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We ask God's blessing on this new school year,
that it may be a time when we appreciate and fully use God's gift of learning.
Dear Parents
Happy New Year and welcome to all our families. I hope you have had a great Christmas and some restful time over the school holidays. I always enjoy the beginning of each year where we have new families, students, staff and great possibilities ahead.
A special welcome to our new families. I hope your years at St Patrick’s are all that you expect our wonderful little school to be.
A calendar is attached to this newsletter – of course subject to change.
We welcome baby Marras-Scerri little sister to Issaiah and Levi. On behalf of the St Patrick’s community I wish the family congratulations, health and happiness.
Sport Uniforms need to be worn on Fridays and the following days – this may change
Kinder Thursday
Year 1 Tuesday
Year 2 Monday
Year 3 Tuesday
Year 4 Tuesday
Year 5 Tuesday
Year 6 Tuesday
School photos will be on Thursday, 14 February. Children need to wear their full summer uniform. Girls need to have a green ribbon in your hair if tied back and boys sensible haircuts please. As per uniform code white socks need to be turned down not anklets.
Our staff for 2019:
Kindergarten - Mrs Beuman/Mrs Aoki
Year 1 - Miss Figueira
Year 2 - Mrs Papadopoulos (Instructional Coach) / Mrs Barnes (Spec Ed)
Year 3 - Miss Cappetta
Year 4 - Miss Doro/Miss Greenwood
Year 5 - Mr Mindzas
Year 6 - Mr Mattas (Acting REC 2019)
Reading Recovery & Release teacher - Mrs Madaschi
Music/Drama & Release teacher - Miss Phillips
Literacy/Numeracy Support & Release teacher - Mrs Maguire (Term 1)
PE - Mrs Pulbrook
SSSO - Miss Casey (office) (Tuesday - Friday)
SSSO - Mrs Carroll (office) (Monday - Tuesday)
SSO - Mrs Platiniotis (classroom & office)
SSO - Mrs Carey (library & classroom)
SSO - Mrs Kapsimallis
SSO - Mrs Kodaxis
Assistant Principal - Mr Hoctor
Principal - Mrs Duggan
Pastoral Care Worker - Mrs Neilsen
Counsellor - Ms Potter
Best Wishes
Mrs Anne Duggan
Principal
Our SPB4L focus for this week (Week 2) is Lining up for Assembly Under the Covered Area
In the explicit teaching lessons the expected behaviours taught will be:
- Prompt response to music
- Please walk but please don’t talk on the way to the Covered Area
- Do ‘The Five’ from the moment you sit down
- Wait silently to be dismissed
- Walk but please don’t talk when moving to class
Examples of behaviours that negatively impact on Lining Up for Assembly Under the Covered Area to be taught include:
- Continuing to play after the music begins
- Talking on the way to the Covered Area
- Going to the toilet/bubbler after the music begins
- Running, pushing and/or shoving
- Looking around, talking or moving about
- Ignoring teacher direction
Our SPB4L focus for next week (Week 3) is the Toilets
In the explicit teaching lessons the expected behaviours taught will be:
- Walk to the toilet
- Flush the toilet after use
- Wash hands using one pump of soap
- Dry hands with one sheet of paper towel
- Put paper towel in the outside bin
- Be quiet during toilet visits
- Walk quickly and quietly back to class
Examples of behaviours that negatively impact Respectful, responsible and safe behaviours in our Toilets to be taught include:
- Shouting
- Running and/or playing
- Wasting paper towels or dropping them on the floor
- Putting paper towels into the toilet
- Putting toilet rolls into the toilet
We would very much appreciate you discussing these weekly focuses with your children and reviewing the expected and non-acceptable behaviours in our endeavour to see that St Patrick’s is a more respectful, responsible and safe learning community for all.
SPB4L Data
It is with great pride that I inform you that Last Term (Term 4 2018) students were given 278 Citizenship, Merit, Library or Uniform Awards or Playground Affirmation Awards whilst 36 students were recorded for Inappropriate behavior.
In 2018 in total 1,210 awards were issued and only 112 incidences of inappropriate behaviour were recorded. This is an extraordinary result and a credit to the students. Congratulations boys and girls. Please continue to act respectfully, responsibly and safely so this this trend continues.
WE’RE GOING GREENER - NUDE FOOD EVERYDAY
Last week each student brought home a letter informing you that as of the first day back this term we require all students to bring their food in reusable containers on a daily basis. Quite simply what we’re asking you to do is to send your children to school with food that is not wrapped in foil, plastic or commercial packaging. Our hope is that all food will come to school in containers that can be brought home rather than wrapping or packaging that ends up as rubbish in our bins. We wish to eliminate single use plastics and food packaging to make a significant impact in reducing rubbish that goes to landfill.
It is our response to instilling in our students an ecological consciousness that aligns itself with the efforts and expectations of the wider community and puts into practice the principles of the Papal encyclical, ‘Laudato Si.”
Requiring students to bring Nude Food empowers students to make conscious choices about what they eat, and encourages them to think about their impact on the environment and their health.
