29 May 2025

PRINCIPAL’S UPDATE

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

New Building Project Capital Grant Application Update 

Late last year, the school invited parents to a presentation on our proposed plan for a major building project in the school, to remove old classrooms and build new ones in their place.  

Following on from this, the school submitted a building grant application in Term 1 to the Queensland Catholic Education Commission, applying for the funding to go ahead with this plan. Our application has passed the initial review processes, and I will now be travelling to Brisbane next week to make a formal presentation of our application, with the support of staff members from the Toowoomba Catholic Education Office. Although we will not find out officially if we have been successful in our application until later in the year, we should find out if we have been shortlisted within one to two working weeks of the presentation being made. 

If it goes ahead, this building project would see the removal of our double story building, our year 1 & 2 building and our music room, and see them replaced with new classrooms, new toilet facilities and a new multipurpose Arts facility. This project is a much-needed update to facilities as these classrooms have passed the end of their reasonable working life. 

I will continue to keep families updated on the progress of our application but, in the meantime, please wish the school luck and keep us in your prayers! 

Parent Engagement Network – Expressions of Interest Being Taken Now! 

Our recent parent engagement survey has closed, and the results came back in favour of a PEN model (60%/40% split). With that in mind, I am pleased to announce that a Parent Engagement Network is being established for St Patrick's School. Thank you to our parent community for sharing your views during our consultation processes, leading to this decision. 

Last week, a communication went out to all families regarding the PEN Executive and a call for expressions of interest to fill these roles. These key roles will work alongside me as principal to plan and lead the PEN and will be supported by other parents taking on working party coordinator roles. I ask that all parents please consider the roles of Chair & Secretary and whether you feel you could take one of these on. The PEN will be your conduit to the school so I actively encourage all families to look for ways they can support the school in this new endeavour. All expressions of interest can be sent to me directly at james.wren@twb.catholic.edu.au  

Looking Ahead 

Have a great week! 
Jim Wren

APMI & LEARNING SUPPORT

Dear Families,

Can you believe this Sunday is the 7^th Sunday of Easter? This term is flying by, and I am not ok with that! One reason especially, is that we are drawing to the end of the Easter season. I love Easter, and I love how the Holy Spirit is really becoming a central player at this time of the year. The Holy Spirit is so underrated, and it is around this time, as we prepare for Pentecost.

This Sunday marks the final Sunday of the Easter season, a time to reflect on the powerful teachings of Christ before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This Sunday, falling between the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost, is a pivotal moment in the Church’s liturgical calendar, encouraging believers to reflect on unity, perseverance in faith, and the fulfillment of Jesus’ promises.

The 7th Sunday of Easter serves as a moment of preparation for Pentecost, inviting believers to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit, just as the apostles did while awaiting its descent. It is also a time to reflect on Jesus’ final prayer before His ascension, where He prayed not only for His disciples but for all future generations of Christians. This moment connects the past, present, and future, as Jesus’ words continue to resonate with the Church today.

In 2025, this Sunday offers a particular opportunity for the faithful to focus on the themes of unity and perseverance in faith. The readings emphasize the courage required to live as a Christian, especially when facing opposition, and the deep bond that all believers share through Christ. It is a time to pray for unity within the Church and to prepare for the celebration of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to carry forward Christ’s mission in the world.

The Easter season begins with the celebration of Christ’s resurrection and continues for 50 days, culminating in Pentecost. Throughout this time, the Church focuses on the resurrection, Christ’s victory over death, and the promise of eternal life. The 7th Sunday of Easter is the final step before the great feast of Pentecost, which commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes a powerful promise: the gift of the Holy Spirit. He speaks of the Holy Spirit as the Advocate, someone who will remain with us and teach us all that we need to know. You might think of the Spirit as the love between the Father and the Son, a love so strong and real that it is a person of the Trinity. The Spirit is the force that empowered Jesus to obey the Father completely, trusting Him even in the face of death. And this same Spirit is given to us. The Holy Spirit helps us remember everything Jesus taught us about the Father and His love for us.

The Holy Spirit is not just with us; the Spirit lives in us.

When we were baptized, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and it has been dwelling in us ever since. The Spirit helps us understand ourselves—our unique gifts, talents, and even our weaknesses—and through this understanding, we grow closer to God.

