[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
Term 1 — Week 6
28TH FEBRUARY
2017
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Ash Wednesday Mass 1st March 9:30am Sacred Heart Church Clean Up Australia Day Friday 3rd March 2:10pm on school grounds Netball tryouts Friday 3rd March Jubilee Oval 10:45-11:45. P & F Meeting Monday 6th March 7pm in Staffroom Catholic Schools Week Celebration Tuesday 7th March - Open Classrooms from 10:30am - Picnic lunch with parents at 11:00am (sausage sizzle available) School Council Meeting Thursday 9th March 7pm in the Boardroom Forensic Workshop (Science Show) Tuesday 14th March Years 3-6
Principal’s Message
Why the Ashes on Wednesday?
This coming Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent – a time for reflecting on when we have failed to do our best to renew our
hearts and live as God wants. It is a period of focusing on God’s love and forgiveness.
Traditionally, people often give something up for Lent. However, Lent is also a time where we are called to GIVE to others. This could be by contrib-uting regularly to Project Compassion or spending time assisting a new stu-
dent to settle in at the school.
On Wednesday, we will receive ashes on our forehead in the sign of a cross. This reminds us to follow Jesus; calling us to show love to all we
meet and to use our talents to make the world a better place. All are wel-come to join our College Ash Wednesday Mass on Wednesday 1st of
March at 9:30am in the Church.
For everything, there is a season, A time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time weep and a time to laugh
A time to be sad and a time to dance
A time to speak and a time to keep silence.’
Yesterday we celebrated with song and gladness. Today we begin our time of silence and sadness. We will not proclaim ‘Alleluia’ again until we cele-
brate the risen Lord at Easter.
[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
MEET and GREET It was great to see so many of our families take the opportunity to come to the school to meet with the teachers. Each grade chose to run their evening using the format they felt most comfortable with. If you were unable to make it to these evenings and would like the opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher, please do not hesitate to contact the school to make an appointment. We would encourage open and frank communication between the school and home. MR BILL ROSS Mr. Ross has announced that he is going to retire!!! What an announcement. We are all still catching our breath. Bill has been an outstanding member of the school community here at St Pat’s since 1972. He actually began his teaching career at the then St Brendan’s School Griffith. We will be very sad to see Bill retire but he feels that it is now his time. There will be further updates on Mr. Ross in the coming weeks. We wish all the very best in his retirement. Bill’s contribution to the sporting life of children not only in Griffith but in the wider Griffith community has been outstanding. CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK Catholic Schools Week will run from 5th-11th March this year. The theme is ‘Catholic schools: Great learning, Great communities’. To acknowledge this significant event in our school we will be celebrating on Tuesday 7th March. Our running sheet for the day will look like this. All parents/grandparents and sig-nificant adults are invited to the following: 10:30 am Classroom walkthrough 11:00 am Share a picnic lunch with our students in the school grounds The Year 6 Fundraising committee will also run a Sausage Sizzle for students and families on that day. Please make the most of the opportunity to visit classrooms and to share a lunch with our students. 3 WAY CONVERSATIONS Bookings for 3 way conversation (parent/student/teacher) will be open in SOBS on 16th March. Please take this opportunity for you and your child to book in a time to meet with the teacher about student progress and improvement. MERCY ASSOCIATES The year of the Jubilee of Mercy has finished but we hope that the virtue of Mercy will continue to grow in our lives. Mercy Associates are lay men and women whose lives are inspired by the Mercy charism. There will be an information meeting on the 22nd of March. Those interested in attending the meeting please contact Sr. Theresa Foley on 0429 661 401 or Sr. Tricia Johnson on 0409 913 167. Sandra Campbell Principal COMMUNICATION REMINDER TO PARENTS Skoolbag is now a crucial tool in our communication method to parents along with Facebook and email. If you haven’t already downloaded the app to your smartphone, instructions are on the last page of this newsletter. It’s easy to download and also free.
[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
News from the AP
How Playing a Musical Instrument Benefits Your Brain!
Sandra and I were lucky enough to attend a presentation last week in Albury by Anita Collins, an award winning re-
searcher in the area of music education. Her findings on the impact music education has on cognitive development
is astounding. It confirmed our decision to make music an integral part of our students learning once again here at
St Pat’s. We have been lucky enough to have Mr Sam Rizzeri come over from Marian College and teach music and
music theory to our students throughout this year. Sam and the leadership team have big plans to celebrate music
at every turn in our school and together with the CSO, your children will be given more opportunities to learn and
love music than ever before. The A3 music program was a huge success last year and the implementation of the
band program next term is yet another way we are endeavouring to increase the cognitive development of our stu-
dents.
