Newsletter 2023/15 ~ 2 June 2023

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

National Reconciliation Week

This week is National Reconciliation Week.  The NRW 2023 theme, “Be a Voice for Generations..”  encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise.

For the work of generations past, and the benefit of generations future, we are asked to act today for a more just, equitable and reconciled country for all.

National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June – is 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.

CURRENT & RECENT EVENTS

Junior “Master the Masters”

Our Years 5 and 6 students have completed artworks which will be on display at Gallery Central throughout the month of June as part of the gallery’s “Master the Masters” exhibitions (the adult exhibition closed on Wednesday).

There will be an exhibition opening at the gallery, 5pm this afternoon if anyone wishes to attend and view all the excellent exhibits.

Gallery Central, 18 Victoria Street, Nhill

Head Lice

As mentioned in a letter to parents yesterday, we have been advised of some students having head lice.

I seek your cooperation in checking your child’s hair and in those instances where head lice or eggs are found, treating your child’s hair. Please visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au  and search for “head lice (nits)” for advice on finding, treating and preventing head lice. 

If head lice or eggs are found on your child’s hair you need to inform the school and advise when the treatment has started. 

Health regulations requires that where a child has head lice, that child should not return to school until the day after appropriate treatment has started.

Catholic School Parents Victoria Newsletter

The June edition of CSPV Parent Connect News is now available by clicking the link below.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sussing Out The Solar System

Sussing Out The Solar System is a science and technology based presentation that will be visiting our school on Monday morning. 

There will be numerous fun facts and problem solving.  Part comedy routine, part science lecture, this fast paced commentary with plenty of laughs and audience involvement, is full of fascinating facts about Earth and the solar system in which we orbit.

Long Weekend

A reminder that we have a long weekend next weekend. 

Monday 12 June is the King’s Birthday Public Holiday. 

There will be no school on that day.

Student Reports

Teaching staff have commenced writing student reports.  These end of semester reports will be distributed to students on the last day of term.

The Push-Up Challenge

Some of our staff members are once again participating in The Push-Up Challenge.  The challenge is to complete 3144 push ups between 1-23 June.  This number represents the number of Australians who took their own lives during 2021.  By completing the push ups and fundraising efforts we are helping to promote awareness of Mental Health issues as well as supporting organisations such as Headspace and Lifeline.  Anyone wishing to join our team is welcome to do so.  Feel free to join at this link -

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.

All parents and volunteers that are onsite when students are onsite, or attend school events, are required to hold a Working with Children Check (WWCC) and sign the school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct. If we do not have a current copy of your WWCC, please present your card to the office for photocopying. We will endeavour to get all families to sign the code of conduct in the very near future.

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

Sunday’s Gospel

John 20:19-23

In the evening of the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, 'Peace be with you,' and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, 'Peace be with you. 'As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.'

After saying this he breathed on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.' 

Jesus appeared among the disciples and blessed them with peace.  Peace is one of the gifts which Jesus had spoken about with his disciples before he was crucified. Just as God breathed life into Adam at the time of Creation (Genesis 2:7), the Risen One breathes new life into the disciples.  Born again in the Spirit, they are sent to share with the world the forgiveness they have just experienced for themselves. This Gospel reminds us that the Church is called to be a reconciling presence in the world.

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

58 years ago today (2 June 1965), the first contingent of Australian combat troops to fight in the Vietnam War arrived in South Vietnam.

Classroom and Student News

Senior Class

It has been another busy week for the Senior Class. In Writing we have been writing narratives and working on uplevelling our writing by using sizzling starts and direct speech. In Maths we have been working on our subtraction skills. We’ve learnt a new game called Nifty Fifty to practise the algorithm method of subtraction and have been focusing on solving worded problems.

After lots of research, the Seniors have started building dioramas of events from Australian history. It has been wonderful to see how creative everyone has been. Students are also writing short dramatic scenes to accompany their dioramas, and are looking forward to performing these soon.

Excitingly, we finished our Master the Masters paintings in Art this week. It has been wonderful to see the effort the Seniors have put into these pieces over the term. Their artwork is now at Gallery Central and will be on display until the end of June. I know a few students will be going along to the exhibition opening at 5pm tonight to see their work on display.

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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 Claire, Sienna and Claire 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 Jesinta a with 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 this week for their reading achievements:

25 nights - Bethany

50 nights - Bethany, Steev, Sienna

75 nights - Sophie

Important Dates and Reminders

All calendar dates are available on PAM (SIMON Everywhere)

School Calendar

June

Mon 12 - King's Birthday Public Holiday

Thu 15 - WWSSA Lightning Premierships

Fri 23 - Last Day Term 2

July

Mon 10 - First Day Term 3

Tue 18 - SAC Meeting 7.30pm

St Patrick's Nhill Church Times

Mass is held every Sunday at 11.00am

Reminders

Student late arrival, early departure, temporary absence procedures

A reminder to parents that any student late arrival, early departure or temporary absence must be recorded in the SIMON KIOSK located in the foyer.  If you have any difficulty following the instructions at the kiosk, please ask office staff.

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 >School Links

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.

The Simon Everywhere app 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 PAM (Simon Everywhere) - notify us of absences, provide permission for student activities, update medical/contact information, 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 -

• 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)
• 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.
• It is recommended that rapid antigen tests (RATs) are used by students and staff if they:
• • have symptoms of COVID-19 infection, no matter how mild
  • are a household or close contact of someone who has COVID-19
  • are a social contact of someone who has COVID-19.
• The Department of Health recommends that all Victorians report their positive RAT result via the online form or by calling 1800 675 398 and inform those with whom they have recently been in contact, including their workplace, school and household.
• Principals are no longer required to inform their school community of a positive case associated with the school.

RATs are available for all Victorians from council sites. Individuals can obtain two free packs (10 tests) for themselves and two free packs (10 tests) for each household member. People with disability and their carers can get up to four free packs (20 tests) in line with existing RAT distribution for people with disability.

School Advisory Council

Parent Representatives

• Rebecca Curtis
• Emily Gladdis
• Moo Khu James
• Michaela Koop
• Zanther McEldrew
• Nathan Wheeler

Ex Officio

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

Next Meeting

• Tuesday 18 July 2023, 7.30pm

Our Mission

Community News

Homework Club - Nhill Learning Centre

Karen families are welcome to enrol their children in the Homework Club.

When: Tuesdays during school terms

Time: 3.30 - 5.00 pm

Where: The Patch, Clarence Street, Nhill

Contact for more information:

Nan Da San Bleh Dah (Coordinator) 0469064696

MATES Mentoring Program

An information session will be held on Monday June 19 from 12-2pm at Nhill College for prospective Mentors to come along to and find out more information about what a Mentor with MATES involves and how the MATES Program can have a positive influence and outcome for students and also for volunteers.

There will be a light lunch provided and tea and coffee.

The MATES Mentoring Program is coordinated by Wimmera Southern Mallee LLEN.

MATES Mentoring is 1 hour per fortnight at school, during school hours.  

For more information, see the below flyers.