APRE News

Dear Families,

On Monday, we remember our military community.

At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, World War I ended, with the Armistice (or ceasefire) signed amongst the combative nations; on that day, the French General Ferdinand Foch co-signed the ceasefire with three representatives of the German army. The extensive loss of soldiers, nurses and civilians across the battlefields of Europe was so shocking, the people of the time believed such an atrocity could never happen again! So, they optimistically referred to this war as “the war to end all wars”. Little did they know that only 21 years later, a second international conflict was to emerge, one that would last longer and see the deaths of far more people than the first.

Each year on that day, nations throughout the world focus on remembering the sacrifices made by their country folk who fought in this First World War, but also in the many conflicts that have ensued since. In 1997, the name of the day was changed to Remembrance Day. Whatever the motivations for that change of name, the newer title is a far more inclusive one that recognizes that in many ways, no one really wins a war. The Armistice did not “cease” war, but perhaps by remembrance of the sadness of conflict, hopefully the world may have a better chance of avoiding future disasters.

The red poppy stands as a valuable symbol of “remembrance”. Throughout the battlefields of Western Europe and at Gallipoli, this delicate little flower represented some vestige of hope, hope of a more peaceful world to come. One source commented that, “The Flanders poppy was immortalized by Lieutenant-Colonel John McRae's poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ (1915) and became the enduring symbol of the war for veterans and remembered as the only flower to bloom in the shattered landscape of no man's land. The artillery shells and shrapnel stirred up the earth in France and Belgium and exposed the seeds to the light they needed to germinate.”

On each Remembrance Day, let us always remember those who have been afflicted by the pain and suffering that war brings. But as we focus on the symbol of the poppies, let us also see this as a time to regenerate the Spirit of hope. Let us pray with St Paul, that “may the Lord of peace always give [us] peace and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

Please join us on Monday at 10am in St Patrick’s Church.

Wishing you a blessed week.

Mrs Anna Chandler
(Assistant Principal Religious Education & Learning Support)

Community News

St Patrick’s School, Mitchell Centenary

2^nd – 4^th May 2025

NEWS FLASH!

Click on the link provided https://www.stgeorge.catholic.edu.au/

CLASS News

Health & Music

Welcome to Week 6,

I hope you all had a fantastic time at the Fete with your family and friends.  Congratulations to the students for their outstanding dance performances and all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to assist with the Parish Fete. 

Music 

For the remainder of the Term, we will be continuing with Music using ‘The Fun Music Company’. Congratulations to the students for their outstanding work learning new songs while playing tuned and untuned percussion instruments and assessment performances. They were assessed on components of Aural, Sing & Play untuned and tuned percussion instruments with their song. These songs were selected from around the world to meet the needs of the curriculum. 

 The students will be learning the following songs for the last 5 weeks of the Term. 

Prep - Grandfather Clock 
Year 1 - Kokoleoko 
Year 2 - Peg Leg Pirate 
Year 3 - Cheese Pizza 
Year 4 - Whacka-Boom 
Year 5 - Marimba Bands – Beat Machine & Xylophone Crome- Music Lab composing 

Term 3 Health 

In Health across the school, we have been learning more about Making Safe Choices - online, offline at school and in the community.  We viewed resources from Daniel Morecombe – Day for Daniel. We discussed ways we may REACT if we feel unsafe and what we can do to keep ourselves safe. We explored how we can RECOGNISE our body clues when we feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Lastly, we looked at ways we can REPORT by completing our Safety Network Hand in the event we feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

All Students have commenced their assessment on the following content from their Junction:

Lower Prep 

Students explored health-related topics related to the Australian Curriculum descriptors. Students participated in discussions and learned to: 

• Demonstrate protective behaviours and develop help-seeking strategies to keep themselves safe in conjunction with Day for Daniel. 
• Demonstrate protective behaviours and strategies that help keep them safe.  
• Identify safety people (Police, Ambulance and Fire) in the community that protect and support their safety. 
• They identify how health information can be used to make educated choices to keep them safe. 

