Newsletter 2022/37 ~ 2 December 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.
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
What a wonderful spirit of community we saw on Tuesday with our Gifting Mass. Thank you to all families who contributed with donations to our food hampers. Your gifts will help ensure that others who are less fortunate may still enjoy Christmas this year.
This week we entered the season of Advent, a season of waiting. Advent is a season to prepare ourselves for Christmas, a time when we remember Christ’s first coming. It is a season of joyful expectation.
During Advent we prepare and long for a new coming of Jesus into our lives.
As we celebrate the season of Advent, we think again of the love of God for us, the endless and ever new, symbolised by the candles of the Advent wreath which signifies how this eternal and all-embracing love has been shown to all people throughout all time, and will be seen forever when the Lord appears in glory.
CURRENT & RECENT EVENTS
Middles Camp
Our Years 2 and 3 students hea
ded to Tandara Lutheran Camp in Halls Gap yesterday for a two-day camp. When I travelled out to visit them last night, they had been enjoying a great day of fun and activities and were preparing to make damper for their supper. I’m sure we will hear lots about their camp when they host our assembly next Thursday afternoon.
Gifting Mass
Thank you to all the families who were able to support our Gifting Mass. Donations of non-perishable food items and cash donations totalled approximately $1000.
Food items were delivered to West Wimmera Health Service and the cash donations were converted into fuel vouchers and IGA vouchers for WWHS to share with those in need as required.
Thank you to Fr Matt for leading us in Mass and to Chris Robarts for leading our singing. It was also pleasing to see a few parents and parishioners able to attend Mass with us.
School Wide Positive Behaviour
During play times, staff have been monitoring for students demonstrating aspects of Respect, Responsibility and Safety within the school yard. Names are collated and shared during our weekly assemblies. Names are drawn randomly for each category and that student’s House receives a token for their House jar. The House with the most tokens later in the year will be rewarded.
Congratulations to all children who were recognised for their positive actions around the school this week. Jody (Patrick), Hannah E (Joseph) and Kaw Mu (MacKillop) were randomly drawn from the nominations for Respect, Responsibility and Safety, and have added tokens to their respective Houses' tallies.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Graduation & Mass
Parents are invited to our end of year celebrations which will include a Graduation Ceremony on Thursday 15 December from 6.00pm and our Graduation Mass on Friday 16 December at 9.30am.
An invitation flyer is being sent home to all families, please complete the RSVP and return to school by Monday 12 December.
Transition Week
Year 6 students will be participating in their Transition Week program at Nhill College next week. We wish them well as they prepare themselves for the start of their secondary education.
Dental Health Van
Some students missed out on visiting the Dental Health van earlier this term. The van will be returning on Monday to catch up with those students who are still waiting to visit the Dental Health Nurse.
Activities Week
In the students’ final week of school for the year, commencing Monday 12 December, we will be running an Activities Week. Details regarding the week will be included in next week’s newsletter.
The school year will culminate with our Graduation Mass on Friday 16 December.
School Advisory Council - upcoming AGM
A reminder that we have a number of positions available to be filled prior to the Annual General Meeting of the SAC on Tuesday, 6 December.
Our SAC can have up to six (6) parent representatives. This year we had five parent representatives. Two of our current members will be in the second year of their two-year terms next year. Therefore there are four positions (two-year terms) available. Nominations for these positions are due by 4.00pm on Monday 5 December.
We encourage you to consider if you would like to be a part of the SAC, or perhaps nominate someone else. Our SAC meets once or twice a term. Meetings generally last no longer than 90 minutes.
If you have any questions about the role of SAC members, please contact the school office or a current Council member (listed elsewhere in the newsletter).
You can collect the information pack from the office, which contains the flyer (below) and a nomination form.
CSPV Connect Newsletter and Parent Flyers
Please find below links to the November Issue of CSPV Connect Newsletter and CSPV Parent Connect flyers for primary and secondary school parents of children in Catholic Schools.
In this issue:
- Updates from CSPV Annual General Meeting including the CSPV Annual Report
- Remembering what Advent is all about in the lead up to Christmas
- Resources for safe swimming this summer and supporting families impacted by the floods
- Group gift ideas for families to thank teachers
- How to support children and families to 'Be the Change' and carry out the Laudato Si action goals through Upschool
Spotlight on a Catholic secondary school implementing mental health literacy for students and Dr Lyn O'Grady presents a webinar on supporting children with anxiety and mental health challenges.
Advent Appeal for Ukraine
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference is supporting a special Advent appeal for the people of Ukraine, following a request from Bishop Mykola Bychok CSsR, Eparch of Sts Peter and Paul for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia.
Collections in dioceses, eparchies and parishes on the Second and/or Third Sunday of Advent will support Mudra Sprava (Wise Action), a Patriarchal Charitable Foundation in Ukraine.
