Last Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day.

Mother’s Day has many meanings and it can be a time when joy and sorrow come hand in hand. The role of ‘mother’ can take many different forms in the contemporary family structure. So who is a mother, who are we celebrating?

A mother, like Mary the mother of God, is a person who has said yes; yes to new life, yes to being responsible for the growth and development of another human being who is totally reliant on a mother’s preparedness to do so and yes to loving another to the best of their ability. Yes to taking their children’s hands and leading them into life with a tenderness and unconditional acceptance that reveals God’s love and yes to walking beside them through the challenges and difficulties life presents.

There is much that motherhood teaches us - that deep love brings both deep joy and heartache, the moments to hold on tight or let go, speak up or listen deeply, advocate for or encourage assertiveness, take time for oneself or time for sacrifice and selflessness and always to see God in the other and in situations - to be people of hope.

In the words of Pope Francis, “A world that looks to the future without a mother’s gaze is shortsighted. It may well increase its profits, but it will no longer see others as children. It will make money, but not for everyone. We will all dwell in the same house, but not as brothers and sisters. The human family is built upon mothers. A world in which maternal tenderness is dismissed as mere sentiment may be rich materially, but poor where the future is concerned.”

It is easy to see the glow of an expectant mum or the love on a new mum’s face as she gazes and smiles at her baby and tells them how loved they are, even if they have kept her awake half the night. Blessed is she!

Mothers know motherhood is a sacrament, a gift, a privilege, an honour, a blessing. Mothers know life is to be celebrated and so it is right that the country dedicates one day a year for all of us to stop and celebrate motherhood, to celebrate those mothers in our lives who said yes, who continue to turn up for us and to love us unconditionally, to cherish us tenderly, even if they are no longer physically with us; to say thank you for their sacrifice and effort, hard work and determination, their attending to the ordinary in the everyday, for helping us grow.

Thank you to all the families who sent in a photo to be included in our Mother’s Day assembly earlier this week.  Please find a link to the video we showed at our Mother’s Day Assembly here:

Our PB4L focus for next week (Week 5) is Respect for Adults
In the explicit teaching lessons the expected behaviours taught will be:
1. Greeting adults with their name

2. Looking at adults when they speak to you.

3. Holding the door open for an adult

4. Offering to assist adults

5. Speaking courteously to adults eg: saying thank you when you are given
    something

6. Cooperating with adults

Examples of behaviours that negatively impact on Respectful, Responsible and
Safe Respect for Adults to be taught include:
1. Ignoring adults

2. Pushing past adults

3. Interrupting adults that are talking

4. Playing ball games when adults are walking through the game

Our PB4L focus for next week (Week 6) is Respect for Learning and Teaching
In the explicit teaching lessons the expected behaviours taught will be:
1. Following directions

2. Sitting still during learning and teaching

3. Looking and listening during learning and teaching

4. Speaking courteously to all

5. Raising hands to ask or answer a question.

6. Staying on task

Examples of behaviours that negatively impact on Respectful, Responsible and
Safe Respect for Learning and Teaching to be taught include:

   1. Calling Out     

   2. Talking over the top of someone else                             

   3. Distracting self or others   

   4. Fidgeting 

   5. Speaking discourteously to 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.

PB4L Data
It is with pride that I inform you that over the last two weeks 53 students
were given Citizenship, Merit, Library or Uniform Awards or Playground
Affirmation Awards whilst there were 9 incidents of Inappropriate behaviour
recorded.

You may be aware from recent correspondence that throughout this term the
students from Kindergarten to Year 6 are learning about the Zones of
Regulation.
Next week the students will learn to understand triggers and recognise that
they may fluctuate between Zones throughout the day.
The following week the students will learn to recognise personal triggers that
lead to different zones, and problem solve to manage these triggers.

Mr Gavan Hoctor - Assistant Principal

Next Wednesday, May 24, is the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. This
is an important Feast in our country because Our Lady, under the title
“Help of Christians”, is a spiritual Patron of Australia, along with St. Mary
of the Cross MacKillop.
The feast day to Mary Help of Christians has been celebrated in Australia since
1844.

Prayer to Mary Help of Christians patroness of Australia
Almighty God, deepen in our hearts our love of Mary Help of Christians.
Through her prayers and under her protection, may the light of Christ shine
over our land.
May Australia be granted harmony, justice, and peace.
Grant wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens.
Bless especially the men and women of the Australian Defence Force and their
families.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.