11 November 2021

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Dear Parents, caregivers and friends,

FAREWELL MRS QUIRK

Margaret Quirk has devoted over 40 years to teaching in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. In that time, she has positively influenced many young lives, modelling her vocation of teacher on the example of Jesus Christ. Margaret has worked tirelessly to foster a love of learning and has encouraged her students to think, reason and apply what they learn to make a better world.

We were blessed to have Margaret here at Lochinvar with us for 18 years. Margaret’s career is as follows:

• 1977 - 1982 Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Tarro
• 1989 - 1991 St Brigid’s Primary School Raymond Terrace
• 1992 - 1994 St Vincent’s Infants School East Maitland
• 1995 - 2002 St Brigid’s Primary School Raymond Terrace
• 2006 - 2013 Religious Education Coordinator, St Patrick’s School Lochinvar
• 2003 - 2021 St Patrick’s Primary School Lochinvar

We wish Margaret the very best as she takes the enviable step into retirement. May her days be blessed, without stress, filled with renewed purpose, and coloured by the love of family and friends.

UPDATED COVID-SAFE PROCEDURES

From Monday 8 November, our schools will operate at Level 3 restrictions with appropriate COVID-safe measures in place. Under this level we will be able to reintroduce some activities for students. Additionally, fully vaccinated providers and visitors will be allowed on school sites to support curriculum delivery, wellbeing programs and school operations (for example the uniform shop and P&F activities).

Parents, carers and visitors must check in using the school QR code, Compass kiosk (in administration area) and show proof of vaccination on entry to the school site.

• Assemblies and presentations
  Whilst assemblies are permitted outdoors on site, restrictions still prevent close physical contact/mingling of cohorts and specific protocols for the attendance of visitors (including parents and carers). At this stage, only fully vaccinated visitors can attend, providing they are fulfilling a specific role (such as presenting) and at the invitation of the school. Accordingly, we will continue to hold our school assemblies online, via Zoom each fortnight for class participation only.
• P&F meetings will continue to be held outside of hours via Zoom. The next meeting is 30th November at 5pm.
• Dancing is allowed indoors or outdoors in class cohorts.
• Singing and chanting are not permitted in Term 4.
• Incursions will be allowed indoors or outdoors, organised by cohort. Any visitors on site to support incursions must be fully vaccinated and will be required to check in using the school check-in app and show proof of vaccination status upon entry to the school site.
• Kinder Orientation- Information has been provided separately to parents regarding supported processes for incoming students for 2022.

MANAGING A CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID AT SCHOOL- ADVICE FOR PARENTS

Response to a positive notification

It is the responsibility of an individual who receives a confirmed positive COVID case to report this to the school. That means if a staff member, student or anyone who has been on the school grounds (including external pick-up points) is notified they have tested positive, the onus is on the individual to report to the school.

Parents are advised that they should call the administration number of 49307270 (during school hours) or 0409658383 (after hours) and report directly to Mrs Wilkinson.

Isolation requirements for close contacts (students)

I also note that advice has been updated for families when a student is a close contact but cannot self-isolate on their own. In instances where parents/ carers deem their child is unable to isolate by themselves they may designate a person in their household to care for the child while they are classified a close contact. If the carer is fully vaccinated, they do not need to co-isolate with the child - they can leave the home but cannot attend high risk locations including health care, aged care, disability care, early childhood centres, primary school and correctional facilities. Further information is available from NSW Health.

YEAR 5 LEADERSHIP PROCESS

The process for nomination and election of Student Leaders has been postponed and will take place in Term 1 2022. All students in Year 6, 2022 are expected to join one of the 4 teams (MJR, Stewards of Creation, Engaging Community and Social Justice) and will have the opportunity take part in the leadership process to decide 2 x representative leaders for each team (8 in total).

Students who wish to be considered for formal leadership roles will apply, by creating a portfolio submission. 20 x candidates will then be shortlisted and eligible to present a speech to the student body for voting. Students wishing to be considered for leadership of sporting teams will be elected separately by students in each of the sporting houses. All successful leaders will be required to follow the Student Leader Code of Conduct.

Student Leaders (and those elected as Sport Leaders) will be commissioned at the Opening School Mass of 2022. It is expected that parents will be permitted attendance, to be engaged in the badging ceremony, which is an important rite of passage.

CALENDAR EVENTS

What will some of usual end of year events look like given Covid restrictions?

CHRISTMAS CRAFT DAY- OUT OF UNIFORM

Monday 6th December

Children are invited to wear their Xmas clothes and engage in Christmas themed art/craft activities. NO COST

STEP-UP DAY

Tuesday 7th December 2021

Students will have the opportunity to ‘step up’ to the next grade to become familiar with the learning environment.

