Diocesan Athletics Carnival

On Friday, I had the privilege of accompanying 16 of our students to the Diocesan Athletics Carnival in Tamworth. Competing against more than 600 athletes from various primary schools within the diocese, our team members exhibited outstanding performances and should take great pride in their accomplishments. The day was enjoyable for everyone involved, and I must mention that the team manager lost his voice from cheering and experienced sore calves while ensuring that all competitors were present in their designated marshaling areas for their respective events. I would like to extend my congratulations to several of our students who have qualified to represent the Armidale Diocese at the upcoming Polding Athletics Carnival, scheduled for Friday, September 13th, at Glendale.

Josie Wauch qualified in the Junior Girls Shot Put by placing second, the Junior Girls Discus and the Junior Girls 1500m. Both Archer Clark and Levi Williams qualified by placing 2nd and 3rd in the Under 8 Year Boys 100m and Jessica Patterson-Kane placed 1st overall in both the 11 Year Girls 800m and 1500m.

Josie capped off a great day as she was joint runner up in the Junior Girls division.

Well done to these students and also to all of the members of our team, all of you should be proud of your achievements.

2024 Brain Olympia

This year, St Patrick's Primary School will be fielding two teams in the Brain Olympia competition. The Brain Olympia presents an opportunity for our students to engage in various academic challenges against peers from other schools. Among the challenges are solving a range of general knowledge and mathematical problems, public speaking, and delivering a drama presentation on a selected topic. Each of our teams, composed of eight students from Years 4, 5, and 6, will compete against smaller schools with enrollments of fewer than 100 students in the Plains Cluster at St Edward's Primary School in Tamworth on Wednesday, August 28th. Should one of our teams secure victory in the small schools' category, they will receive an invitation to participate in the Diocese Final in Gunnedah on Wednesday, September 11th. We extend our best wishes to both teams for their success.

School Fees 2024

A friendly reminder that school fees are due 30th September 2024.

School fees are essential to the financial viability of our school. It would be appreciated if accounts are be paid in full by this date.

If you are unable to pay your fees by this date, please contact the office and talk to Mrs Rizzi to discuss options.

Please note: school fees need to be up to date for students to attend excursions.

Premier's Reading Challenge 2024

The Premier's Reading Challenge for this year is approaching its conclusion. Congratulations to all students who took part; it has been reported that a significant number of diverse texts have been read. Please note that validations will close on Friday, August 23rd. Should you have any questions or concerns related to the reading challenge, do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Davey.

Save the Date: Friday 30th August

Friday, August 30th promises to be a day filled with excitement, just like last year.

The day will kick off with our traditional Father's Day Breakfast, In addition, we are extending a warm invitation to all grandparents to join us for Grandparents Day, where various activities will be organized to celebrate this special occasion. Among the highlights are the annual Book Week festivities, including the book fair and the Book Week fashion parade. This year's theme is 'Reading is Magic', and students are encouraged to dress up as their favorite book characters for the parade. I should start rummaging through my costume box to find the perfect outfit. Stay tuned for more details in upcoming editions of the newsletter.

UNE DISCOVERY SCIENCE WORKSHOP

Last Friday, the UNE Discovery Team brought an exciting and educational experience to the students of St Patrick's Primary School. The team engaged with all of the classes in a series of interactive workshops, covering a wide range of fascinating topics.

One of the highlights was the "Crime Scene Investigation" workshop, where the students had the opportunity to become forensic scientists for the day. This hands-on session allowed them to put on their detective hats and solve a mock crime by collecting and analysing evidence. Not only was this workshop engaging and entertaining, but it also provided valuable insights into the world of forensic science.

In the "Magic of Physics" workshop, students were introduced to the wonders of physics through a series of magical demonstrations. This session aimed to spark the students' curiosity and interest in the fundamental principles of physics, making learning a truly enchanting experience.

"Plants, Poop, and Pollinators" offered a unique perspective on the natural world by exploring the interconnectedness of plants, pollinators, and the role of waste in the ecosystem. The workshop provided a hands-on experience for the students, allowing them to better understand the vital role that these elements play in sustaining our environment.

