DEC 15 2023 NEWSLETTER

CHILD SAFETY STATEMENT

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you to all of our families for your support throughout 2023. It has been a very successful year in so many ways. 

I wish all of our leaving students going on to secondary school all the best and I look forward to hearing about your future achievements.

Thank you to our wonderful staff who are an absolute joy to work with.  I hope you have a great rest over the summer break and return ready for an enthusiastic start to 2024.

Above all, I wish everyone a happy and joy filled Christmas!  See you all for the start of school for students on Tuesday January 30th. 

Olga Lyons (Principal)

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2023

Congratulations to our Graduating class of 2023!! We are so proud of each and every one of you. We wish you all the best for your Secondary School education. Thank you to the staff who have guided these students throughout their years at St Pat's and to the parents who have supported us along the way. They are a credit to you all.

GRADUATION AWARDS

NORMA HAMILTON AWARD: Joel Hennig 

Character Award for a Year 6 student who, throughout all their time at St Patrick’s, has displayed distinctive qualities of leadership in an unassuming manner and who thinks of others’ needs before their own. They are the student that always 'Gives themselves to Goodness'.

2024 STUDENT LEADERS

GRADUATION THANK YOU

Thank you to the Year 5 parents who cooked, set up the hall and worked in the kitchen for our Year 6 Graduation dinner. It looked amazing and the dinner was outstanding. Thank you also to Tracey for the decorations. It was very much appreciated by the Year 6 parents and students. 

CONDOLENCES

Condolences to Adam Brian, Simone Riddle, Matilda, Rosie, Percy, Trixie & Billy on the recent death of Adam's father. Please keep them in your prayers.

FARWELL TO LEAVING STAFF

It's always sad to have to say farewell to staff.  We work so closely together that we beome like a family, so it's hard to see them move on or leave for a short time. 

We want to thank Nicole Forbes for her 2 years at St Patrick's and wish her all the best for her appointment to St Joseph's in Penshurst. She will be teaching a Years 3-6 class. 

We say farewell to Abby Lee and Naomi Harman who are returning to the all important job of motherhood.  We wish them well for the safe delivery of their babies in January. 

A big thank you and farewell to Leisa McCosh who taught Visual Arts this semester while Sam Kenna was on Leave.  Her work with the students was amazing. 

Isabelle Dix and Charlotte Watts have been our trainees in their GAP year.  Isabelle is going to Uni to study to be an Occupational Therapist and Charlotte has a position on a station near Broken Hill as a Governess and Station Hand.  They have both been a wonderful inclusion in our staff and we wish them both success in their future careers. 

SMOKING CEREMONY

Last Friday Uncle Brett Clarke and his son perfomed a Smoking Ceremony for us to launch the new mural that he assisted a group of Year 6 girls to produce.  Lylah Hamilton, Layla Frost, Ava Roberts and Tilly Gapes commissioned a mural to depict the local whale and marine life in our Port Fairy community. Their project was part of the Social Innovators Program supported by the Moyne Shire Council. We are very grateful to the girls and Uncle Brett for producing this mural which will be a feature of our school for many years to come. Invited guests included a Moyne Shire representative and personnel from Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Cooperative. 

AWARDS

FIRE CARRIER PROGRAM

The story of FIRE (Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education) Carriers began with a dream to bring Aboriginal culture, history and spirituality into the forefront of education in Catholic schools. It is important to teach the stories of the oldest living culture to our youngest generations to ensure the living truth, the dreams and hopes of our Indigenous people are heard. This would be a genuine pathway to reconciliation.

St Patrick's is forming a Fire Carrier Covenant to highlight our willingness to embrace the Indigenous Culture within our school community and our commitment to reconciliation.  The first step is to induct 2 Fire Carrier Leaders in our Student Leadership Team.  

AUTISM SEMINARS

For Parents, Carers, Educators, Teachers, Support Workers and Allied Health Professionals
Join Professor Tony Attwood, an internationally renowned leader in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders for three practical seminars that provide valuable explanations, strategies and advice. 

2024 CHANGES TO START TIMES

Earlier this year, the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV) and the Independent Education Union Victoria (IEU) reached an agreement on the terms and conditions of a new multi enterprise agreement for teachers.

This agreement has had a significant impact on how schools operate. 

Our school times will be slightly adjusted. In 2024 supervision before and after school and bell times will be from 8.40am as our current practice. Parents will need to set their alarm for 6 minutes earlier. 

• Music 8:52am – Students move into the school building to unpack bags
• First bell 8:55am – Students move into the classrooms for the daily roll
• School starts 9:00am
• School ends 3:20pm
• Supervision until 3:40pm

Supervision of children after school will be from 3:20pm-3:40pm, with the exception of those attending Sporting Schools on designated days.

COMMUNITY NEWS

MOTHERS WHO PRAY FOR THEIR CHILDREN

This prayer group for mothers is held each Friday at the Infant Jesus Church in Koroit at 10.45am.  All are welcome!