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Dear Parents and Carers,
Term 1 is progressing well, and with great speed. As I communicated last week ENROLMENTS 2026 are now open and we are booking enrolment interviews commencing in April. Do you have a child starting school next year? Please complete the online enrolment form so we can book your child in for their interview.
Year 6 Leaders It was wonderful to present four further Year 6 students with Leadership Badges this week. Congratulations to Aidan and Liam our 2025 Environment Leaders. Congratulations to Jamyang and Skylah our 2025 Library Leaders.
Learning On Thursday on a walk around the classrooms I stopped awhile in one of the senior Mathematics classrooms. I was delighted to hear a student, upon handing some assessment work in, say, 'That was the hardest Maths I have ever done!'
Why was it so great to hear this? At St Pat's our teachers are working tirelessly to make learning challenging for all students, helping them to continue to make strong progress. When the student made the comment, he didn't add, 'I can't do it,' or 'It's too hard, or 'I give up.' He smiled when the teacher, also smiling, replied, 'I'm glad to hear it!' We love seeing and hearing our students persisting and being open to the challenge of learning each day!
This week our Year 3 and 5 students have begun their NAPLAN assessments. We are proud of the way our students engaged with these assessments with a positive outlook and growth mindset. NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) is a point in time tool that helps us understand how well our students are developing essential skills in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar, and punctuation), and numeracy.
Blessings
Jo
Did You Know? The Resilience Project at St Pat's
We are thrilled to announce that St Pat's has implemented the Resilience Project, and our students have shown incredible enthusiasm for the lessons! This initiative aims to foster emotional resilience, gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness among our students, equipping them with essential life skills.
What is the Resilience Project? The Resilience Project is a well-regarded program designed to help students build mental resilience and emotional well-being. Through engaging activities and discussions, students learn to appreciate the positive aspects of their lives, develop empathy for others, and practice mindfulness to stay grounded.
Students' Enthusiasm Our students have embraced the Resilience Project with open arms. They are eager to share what they've learned with their families and bring these valuable lessons into their homes. This enthusiasm is a testament to the program's impact and the students' commitment to personal growth.
Tips to Get Conversations Started at Home To support your child and reinforce the lessons from the Resilience Project, here are some tips to spark meaningful conversations at home:
- Gratitude Journals: Encourage your child to keep a gratitude journal. Each day, ask them to write down three things they are grateful for and share them with the family during dinner.
- Empathy Exercises: Discuss scenarios where empathy is essential. Ask your child how they would feel in someone else's shoes and what they could do to help.
- Mindfulness Moments: Set aside a few minutes each day for mindfulness activities. Practice deep breathing exercises or guided meditation together.
- Positive Affirmations: Create a list of positive affirmations with your child. Repeat these affirmations daily to build self-confidence and a positive mindset.
- Family Check-Ins: Regularly check in with each family member about their day. Encourage open and honest communication to strengthen family bonds.
By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can help your child reinforce the valuable lessons from the Resilience Project and create a supportive and nurturing home environment.
Let's continue to work together to build a resilient and empathetic community at St Pat's!
Dates for your Calendar
Friday 21st March - Class Mass - 3/4 Red 9.15am (Families welcome)
We are excited for our upcoming St Patrick's Day celebration on Monday 17th March. All students are invited to wear green to school on the day.
We will hold our St Patrick's Day liturgy at 1:00pm in the church, with families welcome to attend.
From 3:30-4:30, we will celebrate with afternoon tea and a variety of games.
Key Dates for Confirmation:
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Family Mass- Sunday 4th May, 9:30am
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Retreat- Friday 6th June, 9:15-2:30pm
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Confirmation- Sunday 8th June, 9:30am
Please contact the Parish for enrolment
Curriculum
K-2 AFL skills afternoon
Our K-2 students had a fantastic time participating in an AFL skills session on Thursday afternoon. We were very fortunate to have Sam from AFL AusKick visit the school to facilitate these activities, alongside our Year 6 leaders. This engaging activity was not only fun but also an excellent opportunity for our young learners to develop their physical abilities and teamwork skills. Through a series of drills and games, the students practiced kicking, handballing, and marking, all while learning the importance of cooperation and sportsmanship.
These sessions are a wonderful addition to our curriculum, promoting physical fitness and a love for sports from an early age. Check out the photos of our enthusiastic students in action!
St Patrick's Day Celebration
Our St Patrick's Day celebration was a fantastic event, filled with joy and community spirit! It was wonderful to see so many families come together to celebrate. A heartfelt thank you to all the families who contributed, whether by bringing delicious afternoon tea or lending a helping hand on the day. Your support and participation made the event truly special and memorable.
This week my visit was to 3/4G. They are reading a book called, “My Wow Summer Vacation” by Susie Wallace. The book is about a girl from Colorado called Foofoo who lost her favourite baseball hat. Ally said, 'It is really exciting to learn about Foofoo, and our learning in Science.'
Ally was talking about how fun it is learning about symbiotics saying, 'A mutual symbiotic relationship means both living things get benefits from each other, like small sea insects eating the barnacles and parasites of whales.' Thanks Ally!
Bella
BOOK CLUB
Thank you to all parents who ordered from Book club issue 1. Books have now arrived at school and will be distributed this week. Book Club issue 2 has arrived, look out for your copy coming home in your child's schoolbag! The due date for issue 2 is 28/3/2025. Did you know that every purchase you make on Book Club earns our school 15% of the order value in Scholastic Rewards? We use these to purchase more books for the school. It all helps!
To order please visit link below:
