Dear Parents and Carers, 

Week 4 marks the beginning of our Lenten journey towards Easter. Today we celebrated Shrove Tuesday with a special pancake breakfast followed by the sacred Burning of the Palms. Tomorrow Ash Wednesday Mass will be celebrated in the church at 12pm. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of 40 days of prayer, reflection and self-sacrifice as we focus on deepening our relationship with Jesus through the Lenten season. Thank you to staff for cooking up a delicious pancake breakfast for the students and to Mrs Howe for the beautiful ceremony this morning.

Congratulations to all our students who represented at the WR Swimming Carnival yesterday in West Wyalong. Special congratulations to Sophie Graham and Charlie Hindmarsh who have been selected to represent at the Archdiocesan Carnival at next level. We are extremely proud of all our students and the effort and sportsmanship they showed at the carnival and this was reflected in a beautiful email I received from a parent last night.

‘I just wanted to give a little feedback on today’s carnival in West Wyalong. St Pat’s might not have heaps of great swimmers, but there is no lacking in the enthusiasm department, nor in the great sportsmanship. I am a little emotional thinking about it and it’s not even my kid only!

I saw:

* kids who didn’t win congratulating the winners (from other schools!!)

* some of the best cheering I’ve seen - and cheering for everyone in our school

* parents all happy to help timekeep

* cheering kids from all other schools who were coming last and needed cheering on

* big cheering when stragglers finished races, from all schools (beautiful!!)

* congratulating others on their swims when they returned to camp - high 5’s all round!!

So proud of them all and how well they represented our little school. Some of them may not ever make the olympics, but we have some amazing little humans!!

Parents are invited to attend our Parent Information Night next Wednesday evening 24th February. We are looking forward to welcoming you and providing information about the term/year ahead.

This year marks 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia. A celebration Mass will be held at St Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra next Wednesday with Mrs Howe and I representing St Patrick’s School. We are very proud of our part in the 200 year history with St Patrick’s (formerly St Stanislaus) providing 145years of continuous quality Catholic Education in the Gundagai district. What an achievement!

The weather is looking wonderful for another exciting Gundagai Show weekend. A wonderful opportunity to celebrate and come together as a community.

Blessings for the week ahead.

Christine Baron

Principal

St Patrick pray for us.

Shrove Tuesday and the Burning of the Palms

Today is Shrove Tuesday, and this morning the children observed the custom of eating pancakes. Pancakes are traditionally associated with Shrove Tuesday, the day preceding Lent, because they are a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of Lent, when we try to go without.

We also gathered in the amphitheatre to burn the palms that were blessed last year on Palm Sunday. These palms symbolise those that were waved as Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey to prepare for the Passover Feast. The ashes created from the burning of the palms will be used during our Ash Wednesday Mass by Father, who will sprinkle them over the head of each person in the Church.

Ash Wednesday and Lent

Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season prayer, fasting and charitable works. A time of reflection and preparation, before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.

Ash Wednesday Mass will be celebrated at 12 noon with Year 5/6 leading us in this Mass. All families are invited to be part of this Holy Day.

Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics to practice charity in Lent this year, by caring for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

In his message for Lent 2021, the Pope asks people to “experience Lent with love,” which “rejoices in seeing others grow.”

“Love is a gift that gives meaning to our lives. It enables us to view those in need as members of our own family, as friends, brothers or sisters. A small amount of almsgiving, if given with love, never ends, but becomes a source of life and happiness,” he said.

The Pope’s Lenten message centres on the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and love.

“In these times of trouble, when everything seems fragile and uncertain, it may appear challenging to speak of hope. Yet Lent is precisely the season of hope, when we turn back to God who patiently continues to care for his creation which we have often mistreated,” he said.

The Pope said that one can give hope to others by being kind, sharing the “gift of a smile” or speaking a word of encouragement. 

This year, The Vatican has instructed priests to distribute ashes by silently sprinkling them on people’s heads due to the pandemic. This replaces the ashes being traced on a person’s forehead in the sign of the cross.

Let us all try to think about Pope Francis’ message in this Lenten season.

Kate Howe

REC

World Day of Prayer
Friday 5^th March 2021 at 1pm

Lower St Pats Hall (entry Homer St)

Please bring a small plate of sandwiches and/or a slice to share

The theme this year is “Build on a Strong Foundation”, focusing on the parable of the wise and foolish builders. 

We will be praying for the country of Vanuatu – if you have been able to visit Vanuatu please do bring in any souvenirs, stories and photos to share. 

RSVP to Madeline Ryan, Secretary of St Patrick's Parish, Gundagai by email gundagai@cg.org.au or mobile 0478 000 526.  The Parish office is open Thursdays from 9.30am-3.00pm and Fridays 9.30am - 12pm 

Wednesday 3rd February, Wednesday 10th February, Wednesday 17th February and the final one will be Wednesday 24th February. 

First full week of school for our new Kindergarten class will be in week 6 starting Monday 1st of March. 

Kindergarten and Year 1/2: 5.00-5.30pm

Years 3/4 and Year 5/6: 5.30-6.00pm.

All information sessions will be held in the relevant classrooms.

Please email the office to advise what session time you will be attending.  We ask that all parents please adhere to social distancing and hygiene regulations while on school site please.

Parents and Carers, 

You will be aware of increased restrictions following the Melbourne lock down over the weekend.  Catholic Education has provided the following advice.

