Newsletter 26/05/2025: Term 2, Week 6

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

This week marks the beginning of Catholic Education Week in the Diocese of Ballarat—a time to celebrate the strength and spirit of our Catholic schools. We are proud to be part of a system committed to delivering high-quality, holistic education grounded in Gospel values. Our aim is to nurture well-rounded, compassionate individuals who make a positive difference in the world.

We launch our celebrations with St Patrick’s Open Day tomorrow, which provides a wonderful opportunity to share the life and learning of our school with guests. This event offers a firsthand look at our engaging classrooms, dedicated staff, and the joyful learning environment we create every day. Open Day is a chance to see how we support every child to grow, learn, and thrive. Whether our guests are exploring options for their child or simply curious, we welcome them warmly and look forward to showing what makes our school such a special place to begin a lifelong love of learning. 

Even Though some rain is falling, we are also mindful of the ongoing dry conditions affecting our region. We know that many of our families are experiencing significant challenges and financial stress. In light of this, we have included a formal message from DOBCEL, our Governing Body, offering reassurance and support during this difficult time. If school fees are a concern for your family, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we are here to help.

Please continue reading to find out more about what’s happening in our vibrant school community. Don’t forget to check the Key Dates section of the newsletter and keep an eye on PAM for any updates or actions required.

As always, I welcome your questions, feedback, or suggestions—please feel free to get in touch at any time.

Warm regards,

Darren Lloyd

Open Day

CATHOLIC SCHOOL CULTURE

Parish Bulletin

LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

Fee Relief - Families affected by drought

We recognise the significant challenges many in our community are currently facing due to the rising cost of living and the ongoing drought, which has particularly impacted our local farmers and those working in agriculture. If your family is experiencing financial strain and needs support with education-related costs at St Patrick's, please don’t hesitate to reach out – confidentially – to Deb in the office or to Darren. We are here to help in any way we can.

In these difficult times, looking after your mental health and overall wellbeing is just as important. Remember, being part of a caring and supportive community like ours can make a real difference.

 Please see below a message shared by our Executive Director of Catholic Education Tom Sexton:

Catholic Education Ballarat Offers Fee Relief to Families Impacted by Drought - 20 May 2025 

As parts of Victoria endure one of the most severe droughts in decades, Catholic Education Ballarat is reaffirming its commitment to supporting families facing financial hardship by offering school fee relief across its 57 schools in the diocese.

Executive Director Tom Sexton emphasised the organisation's dedication to ensuring that every child has access to a quality, faith-based education, regardless of their family's financial circumstances.

“The ongoing drought has placed immense pressure on many families in our communities,” Mr. Sexton said.

“We understand the challenges faced by those in agricultural sectors and related industries, and we are here to support them during this difficult time.”

Families experiencing financial hardship due to the drought are encouraged to confidentially discuss their situation with their school principal. “Our schools are more than just educational institutions; they are communities that stand together in times of need,” Mr. Sexton added.

“We urge any family facing difficulties to reach out so we can work together to find a solution.” Catholic Education Ballarat remains committed to its mission of providing accessible education and supporting the wellbeing of its students and their families, especially during challenging times. 

Gastro Outbreak

We have a number of confirmed cases of Gastro within the school.

Please find attached an information sheet on Gastro.

This information states that a person with gastro should stay home 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped.

Pupil Free Days Update

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

June 6th was reserved for school review. This school closure day is officially cancelled.

Remaining school Closure Days are:

• Friday July 4th (ReLATE)
• Friday September 19th (Structured Literacy)
  

Final day for students in Term 4 is Thursday the 18th of December 2025 

Book Sale

Our book sale last Thursday was a success with a total of $142 raised to go to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation for the purchase of Community relevant books. 

Thank you to everyone that made a purchase on the day.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Tri Sports

This Friday the 30th May we have some 5/6 students competing in the District Tri Sports at the Camperdown College oval. There is netball, football & soccer on the day.

If your child is participating, you will have received a PAM permission today for you to consent to your child attending.

Running Success!

Congratulations to Taleah Dower and Millie Bourke for their exceptional Regional Cross Country running efforts today in Warrnambool.

Both girls represented their school with pride in the testing conditions.

Taleah completed her race in 41st position. Millie finished in eighth position, automatically selecting her to go onto State Finals at a future date.

Well Done Girls!

WELLBEING

School Dates 2025

Monday 26/05                      Regional Cross Country

Tuesday 27/05                      St Patrick's School Open Day 

Friday 30/05                         District Tri Sports

                                                  Sacrament of Confirmation

Tuesday 03/06                     Foundation Excursion to Warrnambool

Wednesday 04/06              Community Meal - Grade 5/6C

                                                  AFL 9's - Grade 3/4's

Friday 06/06                        Network Day

Monday 09/06                     King's Birthday Public Holiday

Friday 13/6                            School Disco 6pm-8pm

Monday 30/06                     MRC Taster Day

Thursday 3/7                        Last Day of Term

                                                  Milo Monkey's Birthday - Foundation

Friday 4/7                              School Closure Day - Staff PD

Wednesday 9/7                   Movie night in Warrnambool

Noone's Uniform

Noone's now have stock of all our new uniform for purchase. You can pop into the uniform shop to try on.

The shop is located in the Mercy Regional College building.

In Term 2 the uniform shop is open on the following days -

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

Noone's Retail Sales Assistant

Noone's are looking for a Sales Assistant to join their team. 

This position is a minimum of 4 hours per week, with an option of more hours.

Generous staff discount is offered.

Start date ASAP.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Birthdays

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

Stella E, Finn V, Mitchell B & Thomas P

TheirCare

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

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

Buskers wanted - Robert Burns Festival

Fun Swim - Colac

Thank you to the sponsors of our raffle!