Term 1 - March Thursday 3 & Friday 4 (Staff Conference)
Term 2 - Friday May 6 (Writing PD)
Term 3 - Friday August 5 (School Wide Positive Behaviour PD)
Term 4 - Monday September 21 (Report Writing)
We Acknowledge the Gunditjmara people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are gathered today.
We respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past, present and future. We acknowledge their stories, traditions and living cultures on this land and commit to building a brighter future together.
Welcome back to the 2022 school year. Despite the uncertainty in the media around returning to school we are very excited to be here with your children. We are ready and fully focused on building a welcoming, safe and inclusive learning environment.
I hope everyone had an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful summer sunshine we had over the holidays.
Welcome
A special welcome our new Foundation students and their families to our school community:
Lucas Porter, Ned Hamilton, Jonty McCosh, Rosie Brian, Gracie Robinson, Finn Chisholm, Ethan Moutsos, Millie Burris, Xavier Down, Melinsa Felsianes, Ikoro Sakate, Lucy Currer, Beau Robertson, Vera Watty, Frank Watty, Poppi Sproal, Jai Coxall, Harry Parkinson, Cooper Smith, Liam Jackson, Edward Taylor, Ruby Lilley, Maxwell Nevitt, Rebecca Mahony, Danit Joseph, Cooper McGuigan
We also welcome new students and their families in other classes:
Eadie Archbold (Yr 4) Ivy Archbold (Yr 5); David Joseph(Yr 4); Tadhg Duus (Yr 1); Tynan Hicks (Yr 4) & Aleera Hicks (Yr 3).
Thank you to our Parents and Friends who organised the welcome morning tea for new parents on Monday morning and to those who supplied the food. It was well attended and gave us a chance to get to know some of our new community members.
We welcome new staff for 2022:
Nicole Forbes (Year 3/4)
Millie Kenna (Trainee Learning Support Officer)
Tessa Allen (Trainee Learning Support Officer)
Welcome back to:
Monique McCartney (Junior Art & 3/4LM Fridays)
Michelle Malone (5/6BM Fridays)
Naomi Harman (Learning Support Officer)
We hope that our new staff, students and families will find St Patrick’s a welcoming and supportive school community.
Congratulations
Congratulations to the following students who have been elected student leaders for 2021:
School Captains: Alice MacPherson, Lena Watty, Blake Robertson & Thomas Parkinson
House Captains:
Winnen: Fergus Lenehan
Mackillop: Dusty robertson
Polding: Lucy Clancey
Samaritan: Jack Wagg
Mini Vinnies Leaders: Emily Porter & Ondine Serong
Sustainability Leaders: Rosie Parkinson & George Prosser
A building update will be provided in the body of this newsletter.
Kind regards,
Olga Lyons, Principal
To start the year we need to remind ourselves of our school Vision and Mission statement:
VISION
In the tradition of the Good Samaritan sisters, we are a Catholic educational community, giving ourselves to goodness throughout our lives.
MISSION
We do this by:
Nurturing, developing and celebrating faith.
Welcoming, including and supporting each other.
Inspiring and challenging each other through excellent teaching, leading to high levels of learning and achievement for all.
Respecting the uniqueness of each person.
Enjoying life as part of a community.
Responding to the personal safety and developmental needs of our students to support their mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing, making our school a Child-Safe school.
As we move forward into the new school year, we pray and trust that each and every one of our children will have the opportunity to develop and grow to their full potential as part of our school community.
School Wide Positive Behaviour Support is: A multi-tiered framework for establishing the social culture and behavioural supports needed for a school to achieve behavioural and academic outcomes for all students.
What are the features of School Wide Positive Behaviour Support?
Prevention of problem behaviour
Define and teach positive social expectations
Acknowledge positive behaviour
Arrange consistent consequences for problem behaviour
On-going collection and use of data for decision-making
Continuum of intensive, individual intervention supports.