Finally, the "Palaeopuzzles" workshop delved into the world of paleontology and ancient history. Students had the opportunity to piece together the puzzle of prehistoric life, uncovering the mysteries of extinct animals and the environments they inhabited. This interactive session not only sparked curiosity about ancient life but also encouraged critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Ms. Wilson for her efforts in organising the day; your hard work is greatly appreciated. From the feedback I received, the event was a resounding success, and we eagerly anticipate the UNE Discovery Team's return to St. Patrick's Primary in the near future.

2025 Transition Program Commencing Soon!

It is nearly time to start planning for 2025 as it is just under a fortnight before our Kindergarten Transition program commences! We are looking forward to having our 2025 Kindergarten children come to big school on Tuesday 27th August for their first day of transition. This program will be on every Tuesday from 27th August for the rest of Term 3 as well as the first five Tuesdays in Term 4. Mrs Hoy will be leading transition and she is beginning to organise a large number of fun activities that will be conducted throughout the program.

To ensure that our 2025 Transition Program is a success, a lot of organisation needs to be completed before the program commences and one of these aspects involves knowing how many children will be taking part in the program. The large majority of our families have already formally enrolled their children in our transition program but we are still waiting for some of our new and existing families to complete and hand in the necessary paperwork that was included in the packs that were handed out at our 2025 Kindergarten Open Morning in Term 2.

It would be greatly appreciated if we could receive all completed Transition Enrolment Forms by, Friday 16th August as it will allow us to organise all of the resources needed for this program.

We still have some vacancies available for students who will be starting school next year to take part in this program and if you know any families who may be interested, can you please encourage them to contact the school?

Canteen Helpers Desperately Needed!

Regrettably, we find ourselves in a predicament where the coordinators of the school's canteen are having difficulty securing sufficient volunteers to cover all the positions on the roster necessary for the canteen's operation every Monday and Friday. If anyone is in a position to offer assistance, we kindly request that you inform the school.

2024 School Improvement Survey

The Catholic Schools Office has once again collaborated with Survey My School in 2024 to facilitate parents in giving feedback on the practices and procedures of St Patrick's School. Please be aware the structure and several questions have been modified for this year's survey to ensure there is no repetition of questions as well as being more user-friendly. Parents can expect to receive these surveys via email during the week of August 26th.

The Winner of 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' Award For This Week Is.......

Congratulations go to Eden who has won this week's 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' award. Great stuff Eden, we always notice that you wear our school uniform with pride, you should be very proud of yourself.

2024 Remaining Staff Development Days (PD Days)

Monday 14th October (First day of Term 4)

Friday 20th December (Last day of Term 4)

Upcoming Event Term 4 - New England Sings 2024 Term 4 for Years 3-6

NEW ENGLAND SINGS! 2024 COMBINED PRIMARY CHOIRS REHEARSAL SCHEDULE Armidale and surrounding schools – outreach schools will have rehearsals scheduled at their own school. However, outreach schools are welcome to attend the Armidale workshops if possible.

This exciting event is beginning to take shape, 16 schools (with approx. 500 choristers) in the combined Primary choirs and 14 schools (with approx. 450 choristers) in the Secondary choir.

Ian Jefferson will attend the workshops throughout the year and conduct the Primary choirs at the final weekend of rehearsals and concerts.

FINAL REHEARSAL (all schools, including outreach schools to attend):

Date: Saturday 26th October (directed by Ian Jefferson)

Time: Primary Choir 9:00am – 10.45 am (arrive by 8:30am)

Venue: Lazenby Hall, UNE

CONCERTS: Date: Sunday 27th October (directed by (with Ian Jefferson)

Time: Primary Choir 11:00am – 1:00pm (arrive by 9:30am)

Venue: Lazenby Hall, UNE

St Patrick’s School is an outreach school for the rehearsals but we will attempt to attend two of the rehearsals in Armidale.

Parents will have to commit to the Saturday 26th October - Final Rehearsal and Sunday 27th October Concert. If they wish their child to participate in New England Sings.

Contacting Your Child's Teacher

Teachers welcome contact from parents, if you need to talk with staff please either contact the class teacher by phoning the school – 67772328 or email the school at spwadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au.

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