Dear St Patrick’s families,

Term 4 has arrived and as always, an action-packed calendar has been planned right up until the final day of term! This is always a poignant term for our Year 6 students as we prepare to farewell them from their primary school years. Many are ready to take the next step into high school although there is always some sadness with leaving the familiarity and well-known routines of primary school years behind them. We wish Amy, Miya, Emmy, Faith, Garvita, Tessa, Charlotte, Abigail, Darby, Jack P, Ryan, Lachlan, Jack R and Nate all the very best as they journey across the last 9 weeks at St Patrick’s School.

ThinkUKnow: We are requesting for parents to please join our online parent ONLY session for the ThinkUKnow Internet Safety Program that is scheduled to take place at 8pm TONIGHT (Tuesday 17 October). The link for the program was sent out via COMPASS yesterday. Registration is not required, just jump on the link and join the presentation. It has excellent ratings by parents of other schools.

WELCOME: We are delighted to welcome Jamie, Maddy, Sophia, Charlotte and Elliott Fenton to St Patrick's School. Sophia has joined our current Kindergarten class.

STAGE 2 CANBERRA EXCURSION:

Our Stage 2 students are eagerly awaiting their excursion day to Canberra tomorrow. Students are reminded it’s an early start to the day and to be at school by 7.20am ready for departure at 7.30am. We wish Stage 2 a fantastic day exploring the National Portrait Gallery, GeoScience Australia and Parliament House.

GRANDPARENTS DAY: We are looking forward to welcoming our grandparents and special elderly friends to school this Friday 20 October, to celebrate a special day for them. This is the first time we have been able to hold a special celebration for our grandparents and elderly friends since 2019. Please see the information in the RE section of the newsletter for the timeline of events. Invitations were sent home last Thursday.

ARE YOU BOGGED MATE? Is also being hosted this Friday 20 October commencing at 5.30pm in St Patrick’s Hall. This is a joint venture brought to you by the Gundagai Neighbourhood Centre and supported by St Patrick’s Community Council. Please come along and support this fantastic event that addresses mental health issues with the focus being on rural communities. Inspiring guest speakers include Mary O’Brien and Scott Reardon. A BBQ dinner is provided and drinks available at the bar. Bring a friend!

SCHOOL COUNSELLOR:

We were delighted to be welcome Mrs Lucinda Clay our new school counsellor, to St Patrick’s last Wednesday. Lucinda will be here every Wednesday. Lucinda will be in contact with previous and new families once she settles into her role.

Please keep all those caught up in the Middle East conflict in your prayers.  Having visited both Israel and Palestine earlier this year I know that peace in their countries was a true desire from the people we met on our pilgrimage.

Looking forward to a great term with lots of special highlights and events.

Christine Baron

Principal

St Patrick, pray for us

On Friday we will celebrate the very special people we call – Grandparents. How lucky are we, to be blessed, with Grandparents or honourary people who become like Grandparents to our children?

Our St Patrick’s School community invites these incredible people to join us this coming Friday 20^th October at 10:30 am for classroom visits, a delicious morning tea and a special Grandparents Mass lead by Year 2.                                 

Missions – Socktober

We are excited to announce that our school is once again participating in Socktober, an inspiring initiative of Catholic Mission.

Socktober is a meaningful way for our students to engage with social justice and the very important work of global mission.

This year, the focus of Socktober's fundraising efforts is on Timor-Leste. Specifically, the proceeds will benefit vulnerable young people attending a medical clinic and a children's home in Venilale. Our contributions can help children who truly need it to access better health, nutritional and educational outcomes, showcasing the spirit of solidarity that defines our school community.

On Tuesday 24^th October we will participate in various activities that will support Catholic Mission. We want our children to realise how lucky we are to live in a country like Australia, in comparison to those children living in less developed countries. We want to build knowledge of social justice rather than just giving money.

Our activities will include a Liturgy, making a coin line, participating in a rice meal, walking a distance to collect water, and some fun sporting activities.

The children will come out of uniform and bring a gold coin donation.

Please help support Catholic Mission by sending in some coins for the coin line.

First Holy Communion

This term we begin our preparation for First Holy Communion. This Sacrament is a wonderous time in a Catholics life when they can fully be one with Jesus through receiving the Eucharist.

Set out below are the preparation dates. Please mark these on the calendar.