Neuroscientists have discovered why learning to play an instrument improves your cognitive capacity.
‘Music involves a tantalizing mix of practically every human cognitive function’
(Prof Robert Zatorre, neuroscientist)
How?
The activities inherent in learning a musical instrument train the human brain to work more effectively, process
information faster and remain flexible. The heightened effectiveness of the brain pathways, functions and struc-
tures lead to heightened capacity to learn and achieve academic success and independence.
What Happens?
From Anita’s research it is proven that children who learn a musical instrument;
Increase their language development by at least one year
Increase their reading skills with up to a 3 year gain for auditory processing
Increase their memory capacity and raise their IQ by at least 7 points
Increase their numeracy skills by at least one year
Improve their attention, coping skills (resilience) and daily discipline
Can you imagine our school with…. fewer reading difficulties, ADHD related issues, problems with memory,
handwriting difficulties or impulse control issues? We can and we are starting to address these issue through mu-
sic!
Drum lessons
Private drum lessons are now available at St Pat’s. Accomplished drummer, Gianni Cocilova, will be at our school
each Thursday and will provide 30 minute lessons to individual students in the music room. Gianni teaches theory,
works on correct posture and instils a wonderful work ethic into his students. Cost is $30 per student per lesson
along with some additional set up costs. Please contact the front office if you are
interested in enrolling your child.
Michael Morrell
Acting Assistant Principal/REC
[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
News from the REC
Ash Wednesday
St Patrick’s will attend the Ash Wednesday Mass at Sacred Heart Church tomorrow at 9:30am. All parents
are invited to attend. The Year 5 students will be assisting with the readings and procession of gifts. As a
part of celebrating the beginning of Lent we recognise that this time is a season of preparation.
Traditionally, it is at this mass that we introduce the Project Compassion Focus for the year and bless the
donation boxes. They are then taken back to our learning spaces to begin raising money for this special
cause.
Our Kindergarten students will not be attending this mass as they are still settling to school routine. They
will attend their first mass on St Patrick’s Day and will be seated with their Year 6 buddies. This is a great
way to introduce them to school masses and have reverence and behaviour expectations gently modelled
to them by our school leaders. Father Grace will however visit the kindergarten learning space at 1:20pm
to distribute the ashes to the children and give a brief talk on the importance of this day.
Project Compassion
This Wednesday we will launch our 2017 Project Compassion initiative, ‘Love Your Neighbour’.
The children will get to see the donation boxes blessed at mass followed by a short information session at
this Friday’s Assembly. The children will be able to see a short video that outlines how our donations are
helping Caritas Australia to develop and fund innovative programs that help to empower the world’s most
vulnerable people. You may receive a smaller donation box which will be sent home with the eldest child
where possible. Please give generously
during this time. We understand the
pressures and demands on your own fi-
nances but every little bit counts!
Michael Morrell
Acting Assistant Principal/REC
[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
FABULOUS YEAR FIVE
What an exciting start it has been to 2017. We have warmly welcomed two new students to Year Five,
Sophie and Ansh.
Year Five have enjoyed settling into the spacious surroundings of the Year Five area, affectionately
dubbed the Year Five Hive. Our comfortable learning space enables us to come together and share our
learning in an engaging and purposeful way.
In Mathematics, students are challenging themselves to complete 50 multiplication facts in under 5
minutes, striving to better their time on each attempt.
Our Literacy work has students exploring characterisation via the charming novels of Roald Dahl and in
our new key learning area, Geography, our topic this term focusses on Bushfires.
Year Five are looking forward to being involved in the Liturgy of the Word during the Ash Wednesday
Mass this Wednesday.
We thank the parents who attended the Parent/Teacher meet and greet last week. It was encouraging to
have so many parents join us for our information session.
[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
MIA Deanery Netball Trials Girls from six different MIA Deanery schools came together on Friday to display their netball talents at West End Stadium. Four St Patrick’s students were chosen to progress to the Diocesan Netball Trials to be held in Wagga later this term. Congratulations goes to Eva Catanzariti, Abbey Fedrigo, Charlee King and Emmerson Waide who were our successful players. A big thankyou to our parent representative, Mrs Annette Waide, who volunteered to co-ordinate the event and offer her umpiring expertise on the day. The school is also grateful to Carolyn Burgess and Georgia Fuller who gave up their time to be the selectors for the trials. Mrs Dianne Keenan
Wagga Wagga Diocesan Swimming Carnival
We had 16 students participating at the Diocesan Carnival held in Leeton on Monday 27th February.
