Gordon Football Club

Gordon Parish Mass

Playgroup

Playgroup is a fun and relaxed opportunity for children, parents, families and communities to come together for  play and social interaction.

It is an inviting and relaxing atmosphere and all families are welcome to join in, it is held from 9am until 10.30am every Monday in the school hall. Heaters are turned on, it will be warm and toasty, tea and coffee making facilities available and story time with our foundation teacher and students. 

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call the office on 5368 9495.

Playgroup Easter Egg Hunt

Music lessons

We are now taking bookings for 2024 music lessons.  If you would like any information please contact Tim on 0450 904 464 and he can discuss with you. 

News from the Principal

Dear Families,

As I left school today I do believe it was happy to share the last 9 weeks with everyone who has spent time in its hall, classrooms and outside areas. At the same time it's happy to rest, have the gardens upgraded and new playground completed. Our wonderful Foundations who have completed their first term will aslo no doubt enjoy the term break.

This last week known as Holy Week was full of celebrations with the images below showcasing the talent of students and staff and I hope all families enjoy the Easter weekend and celebrations.

Over the weekend the new soft-fall wil be layed across our new playground area, a wonderful last legacy of our outgoing Parents and Friends and the Moorabool Windfarm. We will be laying artficial turf in certain parts of the yard in readiness for winter to allow smoother traffic areas and avoiding mud building up when it eventually rains.

Mrs J's news to the school commmunity last Friday was wonderful news and this wek we have begun advertsiing for her maternity leave replacement. I have also been correspondnig with Mrs Alyce Driscoll who last taught at St. Patrick's in 2019 before taking maternity leave. Mrs Driscoll this week announced with a heavy heart her decision to resign her current ongoing full time position as she now is residing in the tablelands in FN Queensland. She expressed her love for the school and the sadness of moving on. We wish Miss Alyce all the best in her future teaching journey. As school continues to grow and will increase classes in 2025 it allows for me to now focus on how we will be structured in 2025. Families still needing information around enrolment in Foundation in 2025 can see Julie and Nadia early next term or email myself. 

School's new virtual tour currently uploaded on our website is a great representation of how learning occurs at St. Patrick's in 2024 and I encourage families to watch and direct anyone seeking a Foundation enrolment to view the video.

Next term will be no quieter with swimming, Catholic school sports for senior students, House cross country and of course our production Pirates of the Curry Bean. Ticket information will be available by week two next term.

I thank all our wonderful students for continually showing their best, the staff who work to bring this out of each child, and the parents who support us in so many ways.

I look forward to seeing everyone in two weeks time.

Paul.

Easter Bonnet Parade

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Learning Walk

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Learning Walk - Celebrating student achievement across Term One - thankyou to the families who could make it and share in their student's learning. 

Stations of the Cross

Vixen Netball Clinic

Lots of fun was had by all at our Vixen Netball Clinic. 

Sadly, the number of children in out of home care are increasing while the number of foster carers are decreasing. This often results in very young children residing in residential care, or moving regularly from home to home.

If you or anyone you know may be interested in this worthwhile cause please reach out to CAFS. 

After a successful grant application  by our dedicated Parents and Friends we have now purchased and installed a defibrillator for our school and the wider community.  It is in the foyer of the building and can currently be accessed from 6.00am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday as we work towards allowing 24 hour access to the whole community and families. 

An absolute lifesaving gift which we hope to never use. 

Dear Parents

As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being at all students at St.
Patrick’s, we are reaching out to inquire about any unnotified asthma or allergy plans that may be in
place for your child.

Your child’s health and safety are our top priorities and your cooperation in providing this information is greatly appreciated.

If your child has been diagnosed with asthma or allergies (also seasonal), we kindly request that you
inform us of any existing plans or protocols that should be followed while they are at school. This
information will help us better understand your child’s needs and enable us to respond
appropriately in case of health related situations.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any
questions or concerns.

School Term Dates

Gordon Football Club

Gordon Parish Mass

Playgroup

Playgroup is a fun and relaxed opportunity for children, parents, families and communities to come together for  play and social interaction.

It is an inviting and relaxing atmosphere and all families are welcome to join in, it is held from 9am until 10.30am every Monday in the school hall. Heaters are turned on, it will be warm and toasty, tea and coffee making facilities available and story time with our foundation teacher and students. 

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call the office on 5368 9495.

Music lessons

We are now taking bookings for 2024 music lessons.  If you would like any information please contact Tim on 0450 904 464 and he can discuss with you. 

News from the Principal

Dear Families,

It's hard to believe we've passed the halfway mark of Term One with the Easter season almost upon us. We look forward to our Easter Hat Parade and Stations of the Cross on Wednesday, 27th March at 9.00am and 2.45pm respecfully.

We have had another busy two weeks here at St Patrick's. We have had all sorts, with wild weather across our state, our thoughts and prayers are with those affected. With the bushfires now under control, we hope for the beginning of calmer conditions as we begin Autumn.

