Dear Parent, Guardians and Carers,

Captain Australia will be visiting St Patrick’s on Monday 23rd October. Captain Australia is walking around Australia to raise awareness and money for The Kids Cancer Project. As mentioned in the previous newsletter, one of our Grade 4 students, Nathan Gillespie, has an extremely rare tumour diagnosis.
To support Nathan, Captain Australia and The Kids Cancer Project, St Patrick’s will be having a Superhero Dress up Day on this day. All students are encouraged to dress up as a Superhero for a gold coin donation on this day. At 9:00am on this day, we will also have a whole school assembly with Captain Australia, where he will talk to the students about his journey and answer questions from the students.

Grade 3/4 Activities Day

Today, our Year 3/4 students had their activities day at Coonawarra Farm Resort. This year, the activities day replaced the over-night camp.
The students were scheduled to arrive at school at 7:30am this morning, before heading off to Coonawarra at 7:45am. Throughout the day the students will be involved in a number of fun and adventurous activities, including, rock climbing, flying fox, giant swing and high ropes course. The students are expected to arrive back at school at 7:00pm. Whilst this will be a big day for the students (and staff), it is hoped that being only a day trip, this will reduce some student and parent
anxiety that has previously been experienced on the Grade 3/4 overnight camp.

School Advisory Committee AGM

Next Wednesday 25th October at 7:00pm we have our School Advisory Committee AGM. Nomination forms for new members were sent home at the end of last term and an election will be held at the meeting. I encourage parents to carefully consider being a part of the School Advisory Committee.
The committee meet two times per term and acts as an advisory body to the school. If you are interested in nominating yourself or another parent, please complete a nomination form, which you can get from the office. I look forward to seeing some new parents at our AGM next week.

Kind regards,

Joel

Here is the Parish bulletin for this weekend.

Please note: Mass at 5.30pm Saturday is a Youth Mass. Please consider bringing a plate to share at the supper afterwards if you are attending.

  KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING AT

ST PATRICK'S BY CHECKING OUR CALENDAR ON OUR WEBSITE.  

Go to: www.stpstratford.catholic.edu.au

3rd and final instalment of school fees is due Friday 20th October.

Thank-you to families who have been prompt with their payment.

Families who have a direct debit should check your account statement.

You may change, stop or defer a debit payment by providing us with written notice or phone the school office.

Please contact the school office if your have any concerns in regards to school fees.

Student Attendance—Every day Counts

Student attendance is a key element to student success at school, both socially and academically.  Regular absences can lead to ‘gaps’ in student learning and impinge negatively on relationships. 

Attendance is a habit to be set early on; a habit that can be carried throughout all levels of schooling. 

Obviously there are times when children may be sick, serious family matters arise  or an important family holiday happen.  However, the question to be asked in these situations is ‘does my child really need to miss school?’

Sign In/Out

For safety and accountability reasons, visitors and late/early arrivals are required to sign in and out at the front office.  The iPad located at the front desk allows this to be done quickly and easily. 

Children arriving late or leaving early are to be signed in upon arrival or out when leaving.  (This includes when returning to school from appointments).

We ask that all visitors entering the school building after 9.00am, i.e. after the start of the school day, sign in on the IPAD located outside the office.

School Routines

School Morning Routine

•  8.15 - 8.20am Bus Students arrive

•  8.30am - Gates open—Teacher commences duty

•  8.55am -  Bell rings for students to line up in courtyard

•  9.00am - Classes commence

Students who travel by bus wait in the courtyard until the teacher on duty open gates and puts crossing flags out. 

Students travelling by foot, bike or car are reminded not to arrive before 8.30am.

End of Day Routine

• 3.25pm - Gates opened

• 3.30pm - Bell rings

•  3.30 - 3.40pm - Teacher supervises school crossing.

•  3.30 - 3.50pm - Teacher supervises students catching buses home.

LUNCHTIME CLUBS

This term we have introduced lunchtime clubs. Lunchtime clubs are an evidence-based way of providing activities during recess and/or lunch. These clubs help build student engagement, social skills and inclusion for all students. They can also support students who may struggle with lack of structure in the school playground.

Research has shown there are a number of benefits for students and the whole school community, including:

• improved peer-to-peer and teacher-student relationships and wellbeing
• a sense of personal empowerment and student voice
• development of social and emotional skills
• improved academic achievement
• positive school climate and increased student sense of safety
• reduction in bullying and playground behaviour incidents.