2024, Term 2, Week 9 Newsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

Principal's Message

Dear parents and carers,

As we near the end of a busy but amazing Term 2, everyone is eagerly anticipating a well deserved holiday. Our teachers have been working tirelessly to finalise mid year assessments and prepare your child's reports. This period has been full of hard work and remarkable achievements, reflecting the commitment and efforts of both students and staff.

Reports will be released on Wednesday, 26th June via PAM. We encourage you to review them to celebrate your child's progress and identify areas for further growth. If you experience any difficulties accessing PAM or your child's reports, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's class teacher or the office for support. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We wish everyone a restful and enjoyable holiday!

On Tuesday afternoon our HeapsART Everyday exhibition was officially opened. The program, which was brilliantly organised by the talented Anna Schlooz and our Artist in Studio Jacinta Hurley, focused on wellbeing and was based on William Glasser's Choice Theory.

This has truly been a transformative experience for our students which was evident as they proudly showcased their pieces to the school community and their families.

"Throughout the studio sessions, we've shared thoughts and feelings about our sense of freedom, love, belonging, choice, power, and survival, discovering how these can vary in our daily lives." This reflective and creative journey was beautifully captured in the artworks displayed.

The exhibition was officially opened by Anna and Jacinta, with a special moment where Jacinta presented St Pat's Koroit with a piece from her collection (pictured below). This piece holds a special connection to Tower Hill, making it even more meaningful for us.

A massive thank you to Anna and Jacinta for their wonderful work and to all the parents who came to the exhibition and supported our students' wellbeing through art! The exhibition is located in the main foyer, and will be open to all next week and into Term 3! We invite all families to come and check it out!

Have a fabulous weekend.

Kind regards,

Tegan McDonald 

Principal

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While our formal information sessions have been held, we still happy to show prospective families through the school. Please advise any families asking about enrolments to contact the school office to arrange a tour.

For existing families with students starting Foundation in 2025, please collect an enrolment form from the office if you do not already have one. Thank you.

School Closure Day/End of Term Break

A reminder that there is School Closure Day for Staff Professional Development on Monday 24th June.

In addition to this, the last Friday of Term (28th June) is a 2.30 finish.

NCCD - Nationally Consisten Collection of Data

Over the coming weeks at St Patrick's classroom teachers are holding Program Support (PSG) Meetings for students who are a part of the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) count in August of each year. If your child is a part of these meetings I will have contacted you via email or phone. I have attached a parent information sheet below for you to read about this process. 

Bridget Van Den Broek

Learning Diversity Leader

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) Framework

St. Patrick's Koroit embraces the SWPBS framework, also known as School Wide Positive Behavior Support, to foster a conducive learning environment for all students. SWPBS involves the establishment of a Continuum of Behavior Support that encompasses the entire student body and emphasises proactive measures to prevent behavioral issues.

OUR THREE EXPECTATIONS: 

• BE SAFE
• BE RESPECTFUL
• BE RESPONSIBLE

At St. Patrick's, SWPBS focuses on primary prevention, which involves explicitly teaching and modeling values by school staff to promote positive behavior and expectations across the whole school. This approach emphasises teaching behavioral expectations and recognising students for meeting them, rather than solely reacting to misbehavior.

Key components of SWPBS at St. Patrick's include:

• An agreed-upon common approach 
• Consistency of language 
• A matrix of positively stated expectations
• Explicit teaching of expectations
• Regular and frequent opportunities for students to practice expected behaviors
• Recognition for meeting behavioral expectations, such as through our ladder system, Class Dojo Points, prizes and commendations.
• Flow chart outlining expectations when positive behaviour expectations are not met 

We track both positive commendations and instances of majors and minors to utilise data for constructive purposes. By monitoring these metrics, we can identify trends, celebrate successes, and address areas needing improvement. This data-driven approach enables us to reinforce positive behavior effectively and provide timely support to students who may require additional guidance (see three tiered model for levels of behaviour support below), fostering a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for all. 

SWPBS aims to create a safe and productive learning environment where teachers can effectively teach, and all students can learn. The overarching goal is to establish a climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm.