PLENARY 2020
The PLENARY COUNCIL 2020 is a gathering of the Church in Australia to make decisions for the future. Your voice is important. All people are invited to contribute to the Plenary Council Agenda by sharing your experience of faith and of the Church.
Under the resources tab is the 'Have your say - respond online’ button.
2019 School Improvement
Each Year the school creates strategic plans for improvement. This year our improvement goals are:
staff will receive professional learning in contemporary perspectives in the teaching of grammar & punctuation so that student data will show an improvement.
staff and students will be taught permaculture principles so to sustain the Permaculture Garden
familiarisation with the new Science and Technology Syllabus component - Digital Technologies
staff will be more proficient in both the teaching and analysis of writing so that students will be more successful in composing written text.
the school will begin the implementation of The National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions
to educate with a mission lens and deepen the mission consciousness and engagement among the entire school community.
Mr Gavan Hoctor
Assistant Principal
PRINCIPALS AWARDS: Charlotte Blacker Yr 1, Ava D'Angola Yr 1, Hannah Dos Santos Yr 1, Joseph Habak Yr 1, Matilda Hill Yr 1, Milla Lokys Yr 1, Charlotte Mogan Yr 1, Delilah Calleja Yr 2, Jacob Svarc Yr 2, Riley Fogarty Yr 3, Charlotte Larsen Yr 3, Christian Nagy Yr 3, Aaron Pasztor Yr 3, Lucy Yates Yr 3, Lukas Markovski Yr 4, Ella Sammut Yr 4, Rose Uzunovski Yr 4, Zahli Gladden Yr 5, Jacob Pucillo Yr 6, Aidyn Todev Yr 6.
GOLD AWARDS: Lucas Peoples Yr 2, Alani Tanevski Yr 3, Siale Pohahau Yr 3, Emily Woods Yr 4, Elleanor Pasztor Yr 5.
Best Wishes to the children celebrating birthdays:
Aidyn Todev Yr 6 04/01, Siloh Veramu Yr 1 04/01, Taylah Curtis Yr 4 07/01, Eva Gebauer Yr 6 10/01, George Michaloudakis K 10/01, Ella Murzevski 13/01, Liana Meta Yr 3 15/01, Lily Ritchie Yr5 15/01, Jacob Pucillo Yr 6 17/01, Riley Fogarty Yr 3 19/01, Christian Sammut Yr 6 26/01, Kade Gardiner Yr 6 28/01, Toby Ritchie Yr 3 28/01, Alexis Krstevski Yr 1 30/10, Levi Kinnas Yr 2 31/01, Sienna Curtis Yr6 01/01, Christian Naumovski Yr 2 03/02, Lara Dimovski Yr 1 06/02, Madeleine Grainger Yr 5 09/02, Lesina-Rose Fonoti K 15/02, Imogen Aquilina Yr 2 16/02, Simona Stojcevski Yr 3 17/02, Mason Kuzmanovski Yr 1 18/01.
2019 Diocesan School Fee Agreement
School fees are now a 30 day account. If you do not intend to pay your school fees in full then you must complete the Diocesan School Fee Agreement for 2019. You can collect a copy from the office or alternatively download the Diocesan Fee Agreement under forms & documents at the beginning of this newsletter. Please ensure this is returned to the office no later Friday 8 March 2019.
South Coast Swimming Carnival
Those students that are representing the school at the South Coast Swimming Carnival, please return the permission and $10 to the office by 7 February 2019.
Award Assemblies
Award assemblies will be on Thursday mornings.
PLEASE NOTE: CALENDAR SUBJECT TO CHANGE
My name is Simone Potter. I am the new school counsellor at St Patrick's. I have over 20 years experience in the counselling field including over 10 years as a school counsellor in various primary and high schools in the diocese. I can work with children and families who are experiencing issues with:
- Emotional regulation
- Mental health
- Family relationships including family changes
- Behaviour
- Cyber use and Technology
- Focus, concentration, motivation and learning
- Confidence
- Peer relationships
- Sleep and lifestyle
- Many other issues
If you are unsure whether counselling could assist your child or family, please contact me at the school. I will be working on Tuesdays. I am always happy to talk to parents and either assist with counselling or refer to a more appropriate service if school counselling is not the best option for your family. I am looking forward to working here and supporting the students at St Patrick's.
Splash Swim ProgramPort Kembla Youth Project is conducting
Water Babies, Water Confidence,
Learn to Swim, Stroke Correction and Adults(Female only)
Enrolment Essential
Program commencing Term 1
Monday 11th February – 1st April 2019
$11 a lesson
Active Kids Provider (up to $100 paid for school aged children)
Please either Phone on 4276 1229 or email pkyp@bigpond.net.au for enrolments
Homework Hub-
Tutoring and Homework Help Term 1
Small Group Programs open to:
Primary Students
Junior Secondary Students
Senior Secondary Students
Enrolment Essential
Program commencing Term 1
Tuesday 12th February – 2nd April 2019
FREE
For enrolments, email pkyp@bigpond.net.au or phone 02 4276 1229.
In partnership with Sponsored by BlueScopeWin
Port Kembla Youth Project Supported by WCC & FACS
& Macedonian Welfare Association