Twenty six schools from all over the Wagga Wagga Diocese were represented. Our congratulations to Aida
Wiseman on taking 4 seconds off her entry time in the 9 Years 50m Freestyle event and gaining selection
to attend the MacKillop Swimming Carnival at Homebush later in March. My thanks to our wonderful
parents who continued to support their children and our school by transporting their children to Leeton
and offering help with timekeeping and other duties.
Ann Friedlieb
[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
PARISH NEWS
Dear Friends, Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent. This is a penitential season of prayer, self-denial and helping others. In this way, the whole Church prepares for Easter with those who are to be baptised. At our school Mass tomorrow the Blessed Ashes will be distributed and the children will be encouraged to support the Project Compassion Appeal which provides help for the poor in many parts of the world. I pray that this season of Lent will be a special time of renewal and spiritual growth for all of us. God Bless, Fr Grace.
ICAS 2017
If you would like your child to participate in any of the below ICAS assessments please send in entry fee/s
in a clearly marked envelope with name, class and assessment/s you would like to enter.
All entries are to be in by Friday 31st March.
These assessments are open to Years 3-6, Year 2 are able to sit introductory assessments in Science,
Spelling, English and Maths only.
[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
Farewell from our beloved Mr Ross
I would like to pass on my thanks to the whole community of Saint Patrick’s Primary for allowing me the opportunity to be part
of a very vibrant family over my years here.
Staff, parents, clergy and especially the children over the years have been the reason that kept my enthusiasm to stay involved
in the school community.
I will miss the friendships I have developed with the staff and am thankful to them for being on hand to help throughout my
journey.
Parents have always assisted in the sporting arena and students are keen to be involved.
But we all need to keep in mind that sport is only one part of the school curriculum, and even though it is a very public aspect
of school life, students need to be involved in all areas of their academic growth.
The Sisters of Mercy and Marist Brothers set a very solid base for our schools existence and over the past 20 odd years the
school has been in the hands of forward thinking Executives.
Over the past 15 plus years Donna Cavanagh has been more than my right hand, I thank her for all her input and interest she
has taken in her role and thank her for her enthusiasm to and friendship.
To the current executive and staff (including our great Teacher Assistants and Ground staff) I wish you all the best in growing
our school in the coming years.
To the children and families I wish you all the best in your school and family life for the future.
I will still be taking a keen interest in St Pat’s and will take many great memories with me.
Bill Ross
Diocesan Sports Coordinator
Classroom teacher
[email protected] http://web.spgww.catholic.edu.au/
Kindergarten
Year One
Peter Gill
Natalia Hodder
Brianna Bonaccorsi
Denzel Veamatahau
Alara Acar
Ekamjeet Chahal
Johnah Vian
Elizabeth Zirilli
Harsahej Gahla
Valentino Catanzariti
Husanjot Gahla
Year Two
Charlotte Rossetto
Jordan Kelsey
Ruben Puntoriero
Henry Parsons
Veer Chaudhary
Michael Parisotto
Krina Chaudhari
Chloe Dickie
Audrey Puntoriero
Mackenzie Trotter
Abhi Patel
Kate Andreazza
Oliver Salvestrin
Year Three
Isaih Dal Broi
Payton Dunn
Cooper Savage
William Lancaster
Jaiden Morrell
Leon Shea
Gurjot Kali Rai
Christian Northeast
Key Punch-Jackson
Josephine Furore
Navdeep Kaur
Nathaniel Nikola
Year Four
Elise Calabria
Johan Martinello
Ryaan Garg
Patrick Tokiai
Marcus Su
Giselle Apolloni
Mariana Cunha
Rocco Di Lorenzo
Mea Veamatahau
Lachlan Emery
Kiera Villarias
Shirine Nehme
Year Five
Ky Young
Savannah Vecchio
Sophie Jeffrey
Lily Beltrame
Jeriah Dal Broi
Jake Calabria
Alainna Dhillon
Maree Sergi
Georgia Salmon
Year Six
Lachlan Chant
Krishi Patel
Savannah Stewart
Zaviea Connor
Ben Devery
Dominic Cruse
Elizabeth Andreazza
Rocco Sergi
Brody Vecchio
Elizabeth Sergi
Armaan Sidhu
Chrysa Velis