Implementation of the systems that support effective practices
Why are we implementing this at St Patrick’s?
Reduces problem behaviour
Builds a consistent approach to behaviour in the school environment
Builds on teacher /student rapport
Specifically targets bullying behaviour
Increase the well being of students and teachers
Improves social /emotional competence
What are we aiming for?
Common purpose and approach to discipline
Clear set of positive expectations and behaviours
Procedures for teaching expected behaviour
Continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behaviour
Continuum of procedures for discouraging inappropriate behaviour
Procedures for data collection, ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
OUR SCHOOL MANTRA is Be: respectful, safe, a learner
We will be guided to be respectful, be safe, be a learner in all areas of our school both inside and outside.
Once again we are able to offer a counselling service at St. Patrick's School. Belinda Sheen is our School Chaplain who works Thursdays with children on a referral basis. If you think your child needs to be referred to Melissa please contact the office for a referral form.
Filled in our Volunteer Jobs google form?
There are many ways you can help around the school, some of these jobs are eligible to volunteer levy rebates. If you are interested in helping in some way please click on the link above.
Filled in the 2022 Working Bee google form?
Working Bees are great way of helping the school and working off your volunteer levy points. We would appreciate it if each family could commit to one working bee for the year.
Each working bee is worth 15 volunteer points per person (5 points = 1 hour/$25).
Working Bees are held on the first Saturday of each term from 9am-12pm.
Please click on the link above to select a date.
PAM - Updated your child's medical information & checked that your contact details are up to date?
Please login to your PAM account and check that your child's medical profile and amend as necessary. You also need to check your contact details, your child's emergency contact and your address are correct. If any changes are needed please email Janine jmoloney001@spportfairy.catholic.edu.au
Year 5/6BM have had a busy week learning about their new class and their new teachers.
Mrs Malone works on a Monday and Mrs Balmer works for the rest of the week.
This week we have looked at all the expected behaviours in and out of our classroom. Next week we will be making movie clips of our expected behaviours so that all our school students can see what they should be doing when they are walking in the corridor, lining up for the bus, going to use the bathroom.
We have had an enjoyable time on our Wednesday Specialist Day doing Japanese, Art, Wellbeing, Science and Music/Drama.
All classes have a fruit break at 10.00am and it is expected that every child will bring a piece of fresh fruit to eat during this time. The first main eating break is at 11.30am after first play, and it is at this time that children eat their main lunch.
A reminder also that as part of our requirements for accreditation as a sustainable school, children are to bring their food in reusable containers or take their rubbish home with them.
Healthy Lunchbox Week (Feb 6-12) is an initiative of Nutrition Australia. It aims to inspire Australian families to create healthy and enjoyable lunchboxes.
Did you know children consume around 30% of their daily food intake at school?
Most of this comes from the contents of their lunchbox. What children eat during their day at school plays a crucial role in their learning and development.
The Healthy Lunchbox week website provides timely information for families as they return to the routine of daily lunchbox packing and it supports schools and teachers to share healthy lunchbox messages within their school community by:
inspiring healthy lunchbox ideas and recipes
awareness of lunchbox food hygiene and safety.
https://www.healthylunchboxweek.org.au/
School Hats: It was surprising that so many students didn't have a school hat today. Please buy a new hat from the office if the old one can't be located or if it is faded and damaged.
School Shoes: School shoes must be plain black. If you choose to buy black runners they must have black soles and no logo or brand name visible.
Year 6 Jumpers: Our Year 6 hoodies look very smart and will be cosy in the winter months and even a few colder summer days lately.
Sports Uniform: All students are to wear their sports uniform on their specialist day and also on Fridays for Wellbeing House Group activities.
Specialist Days for Sports Uniforms:
Tuesday - 3/4
Wednesday - 5/6
Thursday - F-2
Friday - all classes
Our school sports this year will be held on Wednesday March 23rd at Brauerander Park from 10.00am - 2.30pm. All children will be competing in a variety of athletic events on this day and families are very welcome.
