The Australian government has been initiating changes to our normal way of living to try and “flatten the curve” of transmission of COVID-19. The decisions made by the governments and health authorities’ impact upon what actions are required by our education sectors. St Patrick’s is a Catholic school and Edmund Rice school. Therefore, the decisions that are made at school level are informed by these networks. The very clear message that we have been given is that the decision for schools to remain open has been made with the best interests of all people within our communities. Consequently, I need to be clear to all members of our community that St Patrick’s will remain open for learning unless directed by the appropriate authorities. We have put many measures in place to allow for the safety of our students. This includes increased hygiene products, extra cleaning, social distancing measures in classrooms and student seating areas at breaks. You are also aware from my last communications that we have either cancelled or postponed any large gatherings of people during school and after school activities. During the exam period in the coming weeks, student numbers will be kept below 100 per room for block exams.

As I have mentioned the fight against COVID-19 is a longer-term rather than short term issue. In the last few weeks, we have been reacting to may directives and changes to contain the spread of the virus. At St Patrick’s, we have now decided to change into a more creative and proactive approach rather than constant reactions. We will do this by changing some of our language and looking at things that we have to be grateful for during these times. Simple things in the language change will include using the terminology of moving to learning from home as opposed to school closures. If students are asked to remain at home, it is important that they understand that teaching and learning will continue from our remote on-line platform. I ask for your support with this as teachers will expect the work they set will be completed, except in the case of illness. Secondly, we are using language that asks students to consider their own actions that can assist with the fight against the transmission of the virus. Their actions will support and assist others.

During our virtual assembly on Thursday, I spoke about Men of Action standing up in times of Challenge. I asked the students to consider the 3 Rs in Fighting the Good Fight. These stood for Resilience, Respect and Responsibility. If you CLICK HERE you can view my presentation to them.

In preparation for the possibility of moving to a remote on-line learning from home program, we will trial a lesson with our staff and students next Wednesday, 25 March. For this to happen, staff and students need to be at home to trial the system. The College will stop lessons at noon, staff and students will go home and their Period 5 lesson for that day will be done on-line. This will give us an opportunity to test for any IT issues that may occur when teachers and students are using remote access to deliver and receive lessons. Wherever possible, we would like students to be home and ready to log-in by the time the lesson starts at 2:00pm. Early buses have been arranged. If it is not possible for your son to get home from school, he will report to the Christian Brothers Building where he will be supervised and get access from there. Buses will also run after school except for Red & White.

I appreciate that this may cause some inconvenience, however we would like to make sure that we have done all our testing if we are called into the “learning from home” phase. School will run as normal on Thursday 26 March.

You will also be aware by now about the decision determined by the AIC Management Committee regarding Sport and Chess for Term 2. I can assure everyone that this decision was not made lightly, I am sure that there will be many disappointed young men as this term is our busiest for numbers of students participating.

The opportunity for parents to meet face to face with teachers to supplement the feedback and in time results release already provided via our Learning Management System, REALM, will obviously no longer occur due to the cancellation of our Parent Teacher Interviews, Monday 20 April 2020.

All completed and/or submitted assessment will be released and commented on in the usual manner. Please continue to utilise this communication to track your son’s progress. In addition to this, your son’s goals for the semester were sent home. Can I ask that you take some time to discuss with your son the goal he set compared to the marks he is achieving.

The scheduled Parent Teacher Interviews are not the only time in which contact can and should be made between teachers and parents. If you have any concerns regarding your son’s progress, please do not hesitate to contact your son’s teacher. Similarly, teachers have been asked to initiate communication to parents if there are any concerns or key messages that need to be conveyed.  Although Thursday 2 April, Friday 3 April and Monday 20 April are Student Free Days, our teachers will continue to work.

Term 1 Sport is completed. I would like to thank so many of our young men who participated and represented the College with pride and good sportsmanship. I would also like to make special mention of the Firsts teams in AFL and Cricket. Both teams went through the season undefeated and are premiers for 2020. The AFL team has shared the honour with St Laurence’s College.

In my address to the students I used the term … be gentle with yourself. By this I mean not to be too hard with expectations of yourself when things are so uncertain and continuously changing. It is also a time to re-evaluate what our expectations might be. Times of challenge such as this can also be times where we really learn what is important to us when many of the “distractions” might be removed.

Live Jesus in our Hearts!

Mr Chris Mayes - College Principal

 

Term 1 school fee accounts were emailed out on 5 February 2020.  The due date for payment is 19 February 2020 - unless you have a payment arrangement in place.

It is still possible to set up a direct debit payment scheme. The form can be obtained on REALM.

