2024, Term 1, Week 4 Newsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

St. Patrick's School acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, the Koroitch-gundidj people of the Maar Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. 

Principal's Message

Dear parents and carers,

What a wonderful week it has been. We have welcomed the Wellbeing Leaders from the dioceses, showcasing our amazing work in wellbeing over the years. Staff and students across all year levels have been working on their personal stress management plans, thanks Ms Shona Louden for your work in the wellbeing space. The promotion of wellbeing at St Pat’s is paramount for both students and staff. A positive and supportive environment fosters emotional resilience, enhances learning outcomes, and cultivates healthy relationships. For students, prioritising wellbeing facilitates academic success, emotional regulation, and overall personal development. Simultaneously, for staff, it fosters job satisfaction, reduces burnout, and enables effective teaching practices. By investing in the wellbeing of both students and staff, St Pat’s nurtures a thriving community where everyone can flourish academically, socially, and emotionally.

As I walk around classrooms and engage with students, I am proud to see students and teachers hard at work in structured literacy, with everyone actively participating according to our engagement norms. We're making it easier for students to learn by reducing the mental effort they need, both from within (intrinsic) and outside (extraneous) sources. We're committed to improving this over the next few years. You're invited to join our next learning walk to see this in action and ask any questions. We take pride in the quality of education at St. Pat’s and would love to share it with you.

You have probably read or heard about the Grattan Institute report in the media, which underscores the significance of quality learning outcomes in education. At St. Pat's, our commitment to whole-school structured literacy aligns closely with the recommendations put forth in the report. By focusing on structured literacy, we aim to reduce the cognitive load for our students, facilitating more effective and meaningful learning experiences. This dedication to enhancing the quality of learning mirrors the objectives outlined in the Grattan Institute report, and we are determined in our efforts to continue improving and providing the best education possible for our students.

On Wednesday, all staff participated in professional learning sessions focused on structured literacy, delving into the body of research known as The Science of Reading (SoR) and Learning (SoL). These sessions immersed us in understanding how the brain absorbs new information, specifically regarding reading and writing skills. We are grateful for the opportunity to engage in high-quality, evidence-based learning, which equips us with valuable insights to enhance our teaching practices and ultimately benefit our students' learning journeys.

Have a great weekend,

Kind regards,

Tegan McDonald 

Principal

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th February.  They are now available for booking in PAM.  Click on "Parent Teacher Interview" block below student names on the landing page.

Please contact the office if you have any difficulty in logging in to PAM.

Room 6 Parents - Although it is showing as Mrs O'Connor for interviews on both afternoons, Mrs Dwyer will be running the interviews on Tuesday afternoon.

Bookings for Parent Teacher Interviews will close on Friday 23rd to allow teachers time to prepare.

School TV - The Wellbeing Barometer 2024

The Wellbeing Barometer survey has proven to be an invaluable tool for schools, providing insights into the state of youth mental health and wellbeing. Whilst last year’s results focussed the spotlight on areas of concern, there were also many highlights that demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of students and emphasised the necessity of prevention strategies.

The Wellbeing Barometer survey is still open for participation - please take the time to complete the survey. The more responses received, the more meaningful the data and outcomes will be. 

Access the Wellbeing Barometer Special Report here https://spkoroit.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-barometer-2024-au

School Photos

School photos this year are on Wednesday 6th March.  Please see flyer below for ordering details (hard copy will go home next week).

Lions Eye Health Program

We are fortunate to have the Lions club provide Free Vision screening for students in Foundation, Grade 1 and Grade 6 on March 5th.  A paper permission form has been sent home.

Please return the form to the school office by Wednesday 28th.

School Calendar

A hard copy of the School Calendar with all currently known dates has been sent home with students today - look out for a copy in your child's bag. (One per family).

Start of Year Administrative Items

There are still a number of families yet to complete the administrative items mentioned in our bulletin from 8th February (https://spkoroit.schoolzineplus.com/_admin/cms/newsletter/128).

The CyberSafety Agreement, Code of Conduct and information regarding the use of the Church will all pop up as a reminder to attend to when you login to PAM.  It would be appreciated if you could please attend to these as soon as possible.

Assembly Schedule - Term 1

***Please note that Student Awards will only be published in the newsletter and presented on weeks where there is assembly.

Learning Walk

Parents & Friends

Sub Committees

Thanks to Mick and Celeste Lane for taking on the Port Fairy Folk Festival coordination role, Amy Atwell for Picnic in the Paddock and Mel Lilley for Student Engagement.

Kate Dobson, Tammy Langdon and Celeste Lane are working together to organise our Food Stall at the Koroit Irish Festival.  A big thank you! This is an important role to support an event in our wider community and a great opportunity to raise both the profile of our school and valuable funds

The four coordinators would meet with the principal perhaps termly and as needed throughout the year as needed in preparation and reflection of fundraising activities.

Catering

We hosted two professional development days this week run by the Catholic Education Office.  Attendees at PD days at St Pat's always rave about the catering and Monday and Tuesday were no exception!  Thanks to Tammy Langdon, Mary Gleeson, Leah Brown, Megan Gleeson, Sarah Shanahan and Virginia Martin for their contribution.

