21 June 2024

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Hello St Patrick’s families, I hope this finds you happy and well. 

And just like that, Semester 1 is done, and we are halfway through the year! I say it regularly, but it is amazing how quickly the school year flies by. 

Term 2 has been another cracker with lots of high points to reflect on. Some stand outs for me have been:

• St George Show Display – our students and teachers made some wonderful work for this year’s show display and our School Officers did an amazing job of displaying it to its best. It was great seeing our amazing student’s hard work on display, showing our community just what they can do.
• Mother’s Day – It is always great having an opportunity to thank the wonderful women in our lives for the important role they play. Our Mother’s Day Mass and P&F organised morning tea were beautiful.
• Under 5’s Day – This was so much fun! Our kids had a blast, and it was great meeting some new families too.
• Bishop Ken Howell’s Visit – It has been several years since the school has had a visit from the bishop so we definitely made the most of this. ‘Beat the Bishop’ was great fun, and we were so proud to be able to present Fr. Antony and Bishop Ken with their very own St Patrick’s stoles. Lisa Sting did a great job sewing and embroidering them for us.
• Athletics Carnival – It was another big year for Gold House who took out the Athletics carnival again in 2024. We had lots of fun and the weather held out for us on what was a great day.

Thank you again to all our staff, students and families for a great term and I hope you all have a relaxing break with family and friends. 

Please remember, Term 3 starts on Tuesday 9^th July as Monday the 8^th is a student free day. 

Have a great break, 
Jim Wren
Principal

PARENT PORTAL

Download & Use the App Now!

St Patrick’s Parent Portal is now up and running for more streamlined communication with parents. The transition took place on Monday 5^th February, so if you haven’t already, make sure you follow the instructions below on how to register. If you are having issues registering, please contact the school office so we can help with the process.

Warm Regards,
Jim Wren

OUR PRAYERS…

Let us support each other in Prayer, especially for the Sick and the Deceased and those who are suffering Hardships, in our Parish and School.

APRE News

Week 8 was such a busy week for us! We had Bishop Ken Howell visit our community for the first time.

Bishop Ken was installed as Bishop of the Toowoomba Diocese in July 2023.  On Friday 7^th June, we welcomed him to St Patrick’s for the day.  We had an action-packed schedule, and it was so exciting to see our students spend some quality time with Bishop Ken and our own dear Fr Antony.

We commenced the day with Mass to celebrate the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Students from Prep through to Year 6 helped Bishop Ken and Fr Antony celebrate this Mass. The most special part of the Mass was when we presented Bishop Ken and Fr Antony with a beautiful St. Patrick’s School.  Mrs Lisa Sting (mum of Amber and Carter) made the stoles, and they were a wonderful surprise!

Following Morning Tea with school staff, Bishop Ken, Fr Antony and Mr Wren led three teams in the inaugural “Beat the Bishop” Quiz Show! Mr Wren’s team won the day, but the whole school was entertained by Lexi Farmer’s MC performance and some fabulous jokes from the audience.

Finally, Bishop Ken visited all the classes with Fr Antony. Bishop Ken shared some of his experiences as a Bishop, while students were able to ask some thought-provoking questions. Bishop Ken loved being part of our community and is looking forward to coming back to St Pat’s!

On Sunday 9^th June, many of our older students were confirmed by Bishop Ken at St Patrick’s Church. The sacrament of Confirmation is a special one – one of my favourites! – as it is often the first time that a young person is part of the discernment and preparation process of the sacraments. This was a beautiful service, and it was so heartening to see our glorious St Patrick’s Church filled to the brim! Mrs Eley and her team did a wonderful job preparing their students and families.

Learning Support

Report Cards

Report cards have been published this afternoon. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns – your first port of call is always your child’s teacher.  While the report cards give us an indication of how our children are travelling in their learning, they also indicate other areas of importance – personal growth and social learnings.  School is a complex place for our little people – and sometimes it can cause big feelings.  At St Patrick’s we hope that we are providing opportunities for children to flourish in all areas of their life.  We are so proud of our learners.  Thank you for your support and encouragement as we journey with you in this space.

Audiology Report

Audiology reports will be sent home to families this week – please check your child’s bag! There will be the option to have a retest completed later in the year, and this will be at parents’ cost. We will release further information as we get closer to the time.

If you have any questions, please reach out and let us know!

Have a wonderful holiday!
Mrs Anna Chandler
(Assistant Principal Religious Education & Learning Support)

MASS TIMES

St George-Dirranbandi Parish

Priest Administrator: Fr Antony Samy 0409 278 968 Email: balonneparish@bigpond.com

MLCC News

There has been a lot of emphasis on the systematic learning of phonics in the lower school. In Year 3-6 at St Patrick’s teachers have been trialing a strategy called “Paired Fluency” during reading time. This involves pairs of students reading a text together. Students take turns to read the text, with their partner providing support and feedback. 

