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St Patrick's Pyramid Hill

Phone: (03) 5455 7220

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To Love, Learn and Respect

Staff 12
Yr 6 Grad 5
Staff 1
Whole School 1

FIRE Carrier Covenant

F.I.R.E. Carrier Covenant est. 2023

Covenant

We recognise the special place and culture of Aboriginal peoples within Australia. We acknowledge that Aboriginal peoples have been the caretakers of this Land for more than 60,000 years. We respect their spiritual connection to Mother Earth through the Dreaming.

‘An apology begins the healing process. Apology means understanding, a willingness to enter into the suffering. It implies a commitment to do more’. The late Sir Ronald Wilson, Chair of the National Inquiry into the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

We understand that practical measures need to address the disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal people in education, health, employment, and general opportunity. “Reconciliation is an active pursuit – it’s about getting on with what’s needed and what we know to get the results we all want, and that’s a mixture of measures that target the body, the mind and the spirit.” Mick Dodson, Australian of the Year, National Press Club address, 17 February 2009. True Reconciliation requires national and local solutions achieved through positive and purposeful partnerships not just for today but for tomorrow. We work for Reconciliation, in partnership with those who believe that there can be an alternative to the present order.

Covenants emphasize the ethos and faith belief of Catholic schools and the Social Justice response they are committed to make as part of their Christian identity. Schools’ expressed commitment is reflected in practical goals and actions which they strive to achieve in the year ahead.

School covenants express in ways, specific to each school, recognition of the special contribution Aboriginal peoples and their cultures make to Australian society, their relationship and connection to the land, their present position of disadvantage and social exclusion. They declare the school and school community’s commitment to stand in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples to achieve true reconciliation and acknowledgement, by all Australians, of their rightful position within Australian society. (firecarriers Sandhurst.pdf).

Our School

Our school recognises that we have a responsibility to actively work towards reconciliation and justice. We hope to achieve this through specific teaching and learning as well as educational experiences. Our vision for reconciliation is to be a place of learning and teaching which respects Aboriginal protocols, history and culture. We will have strong and mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal communities. These relationships will provide for the sharing of knowledge and ideas, and the opportunity to listen and learn from Aboriginal Australians about the past, their current circumstances, and their vision for the future. We will be a place where Aboriginal culture is respected and celebrated.

 

Our Covenant

Our school community was presented with ideas for Reconciliation in our local community by the Sandhurst Aboriginal Team, who were and are involved in the continuing development of our Covenant. Our covenant was originally developed in 2021 by students & staff in consultation with the Aboriginal team from Catholic Education Sandhurst. This new revised version reflects our ongoing commitment to our FIRE Carrier Covenant. Our school community will be presented with ideas for Reconciliation in our local community by the Sandhurst Aboriginal Team, who were and are involved in the continuing development and review of our Covenant.

CHILD SAFE STANDARDS

Culturally safe environments

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Cultural Safety is defined as an environment that is safe for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders, where there is no assault, challenge or denial of their identity and experience. (Williams 2008)

St. Patrick’s Pyramid Hill takes account of and makes reasonable efforts to accommodate for the diversity of all children in implementing the Child Safe Standards relating to following standard: 5.1 - Schools and school boarding premises must establish culturally safe environments in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children, young people and students are respected and valued

Actions

  1. In endorsing and documenting the following activities contained within this FIRE Carrier covenant, Our School, St Patrick’s Primary School Pyramid Hill, commits to completing or putting steps in place to complete all actions through measurable targets outlined by the dates set out in the timeline included.
  2. This FIRE Carrier covenant will be made accessible on the school’s website to ensure adherence to the child safe standard referred to in the document.
  3. A review at the end of school year will be conducted and the plan will be updated and passed to the following year's FIRE Carrier coordinator.

 

The FIRE Carrier Project is an initiative of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, the Opening the Doors Foundation and the Sandhurst Catholic Education Office, to promote and assist Reconciliation through Education in our Schools.

Our School commits to completing or putting steps in place to complete all Actions through Measureable Targets outlined above by the dates set out in the timeline above. A review at the end of school year will be conducted and the plan will be updated and passed to the following year's FIRE Carrier.

