All Saints Parish School Portland eNewsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the traditional owners, the Gunditjmara people, on whose land we learn, work and play. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their elders- past, present and emerging believing that we can walk together for a better future.

Principal's Message

We are so grateful to be able to be a part of community celebrations such as ANZAC Day and it was wonderful to have so many of our students there to remember, celebrate and commerorate such an important day. We are thankful for the sacrifices made by those who have served or those who are currently serving in our armed forces. To be able to show that appreciation on at the ANZAC Day service was a privilege for all involved.

This week we celebrate Catholic Education Week, a time to celebrate and share the things that make All Saints Parish School such a special place. This year at All Saints we are celebrating a very special occasion of 175 years of Catholic Education in Portland. We are the oldest continuing school in the Ballarat Diocese, a remarkable achievement. We will be holding some special celebrations later in the year so keep your eye out for more information coming soon.

As part of Catholic Education Week, on Tuesday our Year 6 students will travel to Casterton for a day of celebration with Catholic schools from Edenhope, Casterton, Coleraine, Hamilton and Penshurst. We will participate in some fun activities with KABOOM Sports! and celebrate mass and a shared lunch with senior students from the other schools. We will celebrate here at school on Friday with a Catholic Education Week liturgy.

We wish the students who qualified for the Divisional Athletics Carnival all the best as they travel to Warrnambool on Friday to compete against other students from the South West region.

Please remember to get your orders in for our Mother's Day and Special Person's Breakfast on Friday May 10. All orders must be placed through CDFPay by this Friday May at 4:00pm.

Well done to everyone on your cross country today. You should all be very proud of your efforts.

RESPECT YOURSELF, RESPECT OTHERS & RESPECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT!

Regards

Jamie

Congratulations Mrs Levings- 30 years in Catholic Education

We must say a huge congratulations to Mrs Levings who this year celebrates 30 years as a teacher in Catholic Education in the Ballarat Diocese. Mrs Levings has been instrumental in providing a wonderful start to the education of hundreds of students as a Foundation/Prep teacher at All Saints for many years. Clare's passion and commitment to providing the best opportunities for her students often goes above and beyond, always striving to find new learning strategies and activities to engage and challenge the students in her care.

Well done Mrs Levings and congratulations on the remarkable achievement of 30 years of developing young students and nurturing their minds, body and spirit. You should be extremely proud of all that you have achieve during this time.

Catholic School Culture

Sacrament of First Eucharist

In the coming weeks a group of our Year 5 students will be completing their initiation as full members of the Catholic church by receiving the Sacrament of First Eucharist.

Our First Eucharist candidates will participate in weekly dismissals before receiving the Sacrament on the weekend of June 1^st/2^nd. Payton, Ilaria, Cassie, Ivy and Althea and their families will be in our prayers over the coming weeks as they undertake this preparation.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Those families wishing to have their children involved in the preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation later this year are advised that the registration period commences on 1st of May and will be open until the 24th of May.

Families are asked to contact Fr Greg, either on his mobile (best option) or email greg.tait@ballarat.catholic.org.au to arrange an appointment to complete the registration process. Please phone early in this time period and make your booking, rather than leaving it to the last week to avoid time pressures.

If anyone would like to contact Fr Greg regarding Sacramental preparation, or if there are any families who have a student in Year 3 who wish to be Baptised prior to Confirmation, please contact him on his mobile number 0475 512 530.

Catholic Education Week April 29-May 3

Catholic Education Week 2024 is going to be celebrated from 29 April – 3 May.

Catholic Education Week is an annual opportunity for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ballarat to celebrate their distinctive ethos and mission with their school and wider communities.

In 2024, 52 primary schools and 11 secondary Colleges educate more than 18,500 students and employ over 2,500 teachers and staff across the diocese from Mildura in the north, Portland in the south, and west to Edenhope and Nhill.

Catholic Education Week takes on special significance this year as our community of schools recognises the 150^th Anniversary of the formation of the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat with the theme:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

Bishop Paul Bird reflects on the theme:

When we celebrate a birthday, we often reflect on the years that have passed, as well as wishing the person happiness in the present and blessings for the time ahead. Celebrating the anniversary of a diocese is something like that. A community anniversary provides an occasion to reflect on the past, affirm people in the present and look hopefully to the future. We can see these elements in the themes for the 150th anniversary of our Diocese of Ballarat.

