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Dear Parents
Welcome to Term 4. The coming weeks will be about social interaction, emotional and student wellbeing. Besides learning, part of the day will be ensuring the importance of each teacher devoting time to listen their students about how they are feeling and addressing any anxieties they might have. This will be an essential part of their return to normal schooling.
The best learning environment for students is in the classroom and we are looking forward to welcoming back our staff and students in Term 4. We know that while there will be excitement, there will also be some anxiety and uncertainty about being back together at school.
Recent evidence shows that very little COVID transmission happens between children in school settings, and only a very small number of children who contract COVID-19 get seriously ill. However, to support school safety we are requiring all staff on site to be fully vaccinated,
We have worked with NSW Health on our COVID-safe plan to return to school sites and have developed effective practices to support this, including staff vaccinations, mask wearing, reduced mingling of staff and student groups, ventilation in classrooms and continued good hygiene and cleaning.
Students are reminded daily to follow strict hygiene practices like:
∙ regularly washing hands
∙ not sharing drinks or food
∙ coughing or sneezing into their elbow, or else using a tissue which should be put in the tissue bin straight away
∙ using their own bottle for drinking –bubblers at this stage are turned off
Reminder:
Students will return to face-to-face learning at school in the following order:
∙ from 18 October –Kindergarten, Year 1
∙ from 25 October – Yrs 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
School attendance
All students should be at school on the date indicated for their year group, unless:
∙ they have a medical certificate which says they can’t return to school due to a condition or illness
∙ they are currently unwell
∙ they have been asked by NSW Health to self-isolate.
Masks will be mandatory for all staff while they are indoors and outdoors on school sites. Masks are strongly recommended for primary students both indoors and outdoors.
Students should bring their own masks where possible, but schools will have back-up supplies just in case.
Classroom doors and windows will remain open and fans and air-conditioners will be set to use outside air, where possible.
Schools will continue to receive additional cleaning in line with advice from NSW Health. We have a plentiful supply of soap, hand sanitiser, toilet paper, paper towels and disinfectant .
Break times, Arrivals and Dismissals- please refer to Mr Hoctor’s section of the newsletter.
Staff Changes
Miss Figeuira will be on leave from 25thOctober week. Miss Phillips and Mrs Crofts will teach Year 1 until Miss Figueira’s return.
Miss Phillips – Monday and Tuesday
Mrs Crofts – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Mrs Pulbrook our wonderful P.E. teacher will be retiring at the end of the year. She has been an amazing colleague, organiser and promotor of sport in our school. Her preparation for Friday lessons, carnivals and sporting opportunities for our boys and girls has been exceptional. The school will miss her. I wish her every best wish for time with family and friends in the next chapter of her life.
I also wish to announce that I will be retiring at the end of the year after 45 years in Catholic Education. My nine years at St Patrick’s has been a wonderful experience. I am proud of our many accomplishments. I have enjoyed not only your generous support but your friendship as well. Hopefully with restrictions further lifted I will be able to connect with you personally before the end of the term.
Special thanks to our Parents and Friends Association who have represented our community so well and have achieved so much.
I have been privileged in working alongside the most amazing and dedicated staff and students. I have truly felt each day has been a blessing here, enjoying working with our boys and girls in the classroom, on the playground, everywhere.
Please keep me in your prayers for the next stage of my life’s journey.
The process of finding a new Principal will occur over the next few weeks and I wish her/him every best wish for the future and know that they will be part of an amazing group of staff, students and parent community.
Blessings and stay safe for the coming weeks ahead.
Mrs Anne Duggan - Principal
Newsletter Week 2 Term 4
KEMBLA ST ARRIVAL PROCEDURE
Could I ask for your assistance with a modification to our before school arrival at Kembla St.
As from next Monday would you please ensure that your child/ren remain in your vehicle until your vehicle is first in the queue. The teacher will them invite your child(ren) to alight and enter the school grounds
KEMBLA ST. DEPARTURE PROCEDURES
Could I ask for your assistance please with a modification to our after-school dismissal via Kembla St.
Please remain in your vehicle.
Your child(ren) will be called from the playground when your vehicle is first in the queue.
PLEASE BE PATIENT. This revised routine will quite likely slow the dismissal process.
PLEASE DO NOT SIT DOUBLE PARKED while you are waiting for your child(ren). Please keep circling the block until there is space in ‘no parking (pick-up/drop-off)’ zone for your vehicle.
REMEMBER THAT THE ‘NO PARKING (PICK-UP/DROP-OFF)’ ZONE HAS
A TWO MINUTE LIMIT
TO HELP MAKE THIS TIME MORE MANAGEABLE FOR THE STAFF AND STUDENTS PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN THE PICK-UP/DROP OFF ZONE BEFORE 2:55PM
Please note that the students are well supervised during the afternoon dismissal. Teachers are on duty at the Kembla St entry/exit until at least 3:15 and I advise parents to delay their pick-up for 10 or 15 minutes so that the congestion is lessened.
If you are collecting your child/ren in person, please remember to maintain physical distancing whilst you are waiting outside the school gate.
