Newsletter 2024/07 ~ 15 March 2024
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 we celebrate the feast day of our patron saint, St Patrick.
The Story of St. Patrick
Patrick was born off the coast of northwest Britain around 390, into a family of Christians—his grandfather was a priest, and his father was a deacon. When Patrick was sixteen, he was captured by a band of Irish pirates, and carried off to Ireland where he was forced to work as a shepherd. After six years in captivity, Patrick escaped and caught a ship back to Britain, where he entered into holy orders and eventually became a Bishop.
Some time later, Patrick had a vision of an Irishman beckoning him to "come back and walk among us.” Patrick took this as a sign from God that he was to return to Ireland—this time not as a slave, but as a missionary, preaching the Gospel to the very people who had enslaved him.
Patrick is said to have baptised thousands, ordained priests to establish new churches, and converted the sons of kings.
The Prayer of St Patrick
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
Amen.
Today we are holding a Mass at 2pm in celebration of St Patrick’s Day which is on Sunday. I look forward to seeing many of our families at our Family Fun Evening tonight from 6pm at school. Thank you to the members of the SAC who have been busily preparing for tonight’s gathering.
CURRENT & RECENT EVENTS
NAPLAN
Our Years 3 and 5 students have been undertaking NAPLAN tests this week. They have completed their Writing, Reading and Conventions of Language tests thus far and will do their Numeracy test on Monday.
School Photos
Lots of big smiles, brushed hair and neat uniforms greeted our photographer for the school photos on Wednesday. We hope to have these available for distribution before the end of term.
Hockey Clinics
Helen Cannell and Clint Beattie conducted hockey clinics with our Years 3-6 students this morning. Many of the students displayed excellent skills with the hockey sticks and controlling the ball. Anyone interested in pursuing hockey can make contact with either Helen or Clint.
Cross Country
The Years 3-6 students are also competing in the Nhill Cross Country event today at Nhill Golf Course. Hopefully a number of our students will run well and progress to the Little Desert competition in May. Results will be shared next week.
Farewell Fr Matt
Today our school community farewells Fr Matt Restall who will be leaving our Parish and joining the Ballarat East Parish in April. Today’s Mass marks the final visit to St Patrick’s School before his move occurs. We wish Fr Matt well and thank him for his presence and engagement with our school, children, staff and families. It has been wonderful to have Fr Matt visit us on a fortnightly basis and to take time to visit each of the classes.
Fr Sajan will join our Parish soon and we look forward to his involvement with our school community.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Harmony Week
Next week we will join in the recognition and celebration of Harmony week. Harmony Week is the celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
Students are invited to wear traditional cultural clothes or to dress in orange next Wednesday.
Year 6 Science Excursion
Thank you to Mrs Bell for coordinating the involvement of our Year 6 students in the Science and Engineering Discovery Day at Longerenong next Tuesday. Our students will be combining with students from Nhill College to participate in this event. I am sure that the children will enjoy the activities of the day and will share some of their learnings with us next week.
Student Free Day
A reminder that next Friday is a Student Free Day as staff complete their First Aid, CPR and Anaphylaxis updates.
Project Compassion
As we continue our Lenten journey, we are reminded of the wonderful work of Caritas Australia in supporting those in need around the world. You can support Caritas Australia through Project Compassion.
Memory is 26 years old and lives in rural Malawi. As the eldest child in a low-income farming family, Memory had to take on many household chores and farming activities to support her parents. They struggled to pay for Memory’s school fees and school supplies, and Memory often had to walk to school barefooted.
With the support of Caritas Australia and its partner the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), Memory was able to enrol at a technical college where she learnt technical skills in carpentry. She undertook a three-year carpentry course, with CADECOM supporting part of her tuition and boarding fees.
Memory became the first female carpenter from her village. Today, she works as a carpenter at one of Malawi’s largest hydroelectric power stations. With the income from her job, she can provide financial support to her family and inspire other young women in her community so that they may have the opportunity to succeed in a male-dominated industry.
Please donate to Project Compassion
Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow for all future generations.
You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes, online by visiting caritas.org.au/project-compassion or by calling 1800 024 413
Sunday’s Gospel
John 3:14-21
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of the transformative power of belief and the divine love that permeates all existence. It begins with a reference to the story of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness, an event that symbolises salvation through faith. Just as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent for healing, humanity is called to look to Christ on the cross for redemption.
