Newsletter 173- August 28th 2025
Prayer of the Week:
To mark the 150th Anniversary of the Diocese of Ballarat in 2024, Bishop Paul Bird composed a special Anniversary Prayer. Following a request from the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, Bishop Paul has now adapted this prayer to serve as an ongoing Diocesan Prayer.
From the Principal’s Desk:
Last week I had the privilege of joining colleagues from all over Australia at the Australian Catholic Education Conference in Cairns. With more than 1,400 Catholic educators and leaders gathered under the theme Hope, Anchored in Faith, it was a wonderful chance to hear from inspiring keynote speakers, take part in workshops, and join panel discussions. The conference gave me time to pause and reflect on our shared mission, think about the opportunities and challenges ahead for Catholic education, and strengthen my own commitment to keeping faith, excellence and equity at the heart of what we do.
This week we held our Term Three School Advisory Council (SAC) meeting. During the meeting, our chairperson, Chantal, shared that she will be stepping down from the SAC in 2026. This opens the door for other parents to become involved.
The SAC is an advisory group that connects parents with the school leadership team to share feedback, celebrate successes, and discuss areas for growth. Meetings are held once a term, starting at 5.30 pm and finishing around 7.00 pm, either in person or online. The timing is designed to be family-friendly, allowing parents to come along after work and still be home for the evening.
Our next meeting is on Tuesday, November 11, and we’d love you to come along and give it a try. There’s no pressure to commit for 2026—just come and see what it’s all about. Your voice and perspective really do make a difference.
Bettina
Wellbeing:
Anxiety & Young People
Anxiety is a natural and expected part of growing up. In fact, it plays an important role in helping young people prepare for challenges, stay alert to potential dangers and adapt to new situations. It can motivate them to study for a test, practise before a performance, or tread carefully in unfamiliar settings. However, for many children and adolescents today, anxiety can shift from being a helpful response to becoming intense, persistent and disruptive.
The world young people are growing up in is fast-paced and often demanding. Academic pressures, social expectations, family changes and the constant presence of digital media can all contribute to heightened stress and worry.
When anxiety is left unrecognised or unsupported, it can begin to affect a young person's wellbeing, learning, friendships and self-confidence. That's why it's so important for adult carers to understand how anxiety may present in children. Everyone experiences anxiety differently, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution.
This edition of SchoolTV raises awareness and provides families with practical strategies to help young people manage anxiety in healthy, constructive ways.
Here is the link to your Edition: http://spstawell.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/anxiety-young-people-au
Lauren Broadbent
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader
Teaching and Learning:
School Assemblies: Our assemblies happen each Friday afternoon starting at 2:45pm in the school hall. Students are dismissed from the hall on this day. We invite all our community to come along.
Week 6- Junior C
Week 7- Senior M
Week 8- Junior B
Week 9- Commendation Badge Presentation
Professional Development: At St Patrick’s Primary School we are committed to Professional Development of our team. At various times staff members will be working off site or online which may result in classroom teachers being out of the classroom.
Term 2 Week 7 & 8-
Performing Arts and Media Arts
Our students are busily preparing for the upcoming School Concert, and the excitement is building as each class works on their performance piece. Beyond the joy of singing, dancing and acting on stage, the concert is also an important part of our Performing Arts curriculum.
In the Victorian Curriculum, the Performing Arts standards focus on students creating, performing and presenting their ideas, as well as responding to and reflecting on the work of others. Through the concert, students are developing skills in expression, collaboration, confidence and creativity. They are also learning how to use movement, voice, and music to communicate stories and ideas to an audience.
This year as with previous years, students in Years 3–6 are also linking the concert to their learning in Media Arts. The Year 3/4s have been exploring advertising in different media forms and will be creating posters to promote the concert. Meanwhile, our Year 5/6 students are busy writing scripts, conducting interviews and filming news reports in front of the green screen, with the concert as their theme.
The concert is always a highlight of the year and a wonderful way for families to see both the Performing Arts and Media Arts standards come to life in engaging and creative ways.
Students of the Week:
Week 5: No Awards
Week 6:
Ethel Abin - For sharing your Science Week experiment with confidence and enthusiasm. You explained your ideas clearly and inspired others with your curiosity and creativity.
Elsie Devery - For working creatively and collaboratively to co-construct an art piece. You added thoughtful details, shared ideas respectfully, and helped bring a shared vision to life.
Jye Friend - For working hard to achieve excellent results in all areas of the curriculum. Well done also on being so dedicated to our home reading program. Congratulations!
Evelyn Hoare - For being so dedicated to our home reading program. Congratulations and thank you for all of the hard work you are doing at home. Well done Evelyn!
Archer Cooper - For the hard work you have been putting into your Maths this week. You have been on fire! Keep up the awesome work Archer!
