Community Update #4.12

Advent Week 2

We can't wait to see you at the concert on Wednesday and celebrate our community coming together for the first time in almost 2 years. The children and staff are very excited. 

“Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds”

On Wednesday, December 8th, we will be presenting our School Concert.

The Concert will be held outside in the playground at St Patrick’s school. We have hired a very large stage and sound equipment for this community event.

A small number of chairs will be available but we request that you bring your own chairs, and sun hats too (we are hoping and praying for fine weather).

There will be two performances:- a matinee at 12.30pm and a night time performance beginning at 6.30pm. You are welcome to collect your child/ren and take them home after the matinee to rest up for the night time show if you wish (email your child’s class teacher beforehand to advise them if you choose to take them after the matinee). The matinee should finish at about 2.30pm. Students staying at school will be dismissed at the usual time of 3.25pm.

For the evening performance, a bell will ring for all students to meet in their classrooms through the front yard at 6.10pm to get ready for the night time show.

To help cover the cost of the equipment hire and monitor numbers for Covid safety precautions, tickets must be purchased for $15 per family ( this includes extended family members). It is presumed that family members will go to one show only. Please make payments through CDF Pay. Ticket sales are open now and will be available until Monday 6th December at 10pm.

Younger siblings will need to stay with their parents during each performance. For safety purposes, the Adventure Playground will be out of bounds during the performances.

The Parents and Friends Committee will be providing a Sausage Sizzle from 5.30pm, before the night performance - you can order sausages through CDF pay at $1 each. Again the sausage sales will close Monday 6th December at 10pm. Sausages will be available from 5:30pm in the front yard.

Next to the Sausage Sizzle will be a large tub for collection of Parish Christmas Hamper donations. Our school families can support the Parish by donating cans of food, and other non-perishable goods as per the details in the note from Kellie Heathcote. These Christmas Hampers will be distributed to the Housebound and Sick in St Patrick's and St Kevin's Parishes (Murrumbeena & Ormond). Donations will also be accepted at the school front office before the concert too.

The students are very excited to have the opportunity to perform their dances for you, and are practising hard! We look forward to welcoming you to our School Concert.

Special note: Adults and siblings that don't attend St Pat's will not be able to enter the school building for the concert. However, if needed, access to the single bathroom in the Prep corridor will be available during the concert performances. You will need to check in with the Covid Marshall based at the external doors in the back yard and wear a mask indoors. 

Staff Update

I'm pleased to announce that we have appointed another talented new member of staff for Year 5 for 2022. We welcome Ms. Georgia Valcanas. Georgia is currently teaching at St Joseph's in Hawthorn. She gained her Master of Teaching after a career in the legal profession and has been teaching in the Catholic sector across a number of year levels for 10 years. Georgia will spend time at St Pat's on Monday 13 December and meet 5V, her new class for 2022.

Covid Update

Many children are having covid tests due to being close contacts of siblings or adults outside our school community. Please continue to keep us informed of any tests and always send the test results through to principal@spmurrumbeena.catholic.edu.au  for administrative purposes. 

Thank you to all staff, children and families for your vigilance by ensuring that if anybody is unwell that they rest at home. Our year level bubbles are enabling all of our children to stay as safe as possible as we head towards the final weeks of the school year.

Mini Sports Day

Next Tuesday 7th December we will be having a mini version of St Pats Sports Day at Duncan McKinnon athletics track. It will be track events only (sprints and team relays) with a staggered timetable. All students will come to school and walk over with class teachers at their designated time slot.

Students can come to school in their house colours and parents/spectators are welcome to attend and cheer on from the grandstand.

Special thanks to Ms Trott for organising this event at such short notice despite the challenges of the pandemic.

School Advisory Council

This year the Parish Education Board transitioned to the School Advisory Council (SAC). There are new guidelines around the purpose and meaning of the SAC. You can read the terms of reference at this link.

Fr Siby and I are open to expressions of interest from any parents wishing to join the council. As part of the staggered transition (page 4) we have one parent vacancy for 2022. Page 3 & 4 of the Terms of Reference explain the full appointment and induction process. Please email myself, Jenny Hawkins principal@spmurrumbeena.catholic.edu.au and/or Fr Siby frsibyjohn@gmail.com if you are interested in joining the SAC. 

