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Dear Parents and Carers,
I am, and we are, so thankful to you for your wonderful support of your children during remote learning time. Thank you for the feedback that continues to help us ensure that the learning is right for the students each day and challenging for them, but not overwhelming. Thank you for knowing when it is time for your children to put screens-down and play in the sun for a while. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
We know this is a difficult time for families. And we ask you to contact us if you need our support. Please continue to follow the stay at home and minimise movement mandate of NSW health, if you have supervision at home it is important that you keep your children home. This is more vital than ever now that there has been covid detection in the water in Bega and Merimbula. We are working hard to ensure the school is staffed according to the directive for skeleton onsite staffing and we want to ensure as many staff that can work remotely are given that opportunity for their health and wellbeing too.
Kindness & Connection in COVID
Wednesday, Thursday and today we have been working hard to connect with all our St Pat's kids and staff through a letterbox drop of care and kindness. We hope your child has found and enjoyed their mail! Thank you to all families who quickly communicated with the office to inform of an address change! We hope we have everything delivered to the correct address!
** If you have changed family details: address, phone number, main contacts for emergencies please email the office now so we can update your details!
Kindness out to the Community
Yesterday instead of preparing recesses and lunches, our canteen convenor extraordinaire Leayra Thornton, also known for her fabulous catering through her business Valley Katering, cooked up a storm of dinner meals to be distributed to people in need in the wider community. This week's delectable lasagne will be given to those in need in our community including through the parish and the Sapphire Community Pantry. Woolworths Bega are supporting this venture with donations of ingredients. Thanks Woolies!
Remote Learning on our Website
You may not have visited the school website in a while. In 2020 we created a REMOTE LEARNING tab for parents with quick links to apps and documents. Under the REMOTE LEARNING red tab there is a 'document download' list. You can find many helpful resources there including information regarding curriculum, IT, wellbeing and counselling. Please take a look!
https://www.stpatsbega.nsw.edu.au/
Counselling
This week we met (online) our new CatholicCare Counsellor, Erin Taylor is now working in another school context and we welcome Sam Hutchence to St Pat's. We thank Erin for her work for the first half of 2021.
Hello! My name is Samantha Hutchence and I am going to be the new school counsellor at St. Patrick’s Primary School. I am a provisionally registered psychologist and I have experience of working with primary school children both as a teacher in the UK and UAE and as a counsellor. I am excited to get started and will look forward to talking with some of you soon and hopefully meeting face-to-face when school resumes! If you have any questions or would like any information about school counselling please feel free to contact me on: samantha.hutchence@catholiccare.cg.org.au
Thanks, Sam
We send happy wishes to all the St Pat's fathers, grandfathers and father figures this Sunday. We hope you thoroughly enjoy time with your children and that you get spoilt with love and affection!
Blessings
Jo
POETRY TO THE RESCUE!
GUEST AUTHOR; STEVEN HERRICK PRESENTATION
YEARS 3-6
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 8TH 10.00-10.45 ON MSTeams
Next Wednesday students in Year 3-6 will be able to join MSTeams to watch a live performance from Steven Herrick. Steven is a well-known Australian poet who has one a number of literary awards and had been shortlisted for the CBCA book of the year on nine occasions. His poetry performance have captivated audience throughout Australia, Europe and Asia for the past thirty years. This is a unique opportunity to appreciate the vision and humour of Steven's poetry. Students will quickly recognise the poetry as being accessible, entertaining and relevant of their lives.
And here’s a link to Steven doing perhaps his silliest poem to 250 Year 3-6 students, to encourage students to attend.
Celebrating Remote Learning
This week we have been focusing on gratitude! The St Pat's kids have been busy creating thank you messages for the wonderful teachers at St Pat's. Keep an eye out on our Facebook page to see all the messages.
Father's Day - Dad Joke Competition
The St Pat’s Community Engagement Committee is holding a Dad Jokes Competition.
Send your jokes to Mrs Grant @ emma.grant@cg.catholic.edu.au
Jokes will be posted to our Facebook page and the three jokes with the most emoji reactions will win a special prize!
Following the "Be Kind to Yourself" theme for this time we are spending remotely, I invite you when you are having a beverage this Friday, whatever it may be, make sure you have a cocktail of these chemicals; endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. These activities will help stabilise your mood increase motivation and aid in you staying in your happy place. Thanks for all that you are doing above and beyond what you normally do.
stay calm, stay balanced, stay true to YOU
enjoy
Alicia Spicer
Wellbeing
Thank you to the families who have paid their term 3 fees.
This is a friendly reminder that Term 3 fees are due to be finalised, except those with direct debit arrangements.
If at any time your family is experiencing financial hardship due to Covid-19 or any other reason or your family is in need of other support, please contact the school to make a time for a confidential meeting with our Principal, Jo Scott-Pegum to discuss how the school can help support your family.
Please see below the message from Jo Scott-Pegum, commuicated via skoolbag on Wednesday.
Term 3 Covid-19 Related School Fee Support
Dear Parents and Carers
RE: Information for parents regarding payment of Term 3 fees.
Catholic Education will again support families who have been financially impacted as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Term 3. The position of Catholic Education is that no child will be denied a Catholic education because of financial circumstances.
Where your family is experiencing financial stress due to job loss, being stood down, reduction in work hours, business downturn or closure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, full or partial fee relief is available for Term 3. To apply for fee relief, you are asked to indicate the level of assistance you feel you need at this time by completing a one-page fee assistance form (COVID-19 Fee Assistance Request Form) attached. Your level of fee support will be confirmed as soon as possible.
Families whose employment situation has not been affected by COVID-19 can support the school by continuing to pay school fees as they fall due. This will support our school to continue providing quality learning in a connected community that nurtures and cares for each other.
Your family is an important part of our school community. Your financial circumstances will not compromise the place of your children at our school. If you are experiencing any difficulties, I will confidentially ensure your child is not disadvantaged.
Kind regards,
Jo Scott-Pegum
Principal
WEEK 7 ANSWER:
8,549,176,320
It has each number, zero through nine, listed in alphabetical order.
WEEK 8:
How many animals can you see?
FLING is Online!
We are Zooming dance and movement to homes throughout the Bega Valley and beyond.
Delivered via Zoom, our Online program offers classes from Pre-Schoolers to Adults. It is providing a positive platform to engage with moving from home, and a great way to re-energise bodies and minds for home learning.
We have 2 classes running through the day suitable for primary aged children.
These may be of interest to include as part of the home learning program at your school.
Tuesday 11 - 11:40am:
Young Dance Creatives 6 - 10yrs
Wednesday 12:15 - 1:15pm:
Upper Primary Contemporary 10+ yrs
Information about our full Online program is attached here:
All are welcome.