The word “Community” highlights the fact that a diocese is essentially a community drawn together by Christ. The word “Remember” refers us to the history of the diocese. In this remembering, we acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of that history, celebrating the achievements and recognising the failures to live our Christian faith to the full. The word “Revitalise” calls us to invest ourselves in bringing new life to the community today. The word “Hope” encourages us to look forward to the future with confidence in God.

The Scripture verse chosen for our 150th anniversary year reflects various aspects of our vocation as a Christian community. The words are drawn from a passage in St Paul’s letter to the Romans in which the apostle lists qualities appropriate for a community inspired by Christ. As the years go by, the community will experience times of trial as well as times of gladness. Through it all, their trust in Christ will make them joyful in hope and patient in affliction. They will recognise that they need God’s help constantly and so they will be faithful in prayer day by day.

May this anniversary year be a season of renewal for our diocese, a community of communities from the Murray to the sea. I pray that the rich ministry of Catholic Education will continue to play an integral role in this time of renewal.

Visit the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat website for timeline of Diocesan events to mark the 150^th anniversary.

School Information

Assembly Timetable

Assemblies commence at 2:30pm every second Friday afternoon.

Assemblies for Term 2

Week 4 - May 10 - 1/2DW

Week 6 - May 24 - 1/2YW

Week 8 - June 7 - 1/2MR

Week 10 - June 21 - 5/6BS

Important Dates

TERM 2

Week 3

Monday April 29-Friday May 3- Catholic Education Week

Monday April 29- School Cross Country

Tuesday April 30- Year 6 Catholic Education Week Activities in Casterton

Wedenesday May 1- GRIP Leadership Conference in Mt Gambier for School Leaders

Friday May 3- Division Athletics in Warrnambool

Saturday May 4- Deb Ball # 1

Saturday May 4- First Eucharist dismissal

Week 4

Monday May 6 - Student Free Day- Staff PD in Maths

Tuesday May 7 - District Cross Country

Friday May 10 - Mother's Day & Special Person's Breakfast

Sunday May 12 - Mother's Day

Week 5

Monday May 13- Friday May 17- PSG Meetings

Learning and Teaching

From the 1/2 Pod

In our 1/2 pod, our focus in Religion is LOVE! This week, our students have been busy creating a place where they feel loved.

Next week, they will be planting seeds and taking on the responsibility of watering and caring for their gardens.

Throughout the term, we'll continue to explore new topics and add to our safe places. We can't wait to see them grow strong and proud, just like our students!

Our pod also had a visit from Miss Punton and we got to meet her beautiful baby boy Finley. He sure did get a lot of 1/2 love!

Monday May 6 is a Student Free Day.

Staff will be working with Peter Sullivan from Monash University and undertaking some professional learning in Maths. There is no supervision for students on this day.

Students of the Week

FCL: Austin Silva & Aubrey Kerr

1/2YW: Tully Polkinghorne & Arla Hawker

1/2DW: Harley Johnstone & Georgia Harrison

1/2ID: Whole class award

1/2MR: Jensen Inman & Emilia Bailey

3/4DL: Nathaniel Manitta & Sonny D’Alessandro

3/4MS: Indie O'Dea & Grace McIntosh

3/4JS: Paige Vella & Penelope Copley

3/4MN: Logan Rethus & Georgiana Litowschenko

5/6AD: Erin Hollis-Compton & Ilaria Toohey

5/6BS: Baylee Price & Althea Howman

5/6RV: Idrissa Charlery & Millie Rogers

5/6DC: Vossie Vosloo & Zena Howman

Indonesian: Tully Denham & Hazel Budde

Digi Tech: Holly Kort & Zaiden Kavanagh

Physical Education: Summer Chow & Indiana Marshall

CONGRATULATIONS & WELL DONE TO THESE STUDENTS ON THE FABULOUS THINGS THAT YOU ARE DOING.

Leadership & Stewardship

School Advisory Council Vacancies

We have a number of vacancies on our School Advisory Council (SAC) for 2024. If you are interested please read the following information which is taken from the DOBCEL School Advisory Council Terms of reference.

'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 the school.

It is important that School Advisory Council members understand that their primary role is to provide
support and advice on important school matters to support the principal in the context of the DOBCEL
governance arrangements. School Advisory Councils do not have a legal identity and do not become
involved in the day-to-day management of the school. The School Advisory Council must act within the
parameters of the Terms of Reference.