Since our last catch-up we have had slithery friends visit us, snake catchers out, Twilight Sports, Sacraments, playgroup and a School Advisory Council meeting. The School Advisiory Council have committed to 2 actions that will involve parent feedback:

- A review of our uniform policy to ensure clarity for families, with proposals such as navy socks for all students, long pants for girls as alternative to the winter kilt and House Colour shirts to be added to the unifomr. Once opinions have been sought, we will inform families of the updated policy by Term Three.

- For our upcoming School Porduction I asked if we would alter the timetable to begin school at midday on Thursday, 27th June  ensuring all children rehearse at school, travel to Mt. Clear Secondary College togerther by bus and be available for a dress rehearsal at 4.00pm followed by the opening night at 6.30pm. It was agreed to with OurPatch  offering supervision between 7.00am - 12.00 noon if required. More details to follow.

Next Monday and Tuesday we will be reshooting our school's Virtual Tour video to replace the one filmed in 2022. School has changed since then and this video will reflect our new direction. The recorders are happy to ahve parent participation so if you would like to share your views on school please see me and we can have you promote school to new families.

I draw families attention to the CHILD SAFETY  tab on our school website which has a page titleD WELLBEING. This page has School TV which is a useful resource on many topics around school. Please explore and find how useful it can be to questions we all ask as parents.

It was fantastic to see our community out for Twilight Sports - such a great time of toghetherness for all of us, fun was had by one and all.  Congratulations to PATRICK on being our 2024 House Champions.

Parents & Friends

Bakers Delight Hot Cross Bun order forms have gone out to  families this week as a fundraiser for Term One. Jenna Toohey will coordinate this,  so a big thankyou to one of the new members of our P& F i2024. Please don't forget to fill in the survey of ideas for events and activities so we can have the calendar planned for the year.

I look forward to seeing families across our coming events - Moorabool sports, assembly in Week Seven and our Open Day for new and existing families to showcase what learning looks like at St. Patrick's next Tuesday. Please join me at 9.15am for a chat and then tour school and see what learning looks like at St. Patrick's.

Enrolmensts are now being recieved from families - if you require one for your family please see Julie or Nadia in the office.

Enjoy your weekend.

Paul

Sacrament of Reconciliation

A very proud Mrs J and the entire St Patrick’s community as we enrolled and welcomed into the Sacrament of Reconciliation Ollie, Theo, Michael, Yan, Anika, Mabel and Charlotte.

Twilight Sports

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We appreciate all the families that have already completed the below survey.  We thank you for your assistance in completing it. If you have not already done so, it would be great to hear from you.  It is in regard to Parents and Friends Fundraising and Social events for 2024, it is very helpful in organising events for our school community. 

Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser

An order form has gone home this week for families and friends to order Hot Cross Buns from Bakery Hill, Bakers Delight.  This fundraiser will be facilitated by Jenna Toohey, we thank her for her time with this.  If you didn't receive an order form, or need another one, please reach out to the office and we will send one home.  

Order forms can come back to school and handed in to the office no later than Monday, 18th March.  Your fresh buns will then be delivered to school on Monday, 25th March.

Sadly, the number of children in out of home care are increasing while the number of foster carers are decreasing. This often results in very young children residing in residential care, or moving regularly from home to home.

If you or anyone you know may be interested in this worthwhile cause please reach out to CAFS. 

After a successful grant application  by our dedicated Parents and Friends we have now purchased and installed a defibrillator for our school and the wider community.  It is in the foyer of the building and can currently be accessed from 6.00am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday as we work towards allowing 24 hour access to the whole community and families. 

An absolute lifesaving gift which we hope to never use. 

Information regarding the Sacramental program for St Patrick's Parish for 2024.

The Sacramental program is for students in Year 4 and above.  If families are interested in the preparation for Baptism for all children of school age (7 years and up), please see the section on how you may begin this process.

Enrolment forms are available from the office if you require one for your family.

Dear Parents

As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being at all students at St.
Patrick’s, we are reaching out to inquire about any unnotified asthma or allergy plans that may be in
place for your child.

Your child’s health and safety are our top priorities and your cooperation in providing this information is greatly appreciated.

If your child has been diagnosed with asthma or allergies (also seasonal), we kindly request that you
inform us of any existing plans or protocols that should be followed while they are at school. This
information will help us better understand your child’s needs and enable us to respond
appropriately in case of health related situations.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any
questions or concerns.

School Term Dates

Gordon Football Club

Gordon Parish Mass

Playgroup

Playgroup is a fun and relaxed opportunity for children, parents, families and communities to come together for  play and social interaction.

It is an inviting and relaxing atmosphere and all families are welcome to join in, it is held from 9am until 10.30am every Monday in the school hall. Heaters are turned on, it will be warm and toasty, tea and coffee making facilities available and story time with our foundation teacher and students. 

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call the office on 5368 9495.

Music lessons

We are now taking bookings for 2024 music lessons.  If you would like any information please contact Tim on 0450 904 464 and he can discuss with you. 

News from the Principal

Dear Families,

Welcome to the end of Week Three and the weather is being our friend  which is always a great Autumn feel. We thank all families who have participated in our Parent Information Evening this week along with those who caught up with staff to keep updated about learning in each Year Level. We as a staff appreciate your support.