Lower Years 1-2  

Students explored health-related topics related to the Australian Curriculum descriptors. Students participated in discussions and learned to: 

• Identify and demonstrate protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies they can use to help them, and others stay safe at school and in the community, in conjunction with Day for Daniel resources. 
• The students identified protective behaviours they might feel during unsafe situations.  
•  Through discussion, students explored digital safety, including how to act and be safe in a digital environment utilising Esafety resources from the Government website.  

Middle Years 3-4  

Students explored health-related topics related to the Australian Curriculum descriptors. Students participated in discussions and learned to: 

• Describe and apply protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies in a range of online and offline situations using Esafety Government resources from the website. 
• Investigated and applied behaviours that contribute to their own and others’ health and safety. 
• Students focused on protective behaviours on online and offline interactions.  
•  Students looked at the how we can protect ourselves and help-seeking strategies that they can utilise for themselves both online and offline and when helping others. 

Upper Years 5-6  

Students explored health-related topics related to the Australian Curriculum descriptors. Students participated in discussions and learned to: 

• Analyse protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies that can be used in a range of online and offline situations utilising Daniel Morecombe and the Esafety resources. 
• Analyse how behaviours influence their safety and well-being of individuals and communities.  
• Students focused on protective behaviours focusing on online interactions.  
• Students looked at the privacy and protecting their identity, the impact of online culture and help-seeking strategies that they can utilise for themselves and when helping others. 

Enjoy your day! Keep Smiling! 
Mrs Jane Webster

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Students of the Week

MLCC News

Helping your child to build knowledge. 

Children naturally have limited knowledge about the world because they have fewer experiences to draw on and make connections to, as they learn. Background knowledge refers to the information one already knows about topics. 

Building background knowledge can be thought of as a web of knowledge that children continue to expand as they learn. This helps them as readers to make sense of words that have multiple meanings and to make inferences about their reading. This web allows them to add new knowledge by “sticking” it to something they already know. 

When we don’t have prior knowledge about a subject, we must start that web from scratch. This takes up a lot of space in our working knowledge and, in turn, makes it hard to send knowledge to our long-term memory. 

What can parents do to help build background knowledge? 

The more opportunities where children engage in conversations and experiences with others, the more background knowledge they will have to connect with at school. 

Examples: 

• Show children how to be curious (“a crab has an exoskeleton – I wonder what that means – let’s see if we can find out)
• Use specific words when talking rather than everyday words (“A bat is nocturnal – that means they are active at night”)
• Engage children in hands-on, meaningful activities like making a garden and use topic specific words like “seeds, seedlings, cuttings, bulbs”)
• Connect knowledge to what children already know. (Remember when we saw chickens hatching – frogs are different because they lay eggs in water)
• Ask questions that encourage thinking and reasoning. (Why do you think a fire siren makes a loud noise?)
• Explore sights, sounds and smells when you are out and about and encourage children to paint, draw or “write” to show what they are interested in and what they know.

These simple things will help children to build their background knowledge and experiences which will help them become better readers. 

Annette Colley 
Middle Leader/Curriculum Coordinator 

OUR PRAYERS…

Let us support each other in Prayer, especially for the Sick and the Deceased and those who are suffering Hardships, in our Parish and School.

MASS TIMES

St George-Dirranbandi Parish

Priest Administrator: Fr Anthony Samy 0409 278 968 Email: balonneparish@bigpond.com

PARENT PORTAL

Download & Use the App Now!

St Patrick’s Parent Portal is now up and running for more streamlined communication with parents. The transition took place on Monday 5^th February, so if you haven’t already, make sure you follow the instructions below on how to register. If you are having issues registering, please contact the school office so we can help with the process.

Warm Regards,
Jim Wren

THE ARTS AT DUSK

A celebration of ‘The Arts’ at St Patrick’s.

Pre-order food via the link below.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Hello St Patrick’s families, I hope you are all well! 

