NEWSLETTER 23 -August 10th 2021

Acting Principal's Reflection

Sunday 8 August was the solemnity of St Mary of the Cross (Mary MacKillop). Mary MacKillop is Australia’s first saint. She is best known for her work in setting up schools to educate the disadvantaged (it is important to note that at this time, only the very wealthy could afford to educate their children) and for her part in helping to establish the Sisters of St Joseph. Mary MacKillop faced many challenges in her life; including being excommunicated from the Catholic Church at one point. But she continued to work to provide education and opportunities for the disadvantaged, including many First Nations children and families. Many of the Catholic Schools in Tasmania were founded by the Sisters of St Joseph and hold the Josephite Charism. Mary had a firm belief and faith in God’s unconditional love for all, which is an excellent segway to discuss our students that started their journey of the Sacrament of Reconciliation over the weekend. Fr. Steven told the candidates at St Patrick’s Church that Reconciliation reminds us that God loves us unconditionally and that even when we make mistakes, God will always forgive us. These students will attend faith sessions over the next 6 weeks to build their understanding of this special Sacrament of Healing. 

You may be aware of the trouble that Tex Walker from the Adelaide Crows is facing at the moment for the racist comments that he made recently. Obviously, this behaviour from such a public figure was quite shocking, especially given the fact that in the past Tex has been quite outspoken in his support for his First Nations teammates. When Eddie Betts was racially abused while still playing for the Crows, Tex backed him to the hilt. In a way, it just goes to show that subconsciously or consciously, these thoughts or opinions can still lie beneath the surface. However, we know that education is the answer. Over the past two days, students have had the opportunity to work with Mr. O’Brien in developing their understanding of Aboriginal Culture. Students have been using art, storytelling and the experiences of our First Nations Students at St Patrick’s to build their knowledge and understanding. This is a wonderful opportunity, as experiences like this will hopefully help to shape their attitudes and beliefs for the future. 

Today our Year 6 students attended the Catholic Education Week Mass in Ulverstone at Sacred Heart. This was a wonderful opportunity for our Year 6 students to mix with other students from Catholic Schools in the North West. It was also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the successes of our NW Catholic Schools and give thanks. We look forward to celebrating Catholic Education Week and 200 Years of Catholic Education through our involvement in our Ye Olde Fashion Day on Thursday. Parents are most welcome to attend the Morning Assembly and/or the Activities which start at 11:30.

We would like parents and guardians to provide feedback on our newsletter format by clicking on the below link and filling out a very short survey. We appreciate you taking the time to do this.

https://forms.gle/gY4SaWgCMPLnn2vr8 

Kind regards

Kurt Atkins

Acting Principal

Upcoming Events

AUGUST 

• Mon 9th - Morning Assembly - All Welcome; NAIDOC Week Activities
• Tues 10th - Catholic Education Week Mass - Year 6; NAIDOC Week Activities
• Wed 11th - Mass - Year 4 attending 
• Thurs 12th - Ye Olde Fashion Dress Up Day 
• Mon 23rd - Morning Assembly - All Welcome 
• Book Week (Mon 23-Fri 27th) 
• Tues 24th -  Book Fair Sales (8.30am-9.15am  & 2.30pm-3.15pm)
• Wed 25th - Book Week Dress Up Day / Book Fair Sales (8.30am-9.15am  & 2.30pm-3.15pm)
• Fri 27th - Latrobe High School Challenge Day - Year 6 Boys 
• Mon 30th - Latrobe High School Challenge Day  - Year 6 Girls / Morning Assembly - All Welcome
  

September 

• Mon 13th - Year 6 Camp - Hobart (Mon 13/9 - Thurs 16/9) 
• Fri 17th - Devonport Basketball Primary Schools Tournament (Fri, Sat, Sun) 
• Fri 24th - Last Day of Term 3 

Staff News

Miss. Brown taught Year 1 on Monday and Tuesday while Mr. O'Brien took groups for our NAIDOC Week Activities.

Mrs. Marshall was away on Monday.

Mrs. Watson-Peters was away on Tuesday - Mrs. P taught Music.

Mrs. Tueon was away on Tuesday - Mr. Parker was our TA in Year 1.

Mrs. Meech will be away on Wednesday - Mr. P will teach Year 3.

Mrs. Jak will be away on Friday - Ms. Omran will teach Prep.

Mr Atkins will be away on Friday.

Student Support

Learning Plans for Terms 3 & 4 are currently being finalised.  Prep, Year 1 and Year 3 Learning Plans have been sent home today.  Other classes will follow throughout the week.  We encourage all parents to make an appointment with their child's teacher to discuss these documents.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Mrs. Marshall

2022 Kinder Enrolments

Kinder enrolments for 2022 are filling up fast. If you have not submitted an enrolment form to the front office, then please do so at your earliest convenience. If you know someone that wants to enrol please tell them to contact our office ASAP.

Early Years (Prep-Year 2) Educational Philosophy

Mrs Jane Heatley, the Tasmanian Catholic Early Years Education Officer-North, led a collaborative session on Friday with Mrs Jak, Mr O’Brien, Mrs Stoessiger, Mrs Fenton and Mrs Badcock. During the day staff read studies and based their discussions and new learnings around age-appropriate pedagogies for the early years of schooling with the aim of developing an Early Years Philosophy for St Patrick’s Catholic School.

Ye Olde Fashioned Day and Celebrating Family Week

As part of celebrating 200 years of Catholic education in Australia, as a school, we are having our YE OLDE FASHIONED DAY.  Children are encouraged to come dressed up in old fashioned clothes, as well as bring a packed lunch in a brown paper bag. 

