Newsletter 8/08/2022 Term 3 Week 5

Our Prayer

From the Principal

Dear parents, carers and community members,

At the end of this week, we have reached the halfway mark of the term. Our Catholic Office have chosen to use this as a chance for students, staff and families to take a four day break to rest and rejuvenate and to break the cycle of illness from colds, the flu and COVID. I encourage families who are in a position to do so, take the opportunity to share some time together, away from the business of a normal week. 

COVID Cases

We are still having a constant number of COVID cases across the school despite the precautions we are taking. I would like to express my thanks to families for the way they are coping with this and the support given to the school with isolation and close contact expectations. We will continue to notify you of cases via email each day. It would be great to see the number of infections reduce at some stage.

Please call the office if you require more test kits to be sent home

St Patrick's Leadership

Following the announcement from Michael McKenzie of his resignation from the position of principal of St Patricks, the process to appoint a new leader for the school has begun. Community input is vital in this process and each family will be sent a survey ling that will address the following questions. 

1. What do you believe are the strengths of the school? What would you like to preserve?
2. What do you believe are the challenges for the school in the next 5 years? What is it we could be doing?
3. What would be 5 leadership qualities that you would like the Selection Panel to consider in a new principal?
4. What other comments would you like to contribute?

I invite you to take this opportunity to help guide the future direction of the school. Staff and parents will also have an opportunity to contribute to this task.

School Fees

A reminder to families that it is our expectation that all school fees are paid by the end of term 3, September 16.  Please contact the office if you wish to discuss this or to set up a direct debit, which is our preferred option. Thank you.

Catholic School Culture

Grade 5/6 Parish Mass

Thank-you to all of the families who came along to the grade 5/6 Parish Mass on Sunday. Well done to the grade 5/6 children and teachers who led the mass and carried out jobs. Also a big thank-you to Fr. Neville for the wonderful service and Mr. S and Mr. Bourke for singing and playing their guitars. It was lovely for our school community to come together with parish members and the wider community to share in this mass.  

Feast of St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop

Today is the Feast Day of St. Mary of the Cross McKillop, Australia’s first saint who was canonized on the 17th of October, 2010. Mary MacKillop lived with radical faith and trust, inspiring hope in generations of people and devoting herself to the needs of others, especially the downtrodden, poor and forgotten. Along with the Sisters of St. Joseph, she brought education to the poor. They would see a need and act with love. Let us look to Mary MacKillop and learn from her as a model of faith, love and generosity. 

God of Light, 

Mary Mackillop found life in your presence. May we follow her example and give time to you in prayer and in service.

You awakened in Mary Mackillop a love of the poor. In our service of others, draw forth from within us a desire to find You in those we encounter, and so to love you in those we meet. 

You call us to a radical freedom in striving first for the kingdom of God. Accompany us in our days, that we might glorify your name just as Mary Mackillop did. 

You inspired Mary Mackillop to a dedicated service of those most in need. May we always notice those most in need, discern how to respond with care, and act generously in our response. 

Call forth apostles who will attend to your presence in their lives. Give them the courage to respond to your invitations in their days. 

Amen

Mini Vinnies - Food Drive

Thank-you to all of the generous families who have so far donated to the Mini Vinnies Food Drive. These food donations will go a long way towards helping people who are unable to afford these items and who have fallen on tough times. The food drive will continue for the rest of the term and items will be collected from the classrooms. These items include canned and packet soup, canned fruits and vegetables, canned fish and poultry, rice, pasta, tea, coffee, dried fruits and vegetables, pasta sauce, nuts, long life milk etc.

Crazy Hair Day

There was a lot of excitement as children arrived at school on Friday with Crazy Hair! The children couldn’t wait to see their friend’s crazy hair styles and they had a lot of fun showing each other how creative they were (and their parents). It was a great day!

Transition Dates

With the reopening of schools to the community, we are delighted to be able to offer an number of transition days to our Foundation students for 2023.

1. Wednesday 10th August - Pru and Mick to visited the kinder
2. Thursday 1st September - Kinder will visit St Patrick's for specialist activities 9:30am until 11am
3. Thursday 10th November - A half day visit to St Patrick's for just those children attending the school in 2023
4. Tuesday 6th December - "Move Up Day" 

We hope these events help to make the challenge of coming to school next year a positive and enjoyable experience.