 NSW Schools

• NSW has not closed its borders. However, NSW has tightened entry requirements for returning NSW residents with the signing of a new Public Health Order, after the announcement by the Victorian Government of a five-day ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown.
• Under the state-wide Order, anyone arriving in NSW from Victoria after 11.59pm on Friday 12 February 2021 must remain at their home or place of residence for the five-day period announced by the Victorian Government.

I ask that any students of St Patrick's who may have travelled from Victoria after 11.59pm last Friday 12 February, comply with the requirement to remain at home for 5 days and that they notify their child/ren’s classroom or PC teacher immediately.

Thank you for your continued understanding and cooperation.

Christine Baron 

Principal 

Australian Dental Health NSW - School Dental Initiative will be visiting our school with their dental health van on Monday 26th of April  (This is not the same group that visited our school over 12 months ago) 

ADHNSW will provide a full examination.  If your child needs fillings they will contact you. If your child is not Medicare eligible they will do a FREE check.  

Forms have been sent home and MUST be returned.  All forms will need to be scanned and emailed to ADHNSW prior to consultation. 

The 15th of February was our Western Region Swimming Carnival in West Wyalong. A total of 22 students travelled to West Wyalong and everyone tried their hardest and showed great participation, teamwork, cheering for their team and had fun.

Charlie Hindmarsh and Sophie Graham have successfully made it to the next level in Narooma on Monday 1^st March. Even though only two people have made it away, everybody has made St Patrick’s proud by representing our school. 

Congratulations Charlie and Sophie.

By jess and Juliet

This year we are excited and very fortunate to be able to venture back out into sporting fixtures.  We are currently calling for interested parents with a passion for sport and developing our students' skills to volunteer to help run/coach the following teams with teachers.

 Term 1 

Netball Cup- 3/4 and 5/6 girls teams Tumut   - 24th March

Rugby Union -  3/4 and 5/6 boys teams Tumut  -  24th March

Term 2 

Mortimer Shield - 5/6 Rugby League and League Tag teams, Tumut 18th May

Term 3 

Trent Barrett - 3/4 Rugby League and League Tag teams, Gundagai  5th August

If you are interested at all please contact Mrs Wilson.

Let's get behind our local Show Committee and support our show this weekend!

 There are lots of ways our students can get involved:

* Lego building         * Cooking       * Handicrafts       * Photography  

* Flower/novelty arrangements       * Artwork            *  Horse events 

*  Produce eg: eggs/vegetables 

Take a look at the online to see what you could do.   https://www.gundagaishow.com.au/

Our "Weekly Class Awards" presentation is held every Friday.  This year we have decided to hold our class awards at 9am in the amphitheatre.  Parents are welcomed to attend our weekly class awards presentation (social distancing rules apply). 

Our Student of the Month special assembly will be held in Week 5 (Friday 26th of February) at St Patrick's Parish Hall commencing at 2.15pm (Parents invited to attend this special presentation).  Week 10 Student of the Month will also be held in the Parish Hall on Thursday 1st of April (Last Day of Term 1)

Week 2 Class Awards (5th February)

Kindergarten: Harrison Campbell for always doing his best work 

Year 1 / 2: Leila Gaskin for participating enthusiastically in all classwork and trying hard with her writing 

Year 3/ 4: Denver Blundell for a consistent start to his learning 

Year 5 / 6: Alec Bell-Magnone for maturity in class discussions and being a great buddy

Week 3 Class Awards (12th February) 

Kindergarten: Kaydee Smith for beautiful manners and care for others  

Year 1 / 2: Maeve Ryan for engaging in all literacy tasks with enthusiasm 

Year 3 / 4: Montanna Manns for her engagement and participation during Maths 

Year 5 / 6: Tahlira Rose for insightful responses to class discussions plus mature work ethics 

Altar Serving 

Saturday 20th February : Harry Crowe, Sophie Graham 

Saturday 27th February : Juliet Pearce, Ellie McDonnell 

Radio News

Every Wednesday at 2:15pm our Yr 6 leaders will present their weekly report to "Sounds of the Mountains" radio station with upcoming events 

Week 4 - 17th February : Harry Crowe, Locky Eccleston 

Week 5 - 24th February : Jessica McDonnell, Jezanna Winchester 

Week 6 - 3rd March : Ollie Gailey, Jezanna Winchester 

We would like to send our birthday wishes to the following students who have recently celebrated a birthday:

3rd February - Eliza Hargreaves

4th February - Lachlan Morgan 

6th February - Fletcher Smith 

7th February - Taite Johnson 

8th February - Andrew Cole 

11th February - Akacia Winchester 

15th February - Savannah Manns 

Some exciting news for our after school care progam run by Country Children's Early Learning will be up and running this Monday 8th of February.  Please see attached flyer for more information. 

Mobile Service Centre for Service NSW is returning to Gundagai on 23rd of February 1.30pm to 4.30pm 

Where: Gundagai District Services Club - Car Park 

2021 $250 Regional Seniors Travel Card applications are now open and can be processed at the Mobile Service Centre.

A reminder that our dedicated Service NSW staff on board can provide support across a broad range of services including: 

• Renewing a driver licence or vehicle registration
• Processing of Medical and Mobility Parking Permits
• Processing of RSA and RCG cards
• Undertaking driver knowledge tests
• Applying for births, deaths and marriages certificates
• Applications and Renewals for Working with Children Checks
• Consulting with a Cost of Living specialist for help accessing more than 70 government rebates and savings.

Mobile Service Centres will accept cashless payments by credit and debit card or cheque.