Easter - the Resurrection of our Lord
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Last weekend we celebrated the greatest feast in our Church and school year – Easter. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the central belief of our Christian faith. The heart of the Easter message is that Jesus is risen and is with us now!
But Easter is not just a day or even a weekend. It’s a whole season that lasts 50 days finishing at Pentecost. It is a season of joy and happiness.  It can be seen as a time of celebration, a time of renewal, a time of peace, a time of promise and a time of new beginnings.

A Reading from the Gospel according to John  (20:1-10)
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

The Gospel of the Lord.
I Wonder...
Why did Mary Magdalene go to the tomb on Sunday morning?
Why did she go back to tell Peter and the other disciple that the tomb was empty?
Who is the other disciple?
How do you think they felt when they saw the empty tomb?
What did they believe?
How would you have felt if you were there?
What else is important?

A Family Prayer for Easter
Alleluia! Alleluia!
You have risen from the dead and you are alive.
Thank you, Jesus, for suffering and dying for us.
Thank you, Jesus, for rising again.
Fill our hearts with Easter joy, to spread the good news all around us,
so others may learn about you and your rising from the dead. Alleluia!

Bullying Information For Parents

Dear Parents,

Our school recently participated in the National “Bullying No Way!” Day. Children completed classroom activities that included a clear definition of bullying, strategies for dealing with bullying, and ways to help someone who is being bullied. These activities have been followed up by further sessions in Health/P.D.

St Pat’s is taking a committed whole school approach to bullying and part of this is children identifying teachers and other adults that they feel comfortable to confide in or report to.

Children from year 3-6 also completed a confidential survey about bullying and the results are as follows:

BULLYING SURVEY:

We wanted to express our thanks to all the children in Grade 3 - 6 who completed the survey. Just over 92 % of students completed the anonymous online survey.

We are very happy to report that for the majority of our students who completed the survey:

89% Report they are happy at school  

95% Report this is a friendly school

93% Report they feel safe on the playground.

There were some children who reported that they have been bullied and we have staff talking to them to support them and provide them with strategies and life-skills needed.

We have some children who have been identified by a number of students for displaying bullying type behaviours. These children and their parents will be invited to a conversation with Mr Unsworth.

A whole school approach also includes involving parents by sharing information and understandings about bullying. This week we are sharing the definition of bullying developed by the National Schools Framework. We need to be cautious when defining and understanding bullying as sometimes things can be called bullying that are not really bullying at all ( e.g having an argument with a friend).

THE NATIONAL DEFINITION OF BULLYING FOR AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS IS: 

Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.

Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.