The benefits of paired fluency include: 

• Research has shown that repeated reading within the classroom improves rate, accuracy and expression.
• Feedback is available and instant if the student has difficulty.
• Partner reading is interactive which fosters engagement and motivation.
• Texts can be differentiated to suit the needs of the students.
• Texts can be chosen from any KLA to fit in with the curriculum.

What can parents do to help older children? 

• Partner read with your child – choose a text that you both enjoy and read together.
• Encourage your child to read different types of texts as this builds background knowledge which is vital for comprehending a text.

The key takeaway?   
Regular reading with a partner can help improve fluency and therefore comprehension. 

Annette Colley 
Middle Leader/Curriculum Coordinator 

CLASS News

Health & Drama

Salaam alykum!

Hello from Morocco! I have had the pleasure of taking Mrs. Webster’s classes this week for her. She has been exploring Cultural identity, so I took this opportunity to share my experiences of my trip to Morocco in 2023.

Through discussions, photos and dressing up as Moroccans, the children were very interested in learning about how and why the Moroccan people dress the way they do and the other influences that being Muslim shape their lives, one of them being going to the Mosque to pray 5 times a day.

We looked at the types of food and learnt that couscous is the National dish of Morocco. We looked at pictures of yummy biscuits and pastries originating from the French influence. We looked at photos of the amazing Tea ritual which is a way that the Moroccans welcome and respect their visitors.

The children were amused about hearing my experiences of the Sahara Desert and riding a camel with a group pf other ladies and cameleers. There were a few giggles!!!!!

On Thursday we explored the similarities and differences of ways of life in Australia and Morocco. We all decided that there are many similarities, but it was also interesting to identify the differences too.

Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday.

Regards,
Sharyn Davidson  
(Relief Teacher)

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Peeking into PrepM

Students of the Week

Week 8– Carter Sting, Jack Willoughby, Duke Wuersching.
Week 9– Astrid Bradley, Alfie Johannessen, Spencer Johnstone.
Week 10– Freddie Donges.

Firstly, I want to congratulate the Prep students on their participation and behaviour at the athletics carnival. We discuss what it will look and feel like in the classroom, but nothing can prepare them for the real thing. Well done Preppies and congratulations gold team. 

Woo, can you believe it is the end of term and halfway through the year? Just a few notes regarding our last week of term. 

We had lots of fun participating in NAIDOC Week celebrations. Students especially enjoyed a visit from Stacy Trindall, a Manandanji woman where they learnt about the Dreamtime and how the Dreaming is central to First Nations culture and spirituality. We had lots of fun painting a canvas as well. 

Please take the time to check the term 3 calendar as there are a few ‘pupil free’ days next term to be aware of.   

I want to thank you all for your support this term with your child’s learning and towards Courtney and I as educators. I hope you all have a wonderful two-week break with time to rest and reset ready for another busy term. 

Kind regards,  
Nichole & Courtney

Year 1H

Students of the Week

Week 9– Vinnie Cowan, Sarah Duffin, Rikku McNamara.
Week 10– Loghan Avery, Aya Kennedy.

It has been wonderful to spend the final 2 weeks of Term 2 with Year 1 whilst Mrs Harch is on leave.  The students have been busily finishing learning activities in Science and Religion along with completing their regular Maths and English lessons.

It was great to see so many students enthusiastically participating in Ball Games and Athletics last week. This week, we have enjoyed Art and Indigenous Games in preparation for NAIDOC Week. We have had some very busy days, and many children are tired and ready for a much-needed break.

Thank you to all the Year 1 students and families for making me welcome, I hope that everyone has a fantastic holiday.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Mrs Eleanor Blanch
Relief Teacher
(Relief Teacher)

Year 1/2D

Students of the Week

Week 8– Sonny Cross, Frankie Luck.
Week 9– Barkly Hardie.
Week 10– Hallie Cross, Hayley Southern.

Dear Year 1/2 families, 
We have made it to Week 10! 

Learning for this fortnight: 

Maths – Year 1s have continued to work on addition and subtraction and it has been great to witness each of them adopt their own strategies to problem solve. Year 2s have continued their learning of time. A common misconception that is popping up amongst students, is getting mixed up between the minute and hour hand. With repeated hands-on practice each day, I am sure we will see lots of time experts in the coming months! 

English – Our sound focus for last week was the long /e/ sound that is written as “ea” and “ee” and this week we have focused on the long /i/ sound that is written as “ie” and “igh”. I strongly encourage students to continue reading over the holidays to hopefully retain what they have worked very hard to learn this term. I have been so impressed to see how students are using their new knowledge of sounds in their writing. It has been great to witness this all come together in both their reading and writing. All students have applied themselves amazingly and persisted when it has gotten a little tricky. 

