NEWSLETTER 20 - July 20th 2021

Acting Principal's Reflection

Welcome back to the start of Term Three. I hope that our families all had an opportunity to relax and refresh during the school holidays. We are looking forward to the term and to the joy that comes as we move from Winter to Spring. Much like Spring, Term Three is a term where students can show incredible amounts of growth in their learning. Much of the assessment that is completed towards the end of Term Two is complete, and a lot of new learning on new and familiar topics is completed in the classroom. This learning time is an important time for our ‘learners’ to continue to exhibit good application and attitude towards their learning tasks in order to grow as much as possible.

On Thursday, at our morning assembly, students in Year 6 will have the opportunity to present a speech to be considered for a position of leadership in Term Three. We wish our Year 6 leaders all the best and thank our Term Two school and house captains for their committed leadership during Term Two.

Please be aware that any adult that enters a school building must now use the 'Check in TAS App' every time no matter how long they stay in the building (the 10 minute period no longer applies). Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter as it ensures that we comply with government regulations.

During the holidays, from Sunday 4 until Sunday 11 July, NAIDOC Week was celebrated. The theme for NAIDOC Week this year is Heal Country! As NAIDOC Week falls in the school holidays, we celebrate this important event as a school during Term Three. Mr. O'Brien has taken over the role of First Nations Key Teacher and has some wonderful experiences in the works. We will have more information regarding our school activities for NAIDOC Week in upcoming newsletters over the coming weeks.

NAIDOC Week, and the following weeks for schools, is an important time as it is a reminder for us that we are asked to increase our awareness of the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as their culture and history. Our Mercy Charism at St Patrick’s means that we are called to be merciful, hospitable, compassionate and respectful to all, but especially the marginalised. Therefore, we are called to be these things for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our community and Australia as a whole. Our opinions and beliefs guide our actions and responses, so it is important that our Mercy Charism flows through to inform our opinions and beliefs regarding our First Nation peoples.

Below is a small excerpt from the NAIDOC Week Website explaining this year's theme; Heal Country!

Country is inherent to our identity.

It sustains our lives in every aspect - spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially, and culturally.

It is more than a place.

When we talk about Country it is spoken of like a person.

Country is family, kin, law, lore, ceremony, traditions, and language. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples it has been this way since the dawn of time.

Through our languages and songs, we speak to Country; through our ceremonies and traditions we sing to - and celebrate Country – and Country speak to us.

Increasingly, we worry about Country.

For generations Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been calling for stronger measures to recognise, protect, and maintain all aspects of our culture and heritage for all Australians.

We have continued to seek greater protections for our lands, our waters, our sacred sites and our cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction.

We are still waiting for those robust protections.

Healing Country means hearing those pleas to provide greater management, involvement, and empowerment by Indigenous peoples over country.

Healing Country means embracing First Nation’s cultural knowledge and understanding of Country as part of Australia's national heritage. That the culture and values of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders are respected equally to the cultures and values of all Australians.

https://www.naidoc.org.au/get-involved/2021-theme

Kind regards

Kurt Atkins

Acting Principal

Upcoming Events

JULY

• Tues 20th - Kinder & Prep Excursion
  

AUGUST 

• Thursday 12th - Ye Olde Fashion Day 

Staff News

Welcome back to Mrs. O'Brien and Miss. Mundy.

Mrs. O'Brien will be taking Library with Mrs. Carter on Tuesdays and will be teaching Year 4 on Fridays.

Miss. Mundy will be resuming her TA role in Year 2 on Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays.

Mrs. Nicole Adams will be working alongside Mrs. S and Mrs. Klug in Kinder for the remainder of the Year.

Mrs. Kingshott was away on Monday and Tuesday due to government restrictions for students and staff returning from Victoria. Miss. Woods taught Year 6 on Monday and Mr. P taught Year 6 today (Tuesday).

Year 4 News (Ms Stuart)

During the last week of term 2 students were given a design challenge to create a boat that would have been used during the ‘Age of Exploration’. The challenge was that they could only use 3 pieces of A4 paper and their glue stick. The results were amazing. 

In Visual Arts we explored three pieces of Gustav Klimt’s work ‘The Kiss’, ‘Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I’ and ‘The Tree of Life’. There was much discussion about Klimt’s use of real gold in his artwork. Students were asked to choose one of the piece’s we explored and recreate their own version.  To make their art as authentic as possible they added some gold leaf to their finished piece.

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PJ Day - Mini Vinnies

Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed towards the end of term PJ Day.  It was wonderful to see everyone get into the spirit of the day and especially understanding the significance of donating money for the cause of the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal.  We will organise the donation in the coming weeks so those less fortunate than ourselves can benefit.   

If you have any clean unwanted blankets, sleeping bags, coats or jackets that you would like to donate we can include these at the time of our monetary donation.  Please drop these off at the school office.  Thank you again.  From Mini Vinnies 

Religious Education - Ye Olde Fashioned Day

As part of 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia and during Catholic Education Week (week 4) we will be having a "YE OLDE FASHIONED DAY".  Please save this date: Thursday, 12th August.  
For this day we will be encouraging students and staff to dress up in old-fashioned clothes, so you may like to start planning what would be suitable for your child/ren to wear.  There are lots of ideas on the internet (boys: braces, vests, caps, long shorts, buttoned up shirts, long socks. girls: long skirts, tights, straw hat, ribbon bow around collared shirt, cardigan, shawl/poncho ...). Op shops are a great place to look for items.  As a staff we are planning lots of old-fashioned activities throughout the whole day.  It should be a great day. More details to come.  

