Week 8, Term 4 2017

Advent
This Sunday, we come to the beginning of Advent and the Church’s new liturgical year. In Advent we remember Jesus Christ, who has been born into human life, and look to the future when God’s Kingdom will come. We look forward to celebrating the coming of Christ at Christmas, while we know that Christ has already been born. We can live in this paradox, because we know that Christ continues to be born in us. Each time we let go of those parts of ourselves that are not life-giving or loving, and choose the God of life and love, Christ is born again in us and we are born again in Christ.

It is always hard to hold to the invitation and challenge of Advent in all the busyness of the end of the school year and the preparations for Christmas and the holidays. But somewhere in the midst of the busyness we are called to find space to make the choice anew for love and life and open our hearts to the God who waits to be born there.

(Taken from Catholic Education Melbourne Director's e-News, November 2017)

Catholic Education Today
The Term 4 edition of Catholic Education Today will arrive in schools in the next few weeks.

This edition features an article on Advent, an explanation of the Year of Youth, a discussion on opportunities for learning in the use of digital technologies, a reflection on the role of parents as mapmakers, and the usual features of Educators in Profile and Around the Archdiocese.

School fees and funding for 2018.

Please take the time to read the important letter from Father Paul on Flexibuzz regarding school fees for 2018. You can read more information in the Parish Education Board letter below.

Youth Leadership Programme
Congratulations to all of our Year 5's who graduated from the Public Speaking Programme this week. All of the children were outstanding. Special thanks to Sandra De Geest who ran the 5 week programme. The speech skills are skills for life.

POPE Meeting Cultural Consultation
You can read the minutes from the meeting at this link.


Get off the screen and into the green

Two of our young Year 4 leaders have a special message for us all.

Our names are Ivy and Mackenzie and we’re in Grade Four.
We are doing a project about Healthy Habits that we’d like to share with you.

We love being outdoors in nature and we’d like to encourage you to get amongst it too.
Three years ago an important study found that most Australians spend almost 24 hours a week online, plugged in, looking at a screen.
That’s one whole day a week. Then last year a report found we spend about 10 hours a day plugged in.
We think that’s crazy, 10 hours each day you're not moving, talking and enjoying a healthy lifestyle.

Being outdoors can be active or relaxing. It is also good for our bodies and minds.
It helps us to concentrate, learn, solve problems and be creative.
The air is fresh and the plants and bugs are so interesting.
The garden has many different smells and the sounds of nature are always changing.
We love bike riding, trampolining, gardening, exploring, climbing trees and just hanging out

It’s time to GET OFF THE SCREEN and INTO THE GREEN.
Check out our video HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy8lVp9hU0w&feature=youtu.be

Spread the word!
From Mackenzie and Ivy

A letter from Parish Education Board

Dear School Community,

As the year draws to close on another successful year at St Patrick's Primary School, the Parish Education Board, has recently discussed the school finances, which also includes the review and setting of school fees for 2018.

As you may be aware the Federal Government announced in its 2017 budget, that the government intended to change the funding of schools, which also includes the Catholic Education system.  There has been media reports about how this may impact Catholic Schools, however, no definitive funding changes have advised to the Catholic Education Office or St Patrick's at this time.

So what does this mean for the fees at St Patrick's?

The board has been following a strategy over the past few years to provide a steady and measured approach to fee changes, to ensure that the quality education provided at St Patrick's Primary is affordable for our families.  The Board, after lengthy discussion, has passed a resolution to increase the fees by $200 per family.

We understand that any change in fees has an impact on the family budget, therefore we have tried to keep the increase to a minimum.

Over the past few years the school has operated a refundable “working bee levy” of $150 per family, Following a recommendation by the school accountant, and to reduce the significant administration required, the Board has approved the change of the “working bee levy”, to the “Building Maintenance levy”.  The fee will be reduced to $75 per family and will be non-refundable. 

Master Plan

We are excited to announce the appointment of K2LD architects to begin work on the St Patrick's Parish School Master Plan.  We look forward to several workshops run by K2LD with Teachers, Students, Parents and Parish to gather ideas, concerns and successes about the buildings, grounds and their operations, to form these into a Master Plan that suits our school and community now and into the future.  Exciting times!

This involves:

1.       Developing a snapshot of the school building and grounds;

2.       Advising the school on what is required to maintain the standard of the current buildings;

3.       Developing a staged plan for what the school might do in the future, to further improve the learning environment;

4.       Enabling funding and grants to be accessed at the appropriate times.

The Board wishes you and your families a safe and wonderful Christmas.  To those families and the grade 6’s who are leaving us this year we wish you well in years ahead.

Regards

Travis Westcott

Chairman,  On behalf of the Parish Education Board.

CyberSafety

Here is a link to a new police site that has resources for helping to keep children safe online www.thinkuknow.org.au

ST PATRICK'S COMMUNITY NOTICES

The 2018 St Pats Dads Golf Day has been booked.

Next year our talent will be on display at the Flinders Golf Club in Flinders. Great course, lunch spot ideal and guaranteed cold beer. What could go wrong!!

The day will consist of a similar agenda to this year that included 4 ball Ambrose, lunch, bus to the course and back, prizes and drinks. 2 full size buses have been booked to accommodate 80 spots that have been booked. First in will secure the positions.

Date: Friday 23^rd March 2018

Course: Flinders Golf Course

Cost: $160

If you would like to be part of the fun please send an email to Andrew Pickering apickering@ebosgroup.com.au to book your spot.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

Mon 4th December       5/6 Sailing program

Wed 6th December       Buddy afternoon 2:30 pm (Year 5s and new preps)

Fri 8th December          5/6 Beach program

Wed 13th December     Carols Night 6-7 pm

Thu 14th December     Music Melodies Concert 9-11 am

Wed 18th December     Year 6 Graduation

Wed 20th December     Last day for 2017.  End of the Year Mass @ 9 am, Assembly @ 12 pm

Children dismissed @1pm