2024, Term 4, Week 4 Newsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to week 4!

What an incredible day it was yesterday at Picnic in the Paddock! The sun was shining, providing a great setting for a day that provided lots of smiling faces! Everywhere I looked, there were people having fun and enjoying the day. Children were enjoying the rides, while others gathered around to savor delicious food from the fantastic food trucks.

A special shout out goes to our fabulous Picnic in the Paddock (PIP) committee, whose late nights and hard work made this event possible. Amy Atwell, our amazing coordinator, led the charge with her leadership, enthusiasm and dedication. Thank you to all our parents and staff who may not be on the committee but volunteered their time to make cakes, bring lollies, and help with the setup and packing up. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and are greatly appreciated!

Events like these simply wouldn’t happen without our wonderful village. Together, we created a memorable experience for our school and local community. I am delighted to announce that this year's event has raised approximately $17,500 to go towards our school facilities. Thank you all for making PIP such a tremendous success! We can’t wait to do it all again next year, let the planning begin!

On that note, please see the letter below from the PIP committee about getting involved in 2025 as well as how to get involved in our other P&F committees.

I ask you to keep in your thoughts and prayers the family of Jim and Carmel Madden who tragically died in an accident on Friday. Jim and Carmel were members of our parish community and their children all former students here at St Patrick’s.

Our thoughts are also with the family of Colin McKenna, a sponsor of PIP and a man with many connections in our community.

Kind regards,

Tegan McDonald 

Principal

Picnic in the Paddock

Check out all the smiles in this selection of photos taken by the very talented Amber Thomas!

Read below for more information about how to get on board in 2025!

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Committee Vacancies 2025

Have you been wondering what getting involved in St Pat’s might look like? How can I be a part of the team and help? How can I work off my participation levy or meet some new people? Then this should be helpful for you! There are many groups to be involved with, one of which is Picnic in the Paddock. 

As part of the Picnic in the Paddock committee, we all work together and no one is left to sort anything out on their own. You are allocated a specific area to work alongside a smaller team. We meet a few times in the first half of the year, then monthly moving towards the event via online meetings and in person meetings.  

The sub-committee groups are:

• Sponsorship and grants (team of about 4-5 people)
• Market coordinators (team of about 3 people that organise the food and pop up shops)
• Rides (team of 2)
• Community connections (team of 1-2)
• Stage organiser (team of 1-2)
• Media coordination (team of 2-3 people that organize social media, print media, and local publicity)

Chairperson, secretary and treasurer roles are also key roles for this event. If you might be interested in one of these roles in 2026 or beyond, we are keen to hear from you! Shadowing opportunities throughout 2025 can be arranged to support a successful transition into these leadership roles. 

We would absolutely love to see some new fresh faces on our committee in 2025 and help take Picnic in the Paddock to a new level. It is such an awesome day for our school and local community. Please feel free to message Amy on 0429 416 830, or ask any of our committee members, about any questions regarding any of the positions or joining our committee. 

Parents & Friends

Planning for 2025

As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited to invite new faces to get involved with one or more of our fabulous Parents and Friends subcommittees (see image below). Our P&F operates with an executive model, with coordinators for each of our key fundraising events: Port Fairy Folk Festival BBQ, Koroit Irish Festival, Picnic in the Paddock, and Student Engagement.

In addition to these subcommittees, we also run an amazing catering group all year round that provides delicious home cooked food and baked goods for events hosted by St Pat’s. This group not only provides our school community with yummy food, they also contribute significant fundraising for our school!

This setup allows families to volunteer at various events throughout the year without the need to commit to regular meetings. You can simply lend a hand when it suits you! Whether it’s helping with a specific event or activity like organising the disco, a family picnic, or milkshake day, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.

The coordinators will meet with the principal and the principal’s delegate periodically to plan and review activities, but there’s no ongoing time commitment for volunteers—just jump in where and when you can.

