Dear Parents

As this will be our last newsletter for the term I wish you a happy and holy Easter. May the joy of the Risen Lord be with you all as we reflect on the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. Please take the time to attend one or more of the many Easter services in our parish – going to church as a family at Easter is a great way to re-enforce what the children have been learning about in their Religion lessons.

Kindergarten enrolments for 2020

If you know of any families who wish to attend St Patrick’s can you advise them to collect enrolment forms along with supporting documents from the office or the website. Interviews will take place at the beginning of Term 2.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews

Thank you for your patience in accessing the booking times on the new system (Compass).

Students in Years 3 and 5 are preparing for the Online Naplan test

Anzac Day

We will be having our school service on Friday, 12 April. If the children can bring a flower on that day they will lay it around the plaque in our Anzac garden at the entrance to the administration area.

On Thursday 25 April our captains will represent our school at the RSL Dawn Service at 6am in Port Kembla. The children will present a wreath and read a prayer for the Queen.

I invite any families to come to this annual event which is always a most moving service.

Cross Country

A very special thank you to Mrs Pulbrook who always organises the best Carnivals. This was very evident on Friday at our Cross Country Carnival. Mrs Pulbrook checks the grounds and prepares the event most diligently. On Friday after the event she even had the ribbons ready to give to the boys and girls who achieved places. Once again thank you for a great day!

Good health and best wishes to you all

Mrs Anne Duggan
Principal

Our SPB4L focus for this week (Week 10) is the No! STOP! DON’T! 3 Step Plan
We teach this to the students so that they have a way to manage situations with other students if they are being treated disrespectfully, irresponsibly or unsafely.

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

NO, STOP, DON’T - 3 Step Plan

Step 1:
Say NO, STOP and/or DON’T
Tell the person assertively

NO
“No I won’t …..”
“No I don’t want to …….”

STOP
“Stop it!”
Stop doing that!”
Stop saying those things!”

DON’T
“I don’t like it …….”

Step 2:
Tell the person assertively
“Stop it or I’ll tell a teacher”
“Stop saying that or I’ll tell a teacher”
“Stop doing that or I’ll tell a teacher”

Step 3:
Tell the nearest teacher

Our SPB4L focus for next week (Week 11) is Good Manners.
In the explicit teaching lessons the expected behaviours taught will be:
* Saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’
* Saying ‘Excuse me’
* Saying ‘Good Morning”
* Asking ‘May I’
* Waiting my turn to talk
* Looking at the person speaking
* Using the other person's name

Examples of behaviours that negatively impact respectful, responsible and safe behavior when using Good Manners to be taught include:
* Not saying please, thank you or excuse me
* Interrupting
* Walking away when someone is talking to you
* Ignoring others

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 that over the last two weeks 49 students were given Citizenship, Merit, Library or Uniform Awards or Playground Affirmation Awards whilst there were just 2 incidences of inappropriate behaviour recorded.

WE’RE GOING GREENER - NUDE FOOD EVERYDAY

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 taken home rather than in 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.

Mr Gavan Hoctor
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

MEDALLION WINNERS

Jacob Markovski - Yr3  Evie Combes - Yr 4  Nate Mihalopoulos - Yr 5  Khalilah Zipparo - Yr 5

Congratulations to the following students receiving awards:

Principals Awards:

Leyly Medina Yr 1, Fiona Meta Yr 1, Kora Gebauer Yr 2, Paige Lukarovski Yr 3, Emma Usljebrka Yr 3, Jamie Harrison Yr 4, Bianca Meta Yr 4, Madeleine Grainger Yr 5, Kade Gardiner Yr 6, Nate Grainger Yr 6.

Gold Awards:

Rose Varela De Sousa Yr 2, Maya Rizovska Yr 4, Ava Murzevski Yr 6.

Uniform Awards:

Hannah Dos Santos Yr 1, Vivianne Theodosiadis Yr 2, Issaiah Marras Scerri Yr 4, Ruby Nguyen Yr 5

Library Awards: 

Georgia Stojanovski - Kinder, Cooper Pucillo - Yr 1, Imogen Aquilina - Yr 2, Eva Gebauer - Yr 6

Congratulations and a very happy birthday to the follow students:

Haylen Horwood - 24/04 Kinder, Milani Kuzmanovska - 21/04 Kinder, Marlin Lyon 12/04 - Kinder, Hannah Dos Santos - 06/04 Yr 1,Fiona Meta - 13/04 Yr 1, Marco Alves - 08/04 Yr 2, Nikhil Carolan - 08/04 Yr 2, Kora Gebauer - 29/04 Yr 2, Paige Lukarovski - 08/04 Yr 3, Evie Combes - 12/04 Yr 4, Madeleine Mineeff - 02/04 Yr 4, Thoedore Ntallaris - 27/04 Yr 4, Tahlia Spinelli 02/04 Yr 4, Samuel Stojcevski - 17/04 Yr 4, Chase Austin - 20/04 Yr 5, Zoe Bower - 02/04 Yr 5, Sophia Cappetta Alves - 12/04 Yr 5,Elleanor Pasztor - 1/04 Yr 5, Mia Meta - 21/04 Yr 6.