“If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach”

“If a child doesn’t know how to write, we teach”

“If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach”

“If a child doesn’t know how to count, we teach”

“If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach”

“If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we teach them how to behave"

If you have any questions, please make an appointment to see myself or Shona Louden

Below is a statement of how the SWPBS safety value relates to the Catholic Social Teachings of common good and how we, as a school, address learning and behavior needs. At times, things might seem heightened, but it’s about the common good. See below:

Safe Expectation - Common Good 

Common good - The principle of the common good reminds Catholic Christians that they are all really responsible for each other. They must work for social conditions which ensure that every person and every group in society is able to meet their needs and realise their potential. Every group in society must take into account the rights and aspirations of other groups, and the well-being of the whole human family and all of creation.

When we are thinking about the common good, key questions to ask ourselves are:

“Is every group able to share in the benefits of society?”

“Are some groups excluded?”

The common good is “the totality of social conditions allowing persons to achieve their communal and individual fulfilment” 

Benedict XVI, 2008

School TV - Wellbeing Resources

Positive Parenting

Parenting - a tough job for which there is no training or qualification! For the remainder of this term, we will share a link to the School TV "Positive Parenting".  There are a lot of short audio clips with interviews about specifc Positive Parenting topics relating to children from preschoolers to teens and different parenting styles. In addition, there are many articles with tips on helping you on your parenting journey.

School TV - Positive Parenting

We encourage you to explore all of the School TV site for a variety of wellbeing and parenting resources.

Shona Louden

Wellbeing Leader

Hands on Learning

Tuesday, our Hands on Learning team were able to join Ben from Volcano Produce -Tower Hill to harvest some produce headed for Western District Food Share.

Ben and the team grow over 75 different fruits & vegetables - we are lucky to be able to purchase some of these locally as a lot is now shipped to export markets.

Volcano Produce have recently been nominated for a Love Local Moyne award - click here to vote for Volcano Produce.

Found - Jewellery

Two bracelets have been found in a small black pouch in the vacinity of the school.  If you think these may yours, please come to the office.

Sports Report - Term 2

Winter Sports-football and netball 

We would like to extend our congratulations to each student who proudly represented our school in the Moyne Winter Sports for netball or football. Seeing all our senior school students actively participate was truly inspiring. The fantastic weather added to the enjoyment of the day for everyone involved.

A huge shoutout goes to the numerous parents who generously contributed by coaching, scoring, umpiring, or simply cheering on our students. Your unwavering support made a significant difference. We also express our gratitude to the many grandparents and friends who came to support our students. Thank you all for being part of this memorable day! Please see below for team photos taken.

Additionally, congratulations to our netball A team, who not only won the Moyne championships but also placed second at the WPH Divisional championships. Thank you to Kate Dobson (Ellie’s mum) for coaching this team and teaching them many things throughout the day. Thank you to Tammie Langdon for scoring and Rhiannon Everall for umpiring. Your help was greatly appreciated.

Cross Country

Congratulations to Ayla, Olivia, Poppy, Tayla, Remi, Zephyr, Jack, Harry, Ava, Sadie and  Layla for competing in the Warrnambool, Hamilton and Portland Divisional Cross Country championships recently. All students did an amazing job running, either the 2 or 3 km distances, in very trying  wet conditions. All students enjoyed the day with many running personal best times. One outstanding result included a third placing achieved by Remi O’Connor who qualified to compete at the next level of the Greater Western Region championships. At this very high level last week Remi achieved a seventh placing. 

Please see our gallery of photos from these sporting events.

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Lost Property & Second Hand Uniform

With the onset of colder weather, you may have noticed you are missing a school jumper (ot two!). Please take a look in the lost property basket to find your lost items. 

If you could please remember also to label your uniform items so your uniforms don't end up here!

Also, if you would like to get an extra jumper or clothes for wash day, please get in touch with our second hand uniform coordinator, Becc Sanderson on 0423 956 556.

Changes to Maths Reporting

Please see the below letter with important information regarding changes to Maths Reporting.

Parents & Friends

Catering

It has certainly been a busy term with Catering! The Catholic Education Office has held 6 days of Professional Development over a range of topics at St Pat's this term with up to 46 participants attending on any one day.  Tammy Langdon, Mary Gleeson and the team have served up orange drizzle cakes, various slices, chicken pie, baked spuds, sliders, muffins, scones, fruit and granola cups. The venue also always looks so well presented with table cloths and even floral centrepieces. Many of these items have been provided by families - thanks to Virigina Martin, Emily Batt, Monique Brown, Bernie Monnier, Bronie Moloney, Kate Dobson and Kristy Milward for their contributions.

If you are able to help with supplying food or serving at future events, please indicate on the form below and we will be in touch when we have events scheduled.  If the date/time does not suit you, you do not have to commit to helping when you are contacted.

