Dear St Patrick’s families

Here we are at the end of another school year! I am sure many of you, like me are wondering where 2023 disappeared to so quickly! Another Year 6 class moving onto the next stage of their educational journey as they transition to High School. We wish our graduating Year 6 class all the very best for their future years. Please come back and visit from time to time!

Term 4 will conclude this Friday 15 December at 3.15pm. However, between now and then we have a bit to accomplish!

Monday/Tuesday: Parent/teacher meetings. Please contact your child’s class teacher to make an appointment.

Tuesday 12 Dec: Year 6 Big Day Out

Wednesday 13 Dec: 6pm Year 6 Graduation Dinner

Thursday 14 Dec: 11.30am-final swimming session

2.30pm-Week 10 assembly in the Learning Hub

Friday 15 Dec: 10.30am Principals Morning Tea

3:00pm-Guard of Honour (K-5) and Year 6 traditional ringing of the bell.

THANK YOU:

Thank you to our beautiful families for all the wonderful support over the 2023 school year. We are so fortunate to have so many wonderful parents and extended family members that volunteer their time or support their child/rem in so many ways. We appreciate all that you do.

A huge thank you to the St Patrick’s staff team that constantly give above and beyond for the students in their care. It is a privilege to work alongside such caring, passionate educators and staff.

The biggest thank you goes to our 94 beautiful students that arrive with a smile and give their best every day! You are all amazing young people and we are so grateful to each one of you, for the gifts you bring that help make our school such a special place to be.

Wishing everyone all the joy and blessings of Christmas and every happiness as we move into another year.

Christine Baron

Principal

It is hard to believe that we are at the end of yet another year. This year seems to have flown and we have fitted lots into it. I would like to thank our school community for their continued support in all activities undertaken.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Father Joe for his spiritual guidance and in leading our children on their faith journey. It has been a busy year with three Sacraments being celebrated in our parish and many other celebrations. Father Joe is always so happy to be part of the St Patrick’s community interacting with the children and families.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

Thank you, St Patrick’s families for your wonderful response to the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. There was a very generous amount if items bought to our Thanksgiving Mass. These items will be made into Christmas hampers and distributed to those in our community who need a little boast to make their Christmas a little more enjoyable. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Christmas Mass

This year there will be two Christmas Masses celebrated in our parish. Mass will be at 7 pm on Christmas Eve and 10 am on Christmas Day.

All children who are at Mass on Christmas Eve, are invited to take part in the entrance procession and bring baby Jesus to his place in the manager.

Altar Servers

We take this opportunity to thank our wonderful Altar Servers who continue to make an outstanding contribution to our Parish community. We have recently welcomed a new group of three children to this ministry. Over the coming weeks they will begin their roles under the guidance of our more experienced leaders.

*** Please check your rosters over the holidays. If you are unable to server on the allocated date, please arrange a swap.

Parish Monster Raffle

This raffle will be drawn after Mass on Saturday night. We ask that all raffle tickets and money be returned tomorrow Wednesday 13^th December to the Front Office.

Wishing you all a happy and holy Christmas and a safe and relaxing holiday season. May you enjoy spending time with family and friends.

Kate Howe

REC

This year there will be two Christmas Masses celebrated in our parish. Mass will be at:

* 7 pm on Christmas Eve

* 10 am on Christmas Day.

Congratulations to all of our Junior and Senior award recipients who received a special award on Friday at our Annual Awards Presentation 

Junior Awards

JMA Legal Award - Sarah Gailey 

Ray White Award - Lance Crowe

Remie & Claire Field Award - Archie Peterson 

Bendigo Bank Award - Josie Lott 

Senior Awards

Bethany Tout Memorial Award- Emmy Gaskin 

Ray White Award- Chase Robinson 

Fig & Co - Christyne Calub 

Shirley Dean Sporting Award - Taite Johnson 

Lions Club Award - Lachlan Morgan 

Veronica Lawson Award - Nate Tozer 

Remie & Claire Field Award - Abigail Bock 

Jugiong Writers Festival Award - Charlotte McDonnell 

Parish Awards - Nicholas Quine and Nate Tozer 

GMP Library Awards - Remi Taylor and Tessa Crowe

Academic Achievement Awards: 

