Newsletter 2 - 22nd February 2024

The School Board

The School Board is made up of parents and friends from our school community. Meetings are held six times per year to undertake the responsibility of assisting the principal in the consideration of strategic planning, local policy and development of the capital works program of the school. The members of St Patrick’s Catholic School Board provide a valuable service to our school community by ensuring that the school meets its obligations in each of these areas. 

The School Board meetings will be held on the following dates this year:

Tuesday 27th February (6:00 p.m.) - Annual General Meeting & 

Tuesday 9th April (6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday 21st May  (6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday 13th August  (6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday 5th November  (6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday 3rd December  (6:00 p.m.)

We are seeking parents and carers to join our school board. If you would like to become a member of the school board please email your letter of Expression of Interest to Carmen Aylott, principal, at stpatslat@catholic.tas.edu.au. 

Lent

Last week, we celebrated the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Lent is a 40 day season of special prayer, fasting and almsgiving and concludes at sundown on Holy Thursday. These practices deepen our relationship with God and prepares us for the journey of Jesus passion, death and resurrection. It is an invitation to reflect, repent and renew one’s commitment to living a life of faith. Lent is the season specially marked by the Church as a way of growing in faith together in the lead up to Easter. The colour purple holds signifcant symbolism throughout the Lenten season. It repesents the robe that Pontius Pilate placed on Jesus before His crucifixion. Purple is also traditionally associated with royalty.

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)

A positive behaviour support policy incorporates the modelling and teaching of

positive, proactive social behaviours across the school environment. Our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support framework is a data-based initiative that endeavours to adjust the environment and learning opportunities to fully support the whole child. This framework is implemented by a collaborative, school-based team using a student-centred approach to proactively support behaviour. School-wide expectations for behaviour are clearly stated, widely promoted, and frequently referenced.

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support helps us to manage less desirable behaviours and promoting acceptable behaviour. We focus on the three behavioural expectations that are positively stated and easy to remember. In other words, rather than telling students what not to do, the school focuses on and explicitly teaches the preferred behaviours. 

Be Engaged

Students will:

• be ready for learning.
• look, listen and participate in learning in all curriculum areas.
• follow directions and agreed rules.
• manage their time in a way that facilitates learning.

Be Responsible 

Students will:

• own their behaviour.
• take care of belongings and use equipment safely.
• follow and respond to directions.

Be Respectful

Students will:

• respect others' right to learn.
• use manners and kind words.
• be inclusive.
• keep hands and feet to themselves.
• being aware of others in a shared space and surroundings.

At the beginning of each school year and on a regular basis throughout the year, the staff will discuss with students the expectations for and consequences of behaviour both within the classroom and elsewhere in the school. These are explicitly taught to students through the sharing and explicit teaching of our matrix. The teacher will address minor behaviours as teachable moments. When inappropriate behaviour from a particular student continues to occur or is a major event, intervention by senior staff will be necessary. 

Parents are kept informed of recurring and/or serious inappropriate behaviour by using student diaries for messages, a phone call by a member of the leadership team and/or parent interviews and knowledge of the implementation of consequences; this applies to both the parents/carers of students who are non-compliant and any student who has been adversely affected by the non-compliance of another or others. 

To read this and other policies, please go to our school website.

Have a great week

Carmen Aylott

Principal