If you did not receive your account please contact Judy Kelly via email finance@stpatricks.qld.edu.au or jkelly@stpatricks.qld.edu.au

Thank you

 

Support for One Another Through Prayer

During these difficult times we need, more than ever, to support one another in whatever ways we can.

We offer a Prayer Blog on the Identity Tile on the REALM Homepage as an opportunity for people to name any prayer intentions or needs they have.

The community will pray for all in need and Fr Bryan will keep these intentions in mind whenever he says Mass. Please add your prayer intentions as Comments to this Blog, everyone is welcome to join in.

Christianity is a Verb

I often think that we have an incredibly passive view of what religion is in countries like our own, where we have relative safety and freedom, yet throughout history Christians have shown their mettle in times of great challenge, such as we face today. A good starting point when reflecting on the times we are in is to consider that the most repeated phrase in Scripture is “Do not be afraid” and then perhaps the second most repeated might be “I am with you” – two pieces of sacred writing that remind us to take heart and to be alive in the face of the difficult circumstances of our current times. Throughout history Christian people have recognised God present with them in times of great challenge and used that presence as motivation to engage, transform, renew and reawaken. Can we do the same.

I was reading an article today about how we make sacred community in a time when we cannot gather together (our traditional form of making community). The author had some great insights and raises some important questions for us all:

But there will be plenty of other opportunities to encounter the body of Christ in the vulnerable in the coming weeks, even if from an appropriate distance. Jesus teaches us in Mt 25, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.” I have the privilege of being healthy and at low risk for complications from the virus. How can I use my time to support those in my community who are more biologically vulnerable? I have the privilege of being able to earn a salary as I work and teach from home. How can I use my resources to support those in my community who are economically vulnerable? I have the privilege of not being incarcerated, not being undocumented, not being a refugee or asylum seeker. How can I visit Christ in prison through creative forms of care? How can I welcome the stranger and support policies that will not turn our detention centres and prisons into death traps for the body of Christ in our midst?

…May God keep us all safe in these difficult times. May we be the body of Christ to each other and the most vulnerable around us. And by doing so, may we come to receive with greater gratitude the body of Christ wherever he meets us.

Brian Flanagan – “How can we be the body of Christ when the coronavirus closes our churches?

As we move towards the great celebration of Easter let’s think about how we can engage with the Body of Christ today:

• While Paddy’s Van ministry is cancelled for the time being, staff are taking food parcels to share with our Paddy’s Van friends at Sandbag on Wednesday and Einbumpin Lagoon on Saturday afternoons.
• Non-perishable food items that people can spare can be left at the Student Office and these will be donated to Sandbag and St Vinnies for vulnerable people in the community
• We can pray for one another, and especially those people around us who are in need or are vulnerable. The stress levels in the community are very high at the moment and so we need to be aware of ourselves and how we react to one another.

A final thought from Br Richard Hendrick, OFM, a great sense of reality in the face of great change, March 13th 2020:

Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.

Mr Tim Kenny - Dean of Identity

Week 7 was a round of successes for our St Patrick’s teams. Last week I mentioned that both the Opens AFL and the 1st XI Cricket were unbeaten heading in to Round 6 and in contention to win Premierships in their respective competitions. I am thrilled to say that both teams won and have been crowned as 2020 Premiers.

Unfortunately, the weather intervened once again, and a number of Cricket matches were cancelled due to waterlogged pitches and grounds. Of the matches that did go ahead, across all Sports Round 6 saw some promising performances from our teams in AFL, Cricket and Volleyball.

AFL

In AFL congratulations to the 6Bs who defeated Padua in an entertaining match eventually coming out as 31 to 28 winners. The Yr 8 and 9 team played very well to defeat a tenacious Villanova team 39-26. In the Opens Premiership deciding match the St Pat’s boys found themselves behind but fought back in the final quarter. Coach Mr Adrian Brown writes:

“The 1sts AFL team entered the game against Villanova knowing a win would guarantee a shared premiership at the very least. The team started nervously and were outplayed at times in the first quarter. They got into rhythm in the second with their attacking game style on show however the third quarter was the teams worst of the season and they went into the last quarter down by three goals and seemingly out of the match. The fourth quarter was a masterclass as the boys ran over the top and showed the high quality they are capable of to claim an undefeated premiership! Congratulations men!”

Overall in the AFL aggregate points St Pat’s finished third, which is a great effort from all of the players and coaches involved.

Volleyball

In Volleyball our teams had another tough day against Villanova but there were some good performances. Congratulations to the 3rds, 11A, 11B, 9A, 8A and 8B teams who all won their matches. Special mention to the 11Bs who finished the season unbeaten and take out the Premiership for their grade. 