The Spirit is God within us, calling us into a deeper relationship with Him and inviting us to share in the life of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit does more than dwell in us. The Spirit teaches, guides, and inspires us every day.

Have you ever felt a small push to make the right decision, even when it was hard? That’s the Holy Spirit at work.

Have you ever had a moment when a Scripture passage suddenly made sense in a way it hadn’t before? That’s the Holy Spirit teaching you.

Or maybe you’ve felt drawn to try a new kind of prayer or reach out to someone in need. That’s the Holy Spirit moving you to grow in your faith.

Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be our Advocate, walking with us and guiding us in all we do. The Spirit’s guidance is not always dramatic or obvious. Sometimes, it comes as a quiet thought, a feeling of peace, or a sense of direction when we feel lost. The key is to be open and pay attention. The Spirit speaks to us in ways that are personal and unique, just as each of us is unique. The more we listen, the more we will recognize the Spirit’s presence in our lives.

The Holy Spirit helps us to be disciples of Jesus. By teaching us, reminding us of Jesus’ words, and helping us grow in love, the Spirit shows us how to live as followers of Christ. So, this week, take some time to be aware of the Spirit in your life. Pay attention to those moments of guidance or inspiration. The Holy Spirit is always with you, just as Jesus promised, leading you closer to God and helping you live your faith each day.

Reflection drawn from

Mrs Anna Chandler

NEWS FLASH!

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

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

TUCKSHOP

Please click the links below for our 2025 uniform price list and tuckshop menu. When ordering food on the Flexischools app please be mindful that the cutoff time is exactly 8:00am on Monday mornings (at 8:01am your order will not be accepted).

Regards,

Hannah Gunn
(Tuckshop Convenor)

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 Fr John Fowles Email: balonneparish@bigpond.com

Contact Parish Secretary (Wed & Fri 9am-12.30pm)

 Leanne Brummell: 4625 3021- stgeorgeparish@twb.catholic.org.au

MIDDLE LEADER CURRICULUM

Welcome to Week 6 - we are more than halfway through the term and nearing the home stretch towards Report Cards.

In Week 10, families will receive Semester 1 Report Cards for students from Prep to Year 6. These reports are a culmination of your child's academic achievements throughout the semester, as well as a snapshot of their spiritual and social development. The Report Card is just one way that St Patrick's communicates information about your child's performance, including their achievement, effort, and behaviour.

Over the course of this semester, teachers have been gathering evidence of learning for each subject area for each of our students. This process involves collecting, analysing, and reflecting on multiple sources of evidence to make informed judgments about what students know, understand, and can do.

Assessment in the classroom can come in many forms. It is a combination of: 

• Diagnostic (assessing prior learning) - pre-tests and work samples.  
• Formative (assessing for learning) - observations, group work, individual conferencing, ongoing work samples.  
• Summative (assessing of learning) - tasks, assignments, presentations. 

The Australian Curriculum defines and assesses your child's schoolwork. This curriculum includes an 'Achievement Standard' for each year level and subject area, which is what we use for reporting. These standards describe what a student should aim to achieve by the end of the school year.

Receiving a 'C' standard indicates that your child has met the expected standard, demonstrating a conceptual understanding of the covered material and the ability to apply that knowledge in familiar situations. In other words, a 'C' means your child is performing at the level expected for their year level - they are right where they should be.

This is quite different from the negative connotation a 'C' grade often had in the past. Today, a 'C' simply means your child is on track, keeping pace with their peers across Australia.

If you have any questions about the reporting period, please don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher.

Annette Colley

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Students of the Week 

SPORTS & LIBRARY

SPORT NEWS

Last week, the South West cross country trials were held in Chinchilla. Congratulations to Abigail Tierney and Miller Hardie for placing 1st and 2nd in their age group, and for being selected to the South West team. Well done, girls!

This term, our teaching and learning focus is on athletics, in preparation for the athletics carnival on Friday, June 13th. The 800m and 200m events will be held on the morning of Thursday, June 12th, followed by the ball games after the first break at 11:30am. All high jump events (ages 9-12) will take place on Monday, June 9th. Times and age groups will be announced.

Procedures for Trial Forms:

Balonne district trial forms should be handed back to the front office, so the school can organise nomination and distribution to the trial convener.
South West trial forms need to be sighted and signed by the school, then returned to the student to take to the team manager they were selected for.