We’d love to see more families join in and help make our school events successful and fun! If you would like any further information, please contact either myself or Todd Noble on todd.james.noble@gmail.com.

Tegan

Halloween Canteen

Virginia is preparing some special Halloween themed treats for canteen this Wednesday.  Bring along your money and enjoy her delicious offerings!

Catering

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

RSL Poppy Appeal

We have a range of products available at school to support the RSL Poppy Appeal.

Poppies - $2
Wristbands - $3
Key Rings - $4
Slouch Hat pins - $5
Pens - $5

These are available at reception & the senior students will also visit classrooms as a reminder during the coming weeks.

Thunderstorm Asthma - being prepared

What is Thunderstorm Asthma?

Thunderstorm asthma is a serious and potentially life-threatening phenomenon that can occur during specific weather conditions. It is common throughout all parts of Victoria, particularly during spring when thunderstorms coincide with high levels of pollen in the air.

This combination can trigger severe asthma symptoms, even in people who have not previously experienced asthma or allergies.

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma events are uncommon and don't occur every year. In south-east Australia they can happen during grass pollen season from October through December.

What Causes Thunderstorm Asthma?

During a thunderstorm, pollen grains can be swept up into the clouds, where they break into smaller particles due to moisture. These tiny particles then get blown down by the winds and spread across a wide area. Because they are so small, they can be easily inhaled, reaching deep into the lungs and triggering asthma symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.

Being Prepared

Schools and DOBCEL will monitor the VicEmergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings and when appropriate, students will be kept indoors when weather forecasts identify greater risk. 

By raising awareness and being prepared, we can protect our students and staff from the risks associated with thunderstorm asthma, ensuring a safer environment for everyone.

We ask that parents of students with known asthma have an up to date asthma action plan registered with the school.

Find out more

Further information regarding thunderstorm asthma can be found at https://asthma.org.au/triggers/thunderstorm-asthma/ and https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/epidemic-thunderstorm-asthma-risk-forecast.

Concussion

PAT Assessments

PAT (Progressive Achievement Testing) are being scheduled by classroom teachers for this week - Monday 28th-Thursday 31st October in Grades 1-6.  The results from these test are important for preparation for end of year reporting.

Where possible, could parents please avoid scheduling any appointments during school hours on these days so catch up testing is minimised.

Social Media Safety

Parents and carers play an important role in supporting their children to be safe online and on
social media. You can help your children safely navigate their digital world and educate them to
avoid harmful online experiences. You can explore websites, games, apps and social media
together and set some rules and boundaries.

Your support and guidance can give your children the knowledge to make sound decisions online
and confidence to ask for help when they need it. It is also important to stay informed about
online safety.

The Department of Education recognises this important issue and has developed fact sheets about
supports to help keep students safe online and what to do if they are involved in an online
incident.

The fact sheets contain links to evidence-based information on supporting positive and safe online
experiences, signs a child or young person might need support, what to do if something unsafe
happens online, and where to reach out to for more support.

To access the fact sheets, refer to the Safe Socials webpage. The fact sheets are available in 19
community languages.

The government is also launching public consultation on age limits for social media.
You and your children can share your experiences to inform proposed changes via an online
survey, before 5 pm on Friday 1 November 2024. For more information on the survey and to take
part, refer to Proposed changes to social media age limits on the Engage Victoria website.

Bullying -School TV

STEM Resources

STEM Resources. In STEM this term we are looking at physical sciences with a focus on forces. We will be doing lots of creating and building. If families have any of the following materials they would like to donate it would be much appreciated. 
- Recyclable materials such as plastic bottles in particular 1.25l and 600ml, milk cartons, juice bottles etc. 
- Egg cartons 
- Cereal boxes 
- Shoe boxes 
- Plastic or paper bags 
- Any other materials that are similar to the above are also welcome.

Thank you,

Bridget Van Den Broek
STEM Teacher 

Book Club - Issue 7

Issue 7 of Scholastic Book Club is out now.

