June 22nd 2023

Acknowledgement of Country

Prayer

Let us pray….

Reconciling God, we pray for the day when all Australians stand together

Heal the blindness that looks but does not see, the deafness which refuses to listen and so does not hear, the dullness which hears but does not comprehend, and the lack of integrity that knows but does not act.

Hear our prayer.

Amen.

Adapted from Josephite Prayer Vigil in Solidarity With Asylum Seekers

From the 18th-24th June Australia is celebrating Refugee Week. This week is an opportunity for all Australaians to reflect deeply upon human values such as solidarity, welcome and justice

A Note from our Principal.

Ngata Families and Friends,

Dear Families,

Another term is fast coming to an end. Thank you to everyone for the contribution that you have made to our school this term. Special thanks to the children for their energy, caring nature and enthusiasm. 

We are very hopeful that the refurbishment of the middle pod will begin early next term. Our million dollar grant has been approved and we are now waiting for the final paperwork to be signed. Stay tuned! 

Thanks to those families who have accepted their enrolment offer for 2024. We still have some spots available if you know of any families still looking. 

Enjoy the holidays! Don't forget we finish at 2.30pm tomorrow.

Kind regards,

Stacey 

Early Finish-2.30pm

A reminder that we have an early finish for the last day of term tomorrow. 

Principalship at St Pius X for 2024

Please find attached a letter regarding the principal role at St Pius X for 2024.

Reports and Learning Conversations

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend our learning conversations. These are an important opportunity to meet, celebrate successes and set new goals. A big thank you to our teachers who have been working very hard to prepare both the reports and learning conversations and congratulations to all our students who have been working hard during the first half of the year. They should all be very proud of their efforts. 

Friends of the Twilight Fair- We need your help

On Tuesday night we had 3 committed parents come to a meeting to discuss our Twilight Fair. 

Thank you to Kimberley Lack, Merryn Payne and Richard Verspay for their ongoing committment to the fundraising efforts of our school. Virginia Short is also a regular member of this group. 

Thank you also to the 9 people who replied to the survey about the fair and to the 11 people who have returned the PnF survey that was sent home with the raffle.

As a school, we recognise that the Twilight Fair is a great opportunity to gather together as a community. However, it takes a level of organisation and committment from the entire school community to ensure that it is successful. It is too much for 3 people to organise. 

On Tuesday 11th July the Friends of the Twilight Fair will be meeting at 7pm at school to create a plan for the fair.

ALL WELCOME

It would be great to see some more people. 

Things you can do to support the fair at this stage:

1. Come along to the meeting and share your ideas.
2. Offer to take charge of a stall. You might like to do this with a friend.
   

This year the money raised will be going towards our playground, which will benefit all the children in our school. 

Arts News

This is a reminder to all grade 3, 4, 5 & 6 parents to complete the Junior Warrnibald questions on SIMON so that your child's artwork can be entered in this year's competition at the Warrnambool art gallery. The artwork is looking impressive and it would be great to enter as many as possible.  

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Congratulations to those students involved with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

The Grade 3/4s can't wait to see it tomorrow. 

Alternative Program Update

We have come to the end of a busy term. Lots of hands on learning has been happening.

Hands on Learning

The Thursday and Friday Hands on Learning groups have this term:

• worked on making the sides for a gaga pit for the school.
• painted large tyres to make mini sand pits for the school.
• formed a lovely partnership with Archie Graham Centre. The Thursday group played indoor bowls at the City Memorial Bowls Club with a group of ten elderly men. The Friday group hosted morning tea and a craft morning with a group of elderly women.
• run four cafes for four classes this term, cooking pizzas, hamburgers, fried rice and made some yummy milkshakes.
• weeded and planted some veggies in the vegie garden.
• made tool boxes, bird planters and fence paling portraits.

West Warrnambool Primary school hosted the Thursday Hands on Learning group, where they enjoyed working together to make mini roads and ate a lovely bowl of spaghetti bolognese. We look forward to next term hosting West Warrnambool students.

It has been great to see students develop leadership  and team building skills, become more resilient and competent at using tools. 

Men’s Shed

Students have further developed their partnership with the men and one woman at the Men’s Shed. We are so grateful for the time and effort these volunteers put in to support our students. One student commented that they enjoy being with the people at the Shed more than the constructing the projects.

This term the students have made a ipad holder, a wooden plant holder, a wooden sliding pencil box and  a fruit bowl. The students have further developed their building skills as well as patience and resilience to be able to tackle some complex projects.

Here are some student view points about the Men’s Shed

Oliver - The Men’s Shed is good because we build with wood, I liked building the tool box best of all. My focus plan is to speak clearly which is something I find hard. I have got better at this.

Brax - Not always about  learning  new stuff and what you can do with  materials and stuff but being with the elderly people and then you can talk to them, to  see what is happening in their life and they ask about your school life.

Lewis - Build social skills and helps me to get better at building stuff.

Tommy - Build new friendships and helps you to learn basic skills so you don't have to always  pay money for someone to do it for you.

Max - Great if you want to  learn stuff and it helps with your communication with other people.

Coonor -  Learn new stuff in life and handy stuff.

Angus - Men’s Shed is really good because it is not just all about building the projects, you are always learning a lot of things. It is really fun being  up there and the  people up there are really nice and good to have a talk to.

Layla - Allows us to learn how to  communicate with others. I know lots of students have special bonds with the people at the Men’s Shed and it really regulates people and they are all happier coming back to school.

Heidi - Learn to communicate with others  and start a conversation and teaches us new skills.

Annabelle - I know that some people at school have low esteem and lack confidence, the Men's Shed helps us. It allows us to  focus more and really helps when  come back to school  refreshed and learn new skills. It helps us to stay in the green zone and if we are mad or sad or something these skills  can help us regulate.

