Newsletter Thursday 9th Febuary, 2023

We the staff of St Patrick’s acknowledge the traditional owners, the Kulin nations, of the land on which we learn and play.

We pay respects to the Aboriginal Elders, past and present, who are our teachers.

We thank them for taking care of children and country for countless generations.

 

Mark 7:24-30

The astuteness of the Syro-Phoenician woman

Jesus left Gennesaret and set out for the territory of Tyre. There he went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not pass unrecognised. A woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him straightaway and came and fell at his feet. Now the woman was a pagan, by birth a Syrophoenician, and she begged him to cast the devil out of her daughter. And he said to her, ‘The children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ But she spoke up: ‘Ah yes, sir,’ she replied ‘but the house-dogs under the table can eat the children’s scraps.’ And he said to her, ‘For saying this, you may go home happy: the devil has gone out of your daughter.’ So she went off to her home and found the child lying on the bed and the devil gone.

  

Ms Wilmann's Foundation Class

What a wonderful beginning we have had to the school year. All students have settled into the start of their school life remarkably well. There has been much laughter and enjoyment in our classroom, and we are thrilled with the way your children have made the transition from Pre-School to School. There is always something exciting happening in the Foundation rooms. Last week we went around the school looking for the green sheep and found it at Mrs Escalante’s office.

  

 

This week, we had the chance to walk around the school and talk about safety. We also read the book ‘No David’ No, David! - Animated Children's Book. Students created their own David and shared what safety looks like at school.

Here is some of their work.

Important Reminders:

Changes to the school timetable

Due to changes in our school timetable, please note the change of time that our classrooms will be open in the mornings.

Students can still be dropped off at 8.30am. Please do not drop off any earlier than this.

The gates will open 8.30 - students will gather in the colonnade to be supervised. Please do not leave your children UNSUPERVISED! The children are not supervised outside of the school premises.

8.40- Specialist teachers and leadership on duty- Children are to leave their bags outside their classrooms and they can then move to the basketball court with a teacher.  

8.50- Classrooms will open and children will move off the yard and head into class.

Please note, this does not mean that parent cannot enter the classrooms. They are still able to drop off their child/ren to the classes and pop in and say hello. Please remember however, this is the time that the students will begin to be getting settled for the day, so any conversations that need to be had with your child’s teacher, must be arranged at another time suitable for both parties.

School Uniforms

At St Patrick’s, it is important to highlight to students the message around respecting our school uniform. The uniform represents our school and is expected to be worn with pride. Please be aware that I will approach and ask students about their uniform and will follow up with parents if necessary.

Please write a note to your child/ren’s classroom teacher if there is an issue with the inform for a particular period of time.

Some reminders:

• Socks- are to be ankle socks; white for girls and grey for boys
• Students are to wear black shoes and NOT (black) runners. Runners may be brought to school for your child/ren to change into for the playtimes;
• Girls are permitted to wear the school (Summer) dress or the school shirt and grey shorts
• Boys wear the grey shorts in Summer and the long grey pants in Winter (they may choose to continue wearing the shorts.)
• Sports uniform consists of the polo shirt with the school logo and the green track pants or green unisex shorts.
• School sports jacket is optional in the cooler months.

Homework

After careful consideration and referring to long held research, the students of St Patrick’s will no longer be completing homework.

John Hattie who is a well renowned professor of Education and Director at Melbourne University Research Education unit, has completed many detailed studies on the effect that homework has on student outcomes. His finding is this:

‘Homework in primary school has zero effect.’ 

Instead we will continue to encourage all families to read with and to their children at every available opportunity.

Your children will continue to bring home books each week from school and they will continue to visit the school library on a weekly basis.

There are many opportunities for incidental learning to occur. This may happen whilst shopping, cooking, completing jobs around the house, during sports activities and just spending quality time together as a family. The other powerful tool is for families to reinforce any learning they have undertaken through these incidental learning opportunities that present themselves every day.

Can you help?

I have a parent needing assistance to get their year 4 child to school (St Patrick’s) each morning. They have no car and this will be the case for a long time. The family live in the area off Henty Park heritage area. If you are able to assist this family, please contact office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

Thank you