Year 1:Toby Nicholls

Year 2: Archie Peterson

Year 3: Reuben Smart

Year 4: Eliza Graham

Year 5: Taite Johnson

Year 6:Abigail Bock

Effort and Application Awards: 

Year 1: Ryan Robinson

Year 2: Lilly Ferguson

Year 3: Leila Gaskin

Year 4: Lachlan Hargreaves

Year 5: Archie McDonnell

Year 6: Charlotte McDonnell

Congraulations to our 2024 School Captains that were announced on Friday at our End of Year Awards. 

We look forward to working with Riley Smith, Chase Robinson, Corby Rose and Christyne Calub

This week we farewell two wonderful staff members, Mrs Gemma Crowe and Mrs Dora Du. Both Gemma and Dora have been a great asset to our teaching team in 2023 and we are very grateful to them both for all they have done to support our students, staff members and the teaching and learning curriculum. Thank you Gemma and Dora for all you have given to our students this year and we hope to see you both return in a casual teaching capacity during 2024

We would like to wish our Year 6 leaving families of 2023 all the very best. Thank you for choosing our school to educate your children over the years.  

Kindergarten/Year 1: Mrs Kate Howe & Mrs Jess Eccleston

Year 1 InitiaLit: Mrs Justine Hughes

Year 2: Mrs Tash Flanagan & Mr Craig Ferguson (Fridays)

Year 3: Mrs Melissa Carberry

Year 4/5: Mr Tarron Makeham

Year 6: Mrs Lisa Wilson & Mr Craig Ferguson (Thursdays)

2024 Classroom Movement: 

There will be some classroom movement for 2024 classes. This is mainly for the Primary Classes to accommodate the various sizes of class groups.

Kindergarten: Yarra

Year 1 InitiaLit: Burra

Year 2: Burra

Year 3: Murrumbidgee

Year 4/5: Five Mile

Year 6: Morley’s

OVERDUE LIBRARY BOOKS

Could all students that have library books at home please send them into school over the next few weeks.  All books need to be marked off as returned before we finish school. 

Mr Bernie Harrington visited St Patrick’s School on Friday 1 December, to view the stained-glass window that he generously donated money for on behalf of the Harrington and Young families. Mr Harrington was accompanied by his brother Peter, son Mark and daughters Anne, Sue and Robyn as well as several other family members. The Harrington family joined the staff for morning tea before celebrating Mass with our Year 5 students and the school community. The students sang our beautiful Irish Blessing song for the Harrington family after communion. Mr Harrington and his family have expressed sincere appreciation to the school community for welcoming their family on two occasions now and for the beautiful connection they now have with the St Patrick’s School community.

Our final week of "What's In My Food?" and this week we take a look at Muesli Bars

Step 1: Ask What's In My Food? Ignore the front
of the packet and turn it around.
Step 2: Count the number of ingredients on the
back. The more ingredients there are, the less
likely it is to help our One Body for Life. If there
are more than 6, it's best to pop it back on the
shelf and find a better choice.

Staff Professional Development Days: Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 January

Students K-6 Return: Thursday 1 February

Ash Wednesday: Wednesday 14 February

Easter (Week 9)

-Good Friday: 29 March

-Easter Sunday: 31 March

-Easter Monday: 1 April

Term 1 concludes: Friday 12 April

Term 2 Dates: Tuesday 30 April-Thursday 4 July

-Sovereign’s Birthday: Monday 10 June

Term 3 Dates: Tuesday 23 July-Thursday 26 September

Term 4 Dates: Tuesday 15 October-Wednesday 18 December (TBC)

Thank you to our parents and children for your continued support of Altar Serving duties.  If you have swapped could you please notify the office so amendments can be made to bullentin and roster. 

16th December - Charlotte McDonnell and Skye Somerville 

23rd December - Lachlan Hargreaves and Corby Rose 

Christmas Eve (24th Dec) - Archie McDonnell and Riley Smith

30th December - Emmy Gaskin and Leila Gaskin