Term 4, Week 7, 2023 School Newsletter
News from the Principal
Dear Families,
Whilst this past week has been a short school week, it has been a busy one!
Today we hosted 21 members of the Catholic Education Leadership Team for their monthly meeting. Our Years 3/4 and 5/6 students did a wonderful job of meeting and greeting our guests as they enetered the school and then taking them on a guided tour of our school. I could hear lots of wonderful conversations taking place and it was a joy observing our students as leaders within the school. Well doneto our middle and senior leaders.
It is beginning to seem like Christmas with our school, as part of the Moorabool Shire Christmas initative, given 3 Christmas Trees to decorate with our immmense imaginations. They will be displayed in the Main Street of our beuatiful town from early December. We'll keep you updated on their progress.
Thankyou to the Ballan Community Bendigo Bank and our Parents & Friends for supporting our school and wider community with acquiring the funding to provide our school with a life saving defibrillator. This is wonderful for us and the community. It will be mounted in our hallway with access to be eventually 24 hours a day. Next week I will attend a community meeting to talk of its importance to our comunity and the wider population we support.
Mrs. J and myself met all our 2024 Foundation students over the past fortnight and they are going to be wonderful additions to our school family. We look forward to our orientation program commencing on Monday, 20th November with all children meeting new teachers for 2024 on Monday, 4th December.
School reports for Semester Two are currently being compiled and whilst we work within traditional Foundation - Year Six class structure, we look at each child's learning journey across a whole year and ensure they grow at their potential. This personal model ensures we treat each child as individual learners and not just as a number.
Enjoy the weekend and we'll look forward to week seven come Monday.
Paul
Mission Fete Day
The spirit of generosity and giving on Mission Fete Day was showcased through our Biggest Day of the Year!
It was wonderful to see the children so enthusiastic on the day and right through the whole process. From deciding what charity they would like to donate funds to, coming up with a fundraising idea, designing advertisments for their stalls and so much more! It was great to see so many families come along and support the children and the day.
A total of $1,097.70 was raised - so well done to one and all on a very successful Mission Fete Day!
Grade 3/4 Snapshot of Mission Fete Day
Please enjoy the following recount of the Mission Fete Day event by our very talented Grade 3/4 class.
The Moorabool Shire has given us 3 Christmas trees to decorate, here are our senior students painting them and getting them ready. They will be on display in the Main Street of Gordon from early December.
Whole School Christmas Lunch 2023
Every year some of our parents host a whole school Christmas lunch for students and staff. This is a meal that is usually a roast dinner with a surprise dessert!
It is a fun afternoon and a real highlight of the school year for the students and staff.
This year it will be on Wednesday, 6th December, an order form will go home closer to the date.
End of an Era
St Brendan's Primary School of Dunnstown warmly invites you to celebrate with them the "End of an Era".
Saturday, 25th November from 2pm onwards there will be a celebration at the school, including face painting, Kelly Sports, afternoon tea and official proceedings.
If you would like to attend a Carvery Dinner from 6pm to 8pm please RSVP directly to St Brendan's on 5334 7604.
Dear Parents
As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being at all students at St.
Patrick’s, we are reaching out to inquire about any unnotified asthma or allergy plans that may be in
place for your child.
Your child’s health and safety are our top priorities and your cooperation in providing this information is greatly appreciated.
If your child has been diagnosed with asthma or allergies (also seasonal), we kindly request that you
inform us of any existing plans or protocols that should be followed while they are at school. This
information will help us better understand your child’s needs and enable us to respond
appropriately in case of health related situations.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any
questions or concerns.
Please follow the link for the latest Scholastic Book Club catalogue. Please have orders in by Monday 27th November to allow for delivery before the end of the term. If you place an order and they are a gift, please let Julie or Nadia know in the office so that books are not delivered to the children.
Book Club provides families with an affordable and convenient way to bring the best in children’s literature into their homes. Each issue contains curated, age-appropriate titles that have been carefully selected and levelled by a dedicated team of professional booklovers.
Scholastic operates on a unique model, proudly partnering with Australian schools and educators for over 50 years. As well as bridging the important class-to-home reading gap, Book Club also benefits Australian schools—for every Book Club order placed, Scholastic gives back 15% of the order spend to schools to purchase valuable educational resources via its Scholastic Rewards program.
Playgroup
Playgroup is a fun and relaxed opportunity for children, parents, families and communities to come together for play and social interaction.
It is an inviting and relaxing atmosphere and all families are welcome to join in, it is held from 9am until 10.30am every Monday in the school hall. Heaters are turned on, it will be warm and toasty, tea and coffee making facilities available and story time with our foundation teacher and students.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call the office on 5368 9495.
Story-Time
Story-time during playgroup on a Monday with our Foundation students and teacher. Such a fun and engaging activity for the playgroup children to sit and join in with the big school kids!
Gordon Parish Mass
LITURGIES /WEEKLY MASSES | |||||
Day & Time | 1st Sunday | 2nd Sunday | 3rd Sunday | 4th Sunday | 5th Sunday |
Saturday 6pm* or 6.30pm | Dunnstown | Springbank | Dunnstown | Ballan* Clarkes Hill | Springbank |
Sunday 8.45am or 9am* | Gordon* | Bungaree | Gordon* | Gordon* | Bungaree |
Sunday 10.30am | Ballan | Ballan | Ballan | Ballan | |
School Term Dates
Gordon Shop Hot school lunches available every Thursday (unless otherwise advised)
Term Four Dates
Thursday, 30th November - Stay Back - Foundation, Year 1 & Year 2 - 2pm - 7pm
Monday, 20th November - Foundation Orientation Day #1 - 9.15am - 11.45am
Monday, 27th November - Foundation Orientation Day #2 - 9.15am - 11.45am
Monday, 4th December - Foundation Orientation Day #3 - 9.15am - 11.45am
Tuesday, 5th December - Adventure Park - Year 5/6
Wednesday, 6th December - Whole School Christmas Lunch
Thursday, 14th December - Whole School Mass - 2pm - 3.30pm
Thursday, 14th December - Year 6 Graduation Dinner
Friday, 15th December - Last day of Term 4 - Concludes at 3.3opm
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.
Music lessons