Alternate afternoon

Students have enjoyed building in the shed, cooking in the kitchen, an extra phys ed lesson, craft and on a Thursday working as a group on community projects. The students have helped to paint the sandpit tyres and also contributed to making the sides for the gaga pit. It has been good to see this group further develop their ability to work in a team.

Mini Vinnies Book and Toy Sale

In term 3 the Mini Vinnies team will be supporting CRISP to raise $12,000 for a Refugee family who are coming to Warrnambool to live.  This family were originally from Iraq, but have been displaced in Lebanon since 2014. The family has two boys aged 4 & 11 & a girl aged 13.

So far CRISP have collected the essentials to furnish a house but now they are turning their attention to the children. During the holidays we are asking our students to go through all their old books and toys to see if there is anything they could donate for a stall. If you have anything please bring it along to the Drama room in weeks 1 and 2.

We ask that you bring no more than 1-2 books and/or 1 toy per family. 

Please only donate goods that are in a reasonable condition. Remember to check with your families first!  Then in week 6 (Bookweek) we will hold a stall.  Money raised from the stall will be given to CRISP who will then buy essential items for the children.

Thank you for your support.

Get to know your School Advisory Council

Justin Harzmeyer is one of our dedicated SAC members.

Justin lives in Winslow with his wife Kate (Mrs Harzmeyer) and children Blake (Grade 4) and Chloe (Grade 1) on their little farm with lots of animals. Justin enjoys spending time outdoors and supporting the wider Warrnambool community by volunteering.

School Advisory Councils provide a forum for discussion and discernment, where the parent/guardian voice and perspective are available to inform and support the decisions made by the Principal for the good of school. Please feel free to reach out to our SAC members if there is something you would like to discuss or email spxsac@spwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au 

Sacrament of Eucharist

The Sacrament of First Eucharist will be celebrated in our community on Sunday August 20th, 2023.  Typically, this sacrament is celebrated when a student is in year 4, but your child may be in another year level and would like to participate, for example if they missed it.
Please fill out the registration  link and we will be having a formation meeting in the St Pius X Church on Wednesday July 19th at 7pm.  Please mark this date on your calendar.
Please contact me via the office, if you have any questions.  
Sara Graham

Parents and Friends Raffle-DRAWN TOMORROW

The PnF have secured a very generous donation from Rafferty's- so we're having a bonus raffle this term.   Tickets have been sent home last week, with more available at the office. 

A reminder to send your sold tickets back to school. The raffle will be drawn on the final day of term. 

If you send along your survey we'll write out another 5 tickets for you! 

A special message........

Happy birthday to the following students who celebrate their birthday over the holidays....

Aria-Jade Nicol, Lincoln Steffensen, Annabella McInnes, Liam Coles, Thomas Nguyen, Grace White, Chelsea Brisbane, Harry McDuff, Flynn Meredith, Chance Roads, Beau Lewis, Skiie Murray, Andin Karnajaya, Freya Keane, Estelle Williamson, Aamy Aravind, Arlie Edwards.

And, Happy Birthday to those students who celebrate their birthday by returning to school! 

Braxton Bond, Annie Cawthorn, Alyssa Britten and Angus McKenna. 

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club continues to be a hit during these cold Wednesday mornings! If you arrive at school before 8:50am, head down to the function room for some yummy toast, cereal, fruit, milo and lots more! 

Helpers are always welcome, even if it is for a morning, every little bit helps! If you’d like to volunteer please contact the office! 

Footy Tipping 2023

Round 14 and we're still working through byes. This week the Williamson Family and the Lane Fam Bam topped scored with 8 after pulling the trigger on a joker. Congratulations to our other top tippers who picked 6 (smiles all round in the office), Richo800, Anne Kerr, Stacey Atkins, TigersCats1, Oliver's AFL tips, Greg's Tips, White's Family, Meredith PZF, World Class Woodwards, Nek Minute and Wisgod. 

More byes this week. Don't forget to keep tipping over the holidays! 

Well done to Richo800 who has made it into the top 5. The top four are unchanged. 

Our top 5 tippers are:

1. Fynn20- 111
2. Seurens- 110
3. Debra Redpath- 108
4. Letty Parkinson -104
5. Richo800-104

Canteen Roster

Tuesday, 11th July- Lauren Johnson

Wednesday, 12th July- Sue Coulson

Thursday, 13th July- Sarah Searle

Friday, 14th July- Hayley Keane

Important Dates

Monday 10th July: First day of term 3.

Tuesday 11th July: PnF Meeting, 7pm 

Wednesday 12th July: Prep Excursion to the Art Gallery

Friday 14th July: PSG meetings

Monday 17th July: Dental Health Van Visit this week

Monday 17th July: PSG Meetings

Friday July 28th: School Closure 

Advance notice:

Term 4 closure date Friday November 3rd 

Second Hand Uniforms

Families seeking low cost uniform items are welcome to contact Angela Verspay (mum to Dylan and Finn) who has stock of many donated uniform items. Ph: 0477660119.

Parish Contact

Sunday Mass 10.00 @ St Pius X Church. School families are always welcome.

The Parish office can be contacted on 5562 2231

Other information and contact details can be found on the Star of the Sea South West Coast website: https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/parish/southwestcoast/ 

Warrnambool City Council - Winter Vacation Care program:

FOR SALE!     Personalised Zooper Dooper holders made by William Carey.   They are $5.00 each and come in a range of colours.  Please phone Jodie on 0459 115 004 for more information.

More Holiday Fun

Before & After School Care

COVID 19 Arrangements

All famililes are asked to familiarise thesmselves with the updated COVID 19 regulations.