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Dear Parents,
Happy St Patrick’s day to everyone! What a beautiful autumn day we have today to celebrate the great life and works of our school’s founding saint, St Patrick. St Patrick is well renown for using the shamrock, to resemble a three-leafed clover, as a symbol to simply explain the concept of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). While we were unable to celebrate Mass today with our Parish community, we were still able to enjoy a day of fun classroom activities, while learning about the qualities that made St Patrick, such a special person.
A huge thank you is extended to St Patrick’s Community Council and helpers who turned on a truly magnificent Irish Variety Night last Saturday night. The community is buzzing with the great success of the night and the wonderful performances that everyone enjoyed. A special thank you to Jock Graham for installing WiFi in the hall to enable the show to go ahead. Thank you to all those who volunteered in any capacity to make this such a wonderful community event. The students are certainly enjoying the left-over balloons and decorations from the event that have turned our playground into a sea of shamrocks and green today.
I am sure you are all aware of the rapidly changing regulations and guidelines around COVID19. As a school community, our overarching focus is the health and well-being of our students and families. Ultimately, we want everyone to be safe and healthy. As from yesterday, we have cancelled all gatherings, together with any proposed excursions and camps, whole school sporting events including our Cross Country, carnivals and inter school events. These measures are in place for the foreseeable future. The students are being encouraged daily to practice good hygiene techniques and social distancing. We also ask that parents keep children at home if they are unwell particularly if they show any flu’ like symptoms. They must remain at home until they rest and fully recover.
Information will continue to be made available through Schoolzine, emails or on our school FaceBook page. I encourage you to check these on a regular basis to stay updated on any changes. We maintain learning as our primary focus for all students during this time.
May the luck of the Irish be with you today and always,
Christine Baron
Principal
Happy St Patrick’s Day to you all!
Today, we celebrate the feast of our Patron Saint of our School and Parish. It is a special day for us. Although our celebrations have been toned down this year, we have still enjoyed a great ‘Green Day’.
The gift of Christian faith was given to the people of Ireland through the work of St Patrick. This is a reminder to us that the faith, the gifts and the grace we receive from God are not for our benefit alone, but rather, they are given to us for the benefit of others as well.
Lord, help me to see the good, help me to see the grace of God at work in myself, in others and in your Church. Amen
Changes to the visit of the Relics of St Therese and her parents
This is part of correspondence I received last night regarding the tour of the Relics.
‘It is with a sad heart indeed that I inform you that drastic changes have been announced to the National Itinerary and visit to our Archdiocese of the Relics of St Therese, and parents Louis and Zelie.
National Director of Catholic Mission, Fr Brian Lucas, has conveyed to me that the Archdiocesan itinerary has been scaled back to solely include the Carmelite Nuns monastery in Red Hill. Furthermore, the Monastery will not be available for public viewing of the Relics rather, efforts will be made to live stream them on arrival and throughout the visit. The Relics duration at the Monastery will probably be three days.
During the course of the day, Archbishop Christopher was briefed on developments and in consideration of the current crisis the nation is experiencing with the COVID-19, understandably accepts that the first priority in the decision making process, is the health and wellbeing of parishioners, students, volunteers, parish staff, Invocare staff and parish clergy.
I know many people were excitedly awaiting the visit and none more so than those situated in the fire ravaged regions of our Archdiocese and so my heart goes out to the folk at Bega, Cobargo, Cooma and Gundagai parishes.’
We pray for the intercession of St Therese and her parents during this time of need for our nation and its people. Regards, Kevin Croker
We were very much looking forward to this special visit and we share the disappointment felt by all those involved in organising this event.
Kate Howe REC
St Patrick's Variety Night 2020...Oh, What a Night!
Our second annual St Patrick's Irish Variety Night, was another huge success. Thank you to everyone who came along and supported this great night. More than 100 St Pat's parents and friends came together for an evening of entertainment, food and fun. We have been overwhelmed with the response from members of the community who attended the night, with many commenting that it was the best night out they've had in a long time.
Initial figures have us sitting at more than $5,300 in funds raised, which is almost double last year's total. These funds will be put towards new technology needs in our classrooms.
Weeks of planning and organising went into the event, and a massive thanks must go to our key organisers, Kate Graham, Madeline Ryan, Emma Peterson and Renee Lindley. The team was of course supported by our school community in many ways, and a huge thanks must go to the following people for their contribution to the night:
- All of our amazing cooks, including Jill Graham, Jan Mackinnon, Denise Reardon, Simone Jones, Samantha Johnson, Leanne McDonnell, Michelle McDonnell, Gemma Crowe and Kate Graham;
- Our volunteers who helped with set-up and pack-down, including Cal Reardon, Michelle McDonnell, Jock Graham, Jeremy Pearce, Kim and Kev Paton, Mark Peterson, Juliet Pearce, Jess McDonnell, Maggie and Gracie Peterson;
- Jock Graham and the Wi-Sky team for the installation of the WiFi;
- Kim Paton for setting up the Eftpos facility;
- Our kitchen and wait staff, including Michelle McDonnell, Jess McDonnell, Paddy Reardon and Molly Baron;
- Our auctioneer Pete Reardon and his trusty assistant Dan McDonnell;
- Our MC extraordinaire Tim Ryan;
- Our bar staff Cassie Clout and Ellie Sheahan;
- Our fabulous cleaner Leonie!;
- Jacki Fairall for assistance with printing and ticket sales;
- Sarah Graham for the table centres;
- Peter and Denise Reardon for accommodating some of our entertainers;
- Sharon Owen for our delicious Guinness pies;
- To our wonderful Gundagai Bakery and our local Woolworths for the donation towards food;
- Retief Wines for the donation of some of our wines;
- And to Lott's Hotel for the loan of the glasses.
