Newsletter Thursday 5th September

We the staff of St Patrick’s acknowledge the traditional owners, the Kulin nations, of the land on which we learn and play.

We pay respects to the Aboriginal Elders, past and present, who are our teachers.

We thank them for taking care of children and country for countless generations.

2SM'S Class Newsletter

In year 2 this semester we have been learning about water. We performed the story of Tiddalick and drew pictures of the main character.

In Maths we learnt about weight and made lots of discoveries.

In religion we have learnt about forgivness and shared stories we wrote about friendships and saying sorry.

Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians,

This week in the Gospel, Mark 7:31-37 we have the account of a deaf and mute man who is healed by Jesus. It's a great reminder of the power and compassion of Jesus and the lengths he went to bring in those who were considered the lower class because of their situation. It also highlights how Jesus went about his work in such a humble manner that he conducted this miracle in private, ‘away from the crowd’. This is a good lesson that shows that when we do good things, we do not need to be shouting it out to all. We do good things for the intrinsic reward and to know that we are fulfilling what was Jesus’s destiny for mankind.

God Bless

Meg

Year Level Camp/ Fun Day Dates:

TERM DATES 2024

2024 PUPIL FREE DAYS AND SCHOOL CLOSURE DAYS:

The 4 Pupil Free days ensure that we can manage our commitment for all staff to continue to provide activities such as school camps for our students.
Please note, these dates are separate from our 8 Staff Professional Development days. Those 8 days are for our staff professional learning which will focus on Religious Education, Learning and Teaching and Student Wellbeing.

Next assembly is 2SM on Friday 6^th September

Thanks to many generous people who donated to our Father’s Day raffle prizes. The P and F were able to create many wonderful prizes and the first 3 main prizes went to the following students.

1st – Owen Year 6

2nd – Ruby Year 6

3rd – Jesse Foundation

   

During this term, I will start to plan for 2025 and will soon be looking at staffing for the following year. If you have a reasonable request for your child/ren in regard to classroom placement, this MUST be put into writing and be emailed to principal@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au. The closing date for this will be Friday 6^th September. Any requests coming to me after this date may not be considered.

Once again, these requests are never guaranteed and ultimately, the final placement of the students rests with me as principal.

Kind Regards,

Meg Escalante

This week stduents in 1AD decorated biscuits with icing and smarties for their writin recounts. They had so much fun completing this task!

This week we have been learning all about weight and measurement in class

Pakenham District Athletics Carnival

Congratulations to all the competitors at the Pakenham District Athletics Carnival held last Friday.

The sky was blue, the sun was out and the winds were fierce - not uncommon at Casey Fields which is notorious for its high winds.

All St Pat’s students participated well and represented our school with pride. 

Unfortunately training sessions at school were limited but when students did attend they put in a positive effort each time, with some completing their own training outside school hours. This showed a great level of commitment to their selection.

Thank you to parents, guardians and family members who came along on the day to support students and to the staff who travelled with and helped organise students on the day - Belinda Couch, Shiny Antony, Janelle Van Der Veer, Emily Talbot, Jake Richardson, Paul Beswick and Mel Britt. Without the team work of dedicated staff, these days cannot run successfully.

We wish the following students who qualified for the Cardinia Division Athletics Carnival on September 18th (also held at Casey Fields Regional Athletics Centre) all the best. Permission notes and transport arrangements for this event will be out on PAM in the coming week.

Owen 6JP - 1500m

Thon 5RM - High Jump

Gunnraj 6BC - Shot Put

11yo Girls 4x 100m Relay Team - Isabella 6BC, Healey 6BC, Grace 6RS and Alek 6JP

This week in PE students have been exploring and experiencing events similar to those seen at the Paralympics. There have been robust discussions about what the Paralympics are, how they came about and why it is important. Children have spoken about the opportunities given for those with a disability to compete in a safe and competitively even environment, with many realising that not all disabilities can be noticed just by looking at someone - the INVISIBILITY of DISABILITY. 

Students watched short videos of several events showcased at the Paralympics, as well as other sports that support people with disabilities, and had the opportunity to try these different events for themselves. Some modifications were made to suit the stadium environment and the equipment available. Some of the events tried throughout the week were: 

• Goalball
• Sitting Volleyball
• Guided Running
• Seated Athletics - javelin (using a pool noodle), shot put, discus
• Seated bowling
• Blind Cricket

Students acknowledged that whilst the activities were difficult, they gained some understanding of the challenges faced by those who live with a disability every day. They also noted that the Para-athletes were great examples of two of our school values - resilience and courage. Many students hoped to continue to carry forward the same “I can” attitude of the Paralympians in future PE lessons.

Our AFL dress up day will be on Thursday 19th September. Students are invited to wear their favourite team jersey on this day. 

Please note there have been several complaints about parents parking across our school driveways at the end of the school day.

Not only is this an illegal activity, but it is also making it very difficult for any pedestrians and particularly those in wheelchairs to access the footpath and move safely across to the other side.

If you are found to be blocking a driveway, you may be approached by a member of staff and asked to move your car. I have also informed the local council of what's happening, and they will be conducting roving patrols and handing out fines.

