Dear Parents and Carers,

Year 5 Leadership Day This week begins an exciting time for our Year 5 students as they begin to more fully explore what it means to be a Year 6 school leader. On Tuesday they participated in the Journey with Jesus Retreat Day. The day was designed to deepen their understanding of faith, leadership, and personal growth through a series of engaging and reflective activities.

Throughout the retreat, students explored themes such as God’s love, forgiveness, salvation, and reconciliation. They took part in drama, small group discussions, and symbolic activities using items like a backpack, water bottle, torch, and first aid kit—each representing aspects of their spiritual journey. Icebreakers and creative games added energy and fun to the day, while prayer and reflection provided quiet moments for personal connection and growth.

The retreat concluded with a look ahead to how students might continue their faith journey through Youth Ministry opportunities in 2026. We are proud of the way our students embraced the day with maturity, curiosity, and open hearts. These experiences are helping to shape them into thoughtful, compassionate leaders for our school community.

On the day I spoke with the students about the processes by which they apply for school leader roles and encouraged them all to consider applying for a school or sport captain role for next year. Please encourage your child to apply for a leading role at St Patrick's in 2026, and if you have younger children you can speak with them about future possibilities of leadership.

Key dates for speeches have also been provided.

Friday 21st November 12.40pm- Sport Captain Speeches
These will be delivered in classrooms to the student’s sport house group. Please note that parents do not attend these short meetings.

Friday 28th November 12.40pm- School Captain Speeches
These will be presented in the hall to students from Years 3 to 6. Parents are warmly invited to attend and support their child during this special occasion.

Class Placement 2026 Last week I published the St Patrick's guidelines for class placement. Please again see here the Class Allocation Statement of Practice. If you  wish to raise educational concerns regarding class placement please make an appointment to speak with me in person or by phone. These conversations must take place by Friday of Week 6, Term 4 (21st November 2025) to be considered in the allocation process. 

Kind regards,

Jo

Week 4: Making Maths Meaningful

This week we’re diving into numeracy. Direct Instruction in maths helps students master core concepts through clear explanations, guided practice, and immediate feedback. We’re seeing great progress in number sense and problem-solving.

In wellbeing, we’re focusing on Mindfulness – being present and aware. In maths, this means slowing down, checking our work, and noticing patterns. At home, you can support this by involving your child in everyday maths tasks like cooking or shopping.

Dates for your Calendar

Class Mass Week 5, 14th November- 5/6 Red (families Welcome)

Thanksgiving Mass- Friday 12th December, 9:15am (All welcome)

Year 6 Graduation Mass- Wednesday 17th December, 6:00pm. 

Year 5 Leadership Retreat

On Tuesday, our Year 5 students travelled to Pambula Beach Surf Club where they engaged in a memorable leadership retreat filled with connection, reflection, and growth. Through prayer, engaging games, and enriching discussions, students explored what it means to be a leader, discovering their strengths and deepening their faith. We were especially delighted to welcome Luke Maher from the Catholic Education office in Canberra, who joined us with his inspiring team of Youth Ministers- Elizabeth, Kyle, and Rocco. Their energy, wisdom, and warmth added a powerful dimension to the retreat, helping our students reflect on leadership through a lens of service and spirituality. It was a joyful and inspiring experience that encouraged each child to step forward with confidence and compassion.

From the students

"It was very fun and exciting"- Sophia

"One thing I learned today was to be myself and to help others"- Keeret

"One thing I learned today was being fair and having fun"- Gwen

St Vincent De Paul Christmas Appeal

Next week, our Christmas tree will go up, with baskets placed underneath to collect donations for those in need. We're inviting students to bring in non-perishable items, including toiletries, Christmas treats and pantry staples, to help fill hampers for families in our local community. These will be presented to the St Vincent De Paul Society at our Thanksgiving Mass in Week 9.

For every item donated, students will receive a raffle ticket for a special draw at the end of term!

Term 4, 2025 School Fees

Thank you to the families who have finalised their school fees for 2025. Payment is due today, 7 November 2025, unless you are on an approved instalment plan.

We strongly encourage all families to set up a weekly or fortnightly BPAY payment plan through your bank. BPAY details can be found on your fee statement.

If you are making payments by instalments and your fees will not be paid in full by the due date, please ensure this arrangement is discussed and approved by the school.

If your family is experiencing financial hardship or requires additional support, we invite you to contact the school to arrange a confidential meeting with our Principal, Jo Scott-Pegum, to explore how we can assist.

For any questions or further discussion, please contact our Office Manager, Cathy Smith, on 6492 5500 or via email at cathy.smith@cg.catholic.edu.au.

2026 COACHING APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!

Bega Minor Rugby League is now accepting Expressions of Interest for Coaching Positions for the 2026 season!

We’re looking for passionate, dedicated coaches to help develop our young players and continue growing the game we love

AGE GROUPS

Tackle: U7s, U8s, U9s, U10s, U11s, U12s, U13s, U14s, U16s

?‍♀️ League Tag: U8s, U10s, U12s, U14s, U16s

TO APPLY:

Complete the Coaching Application Form and email it to begamrl18@gmail.com

Application forms can be found on our Facebook page or requested by emailing begamrl18@gmail.com

Applications close 5PM – Friday, 14 November 2025

Let’s make the 2026 season another great year for our players, coaches, and community!