The donation of auction items and prizes was outstanding and we thank the following companies and people for their contribution:
- Bridgeclimb Sydney
- Nimbofork
- Gundagai District Services Golf Club
- Wi-Sky
- ArcScape Landscape Services
- Synergy Healthworks
- Somerville Natural Therapies
- Canberra Raiders
- Southern Inland Rugby
- Wren Store + Styling
- Ryan & Sons
- Pete and Cal Reardon
- Alicia Hargreaves
Of course, a variety night is not a variety night without performers and we couldn't have asked for a better line up of entertainment. Thank you to Irish pipe player Diarmuid Moriarty; Wickham Lane Celtic Vocal Group; Romano's Hotel PUBlic Choir; our amazing local talent Alicia Hargreaves and Bill Robertson; Anne Field and Denise Reardon; and our Jugiong friends Oscar Smith, Greg Jamieson and Leigh Butt who kept us dancing late into the night.
We were finally able to draw our major raffle on the night, which has been running for the last 10 months. Thanks to John Morgan for organising this amazing raffle, which included more than $8,000 in prizes. Congratulations to Denise Manton (Winner - Gundagai), Sharon Barczac (2nd place - Wagga), and Cindy Herring (3rd place – Gundagai).
If we have failed to mention anyone who assisted, we do apologise. There were so many people involved and we are so grateful for all of the help received.
Well done St Pat's and Happy St Patrick's Day!
As you are all no doubt already aware our beautiful school received $129,000 from the Stronger Country Communities Fund Round 3 grant funding. The Community Council and our School Captains gratefully accepted the cheque from local member Steph Cooke at a function at Carberry Park.The monies will be spent on enhancing our outdoor space and will include new synthetic turf for the oval, new soft fall and playground upgrade, and improved outdoor interactive learning spaces.
The Community Council applied for the grant following parent and community feedback about the need for outdoor improvements and we are so excited and pleased that we can now deliver on this. Thank you to everyone involved in getting us to this point, and of course to Steph Cooke and her team.
FINAL REMINDER: Bec Gaskin would like any orders for new uniforms by the end of the week 20th March 2020 Please call into the office to collect an order form or download one from our website. Orders can be dropped into the office or emailed through.Week 6 - Term 1
Kindergarten/Year 1 - Eliza Graham for showing kindness and empathy to others
Year 2 - Essie Norden for writing wonderful descriptive sentences
Year 3/4 - Emmy Gaskin for her participation in classroom activities and discussions
Year 5/6 - Alec Bell-Magnone for his vast knowledge and technical skills when coding micro-bits
Week 7 - Term 1
Kindgergarten/Year 1 - Savannah Manns for working hard with writing
Year 2 - Flynn Leane for putting super effort into his reading
Year 3/4 - Abigail Bock for trying new strategies with her creative writing
Year 5/6 - Sarah Scott for her impressive visualisation and construction of 3D solids nets
Altar Serving Roster
Saturday 21st March - Abby McDonnell & Ellie McDonnell
Saturday 28th March - Addison Fairall & Jack Peterson
Saturday 4th April - Sadie Eccleston & Tahlira Rose
If you are unable to attend Mass on rostered dates please arrange a suitable swap.
RADIO ROSTER
Year 6 Read out St Patrick's weekly news every Wednesday at 2.15pm on "Sounds of the Mountains"
Week 8 (18 Mar) - Sadie Eccleston & Sarah Scott
Week 9 (25 Mar) - Sam Turck & Finlay Bock
Week 10 (1 April) - Lincoln Fallon & Will Gaskin
Be sure you tune into the local radio to hear our weekly news reported by our Year 6 students
Many Happy Returns to the follow students who have recently celebrated a birthday.
3 March - Amy Cotterill
5 March - Flynn Leane
7 March - Lilly Cotterill
8 March - Isabella Boswell
10 March - Reo Norden
Canteen Worker
Friday 20th March - Gemma Crowe & Bec Gaskin
Friday 27th March - Sam Johnson & Leanne McDonnell
Friday 3rd April - El Williams & Alicia Hargreaves
Cookies
Friday 20th March - Claire Somerville & Leanne McDonnell
Friday 27th March - Bec Gaskin & VOLUNTEER REQUIRED
Friday 3rd April - Jacki Fairall & Simone Jones
Monday Cupcakes
23rd March - Leanne McDonnell & Lisa Ryan
30th March - Lauren Gailey & Lisa Peterson
6th April - Emma Peterson & Leanne McDonnell