Thank you for joining our Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) schools across the Illawarra, Macarthur, Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands, and Catholic school communities across NSW, in celebrating Catholic Schools Week for 2019. It's been a wonderful week of open days, activities, masses, liturgies and other special events - including the Diocesan Education Mass, which was a significant highlight of CSW. Read more about the Mass and listen to Director of Schools, Peter Turner's speech here.

Catholic Schools Week has showcased some of the fantastic things happening in our schools every day, and has very much highlighted our local Catholic schools - including yours! - as vibrant places of learning, faith, hope and opportunity. Thank you for your involvement.

We'd like to share with you our small Catholic Schools Week video that has been promoted throughout last week. Can you spot the students from your school in this video?

Compass Parent Information

What is Compass?

Compass is a Student Information System that allows you as parents access to your child(ren)’s records.

The Parent Portal allows parents/carers to:
Monitor your child(ren)’s attendance, and enter explanations for late arrivals or absences
Update your family details - mobile and email address
Download and view your child(ren)’s semester reports
View ‘My News’- a news feed of school announcements, alerts and updates
View your school calendar
Book parent-teacher meetings
Provide consent for events and excursions.

How can I get access?

Every parent will have a separate account to log into the Compass Parent Portal

What can I get access to?

The student's profile page
Attendance pages where notes/approvals can be entered
Full record history of the student’s attendance
Academic reports for the student
Parent/Student/Teacher Conference bookings

What is ‘My News’?

The ‘My News’ section displays any applicable reminders or notifications which may include:
Outstanding absences or late arrivals that require a note or approval
Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences that are available for booking
Semester Reports that are available to download
Excursions or Events that require consent and/or payment
News Feed items that have been targeted to you as a parent will display.

REMINDERS

Thank you to all the parents/carers who have returned the Information Communication Learning Technologies (ICLT) agreements, Family Summary Reports and the Diocesan Fee Agreements.

It is essential that these forms are completed and returned to the school office as soon as possible to keep records up to date.

If you are unable to locate these forms or unsure if you have provided them, please contact the office. 

Elleanor Pasztor

We would like to congratulate Elleanor Pasztor in Year 5. Elleanor graced a large audience with her flute playing at the final Eric Genuis concert at St Paul’s in Albion Park last week. Elleanor’s bother, Aaron, her mum and dad were in the audience, enjoying the performance.

Elleanor performed one of Eric’s original compositions, Butterfly. She played alongside Eric himself, as well as Yu-Ting on the violin and Emma on the cello. Elleanor performed like a professional and we are all very proud of her wonderful achievement. We hope to see Elleanor doing more concerts in the future.

CONGRATULATIONS Elleanor! Keep up the amazing flute playing.

2019 CALENDARS

Cross Country 2019

Second time lucky. A lovely morning was had at King George V Park for our school cross country carnival. The children were given the challenge of finishing the 2km course hot, sweaty, puffed yet happy.  Congratulations go to all who did. Many thanks to the teachers and parents who helped, keeping everyone safely heading in the right direction and encouraging the children on the way.

The infants classes held their races at school, being cheered on by the primary children. Thank you to the senior students for acting as very capable course marshals, place-judges, recorders  and ‘rabbit’s.