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Child Safe

  • CES Ltd CHILD SAFETY POLICY Child Safety and Wellbeing (260522)  - Click Here
  • CES Ltd CHILD SAFETY Code of Conduct (260522) - Click Here
  • CES Ltd CHILD SAFETY POLICY Engaging Families in Child Safety (260522) - Click Here
  • CES Ltd CHILD SAFETY POLICY Mandatory Reporting (260522) - Click Here
  • ​CES Ltd CHILD SAFETY POLICY Photographing, Filming  and Recording (260522)  - Click Here
  • CES Ltd CHILD SAFETY POLICY PROTECT Reporting & Responding Obligations (260522)  - Click Here
  • CES Ltd CHILD SAFETY PROCEDURES PROTECT Reporting & Responding Obligations (260522)  - Click Here
  • CES Ltd CHILD SAFETY PROCEDURES Suspension, Negotiated Transfer and Expulsion of Students Framework  - Click Here

NSCSWP (Pastoral Wellbeing Worker)

 

Our school receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Education under the National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program (NSCSWP). The aim of this funding is to assist our school to provide pastoral wellbeing services to support Learners, staff and the school community.

1. The NSCSWP Worker has three main roles:

A Pastoral Role

The NSCSWP Worker will:

  • participate in a wide range of school community activities, and support staff, to contribute to creating a caring and inclusive learning environment within the school.
  • with written, informed parental consent provide ongoing personal assistance with individual Learners, subject to duty of care, consent, confidentiality and disclosure requirements and the code of conduct.
  • be available to provide ongoing support to individuals and/or families.
  • provide additional opportunities for families to feel supported.
  • provide factual and impartial information about, network with, and be a link to, the support and services provided through community groups, local council and government agencies.
  • consult and liaise with staff about Learner safety, wellbeing or learning while maintaining appropriate confidentiality, and referring students as required.
  • Be a mandated notifier, and thus be required to report any suspected abuse or neglect as required by state legislation.
  • provide a reference point for addressing social issues
  • provide access to resources from the broader community which are relevant to school programs.
  • be available to give input into health and social education courses
  • be available to give assistance with camps and excursions, and, where appropriate, voluntary clubs or groups in the school.

A Referral Role

The NSCSWP Worker will:

A Resource Role

The NSCSWP Worker will:

2. This service offered by the NSCSWP Worker is accessed by school community members on a voluntary basis.

3. The NSCSWP Worker is managed by the school principal and complements, enhances and collaborates with all Pastoral Wellbeing services in the school.

4. Learners are able to access the NSCSWP through Pastoral Wellbeing Services.

5. A Grievance Procedure for any formal complaint is available from the School Principal. 

Disclaimer

The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Government Department of Education

Acknowledgement

This project was funded by the Australian Government Department of Education under the National School Chaplain Student Welfare Program (NSCSWP)

 

General School Information

School begins for Grade 1 to 6 Learners on Wednesday 31st January 2024. 

The Foundation Learners will attend school on Thursday 1st February 2024  from 8:45am - 3:20pm. For the first four weeks of school, Foundation Learners will attend only four days a week, with Wednesday being a day of rest as they settle into school life. The rest day will cease the week beginning; 1st March 2021 where the Foundation Learners will attend school full time. 

2024 School Year
Term 1 29th January ~ 28th March
Term 2 15th April ~ 28th June
Term 3 15th July ~ 20th September
Term 4 7th October ~ 20th December

School Times
School commences at 8:45am (school bus travellers allowed flexibility)
Lunch 11:00am - 11:40am
Recess 1:40pm - 2:20pm 
Dismissal 3:20pm
School is dismissed at 2:30pm on the last day of each term

Public Holidays
Australia Day - Friday 26th January
Labour Day -  Monday 11th March
Good Friday - Friday 29th March

Easter Monday - Monday 1st April
Anzac Day - Thursday 25th April
Monarch's Birthday - Monday 10th June

Grand Final Eve - Friday 27th September
Melbourne Cup - Tuesday 5th November


Learning & Teaching Days (Learner Free Days):
Staff require time for Professional Development throughout the year. It aims to improve and keep teacher practice current. On these days the Learners are not required to attend school.

 

        

 

Read more: General School Information

Vision Statement

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St. Patrick's strives to:

  • Provide a safe, positive and caring school environment
  • Build collaborative partnerships among home, school, parish and wider community
  • Nuture the uniqueness and dignity of each individual in the school community
  • Provide a contemporary curriculum that develops the intellect, imagination, spirituality, social skills, wellbeing and physical growth of each Learner
  • Model the teachings of Jesus as the core of who we are and what we do in the context of the Catholic faith tradition
  • Develop the capacity of Learners to contribute positvely to society

 

St Patrick’s Democratic Principles

  • St Patrick’s educates its Learners about the country we live in, the law of the land and our right to freedom of speech, association and religion
  • St Patrick’s educates its Learners to be lawful and responsible citizens
  • St Patrick’s proudly recognises and pays respect to our traditional land owners, the Barapa Barapa people of Jaara country.
  • St Patrick’s educates its Learners to be respectful and value all individuals, proudly raising four flags: Australian, Filipino, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

 

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