9 September 2021

Newsletter Articles

Newsletter: Term 3, Week 9 2021

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Dear Parents, caregivers and friends,

Clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller tells us,

'Stressed adults cannot teach stressed children. It is a neuro-biological impossibility.'

What does this mean for parents who have assumed the oversight of learning from home whilst balancing many other priorities? Two things:

1. It is important that as you go about your day, you assist your children as best you can, prioritise the learning activities and tasks that are achievable, focus on connections with your child’s teacher and the St Patrick’s staff who are here to support you, and try to maintain the focus on wellbeing and feelings of safety; and
2. Timetable moments throughout the day to take care of your own mental and physical health.

The Beyond Blue website has lots of practical, user-friendly ideas which are just as important for parents as you navigate the challenges experienced. Get immediate help for depression and anxiety - Beyond Blue

Further, I add the following reflection which I believe gives a unique and powerful perspective on stress.

A Great Lesson on Stress

A young lady confidently walked around the room with a raised glass of water while leading a seminar and explaining stress management to her audience. Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'Half empty or half full?' She fooled them all. "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.

If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced.

So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night. Pick them up again tomorrow if you must.

1. Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!
2. Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
3. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
4. Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.
5. If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
6. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
7. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
8. Never buy a car you can't push.
9. Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
10. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
11. Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
12. The second mouse gets the cheese.
13. When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
14. Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
15. Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.
16. We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colours, but they all have to live in the same box.
17. A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
18. Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.
    AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
19. Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!

Live in the moment for our tomorrow’s are never promised.

GENEROUS DONATION ACKNOWLEDGED

In 2020, due to the lockdown and associated restrictions, our planned Grandparent’s Day/ Book Week celebrations were cancelled.

Unbelievably, we faced the same situation this year due to the pandemic.

I was delighted to receive a very generous donation of beautiful picture books and novels to the school library from Wayne and Lesley Holmes, grandparents of Isla (Yr 5), Mia (Yr 2) and Austin (K).

Their obvious disappointment in being unable to travel to the area from Sydney for this special day, was tempered by their kind gesture.

We are so very grateful for the donation of books which will be a great addition to the library collection and enjoyed by many children over time.

CALENDAR EVENTS

All events for Term 3 are on hold. Please await further communication regarding the status of scheduled events in Term 4.

CURRICULUM NEWS

TELL THEM FROM ME SURVEY DATES MOVED

Survey now opens Week 1, Term 4: Tuesday 5 October

Following liaison with primary and secondary principals and in light of our current lockdown, the Diocese has advised that the TTFM® survey window will now open in Week 1 of Term 4 on Tuesday 5 October and will close on 29 October 2021.

Last year you may recall, parents, staff and students (Years 4–6 only) participated in an online – Tell Them From Me (TTFM®.) survey.

Schools in Australia and around the world have used the Tell Them From Me survey to help them improve.

The data we receive provides us with valuable feedback in relation to faith, learning, student engagement and wellbeing and will help to better inform our Diocesan system as well as our own school improvement agenda.

Commencing 5 October 2021, you will be given the opportunity to participate in this survey. The survey takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete.

As parents and carers of students in our school, we deeply value your feedback and encourage you to partner with us and complete this survey. The information we gather is critical to us and allows us to hear directly from you and gain insight into what you think is important about the work we do, how we communicate with you and where you think we need to improve.

The feedback you provide is used to action strategies for improvement.

We want all (children/young people) in our schools to thrive and we know that working together, listening and sharing ideas helps all students.

SCHOOL REVIEW

As part of the External Review process, feedback will be sort from parents, students and staff during two official review days scheduled for Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th of October during which an External Review panel will visit our school.

If you would like to be a part of a ‘Parent Focus Group’ please let me know via the school office so I can share additional information with you regarding the process involved and dates and times.

CLASSROOM NEWS

ORGANISATION & MANAGEMENT

Are you ready for the change to summer school uniform? Do you need to access new items?

Ken Lane Menswear is now selling all St Patrick's Lochinvar uniform items ONLINE at the link below:

On the Homepage you will find links to "Schoolwear" and "St Patrick's Primary" under the Main Menu.

Summer uniforms are now in stock. Click and collect during lockdown is available Mon-Fri between 9am-12pm or have your school clothing posted home.

OPAL CARDS

School Opal cards have a physical lifespan of five years. Between now and the end of 2021, School Opal cards which haven’t been renewed in the past five years are due to be replaced for 9 x students at ST PATRICK'S PRIMARY SCHOOL (LOCHINVAR).

Impacted students or their parent/carer will be contacted by Transport for NSW via email or post. You will be asked to confirm your contact details via a secure  online form  to ensure the replacement School Opal card is sent to the correct address.

This is a routine replacement. If contacted, you will need to confirm your details as it has been five years since your initial application. Transport for NSW will post cards out as soon as possible.

If students or parents/carers have any further questions they can make contact via  transportnsw.info/feedback, then select "Fares, concessions & tickets" and then the "Question" button.

SCHOOL PHOTOS

Please be advised that the delivery of photo orders has been delayed due to the lockdown. We will provide updates as they become available.

STAFFING 2022

The process of staffing for 2022 has begun, a process which is usually quite complex in a school of our size. We have a number of positions in which staff members are currently filling temporary positions. Many of these temporary appointments directly link to coverage of teaching staff who hold full-time permanency and are on Parental Leave. It is hoped that in these cases, the temporary positions will be ‘rolled over’ to ensure consistency of staffing.