LIBRARY NEWS 

National Simultaneous Story Time was held on Wednesday 21^st May.  From all reports there were lots of ‘flannies’ and work shirts getting around the school grounds.  Thank you to all who participated.

“Reading is Power and Knowledge”

Happy borrowing and reading,
St Patrick’s Library Staff

HEALTH, MUSIC & DRAMA

Health

Welcome to Week 6! I'm delighted to see that everyone is staying healthy and flu-free. It's my pleasure to congratulate the students on their exemplary behaviour and strong work ethic in both their Health and Music classes. Teaching these classes has been a true joy for me.

This week, we celebrate National Reconciliation Week, themed "Bridging Now to Next" from May 27th to June 3rd, 2025. This is a time for all Australians to come together and learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, while exploring how each of us can contribute to the ongoing process of reconciliation in our country.

Upper School

The upper school students in the health class have continued learning about emotional responses, the factors that shape their identity, and how they can be influenced by people and places. To share this learning, the students will be organising an "Identity Expo" to provide young people with information on careers, developing positive self-identities, navigating change, and combating stereotypes. As part of the expo, the students will be writing informational briefs on the topics they've covered and sourcing various service providers to display in the exhibition. They will also be responsible for designing the layout of the expo.

Middle School

In their Health class, students have continued learning about their emotions and strategies to assist with self-regulation. They have also explored the concept of identity, examining how it can be influenced by people and places. Additionally, the students have discussed ways to create positive self-identities, with family being identified as the biggest influence.

Lower School

In their Health class, students have continued learning about emotions, identity, personal qualities, and family structure. The class is studying the book "The Singing Mermaid," and each student will select a character from the book, as well as a character based on themselves, a family member, or a friend. The students will then draw or write about the identities and personality qualities of these characters.

Music

Music students across the school have been diligently practicing their aural skills, songs, and compositions in preparation for their assessments. Congratulations to all the students - you have demonstrated impressive talent and confidence in your performances. Please find songs for Week 6-10 below:

Week 6

Prep

• Echo Rhythm IV.
• Song -Shake it up / The Grandfather Clock- untuned percussion instruments.
• Connect – The Elephant and The Swan Song, The Saints go Marching.

Year 1 & 1/2

• Echo Rhythm Triple time.
• Song -Bingo – Tuned and untuned percussion instruments.
• Connect-Taiko Drumming- Japan, Funga Alafia- African musician.

Year 2

• Echo Rhythm Triple time.
• Song – Peg Leg Pirate Band.
• Connect- Symphony – The Gaelic, The Aquarium- French composer.

Year 3

• Roller coaster Singing 11.
• Song- Cheese Pizza – untuned and tuned percussion instruments.
• Connect- Turtle Island String Quartet, Chariots of Fire.

Year 4

• Echo Rhythm 111.
• Song- Whack-a-boom.
• Connect Pitched and unpitched Ostinatos, French composers, Soweto Gospel Choir.

Year 5

• Drumming – Infinity 11.
• Connect-Flying Banner, Jake Shimabukoro.

Year 6

• Drumming- Electromatic 11.
• Connect- Violin concerto.

ZONES of Regulation

This semester, students across the school have been learning about the Zones of Regulation to better understand and manage their emotions. The program teaches them strategies to cope with different feelings, allowing them to regain a calm, focused state and be ready to learn.

These coping techniques are referred to as "self-regulation." By understanding their emotions, students can talk about, reflect on, and regulate them more effectively. The Zones of Regulation framework organizes feelings, alertness levels, and energy states into four coloured zones: blue, green, yellow, and red.

The students have explored these zones and are developing personalized coping tools to self-regulate their emotions. Each student has a flip book with the 4 coloured cards, which they use to display how they're feeling throughout the lessons. When a student is not in the optimal "green zone," they will be guided to utilize the appropriate coping strategies to return to a focused, learning-ready state.

Blue Zone:

Students in this zone would be:

Sad, Sick, Tired, Bored, Moving slowly.

Green Zone:

Students in this zone would be:

Happy, Calm, Feeling Okay, Focused, Ready to learn.

Yellow Zone:

Students in this zone would be:

Frustrated, Worried, Silly/Wiggly, Excited, Loss of some control.

Red Zone:

Students in this zone would be:

Mad/Angry. Terrified, Yelling/Hitting, Elated, out of control.

Resources

4 Zones explained for the students:

Zones of Regulation:

Keep smiling,
Jane Webster