and frustrations of the last two  years.  Families are very welcome to join us in the hall for assembly at 2.45 each Thursday.

A reminder, though, that the School Operations Guide (coronavirus restrictions) requires that visitors must -

• wear a mask;
• sign in to the school (in the foyer); and
• be able to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid medical exception.

Please remember to bring your mobile phone with you!

A detailed list of all coronavirus restrictions/requirements is set out later in the newsletter.

Parent Access Module (PAM)

We strongly encourage parents to use the Parent Access Module PAM (SIMON Everywhere) to inform us of student absences. These notes can be set in advance (if, for example, you know that your child will be absent a week in the future). Notes written in the diary are for communicating with teachers. Absent notes need to be directed to the office.

Please speak with office staff if you have any questions about PAM.

Simon Everywhere

The Simon Everywhere app delivers instant notifications to parents' mobile phones, delivering the functionality of PAM (SIMON Parent Access Module) in an easy to navigate app.  

We request that all parents please download the Simon Everywhere app, add St Patrick's School, Nhill and login using your existing PAM credentials.  

We will use Simon Everywhere for all important notifications.  

You will be able to manage all your day-to-day school needs from the Simon Everywhere app - notify us of absences, view the lunch orders menu, read the newsletter ...

Please contact the office with any questions.

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 -

• calling our school office 53911575
• sending an email to principal@spnhill.catholic.edu.au or krintoule@spnhill.catholic.edu.au
• use the Bus Change Notification Form on their website - this is a quick and easy process on your mobile phone (hint: add this as a quick link on your phone's home screen)

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.

Coronavirus information

COVIDSafe requirements for visitors and volunteers performing work

• The third dose vaccination requirement applies to any visitor or volunteer performing work on school sites.
• Visitors and volunteers must adhere to COVIDSafe requirements – including vaccination, physical distancing, face mask requirements, respiratory etiquette and good hand hygiene.

COVIDSafe requirements for visitors (not performing work)

• In Victorian Catholic schools, parents, carers and other adult visitors who enter school buildings must be able to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid medical exception.
• Proof of vaccination can be checked by a COVID-19 digital certificate (Service Victoria app or smartphone wallet) or printed copy of a digital certificate or immunisation history statement.

Rapid antigen testing 

• Free rapid antigen tests will be made available for all staff and students in Victorian schools throughout Term 1 2022. Rapid antigen testing will be voluntary for all primary school students and staff.
• Students should continue to conduct the tests at home and must report any positive test results to -
• the Department of Health system (Rapid antigen tests | Coronavirus Victoria) or via the coronavirus hotline at 1800 675 398, and
• the school by phone or written notification.
• Tests should be conducted twice weekly, and we encourage this to be done on Monday and Thursday

If a student tests positive through a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), but don’t have symptoms or have not been in contact with anyone who has COVID-19 it is recommended that they get a PCR test within 48 hours and stay isolated until they receive their result.  

If the PCR test is negative, the student or staff member can return to school.

Face masks

For all school settings: 

• School staff will be required to always wear masks indoors.  There is an exemption from this requirement if they are actively teaching and clear enunciation or visibility of their mouth is essential.
• Students in Grade 3 and above must wear a face mask indoors at school, unless a lawful exception applies. Students must wear face masks even if vaccinated. Students are not required to wear masks outside, however they are strongly recommended if physical distance cannot be maintained, even outdoors, when students are not undertaking physical exercise (for example: masks are strongly recommended when classes are held outside).
• For composite classes that include students in and above Grade 3 and below Grade 3, those below Grade 3 are strongly encouraged to wear masks (Year 2 students).
• Students in Prep to Grade 2 are strongly recommended to wear a face mask indoors at school.
• Everyone over eight years old must wear a face mask when travelling to and from school on public transport, taxis or rideshare vehicles.
• Visitors to schools aged eight and above must wear a face mask in all indoor spaces, unless a lawful exception applies.
• Use single-use mask, or reusable cloth mask made from 100 per cent cotton, for increased breathability.
• A face mask must cover the nose and mouth. Face shields, scarves or bandanas do not meet these requirements.

Service Victoria QR Code Check-in 

• is no longer required at schools.  
• Routine school visitor record keeping arrangements continue to apply.  
• All visitors to school must report to the school office to sign in.

Practise good hygiene

• 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 is available at entry points to classrooms.
• Sharing of food is not permitted.

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.

School Advisory Council

Parent Representatives

Helen Cannell

Moo Khu James

Zanther McEldrew

Emily Gladdis

Nathan Wheeler

Appointed Representatives

Ann Munro - Parish

Ex Officio

Mons. Glynn Murphy - Parish Priest

Kingsley Dalgleish - Principal

Next Meeting

Wednesday, 4 May 2022, 7.30pm

Our Mission

Community News

Play footy ...

Be a part of our Club in 2022!

Do you love footy and want to be part of an awesome club?

Have fun. Get fit. Make friends ... join us today and let's get this season started.

Nhill & District Sporting Club | Football Director - Graeme Cole 0427 899 228

Eligible families (Health Care Card holders) can access the Active Kids Voucher program, with up to $200 to assist with registration and uniform costs.

NetSetGO! and Auskick Come & Try Night

Thursday, 7th April, 4.00pm at Davis Park

New families welcome!

Eligible families (Health Care Card holders) can access the Active Kids Voucher program, with up to $200 to assist with registration and uniform costs.

School Holidays Program - Hindmarsh Shire Council

For more information and book, visit www.hindmarsh.vic.gov.au/events, call 53914444 or email info@hindmarsh.vic.gov.au

School Holidays Program - Uniting Wimmera

Bookings essential.

Email shwwimmera@vt.uniting.org or call Ari on 0481063747

Dentist

Wheatlands Warracknabeal Agricultural Machinery Museum - 53rd Annual Easter Vintage Machinery Rally

16th & 17th April

After having to cancel our Vintage Machinery Rally for the last two years, we are at last having an Easter Rally, and will again hold a Colouring Competition.  In the past we have had wonderful displays of work from students all over the Wimmera.

This year’s rally will feature Case tractors, American engines, and 101 years of Lanz Bulldog tractors - the subject of the colouring competition.

Competition sections are - 6 years and under; 7 & 8 years; 9 & 10 years; 11 years and older.  First and second prizes are awarded in each section.

• Print the colouring page at the below link (or ask for a hardcopy at the school office).  
• Post your completed entries to Vintage Rally Colouring Competition, P.O. Box 355, Warracknabeal 3393 by Saturday, 9th April.  
• Please include a contact phone number on your entry so that you can be contacted if you have won a prize.