Dear Families and Friends

Kaye Lowe

Thank you to the parents and friends of St Patrick’s who attended a literacy information session last Monday with Professor Kaye Lowe, author of ‘For the Love of Reading’. A number of parents have commented on the quality presentation by Kaye.  Thank you, parents, for your interest in learning what you can do to support your children’s literacy development. Parents have been presented with a number of strategies supporting the best and most effective ways of helping your children become independent and confident readers.

Welcome to our new Priest

A warm welcome to Fr Namora Anderson who will be commencing his appointment to the Tumut and Gundagai Parish this week. We look forward to meeting and working alongside Fr Namora. Fr Namora has just been recently ordained in Wagga by our Archbishop Christopher Prowse.

Western Region Mass at Cootamundra CSW

As part of Catholic School’s Week celebrations, our School Captains will accompany Mrs Flanagan tomorrow to represent St Patrick’s at a special mass held in Cootamundra. Over 200 students from around the Western Region Catholic schools will gather to celebrate.

Food-works and Woolworth's fresh fruit.

Thank you to our local business for their support in providing a healthy eating choice for our St Patrick’s students. Woolworths provide fresh fruit each Wednesday and Food-works each Friday. This is a fantastic example of Gundagai community support for our children and I ask that the St Patrick’s community support these local businesses.

Working Bee

A working bee will be held this Sunday at St Patrick’s School from 8:00 -12:00. A BBQ breakfast is available from 7:45 am. A big thank you to those parents who have indicated that they can attend. If you are able to make it please fill out the response form in the newsletter. If you can, bring along any of the following - whipper snipper, weed sprayer or small gardening tools.

St Vincent de Paul

Just a reminder that we have a St Vincent de Paul collection bin at the front of the school. Please consider passing on any items of clothing/footwear the children have grown out of or no longer wear. Items may be sent along in a plastic bag and placed in our collection bin. Thank you in advance for helping others in need.

NAPLAN Results for Years 3 and 5

Our student/parent results for NAPLAN have arrived today. Letters containing results will be sent home today. Further information in regards to how our school performed overall will be in our next Newsletter.

Mr Powell with Sydney Catholic School’s Director Mr Dan White. Mr Powell and a number of Sydney Principals have been involved in a Leadership and Spiritual Formation project.

Vincent Powell

LEARN  SERVE  LEAD  SUCCEED

Christ's Mission Statement

The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor, free prisoners, recover sight for the blind, set the oppressed free. Proclaim the time of the Lord's favour.

Luke 4

Dates to mark on your calendar:

21/09- Liturgy led by Years 1 and 2 (12:30pm).

28/09- End of term Liturgy led by Staff and Leaders (12:30pm).

Plenary Council

The last time the Catholic Church in Australia held a Plenary Council was in 1937. It has been more than 80 years since we gathered all of the Church together and much has changed. In 2020, we will have a Plenary Council about the future of the Catholic Church in Australia. What are we called to do? Who are we called to be? How do we need to change?

Pope Francis has spoken of the need to engage in the world and respond in faith. He said:

“The defining aspect of this change of epoch is that things are no longer in their place. Our previous ways of explaining the world and relationships, good and bad, no longer appear to work. The way in which we locate ourselves in history has changed. Things we thought would never happen, or that we never thought we would see, we are experiencing now, and we dare not even imagine the future. That which appeared normal to us – family, the Church, society and the world – will probably no longer seem that way. We cannot simply wait for what we are experiencing to pass, under the illusion that things will return to being how they were before.”

Over the past week, Mr Powell has been working alongside a number of Sydney Catholic School Principals and Religious Education Leaders to prepare a submission to the Plenary Council. Guided by the Holy Spirit, this was a time to listen, dialogue and discern with others about the future, the role and relevance of the Catholic Church in Australia.

I would invite our Gundagai Catholic community to participate in conversations with friends and family, large groups and small, to consider the Plenary Council’s central questions:

“What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?”

“What questions do you have about the future of the Church for the Plenary Council to consider in 2020?”

Please visit the Plenary Council website for more info - https://plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au

Thoughts/ Questions / Reflection for the week: Visio Divina 

Use this image ‘The Sun’ to encounter the divine.

1. Study the picture slowly, taking a first glance noting the colours, people, places and things.  Remain with the image for one to two minutes. If you would like, jot down a few words about the image.
2. Take a second, deeper, look. Where is there movement? What relationships do you see? Engage your imagination. Where are you in the artwork? What do you see from that perspective? What deeper meaning emerges?
3. Respond to the image with prayer. Did the image remind you of an experience, person or issue for which you’d like to offer thanksgiving? In what way does God’s promise change, or not change how you visualize your relationship with the earth, each other, and God? Offer your thoughts as prayer to God.
4. Find your quiet centre. Breathe deeply. Relax your shoulders, arms and legs. Rest in this quiet. Let God pray in you. God prays beyond words.

