Newsletter 4/03/2024 Term 1 Week 6

Our Prayer

From the Principal

Dear parents and carers,

Our first term is moving quickly as we have already passed the half way mark. There are still some big events to complete so please keep an eye out on our school calendar and in this newsletter. Our Foundation students will have their final "Rest Day" Wednesday and will be here full time from then on. 

Friendly Reminder

This is a friendly reminder that there will be no school this coming Monday the 11th of March as it is the Labour Day public holiday.

P.A.M Outage

Our Parent Access Module app is undergoing considerable maintenance and will be offline for some time yet. If you need to let us know about student illness or absences, please call the office directly. We will inform you when the service is back online.

Production News (Save the Date)

Our production this year will be held in the final week of Term 2. The venue will be the Mercy stadium and the performances will be on the following dates:-

Matinee - Tuesday 25th June
Evening 1 - Wednesday 26th June
Evening 2 - Thursday 27th June

If you intend to be away on these dates for any reason, please contact the school office.

Grade 5 Portsea Camp

Our Grade 5 Portsea Camp last week was a wonderful success with students having many opportunities to challenge themselves, learn and have fun together. A special thanks to the staff who attended the camp and cared for the children so well; Jess, Anna, Paul K, Julie, Narelle, Leah and Rod Clarke the bus driver. A big thank you to Tarryn who led the school in my absence. I am sure everyone slept well Friday night.

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Division Swimming

Well done to all the students who competed in the Division swimming in Warrnambool on Thursday last week.

Congratulations to the students who will progress to the next level.

St Patrick's Day Picnic

We are excited to be hosting a family picnic on Friday 15th of March to celebrate our patron saint, St Patrick. The actual feast is Sunday 17th of March. The picnic will be from 6pm to 7pm on the school grounds, so save the date and join in an evening of fun and community connection, bring your picnic blanket and dinner along, the staff look forward to seeing you all.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Athletic Sports

Our St Patrick's Athletic Sports will be conducted next Tuesday the 12th of March. As there is no school Monday for the public holiday, parents are reminded to be prepared for the day with sports uniform and some way of showing your child's house colour, plenty of food (Lions BBQ available on  this day), a drink bottle, sunscreen and hat. We look forward to seeing lots of parents on this special day. 

Easter Raffle

Our Easter raffle will be held on the last day of Term 1 - Thursday the 28th March.

We ask parents to supply one Easter item/egg per child. These can be brought into the office now.

The children will have brought their raffle books home last week or today. Please write on both sides of the tickets & return them to school along with the money. ($1 per ticket = $20 per book).

The Easter raffle is one of our major fundraisers for the year and is a highlight for the children!

The Week Ahead

Teaching and Learning at St Pat's

NAPLAN

Dear Parents,

As we approach another round of NAPLAN testing for Grade 3 and 5, it's natural to have questions and concerns about what it entails for your child. For those who are unaware, NAPLAN, the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy, is a tool in evaluating the progress of students across Australia.

NAPLAN is not just about testing; it's about supporting your child's learning journey. The results can help teachers tailor their teaching strategies to meet individual student needs, ensuring every child receives the support they require to thrive academically. NAPLAN also encourages students to develop essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication – skills that are invaluable for success both inside and outside the classroom.

It's understandable for parents to have concerns about this type of standardized testing. Rest assured, NAPLAN is designed to be low-stakes for students. Please discuss and emphasise to your child that NAPLAN is simply an opportunity to showcase what they've learned and that their worth is not defined by their test scores. Encourage them to approach the tests with a positive attitude and do their best, but also remind them that their well-being is the most important thing and if they are nervous on the day they can speak with their teacher or myself.

Your support and encouragement play a significant role in helping your child navigate through NAPLAN. Here are some ways you can support them:

• Encourage a positive mindset: Remind your child that NAPLAN is just one part of their educational journey and encourage them to do their best without unnecessary pressure.
• Ensure your child gets plenty of rest, eats healthily, and stays hydrated during the testing period.
• Talk openly: Keep the lines of communication open with your child. Address any concerns or anxieties they may have about NAPLAN and reassure them that you're there to support them every step of the way.