The following are some ways School Advisory Councils support the school and the principal:
• supporting the enactment of the DOBCEL Strategic Intent and Directions
• articulating and enacting the school's vision and mission
• endorsing the school's Catholic ethos and culture
• provide input into and support for the school improvement/strategic plan development and
delivery
• actively supporting and promoting child safety practices within the school, including the National
Safeguarding Principles for Child Safe Organisations and Ministerial Order 1359
• supporting the processes of school improvement and school review
• supporting the principal in meeting responsibilities and accountabilities for educational outcomes,
effective stewardship of resources, master planning and annual reporting
• supporting the principal in the encouragement of family engagement
• supporting the ongoing sustainability of the School Advisory Council and its membership in its
succession and learning
• enriching faith formation and development
• implementing school policies as required

While a vital forum for parent and community voice, the School Advisory Council is not a forum for
individual parent advocacy or special interest representation and does not become involved in the day-to-day management of the school.

All management and operational matters such as the delivery of curriculum, human resource matters,
parent complaints, programs and policies are the responsibility of the principal, who may seek the advice of School Advisory Council members concerning these matters from time to time.

The Executive Director or the principal is the approved spokesperson for the school for initiatives,
announcements and issues raised in the local media. No School Advisory Council member has the authority to speak on behalf of the School or the School Advisory Council unless explicitly delegated and authorised by the principal.'

Currently the All Saints Parish School SAC meets once per term with the option to hold a second meeting if neccessary to discuss any pressing matters.

If you wish to join our SAC or would like more information plaese contact the school office.

Community Engagement

ANZAC DAY

It was wonderful to see so many of our students and their families come along to help us celebrate and remember those who have served their country on ANZAC Day.

We are very grateful for the men and women of the Australian Armed Forces for their service and sacrifice.

As a school we are thankful for the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful community event.

Well done to our leaders who assisted with making wreaths on Wednesday and also to Harry and Sabra for representing our school and laying a wreath on behalf of the school community.

LEST WE FORGET.

ANZAC Day 2024

Webinars for parents and carers

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars

Join one of our free webinars for parents and carers.

These live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences.

On this page:

Download the schedule

2024 parent and carer webinar schedule (PDF, 99.3KB)Download

Download

SchoolTV - Wellbeing Platform

All Saints Parish School’s ‘School TV’ can be accessed using the following link: https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me

A SPECIAL REPORT: Trauma Recovery

Trauma in children significantly disturbs their sense of safety and normalcy, leading to substantial emotional and behavioural changes. Such disturbances often result from exposure to traumatic events, which may be exacerbated by continuous media coverage. This exposure can trigger stress, anxiety, and trauma, with varying recovery timelines due to the unpredictable nature of trauma's impact. Observing young people grappling with these effects can be highly distressing for parents and caregivers.

It's important to establish a nurturing environment to help restore a child's sense of security to help promote resilience. Active involvement in their recovery is essential, as is recognising the unique, personalised needs of each child in responding to trauma. Depending on their age, children may present with different symptoms, such as regressive behaviours in younger ones or withdrawal and agitation in older children and teens. It is important to monitor and manage the type of information children may access to reduce their emotional distress.

The brain stores traumatic events as powerful emotional memories, influencing behaviour through mechanisms beyond a child's conscious awareness. By providing young people with support and equipping them with coping mechanisms to handle uncertainty, parents and carers can greatly enhance a child's capacity to recover and build long-term emotional resilience.

This Special Report will help you identify a child experiencing trauma and how you can support them to overcome it.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:
https://asportland.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-trauma-recovery

In addition, BTN have a good article on upsetting news.

https://www.abc.net.au/btn/upsetting-news/10500572

Happy Birthday

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

STUDENTS: Mak M, Ayden M, Piper S, Paige V, Zion N-R, Sienna O, Faith E, Chaz H, Ethan C, Lillianna R, James A, Ahmalia P, Inga M, Savarnna L, Kaden H, Alicia I, Rose M, Lucy C, Neveah S, Dolly B, Jaxon G, Althea H, Skye H

STAFF: Jo, Sam, Mrs Walsh

MAY BIRTHDAYS

STUDENTS:

STAFF: Janette, Kelly, Ms Arnott

Praying With Children

Praying with Children 6th Sunday of Easter

Praying with Children Ascension of the Lord

COMMUNITY NEWS

Auskick_Flyer.pdf

Term 2 Week 3 Newsletter- April 29