Zoey Tyler - For your wonderful curiosity and engagement you have shown in all of our Book Week activities this week. Well done Zoey!
Oscar Erwin - For the excellent efforts you have been putting into your explanation writing. Keep it up!
Stephyne Davidson - For the wonderful work you have done researching for your explanation text and finding technical language. Well done.
Harry Sutherland - For the focus and Self-Motivation you show during our maths lessons, keep up the great work!
Lucy Pitt - For being a resilient and collaborative learner during your first week at St Pat's, Welcome Lucy.
Nate Jantzen - For the effort you are putting into uplevelling your writing. Well done on seeking feedback to add more to your work. Keep it up!
Tanner Freeland - For your excellent work in reading, writing and representing 6-. 7- and 8-digit numbers. Keep challenging yourself!
Akech Kur - For always being a caring classmate to everyone around you. You are a great role-model Akech!
Lilah Beaumont - For continually striving to be your absolute best across all subject areas. Keep working hard Lilah!
Book Week:
Living in Faith:
Serving Our Community
I have been invited by the Chair of the Eventide board to be a guest speaker at an upcoming board meeting, where I will share the students’ stories of the beautiful connection between St Patrick’s and the residents of Eventide. Our regular visits to Eventide have become a treasured part of our school life, giving students the chance to spend time with the elderly, listen to their stories, share their own, and build friendships across generations.
What I will be presenting to the board is an example of the action element of Catholic Social Teaching. As a school, we are living out our call to look after the vulnerable in our community, showing dignity, compassion and respect in practical, meaningful ways. These visits remind our students that faith is not just something we talk about in the classroom—it is something we live out through service, kindness, and genuine human connection.
This commitment also connects deeply with Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, which calls us to recognise that all of creation is interconnected and that caring for people is part of caring for our common home. By valuing the wisdom, experiences and dignity of our elderly community members, our students are learning that relationships across generations enrich our shared humanity and strengthen the bonds that hold our community together.
The invitation to present at Eventide is a wonderful recognition of the value our students bring to the lives of others, and a reminder that the smallest acts of presence and care can have a lasting impact.
Bettina
Do you or someone that you know need some help?
If you need help with groceries and shopping vouchers go to -
The Cottage 20 Sloane St Stawell. Open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 10:30am and 12:30pm. In out of hours emergencies ring 0408 038 949.
If you need help with fresh fruit and vegetables go to -
Stawell Neighbourhood House 42 Sloane St. Open Mondays – Fridays 9am -5pm.
If you need help other than groceries and food, contact – Stawell St Vincent de Paul Society – 0437 344 324 and leave a message. They will contact you within 24 hours.
Mary Rita Thomas
Sec. and Public Officer, Stawell Inter Church Council (welfare Cottage)
President, Stawell conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society
FUNDRAISING:
Each Friday our MiniVinnies group will be selling Zooper Doopers for $1.00 each St Vincent de Paul Sponsor a student program. As always we thank our St Patrick’s community for your support.
Mary MacKillop Award:
Mary MacKillop lived a life dedicated to her faith and serving the needs of others. Wherever and however she could, Mary MacKillop did everything possible to improve the lives of others. This award acknowledges the thoughtful actions of the students at St Patrick’s to help others.
“We have much to be thankful for” Saint Mary MacKillop
Mackenzie
For always looking out for the needs of others and for assisting them without any fuss or acknowledgement from others.
Thank you for your Kindness.
Birthdays:
Congratulations to these students who celebrated their birthday in the last fortnight:
Henry C, Charles & Kora
Parents and Friends:
President,
Kate Field
Diocesan/Parish news:
Mass Times:
Ararat Sunday 8.30am
Stawell Sunday 10.30am
Lake Bolac 1st, 3rd, 5th Sundays 6.30pm Vigil Sat
Landsborough 2nd, 4th Sundays 12.30pm
Glenthompson (Hamilton Parish) 2nd, 4th Sundays 8.30am
Please find below the link for the July 2025 edition of “Our Diocesan Community”
This Magazine is a way to share the good news stories of our schools, parishes and agencies across the diocese.
https://www.ballarat.catholic.
Around Our Community:
Please follow us on instagram; stpatsstawell
Upcoming Events:
Our Vision and Mission:
Vision Statement: St Patrick's School is a community which reflects and celebrates Christ as its centre point: By honoring our story we value our whole community. By coming together our vision is for a loving, just, compassionate and tolerant world. Mission Statement: In the tradition of St Patrick, we are committed to: Promoting and celebrating a love of God, self and community. Recognizing and enhancing the talents and uniqueness of each person through our vision of Prayer, Care and Learning. PRAYER We nurture and grow our relationship with God as members of a faith community. CARE We foster recognition of difference, compassion for others and the strength to act on our beliefs. LEARNING We develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills essential to reaching our full potential as life- long learners.