If you have any further questions or concerns about NAPLAN, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher, Annie Judd (Learning Diversity Leader) or myself.

Warm regards,

Mel Fox (Leader of Teaching and Learning)

Wellbeing

CATHOLIC SCHOOL CULTURE

Parish Bulletin

LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

SAC Meeting

 Our first SAC meeting will be held this Tuesday 5th of March at 7pm in the school staffroom. 

Building Program

The capital works project is progressing well as the excavation works to level the block will be complete this week. As yet, the school yard has not been interupted but shortly areas of our playground will need to be fenced off to allow the builders to construct a compound and a track will be built to facilitate the transport of materials to the site. 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Thanks

A huge shout out to Jack Kerr who fixed our football goal post stands.

We appreciate the time and effort that you gave.

We are certain that the children will enjoy using these in the coming months.

Community Meal

Grade 5/6WS will be preparing and hosting our first Community Meal next Wednesday the 13th of March. A note has been sent home to those in 5/6 WS. Please send your completed note back to school as soon as possible.

P&F Fundraising Events 2024

After our first meeting of the year, the St Patrick’s Parents and Friends have created an outline of the fundraising and community events for the 2024 school year. There has been a change to the structure of events away from just one per year level to two activities for our Junior, Middle and Senior years. Each of these requires some parents from that level to either coordinate or volunteer to help on the day. If you can spare some time for any of the following fundraisers that would be great!

Junior School Activities

1. Easter Raffle - Each family is asked to donate some easter eggs (1 per child) to be made into raffle prizes that are drawn on the last day of 1st term (Thursday 28th March)

Thanks to Claire Harkin who is taking on the role as Co-ordinator. Pru, Laura & Belinda have put up their hands up to be her trusty helpers.

2. Father’s Day Stall - On Friday the 30th of August parents are needed to sell presents to the students to give to  their father’s or significant others on Father’s Day.

I volunteer to be:

The Co-ordinator -

A helper -

Middle School Activities

1. Major Raffle - St Patrick’s is planning to begin an annual raffle to assist with our fundraising needs.

Thanks to Rochelle & Laura who have put their hands up to coordinate this event. We still need some helpers please.

2. Movie Night - We will be hosting a Movie Night to see Minions 4 at the Capital Cinema in Warrnambool on Wednesday 3rd July.

Thanks to Belinda who is coordinating this event. She will need some helpers please.

Senior School Activities

1. Trivia night for an evening of fun and quizzes later in the year.

We still need a co-ordinator.

Thanks to Sarah Dennis who has offered to help so far. We will also need some more helpers please. 

2. Mother’s Day Stall - On Friday the 10th of May parents are needed to sell presents to the students to give to  their mothers or significant others on Mother’s Day.

Thanks to Nina Pasque and Jess Rye for putting their hands up to co-ordinate this event.

They are still in need of some helpers!

If you can help in any of these positions, please contact the school office.

Container Deposit Scheme

We have registered our school for the container deposit scheme that has now commenced in Victoria. The nearest deposit machines are located at Cobden, Timboon, Terang & Warrnambool.

How to claim your refund at a CDS VIC Return Point;

Charity Donation
You can donate some of your 10c refund directly to St Patrick’s School.
You can donate via:
 -the CDS Vic West app
– select your preferred “Charity” as your active payout
– scan your app barcode at the machine
– insert your 10c drink containers and select “Transfer” directly on the screen of the machine when finished. 100% of the donated refund will be transferred to the donation partner you selected within the next 5 to 12 days.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrate their birthday this week.

Tessa N & Stella H

DOBCEL Student Accident Policy

Please find a copy of the Dobcel Group Student Accident Policy for your information and perusal.

Community Events

Spriggy Canteen Ordering App

This is the new app to order online from the Mercy canteen. It takes a moment to sign up for the process, however it is quite easy to use. When registering, please search for St Patrick's Primary School, Camperdown and select your child's class.

Parenting 101

Free Parenting Session tonight at 7:30pm on Monday 4th March in an online format. This was to be a session at school but it has moved to an online presentation. Simply scan the QR code below and register for the event. 

Corangamite Lions FC

April School Holiday Camp

MRC Open Day