The Moyne School Athletics will be held on .
Sporting Schools Program
The Sporting Schools program this year will run on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons after school from 3.20pm - 4.30pm starting next week, Wednesday February 9. This program runs for 7 weeks each term. Tom Sell, one of our Learning Support Officers, will be coordinating the program this year, along with our trainees.
Attendance forms are located on the Skoolbag App. Attendance slips must be filled out by 10am for each day your child is attending Sporting Schools. Any child without an attendance form will not be permitted to attend.
Please use the Skoolbag App for each session your child is going to attend.
If you do not have the Skoolbag App, click on the link for instructions.
https://www.moqproducts.com.au/skoolbag/installation-instructions/
Our first working bee for this year will be held this coming Saturday Feb 5 from 9:00am-12:00pm. Please bring any tools you think we may need.
Tasks to be completed:
Renew sand in the sandpit and long jump on the oval.
Renew bark in Adventure playground to be spread.
Fill planters with soil.
Pressure Cleaning the school logo at the front of the school.
Remove grass on proposed path to Olde School House and edge with planks.
Plants plants in 1/2 courtyards.
The parents who have nominated for this working bee are: Scott Elliott, Chris Frost, Jon Mirtschin, Geekie/Mahony, Simon Knee, James Taylor.
Playground supervision will be provided before school from 8.40am and after school until 3.30pm and no formal supervision of the playground occurs outside those hours. You are requested to ensure children are not dropped off earlier or collected later than this.
Bus students will be supervised while getting off the bus in the morning and while waiting to get on the bus in the afternoon.
Student Safety/Late Attendance
The side entrance door near the hall is locked from 8.55am, once the bell goes. Anyone arriving after this time, or visiting the school during the day, will need to enter via the front entrance. Any student arriving after 8.55am will need their parent/carer to fill in a late absence on the iPad located at the office.
Pedestrian Safety
With so many cars out the front of the school both before and after school it is very important that you use the school crossing if you park on the opposite side of William St, to ensure that both pedestrians and drivers remain safe. Parents are also asked not to use the staff car park, including the grassed area behind the hall, when dropping off or picking up children, as there are safety concerns for children with cars going in and out of the car park and children walking to/from school buses. The grassed area behind the hall and the staff car park is required for staff parking. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Bikes
Children riding bikes must walk their bikes the full length of the footpath before riding them. Helmets must always be worn while riding.
The office is open from 8.30am - 4.00pm each day.
There is no supervision for students before 8.40am. Teachers use the time prior to the doors opening for setting up for the day, therefore they are not available to supervise students. Students who arrive at school prior to 8.40am need to wait at the side door near the hall until the doors are opened.
The bell for the start of the day rings at 8.55am, any student arriving after this time needs to be signed in using the iPad at the office.
There is no school for Foundation students on Wednesdays during Term 1.
The bell for the end of the day rings at 3.20pm. If for any reason you are going to be later than 3.30pm to collect your child/children, please contact the school office.
PAM is used for excursions/activities, absences, medical profile, emailing parents, learning conversations, literacy/numeracy bookings and school reports.
All absences, excursion permissions, medical information will be accessed through PAM (Parent Access Module). PAM is where you have been accessing your child's reports and making bookings for interviews.
You will use the same login and password that you were given at the end of last year. If you have forgotten your login please contact me. If you have forgotten your password you can reset it from the login page.
When you log in, there may be a warning at the top that asks you to verify your email address - please do this.
Website Login Details - www.spportfairy.catholic.edu.au
Login – parents Password – parents
What you will find there:
Information about the school
Login for our Parent Access Module (PAM)
School calendar of events
Newsletters
Enrolment form
Excursion form
Absence form
Sporting School slips and enrolment forms
Reminders
Bus travel form
School Requisites list
Medication form
Uniform order form
Canteen menu & roster
Direct debit for school fees form