Newsletter 2023/28 ~ 15 September 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
Term Three comes to a close today as we find ourselves three-quarters of the way through the school year.
This term we have celebrated Grandparents Day, Father’s Day, 100 Days of school for our Foundation students; we’ve enjoyed Meerkat Productions’ presentation of Frank’s Red Hat; we’ve competed in Hockey 7s and Athletics carnivals; we’ve had excursions locally and we’ve visited Nhill College; we’ve dressed up for Book Week and for our Crazy Socks and Hats Day; and we’ve been busy in the classroom learning.
I thank all of the staff for ensuring that learning has been paramount and has continued side-by-side with all of the above extracurricular activities. Their dedication to our students is outstanding!
And to the students, well done on another successful term of learning. You are the reason we are all here. Seeing your smiles every morning and your determination in the classroom makes coming to school each day such a pleasure. Enjoy the holidays, you have earnt them.
To our parents and families, thank you for the support you continue to provide for St Patrick’s School. I hope that you are able to find some time to relax together and enjoy family-time over the next two weeks without the hassle of getting children ready for school, checking uniforms, and packing lunches and snacks. Hopefully you may even have the opportunity for a few sleep-ins as well.
Creator God
In the sanctuary of your love
May we recognise you these holidays
God who enfolds us
God who surrounds us
God in our watching
God in our hoping
God in our resting
God in our knowing
God in our wonderings
May we reflect you in all we do
Amen
Adapted from prayer by J. Philip Newell p.74
Newell, J (1994) Each Day & Each Night Celtic Prayers from Iona Wild Goose Publications: Glasgow
CURRENT & RECENT EVENTS
Crazy Socks & Hats Day
We enjoyed a great array of hats and socks on Wednesday when we celebrated the end of term with a Crazy Socks and Crazy Hats Day. Some students found hats in their dress-ups collections, some decorated existing hats and others made and decorated their hats. Students also enjoyed a Pizza lunch, with thanks to Wimmera Bakery, and then the Hall was ‘pumping’ as the students participated in an afternoon disco. The day’s events were suggested by the MacKillop students as winners of the SWPBS Weekly draw for Term 3.
Staff Planning Day
Miss Williams, Miss Attard and Mrs Wills attended a planning day in Horsham on Tuesday, together with staff from Our Lady Help of Christians School, Murtoa, and Education Leaders from Catholic Education Ballarat. The teaching staff found the day to be very beneficial as they planned units of work in readiness for Term 4.
Vision Screening
The Lions Eye Health Program visited us this morning to conduct Free Vision Screening for our children. Children of all year levels were able to have their vision tested at school today.
NAPLAN Parent Survey
Monash University is conducting important research on NAPLAN 2023 and invites you to complete a quick survey (link below).
Chief Investigator, Dr Venesser Fernandes and a team of researchers are seeking views from Australian parents of students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 for this short Monash University open access survey.
The research study has been approved by Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee with Project Number: 2023-37812-89526.
Congratulations
Congratulations to the following students who have achieved some excellent results or received special recognition for their achievements in recent weeks. Apologies to anyone who may have been missed:
Little Desert Athletics in Stawell:
AJ 1st 100m, 3rd 200m
Sienna 3rd Discus
Ben 5th Discus
Daniel B 5th Long Jump
Sophie 5th Triple Jump, 5th 100m
Hockey:
Jonas U/12 Encouragement Award, U/16 Runners Up
Caleb U/12 Encouragement Award, Participation Medal
Daniel B U/12 Most Consistent, Participation Medal
Riley U/12 Encouragement Award
Nile U/12 Most Improved, Participation Medal
Olive U/16 Runners Up
Amity Participation Medal
Agnes Participation Medal
Avery Participation Medal
Swimming:
Hannah G Swimming Award
Xavier Swimming Award
UPCOMING EVENTS
Staffing
I received notification from Mr Josh Keller that he will be finishing with us today in order to focus more fully on his studies. Mr Keller joined us for a three week placement as a Pre-Service teacher in May 2022 and as an LSO in June 2022. Josh has been an integral member of our team at St Patrick’s School for the past 16 months as he continued his studies towards becoming a teacher. This year, Josh was granted Permission to Teach as a fourth year student and this has allowed him to demonstrate and refine his classroom management and teaching skills. In the immediate future, Josh will focus on completing his studies. We wish Josh well for the future and hope to see him back at St Patrick’s again soon.