We meet 6 times a year at 7pm. Dates for 2022 will be confirmed at the final meeting of the year next week. You are also welcome to contact our Chairperson Victoria Jones- Nguyen for any further information victoria.jones-nguyen@hotmail.com

School Fees 2022

Thanks to all of our families who have already paid the school fees for 2021.
Here is a link to a letter with regards to the fees for 2022

Smiling Hearts Stall December 7 at 3:25pm

Earlier this year you will remember that Loretta Lilford, the founder of Smiling Hearts in Uganda, inspired St Patrick’s students when she came to share her amazing story. We had planned to have a market stall to sell crafts to the community after Loretta’s visit but unfortunately lockdown made this impossible.
After the wonderful fun of Mini Market on Friday, the Year 6 children will be hosting a market stall for parents and friends in support of the “Smiling Hearts”. Students will be assisting to sell  the Ugandan crafts made by the young people of the Smiling Hearts Centre, as well as items made by supporters of Smiling Hearts.
Sandringham felting artist, Lis Bissett, has created a range of beautiful gift cards depicting life in Uganda. There will be something for everyone and certainly some ideas for Christmas gifts.
Funds raised for Smiling Hearts, will go towards continuing and expanding the Smiling Hearts program in Uganda which supports students with disabilities.
The market stall will operate in the school grounds  at pick up time on Friday Dec 3 and again on Tuesday Dec 7.

Only cash sales will be possible on both days.

Thanking you all for your support.

St Pat's growing leaders at Star of the Sea

Here is a lovely message that one of our parents shared with me. 

We love hearing about the successes of our ex St Pat's graduates. Congratulations to all of the girls

I just wanted to share that today I attended the Star of the Sea girls secondary school leaders investiture assembly. At the assembly I reflected on the fact that many the girls presented as leaders were St Patrick’s graduates.

To put it in context I think 40 students were presented as 2022 leaders from years 10 and 11 and 8 of them were ex St Pats students. From memory I think that is 7 out of 22 St Patrick’s graduates who commenced at “Star” 5 years ago (plus another graduate from 4 years ago).

It is a credit to the St Patrick’s school culture and education as well as to the individuals themselves and their families that they have achieved these leadership roles. There was a group of proud parents there today, including myself, to celebrate this achievement for the following; Phoebe Lea, Violet McAlister, Holly Saunders, Allysa Gallo, Sophie Hillemacher, Tahlia Stewart, Michaela Brooks (all year 11s) and Isabella Turley (year 10)!.

Frequently Asked Questions

Special thanks to Sandra Iorlano-ly, parent of Olivia in Prep A, who in initiated a FAQ booklet for new families at St Pat's. Sandra and the rest of the P&F coordinated the questions and answers ready to be reviewed by the school. Here is the link on the learning community site.

Parents & Friends Notices

School Concert BBQ - Wednesday 8th December - Assistance needed

The P&F is looking for 4 parent helpers to assist with the BBQ before the school concert. Sausages need to be cooked by 5.30pm and the BBQ will close at about 6.10pm before the concert starts at 6.30. If you have an hour to spare from 5.00pm on Wednesday afternoon, we'd be grateful for some help. BYO apron and a set of tongs if you can. Please email pandf@spmurrumbeena.catholic.edu.au if you can assist.

Claim your lost property items &  Pre-Owned Uniforms for 2022

Items of uniform that are not labelled and that remain unclaimed at the end of the school year are donated to the Pre-Owned Uniform Shop. Lost property is kept just inside the glass doors near the school hall in a large plastic trunk. Parents are reminded to have a look here if you are unable to find a jumper etc.

The Pre-Owned uniform shop won't be open over the school holidays, however you can email enquiries to the coordinators: stpatssecondhanduniforms@gmail.com and collect your items once school returns.

At this time of year, we are always grateful to receive pre-owned items in good condition - particularly summer uniform and sports wear, so they can be available to new families. Donations can be dropped at the school office.

