Our School Prayer

Father in heaven, we, the family of St Patrick’s, ask you to unite all us all in love, truth and courage.

We want to love you and each other.

We want to learn the truth that Jesus taught us.

Give us the courage to live good lives.

Help us to treat each other as special members of our special family.

Create a close bond between pupils, teachers and parents.

Give us pride in St Patrick’s and may our school always be proud of us.

We thank you for our school and our families.

But especially we thank you for being our Father who gives us life and love.

Help us always to live as your children.

Dear Parents

Congratulations

Welcome new baby, Xavier Woods – little brother to Emily (2) Bede (3). Congratulations and best wishes to the Woods family.

New staff

A big welcome to Mrs Popovski who will be teaching Year 6 on Fridays for the year and filling Mrs Hall’s place while away this term.

Uniform

At St Patrick’s School wearing school uniform is a sign that your child is a member of our special community. The pride students demonstrate in wearing school uniform is a mark of their sense of belonging. Compliance with a dress code is also viewed as being linked to discipline and to a sense that all are equal in community.

To encourage  full compliance with the Uniform Code, parents are asked to support the following directives:

• long, shoulder length hair to be tied back.
• green ribbons, hair accessories to be worn
• hats are to be worn at all times when outdoors.
• hair to be neat and tidy  shoulder length hair to be tied back/up (Boys and girls)
• hair to be its natural colour
• hairstyles to be moderate with no extremes
• nail polish not to be worn
• shoes should be cleaned and polished
• ankle socks to be worn – not tennis/ ANKLET socks
• Notes must be supplied explaining non-compliance with Uniform Code
• Jewellery regulations:

Girls may wear:

A signet ring

Single pair simple stud or sleeper earrings

A watch

Chain with religious medal or cross

Boys may wear:

A signet ring

A watch

A chain with a religious medal or cross

Award assemblies

Children from all grades assemble regularly on a Thursday morning for the distribution of awards, celebration of achievements and special presentations. These gatherings take place on a weekly basis at 8.45am.

During the year classes will be presenting to the community a special assembly. Notification of this will be through newsletter, Skoolbag or written flyer.

AWARDS SYSTEMS

Teacher Awards

Merit awards given for class/playground behaviour

5 merits

 1 Principal

 3 Principal

 1 Gold

 2 Gold

1 St Patrick’s Medal

Pupil Free Day

On the first day of Term 2 – 29 April – teachers will be attending a Professional Learning Day on Writing.

Students will start Term 2 on 30 April.

Good health and best wishes

Mrs Anne Duggun

Principal

Our SPB4L focus for this week (Week 4) is Recess Eating Time Under the Covered Area

In the explicit teaching lessons the expected behaviours taught will be:

Please:

1. sit in your class lines
2. stay seated for the 10 minute eating time
3. put your rubbish in your container or in the bin
4. put your container in the class tub
5. stay seated until you are dismissed by the teacher

Examples of behaviours that negatively impact on Recess Eating Time Under the Covered Area to be taught include:

1. Walking around during eating time
2. Visiting the tuckshop during eating time
3. Shouting or Yelling
4. Leaving rubbish or your container behind
5. Ignoring teacher direction

Our SPB4L focus for next week (Week 5) is Covered Areas

In the explicit teaching lessons the expected behaviours taught will be:

1. Walk when in the covered areas

2. Passive Play
3. Handball only
4. Clean up after myself
5. Stay in my place until the teacher gives me permission to play

Examples of behaviours that negatively impact Respectful, responsible and safe behaviours in our Covered Areas to be taught include:

1. Running and chasing
2. Playing outside the toilets/bubblers
3. Yelling and Screaming
4. Leaving my possessions behind
5. Leaving my place before the teacher gives me permission

We would very much appreciate your 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 over the last two weeks 51 students were given Citizenship, Merit, Library or Uniform Awards or Playground Affirmation Awards whilst students were recorded for Inappropriate behavior.

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 of 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.

We have had a great response so far this Term. Thank you for your effort so far.

PLENARY 2000

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.

Student Learning Support

We are acutely aware of the need to provide learning, teaching and assessment that is designed to meet the needs of all students. We are indeed fortunate that Mrs Barnes is continuing in her role Managing Student Pastoral and Educational Concerns (MSPEC) and Special Education.

In this role Mrs Barnes co- constructs learning plans with teachers to meet the needs of students who require additional support to achieve the learning outcomes.  She supports the implementation of these and coordinates the digital maintenance and archiving of these and the NSW CECPP tool. 

Mr Gavan Hoctor

Assistant Principal

Our first medallion winners for the year:

                                 Alani Tanevski Yr 3                Elleanor Pasztor Yr 5

Congratulations to the following students receiving awards:

Principals Awards

Marco Alves Yr 2, Dean Dragarski Yr 2, Ari Austin Yr 2, Madeleine Mineefff Yr 4, Marina Theodosiadis Yr 5.

Gold Awards

Vivianne Theodosiadis Yr 2, Delilah Calleja Yr 2, Zahli Gladden Yr 5, Aidyn Todev Yr 6

Library Awards

Aururo Leite - Kinder, Rory Meizer - Kinder, Levi Kinnas - Yr 2, Vivianne Theodosiadis - Yr 2, Annika Janevski - Yr 5, Zahli Gladden - Yr 5, Dezi Kalimnios - Yr 5, Ava Murzevski Yr 6.

Congratulations and a very happy birthday to the follow students:

Levi Marras Scerri 2, 25/2, Declan Aquilina 6, 26/2, Sophia Dimovski 3, 28/2, Shaelyn Petkovski 6, 2/3, Ashton Batur 3, 4/3, Jerome Fonoti 1, 4/3, Sonny Santosa 3, 4/3

MacKillop Basketball Trials

Good luck to Sienna Curtis who will be representing Wollongong Diocese Girls Basketball Team.  She will be competing at the MacKillop Trials at Beaton Park in Wollongong on 1 March. We wish her the best of luck at these trials.

FAMILY SUMMARY REPORTS & DIOCESAN FEE AGREEMENTS

Family summary reports and Diocesan fee agreements need to be returned by this Friday, 8 March.

Dear Parents

There is plenty coming up in terms of significant events at St Patrick’s!

Catholic Schools Week is celebrated each year and its purpose is to increase public awareness of the strengths and distinctiveness of St Patrick’s, and to act as a focal point for the many positive things that happen at our school.

Catholic Schools Week begins on Monday 4 March. Here are some key events that are taking place during the week:

• Ash Wednesday Mass
• ‘Scone Off – Round 2!’ – All parents and friends are welcome to morning tea in the garden with freshly baked scones out of our pizza oven
• Open classrooms
• Year 4 learning and working in the permaculture garden
• Mini Vinnies fundraising events
• PLUS MORE !

Keep an eye out for specific times and dates in the coming days. We would love to see as many parents and school community members join in the celebrations.

Kind Regards,

Mr Sam Mattas

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

Wednesday, 20 February 2019

With thanks to Kelly Pucillo & Meri Markovski

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

With thanks to Melissa Todev & Sandra Mauriello