There are many ‘watershed moments’ in our lives; personalities, places, events, and experiences that change something about our priorities in life, affirm or reaffirm our commitment or realigns our direction. Reading Viktor Frankl’s book, “Man’s search for meaning” certainly had a profound effect on me when I was younger and in reading through it recently I noted a passage that I had underlined: “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”

In every person’s life, we are faced with adversity. Whether it takes the form of challenging relationships or impediments to the achievement of personal or social goals, there will always be someone or something acting to confound our plans. Frankl puts things in perspective when he infers that it is our choice of attitude and subsequent action (or inaction) that determines our character. When we cannot change the event or circumstance, we can take a degree of control about how we engage in that event or circumstance – such is the testimony of ‘character.’ Education is very much about the formation of character – the intrinsic desire to help make this complex world a slightly better place to live, not just for our own interests, but also for the interests of others. Character implies our values are true to The Golden Rule, which is summarised as treating others as you would like to be treated

The Golden Rule has a long history, is evident in all the world’s major religions and is espoused by numerous great philosophers throughout the ages. A key element of the Golden Rule is that a person attempting to live by this rule treats all people, not just members of his or her ‘in-group’, with consideration. Much of my time spent in conversation with students and parents regarding what we consider an appropriate manner of conduct at our school is arguing the case for the Golden Rule.  I don’t believe we, as a school, need a list of rules and subsequent consequences for infringements. Our Behaviour Management Policy, although quite lengthy, is not characterised by such decrees. As a staff we regularly explain our simple expectations and unacceptable behaviours are usually universally and instantly recognised as such because they infringe upon the Golden Rule.

We can, and perhaps should more often, ask ourselves how we are attending to growing as a person of character – facing life’s joys and challenges with a resilience that contributes to the growth of self and others. Engaging in conversations with our child or children on the value of trying to live life according to The Golden Rule should help our child or children grow into a person or people who, as Frankl stated, will choose ‘one’s own way’ in a manner that affirms others and doesn’t diminish the stature and dignity of others.

Regards

Rod Linhart

(Principal)

Term 1 - Thursday 3rd February - Thursday 14th April

Term 2 - Monday 2nd May - *Friday 8th July

Term 3 - Monday 25th July - Friday 30th September

Term 4 - Monday 17th October - Thursday 15th December

*Student Free Day Friday 8th July 2022

June

July

August 

Mid-year Reports will be issued to parents at Mid-Year Parent-Teacher meetings which are timetabled for Tuesday 5^th July and Wednesday 6^th July – the final week of term 2. In addition to providing parents with several items of student work via our Online Feedback and Reporting platform that uses Seesaw as the medium, teachers will provide any additional samples of student work and insights into student application and attitude to provide clarity and elaboration for the mid-year report. An online booking form is now available for parents to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet for 15 minutes with their child’s teacher or children’s teachers. These meetings will be conducted at school between 8.30am and 5.45pm. Parents who are unable to attend these meetings will have their child’s midyear reports sent home on Wednesday 6^th July. We look forward to these collaborative meetings.

Bookings can be made via the Compass app by tapping on 'More' in the bottom right hand corner and selecting 'Conference'. You can find detailed instruction on how to do this HERE.

Catholic Education Tasmania (CET) has been advised by the Director of Public Health that mask wearing in our schools can cease at midnight Friday 24 June 2022 for all persons except those subject to household close contact requirements. While masks will no longer be mandatory in CET schools, there are times when you might continue to see masks worn. Please note:

• Mask wearing in indoor settings when outside the home will still be required by staff and students subject to household close contact requirements with the exception of students in primary schools.
• We remain supportive of individuals who wish to wear a mask to reduce their personal risk of catching or transmitting viral respiratory illnesses. 
• Mask wearing is recommended when staff are working closely with children vulnerable to COVID-19.
• We continue to have masks available for staff, students and visitors should they wish to wear one.
• Mask wearing may be required by Public Health in specific instances in response to an increase of cases at a CET school or workplace.

