Term 1, Week 5, 2023 School Newsletter
News from the Principal
Dear Families,
Yesterday our school participated in Shrove Tuesday. Am amazing group of Parent and Grandparent volunteers cooked pancakes for us all and they were delicious.
Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting.
Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.
Today our students and staff attended Mass at St Patrick's church in Gordon for the Lenten Mass.
On this coming Sunday, 26th February we invite all families to join with our Parents and Friends for a 'Meet and Greet' at Egans Reserve, Greendale. The day will start at 1 pm and we ask that families BYO picnic lunch or BBQ supplies and drinks. This will be a wonderful social day and we encourage all present families to attend.
Our Parent Information Evening on Monday was a great success and we thank all who attended.
A reminder that next Monday 27th February is a School Closure Day for students. Staff will be participating in a wellbeing training professional development day.
I wish you all a wonderful week.
Paul McDowell, Principal.
Shrove Tuesday
St Patrick's Primary School Foundation class will be featured in the Courier paper March 1st. Don't forget to pick up a copy!
Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th February PARISH MASS TIMES
Clarkes Hill/Ballan – Saturday - 6.30 pm
Gordon - Sunday – 8.45 am
Opening School Mass
Father Justin will celebrate our Opening School Mass on Tuesday, 28th February at St. Patrick’s
Church, commencing at 10.00am.
All families and grandparents are invited to celebrate and sing with us. We look forward to seeing you so please put the date in your diary.
St. Patrick’s Twilight Sports - Save the Date: Friday, 3rd March
St. Patrick’s has established over the past 2 years our three houses – Patrick, MacKillop and
Bunjil.
Please view which house your child is connected to for their learning years at St. Patrick’s. House teams are used for a number of learning activities across the year but are also used in sport for both our House Athletics and House Cross Country.
Our House Athletics is an evening commencing at 5.30pm for a 5.45pm start whereby students will compete in a number of sporting pursuits, to win points for their House to see whose name will be on the shield for 2023.
MacKillop has had bragging rights for the last 2 years. Parents are invited to bring a picnic rug, chairs, nibbles and drinks and join us on the sports field to cheer on the athletes. Students are able to wear colours to align with their house – t-shirts, socks, face paint, ribbons (anything really is acceptable).
Stay tuned for more updates. We look forward to seeing you at the 2023 House Athletics.
MacKillop | Patrick | Bunjil |
Foundation | Foundation | Foundation |
Clancy Berens | Freddie O’Donnell | Tyler Van Egmond |
Sansa Ruthen | Griffin Stewart | Hudson Grima |
Olivia Carey | Jobe Kenna | Clover De Spirt |
Zara Toohey | Thomas Best | Izzy Winter |
George Maher | Emmalyn Seter | Maggie Eastwood |
Finnley Vella | Eva Dickson | Georgia Nissan |
Sophie Farrant | Kira Jakac | Lily Nolan |
Zoe Simpson | Nikita Jakac | Pippa Robbie |
Ollie Murphy | ||
Year One | Year One | Year One |
Harry Reynolds | Henry Cain | Jenna Thannhauser |
Lucy Berens | Olivia Nicholson | Millicent Ruthen |
Zavier Holland | Sam Whitehead | |
Dermot Will | ||
Year Two | Year Two | Year Two |
Ty Carey | Archie Stewart | Ned Tudor |
Tom Moran | Thomas O’Donnell | Logan Thannhauser |
Sofia Burbergs | Isabella Best | Layla Nissan |
Lotte Seter | ||
Year Three | Year Three | Year Three |
Ollie Lehocky | Michael Tran | Harry Murphy |
Yan Lehocky | Anika Pamic | Mabel Flint |
Charlotte Ruthen | ||
Year Four | Year Four | Year Four |
Theo Burbergs | Sienna Kenna | Conor Donohoe |
Ruby Moran | Meg Conroy | |
Year Five | Year Five | Year Five |
Macy Newman | Elle Kenna | Rose Flint |
Lily Stewart | ||
Year Six | Year Six | Year Six |
Ollie H. Everist | Jobe Blazko | Dylan Van Egmond |
Jez Barnes | Angela Tran | Aidan Hughes |
Eva Pamic |
CAMPS, SPORTS AND EXCURSION FUNDS.
