Mrs Burton 

Happy holidays!

I would like to wish everyone a very relaxing and safe holiday!  I would like to thank our staff, students and families for their hard work and support this term. See you all on Monday July 12th for Term 3.

TERM 3 PUPIL FREE DAY - 30th July

FRIDAY 30TH JULY, Week 3, Term 3 will be our Term 3 Pupil Free Day.

All teaching staff will be attending a Professional Development Day in Armidale. The school will be closed on Friday 30th July. 

JUNIOR WOOD WIND WORKSHOP

Yesterday NECOM hosted the Junior Wood Wind Workshop at St Patrick's. All of our students in the Woodwind Band, Year 3, 4 & 5 participated in the the workshop. At the end of the day there was a concert for the parents.  Thank you to the parents who were able to come and see what the students had achieved. Thank you to James McKay, Annie & Jenna for running the workshop.

Mini Vinnies students

Thank you to the Mini Vinnies children for organising the Winter Appeal. You are to be commended for your generosity and for responding to the call to help others. 

School Advisory Council Meeting

On Tuesday 22nd June the SAC met. The 2021 SAC members are ex-officio members Monsignor Ted Wilkes and Principal Mrs Belinda Burton, staff member Mr Dallas Hyatt, co-opted member School Finance Officer Mrs Karen Rizzi and two parents Mr Paul Pittman & Mrs Lisa Patterson-Kane.

I would like to sincerely thank the new 2021 SAC for agreeing to be on the Council. Your support, friendship and advice with the running of the school is greatly appreciated.

LIFE EDUCATION VAN

On Tuesday & Wednesday this week we had the life Education Van visited St Patrick's and all classes attend the van.

We are very grateful to the Walcha Council who ensures that all children in Walcha attend the Life Education Van.

For information on the Life Education Van  visit - 

nsw@lifeeducation.org.au

SCHOOL FEES

Payment of school fees are due on 30th June. 

Thank you to families who have paid their fees. Please email Mrs Karen Rizzi (School Financial Officer) if your fees will not be up to date by the 30th June.

krizzi1@arm.catholic.edu.au 

Year 5/6 Coffs Excursion 

Year 5/6 Coffs Excursion 1st instalment is due $110 on 18th June.

Please email Mrs Karen Rizzi (School Financial Officer) if you are not able to make the instalment.      krizzi1@arm.catholic.edu.au 

Next installment is 16th July $110

2022 Enrolments

If you have a child ready for school next year could you please return the Kinder enrolment forms so we can begin to organise the Kinder Interviews early Term 3. 

Term 3 Dates

SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS

Our School Office hours are from 8:30am -3:30pm Monday to Friday. 

The if the school phone is unattended please leave a message on the answering machine.

In emergencies outside Office Hours you can also phone the school mobile 0428772328

Holiday Safety, Keep Your Child Safe -  pedestrian safety,  wearing helmets, bike  riding, road safety

As we approach the school holidays it is timely reminder about child safety matters (eg parental supervision,  pedestrian safety,  wearing helmets, bike  riding etc). 

https://www.safetytown.com.au/

NAIDOC Week 4 July -11 July

This year the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council have adopted the NAIDOC theme - Heal Country.  

In Laudato Si (2015),  Pope Francis has called all peoples to continue to seek greater protections for lands, waters, sacred sites, and cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration and destruction.

For Indigenous Australians, “Country”, both the word and what it represents,  has deep meaning.   Professor Mick Dodson explains, “For us, Country is a word for all the values, places, resources, stories, and cultural obligations associated with that area and its features.  It describes the entirety of our ancestral domains”.

Country holds the Dreaming!  The Spirit of God was poured out onto the original inhabitants of this great land many thousands of years before Christianity arrived.  God’s Spirit could be heard through the singing of the birds, the cascade of the waterfall, the rustle of the wind and, most importantly in the silence.

Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann, respected Elder and 2021 Sen ior Australian of the Year, best explains this silence as Dadirri - a time to listen and wait to understand the silence.  She says,

“My people today recognise and experience in this quietness the great life-giving Spirit, the Father of us all.  It is easy for me to experience God’s presence.  When I am out hunting, when I am in the bush, among the trees, on a hill or by a billabong; these are the times when I can simply be in God’s presence.  My people have been so aware of nature.  It is natural that we feel close to the Creator.”

At another time she has said,

“The countryside was somehow part of me, and I was part of it.  It is my home; it is me”.

During NAIDOC Week this year may Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and all other Australians come together to acknowledge our need to learn from each other and that through the experience of Dadirri we can be united in our endeavours to Heal Country.

NAIDOC Week will be held from Sunday 4 July to Sunday 11 July, though at school we will hold activities during Week 1 Term 3.

Upcoming Event Term 3 - New England Sings 2021 Term 3  for Years 3-6

NEW ENGLAND SINGS! 2021 COMBINED PRIMARY CHOIRS REHEARSAL SCHEDULE Armidale and surrounding schools – outreach schools will have rehearsals scheduled at their own school. However, outreach schools are welcome to attend the Armidale workshops if possible.

This exciting event is beginning to take shape, 16 schools (with approx. 500 choristers) in the combined Primary choirs and 14 schools (with approx. 450 choristers) in the Secondary choir. 

The 2021 project will include:

The commissioning of two works from wonderful Australian composers – Justine Clarke for the Primary choir and Luke Byrne for the Secondary choir.

Paul Jarman will be attending workshops throughout the year and will conduct the Primary choirs at the final weekend of rehearsals and concerts.

FIRST REHEARSAL Date: Thursday 22nd July (with Paul Jarman) 

Primary Choir 1: 11:00 – 12:30 

Venue: Auditorium, CB Newling Building (Old Teachers College) Cnr. Mossman & Faulkner Sts. Armidale

SECOND REHEARSAL Date: Thursday 19th August (with Paul Jarman)

THIRD REHEARSAL Date: Thursday 9th September (with Leanne Roobol) 

FOURTH REHEARSAL Date: Thursday 14th October (with Paul Jarman)

FINAL REHEARSAL (all schools, including outreach schools to attend):

Date: Saturday 16th October (directed by Paul Jarman) 

Time: Primary Choir 1 9:30am – 11:00am (arrive by 9:15am) 

 Venue: Lazenby Hall, UNE

CONCERTS: Date: Sunday 17th October (directed by (with Paul Jarman) 

Time: Primary Choir 11:00am – 1:00pm (arrive by 10:15am) 

Venue: Lazenby Hall, UNE

St Patrick’s School is an outreach school for the rehearsals but we will attempt to attend two of the rehearsals in Armidale. 

Parents will have to commit to the Saturday 16th October - Final Rehearsal and Sunday 17th October Concert. If they wish their child to participate in New England Sings.