Folk Festival Volunteers

It's not too late to sign up to volunteer at the Folk Festival.  Use the link below to register your details:

https://forms.gle/CooLXBHGPprBcnJDA

Opportunities to be involved

Please see details below for opportunities to connect with families and to get involved in P&F activities.

BBQ Picnic RSVP: https://forms.gle/J4fZxYzWqCHzrLbb6

Casserole Bank

The St Pat's community has a wonderful tradition of the "Casserole Bank" where families come together to provide a meal or snacks/lunchbox items for families within our school who are in need of support (for example, a new arrival, family illness or bereavement).

This year, the Casserole Bank will be coordinated through the school office.  If you are aware of a family requiring support, please contact the office.

If you are willing to help out during the year, please register your name details on the google form below & we will reach out when the need arises.  The more volunteers we have, the fewer times people will be called upon to help out.

Canteen & Cake Raffle Rosters

Thanks to those who have already signed up for the Canteen & Cake Raffle Rosters.

As you can see, there are still some spaces on the Canteen Roster for this term.  Please use the links below if you wish to sign up for a shift.

Canteen Sign Up Sheet - volunteersignup.org/WHHAM

Cake Raffle Sign Up Sheet - volunteersignup.org/PTFPM

CANTEEN ROSTER

Virginia Martin co-ordinates the canteen, arranging for the stocking of snack items and is happy to take questions from prospective volunteers  - 0419 883 657.

CAKE RAFFLE ROSTER (Term 1)

If you have any questions about the Cake Raffle, please contact Kate Dobson 0408 399 144.

Star of the Sea Parish Bulletin

Student Awards

Room 1

Maisie McElgunn for constantly being a respectful, responsible and safe member of Room 1. You are a wonderful role model for your peers as you are always kind, caring and helpful. Well done Maisie! 

Eric Niklason for being an excellent communicator and displaying the confidence to share your thoughts and opinions during whole class discussions. Well done Eric!

Room 2

Milla Leishman for her amazing work during writing this week. Your extended sentence including who, where and when was sensational! Keep up the great work! 

Oscar McElgunn for being respectful, responsible and safe during class time and on the yard. You are a wonderful friend to everyone and we are lucky to have you in Room 2!

Room 4

Nora Povey for being a very responsible class member this term, showing kindness, patience and thoughtfulness towards her peers. Nora, these qualities and your leadership skills are always appreciated in our class.  You set a great example for your peers to follow. Thank you.

Sam Wood for being a focused learner in all tasks this week. Sam, you have challenged yourself in your learning and listened to feedback to make improvements. Well done Sam and keep up the great work.

Ella van Rysingen for being a very kind, thoughtful friend to everyone in room 4. Ella, you always go above and beyond in helping and caring for others. Thank you for all you do without being asked, you are a wonderful friend to all.

Room 6

Sienna Keane for the responsibility you show when getting ready to learn. Sienna, we love how you are well organised with what you need for your lesson and how you settle to your task quickly, often helping others when you can.  Well done.

 Savannah Wood for the responsible and friendly way that you treat your classmates. Savannah, you work willingly with any of your classmates and you go out of your way to make others feel included. Keep up the great work.

Edmund McMahon for being a kind and generous person. Edmund won a Geelong poster in a game in class and then he gave the poster to another student who really wanted it. This shows great compassion and kindness, Edmund. Thank you.

Room 7

Ava Monnier for being a responsible and organised learner who always listens attentively to achieve your best work. Ava, your recent testing for Maths was excellent! Keep up the great effort! 

Ruby Hillam for achieving great results in all of your start of year testing. Ruby you have made a great start to the year and been an organised and focused worker. Well done. 

Tessa Shanahan for being an outstanding example of leadership both in and out of the classroom. Tessa, thank you for always aiming to be your best when working with your peers and completing tasks. 

Mazie Fechete for being a responsible and organised learner who always listens attentively to achieve your best work. Mazie, it has been great to see you volunteer answers and be confident.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to the students and staff who celebrated their birthdays this week - Noah Lane, Miss Q, Mr Varley and Mrs Dwyer.  We hope you have had a great time celebrating with family and friends.

Family Assistance

We are reaching out to our wonderful community in search of families who could generously contribute to ensuring a student gets safely home each night until April. This role provides an opportunity for you to offset your volunteer levy and your help in this matter would be appreciated by both the student's family and the school.

If you can help in any way or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the office.

Parent Education Opportunity

Directwear Uniform

School Uniform is available from Directwear www.directwear.com.au  

Uniforms can be collected from the Directwear home address in Warrnambool or posted to you.

Tunics (Size 6-12) will available from the middle of Term 1.

Contact details for Direct wear are:

email info@directwear.com.au or phone Dion Jansz: 0412 654 406

Dates to Remember

REMINDERS

February

26th & 27th- Parent Teacher Interviews

27th- Moyne Tennis/Hot Shots

March

6th- School Photos

7th- Welcome BBQ

Community News