Catering Support Form

***We did have a someone reply recently who said they might be able to help Monday or Tuesday and supply apples or slices but your name and phone number didn't come through.  If you could call the office or email Kate (kdobson@spkoroit.catholic.edu.au), we will update your response.  Thanks.

Book Club

Issue 4 of the Scholastic Bookclub is now available.

https://www.scholastic.com.au/book-club/book-club-parents/book-club/

• $5 Credit Promotion. Families who ordered books on Issue 3 can spend the $5 promo code they earned on Issue 4. Plus, they will get another $5 promo code to spend on Issue 5!
• A diverse range of books available for $10 or less throughout the entire catalogue.
• BEST OF THE CLASSICS on page 32
• Forever Fairies is thefeature book for Issue 4. 

Volunteer Levy

There are many opportunities at school to claim off your volunteer levy.

As you would imagine, there are lots of jobs that need to be done at a school.  Between classroom responsibilites and duties during most breaks, there are many things that staff don't get the opportunity to do. In times gone by, some of these would be done at working bees.  In recent years, we have not had great success in attracting families to working bees as times do not always suit. 

If you see a job that needs to be done, that you are happy to take on, we would love your help and can arrange for the credit to your volunteer levy.

Some suggestions - Canteen deep clean, library tidying, lost property sorting.  This list is just a start.

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. We now have a new Canteen Sign Up Sheet available for Term 2.  We appreciate everyone's help with Canteen - without your assistance, it can not run.

Canteen Sign Up Sheet - volunteersignup.org/BCXRE

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. 

There are still lots of gaps in this Term's Canteen Roster. 

CAKE RAFFLE ROSTER (Term 2)

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

Term 2 Assembly Roster

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to Will Foster, Hunter Noble, Sam Mahony, Sienna Keane and Maisie McElgunn who celebrate their birthdays this week! We hope you have a wonderful time celebrating with family and friends.

Star Of the Sea Parish Bulletin

TheirCare Newsletter

Student Awards

Room 1

Isabel Jervies for always displaying the attributes of being safe, respectful and responsible whilst at school.  You are a wonderful role model for your peers as you are always kind, caring and helpful. Well done Isabel! 

Harlow Thomas. Your hard work in writing has been outstanding. It's wonderful to see you working hard to include finger spaces to make your writing easier to read. Keep up the excellent effort!

Room 2

Georgie Atwell is a kind and generous classmate, who does everything with a smile on her face. Georgie has been a fantastic help in room 2 and has also improved in her learning. Georgie has been very persistent in achieving all her learning goals this term. You are amazing!

Lennon Stonehouse for demonstrating perseverance to achieve his learning goals and always keen and enthusiastic to share his thoughts. You are smashing it, Lennon!

Room 4

Octavia Bidmade for having the growth mindset of “I can do it” when completing assessments. Octavia, you are working very hard in Literacy and Maths lessons and striving for success. We are very proud of you. Well done! 

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

Ryker Lane for the wonderful work ethic you have in class. Ryker, you challenge yourself to complete your work to a very good standard and love achieving success, particularly in your reading assessments. Congratulations!

Isla Lilley for persisting with some challenging work tasks this week and achieving success. Keep up the growth mindset Isla and you will master anything which you set your mind to. You should feel proud of your efforts. Well done!

Room 6

Harry Lilley - For your persistence and motivation to achieve success in your learning, not just in the classroom but also with Wendy. We are extremely proud of your successes this semester! Please continue the amazing work! 

Remi O’Connor - for always being an optimistic and resilient learner in our classroom. Remi, you approach all tasks with a positive attitude and are willing to branch your knowledge out to assist your peers. We are very fortunate to have you as a member in our classroom. Thank you for always coming to school ready to learn. 

Room 7

Denham McCauley for your writing piece on ‘Gaming.’ You have used expressive language well and structured your writing into paragraphs. Great job Denham! 

Layla Smits for being an organised and responsible learner, who always makes a wonderful effort to complete tasks accurately and to a high standard. Well done Layla!

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.

Contact details for Direct wear are:

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

Sports Polo Shirts

The School Sports Polo shirts are purchased through the school via CDF Pay.

There has been an increase in the price of sports shirts to $50 - this is cost price from our supplier.

Dates to Remember

Please refer to the public calendar on the school website for the most up to date calendar items.

https://www.spkoroit.catholic.edu.au/news-events

Community News