God Bless, Mrs Flanagan REC

Fresh Food Kids Discovery Tours

Last Thursday Years 5/6 went on Gundagai Woolworth’s first, Fresh Food Discovery Tour.  The children were taken on a tour of the entire supermarket by Kristie and Taylor.  They snacked on fresh fruit as they learnt about sustainability and waste reduction.   

The highlight was the behind the scenes tour of the cold chilled storage -15 degrees, the cardboard recycling compactor and learning how to market products appealingly through stacking/placing products to the front of the shelf!  The loadout dock was also interesting to learn about how many deliveries are made each week. It was great to hear from Sarah Winchester about the practicalities of working behind the scenes out back and in the supermarket out front.  The children loved asking many questions and even served a customer at the checkout.

Many thanks to Woolworth’s Gundagai and store manager Leisa for having us and for their continuing support of our Fresh Fruit every Wednesday.

Last week the Year 5/6 students worked on a science experiment with Mrs Hughes on the impact of heat and moisture on yeast. The children each created their own bread roll or helped create a loaf of bread and by all accounts, they were very tasty! 

I am going to do the Tuckshop roster for next term and I am asking if there are any parents, grandparents (not already on the roster) that would like to help. Also if parents have a specific date that helpers would like to be rostered on for, please let me know by the end of this week.

Thank you to Helen Connor pictured with her grandchildren William (Yr 4) and Emmy (Yr 1) who filled in last Friday on Tuckshop and did a fabulous job!

Leanne McDonnell

Tuckshop Coordinator

Week 7 Term 3

KINDERGARTEN: Emma Ferguson - Fantastic reading! Great fluency 

YEAR 1/2: Charlie Hindmarsh - Showing leadership & cooperative learning behaviours in group situations

YEAR 3/4: Lincoln Fallon - Showing progress in writing quality and quantity

YEAR 5/6: Abbey Flanagan - Accurate solving of extended multiplication algorithms

Week 8 Term 3

KINDERGARTEN: Nicholas Quine - Completing activities and being a great reader

YEAR 1/2: Darby Jones - Huge improvement with letter formation and neatness in all bookwork

YEAR 3/4: Jack Peterson - Being well organised and a good friend to classmates

YEAR 5/6: Alix Kerin - Improvements in detail and description in her written stories

Week 7:

RESPONSIBLE: Maggie Peterson 

RESPECTFUL: Addison Fairall 

SAFE:  Jess McDonnell, Rylee Flanagan, Addison Fairall, Bonnie Wooderson and Anson Chew 

Week 8:

RESPONSIBLE: Jess McDonnell 

Happy birthday to the following people who celebrate their birthdays

Sadie Eccleston celebrated her birthday on Sunday 16 September

Denver Blundell celebrates his birthday TODAY Monday 17 September

Benny Bartlett will be celebrating his birthday on Wednesday 19 September

BIRTHDAYS CELEBRATED DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Charlotte Curtis will celebrate her birthday on 30 September

Allie Sullivan will celebrate her birthday also on 30 September 

Charlie Hindmarsh will celebrate his birthday on 5 October 

Hugh Graham will celebrate his birthday on 11 October and

Riley Smith will celebrate his birthday on 13 October 

Many Happy returns to all 

Our Year 6 students Abbey Flanagan and Lochie Wilson will be competing at the MacKillop Athletics next Monday at Homebush Bay. We send them the very best of our wishes for a great competition.

BE PREPARED – FOR NEW ADVENTURE

1^st Gundagai is an active Scout Group with very experienced Leaders.

Scouting teaches independence and leadership skills through challenges and outdoor adventures.

Activities include:-   Canoeing

                                    Hiking

                                    Camping

                                    Abseiling

                                    Survival Skills/First Aid

                                    Community Based Activities

                                    Cooking

                                    Crafts

                                    Games

Scouts  –    11 to 15 years   -      meet on Wednesdays  from 4pm until 6pm

Cubs     –      8 to 11 years   –     meet on Fridays       from 6pm until 7.30pm

Special Offer – Try Cubs or Scouts at no cost during term 4 before you decide whether you would like to join.

For more information please contact Lynda Petty, Group Leader on 0432 242 333

Or email – lyndapetty@bigpond.com