The individual results are:

Kindergarten - 500m
Boys -  1st Chavez Ntallaris  2nd Dominic Romancewicz  3rd Alessandro Varela De Sousa 4th Haylen Horwood
Girls - 1st Lesina-Rose Fonoti 2nd Amelie Mineeff 3rd Isla Lukarovski 4th Eva Zafiropoulos

Year 1 - 750m
Boys - 1st Jerome Fonoti 2nd Jacob Dimitrijevic 3rd Mason Kuzmanovski 4th Harrison Sharpe
Girls - 1st Fiona Meta 2nd Makayla Gladden 3rd Milla Lokys 4th Leyly Medina

Year 2 - 750m
Boys - 1st Levi Kinnas 2nd Levi Marras Scerri 3rd Dean Dragarski
Girls - 1st Delilah Calleja 2nd Rose Varela De Sousa 3rd Imogen Aquilina 4th Simona Stojcevski

8 Years - 2km
Boys - 1st Toby Ritchie 2nd Aaron Pasztor 3rd Ashton Batur 4th Lucas Peoples
Girls - 1st Liana Meta 2nd Paige Lukarovski 3rd Sienna Fargnoli 4th Mila Manevski

9 - Years
Boys - 1st Dylan Capocchiano 2nd Isaac Spinelli 3rd Cameron Culshaw 4th Mikki Jovanovski
Girls - 1st Taylah Curtis 2nd Alani Tanevski 3rd Ella Sammut 4th Madeleine Mineeff

10 - Years
Boys - 1st Joshua Purdevski 2nd Jamie Harrison 3rd Theodore Ntallaris 4th Bowen Sharrock
Girls - 1st Lily Ritchie 2nd Alexia Trajcevska 3rd Bianca Meta 4th Rose Uzunovski

11 - Years
Boys - 1st Chase Austin 2nd Christian Sammut 3rd Zachary Mauriello 4th Nate Mihalopoulos
Girls - 1st Ella Yates 2nd Shaelyn Petkovski 3rd Alicia Rae 4th Dezi Kalimnios

12 - Years
Boys - 1st Christian Purdevski 2nd Kade Gardiner 3rd William Culshaw 4th Zack Pulo
Girls - 1st Mikaela Markovski 2nd Chloe Malby 3rd Jasmyn Mayne 4th Isis Romancewicz

The children who have been selected in the School team to compete in Nowra on Tuesday 7 May should have received and returned their notes. There are four age divisions at the Diocesan level, being 8/9, 10, 11 & seniors. Three children from each school may run in each race.

The House results were: 1st St Joseph - Red, 2nd St Francis - Yellow, 3rd St Patrick - Green, 4th Mother Margaret - Blue.

ALL NOTES NEED TO BE RETURNED TO SCHOOL BY THIS FRIDAY, 5 APRIL.

Wednesday, 3 April 2019

With thanks to Amy & Chris Grosche

Wednesday, 10 April 2019

With thanks to Carmela Losinno & Giovanna Stojcevski

It is every student's responsibility to behave in a manner that ensures the safety and comfort of passengers and drivers. This includes:

Behaviour on buses

• Use appropriate language, not offensive or racist language
• Fighting, spitting, feet on seats, throwing things in or from the bus is not permitted
• No eating or drinking (other than water) - unless for medical reasons or the bus operator gives written permission.
• Offer seats to adults including people with a disability, elderly or expectant mothers
• Do not push or shove other people
• Do not bully or harass other passengers or the driver
• Avoid attracting the attention of the driver except in the case of emergency
• Do not play music at such volume that it may distract the bus driver or other passengers.

Safety on and near buses

• Obey reasonable directions from the driver (e.g. where to sit or to remain in the bus)
• Remain in your seat - do not move around the bus unnecessarily
• If standing, remain behind the front passenger seat and keep a secure hand hold at all times
• Keep bags and other items clear of the aisle
• Do not allow any part of your body to protrude out of the bus at any time
• Wait for the bus in a quiet and orderly manner - including at bus interchanges
• Stand away from the roadside until the bus comes to a complete stop
• Allow other passengers to leave the bus before stepping onto the bus in a single line
• Wait until the bus stops before moving to get off the bus at your designated stop
• Cross the road where and when it's safe to do so, use crossings/traffic lights where available.

Legal considerations on buses

• Wear the seat belt properly adjusted and fastened, if one is available
• Obey the law that bans smoking on buses
• Ensure that buses are not vandalised - report any damage, e.g. graffiti and window etching, to the driver
• Do not interfere with bus property, equipment and signage
• Do not leave rubbish on the bus, or at bus stops or interchanges.

Using bus passes:

• Show travel passes or tickets to the driver on boarding and to Authorised Revenue Protection Officers, NSW
• Police Officers or bus company representative when requested
• Use the travel pass only for its intended purpose - do not lend your pass to other students or borrow a pass from them
• Swipe or 'dip' passes in ticket readers if available when boarding
• If issued with a School Opal card, always tap on when boarding and tap off when leaving the bus.

Disobeying these rules may lead to the withdrawal of bus travel passes, banning students from travelling on buses and/or police prosecution and court action.