We have a free dress day on Friday 13th September. We ask all students participating to bring a cold coin donation in, all proceeds are donated to our school Parish.

We are experiencing a high volume of students (and staff) with cough and flu symptoms. Please ensure you keep your children home from school if they present with a nasty cough, runny nose or fever. We are continuing to rely on habits developed throughout the Covid lockdown and use the hand sanitiser every day before and after eating, entering the classroom and after the toilets.

Department of Health Warning for parents and families

There has been an update on the Increasing Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Cases

MAIN POINTS

• The Department of Health, Victoria has issued a health alert, Increasing pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Victoria.

• The key messages are: cases of pertussis are increasing in Victoria, mostly affecting children aged 10-12 years
• pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness known for causing a cough and can lead to life threatening infections in babies

• symptoms of pertussis may be very similar to other respiratory infections, especially in the early stages, meaning diagnosis by a doctor as soon as possible is important.

ACTIONS REQUIRED

• Principals are asked to:

Primary schools must NOT allow a student with whooping cough to attend the school for 21 days after the onset of cough or until they have completed five (5) days of antibiotics.

• Students younger than seven (7) years who are in proximity of a whooping cough case, and who have not received three (3) doses of the pertussis vaccine, should also be excluded for 14 days from the last date of exposure, or until they have completed five (5) days of antibiotics. 2
• Secondary schools and all staff that are not bound by the legislative exclusion requirements applying to primary schools but are encouraged to follow the same guidance to ensure staff and student safety. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• Vaccination is the most important preventive measure against these diseases

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Vaccination is the most important preventive measure against whooping cough as it reduces the risk of infection and severe illness and protects those in the community who are most vulnerable. • It is recommended staff and students stay up to date with their vaccinations, including booster doses and seek medical attention early if whooping cough symptoms occur.
• remind the school community about the importance of seeing their General Practitioner if their children exhibit any of the symptoms listed
• consider any school community members (staff or parents/guardians/carers) who are pregnant or who have infants under the age of six (6) months, to ensure this important information is available to them.

SPECIAL REPORT: R U OK?Day

Understanding the growing challenges related to mental health among young people is an important consideration. Anxiety, depression and self-harm - are all causes for concern. Factors like academic pressure, social media, family dynamics, and societal expectations, are contributing to these issues. It's therefore crucial for parents and caregivers to take action early, remove the stigma around discussing mental health, and offer accessible support to address these issues and the wellbeing of their children.

R U OK?Day is an initiative that focuses on preventing suicide by encouraging meaningful personal connections and helping informal support networks to help recognise the signs of distress. We urge all families to take part, emphasising the value of genuine human relationships and reminding everyone to ask the important question, "Are you OK?"

Engaging in R U OK?Day activities goes beyond the classroom; it's a commitment to our students' overall development. By talking openly about mental health, schools create safe spaces where students feel understood, valued, and supported. As parents and caregivers, you can contribute by fostering open conversations, normalising feelings and breaking down mental health stigmas. Participating in R U OK?Day promotes compassion and shows our dedication to the wellbeing of the entire school community, reaffirming that together, we can truly make a difference.

This Special Report provides guidance on how to talk to your child about mental health and engage in meaningful discussions.

Here is the link to your Special Report https://stppakenham.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-r-u-ok-day

The Dental Van will be returning this term, 13th - 17th of September, if you would like your child to have a check up please fill in the attached form and return it to the office. We have printed copies as well if needed at the office.

SiMON Everywhere is an app our school uses to acces PAM and CDF Pay. We will be sending reminders through this app, as such please download and sign in. There is a guide below for your reference. If you are having any issues please contact Alex Taylor in the school office ataylor@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

Have you logged into your PAM account yet! 

We use PAM as our main form of communication.  All emails, Student Attendance, Sick Bay notes, School Reports, commonly used forms, excursion/camp permission notes and Family Learning conversations, will all be communicated via PAM.  

Access PAM via this link   Link to PAM 

PAM - Parent Access Module

PAM (Parent Access Module) is our Parent to School communication platform.   PAM will provide real time access to keep parents updated with their children’s progress, important dates and messages. Relevant resources – calendar events, student reports, parent notified absences, absence data and sick bay notes will all be accessed via PAM.

Parents will be able to easily book Parent Teacher interviews through PAM, and access teacher email addresses. 

PAM accounts are linked via your email address that we have in our systems. 

If you have recently changed your email,  please call or email us on office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

Click on the 'forget password' link to set your password and then verify your email address.  (Email addresses must be verified for PAM to work properly).  Once your email is verified, your email can be used as the username for your account.

Once you have successfully logged in, you can save PAM to your homescreen on your device.

If you have any issues or need help with PAM please contact the school via email, office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

PAM Instructions

Parent Notified Absences via PAM

Once you have PAM set up and saved to your home screen you can easily send in Parent Notified absences.   Please use this platform going forward as this automatically syncs with the class roll.   This will fix the issues of receiving SMS notifications even though you had already notified the school. 

Please remember to update your contact details and any relevant medical details for your child.  

Most medical profiles have now been updated. Please remember to keep them up to date and upload any asthma/allergy plans that may be relevant.

To update any contact details please contact the school office.