Miss Kate Williams has also asked for 12 months leave from the beginning of 2024. Kate is a most valued member of our teaching staff and St Patrick’s School community and will be greatly missed by us all. Kate has asked for leave to enable her to be closer to her family as a family member is going through a sustained period of illness. Whilst Kate will continue here at St Patrick’s School until the end of this school year, she has successfully obtained a 12 month position at a school closer to home and we wish her well for her new role. We will be looking forward to Kate’s return for the start of 2025 with great anticipation.
Term 4
Term 4 commences on Monday 2 October. Our Year 6 students will enter their final term of primary school before embarking on the next stage of their educational journey. We will commence welcoming our 2024 Foundation students as they join us for orientation programs and all year levels will be involved in various assessment activities as we continue to monitor where each student is at in their learning.
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
Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus said, “I tell you solemnly, if two of you on earth agree to ask for anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.”
Wherever we gather with others, Jesus is with us. Whether it be at home, at Church or at school, Jesus is with us. When we gather together in Jesus’ name, it is worth remembering that there are millions of other children also gathering together around the world in his name too.
Whatever is happening in our lives, it is good to know that Jesus is with us.
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
71 - The average life expectancy in Australia in 1960 (currently 83 years).
Not great results for Port last weekend in AFL and AFLW. Hopefully a change of fortunes this weekend as we turn back the “orange tsunami” of GWS tomorrow night and knock off the Saints on Sunday.
Port v Collingwood next weekend sounds great - and then a Power premiership on the last weekend of the holidays! Go Port!
God Bless you all.
Kingsley Dalgleish
Principal
Classroom and Student News
Middle Class Report
It has been a busy last few weeks in the Middles classroom.
In Science we have finished examining plants and living things. Our bean plants and sunflower seedlings are growing well and we expect that over the holidays they will grow a lot.
Last week we did our Welcome to Spring Assembly. Each student had a letter to decorate and something to say about spring. The students delivered their assembly very well.
In Maths we have finished learning about location. This involved us giving directions to someone to get them to a different place.
In Writing we have been examining the text of procedures, which are usually instructions on how to make something or play something. This week we put the instructions for making a jam sandwich in order and we followed a procedure to make a daisy chain.
Each week the students have two written homework tasks to complete, plus a daily reading task. One written task is usually a spelling or punctuation worksheet and the other written task is maths. Some students complete these tasks each week and do very well in their end of week spelling test. A consistent effort in completing homework and reading tasks will improve students abilities in spelling, reading and maths. Written homework tasks should take an hour to complete in total – spread across 4 days it makes 15 minutes per day. Homework is pasted in homework books on Monday morning and students are expected to hand in completed homework tasks on Friday.
Little Joey Awards
We continue to acknowledge the significant role of the "Brown Joeys" in the establishment of St Patrick's School, and recognised Fabian, Julian, Caleb and Jayden 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:
75 nights - Tessa
100 nights - Tessa
125 nights - Gu Thay Paw
150 nights - Claire
200 nights - Declan
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 10 October 2023, 7.30pm
Dates and Reminders
Term Dates 2023
Term 4 2 Oct to 20 Dec
All calendar dates are available on PAM (SIMON Everywhere)
School Calendar
October
Mon 2 - First Day Term 4
Tue 10 - School Advisory Council Meeting 7.30pm
Thu 19 - Local Public Holiday - Nhill Show
St Patrick's Nhill Church Times
Mass is held every Sunday at 11.00am
Community News
Nhill Primary Basketball
Little Athletics - Horsham
Junior Cricket
Hindmarsh Shire Council School Holidays Program
Hindmarsh Shire Council's September 2023 School Holiday Program is here and busier than ever!
You will certainly find something to do these School Holidays whether it be seeing a movie, learning to fish, doing some art, or something else!
Check out our program below and make sure to register so you are accounted for.
What's on at Horsham Regional Art Gallery ...
Bookings essential for all sessions.
For more information about our kids workshops visit.
Our Mission
Reminders
Parent Access Module PAM / SIMON Everywhere
The Parent Access Module PAM (SIMON Everywhere) 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
- 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