Newsletter 31/03/2025: Term 1, Week 10

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

It's hard to believe we’re already in the final week of Term 1! It’s been such a busy term with many events, and I want to congratulate all of our students on their accomplishments so far. A special shout-out goes to our Foundation students, who have done an amazing job adjusting to school life. They’ve settled in so well, and I truly enjoy chatting with them whenever I visit the Junior room.

This Friday, we will say goodbye to Gabriel and Skarlette Wakeling, who have both been such important members of the St Patrick's school community. We wish them all the best as they move on to their new school, filled with fun and learning.

Please take a moment to read through the rest of the newsletter to stay updated on what's happening around our school. Don’t forget to check out the key dates section for important information. As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our School Mass and Easter Raffle on Friday. Wishing everyone a relaxing holiday and a wonderful Easter break! Students will enjoy an extended 3-week break and return after ANZAC weekend.

Have an enjoyable week.

Kind regards,

Darren Lloyd

Prayer

As we journey through Holy Week, our students have been exploring the Stations of the Cross in their classes, reflecting on what they mean in Christian Catholic faith and how they connect to our lives today. The Stations of the Cross remind us of Jesus’ love, sacrifice, and resilience, offering us a moment to pause and reflect on our own challenges and the ways we can show kindness and compassion to others.

Easter Raffle

Please get your Easter eggs in tomorrow, as the Parents & Friends are making the prizes up on Tuesday at their meeting.

If you have a spare basket at home that you could donate to the raffle, could you please send it to school tomorrow.

Our Easter raffle will be held on the last day of Term 1 - Friday the 4th of April. The raffle will take place in the Big Room at 12pm.

We ask parents to supply one Easter item/egg per child. These can be brought into the office now.

If you require additional books, please contact the office. Please write on both sides of the tickets & return them to school along with the money. ($1 per ticket = $20 per book).

The Easter raffle is one of our major fundraisers for the year and is a highlight for the children!

Grade 5 Portsea Camp

The Grade 5 students went on their camp to Portsea last week.

The students had a great time and participated in a range of fun activities including  the giant swing, the flying fox and exploring the Portsea Pier with flippers and snorkel.

My New Gallery

MRC Taster Day

Our Grade 6 students participated in the Mercy Regional College Taster Day last Friday. They were involved in a range of activities including PE and Art.

They came together with students from other HCSN schools.

Regional Swimming

Congratulations to our swimmers who competed last Wednesday in Horsham.

They all did a fantastic job representing our school.

Essi 3rd Breaststroke, Essi 5th Freestyle, Millie 5th butterfly, Ruby 11th freestyle, Willow, Orla, Lyla & Ruby 5th freestyle relay 

School photos - Term 2 Day1 - Monday 28th April

Yes it is a logistically tricky day to host school photos on the returning day of school after the holiday break! At the time school photos were booked last year, our term did not look like it does now. Over the Easter break there will be parent notices provided to ensure parents are aware and reminded of the school closures to Week One and the important Monday of Week Two which will host our School Photo Day. St Patrick's are waiting on the photo packs to be supplied from the company this week so that the order forms can be sent home. Remember all photos can be ordered online using the details on your pack. Any orders that are paid in cash need to be with your student on the day.

Cross Country

Our annual cross country is being held this Thursday the 3rd of April.

Students in Grades 3-6 will be competing at the showgrounds from 11.50am-1.15pm. Students will be bussed up and back to the venue.

Foundation - Grade 2 students will run their races on the Mercy oval from 2.00-2.30pm, followed by presentations at school.

Parents are most welcome to come along!

CATHOLIC SCHOOL CULTURE

Parish Bulletin

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Students of the Week

Congratulations and a shout out to all the Students of the Week from last week who were recognised at our assembly this afternoon. 

School Closure Days

These are our known Closure Days, which will mean that students are not required to attend school on these days.

• April 22nd (ReLATE)
• April 23rd (Positive Behaviour)
• April 24th (DOBCEL)
  
• July 4th (ReLATE)
• September 19th (Structured Literacy)

The first week of term two contains two public holidays - Easter Monday and ANZAC Day (Friday). With the support of our governing body, DOBCEL, Tuesday 22nd April, Wednesday 23rd April and Thursday 24th April will be student free days. St. Patrick’s staff will be participating in collaborative professional learning days with St. Colman's Mortlake, St Mary’s Ararat and St Thomas’ Terang as well as all schools in the Southern Zone of the Diocese of Ballarat. The focus for these professional learning days will include ReLATE and  Strengthening our Universal practices in School Wide Positive Behaviours

This creates a three week break, inclusive of Easter, for our students at the end of Term 1.

I understand that this extended time off can require careful planning for families. I am hopeful that by providing you with advanced notice, you will have ample time to make any necessary arrangements, whether it be coordinating childcare, planning family activities, or simply enjoying some time together. TheirCare is open for bookings on these school closure days. We note that although TheirCare is open for late bookings they have in the past not ran on the day if there are no bookings for the school closure day. 

