Message From Our Principal

Last week my cup was filled when we celebrated 'World Down Syndrome Day'.  The buzz amongst the students and staff was electric as they showed each other their 'crazy' socks. Alison, Blake's mum, sent through the following information in case anyone is curious about why “socks” and also a little Youtube clip from the book 47 strings. It’s a really good book for explaining Down Syndrome to small children.:

After I posted the phtos from the day on our Facebook page Alison made the following comment:

Thank you to the families who have already contributed to our annual Easter Raffle. It is not to late to contribute. Your donation of an Easter egg or Easter themed object can be dropped off at the school office. Thank you also to those families who have already sold and returned their raffle tickets.  When booklets are returned to the office your child receives a chocolate frog. The raffle will be drawn on Wednesday the 5th of April, following our Easter Hat Parade.

Our School Advisory Council met for the first time this year. The members of this group are Kieran Brennan (Chair), Ryan Grant, Leigh Morris, Rachael Fitzallen, Mel Dillon and Carli Mangan. During the meeting we discussed:

Lauren Bennett has been working really hard in the transition space to create a new and exciting opportunity for families to experience St Patrick's prior to beginning their primary school education. 

This program is called Mini Paddy's. The details about the program are as follows:

Title: Mini Paddy's- Playcation Program

What: 3 different types of activities will be provided: Sensory Play (Come & Explore), Gross Motor Play (Come & Play) and Art Based Play (Come & Create), 1 each week. The program will have a 3 week cycle, followed by a break and then another 3 weeks. 

Day: Monday's

Time: 9-10am

Location: Undercover area out the front of the Grade 1-2 classroom

Implemented by: Lauren Bennett

Who is invited: Children aged between 1-4 years old and their parents. Parents have been registering via a link on Facebook.

We eagerly await to welcome familiar and new faces to St Patrick's through this program.

Two weeks ago we celebrated St Patrick’s day. Thank you to all of the families who attended the parade in the morning. The students enjoyed multi-age activities, yummy green bread and a beautiful whole school mass. The students singing during mass put a BIG smile on Father Michael's face and made me feel really, really proud. 

Congratulations to the Grade 3 and Grade 5 students for the outstanding way they approached NAPLAN over the last 2 weeks. Their attitude, effort and behaviour was outstanding!

The Parish Sacramental Program is commencing soon and families of children in Grade 3 and 4 who are baptised Catholic are asked to express their interest in the program, by emailing Katie Rasmussen- krasmussen@sptongala.catholic.edu.au.

LEAVING SCHOOL GROUNDS SAFELY

We have noticed that there is an increase of parents/carers collecting their child after school and crossing the road at a location that is not designated for crossing, which is quite dangerous at this busy time of the day. The only designated crossing point is on Cavell Street, which is the corner at the end of the basketball courts/church. 

To ensure that everyone is safe I kindly ask that parents no longer cross the road in front or behind the buses on Mangan street, especially on the bend in this road.

This means that if you wish to park your car and hop out to collect your child the best location to park after school is in Cavell Street.

Parents are welcome to enter the school grounds, via the front door to wait to collect their child at the end of the school day.

The after-school arrangements in place to ensure all children leave school safely are as follows: 

1. 2 staff members take students who are walking home, walking to a parked car, riding a bike or scootering home to the designated crossing and ensure that they cross the road safely.
2. 2 staff members take students who are being collected by car in the drive-thru arrangement, to the undercover area at the front of the school and ensure they are loaded safely into their car. These cars line up at the front of the school and flow through the drive-thru in front of the church.
3. 2 staff members take students who are catching the bus to the bus zone after they are marked off a bus attendance roll.
4. 2 staff members walk students who are attending ‘Schools Out’ After School Care to Tongala Primary School, using the back exit on the oval.
5. Students who have their parents waiting in the school yard leave school with their parents.

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE NEW PAGE IN THE NEWSLETTER CALLED STAFF & STUDENT LEADERSHIP.