Religion – We have been exploring the Eucharist and the Last Supper. It was great for students to connect their learning to communion at our recent Mass with Bishop Ken.  

HASS – On Wednesday we celebrated our learning of the past. Students were excited to see lots of things from the past and were asking lots of questions about these items. We even had a special guest visit from the olden days – my Mum! 

Important: 

If you are not receiving communication via Sentral Parent Portal, please pop in to see Cheri at the office, as this is now the primary platform for communication from the school and myself. 

Upcoming Dates: 

First day of Term 3 – Tuesday 9th of July. 
Pupil free day –Wednesday 24th of July.

I wish all students a well-deserved break and look forward to seeing them all again in Term 3, the second half of the year! Where is the time going? Thank you, families, for your ongoing support and cooperation. It is very much appreciated.  

Kind Regards,
Miss Beth Daly

Year 2G

Students of the Week

Week 9– Annie Stewart, Xander Behrend.
Week 10– Cooper Passman.

Hello, 2G parents.
Welcome to the last week of Term 2! What a great term we have had!

Here is the fantastic learning we did this term:

Math: We were “Math Detectives”, looking at a variety of number problems and analysing, identifying, and answering a variety of addition and subtraction facts from 20 and above. We also represented, identified, and created several repeating and growing patterns. We have been busy learning a variety of math skills and showcasing these skills using manipulatives to help develop our knowledge and become confident math students.

English: We analysed and wrote our own news reports. We made sure our news report used topic-specific vocabulary to match the context of our report and followed the sequence of a news report with the correct language and flow. We showed great enjoyment and excitement towards this focus for the term.

HASS: We looked at Technology Over Time. We analysed photographs, listened to interviews about technology in the past, and looked at toys and objects. From our analysis, we then compared objects from the past to the present, which helped us gain knowledge about the benefits of all these technological changes.  

Science: We looked at the topic of physical sciences, “Push and Pull.” Students experimented with cardboard pieces and recycled items to create push and pull movements, which helped create their own car ramp. We looked at different environments, objects, and spaces to help the car move down the ramp and looked at which forces were in use. We also reflected, hypothesised and re-created a variety of scenarios that used push and pull forces to accomplish challenges that required these forces successfully. We have had a lot of fun working together and being hands-on scientists to create, reflect and identify forces at play.

Religion: We have been reflecting on and reading stories from the New Testament about “Who Jesus is,” the qualities and actions he depicts. We have been writing, watching, drawing, and reflecting on stories of Jesus being a healer, teacher, and friend. We also reflected on the why and why Jesus depicted these actions and, therefore, what it means to us today as we live a Godly life that reflects the qualities of Jesus. The reflections that students engaged in, encouraged them to reflect on these qualities and how to engage in a life that honours Jesus.

Digital Technologies: We explored digital technologies by collecting, exploring, and sorting data; we have continued looking at this concept by sorting 2G class data, looking at our interests and categorising this into a graph. The topic of choice includes pizza toppings, favourite pet and graphing this information using a pictograph. We had a lot of fun, which helped us learn more about each other – especially that Miss Gaggi does not like pineapple on pizza!

Have a restful break filled with time spent with family and friends. Be safe, and I will see you in Term 3, ready for another busy, exciting term filled with learning!

Kind regards
Miss Merryn Gaggi

Year 3C/H

Students of the Week

Week 9– Dani Fuller, Riley Bradley.

Welcome to Term 2 Week 10! 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support and guidance in your child’s academic journey. Thank you also for your understanding this week as I support Mrs Chandler during Mr Wren’s absence.

Next term, as you know, I am away on long service leave in Week 1 and 2. Miss Natalie Davis will take Year 3 for this time, with Mrs Harrison continuing her Wednesday work. 

I wish everyone a restful and relaxing holiday. Stay warm, stay safe and stay well. I look forward to seeing everyone in Week 3 next term. 

Kind regards
Mrs Annette Colley

Students of the Week

Week 9– Max Muller.
Week 10– Oscar Acton, Lincoln Alderman, Tori Lamb, Ellie McCosker.

Wow- it’s hard to believe we are already at the end of Term 2. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Year 3 class on their commitment to their studies this term.

Learning updates

Mathematics

We have finished our unit on time where we explored telling time to the minute, as well as calculating elapsed time of given events. These are important skills that will be used daily and that will continue to be built upon. It was very pleasing to witness the progress the students made with these concepts.

Science

Throughout our unit this term, the students were extremely capable at posing ‘I wonder’ questions that related to our Biological Sciences topic. The students have indicated that one of their favourite parts of this unit was collecting and examining leaf litter from around the school- it was surprising to see which animal groups we were able to identify in our school. We culminated our learning with an entertaining activity where we created our own animal adaptations- we had some very interesting creations.  