• BUMPER ISSUE – 40 pages of reading goodness.
• A $5 promotional code with every Issue 7 order. This can be redeemed on Issue 8 with every order over $15. 
• Get up to 3 FREE BOOKS when you spend certain amounts.
• Best of 2024 on pages 8 & 9.
• Dog Man packs on page 21.  Did you know the New Dog Man movie is coming out soon?
• Graphic Novel selection starting on page 24.
• Dragons Vs Wolves is thefeature book for Issue 7 

2025 Japan Trip Information Meeting

Thursday 31st October, 5.30pm - 6.30pm
St Joseph's Primary School, 70 Botanic Rd, Warrnambool (enter via reception)

The aim of this meeting is to present information regarding the proposed Japan Trip for students in September 2025. (Year 6 students, and the possibility of Year 5 students - TBC) 

We are currently gathering details about pricing, and will have more information regarding this at the meeting.

This meeting is open to staff and families from network schools who have an interest, and would like to know more about the trip. 

Catherine Lee
Community Development Coordinator
St Joseph's Primary School

Remembrance Day Liturgy

Lost Property & Second Hand Uniform

With the onset of colder weather, you may have noticed you are missing a school jumper (or 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!

Second Hand Uniform

Please speak to Becc Sanderson 0423 956 556 if you wish to purchase or donate some preloved items of uniform.

Assembly Roster

Parents, siblings, Grandparents and friends are all welcome to join us for our assembly - held on nominated weeks in the school hall from 2.45pm - any late changes will be notified via ClassDojo.

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 4.  We appreciate everyone's help with Canteen - without your assistance, it can not run. 

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. 

Canteen Sign Up Sheet - volunteersignup.org/HJWFR

Cake Raffle Sign Up Sheet - volunteersignup.org/PTFPM

Canteen Roster

Cake Raffle Roster

Student Awards

Congratulations to the recipients of the Student Awards, presented at assembly last week:

Room 1

Jackson O’Grady for your fantastic work in Maths this week! You've been doing an outstanding job making two-digit numbers using popsicle sticks. Your hard work and dedication are really paying off. Keep up the great work. 

Marli De Graaf your willingness to help others with their learning is truly admirable. You are always kind and patient with your classmates, and they really appreciate your help. Keep up the great work!

Room 2

Logan Huckstepp for your outstanding work in spelling this week! You have been doing an amazing job using the silent ‘e’ rule in your writing. You always try your very best and take great pride in your work. You are a star!

Bodhi Lindrea for your fantastic work in Maths this week! You have been working really hard in using data and Venn diagrams. You have shown so much enthusiasm in sharing your thoughts and ideas. Keep up the good work Bodhi!

Room 4

Ryker Lane for being a kind and generous class member, who leads by example, encourages others and does everything with a smile on his face. Keep up the great work Ryker!

Lachlan Gallogly  for his insightful comments and great contributions to our class discussions. Lachlan, you always impress me with your general knowledge and your motivation to learn all you can about the world around you. Please keep striving to extend your inquiring mind Lachy!

Room 6

Edward (Ted) Porter for always being a compassionate and inclusive class member. Teddy, you are always showing kindness towards your peers and go out of your way to make everyone feel included whether it’s inside or outside of the classroom. Thanks for being a great friend and classmate.

Ada Leishman for showing kindness, compassion and empathy towards your peers. Ada, you have the ability to recognise a friend in need and when there is something you can do to help them. Thanks for being a great friend and classmate.

Room 7

Bailey Askew for always being respectful during instruction time and working responsibly on all work tasks to achieve his best. Well done Bailey! 

Indiana Cuomo for her responsible approach to learning tasks and being a wonderful leader in our classroom. Thank you Indiana!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Hector Warrick, Oscar McElgunn and Claire Tutt who are celebrating their birthday this week.  We hope you have a fantastic time celebrating with family and friends!

Star Of the Sea Parish Bulletin

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