General news

TURNING CIRCLE

A reminder of important rules regarding the Turning Circle:

• Please wait patiently for other vehicles and obey all street signage to ensuring  you are waiting in the correct area
• Please ensure all students can do up their own seat belts quickly prior to making use of the turning circle
• NO RIGHT TURN INTO FLORA STREET IN THE AFTERNOONS. This disrupts traffic flow and adds to congestion. (The Council traffic management plan is outlined here)
• Entry to vehicle from the passenger side only. This includes bags and instruments. We are unable to open rear compartments to put bags in.
• Parking restrictions begin at 2.30pm - No parking in the turning circle area after this time.

You may have also noticed that we are no longer using the microphone on the turning circle. We have had a number of noise complaints from local neighbours and council has requested we try to minimise noise. Although we are able to make these announcements, we are trying to find other ways that might be quick and effective without broadcasting student names across Sutherland. Please be patient as we iron out any teething problems and remind your children to listen closely to the teacher under the COLA when names are being announced.

PRIME ENERGY DRINKS

A number of children are bringing these drinks to school, not necessarily to drink themselves, but to share with their class mates. We would rather these types of drinks stayed at home. We thank you for your support in this matter.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY TERM 2

A reminder that Tuesday, 13 June is a Staff Development Day, following the King's birthday Long Weekend, and no supervision will be provided on this day. Please contact OSH Club if you require supervision. School will resume on Wednesday, 14 June. 

PARENTING IN PARTNERSHIP - YEAR 1 AND 2 WORKSHOPS WITH SASKIA WEST

A reminder that our workshops with Saskia West will be held next week for Year 1 parents. Please register via the following QR Codes. Year 2 registration will open in Week 4.

EMAIL POLICY

All communication to teachers must come through info@stpsutherland.catholic.edu.au unless otherwise arranged through consultation with Mr Heelis or Miss Dorrough. This policy was outlined to parents in detail at the start of the year. All emails coming directly to teachers will be forwarded to the office. If you require a response urgently, please make an appointment at the office to speak to a teacher.

ICAS 2023: Years 3-6

We are pleased to inform you that St Patrick’s will once again be offering ICAS in 2023. This will be offered to students in Year 3 through to Year 6 in the areas of English (Reading Comprehension), Writing, Mathematics and Science.

What is ICAS?  

ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills.   Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals. 

Learn more about ICAS here:  (https://www.icasassessments.com/products-icas)

St Patrick’s has for over a decade encouraged students to challenge themselves by participating in the ICAS Assessments and we have had a history of excellent results. These tests are challenging and will be administered during the school day. Students will be provided with a school device to use due to assessment security requirements.

The final date for online booking and payment for the ICAS assessments is Monday 31 July, after this date, students will not be able to participate this year.

2023 Participation:

In 2023 students have the opportunity to participate in the following subjects. Students will sit the tests in 2023 during school hours. (Test dates will be confirmed via Compass.)

*Students who participate in enrichment classes are strongly encouraged to take the tests relevant to the subject area/s in which they attend (e.g. Writing/Mathematics Papers).

If you would like your child to participate in any of the subjects listed above, please visit the online Parent Payment System to make a direct payment to UNSW Global. The Parent Payment System is a simple and secure online payment service specifically for parents to purchase ICAS Assessments.

Online parent payment:

1. Visit the web link https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps
2. read the terms and conditions here: (icasassessments.com/wp-

content/uploads/2022/10/2023-ICAS-Assessments-Parents-PPS-TsCs_final.pdf)

1. Go to the parent portal: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps
2. Enter your child’s details, select the tests you would like to purchase, then proceed to payment.
3. St Patrick’s unique school code KSU207 to make a direct payment to UNSW Global. 
4. Online payment will close on 31 July 2023
5. Cost per test is $19.25, except Writing $23.65 

MINDQUEST

Mindquest weekend for 2023 is at St George Girls on the 16 and 17 September. 

Click on the following link for more information: MINDQUEST 2023 including the specific workshops offered to Year 1-6 students.