Week 3

Lesson 1 - Tuesday 24^th October 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Lesson 2 - Saturday 28^thOctober 4:45 pm – 5:50 pm - 6 pm for Commitment Mass

Week 4

Lesson 3 - Tuesday 31^st October 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Lesson 4 - Saturday 4^th November 4:45 pm – 5:50 pm - 6 pm Mass

Week 5

Lesson 5 - Tuesday 7^th November 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Lesson 6 - Wednesday 8^th November Preparation Day 9:15 am – 3:00 pm 

Sacrament of First Holy Communion - Saturday 11^th November – 6pm Mass

Year of the Holy Spirit

Following on from the ‘Year of Walking Together’, the Archbishop has decreed that from August 2023 to August 2024 will be known as the ‘Year of The Holy Spirit’. This week the children will be given a special bookmark to commemorate this. We are all encouraged to pray the prayer to the Holy Spirit.

This ‘Year of the Holy Spirit,’ is meant to help our conversion, to deepen our faith, to support our spiritual renewal and to guide our Diocese through this time of transition.

As you can see there is so many things happening at St Patrick’s. Thank you for your continued support.

Kate Howe

REC

Dear Parents,

At our recent Parish Pastoral Council Meeting, discussions were held regarding our Parish finances and a decision was taken that we need to raise funds to assist in the daily running costs of the Parish.

We have decided to have a Monster Christmas Raffle. We are looking for donations of prizes for this raffle OR donations of money so we can put this towards making up a prize.

If you could support the Parish and the Christmas raffle in any way, your support would be greatly appreciated.

Parish Involvement

Our Parish would love to welcome any person or families that would like to become involved in a Parish Ministry. This maybe reading, taking part in the Offertory, cleaning, counting etc. If your child is an Altar Server, you may like to be rostered for a role at the same time.

Please see me if you would like to assist.

On behalf of St Patrick’s Parish.

We are encouraging parents to please attend the online Parent Forum for ThinkUKnow presentation. Information was sent home via the COMPASS portal with a link to the presentation provided. There have been great reviews about the program!

The online parent information session has been organised for Tuesday 17 October from 8.00pm. ThinkUKnow Australia is a partnership between the Australian Federal Police, Microsoft Australia, Datacom and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

The presentation is pro-technology and addresses topics including self-generated child abuse material, online grooming, image-based abuse, sexual extortion, and importantly encourages help seeking behaviour. Please encourage families to attend the session. Content is not for children.

7.30am Depart St Patrick's

7.45am Pick Up at Coolac

10.00am-11.00am National Portrait Gallery

11.30-12.30am GeoScience Australia
12.30-1.30pm Lunch Break

1.30pm-3.00pm Parliament House 

We are calling for all enrolments for 2024 to come in as soon as possible please. The number of teachers we are allocated, is based on overall student enrolments (not on individual enrolments). Catholic Education staffing decisions for 2024 are being made now! If you have a child to enrol or know anyone wishing to join our fabulous school community, please encourage them to enrol as soon as possible.

If you know anyone that is interested, please encourage them to contact the school office for a personalised tour and information session.

Our Kindergarten Transition Program begins in Term 4: We look forward to welcoming our 2024 Kindergarten students to ‘big’ school! A great opportunity to experience school staff, students and activities.

Friday 3 November: 9.00-1.30pm

Friday 10 November: 9.00-1.30pm

Friday 17 November: 9.00-3.15pm

My name is Lucinda Clay and I have been part of the Marymead

CatholicCare Student and Family Counselling team since July 2023. Before joining Marymead CatholicCare I worked at St. Joseph’s Primary School, Adelong as the Student Welfare Officer/Chaplain.

I began my counselling journey in 2014 with Australian Institute of Family Counselling, Canberra.

For the last 10 years I have worked in the Snowy Valleys region providing holistic counselling and support in a variety of settings for individuals, couples, children and families.

What is the School Counselling Service?

Marymead CatholicCare Student and Family Counsellors provides school counselling in Catholic and Independent schools throughout Canberra and Regional NSW. This service aims to support students to achieve academic success, psychological health, and social and emotional wellbeing. 

Generally, students engaged in the service receive 6 to 8 individual therapy sessions which are provided at school. All students who wish to access the service require a current referral and parent/guardian consent must be obtained prior to students engaging in the service. Once a referral has been received, I will contact the parents/guardian to further discuss individual student needs, outline the counselling process and answer any questions you may have.  

I am looking forward to supporting the students and families of St. Patrick’s, Gundagai and being part of the school community.

If you have any questions about school counselling and the service, please do not hesitate to contact me either through the school on a Wednesday or via my email: lucinda.clay@mccg.org.au

If you would like to refer your child, please use the link below https://mccg.my.site.com/housing/s/school-referral-form

Parents are asked to please not send food to children to school that needs to be heated or boiling water added. We are unable to accommodate these requests due to safety issues. Thank you for your understanding.

