OCTOBER 24, 2024 NEWSLETTER

CHILD SAFETY STATEMENT

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents and Carers,

The 175th Anniversary of St Patrick's school celebrations are this weekend. 

All families are invited to the School Anniversary Mass in the hall on Sunday at 10.30am.  The school will be open for tours Saturday afternoon from 1.30pm and Sunday after mass. 

Families donating food for the morning tea after mass can bring it to the office on Friday or deliver it to the hall by 9.00am Sunday morning.    

Monday October 28 is Grandparent's Day, which follows straight after our Anniversary weekend.  The children will be invited to dress up in olden day clothes, will play olden day games with their grandparents/special friends and enjoy a sausage sizzle with them as well. Have you let us know if your child has a grandparent or special friend coming?

Congratulations to the boys basketball team who won the Regional Championships this week.  Thank you to Jae Leddin and Radush Mohan for coaching and supporting the team. 

Olga Lyons

FROM THE RE LEADER - ELIZA DWYER

175 YEARS OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION - PRINCIPAL ADDRESS

Introduction
It is a privilege to be celebrating 175 years of St. Patrick’s Primary School this year. This occasion is not only a celebration of time but a celebration of the values that have defined our school community: faith, education, wellbeing and welcome for all.

The Legacy of Faith and Evangelization
From the very beginning, St. Patrick’s has been more than just a place of learning. It has been a sanctuary where the teachings of Jesus have guided our mission to educate, inspire and uplift young people for their future roles in society. Founded on the core principles of evangelization, our school has worked tirelessly to ensure that the values of the Gospel permeate every part of our students' experience. Over the last 175 years, we have endeavoured to nurture not only the minds but also the hearts and spirits of each generation.

Honouring Our Past: Staff, Pupils, and Families
Today, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us—those who laid the foundations of this school, not only in bricks and mortar, but in love, dedication, and faith. To our past staff, pupils, and families, we owe a debt of gratitude. We especially pay tribute to the Sisters of Cluny, the Good Samaritan Sisters, and Lay Leaders who lead this school community with such passion and dedication to Catholic Education.

To the many teachers and staff, who viewed their roles not merely as jobs, but as vocations: your commitment to shaping the minds and hearts of students has left an indelible mark on this community. It is through your tireless work and sacrifice that generations have been educated with excellence and guided in the ways of faith.

To the pupils who once walked these halls: you are a living testament to the enduring power of a St. Patrick’s education. You carried forward the lessons learned here—lessons of kindness, compassion and a life founded in Gospel values—and applied them to your families, careers, and communities. You are the fruit of this school's labour and your lives are a testament to the work that was done here.

To the families, who have supported and nurtured not only their own children but the entire St. Patrick’s community: your belief in the mission of this school has been invaluable. Your partnership has been a cornerstone of the school's success and it is through your prayers, support, and commitment that we have thrived for 175 years.

Community and Contribution
The strength of St. Patrick’s has always been its community—a community built on faith, generosity and sustained by love. Whether it was through charity, service, or simple acts of kindness, this school has embodied the message of the Gospel, creating a culture where faith and education are intertwined.

Each of you, in your own way, has contributed to this legacy. The teachers who inspired curiosity, the students who embraced learning and the families who supported the mission of this school—each has played a part in creating this incredible history.

Shaping the Future through the Gospel
As we celebrate, we also look forward. The world around us may continue to change but St. Patrick’s Primary School remains steadfast in its mission to educate young minds and to lead them in faith. We will continue to ensure that future generations receive not just an education, but a formation of the whole person.

Our current students have the privilege of being part of this rich heritage. They are now the keepers of a 175-year tradition. I encourage them to embrace this responsibility, to carry forward the lessons of love, compassion and faith that this school has always upheld. May their time here at St. Patrick’s shape not only their future but the future of our world, as they go on to be ambassadors of Christ’s message.

Conclusion
As we reflect on 175 years of faith, learning, and community, let us remember and honour those who made this journey possible: the past staff, pupils, and families who gave so much to ensure the success of St. Patrick’s. Their legacy is alive in each of us today and it is our duty to carry it forward with the same dedication and spirit.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this remarkable journey. May St. Patrick’s Primary School continue to be a beacon of faith and learning for many years to come.

Olga Lyons (Principal)

CONDOLENCES

Our condolences go out to Matt, Wendy, Lauren and Dan Kelly on the recent passing of Matt's mother. Please keep the family in your prayers.

BASKETBALL COURT RENOVATION

GREAT NEWS!  Our long awaited basketball court renovation is set to start on November 13th and will be completed by November 22nd (all going to plan). We have been fund raising for this for 3 years now so it's great to see that we are finally able to get it done. This has been an amazing effort by our wonderful P & F committee and families.

