Newsletter 11/03/2025: Term 1, Week 7

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

ATTENTION: ATHLETICS DAY POSTPONED. - This Tuesday 11th March to a new date to be confirmed soon.

I hope this long weekend was a great opportunity to spend quality time with your family. Enjoy fun activities, share stories, and make special memories together. Remember, family time helps strengthen bonds and creates happiness. Relax, recharge, and return to school refreshed and ready to learn!

Over the weekend we recognised International Women's Day, a day to honour the achievements and contributions of women all around the world.  I am so grateful for the amazing women in my life from my mum, mother in-law, wife, daughter and to my sister and sister in laws, as well as my dear friends and of course my wonderful colleagues and the beautiful women in the lives of our students. We are truly blessed. It’s a reminder that everyone, no matter their gender, deserves respect, equality and the opportunity to follow their dreams. Let's learn from the inspiring women in our lives and support each other to create a world where everyone is valued equally.

I wish all our Year Three and Year Five students who are participating in the NAPLAN assessments in the coming week all the best. I wish for you to welcome the assessments in a way that you can not be stressed but be confident in giving each task your best efforts. Remember that feeling nervous is a reminder that what is you are doing means something important to you. Good Luck. 

Enjoy four consecutive days of school this week Foundation Students. You have now completed your transition period and are ready to attend a full school week. Have fun!

Kind regards,

Have an enjoyable week,

Darren Lloyd

PRAYER DURING LENT

Welcoming God, free our hearts this Lent

To recognise all those you send into our lives who teach us about you. 

May every person and experience be a source of wonder. 

May we never miss the opportunity to find and embrace the stranger.

Open us to all. 

And comfort the lonely of heart, may we always offer them your friendship.

We ask this in the name of Jesus 

Amen

Adapted from Sheila Carney rsm

Easter Raffle

Our Easter raffle will be held on the last day of Term 1 - Friday the 4th April.

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

The children will be bringing their raffle books home this week. 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!

Athletics Carnival - POSTPONED

Our annual Athletics Carnival planned for Tuesday the 11th of March has been POSTPONED due to a weather forecast of heat. Mindful of our competing students young and more experienced, our staff and visitors and the minimal shade available St Patrick's will postpone the event to a date yet to be confirmed.

As soon as our venue booking is confirmed the new date will be shared with families.

Families are invited to come along and support their children.

The Lions Club will be there cooking a BBQ.

CATHOLIC SCHOOL CULTURE

Parish Bulletin

LEARNING AND TEACHING

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

SPECIAL REPORT: The Wellbeing Barometer - 2025

The Wellbeing Barometer survey is an invaluable tool for schools, providing critical insights into the mental health and wellbeing of young people. This annual survey identifies areas of concern, highlights resilience and adaptability in students, and emphasises the importance of preventative strategies to promote positive outcomes.

Participation in this survey is strongly encouraged, as it offers a comprehensive view of students' experiences, challenges, and achievements. By capturing a detailed understanding of young people's experiences, the survey supports a tailored approach to enhancing their mental, emotional, and social wellbeing. It helps to identify strengths and areas for improvement, as well as pinpoint opportunities for early intervention.

The survey is part of an ongoing longitudinal study, and we encourage you to take a few moments to complete the survey for each of your children. Responses remain anonymous and should be based on your observations over the last 12 months. By working together, we can reduce the long-term impact of mental illness and make a meaningful difference to the lives of our young people for a brighter future.

Here is the link to your Special Report https://spcamperdown.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-barometer-2025-au

LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

School Advisory Council Meeting: Tuesday 11th March @ 7pm.

Dear School Council Members,

This is a friendly reminder about our upcoming School Advisory Council Meeting on Tuesday 11th at 7pm. The meeting will take place in the Staff Room. 

We will be discussing key topics including:

• Adjusted Policies
• Future plans for school grounds.

Please come prepared with any questions or suggestions for the discussion.

Looking forward to your valuable input!

Best regards,

Mr. Lloyd.

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 Term 1.

Monday 10/03                      Labour Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 11/03                       Athletics Carnival

Friday 21/03                          St Patrick's Day Celebration

Wed-Fri 26/3-28/3           Grade 5 Portsea Camp

Wednesday 26/03               MRC Open Day

Friday 28/03                         MRC Taster Day

Tuesday 01/04                      District Athletics

Thursday 03/04                   Cross Country

Friday 04/04                         Last Day of Term - early finish 2.15pm

Important Parking Reminder.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please adhere to the safety road signage and road marking around our schools during drop and pick 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.

We love school visitors, please park in the proper parking bays first.

Noone's Uniform

Noone's now have stock of the soft-shelled jacket for purchase. You can pop into the uniform shop to try on.

Pre orders of the jacket will be going out this week.

Shorts are still on back order; the uniform shop are hoping that they will be here by the end of this week.

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

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

Birthdays

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

Harry T, Tessa N & Agatha D

Mercy Regional College Open Day

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

Simpson Netball

NAB Bank

Cobden FNC - Juniors

Corangamite Hockey Club

Junior Footy

Thank you to the sponsors of our raffle!