END OF YEAR LITURGY INCORPORATING STUDENT AWARDS

Thursday 9th December. 10am

St Patrick’s will come together in Liturgy to celebrate the year. This will be our opportunity to give thanks for our blessings and acknowledge the learning, effort and sacrifice of 2021.

At this occasion we will present the End of Year Awards for students across all classes in distinct categories. In response to the reduced provision for face to face learning this year, modifications have been made to the End of Year Award process for 2021. This event will be streamed on-line for parents and friends.

Log-in details will be shared via a COMPASS notification.

YEAR 6 GRADUATION PROCESSES

Plans to appropriately farewell our Year 6 students and highlight their final year of primary school are underway. It is important that we joyously celebrate the end of the school year and honour the contribution of these students, whilst still maintaining COVID-safe protocols. Restrictions remain in terms of group gatherings, which means that we will not proceed with any large-scale events, given our numbers. The most recent guidelines for (COVID-19 Briefing Note – CSNSW 3/11/21) are reflected in the following arrangements.

Event: Year 6 Graduation Liturgy

• Venue: To be held on site in the School Hall at St Patrick’s Lochinvar
• Date: Monday 13th December 2021
• Time: 10.15am (Hall gate will open at 10am)
• Detail: 1 attending guest per child only (unless there are dual care arrangements). Only fully vaccinated adults are allowed on school sites and will be required to show evidence of their vaccination status to a school staff member.

Event: Year 6 Graduation Lunch and Activities

• Venue: To be held on site in the School Hall at St Patrick’s Lochinvar
• Date: Monday 13th December 2021
• Time: 12noon- 2pm
• Detail: Year 6 students only- no parents/visitors permitted. Children will engage in social activities with their peers, including the use of a photo booth and music. They will also enjoy a sit-down lunch provided by a professional catering company.

Event: Year 6 Final Rite of Passage

• Venue: To be held on site at St Patrick’s Lochinvar
• Date: Wednesday 15th December 2021
• Time: 2.20pm
• Details to come

P&F AGM

The St Patrick's School Parents & Friends Association (P&F) is an active group of parents who meet twice each term in the school year (currently via ZOOM) to discuss ways to engage families in school life, foster continual improvement, raise funds to support school goals, plan and review social events, discuss long term projects, be a consultative group and provide feedback to the school Leadership as appropriate and ensure our positive reputation is sustained.

As a parent of a student at St Patrick’s you are automatically a member of the P&F and are warmly welcomed to attend meetings and make a significant, sustained contribution to the school community by attending meetings.

St Patrick’s P&F is now calling for your attendance at the Annual General Meeting and nominations for vacant committee positions on the 2022 Committee. (Nominations will also be taken during the meeting). Your attendance at this meeting is vital to ensure a quorum is reached (7 members including at least 2 Executive members) and the meeting can take place.

The meeting will be held via Zoom on 30th November at 5pm. (Log-in details for the Zoom meeting can be requested by sending an email to admin@lochinvarsp.catholic.edu.au)

END OF TERM DATES

Please note that classes conclude for all students on Wednesday 15th December, at the normal time of 2.50pm.

TERM 1 2022 DATES

ADVANCE NOTICE- PUPIL FREE DAY TERM 1 2022

Please be advised that St Patrick' s will hold a Pupil Free Day on Friday 25th February 2022. Teachers will engage in professional learning titled Developing an Effective Writing Programme. The new date reflects a postponement from Term 4 2021. Students DO NOT come to school on this day.

CURRICULUM NEWS

EXTERNAL REVIEW

The External Review process (the end of a 6-year improvement cycle) has been very rewarding and affirming. The validation team from the Catholic Schools Office spent time last week substantiating documentation provided as evidence of “line of sight.”

This essentially means that we were able to show that there was a clear correlation between what we say, what can be seen, and what is determined as areas of strength and areas for development.

We presented information which reflected our capacity as a school to

• Know where we are at
• Specify desired improvement outcomes
• Design and implement an improvement strategy
• Measure and monitor improvements in outcomes
• Reflect on what has been learnt

A summary of achievements and goals is provided below, which will inform the next 3-year cycle.

TELL THEM FROM ME SURVEY

Survey Closing: 12th November

Parents are invited to participate in our community consultation survey. This is an initiative of the Diocese of Maitland Newcastle and is being enacted by all of our catholic schools, despite the current situation.

It is recognised that our school year has been significantly impacted by change and the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown. It is also understood that your ability to answer the questions will be clouded by your experiences during the period of remote learning. If you choose to take part, I urge you to take the time to reflect on the first semester of 2021, when things were a little more ‘normal’.