I am very pleased to see that our students are consistently in the correct uniform as per our school policy. We will continue to assist families to have the uniform correctly worn with many spare uniforms available at school for free so please visit the office to look through our supplies.  Shoes, socks and correct pants and  shorts are the main areas requiring assistance. Leggings for girls are not part of the uniform and need to be replaced by items such as shorts, skorts or summer dresses in Term One. Regular  communication via Class Dojo or a student diary is always appreciated.

On Tuesday, 27th Febraury the school Advisory Council (SAC) will meet for their first meeting of 2024. If you have any items you wish the SAC to discuss and provide direction, please see or email me or any of the members: Matt Best and Jody Moran (co-chairs) Sharon Waters, Susannah Berens, Marcus Ruthen, Michelle Eastwood, Rosie Nicholson and Janine Donohoe. We will give families a report following our meeting.

At present we have begun accepting 2025 enrolments and encourage families intending to enrol please take an enrolemnt pack from the office. I'm happy to chat about 2025 with you as we look towards expanding our classes with an increased enrolment. To aid in our promotion, a new Virtual Tour is being filmed across Monday-Tuesday, 4th and 5th March to replace our exisiting tour.

I look forward to seeing any parents for a cuppa and chat next Monday morning or afternoon to chat about ideas for our future Parents and Friends. Term One fundraising through Hot Cross Buns will be out shortly - just waiting on Bakers Delight to deliver forms.

I look forward to seeing families across our coming events - School House sports, Moorabool sports, assemblies and our Open Day for new and existing families to showcase what learning looks like at St. Patrick's.

Enjoy your weekend.

Paul

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is the last day before the fasting of Lent.  So as the last opportunity for indulgence before lent - we at pancakes!!

A big thankyou to Louise, Jenna, Michelle and Jacquie - our wonderful volunteers. The pancakes were delicious!!

On Wednesday, 14th February we celebrated Ash Wednesday as a community with Mass at St Patrick's Church in Gordon.  Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting.  It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and  marks the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter. 

Premier's Award for Victorian Senior of the Year 2021

On Tuesday, 6th February, Ned Tudor was invited to a Civic reception at Ballarat Civic Hall.  This was to witness his Aunty Anne Tudor's recognition for being awarded an OAM and then  Victorian Senior of the Year. 

These awards have been recognised at Government house in Melbourne and witnessed by her siblings and partners,  a huge privilege to attend and tour Government House. It had not been recognised by local Council until now due to Covid and other commitments.  Anne chose to invite a nephew, niece and two grand-nephews and a grand-niece to this occasion to enable them to witness the special occasion. It was a great opportunity for the children to hear caring stories and commitments to  particular causes, particularly Anne’s of course, research into Dementia.  It was a great experience for Ned and his cousins to attend.   

Here we can see Ned with Mayor Des Hudson and Anne Tudor OAM, along with his cousins Freddie Tudor and Davy Mackay.

We are keeping Vivian in our thoughts and prayers for the loss of her beloved father-in-law, Ian Dickson. We offer our condonlences and wish you peace and comfort at this sad time. 

Bless those who mourn, eternal God, with the comfort of your love that they may face each new day with hope and the certainty that nothing can destroy the good that has been given.  May their memories become joyful, their days enriched with friendship and their lives encircled by your love. 

Sadly, the number of children in out of home care are increasing while the number of foster carers are decreasing. This often results in very young children residing in residential care, or moving regularly from home to home.

If you or anyone you know may be interested in this worthwhile cause please reach out to CAFS. 

After a successful grant application  by our dedicated Parents and Friends we have now purchased and installed a defibrillator for our school and the wider community.  It is in the foyer of the building and can currently be accessed from 6.00am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday as we work towards allowing 24 hour access to the whole community and families. 

An absolute lifesaving gift which we hope to never use. 

Information regarding the Sacramental program for St Patrick's Parish for 2024.

The Sacramental program is for students in Year 4 and above.  If families are interested in the preparation for Baptism for all children of school age (7 years and up), please see the section on how you may begin this process.

Enrolment forms are available from the office if you require one for your family.

Dear Parents

As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being at all students at St.
Patrick’s, we are reaching out to inquire about any unnotified asthma or allergy plans that may be in
place for your child.

Your child’s health and safety are our top priorities and your cooperation in providing this information is greatly appreciated.

If your child has been diagnosed with asthma or allergies (also seasonal), we kindly request that you
inform us of any existing plans or protocols that should be followed while they are at school. This
information will help us better understand your child’s needs and enable us to respond
appropriately in case of health related situations.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any
questions or concerns.

School Term Dates

Gordon Parish Mass

Playgroup

Playgroup is a fun and relaxed opportunity for children, parents, families and communities to come together for  play and social interaction.

It is an inviting and relaxing atmosphere and all families are welcome to join in, it is held from 9am until 10.30am every Monday in the school hall. Heaters are turned on, it will be warm and toasty, tea and coffee making facilities available and story time with our foundation teacher and students. 

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call the office on 5368 9495.