I appreciate your understanding and support as we work to ensure the best possible educational environment for our students. As always, please get in touch if you would like to chat about this further.

WELLBEING

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg Mental Health Roadshow

LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

New Research Highlights Lifelong Benefits of Catholic Schooling

It would seem that the benefits of educating your child in a Catholic school can now be backed by data. A new study using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey shows that people who attended Catholic schools tend to have better outcomes in employment, health, and overall life satisfaction.

The study highlights that Catholic schooling provides both personal and community benefits. On average, alumni from Catholic schools are more likely to have jobs and earn higher wages than those who attended government schools, with wage differences ranging from 4% to 11%. They're also more likely to work in public-serving industries and donate to charity. Plus, attending a Catholic school seems to positively impact personal health and life satisfaction.

You might already know about these benefits, but others in the community might not. Feel free to share these findings with anyone who is deciding where to send their child to school. It could help them make an informed decision about the best place for their child's education. A copy of the full report is available on the DOBCEL website (link below), and you can also watch a video featuring lead researcher for the report, Mr. Andrew Wade.

School Hat Reminder

This is a friendly reminder to send your child with their named school hat to school during Term 1 as the weather is warm and the children are not allowed outside without one.

Zooper Dooper Sales

Throughout Term 1 the Student Representative Council will be selling Zooper Doopers to raise money for the school.

These will only be sold at second lunch.

The cost will be 50 cents each.

Upcoming Events

Some important dates for your calendar for this week and Term 2.

Tuesday 01/04                     District Athletics - Camperdown

Thursday 03/04                   St Pat's Cross Country

Friday 04/04                         Last Day of Term -Easter Raffle 12pm & early finish 2.15pm

Monday 21/04                      Easter Monday Public Holiday

Tuesday 22/4                        School Closure Day

Wednesday 23/4                  School Closure Day

Thursday 24/4                     School Closure Day

Friday 25/4                            Anzac Day Public Holiday

Monday 28/4                        School Photo Day

Wednesday 30/4                  Alpha Show - King Arthur

Friday 02/05                         Division Athletics - Warrnambool

Tuesday 06/05                     District Cross Country - Noorat

Thurs 08/05                          Grade 4 Camp to Sovereign Hill

Friday 16/05                          Division Cross Country - Warrnambool

Important Parking Reminder

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please adhere to the safety road signage and road marking around our schools during drop off and pick up times. The designated YELLOW drop off and pick up bays are not a parking zone. Drivers are not to leave their cars and enter the school whilst parked in the yellow zones.

We love school visitors, please park in the proper parking bays before coming into the school.

Noone's Uniform

Noone's have stock of our uniform for purchase. 

The shop is located in the Mercy Regional College building.

In Term 1 the uniform shop is open on the following days -

Monday 12.00pm - 4.00pm, Tuesday 8.00am - 12.00pm & Thursday 8.00am - 12.00pm

The uniform shop will be opened during the holidays on Thursday 24th April, 8am -12pm.

The uniform shop is looking for a casual retail shop assistant - please find details below.

Canteen

The canteen will continue to be closed on a Monday this year.

The canteen will be open to students every Friday at first lunch.

We still strongly encourage parents & students to order lunch through the Spriggy app, however students will also be permitted to purchase extra snacks using cash each Friday during their break.

Please download the Spriggy App and make your orders through there. Please make sure that you choose the right classroom for your child/ren.

The menu for 2025 is below.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

ANZAC DAY

Friday the 25th of April is ANZAC Day. St Pat's are supporting veterans in need by offering ANZAC Appeal merchandise to children who wish to purchase it. Most badges, pens, wristbands etc. range from $2 to 10. The SRC students are going into the classrooms to sell these and they are also available to purchase from the office.

Thank you for your support. 

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to the following students who will celebrate their birthday this week.

Cess E, Essi M, Liam P, Willa P, Pippa W & Max H

RSL ANZAC Day Colouring Competition

RSL Australia is running a National Colouring Competition for primary school children in the lead up to ANZAC Day. Entries are judged for Victoria with the winner being entered into the National competition. If your child wishes to participate in this colouring competition, please print the image with the form on the back and fill out the details, including the parent permission section. Colourings that don't have parent permission for this competition will be displayed at the RSL Hall in Camperdown on ANZAC Day. Please hand in entries to Tracy Hickey or the school office by Tuesday 25th of March (this allows entries to reach Melbourne by the deadline date). 

TheirCare

Theircare has now commenced at St Patrick's School and it's not too late to enrol.

We are excited to announce that we have now partnered with an independent Outside of School Hours Care (OSHC) provider called TheirCare.

TheirCare provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children. During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence, and creativity through play-based programs.

For further information, visit www.theircare.com.au or call our support office on 1300 072 410

Community Events

Cobden Development Netball

Cobden Night Netball

Family Fun Day

Corangamite Lions Soccer

Elsa Show - Warrnambool

Cobden Net Set Go

Corangamite Hockey Club

Hook In 2 Hockey

Thank you to the sponsors of our raffle!