Visual Arts

The students have all completed the art pieces they individually planned, as well as an evaluation to identify the techniques, processes and mediums they selected and used. We then had a fun hands-on session creating beach scenes out of a range of materials. This was an enjoyable way to encourage the students to access their creativity.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable break. See you all in Term 3.

Kind regards,
Mrs Angie Harrison

Year 4R

Students of the Week

Week 9– Abbey Duffin, Kayden Passman.
Week 10– Cohen Curtis.

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

As the term draws to a close, I would like to start by thanking our dedicated Year 4 students - your hard work throughout this term has been remarkable! I would also like to extend my gratitude to all parents and caregivers of Year 4 students. Your support throughout this semester has been invaluable, and I'm excited to continue our joint effort in the coming semester.

The last two weeks of school for Year 4 were filled with a variety of events, kicking off with the High Jump on Monday. For some students, it was their first time competing, and I was thrilled to see them rise to the challenge magnificently. 

This week's athletics carnival on Thursday was another triumph for our Year 4 students. The impressive performances in both the 200m and 800m events showcased the benefits of our regular morning fitness sessions. Additionally, the competitive ball games that took place during the middle session, was filled with the students cheering for their respective teams. 

On Friday, we had a chilly start to the annual athletics carnival, which turned out to be another delightful day. Special thanks to Mrs Eley, parents, volunteers, and all other staff for making the day so successful. Congratulations to the Green House for their victory in the march past, and well done to the Gold house for winning the overall carnival. 

Week 10 was dedicated to NAIDOC week celebrations. St Patrick’s was fortunate to have a special guest, Stacey Trindall, who conducted an incredible Dreamtime artwork session. The students thoroughly enjoyed creating their pieces. 

Looking ahead to next term, our NAIDOC Week celebrations will continue with Indigenous Games slated for Thursday and a church service on Friday at 9:30 am. We invite all family and friends to join us for Mass in Week One. 

We capped off this semester with an Escape Room Team Building Activity. The students had a wonderful time solving puzzles together, relaxing with a movie, and enjoying an array of snacks while lounging on comfortable pillows and bean bags. 

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday break and enjoy your time with friends and family. I'm eagerly anticipating our reunion as we embark on Term Three. 

Kind Regards,  
Miss Alice Rathie

Year 5W

Students of the Week

Week 9– Hannah Acton, Brooke Hams, Audrey Donges.
Week 10– Karlie Alderman.

In Year 5, having spent some weeks learning about Mary MacKillop, Marcellin Champagnat and Caroline Chisholm, it was time for students to consider what wisdom these saints had left for us, and how we could apply this wisdom to our own lives. To do this, the students participated in a master class to learn about the parts of an essay. Then, they had a go at writing their own.

In Mathematics, we finished our unit on time and grid co-ordinates. Students were given pages from a street directory and had to find locations and provide grid co-ordinates. They should be ready to help navigate during your next holiday 😊!

Learning about some of the methods used in advertising, and considering the practical things we can do as consumers to ensure that we know what we’re really getting has been our focus in HASS. I wonder what fads were around when you were a kid? By now, the students will also be able to tell you the difference between a need and a want.

Then, on Wednesday we had fun experiencing art with our visiting Indigenous guest, Stacey, who encouraged the kids to let their painting reflect their own journey. This was followed up by a trip to the High School, where students participated in soccer, dodge ball and got to experience a workout in the gym.

All the best for the rest of the year, parents and students! It’s been a pleasure to be with you these past four weeks.

Kind regards
Ms Natalie Davis
(Relief Teacher) 

Year 6M

Students of the Week

Week 9– Isabella Ballin, Jacob Kings.
Week 10– Willow Marcos, Georgie Nott.

Welcome to week 10 newsletter! The last one before holidays. Below are some of the learning the students have been involved in.  

Maths  

In Maths, students have been learning and practising the skill of adding and subtracting fractions with related and different denominators. They have been converting mixed and improper fractions and finding equivalent fractions. We will be continuing this into next term. 

English  

In English, students have been starting to investigate using description in their writing and why authors use literary devices and language features when writing. 

HASS  

In HASS, students worked in groups to propose a business idea for the St George community. They had to consider the needs and wants of the community and the goods and services that we already had. Students then had to present their ideas to the class in a poster or PPT presentation.

Religion  

In Religion, students have been analysing Old Testament prophets and identifying their key messages at the time.  

Other news:  

Last week the year 6 students participated in their LAST ever primary school athletics carnival. They all had a lot of fun, and everyone gave it their best! It was so great to see so many students participating in the 800m! On Wednesday, the students were fortunate enough to be involved in some painting led by the talented Stacey Trindall. We also walked up to the high school to be involved in some fun sports and games. The students were all well behaved and loved the experience.  

Have a good weekend!  
Mrs Claire McDonnell 

COMMUNITY NEWS

Cool Kids First Aid Training

Shire School Holiday Activities