Student Behaviour as we Finish the Term 

As we move to the end of the term, things start to get exciting with events like swimming block, the swimming carnival, end of year awards, graduation and, of course, Christmas, all around the corner. But with all this excitement, it is easy for some students to forget the expectations we have of the way our students speak and act towards each other and towards staff. Some messages I recently shared with our senior students regarding the way we speak and act towards each other were: 

• Could these words or actions be interpreted in a negative way? If so, they don’t need to be used. 
• Will these words or actions help this situation, or make it worse? If they don’t help, they don’t need to be used. 
• Would it be appropriate displaying these actions or using these words in front of a parent or teacher? If not, they are not appropriate. 

Our children are great, but they are still children. No matter how responsible or mature we may feel they are, they still require our guidance and supervision to ensure they are living the values we hold as a school and as families. Please support the school and your teacher by reinforcing these messages at home. 

‘The Art’s at Dusk’ – A Celebration of our Students Artistic Achievements – Tuesday 19^th November 

This year, the school will be hosting ‘The Art’s at Dusk’, a celebration of all the artistic achievements and endeavours of our St Patrick’s students in 2024. The brainchild of Miss. Daly, Miss. Rathie and Mrs. McDonnell, they have already put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to bring together students who have performed at the Goondiwindi Eisteddfod and the Public Speaking competition, students who train with Miss Nia, and works of art the students have produced in class, into what will be a spectacular night of celebration. Invites with information will be coming out to all families soon so keep your eye open for them, it’s going to be great! 

Keep your Attendance Up - Every Day Counts! 

Learning is a lot more like a marathon than a sprint. It takes guidance, modelling, trial & error, reflection, repetition, and transference to take knowledge and skills and embed them in our brains to the point where we can say, “I’ve learned that!” And knowing that learning is a journey that takes time, it is so important that our learners are at school every day possible, so that they have the time to learn to the best of their ability. Research has shown us that absenteeism is one of the leading factors in declining student outcomes, with a consistent attendance record of less than 90% being the tipping point for students to start having difficulties at school. 90 % is only one day a fortnight! But when you start to add it all up, one day a fortnight totals to one week a term, which totals to four weeks a year. And when you look at it in that light, it’s easy to see how missing four weeks of school could impact your child’s learning. A lot happens in a classroom in four weeks! 

And yes, there will always be times when it is appropriate for children to stay at home – sickness, family events, appointments, etc. – but at all other times it is important to remember that every day at school counts! And that applies for late arrivals and early finishers as well. Once again, there will be times when these are unavoidable but, every minute of the day counts too! The morning is a great time to learn as the children are generally fresh and switched on so being in class and ready to go at 8.30am is paramount – it’s the best start to a great day! 

If your child is going to be away or late, please ensure that you have contacted either the office or the classroom teacher to let them know. And if you are having trouble getting your child to school, also touch base with your teacher to make them aware; they may be able to give some insight or ideas on ways you can work together to support your child. 

Everyday counts! 

Loving Our Community – Mr. Wren’s Office Trucker Hat Collection 

My collection of St Pat’s community trucker caps is slowly continuing to grow. If you or an organisation you’re involved with have a unique cap of your own that you would be happy to share with me, please drop it in to the office and I’ll pop it on my office wall! 

Looking Ahead 

Have a great weekend, 

Jim Wren
Principal

OSHC News

THE ARTS AT DUSK

A celebration of ‘The Arts’ at St Patrick’s.

Pre-order food via the link below.

Sport & Library News

LIBRARY

I would like to take this opportunity to commend one class within the school who has consistently borrowed and returned all year.  This class of students also showed great respect and care for the books upon returning them each week.  Congratulations to year 3.  Your care and consideration for our library books has not gone unnoticed and Ms Pike and I would like to say, thank you.  😊

This term the last week of borrowing for the students is in week 6.  They will still visit the library for week 7, however, there will be no more borrowing.  Please ensure that all books are returned prior to week 8 as Ms Pike and I will be carrying out the annual stocktake of our Library books.  Thank you for your understanding.