How to access the survey

Parents/carers can access the survey by clicking this link:

If you have any problems or queries about the survey, please contact Mr Nolan.

SEMESTER 2 MODIFIED REPORTS & PARENT TEACHER CONVERSATIONS

Would you like to schedule a conversation with your child’s class teacher? If so, please liaise with your child’s teacher to arrange a mutually convenient time. Individual teachers will communicate their preferred method for arranging dates and times.

Please note:

• Parent/teacher conversations will take place either over the phone or via Zoom
• Conversation will be 10 minutes in length
• Conferences are not compulsory and may not be required. These will only take place for those parents if a meeting is specifically requested.
• The nature of these conversations will be very general due to the period of remote learning
• Teachers will not have current formal data to discuss with you
• Personalised Planning meeting for students with additional needs, organised with the teacher and Learning Support Team will replace this opportunity

ORGANISATION & MANAGEMENT

CANTEEN- The canteen is closed until further notice.

UNIFORM – HAIR STYLES

While it is sometimes hard to navigate insistence from children who wish to follow the latest fad or trend, parents are asked to comply with our school policy for uniform which includes hair styles. Upon return to school, a number of students are sporting undercuts/ mullet styles which have no place at St Patrick’s. Parents are asked to show their support for our school, our high standards and our reputation, by keeping these different cuts and styles for the holiday period.

MORNING ARRIVAL

Parents are reminded again that drop off time for children is 8.30am at the hall gate. Arriving before 8.15am is unacceptable and presents a safety risk for students.

FEES STATEMENTS

Fees statements are sent out monthly. Please note that this month’s fees statements have been sent and this is the correct balance of your account. Compass pay has an error at the moment and may show an incorrect balance on your account. Please refer to the fees statement emailed to you for the correct balance of your account. If you would like to check your account balance or have questions in relation to your fees please contact the school office on 49307270.

A credit has been processed to your school fees balance for the year 5 school camp payment. This payment was charged through our events menu in compass and you have been credited the amount depending on the payments that you made.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

A CHANGE IS COMING…

St Patrick’s is currently liaising with the Sisters of St Joseph and key personnel to design new Sporting Houses, which will better reflect our Catholic history, indigenous heritage and the natural flora and fauna of the area. Research is being undertaken and designs developed to articulate artistically and symbolically this rich connection to Lochinvar’s past and future.

In the near future, we will unveil plans, which will extend to new House names and flags and Sport Shirt designs.

LET’S SUPPORT OTHERS LESS FORTUNATE THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON

St Patrick’s is encouraging your involvement in one of two ways this Christmas.

• Christmas Giving Tree

You are invited to brighten the lives of some of our local community's most vulnerable children by purchasing a Christmas gift for a child 0-17 years supported by  CatholicCare  programs.

The Family Preservation Program supports families to enable children and young people to remain at home safely. The primary goal is for more children to be safe, healthy and thriving and improve their long-term outcomes. The Family Preservation team supports families for up to two years, initially visiting the home three times per week with the intensity decreasing over time as the families strengths and capacity increases. The program collaborates with other services to ensure that families receive the right support when they need it most.

Parents supported by CatholicCare are often experiencing significant financial hardship, and some are unable to give their children a gift at Christmas. Your act of kindness can make a big difference to a child feeling a sense of belonging and joy at Christmas time.

How can you be involved?

1. Contact Catholic Care reception on 4979 1200 or adminsupport@mn.catholic.org.au and notify the team of which age group you would like to purchase a gift for. A gift tag will be reserved for you and provided when your gift is dropped off.
2. Purchase a gift online and arrange delivery to the following address:
   CCSS Christmas Gift
   841 Hunter St.
   Newcastle West 2302
   In this instance, please email adminsupport@mn.catholic.org.au with a brief description of the gift and the age group it is intended for.
3. Kindly place your gift under the Christmas tree in person, or have it delivered to Catholic Care reception, by Wednesday the 15th of December. Delivery Addresses- 841 and 984 Hunter St Newcastle.

• St Vincent de Paul Xmas Appeal
  You are asked to pre-purchase a gift card at Woolworths or Coles, to help lighten the burden for families this Christmas. Gift cards can be donated to the St Vincent de Paul society by dropping them to school before Monday 6th December. Your generosity, no matter how big or small will help to share the Christmas spirit.

RE NEWS

STEWARDS OF CREATION

CLASSROOM NEWS

LIBRARY NEWS

ABORIGINAL EDUCATIONAL NEWS

NEWS

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