The organisation has three focus areas: Evacuation of people from frontline territories; Food packages for people in need; Shelters for internally displaced persons.
Nhill Christmas Carols in the Park
The Nhill Christmas Carols will be held at Jaypex Park on the evening of Saturday 17 December. Our students will be singing and signing at the carols. I will be asking for confirmation of students who will be attending and joining in with the singing over the next week. Please discuss this at home and feel free to email me at principal@spnhill.catholic.edu.au to confirm your child’s participation.
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.
By the Numbers
42
In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 42 is Deep Thought's answer to "the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything."
What a great week - in the World Cup Brazil defeated Switzerland and the Socceroos defeated Tunisia and Denmark; the Aussies are on top of the West Indies in Test cricket, and the Adelaide Strikers won the WBBL last Saturday! Now for my Saints to register a win against Homers!!
God Bless you all.
Kingsley Dalgleish
Principal
Classroom and Student News
Junior Class
What fun we have had with our shared Big Book story, which is the second ladybird heard story from Julia Donaldson called, What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside. We also listened to Julia Donaldson and her husband sing the song. The clever ladybird who said never a word comes up with a plan again! It is also time to pattern writing through the story Feathers for Phoebe by Rod Clements. Discovering feather facts has been insightful too. Do you know there are 7 types of feathers? Our Bethlehem scenes are nearly finished showcasing the shepherds and the angels as messengers of God to the world. ‘Glory to God in the heavens, and on earth peace’. Mathematics has enjoyed a time focus understanding how to read and record time, as well as, daily events and associated activities. We welcome the Kinders on Friday for their transition half day with focus on construction songs and stories. Enjoy the Santa advent calendars at home. All the students were very creative during Art with Mrs Bell.
Senior Class
This week the Senior class have been doing persuasive letters in Writing. We had to choose a topic and a person to write to, for example, Sienna wrote about how Christmas is the best holiday, and Stella wrote about how school should be shorter. During Art the Year 4s and 5s have been creating a video all about this year. While the Year 6s have been making a video about their six years of school, including pictures and videos using the “Splice” app. We are able to choose from a bunch of pictures and videos, taken from this year or years ago.
In Maths we have been measuring different things and knowing the difference between mm, m, km and cm. In Integrated Studies we have been researching about First Aid Agencies, for example Sienna and Stella have been researching about Femili PNG, Lexi and Jack are doing WaterAid, Jonas was doing a presentation about Poverty, Sophie and Jody were doing one about Tear Fund, etc.
We have all had an amazing week this week and we are all excited for the Christmas Holidays!
By Sienna and Stella
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 Jonas and Lexi 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:
100 nights - Sienna, Ma Thay Thay
150 nights - AJ, Hannah E, Amity, Freddie
300 nights - Lexi
Important Dates and Reminders
All calendar dates are available on PAM (SIMON Everywhere)
Term Dates
Term 4 3 October to 20 December (Students' last day is Friday, 16 December)
School Calendar
DECEMBER
Monday - Friday 5-9
Headstart week
Monday 5
Dental Health Van Visit #2
Tuesday 6
SAC Annual Meeting 7.30pm
Friday 9
Forward to Foundation Kinder Visit 8.55am-3.15pm
Thursday 15
Graduation Ceremony 6pm
Friday 16
Graduation Mass 9.30am
Students' last day (dismissal time 1.00pm)
Saturday 17
Nhill Christmas Carols in the Park 6.00pm
Reminders
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 PAM (SIMON Everywhere): - >Home, scroll down to >Knowledge Bank, >Parent Documents, >Action, >Preview
Parent Access Module PAM / SIMON Everywhere
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.
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.
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
- AGM Tuesday, 6 December at 7.30pm
Our Mission
Community News
Links / Information
COVID-19 Update
Changes to Pandemic Orders (from 12 October)
The Victorian Government has announced the end of the pandemic declaration and associated pandemic orders. New settings will apply from 11.59 pm on Wednesday 12 October 2022.
Isolation & reporting requirements
Parents/carers should inform the school (by phone 53911575 or 0419929271, or in writing principal@spnhill.catholic.edu.au)
Students who test positive for COVID-19 -
- should stay home and isolate for a minimum of 5 days
- should not attend school after 5 days if still symptomatic, e.g. runny nose, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, or sweats
- who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school.
Where students become symptomatic at school, they should be collected by their parents/carers and undergo testing for COVID-19.
COVID-19 reporting requirements
- Report a positive RAT to the Department of Health online (link is provided below)
- Inform those with whom they have recently been in contact, including their workplace, school and household.
Face masks
- School-aged children are encouraged to wear face masks indoors in a public space or outside in a crowded place where they can't physically distance.
- Face masks will continue to be available for staff, students and visitors.
The Department of Health recommends that
- masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home.
- masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19 for 10 days after a positive test when they need to leave home.
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 will continue to be available for staff, students and visitors.
Stay home if unwell
- 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.