Reading is Power and Knowledge.

Happy borrowing and reading,

Binnie Eley & Julie Pike
(St Patrick’s Library Staff)

CLASS News

Health & Music

Hope you are all well and enjoying the term. Please find the following information on what we have been learning in Music and Health. 

Music 

We have continued the Aural, Sing & Play untuned & tuned percussion instruments with each song. We are singing the following songs from different countries. The students will continue the following songs until week 5 with new songs starting in week 6. 

Prep - Wee Hee Nah. 
Year 1 - Haru ga Kita / Year - 2 La Cucaracha. 
Year 3 - Tideo / Year 4 - Aququa dela Omar.
Year 5/6 - Marimba Bands & Crome Music Lab composing. 

Term 3 Health 

In Health, across the school we have continued with learning more about Making Safe Choices- Protective Behaviours. 

Lower Prep 

We have continued with looking at safe and unsafe situations and our safety network. Students participated in discussions about keeping ourselves safe, utilising the Daniel Morcombe Student Protection resources leading up to Day for Daniel on Friday 25^th October. We identified Safe Adults and Safe Places and our Safety Network on hand, to identify people they could talk to, so they are safe.  We Identified Safety people- (Police Ambulance and Fire) in the community that protect and support their safety. 

Middle Years 3-4  

Students explored protective behaviours utilising Danial Morcombe Student Protection resources leading up to Day for Daniel on Friday 25^th October - React, Response and Report. Students looked at the how we can protect ourselves and help-seeking strategies that they can utilise for themselves both online and offline and when helping others. We discussed what a digital footprint was and how we can protect our profile online. The students will commence their assessment tasks from Week 5.  

Upper Years 5-6  

Students participated in discussions and learned about protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies that can be used in a range of online and offline situations. Leading up to Day for Daniel Friday 25^th October the students utilised resources on React, Response and Report and establishing their safety network. Students looked at their privacy and protecting their identity/digital footprint, the impact of online culture and help-seeking strategies that they can utilise for themselves and when helping others. The students will commence their assessment tasks from Week 5. 

Enjoy your day! Keep Smiling! 
Mrs Jane Webster

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Students of the Week

MLCC News

This year, we have spoken in detail about the importance of reading and literacy skills. Numeracy skills are also important to a child’s learning and development. You might think this is counting to 10, but numeracy is so much more than just numbers. It helps us recognise and use shapes and space, work out the chance of something happening and understand the data we see in the media. Numeracy is necessary for everyday living and as children move through life’s stages, the numeracy demands become more complex. Here are some fun activities that you can try with young children based on your child’s interest and experience: 

Cooking 

• Talk about recipes and ingredients
• Set the table and have children copy the setting for others
• Share out food/snacks – how many does each person receive?

Are we there yet? 

• Mark important dates on a calendar
• Time how long it takes to do things like brush your teeth or drive to the shop.
• List your daily schedule showing the time you will do things

Reading books 

• Highlight and model words like “under”, “over”, “between”, “behind”.
• Conduct a shape search in a book
• Count objects on a page and look at the page numbers.

Shopping 

• Count the number of fruits as you put them in a bag
• Weigh the fruit and vegetables
• Identify the prices of items

Out and about 

• Find and read numbers in your environment
• Measure things – how far can you jump? How tall are you?
• Compare the size of objects you see
• Play “I spy” with shapes – eg. Something that is shaped like a circle

Games 

• Make patterns with blocks or beads
• Fold and cut paper shapes
• Play card games like Snap! Or Go Fish
• Play guess and check games – how many beans/buttons/pegs in a jar.

Stayed tuned for the next newsletter for easy and engaging ideas for older children. 

Annette Colley 
Middle Leader/Curriculum Coordinator 

OUR PRAYERS…

Let us support each other in Prayer, especially for the Sick and the Deceased and those who are suffering Hardships, in our Parish and School.

MASS TIMES

St George-Dirranbandi Parish

Priest Administrator: Fr Anthony Samy 0409 278 968 Email: balonneparish@bigpond.com

PARENT PORTAL

Download & Use the App Now!