Cricket

In Cricket, sadly a number of morning games were washed out again and it was a real battle to get pitches and outfields dry for the afternoon games. For the teams that did manage to get on, overall it was a very successful day for St Pats. Congratulations to the 1st XI, 8As, 7As, 6As, 6Bs, 5As and 5Bs who all won their matches. The 1st XI once again performed a Houdini act to win a match that had seemed all but lost.

Villanova won the toss and elected to bat first on a damp pitch. The St Pat’s bowling attack worked well together to restrict Villa to a modest total of 142/9 from their 50 overs. In particular the leg spin duo of Jack Davey (2 for 16 runs off 10 overs) and Charles Moore (3 for 17runs off 10 overs) really troubled the Villa batsmen and allowed the St Pats boys to stay on top for long periods of the innings.

In reply, all seemed lost when the St Patrick’s top order collapsed to leave the score at 5/30. However, the St Pat’s team weren’t going to go down without a fight. Lachlan Hughesman came in and hit an invaluable 45 runs including one over where he plundered 20 runs! He was ably supported by Ben Buechler who scored a valuable 15 runs from 50 balls. When these two were dismissed the team were still some runs short but Ben Clark (28) and Bailey Reid (19) came in and calmly finished the job. The final blow was a huge six from Bailey Reid straight into the Villanova pavilion with another 7 overs to spare. The win left the team as undefeated Premiers for the 2020 season!

In the overall AIC Cricket aggregate table St Patrick’s finished in third place overall, which is the highest finish that the school has ever recorded in Cricket. Congratulations to all players and coaches involved in the Cricket program.

It has been a very disrupted start to the sporting year with torrential rain impacting on a number of weekends and now the restrictions and bans that have been put in place due to the COVID-19 virus. I would like to thank all of the coaches and staff and students who have contributed to what on the whole has been a very successful Term 1 season for St Patrick's.

Keeping your son physically active

With the sad news announced today that the AIC Sporting program for Term 2 has been cancelled, it is unchartered territory for everyone concerned in terms of the restrictions that we are experiencing regarding physical activity and what we can and cannot do.

Over the coming weeks we will be posting some options for students (and parents if they wish) to do some training and physical activity at home. Watch this space for further details.

Mr Jim Potts - Head of Sport

Cultural News

In response to the unfolding COVID-19 outbreak, St Patrick’s has implemented a wide range of prevention measures to deal with containing the rate of infection. Today we have made the decision to suspend all Cultural Activities until further notice. Programs which will cease from today include:

• Music Ensembles (rehearsals and performances)
• Art Clubs (Junior and Senior)
• Film Crews (Junior and Senior)
• Chess Clubs (Junior and Senior)
• Theatresports
• Debating
• Junior Musical “Aladdin Jnr”

Please Note: All individual and group music lessons will continue as per the term one music lesson timetables.

I would like to commend our young men on the wonderful way that they have participated in the program with such passion and creativity. The work that they have achieved was outstanding and as such, I know that it was a worthwhile and productive process. I am confident that these young men will have many opportunities to showcase their talents at the college in future months and years.

If you would like any further information, please contact culture@stpatricks.qld.edu.au  

Mr Geoff Samuels - Head of Culture

Chess News  

Chess Club Goes Digital 

Gentlemen Further to the announcement that all extra-curricular activities have been cancelled for the near future Chess Club will now be fully online.   I will be posting a list of student and coach usernames on the REALM pages and ask that you try to line up some times to play each other as well as playing against the Chess.com computer.  If you are yet to sign up to Chess.com please do so. The site has full student access. Once you have your username please email it to me ( rbutt@stpatricks.qld.edu.au ).  If you have not yet emailed me your username, please do so as soon as you can. 

 Mrs Rosemary Butt - Chess Coordinator

Theatresports

The proposed YTS competition scheduled for Term 2 has been indefinitely postponed. As a result we will suspend Theatresports training until further notice. We will keep you updated if the situation changes.

Mr Duncan Moir – Theatresports Coordinator

Cultural Support Group News

Fundraising with Entertainment Group

All Memberships are now Digital. 

Click here to order your new Entertainment Membership.

Thank you for your continued support.

on Behalf of the Cultural Support Group

Dear St Patrick’s Year 5-9 Students and Parents 

Unfortunately, due the current COVID-19 government restrictions, the Easter Holiday Camp on Monday 6 April to Thursday 9 April has been cancelled.

Camps for the June, September and Christmas holidays have not been cancelled at this stage.

Mr Heath Mackintosh