Congratulations to the St Mary's Batlow community as they celebrate 100 years of continuous Catholic education in Batlow next Monday 23 October. St Mary's School was started by the Sisters of St Joseph back in October 1923 with just 8 students in an old church located in the lower end of the playground area. Mrs Baron and the School Captains will join CE and other local school representatives at a special celebration Mass and morning tea on Monday at St Mary's Batlow. 

ThinkUKnow Parent Online Forum: Tuesday 17 Oct from 8pm (please register using the link provided in COMPASS information) (Week 2)

Stage 2 Canberra Excursion: Wednesday 18 October (Week 2)

Grandparents Day: Friday 20 October

Are you Bogged Mate? Hosted by Community Council in St Patrick’s School Hall-Friday 20 October from 5.30pm (Week 2)

Stage 3 Ballarat Excursion: Tuesday 31 October to Friday 3 November (Week 4)

First Holy Communion: Saturday 11 November

Year 5 2024 School Captain Speeches: Monday 13 Nov to Friday 17 November (Week 6)

2023 Award Day: Friday 8 December (Week 9)

Year 6 Graduation Mass: Friday 8 December 12pm

Term 4 Concludes: Friday 15 December

This term as part of our focus on improving the health and wellbeing of our school community we are looking at how we can make better choices for our body.  What's In My Food?  Lets take a look at Oreo Biscuits this week. 

Step 1: Ask What's In My Food? Ignore the front of the packet and turn it around.
Step 2: Count the number of ingredients on the back. The more ingredients there are, the less likely it is to help our One Body for Life. If there are more than 6, it's best to pop it back on the shelf and find a better choice.
What's In Oreos? 12 ingredients. This simple
swap significantly reduces the number of
ingredients, for a very small change in price.
It doesn't always have to be a lot more expensive to eat better for your One Body for Life.

Here's a super simple recipe you can make with each biscuit being roughly the same cost as the Oreo biscuits.

Bonus #1: You'll have left over flour and butter to make other foods, like pancakes.
Bonus #2: A lot less ingredients and less
packaging too, making these biscuits better for your One Body for Life and One Planet Earth.

Access the Recipe from Your Free Gold Family Membership - Go here: 

https://quest.therootcause.com.au/recipes/3-ingredient-biscuit-recipe/ 

The best gift we can give our children is their health. 

Year 5 have commenced their weekly ukulele lessons with Marty as part of their Creative Arts curriculum. Every Thursday Marty will conduct 45 minute lessons with Year 5 with the assistance of Mr Makeham and Mr Ferguson.

The school purchased a class set last year using the funds provided by Anne Field from the Gundagai Buskers Group. We thank Marty for his expertise and delivery of this exciting initiative.

Our outdoor ping pong table is a big hit with the students.  This table was purchased last term with our Sporting Schools Grant and assembled last week by Year 6, Mrs Wilson and Mr Makeham.

A daily class roster has been set up so everyone can enjoy the benefits of using the popular equipment.

Swimming for Sport

This will commence in Week 6, Thursday 16 November.

Congratulations to our Week 1 Class Awards.  You are all off to a flying start for Term 4 learning. 

Kindergarten - William Potter for a settled start to Term 4 and positive class contributions 

Year 1 - Lottie Worldon for a consistent approach to all learning tasks

Year 2 - Lilly Ferguson for fast and accurate answers during Daily Reviews 

Year 3 - RV Calub for working well in class and doing her best 

Year 4 - Indi Cole for always being on task and giving 100% 

Year 5 - Dylan Ryder for a positiveand mature start to Term 4 

Year 6 - Nate Tozer for an inspiring Term 4 Aspirations and Affirmations reflection

Congratulations to our Week 1 Wildcat Awards:

SAFE: Emmy Gaskin, Amy Cotterill, Dale Paton, Zoe Paton, Corby Rose, Claudia Worldon, Lottie Worldon, Harley Rose, Phoenix Rose

Happy Birthday to all of our students who celebrated a birthday in the holidays or during the first week back to Term 4

24th September - Lachlan Hargreaves 

4th October - Chase Robinson 

6th October - Mackenzie Little 

7th October - Lilly Ferguson 

10th October - Imogen Graham 

12th October - Conor Cotterill 

13th October - Riley Smith 

Students who need a new or replacement school travel pass for 2024 can apply now by clicking here.

A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for the first time, students who change their address, school or who have repeated a year. 

Please read the attached flyer for more information.