More information will be provided late next term.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING- PUPIL FREE DAY

At St Patrick’s there is an ongoing commitment to the professional development of staff. Throughout the ‘REGULAR’ school year, staff engage in professional learning aimed to further develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in providing quality learning experiences to support the needs of students in their class and the school.

As a systemic catholic school, the Catholic Schools Office also provides professional learning, requiring school representatives to be in attendance. The systems strategic plan informs professional learning delivered and includes matters of compliance and policy implementation.

All teachers must to be accredited with the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA). Accreditation requires ongoing maintenance in which a teacher demonstrates how their practice continues to meet the Australian professional Standards for Teachers. The maintenance period for teachers working full time is 5 years and includes 100 hours of professional learning to support their practice and ongoing professional growth.

Therefore, teachers across the school usually attend professional learning opportunities as a requirement of their employment. This year, the delivery of large-scale professional learning hosted by the CSO, like most other aspects of school life, has been impacted by the COVID pandemic and associated restrictions.

In 2021, our school improvement focus is on the development of writing competency, achieved through increasing teacher capacity. As you are aware we postponed our Professional Learning Day (Pupil free Day) due to the lockdown.

It remains to be seen whether this day can be rescheduled later next term.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

PERPETUAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

The commemoration of the Perpetual Day of Remembrance in our Diocese on Wednesday 15 September aligns with National Child Protection Week which occurs across Australia from 5–11 September.

On Wednesday 15 September we have been asked by Bishop Bill to appropriately acknowledge the Perpetual Day of Remembrance in our school communities and the Catholic Schools Office with prayer.

Our Perpetual Day of Remembrance reminds us, as leaders within the diocesan community, that we have a responsibility to help create a church that is welcoming and safe for all. It is up to all who are dedicated to Catholic Education and services to ‘shine the light of Christ’ on anything that might chip away at the wellbeing of others.

Ode to the Light of Christ

Come, let us walk in the Light of the Lord.
Let us not fear the past when our hearts were heavy.
Let us Shine the Light of Christ. (Is. 2:5)
Come, let us bring light from the darkness.
Let us make evil good and find sweet in the bitter.
Let us Shine the Light of Christ. (Is. 5:20)
Come, let us weep together when the light grew dark with the clouds, from the darkness and distress.
Let us Shine the Light of Christ. (Is. 5:30)
Come, let us walk with our brothers and sisters, those who have walked in darkness.
Let them see the great Light of God and let us Shine the Light of Christ. (Is. 9:2)

Composed by Fiona Duque © 2019 Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. All rights reserved.

SHINE THE LIGHT VIDEO

The 2021 theme for National Child Protection Week is all about the importance of the ‘bigger picture’ in addressing child abuse and neglect. Children can thrive and be healthy when they have what they need to develop well.

The COVID-19 pandemic means there is added pressure on families and communities so more than ever, we all need to play our part in protecting children.

It is important that we listen to, and value, what children have to say. Where possible, include their voices in decision making and be advocates for their best interest.

The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has an abiding commitment to promote the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children. The Office of Safeguarding (OoSG) is the structural expression of the Diocese’s commitment to demonstrate the highest standards of recognising and upholding the dignity and rights of all children.

Similarly, all staff are mandated to report child protection concerns. This means they are lawfully required to report to the Community Services Helpline if they have reasonable grounds to suspect a child is at risk of significant harm from abuse or neglect and those grounds are identified in the course of, or from the person’s work. Also, the Reporting Concerns for Children package of policies and procedures obliges all school personnel to report any child protection concerns to their supervisor or Principal to be assessed as possible risk of significant harm reports to the Helpline.

As parents of children attending a Diocesan school you are encouraged to discuss any child protection concerns you have with your school’s principal, assistant principal, or the Parent Liaison Officer. If you believe your concerns are not being addressed appropriately, you have the right to contact the Office of Safeguarding directly (Ph. 4979 1390 during office hours).

As parents you also have the right to report your concerns to the Community Services Helpline or NSW Police at any time you believe it appropriate.

THE RAISING PEACE FESTIVAL

The Raising Peace Festival, being held online from 16 - 26 September 2021 is part of the world-wide observance of the International Day of Peace on September 21. Each year on this day, the United Nations calls for 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

The impulse for peace within the Australian community has a long history and remains strong. But global peace feels increasingly threatened by climate change, the pandemic, militarisation, marginalisation and escalating local conflicts. Rather than standing for peace, some of our leaders seem to be eager to beat the drums of war. Raising peace is a way to raise the profile of peace and to revive it as a topic of conversation, at a time when this is becoming an increasingly urgent need.

30+ organisations have come together to present some 30 events exploring the significance of peace to First Nations people, women, youth, refugees and the environment. It will look at the different ways we define and understand peace, from the absence of war to peacekeeping, peacebuilding and peacemaking. It will equip participants with inspiration and ideas to make their own contribution to peace.

Join us as we celebrate and express the necessity for peace through panel discussions, webinars, forums, workshops, films and more. Join us in moving towards a world that is less war-ravaged, more equal, just, inclusive, sustainable, humane and healthy. raisingpeace.org.au

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE KINDNESS PROJECT