We need one last push with the Colour Run donations.  

HOOPTIME

Last Monday, 21st of October, our Boys Year 3/4 basketball team participated in the Greater Western Region Hooptime Junior Primary School finals in Hamilton.  The boys were one of two teams to win their sections on the day and have now earnt the right to participate in the Victorian State Hooptime finals in Melbourne on 2nd December.

So a big well done and congratulations to the boys and thanks to Kristee, Renee and Regan for transporting and supporting.  Thanks also to Radush Mohan for his coaching efforts with the team and Jae Leddin for her assistance on the day.

AWARDS

THANK YOU!!

Thank you to Vanessa and her staff at Decked Out on Bank for opening their doors after hours and supporting the school by donating the money from entry tickets to the school. The school received a donation of $340. Thank you also to those that supported this event.

175 SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY & GRANDPARENTS DAY

OLDEN DAY DRESS UP

To celebrate our 175th Anniversary and Grandparents Day on Monday October 28, the children are invited to dress up in Olden Day Clothing. 

Vests, aprons, bonnets, long dresses, short pants and braces will be all the go in the playground that day. 

SCHOOL DATES - 2024

COLOUR RUN FUNDRAISER - NOVEMBER 8

Funds raised for this year's Colour Run will go towards the resurfacing of our basketball and netball courts, this will complete the fundraising that has been happening by the P & F for 3 years. We ask you to encourage your children to ask their family and friends to sponsor them for the Colour Run.To donate/sponsor a child click on the link below or use the QR code on the poster.

Click here to donate

Donations Wanted!! Old Pool Noodles

Keeping in line with our school's sustainability practices we are looking for any old pool noodles that families may have lying around to reuse for the Colour Run. If you could please bring them in as soon as possible the Hands on Learning team will get to work creating some exciting obstacles for our upcoming run.

$400 SCHOOL SAVINGS BONUS

Not all students are eligible to receive the School Saving Bonus in Catholic Schools. 

Non-government school students who will be in Foundation through to Year 12 in 2025, and who are receiving the means-tested Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF), are eligible for the School Saving Bonus.

Parents and carers do not need to apply, with the School Saving Bonus being paid to non-government schools for eligible students from late November 2024. 

The $400 School Saving Bonus is available for each child in the family attending the school. That means an eligible family with three school-aged children will receive a total of $1,200. Importantly, the School Saving Bonus is available in addition to the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund.

Additional SSB payments will be made to schools in 2025, for eligible students new to the school in 2025, after schools submit the required information to the Department of Education.

Parents of eligible students are encouraged to discuss their needs with their school prior to the SSB being distributed. SSB payments are to be managed in consultation with the eligible student’s family.

Unused money from the SSB can be transferred to a sibling at the same school if one child finishes school.

The SSB cannot be combined across different schools, and cannot be transferred between government and non-government schools.

PARENT NEWSLETTER - THE RIGHT TO DISCONECT

Incredible as it seems, Australians are depending on legislation to enforce their right to electronically disconnect outside of work hours. In an education sector context, the new law presents some unique challenges as schools are now required to carefully evaluate and adjust out-of-work-hours for teachers. On the one hand, schools have legitimate operational needs that may require teachers to work outside of normal school hours, such as supervising school camps, sports activities, and extra-curricular programs. On the other hand, teachers should be allowed to have a private life as well and not be "permanently on call", but disconnect from work demands during their personal time. How can we manage this delicate balance?

SCHOOL TV - THE COST OF LIVING

"As our role as parents is to help our children make sense of the world around them in a way that makes them feel reassured, it may be prudent to talk to your children about financial matters in an informative and empowering way."

Dr Emma Woodward

Click on the link below to read more and complete a survey. 

2025 JAPANESE STUDENT TRIP INFORMATION MEETING

There will be an Japan trip information meeting on Thursday 31st October 5.30pm - 6.30pm at 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. 

HOST A JAPANESE STUDENT

LIBRARY SHELVING

Thank you to the parents who have volunteered to assist in shelving borrowed books in our Library. You have been rostered on for a week but we only expect you to come in for a short time and later in the week is best.

Week of: 21/10/2024 - Donna Parsons

Week of: 28/10/2024 - Scott Elliott

Week of 04/11/2024 - Sarah McCallum

SPORTING SCHOOLS

Sporting Schools days for Term 4 are Tuesdays and Thursdays.

To sign your child up for Sporting Schools use the Schoolzine App eForms.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Please have the Colouring competition back to the Warrnambool Show Grounds by October 23^rd.