REVISED BREAKTIMES
Please be advised that in accord with Level 3 and Level 3+ Guidelines that we will be introducing staggered playtimes
As such, from Monday of Week 4, (October 25) break times will be as follows:
LUNCH A (Years 4-6) 10:15 – 10:25 (time to eat), 10:25-10:55 (time for play)
LUNCH B (Years K-3) 10:45 – 10:55 (time to eat), 10:55 – 11:25 (time for play)
RECESS A (Years 4-6) 12:25 – 12:55 (including eating and play time)
RECESS B (Years K-3) 12:55 – 1:25 (including eating and play time)
Please also note that each class will have a designated playground.
Mr Hoctor - Assistant Principal
REC Update – W10 – T3
Announcement of Reopening of Churches from Bishop Brian
Bishop Brian has announced that the churches in the Diocese of Wollongong will reopen for worship on the weekend after the state reaches 80% full vaccination. This will happen approximately around 25 October 2021. As a result, the first weekend back at Masses should be on 30/31 October 2021 in the hall with the 4 square metre rule in place.
Further detailed information can be found in the Parish Bulletin and the Parish Facebook page here.
What’s Missin’ from the Mission Wall?
We are encouraging Primary age children to get involved in the revamp of our ‘Mission Wall’. Students have the opportunity to add their design ideas by joining a Google Classroom page and posting their illustrations/plans. It would be great for you to encourage your children to get involved by joining the Google Classroom page via this link (click on the image):
Here is what the children have been told about the initiative so far:
Everything is missin’ from the Mission Wall!
It seems like a perfect opportunity to reimagine it!
Many thanks for joining the St Patrick's Mission Wall Design Classroom. Here you will have an opportunity to contribute your ideas and creativity to revamping our wonderful mission wall!
Can you help?
Do you have any ideas to share?
Put your creative thinking caps on and let’s jazz it up.
Perhaps you have a different background in mind?
Would you like the Mission Wall to have a border?
Can you think of a scripture verse you’d like to see on the wall?
What about a quote from a religious leader?
Some Christian values?
Should the Mission Wall have images or pictures or photos or……
Can you help us?
If you have any ideas, you might:
- Draw them, take a photo and post them to the Google Classroom stream
- Use any creative app on your iPad to design the wall and share this to Google Classroom
When school resumes, we would like you to help bring your ideas to life by helping to decorate the Mission Wall as our way of saying thank you to you.
We can't wait to see what you come up with!
World Mission Month - Get Involved in ‘Socktober’!
A friendly reminder that we are encouraging families to get involved in ‘Socktober’. Further information will be shared with your child via the daily learning plans on Friday of this week.
Below is a snapshot of what was shared late last term:
Every year we celebrate and raise funds for ‘Socktober’, a social justice initiative for Catholic Mission Australia. We will be continuing the tradition this year, only in a COVID-safe way!
This year, Catholic Mission Australia is raising money for under privileged schools in Thailand and are asking for schools and families to participate in this wonderful initiative.
How can your family get involved?
Getting your family involved is easy. All you need to do is register your child/ren for Socktober and obtain sponsorship or make a one-off donation to the Socktober initiative.
How will the children be learning about this initiative?
All of the children at St Patrick’s will be learning about the initiative throughout the month of October. Each Friday continuing from Week 2 of Term 4, they will watch videos relating to the program, and will complete learning activities as part of the ‘Fun Friday’ package each week. They will learn about the needs of our neighbours in Thailand, understand the importance of raising money for those in need and model the values of social justice.
Whether $5 or $500 is raised is of course not important – as long as the children understand the importance of mission, whilst contributing to a worthy cause is what we see as being most important.
We also understand that many families may be under financial stress at the moment, and as such there is of course no obligation to raise money. All children will be involved in the learning through their participation in the Fun Friday activities and content.
Many thanks for your ongoing support!
All the best,
Mr Sam Mattas
Religious Education Coordinator
KINDERGARTEN
Sasha Naumovski
Abbie Ruprecht
Isabelle Ruprecht
Year 1
Chloe Dimitrijevic
Leo Reiher
Year 2
Annika Cieplucha
Aurora Leite
Year 3
Alexis Krstevski
Kimora Markovski
Year 4
Marco Alves
Israel Friesan
Year 5
Aaron Pasztor
Christian Nagy
Year 6
Lucas Pucillo
Tahlia Spinelli
Christian Nagy - Year 5
Annika Cieplucha - Year 2
CONFIRMATION and FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2021
There have been a number of questions regarding the celebration of the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation for 2021. In view of the prolonged restrictions and insufficient time for adequate preparation, these sacraments will be celebrated next year at the usual time. That is, the Sacrament of Confirmation with take place sometime in August/September 2022 in consultation with the Office of the Bishop (OOB) and First Holy Communion will take place on the feast of Christ the King (towards the end of November 2022) as is the custom at St Patrick’s Parish. Therefore, the Sacraments of CONFIRMATION and FIRST HOLY COMMUNION will be postponed until next year.
Parents who wish to present their children for any of the sacraments are asked to participate in weekly mass as the Church asks us to do and all the appropriate information concerning the preparation and celebration of the sacraments will be made available there.
Sister Miriam