Central to this passage is the idea that God's love extends to all people, regardless of their past or present circumstances. It is a love that seeks not condemnation but salvation, inviting us to step out of darkness and into the light of truth. This light illuminates the path to righteousness and guides believers toward a life of authenticity and purpose.
Jesus emphasises the importance of belief, stating that those who trust in Him will not perish but have eternal life. This isn't just a promise for the afterlife; it's a reassurance of divine presence and guidance in our earthly journey.
As we reflect on these verses, we are reminded of the profound simplicity of faith. Belief in Christ is a profound trust in the love and grace of God, a trust that transforms lives and reshapes destinies. May we all embrace this transformative power of belief and walk confidently in the light of Christ's love.
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.
“May our good God grant you all a holy and truly happy Christmas. We can all meet together in spirit at the Crib of our loving infant and pray for one another. I wish you every grace and blessing of this holy time with fondest love.” Mary MacKillop, 1881
By the Numbers
88 - The number of keys on a standard piano (52 white and 36 black).
Another great win by the Aussies in the second Test against the Black Caps (New Zealand). Good luck to the West Wimmera Warriors A Grade in this weekend’s cricket final (and to my son in his final in Melbourne, just in case he reads this!). And on Sunday, Go Port!!!
God Bless you all.
Kingsley Dalgleish
Principal
Classroom and Student News
Junior Class Report
Welcome to Week 7.
Can you believe we only have two weeks left before the Easter holidays?! Time flies when you’re having fun. This week students have been busy as always working hard in all their subjects. In the classroom, the F/1 students have begun looking at Harmony Week and understanding that we all belong. When asking the students what they think Harmony Day is, this is what some of the students had to say…
- Charlotte K – To share with friends.
- Stella – Celebrating our differences.
- George – When we include everybody.
- Valentino – Celebrate our world.
We look forward to seeing the students either dress up in their cultural clothing or wear orange on Wednesday, 20th March to celebrate this day.
The Year 3-6 students participated in the Hockey Clinic today where they played numerous hockey workshop games. They also attended cross country where Sophie came second in her age group and St. Patrick’s Nhill came third overall. Amazing effort was made by all.
In the last week of term, the F-3 students will be having an Easter Bonnet Parade. Please keep an eye out for the day and time. If you would like to provide your child with some decorations, or a special hat to decorate, please bring them in a labelled bag by no later than Monday 25th March. We will also be providing some arts and craft items for students to use.
Enjoy the weekend and we hope to see you tonight at our St. Patrick’s Night of Fun.
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 Jonas, Daniel B and Moe 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 Agnes, Charlotte K, Shalom, Ben and Moe Tha Zin 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 for their reading achievements:
25 nights - Meena, Charlotte M, Harlow, Douglas, Kyan.
School Advisory Council
Parent Representatives
- Rebecca Curtis
- Emily Gladdis
- Moo Khu James
- Michaela Koop
- Zanther McEldrew
- Ashleigh Meyer
Ex Officio
- Mons. Glynn Murphy - Parish Priest
- Kingsley Dalgleish - Principal
Meeting Dates
- Tuesday, 30 April 2024, 7:30pm
- Tuesday, 23 July 2024, 7:30pm
- Tuesday, 15 October 2024, 7:30pm
Dates and Reminders
Term Dates 2024
Term 1 29 Jan (Staff) 31 Jan (Students) to 28 Mar
Term 2 15 Apr to 28 Jun
Term 3 15 Jul to 20 Sep
Term 4 7 Oct to 20 Dec
All calendar dates are available on PAM (SIMON Everywhere)
School Calendar
March
Fri 15 - St Patrick's Day Mass 2.00pm
Fri 15 - St Patrick's Day Family Fun Night 6pm
Tue 19 - Yr 6 Science Discovery excursion
Wed 20 - Harmony Week dress up day - orange theme
Fri 22 - School Closure Day - Staff Professional Development (First Aid Training)
M-W 25-27 - Senior Camp
Thu 28 - Last Day Term 1 - dismissal time 2:15pm
April
Mon 15 - First Day Term 2
St Patrick's Nhill
Church Times
Mass is held every Sunday at 11.00am
Our Mission
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
Community News
SchoolTV
Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity celebrates the natural variation in human cognition, embracing unique minds and perspectives.
"We need to embrace neurodiversity as a tapestry of brilliance, for within each unique mind lies extraordinary potential waiting to be unleashed. By celebrating our differences we create a world of understanding and acceptance." Dr Michael Carr-Gregg
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
Healthy Lunch Ideas
Some recipes -