WHS - Outdoor Play & Learning

Taking Photos

Please be aware when taking photos of your own child that it is important to ensure, where possible, that faces of other students are not in the photo. This is especially important if you plan to put a photo of your child on social media. It is never appropriate to put a photo of another child on social media or upload it to the internet without the express permission of that child's parent/s and/or guardian/s.

Canteen Menu - Term 3

Please see attached the updated canteen menu for Term 3. The canteen will recommence this Thursday 22nd July and will operate every Thursday and Friday. A hard copy will be sent home with families tomorrow. 

2021 Mersey Leven Catholic Parish

Preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation and Reconciliation is Family Centred, Parish Based and Catholic School Supported.

FAMILY CENTRED - The family is the setting where children first learn about God. At Baptism, parents make a commitment to bring their children up in the practice of the faith. The family is the central support for children preparing for the Sacraments.

PARISH BASED - The Parish is the local church community where the children celebrate their initiation. We aim to make the children feel welcome and develop a sense of belonging to our parish community.

SCHOOL SUPPORTED - Catholic schools support the Sacramental preparation through the Religious Education curriculum which is based on the RE Framework, ‘Good News for Living’. Catholic schools teach about the Sacraments, but do not initiate the children into our faith community. This is the role of the family, in the parish setting.

The Parish organises the following Sacramental preparation programs to support parents in handing on their faith to their children. 

Reconciliation Preparation Dates for 2021

Parent Meeting :  27^th July 7:00pm Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Stewart Street, Devonport.       

As parents guide their children through the preparation it is essential that parents attend this meeting. If parents are unable to make this date, an alternative time can be arranged. Please call to make an alternative time.

If you have any questions about the Sacramental preparation program, please contact:
Sacramental Coordinator - Fr Steven Smith mlcpsacraments@aohtas.org.au

Parish Office 6424 2783

Or you can speak to myself at the school or at helen.halley@catholic.tas.edu.au

WEST Award - Not Awarded this Week.

Student of the Week

Prep: Olivia Turner for giving 100% effort towards everything she does. Thank you, Olivia!

Year 1: Jahzelle Reilly for the great improvement she has made across a number of areas of her learning, particularly her reading and writing.

Year 2: Seth Foster for his improved listening skills and showing a positive attitude by 'having a go' at tasks.

Year 3: Jed Atkins for his initiative around the classroom and for his thoughtful questions in discussion time.

Year 4: Lulu Meech for working independently to design and make an impressive sailing ship as part of our Exploration unit.  

Year 5:Salma Ragheb for her focus and positive application shown in class to achieve her best in all areas of learning.

Year 6: Luke Thompson for his focus and engagement with MAB manipulatives to make connections with the abstract elements of long division

House Raffle Winners

Byrne House: Frank Dewrance-Milligan

Dooley House: Charlie Jones 

Martyn House: Shahad Al-Roubaie

Port Sorell Tennis Coaching

Port Sorell Tennis Coaching has tennis coaching group sessions on Thursday nights for children aged 5-14 years old. Tennis recommences the first week of Term 3
 A group lesson lasts for 35 minutes with children of similar abilities grouped together.
If you are interested please contact Peter Georgiades on 0439637301 or 64287112.

Nut Allergy School

A reminder to parents that St Patrick's is a Nut Allergy School and that we ask that parents not pack nuts or nut products in their children's lunchboxes.

Photos of Sporting Events

If any parents or guardians have photos of students from school sporting teams and would like to see these included in the newsletter, please email them to stpatslat@catholic.tas.edu.au 

Inquiring Minds - Birth to 5 Years

‘Inquiring Minds’ Birth to 5 program - a ‘Set-Up for Success’ Catholic Education Tasmania initiative.
Our ‘Inquiring Minds’ birth to 5 program operates each Friday during school term time from 9.00am to 10.30am. This program involves a considerable focus on communicating to parents the learning intentions of important activities that are associated with early years learning. Mrs Klug will be working to engage parents in early years learning experiences that will ensure children who are enrolling in Kindergarten, will be informed in regards to developing key social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills and understandings. Parents or an adult family member stays for the duration of these sessions; there is no cost, however if you would like to donate a gold coin it would be appreciated. Please feel welcome to participate.

Care and Concern

Please feel welcome to be included in our Care and Concern Volunteer List - thank you to the many school community members who are already on this list and are assisting others: Always please contact your child’s teacher, the office staff or Mr Atkins if you feel we could offer support in any way to anyone in our school community in need.

Check in TAS App

It is now a requirement, as part of our COVID Policy, that any adult that visits the school must sign in using the 'Check in TAS App'. 

Please view the below PDF for information regarding how to install and use the Check in TAS App.

We have QR codes at the office, school hall, entry doors and classroom doors that can be scanned using this app when you enter a school building.

If you do not have a smartphone or device that will let you install this app, you will need to visit the school office so that we can check you in.

Covid-19 School Safety Protocol

• Adults to please hand sanitise upon entering any school building: the school provides hand sanitiser at school venue entry points or adults may use their own (and be observed to use a sanitiser).
  
• Adults, where practicable, to maintain 1.5m physical distancing, observing seating arrangements as communicated by signage or instruction please: indoor event attendance limited to one person per 2 square metre per indoor space.
• Adults to sign-in, either at the school office or on a list provided at the entry of the school building. The school is obligated to record contact details of visitors to school events held in school venues, with this information stored securely for a period of 21 days.
• Appropriate COVID safe signage is communicated at school entry points. Key message to visitors - if feeling unwell, it is important not to be in attendance; the school will bar entry to people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who are close contacts of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19.
• Although daily cleaning of frequently touched internal surfaces is undertaken, we ask adult visitors to avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily.
  

THANK YOU