P&F Class Reps for 2022

Thankyou to the wonderful parents who have volunteered to be P&F class reps in 2022. Now that classes have been confirmed for Grades 1-6 we'd be grateful for more volunteers. Ideally, there would be one representative per class. Current volunteers for 2022:

• Prep: Alanna Bailey
• Gr 1: Kirsty Gemetzis, Kylie Thompson, Jane Naughtin & Anna McKenzie
• Gr 2:
• Gr 3:
• Gr 4:
• Gr 5:
• Gr 6L: Sue Williams
• Dads Coordinator role?
  

Please email the P&F team if you are able to assist as a class rep or Dad coordinator in 2022: pandf@spmurrumbeena.catholic.edu.au

Team Kids

Staffing Update from Team Kids Management 

Andrew has finished up in his permanent Director of Service role with TeamKids, to pursue a career in Personal Training. While we never like to disrupt the leadership of the service, we are pleased that Andrew has found a role in a field he is passionate about, and thank him for all his amazing work with TeamKids over the last few years, and wish him all the best. 
Pleasingly we have found a great replacement for Andrew in the Director of Service role at the program and have appointed Maree Kraloglou to the role. Maree has been working with TeamKids for many years in Coordinator and Educator roles, and has worked at St Pat’s in the school holidays in the past. Maree is a Qualified Teacher and is very excited to get started in the Director of Service role at the school.
Maree started at the program last week to complete a thorough handover with Andrew, and will be supported by Nick Gooda (Regional Manager) and the rest of the Educators working regularly at the program this Term as well.  Andrew’s last day was yesterday Thursday the 2nd of December.

TeamKids have another amazing SUMMER Holiday program planned!
•  Learn new skills and make new friends
• Qualified and REMARKABLE Educators
• Digital detox with our no screens policy
• Delicious and nutritious morning and afternoon snack
• CCS approved care
Head to teamkids.com.au to secure your spot! Flyer Link for St Pat's in the holidays Murrumbeena Festival Our Preps and Year 3's have made Christmas Decorations with Mrs Maddocks that will hang on the lollipop trees in Murrumbeena. Make sure you visit the Murrumbeena Festival. IMPORTANT NOTE St Patrick's Calendar of Events - You can access all dates including 2022 dates on the calendar tab at the top of the Shamrock homepage at this link

Term 4 2021 

Concert Dress Rehearsal                                     Dec 6

Sports Mini Day                                                     Dec 7

School Concert                                                      Dec 8 12:30pm and 6:30pm

School Advisory Council                                      Dec 9  7pm 

        Last day for lunch orders                             Dec 13

Reports available on PAM                                    Dec 13  

Year 5 Buddies & Prep 2022                                 Dec 14 2:45 - 3:15                         

         Year 6 Graduation                                         Dec 14 6:30pm

End of term                                                   Dec 15 at 1pm

                                           

 Term 1 2022

        

        Monday 31st January                                    Day 1 for all children

Community Notices

Sacré Cœur

Newly Released Bursaries and Scholarships that may be of interest to your Year 5 and 6 families.

2022 Bursaries

New means tested bursaries have just become available for new students commencing in Year 7 – 12 in 2022:

·         Henri Curmi Bursary provides 50% tuition fee remission until the end of Year 12

·         Kathleen McCarthy – Janet Stuart Bursaries provide up to 75% fee remission until the end of Year 12; there are up to two bursaries available.

Applications close: Monday 6 December 2021.

2023 Scholarships

We have also opened applications for our 2023 Scholarships for places in Years 7 – 11:

·         Academic Scholarships for entry in Year 7

·         General Excellence Scholarships for entry in Years 7 - 11

·         Music Scholarships for entry into Years 7 - 10

·         Science, Maths and Creative Arts Scholarships for entry in Years 8 - 9

·         Access Science, Maths and Creative Arts Scholarships for entry in Year 9 for families who may otherwise not be able to access a Sacré Cœur education

Applications close: Friday 4 February 2022

Please contact Ms Julie Muldoon, Admissions Manager on 9835 2713 or admissions@sac.vic.edu.au