Dear Parents

It was wonderful to see so many families able to join us for our Student Leadership Induction Ceremony yesterday.  I have no doubt that these students will make wonderful leaders for our school.

Canteen

Unfortunately, given the size of our school, paying someone to run our canteen is not a viable option.  Therefore, we rely solely on the generosity of parents to have the school canteen open.

We understand the difficulty this creates for working parents and parents caring for young children at home.  However, you can help support the canteen through as little as an hour on one day a year, by donating food items such as popcorn or Zooper Doopers, or giving a one off donation of $10 that will go towards buying supplies for the canteen.

Kelly Pucillo has kindly made a flyer outlining the roles and ways you can help us with the Canteen.  I want to thank and acknowledge all the parents who were able to give of their time last year, but in particular I need to acknowledge and thank Kelly for the many hours she gives to ensure we even have a canteen!  Please fill out the following form, identifying how you can help support the canteen this year.  

Every little bit counts, so if you can assist in some way we would really appreciate it!

Uniforms

Our current contract with Lowes will end this year.  This means we will now enter into a new tender process, inviting a small number of prospective suppliers to apply for our uniform contract, including Lowes.  Regardless of the outcome, Lowes are still contracted to provide our uniform until January 2024.  The only exception is the hats, girls blouses and skorts, which can be bought online from Yeronga. Hats can be purchased from the office anytime, however, the office can only accept cash payments - $32 per hat.

Kembla Street Drop Off

We are very fortunate at St Patrick's that we have a number of ways students can be dismissed in the afternoons.

A very popular choice for many parents and grandparents is to use the Kembla Street Drop Off and Pick Up Zone.

When using this option we remind you that you may only legally be in the zone for 2 minutes.  (Failure to observe these rules can get you a $196 fine and 2 demerit points.). Therefore we ask that you do not arrive before 2.55pm.

Our staff are striving to make this process as safe and smooth as possible for our students, their families and the local community.  We want to get your children in your car as safely and quickly as we can so that we do not have cars banked up down the street.  Cars that are double parked in this line leave themselves vulnerable to increased fines as you are double parked in a school zone.  In addition, it also creates great frustration for our local neighbours who are unable to drive down the street.

Ideally, students who use the pick up zone of an afternoon should be able to enter the car independently from the curb side and secure their own seatbelt.  If your child is still developing their independence with this skill, could we ask that you arrive no earlier than 3pm and preferably around 3.05pm.  This will allow the initial rush to die down and give your child more time to enter the car without slowing down the flow of cars. 

Ms Gabi Tobin - Principal

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

1. Walk to the toilet

2. Flush the toilet after use
3. Wash hands using one pump of soap
4. Dry hands with one sheet of paper towel
5. Place the paper towel in the green bin outside the toilet
6. Be quiet during toilet visits
7. Walk quickly and quietly back to class

Examples of behaviours that negatively impact Respectful, responsible and
safe behaviours in the Toilets to be taught include:
1. Shouting
2. Running and/or playing near the toilet or in the toilet
3. Putting soap on the toilet floor
4. Leaving paper towel on the floor
5. Putting paper towel into the toilet
6. Putting toilet rolls into the toilet

Our PB4L focus for Week 6 is The Major and Minor Behaviour Definitions          

Our PB4L focus for Week 6 is The Major and Minor Behaviour Definitions
Attached to this newsletter is a copy of the Minor (Low) and Major (High)
Behaviour Definitions. The purpose of this publication is to define for students,
through examples, behaviours which are classified as either minor (low) or
major (high). Whilst not exhaustive the definitions include examples for
students to understand behaviours that are not to be accepted and that the
severity of a breach of the school rules will warrant a different response. Minor
(low) breaches of the school rules will most often be managed by the teacher.
Major (high) breaches of the school rules will be referred to Mr Hoctor and Ms
Tobin.

PAT TESTING
In the coming weeks your child/ren (in Years 2-6) may talk with you about
completing a PAT Test (Progressive Achievement Tests). Catholic schools in the
Diocese of Wollongong use PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests) as a tool to
measure student academic achievement and inform teachers of their students
individual learning needs. The students in Years 2-6 will complete an online
PAT Maths and PAT Reading test.

KEMBLA ST AFTERNOON PICK-UP
This week our school received two complaints from residents about the
afternoon school pick-up on Kembla St. The complaints are because of the
congestion caused by parents waiting to collect their child/ren blocking the
traffic flow for residents.
To help alleviate the problem please do not park in the pick-up/drop off zone
before 2:55 when students are dismissed from school.
Secondly, please do not sit double parked along Kembla St for any length of
time.
If there is not a car space available, please keep driving around the block
until such time as a space becomes available.
Could I ask please that you reiterate this message with all family members
who may collect your child/ren.
Please note that the students are well supervised during the afternoon
dismissal. Teachers are on duty at the Kembla St entry/exit until 3:15 and I
advise parents to delay their pick-up until after 3:05 so that the congestion is
lessened.

Mr Gavan Hoctor - Assistant Principal

REC Update – W4 – T1

Ash Wednesday Mass
Ash Wednesday is next week, February 22, and is of course a very important event in our liturgical calendar as it signifies the beginning of the season of Lent. We will be attending Mass as a whole school on this day, and as such all family and community members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Mass begins at 9am. Kindergarten will not be attending Mass, however Fr Mark will visit them during the day to share a Liturgy of the Word and to distribute the ashes to them.

A friendly reminder that Catholics are required to fast and abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and additionally, they must abstain from meat on all Fridays during Lent. While children are not required to abstain from eating meat on these days, you might like to include them in the fasting and discuss with your child the reasons for doing so. Parents are the first and most important teachers of the children, and teaching by example is a great way to build understanding with them.

Spiritual Reflection
Please find attached a spiritual reflection as shared with staff within the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong:

Love and The Law
The gospel message for this week tells us that Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfil it. For Jesus, fulfilling the law is an invitation to love. The Psalm (118) we prayed also expresses the connection between law and love.

The whole psalm is like an ABC of the love for God’s Law. Each verse uses the word ‘Law’ or one of its synonyms (e.g. ‘statues’; ‘precepts’). For the Hebrews, the concept of Law is not a list of do’s and don'ts. Instead, it is the greatest gift from God, the guarantee of his Covenant with humankind, the expression of his love. It might therefore be helpful to try replacing the word for Law and its synonyms with the word LOVE as we pray the psalm: They are happy who follow God’s law: They are happy who enjoy the love of God.        

Teach me the demands of your statutes: Teach me how to really love. Train me to observe your Law: Train me to live in love.

                                                 
God’s law is not some impersonal body of rules which can easily be broken. It is rather a covenant between two people who are bound in love.
Over the coming week, be attentive and notice the invitations for you to love.

All the best,
Mr Sam Mattas
Religious Education Coordinator