From the Principal

A Season for Listening – Deep Encounters

May all that is not love fall away.

May all that is not truth fall away.

May all that is not fullness fall away.

May all that is not richness fall away.

May all that is not peaceful fall away.

May this autumn season’s soft release

bring us closer to your all-embracing love.

Through and with the love of Christ, Amen.

Following the Premier's announcements last Sunday, we now have a clearer indication of what to expect in terms of the children returning to school.

Subject to the advice of Victoria’s Chief Health Officer:

All schools will continue to provide remote and flexible learning for the remainder of Term 3 consistent with current settings.
5 – 9 October (first week of Term 4): Remote and flexible learning will continue for all students. On-site supervision for children of eligible workers and vulnerable students will continue to be provided consistent with existing guidelines.
From 12 October, all students return to full-time on-site schooling.

We look forward to having all students back at school from Week 2 of Term 4, Monday 12th October.

Catholic Education Week

This week we have been celebrating Catholic Education Week with other schools from across the diocese. Celebrations this year have been very subdued without having our children at school with us. It is most unusual for us not to have a combined Mass with the Horsham based Catholic schools at this time as well.

The theme for Catholic Education Week 2020 is 'Listen to what the Spirit is saying'.

This theme focuses on listening and discernment which is borne from rich dialogue. Pope Francis defines discernment as more than intelligence or common sense: ‘It is a gift which we must implore. If we ask with confidence that the Holy Spirit grant us this gift, and then seek to develop it through prayer, reflection, reading and good counsel, then surely we will grow in this spiritual endowment.’

23 Catholic Primary and Secondary schools from across the Ballarat Diocese have showcased their creative and innovative celebrations in the virtual classroom through a collaborative video which can be seen here (our small segment appears 8 mins 39 sec into the clip).

Catholic Education Week Prayer

Gracious God, nurture in us a discerning heart,

to hear the Holy Spirit in the voices of others,

to challenge our own will,

desires, fears and prejudices

and to be open to your will.

Amen

Catholic School Parents Victoria

The Catholic School Parents Victoria Parent Connection newsletter for Term 3 is now available by clicking on the following link.

https://vcspb.schoolzineplus.com/streamnews?nid=13

Community Support

It was very pleasing to be contacted by members of the Lowan Lodge 107 West Wimmera Region Blue Lounge Social Club this week advising us that they wished to donate towards our Cultural Awareness Garden.

Group President, Worshipful Master Mr John Dunbar, and Regional Secretary, Mr Wiremu Larkins, presented a cheque to the school on Wednesday. The group's donation will assist in the development of a garden bed that acknowledges the Wotjobaluk people as the traditional owners of the land on which we gather, as well as recognising the diversity of cultures who now add to the fabric of our school.

Mr Dalgleish is pictured receiving a cheque from Mr John Dunbar (right), Worshipful Master / President, and Mr Wiremu Larkins, Regional Secretary.

Around the school this week

National Walk Safely to School Day

National Walk Safely to School Day is on today!

While the event can't go ahead in Victoria due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event's objectives are a timely reminder to all children and adults that walking regularly significantly improves physical and mental health and general well-being. It's vital children remain physically active - every day - and walking regularly is the best exercise. Try walking around the block, around the lake, to the shops or with your dog (if you have one).

Online Learning

Please note the following information regarding students' online contact times.

Senior Class

The Senior Students have a roll call at 9am every morning, if they are unable to make it please email Miss Webb.
On Mondays the students meet in their year levels to discuss and engage in some group learning.
Years 3 and 4 students have a Google Meet catch up with their peers at 9:30am on Mondays.
Year 5 students have their Google Meet at 10:30am on Mondays.
Year 6 students meet at 11:30am on Mondays.
On Wednesdays, Miss Webb is catching up with each senior student individually to check in and support their learning. The time for these individual catch ups has been emailed to each student. If your child hasn’t received an email with a time, this is because Miss Webb will be catching up with them at school.
On Friday afternoons the Seniors also have a whole class Google Meet at 2:00pm until 2:30pm. This provides an opportunity for students to catch up and have a bit of fun to finish off the week.

Junior Class

All Junior students receive their notifications via SeeSaw.
Junior students have a group roll call each morning at 9.15am via Google Meet.
Miss Williams has advised families of arrangements for individual check in times.

A reminder that students are asked to be in school uniform when they are online in the group sessions and roll calls please.

At 9:05 on Wednesday mornings, there is an attendance and Google Meet fitness session for the whole school. Each Wednesday will also have a distinct theme as part of our Wellbeing Wednesdays.

COVID-19 Declaration & On-site Attendance Form

A reminder that if you require your child to be at school over the next few weeks, a COVID-19 Declaration & On-site Attendance Form is required to be completed and submitted prior to the day. Unless prior arrangements have been made with myself, children are only to be at school if parents are required to work and there is no alternative child care available.

The form can be completing from the Simon Everywhere app (scroll down to Parent Links). Instructions for Simon Everywhere are detailed later in this newsletter - we strongly encourage all parents to download this app.

OR by clicking either of these buttons:

On-Site Attendance Form (GoogleForms)

On-Site Attendance Form (PDF)

Remember to follow us on Facebook

Those who are on Facebook are encouraged to follow our page at St Patrick's School, Nhill. 'Like' our page, enjoy our posts, and share them with your friends. Stay connected through our Social Media page.

Simon Everywhere is now live

The Simon Everywhere app delivers instant notifications to parents' mobile phones, delivering the functionality of PAM (Simon Parent Access Module) in an app.

We request that all parents please download the Simon Everywhere app, add St Patrick's School, Nhill and login using your existing PAM credentials. We will be discontinuing use of the Flexischools app sometime this year, and will use Simon Everywhere for all important notifications.

You will be able to manage all your day-to-day school needs from the Simon Everywhere app - notify us of absences, view the lunch orders menu, read the newsletter.

Please contact the office with any questions.

Our Josephite Heritage

The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, often called the "Josephites" or "Brown Joeys", were founded in Penola, South Australia, in 1866 by Mary MacKillop and the Rev. Julian Tenison Woods. In 1949, three Josephite sisters arrived in Nhill to open St Patrick’s School. In 1978, the Sisters of St Joseph informed the Nhill Parish that they would no longer be able to maintain their role within the school.

We endeavour to honour our Josephite heritage through the regular presentation of the Little Joey awards at our assemblies. In support of this we also include a reflection from Mary MacKillop on our newsletter each week.

"God will bring about what is best in God's own time and God's ways are not our ways" Mary MacKillop, 1890

Happy Birthday ... Jobe

2020 Term Dates

Term 3 13 July to 18 September

Term 4 5 October to 18 December

School Calendar

SEPTEMBER
Wed	16	School Photos Day - POSTPONED to Term 4 Sacramental Program 4pm - CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Fri	18	Last Day Term 3 – dismissal at 2.15pm
OCTOBER
Mon	5	First Day Term 4
M-F	5-9	Remote learning
Mon	12	All students return to on-site learning
Wed	14	SAC Meeting 7.00pm
Fri	23	Public Holiday (Friday before AFL Grand Final)
NOVEMBER
Tue	3	Public Holiday (Melbourne Cup)