Dear Parents and Carers,

As we prepare to celebrate Mother's Day this Sunday, May 12th, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the remarkable mothers in our midst. Whether you're a biological mum, a stepmum, an adoptive mum, a foster mum, or a maternal figure in any capacity, your love, care, and guidance are deeply cherished. Warm wishes go out to each and every one of you on this special day.

This week St. Patrick's has been filled with touching gestures of appreciation for our mothers, thoughtfully organized by our dedicated Parents and Friends (P & F) committee. The week commenced with a heartwarming Mother's Day morning on Tuesday, where the entire school community came together to celebrate the extraordinary women who nurture us. Special thanks to Mr Ross and Mr Daidone for being our official photographers on the day.

During this morning of celebration, the school was a buzz with joy and gratitude as students, teachers, and parents united to honor our mothers. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, smiles and love, setting a beautiful tone for the week ahead.

Following this heartwarming morning, we continued our festivities with a special Mother's Day Mass. It was a momentous occasion where we gathered as a community to offer prayers and blessings for all the mothers among us. The Mass served as a poignant reminder of the invaluable role mothers play in our lives and provided a sacred space for reflection and gratitude.

As the week progressed, our appreciation for mothers continued to shine brightly with the eagerly awaited Mother's Day stall this morning. Organised by the tireless efforts of our P & F committee, the stall offered students the opportunity to select heartfelt gifts for their mothers. The joy and excitement were palpable as children carefully chose tokens of love and appreciation, making each gift a precious expression of gratitude.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the P & F committee for their unwavering dedication in making this week of celebration possible. Your hard work and commitment have touched the hearts of our entire community and made this Mother's Day truly memorable.

As we approach Mother's Day, let us take a moment to reflect on the immeasurable love and sacrifice that mothers provide each day. To all the mothers in the St. Patrick's community and beyond, Happy Mother's Day! May your day be filled with love, warmth, and cherished moments with your loved ones.

Additional Mother's Day Stall

We have some beautiful gifts remaining from our stall, if students would like to purchase an extra gift for Mum, Grandmother, Aunty or special person.

Prices vary from $3-$8. The stall will be open today and tomorrow (Friday) at pick up on the school deck.

Cash and card sales available.

Thank you,

St Patrick's Parents & Friends Committee.

School Winter Uniforms

We have had a successful transition into the cooler months now and all St. Patrick's Students are expected to be in their full winter uniforms, including correct long sleeve white shirt (tucked in) and school tie. Correct school shoes are also mandatory each day.

Healthy Hut Dinner Orders

The Healthy Hut now has a dinner menu available. Dinners are available for pick up on Thursdays at 3pm from the canteen, orders need to be placed by Tuesday 2pm via the online ordering system. Please see further in the newsletter for this exciting new service. The available dinner list includes:

Beef Lasagne
Gluten Free Beef Lasagne
Chicken Pasta Curry Salad
Fried Rice
Homemade Chicken Tenderloins
Homemade Gnocchi Napoli
Roasted Mixed Vegetables

Walk Safely to School Day

Don't forget that tomorrow morning is our 'Walk Safely to School' day.

Students and Parents are invited to join us to paricipate at the different meeting points at

8:15 ready to walk at 8:20.

• Brindisi Street

• Dolamore Oval

• Mentone Fire Station

The P & F have organised a healthy fruit snack for all students upon arrival at school in the morning.

AEDC Data Collection

From May 2024, our school, along with thousands of others across the country, will participate in the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).

The AEDC is a teacher-completed census (similar to a questionnaire) which provides a comprehensive picture of how children have developed by the time they start their first year of full-time school.

The AEDC is an Australian Government Initiative and is completed nationally every three years.

Children don’t miss any class time while the AEDC is completed, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information.

The data collected through the AEDC is used by schools, communities and governments to better understand children and families’ needs, and identify the services, resources and support they need.

AEDC data is reported at a school, community, state/territory and national level. AEDC results for individual children are not reported and the AEDC is not used as an individual diagnostic tool.

Some teachers have found that completing the AEDC made them more aware of the needs of individual children and their class, and that the data was useful for planning for transitions to Year 1 and developing programs.

Participation in the AEDC is voluntary, however the AEDC relies on all schools with children in their first year of full-time school participating in the collection.

Parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census.

To find out more about the AEDC and how it is being used to help children and families visit: www.aedc.gov.au.

If you have any questions, you can contact Mr Berlingeri on principal@spmentone.catholic.edu.au

God Bless

Pat Berlingeri

Principal

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