We are also celebrating Family Week and parents and families are welcome to join us at  8.50 for Assembly and after 11.30 onwards for our group activities. If possible, come dressed up in old fashioned clothes too.  Please remember you must sign in to the office if you are coming, also using the Check In Tas even if popping in.

What’s happening for the day

8.50 Old Fashioned School Assembly. Family members are welcome

 9.15 – 11.00 – Students partake in usual classroom learning.

 11.30 – 1.00 – Students join in House colour groups around the oval (or around the classrooms if raining).  Family members are welcome. 

 1.00– 1.30 – Lunch. 

1.30 – 2.40 - Students continue in House colour groups around the oval (or around the classrooms if raining). Family members are welcome.

Celebrating Family Week

Parents and carers are the primary educators of their children, and as crucial partners in each student’s learning journey. To recognise the significant contribution families have made to the foundation, growth and continuity of Catholic schools in Australia over 200 years, a Family Week will be celebrated nationally from 8 August 2021 - 14 August 2021.

The week coincides with the Feast Day of Australia’s First Saint, Mary MacKillop, who was a passionate educator and advocate for children and families, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

 The children have been invited to participate in a drawing competition of their family. These will be displayed around the school.

 For more information about the bicentenary visit www.200years.catholic.edu.au

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.

NAIDOC Week Activities

While NAIDOC Week was celebrated in the Term 2 holidays, this week we have been participating in a belated NAIDOC Week event. The students have been engaging enthusiastically in a number of activities aimed at building students’ awareness and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Each class has been creating their own Acknowledgement of Country, creating intricate and beautiful designs on Gum Leaves that will surround an Acknowledgement of Country for each classroom. Students have also been planting bush medicines and collaborating together to create stories using petroglyphs. And finally, students have been listening to interviews conducted with students of our indigenous community, bringing greater awareness and understanding of this community that is present and proud in our school. Students should be pleased with their positive engagement and interest in this NAIDOC Week event.    

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Fun in the playground

We had new sand delivered for the sandpit - Lots of fun. Our basketball teams are also beginning to practice ready for the tournament with Mrs. Meech - Thank you Mrs. Meech :)

Road Safety

We ask that parents and guardians please abide by road laws and general safety principles. We have a number of parents parking over yellow lines near crossings at the moment. Not only is this illegal, but it is also extremely unsafe, as oncoming traffic can not see students and families that are trying to cross the road. We also have a number of parents and students still walking through the staff carpark. Please do not use this as an entry to the school. The entry on Noone St is the gate closest to the turning circle. Thank you all in advance for helping to keep our children safe.

WEST Award

Congratulations to Ruby Warren who received a WEST Award during today’s morning assembly. We will continue to acknowledge those students who exhibit WEST (Welcoming, Encouraging; Sorry; Thankful) qualities and Mercy Values (Hospitality, Compassion, Mercy and Respect) by presenting awards at our Monday morning assemblies. 

Student of the Week

Prep: Gracie Morse for her positive attitude and diligent application towards her work.

Year 1: Alice Parry for the great effort she has been putting into her handwriting.

Year 2: Tallan Mayes for his clear and accurate labelling of forces in our Science unit.

Year 3: Eva Wescombe for her neatly presented work and for her creative ideas and designs in visual art activities.

Year 4: Hailey Mitchell for her application of strategies to solve missing values in number sentences.

Year 5: Ruby Anthony for her focus and interest when working on Maths extension tasks. 

Year 6: Liam Jessup for always being prepared to contribute to classroom discussions, with his thoughtful insights and knowledgeable information. 

House Raffle Winners

Byrne House: Lakyn Dezoete

Dooley House: Nevaeh Goss 

Martyn House: Ryan Davey

National Census Day

Devonport Basketball Spring Primary Roster

The  2021 Devonport Basketball spring primary school roster commences on Friday 3^rd September for grades 3 through to 6 and Wednesday 8^th September for grades 1 and 2.

For further information on the upcoming rosters and to register please go to www.devonportwarriors.com.au

Registrations close Sunday 22^nd August 2021.

 Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the DBC Office on 64242440.

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.

2021 Schools Triathlon Challenge

Entry forms for the 2021 Tasmanian Schools Triathlon Challenge went home with all students from Year 3 -6 last week. If your child/ren would like to compete in this event please return the entry form to the school office, the school will pay for entry fees; however, as in previous years, it will be the responsibility of parents to get their children to and from the event. The triathlon will be held on Thursday 25th November at the Devonport Mersey Bluff.  For additional copies of the entry form please contact the school office or it can be downloaded directly from the website.

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.

Latrobe Aussie Hoops – Term 3

Starting – Monday 16^th August

3:30 for 5yrs to 7yrs

4:15 for 8yrs to 10yrs

Running for 6 weeks

 5yrs to 7yrs Aussie Hoops Link

Term 3 Aussie Hoops (5yrs to 7yrs) - GameDay Registration (sportstg.com)

8yrs to 10yrs Aussie Hoops Link

Term 3 Aussie Hoops (8yrs to 10yrs) - GameDay Registration (sportstg.com)

For those wanting to use Ticket to Play please contact Kristie before you register.

Any issues/queries please contact Kristie on 0418 385 597 or

juniorcoordinator@latrobebasketball.com.au

St Brendan-Shaw College Production

Shim Jang Taekwondo

Netball - Primary Spring Roster

Please contact Mrs Hayes if your child is interested in participating in the upcoming Netball spring roster. 

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