St Patrick’s Parent Portal is now up and running for more streamlined communication with parents. The transition took place on Monday 5^th February, so if you haven’t already, make sure you follow the instructions below on how to register. If you are having issues registering, please contact the school office so we can help with the process.

Warm Regards,
Jim Wren

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Hello St Patrick’s families, I hope you are all well! 

Safe Roads at St Pat’s 

Earlier this week I sent out a letter asking families to support the school in providing a safe environment for the students to travel in when crossing roads and moving in and out of the school. We have had instances recently of people driving through pedestrian crossings while families are crossing, parking in no standing zones and travelling at speeds above the school zone limit of 40km an hour. Can I please ask again for your support in following the legal and moral responsibilities we all share on the roads around our school to ensure our children make it to school and home, safe and sound. 

Master Plan 

Last week, the school’s newly updated Master plan was presented to the school staff and parent body, too much excitement. Although nothing is guaranteed, I am hopeful that with grant applications being submitted next year, the school will hopefully be starting some exciting building projects in the next 12-18 months. If you did not make last week’s presentation and would like to know more about the master plan, please come and see me and I will be happy to tell you more. 

‘The Art’s at Dusk’ – A Celebration of our Students Artistic Achievements – Tuesday 19^th November 

This year, the school will be hosting ‘The Art’s at Dusk’, a celebration of all the artistic achievements and endeavours of our St Patrick’s students in 2024. The brainchild of Miss. Daly, Miss. Rathie and Mrs. McDonnell, they have already put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to bring together students who have performed at the Goondiwindi Eisteddfod and the Public Speaking competition, students who train with Miss Nia, and works of art the students have produced in class, into what will be a spectacular night of celebration. An invitation with information regarding the evening can be found in the newsletter below. It’s going to be great!

Fete Helpers Required 

Our fete is only two weeks away! The fete is a great event that brings our community together, but it doesn’t just happen by itself. It takes the effort of volunteers who give their time on the day to set up and run stalls and again on the Sunday to help pack down and pack away. If you are free to help on Saturday or Sunday, and would like to give some of your time, please contact the Fete committee chair, Harry North, and he can find you a role for the day. Thank you in advance. 

Day For Daniel 

Tomorrow (Friday 25^th October) the students of St Pat’s are invited to wear the colour red to school to help raise awareness for ‘Day for Daniel’. Day for Daniel is Australia’s largest national child safety education and awareness day and is a great opportunity for us to remind our children and young people about how to stay safe in physical and online environments. Something we remind our students of on Day for Daniel is that we have designated adults at school, titled Student Protection Contacts (SPC), that they can talk to any time they feel unsafe or concerned about something at school or outside the school. Although all staff are trained in the appropriate processes to follow if they become aware of a situation where a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed, the role of the SPC is to be a very visible and known face that the children know they can talk to at any time. 

Another message that we reinforce with the students on Day for Daniel is that they can play an active part in keeping themselves and others safe. In all circumstances, if a student is feeling uncertain or unsafe about a person or situation, they can use the 3 R’s:

• Recognise – Recognise the clues your body is giving you that something isn’t right 
• React – React by getting away from the danger 
• Report – Report by letting a trusted adult know what has happened to make you feel unsafe. 

Remember, child safety is everyone’s responsibility. Find out more information at https://danielmorcombe.com.au/

Loving Our Community – Mr. Wren’s Office Trucker Hat Collection 

My collection of St Pat’s community trucker caps is slowly continuing to grow. If you or an organisation you’re involved with have a unique cap of your own that you would be happy to share with me, please drop it in to the office and I’ll pop it on my office wall! 

 Looking Ahead 

Have a great weekend, 
Jim Wren
Principal

COMMUNITY NEWS

Blokes Brekky

Join us for a FREE breakfast at the St George Men’s Shed, Lindores Street.

Decorated Bike Competition

Saturday 12 October, 4pm onwards.