Grade 6 School Camp

We are very excited about the Grade 6 camp to Melbourne next Term. The following are some of the details that have been confirmed so far.

Dates: Mon 17th - Wed 19th October 

Transport: We will travel by train leaving Camperdown at 6:57am and arriving back at Camperdown 4:46pm Wednesday

Accommodation: We will stay at City CYC, 538 Collins Street, Melbourne 

Book Week

Heads up for a dress up!! 

Monday August 22nd is Book Week Activity Day at St Pats!  

Once again we are excited to share the love and enjoyment of reading by celebrating Book Week. Children are invited to dress up as a favourite book character or the theme of "Dreaming with eyes open". We encourage all students to participate in this day, and from our experience some of the best costumes come from our own, or someone else's wardrobes.

We will also be holding our Great Book Swap on the same day.  Donated pre-loved books can be bought by students with a gold coin. Funds from this day are passed on to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation for the production and purchase of culturally meaningful books for Indigenous children and communities. Last year our school community was pleased to donate over $700 - thank you. If you have any children's books that are in good condition that could be donated, please send them to school before August 22.

Production Update

Preparations for our 2022 school production are going very well with dancing practice and rehearsing of speaking roles happening all over the school. We have set the performance date for Wednesday the 7th of September in St Patrick's church. Tickets will be made available closer to the event. 

Circuit Breaker Long Weekend

In recognition of the enormous increase in workload on teachers, the impact on students and the increases of flu infection in schools, DOBCEL have authorised a "Circuit Breaker long weekend" from the 12th to the 15th of August. This will give the entire school community a four-day break in the middle of this term. 

School Closure Day

Our next opportunity to continue the professional development of staff will be on Friday the 26th of August. This will be a school closure day with no classes for students. 

Parents and Friends Meeting

Our next P&F meeting will take place on Tuesday 9th of August at 7:30pm in the school staffroom.

Enrolments Open

We have opened our enrolments for the 2023 school year. New and existing families are invited to obtain an enrolment form from the school office or kindergartens to indicate your intention to send your children to St Patrick's next year.  Tours can be booked by calling the office. Enrolment forms are due in by the end of July. 

Enrolments close on the 2nd September

Birthdays

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

Annabelle & Scarlett 

Our Diocesan Community

The link below is for the July 2022 edition of “Our Diocesan Community”. We have asked for this to be a digital option for families rather than the paper copy sent home each month to save resources and make it more convenient to read.

Parish Bulletin

Student of the week

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Dust off our dancing shoes,   and Join us for a Red Nose Disco!
Event by Red Nose Family Disco Cobden   

12 th August 2022 from 6 .45 pm. to 9 .30 pm. Cobden Civic Hall

Tickets.      www.eventbrite.com/e/red-nose-family-disco-tickets-387869105937

Public   All welcome.    All children under 10 to be chaperoned by an Adult 
Ticketsts  can be purchased online or by ringing Sandra on 0428 407777 All funds raised will help Red Nose continue our life-saving education, research and support programs. We couldn't have achieved our incredible results over the past 34 years without supporters like you - and we hope you will join us again this August for a nationwide celebration of Red Nose Day. Proudly sponsored by Ride With Us, Cobden Sewing Machine, DJ Chris Barks and Cobden Rotary ClubThere will  to be Lollies and Snacks , drinksto purchase on the Night   ,  Red Nose Merchandise Alcohol and Smoke-free event Follow us on Facebook Red Nose family disco cobden 
Please don't hesitate to contact me anytime for further information 
Kind regards Sandra Timmins 

Camperdown Theatre Company

Music Survey

I am involved in an exciting Regional South West Music Education Project and Pre Feasibility Study, which was announced in the Warrnambool Standard last Wednesday. A South West Music Survey is being undertaken as part of the Pre Feasibility Study.  We need as many Corangamite residents as possible to fill out this Music Survey for our Study Consultant! 

https://www.tonygrybowski.com/southwest-music-survey

The Pre Feasibility Study is examining the possiblity of establishing a multi purpose Regional Music Conservatorium/ Music Academy (based on the NSW Regional Conservatorium system) which, we hope, will deliver more music education in schools, and further increase music participation and performance opportunities, and music coordination in the south west region. 
Many thanks for your help! Fiona Pugh