It is also important to stay at home if unwell and get tested, please.

CET continues to comply with all Public Health directions as we are carefully transitioning out of COVID-19 management strategies and restrictions.  We appreciate your continued support for our COVID-19 response.

Year One enjoyed creating a marionette as part of a recent book study on Edward the Emu.

Teachers will send home a student workbook this week in our ongoing desire to provide families an insight into some of the varied tasks that students are engaged in as part of their learning. We ask that these books are returned to school promptly the day after they are taken home please.

Congratulations to the following students who have received Student of the Week.

Prep: Mason Allford for his fantastic attitude and application towards his work, particularly in Spelling. Well done for trying your best.

Year 1: Ryan Davey for your positive engagement in the classroom and the WEST qualities that you consistently display.

Year 2: Alice Parry for an improvement in focusing and managing her time when completing written tasks. 

Year 3: C.J Porteous for demonstrating confidence and a willingness to "have a go" in volunteering and reading in our recent class Mass.

Year 4: Lucy Chapman for her positive attitude and application to writing tasks.

Year 5: Frank Dewrance-Milligan for the enthusiastic way in which he has approached his maths tasks. 

Year 6: Omar Abdelgayed for the positive improvement in his engagement, application and independence he is showing towards his tasks. 

Congratulations to our House Raffle winners this week: 

Dooley -Ethan Dick   Martyn - Hallie Lewis    

Byrne - Leon Dewing

There will be no canteen on Thursday 7^th July (the final day of term 2). INSTEAD, the SRC will be holding a 'Pizza Day'. More details will be included in next week's newsletter.

Our Student Representative Council are encouraging staff and students to dress up to show what job they would like to have when they are older or to dress up as their favourite idol. They will also hold in conjunction with this a Pizza day, instead of our normal canteen menu. All money raised will go to KOINZ 4 KIDS to help support young people living with cancer. Thank you to Mr Atkins and the SRC for this initiative.

Once per season it is required that each school is rostered to help in the canteen. St Patrick’s is rostered on for Saturday 30^th July, which is the first weekend back after term 2 holidays. A Google doc has been created for family members to book a 15 minute block of time to assist with this – your support of this request will be gratefully appreciated and will communicate to the Devonport Junior Soccer Association the collaborative and generous nature of our wonderful school community. Please use the following link to allocate your preferred time slot https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzmY4SEyRCILcjj4i_gsvoNz4pVkBpFIad7esPQvZDHcRqVw/viewform or you can nominate a time between 8.00am and 12.00pm in your child’s diary or ring the school office. Thank you.

We gratefully appreciate our volunteer parent coaches who offer coaching immediately after school on some days, and we acknowledge that a quick ‘catch-up’ amongst parents after school can offer the only face-to-face opportunities for parent get-togethers. As a shared space between the Latrobe Early Learning Centre (who use our hall and playground before and after school, from 6.30am until 6.30pm) parents who are briefly catching-up after school or watching any sport coaching are expected to be active in their supervision of their child or children, and be respectful of the Childcare requirements that the school grounds are for Childcare use after 3.20pm unless a school event, such as sporting coaching, is taking place. Thank you for your cooperation and support.

Please ensure your child is coming to school daily with a drink bottle. We have had quite a few students over the last few weeks who do not have or are not bringing drink bottles to school with them. Unfortunately due to ongoing Covid rules, our water bubbler outside the hall is still unable to be used, which means students only have access to taps to refill drink bottles. 

Whole school assemblies have commenced again each morning – parents are welcome; please follow the COVID Safety Plan protocols – sanitize and face masks indoors.

Karlie offers discrete counselling services to students upon both parent's signed request. Request forms are available from the school office or can be downloaded from the school website.

Vinnies is looking for community minded and enthusiastic volunteers for their North West Vinnies stores. For enquiries please contact Lauren on 6427 0243 or email lauren.trewin@vinniestas.org.au

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.

‘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.