For any families who have a current Health Care card and have not already completed a CSEF application, please contact the school office.
Term Dates and Pupil Free Days
Each year, Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ballarat are allocated pupil free days for staff
Professional Learning, report writing and curriculum planning.
The 2 closure days listed for this Term, relate to our 3 Year Wellbeing Initiative that we began in December last year and our Review Day is part of our 5-year Cycle, whereby we are visited by external consultants to allow staff, students and parents to share our successes and plan for the next 5 Years.
I will invite families to share in this later in the year. The external consultants will visit us in
October and I look forward to inviting families to share their story with the panel.
Monday 27th February - School Closure Day - ReLATE wellbeing training for staff
Friday 10th March - School Closure Day – DOBCEL St. Patrick’s Review Planning Day
2024 School Enrolments and NAPLAN
We are currently accepting inquiries and conducting tours for new families interested in our
school for the 2024 school year.
If you know any families that have children attending 4 year old kindergarten and considering schools please encourage them to visit us online at www.spgordon.catholic.edu.au to view our virtual tour and make contact via the website or the office on 5368 9495 or principal@spgordon.catholic.edu.au
NAPLAN has been moved from early Term Two to commence on Wednesday, 15th March for
all students in Years 3 and 5.
Information will go out families in the coming weeks around what students complete online in each assessment.
Term One Dates
Gordon Shop Hot school lunches available every Thursday (unless otherwise advised)
February
Monday 20th February Playgroup - Sports Hall - all families and friends welcome.
Monday 20th February - Parent Information Evening @ 6.30pm
Tuesday 21 st February - Pancake Tuesday – parent helpers welcomed. More to follow.
Wednesday 22nd February - Ash Wednesday Para liturgy at 2.30pm (Hall) All welcome.
Sunday February 26th - P and F 'Meet and Greet" social gathering for all families.
Monday 27th February - School Closure Day - ReLATE wellbeing training for staff
Tuesday 28th February - Opening School Mass @ 10.00am. All Welcome (Church)
March
Wednesday 1st March - Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharist Enrolment Evening
Friday 3rd March - St. Patrick’s Twilight House Sports - commences 5.30pm
Friday 10th March - School Closure Day for students. Staff attending Review Planning Day
Monday 13th March - Labour Day Public Holiday
Wednesday 15th March – NAPLAN commences for Years 3 and 5
Sunday March 19 for the Ballan Autumn Festival (superhero theme)
Friday 31st March - Moorabool Sports F-6 Masons Lane Bacchus Marsh
April
Thursday 6th - April Easter Hat Parade and Stations of the Cross. 12.00 noon (Hall)
Thursday 6th - April Term One concludes @ 1.15pm
Term Two Dates
April
Monday, 24 th April Term Two commences @ 8.50am
Tuesday, 25 th April Public Holiday ANZAC Day
May
Monday, 1 st May to Wednesday, 3 rd May Year 3-6 Camp Program @ Camp Wilkin Anglesea
Tuesday, 9 th May, Foundation-Year Six Swim Gym Program commences (5 weeks)
Pastoral Care
Pastoral care is key to our strong sense of community across the School. There are many threads to the programme – both formal and informal – and all have the intention of addressing the well-being of each student at their individual point of need.
Vivian Lunt is the Pastoral Care Worker at our school. She is a qualified and a very professional and caring Pastoral Care Worker employed at our school every Thursday.
Vivian works with individual children on request, small groups and parents and families as required. All interactions remain strictly confidential.
If any family would like to access this service, either for themselves personally or their child, please contact the school office to arrange an appointment with Vivian.
