Dear families,

What an extraordinary week it’s been at St Patrick’s - one filled with faith, celebration, and community spirit. Each event over the past couple of weeks has reflected the warmth and generosity that define our school.

Our Senior Retreat Formation day gave our oldest students the chance to pause, reflect, and strengthen their sense of leadership and connection. Thank you to Kathy Finn, whose thoughtful planning ensured it was such a meaningful experience for everyone involved.

The celebrations continued in the library, where Emma Ferguson created a rich and colourful Diwali experience for students. It was wonderful to see curiosity and joy as children learned about this beautiful festival of light and what it represents across cultures. Emma has also continued to build strong partnerships through our LOTE program through the Indonesian Language Learning Ambassadors program.

To top it off, the Colour Run for the Stevens family brought pure excitement and purpose to the school community - and with our friendly neighbours! The laughter, the energy, and even the slime all contributed to an unforgettable day. A huge thank you to everyone who got involved — whether it was supporting the prizes, cheering students on, or simply joining in the fun. Together, we’ve raised over $20,000, which is an incredible outcome and a real demonstration of community generosity. Mr Hogbin mentioned that he loved the new street decoration in Errard Street!

It’s also been lovely to notice more and more parents joining us throughout the week - particularly at Story Time. Your presence and positivity enrich our school culture and remind us that learning truly thrives in partnership. Kim, you do such an amazing job!

Times like this remind us why St Patrick’s is such a special place - where faith, joy, and connection come together in ways that make a lasting difference for our children.

Assessment Update

Over the next few weeks, all students at St Patrick’s will be participating in a range of assessments as part of our regular end-of-year learning review process.

In particular, we are currently facilitating the Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) across Foundation to Year 6. These assessments focus on areas such as Reading, Mathematics, Spelling, and Grammar & Punctuation, and, in my opinion, represent the gold standard for tracking student growth over a 12-month period.

Alongside other class-based assessments, the information gathered from PAT testing provides valuable insight into each student’s progress and helps us identify the next steps in their learning journey. This data also plays an important role in ensuring the Semester 2 Reports provide clear, accurate, and meaningful feedback to families.

We thank our students for their effort and focus during this busy period, and we look forward to sharing their growth and achievements with you soon.

Enrolments

If your family is aware that you will not be returning to St Patrick’s in 2026, we kindly ask that you inform the school office as soon as possible. We continue to receive a number of enrolment enquiries from families seeking places for next year, and your early communication greatly assists with our planning.

2025 St Patrick’s School Athletics Day

Friday 7th November – Llanberris Athletics Track (York St, Ballarat East)

We are excited to provide further details about our 2025 St Patrick’s School Athletics Day for all students from Foundation to Year 6 will be held on Friday 7th November at Llanberris Athletics Track. The children are already looking forward to competing on a professional track, and we know this will be another wonderful day of participation, teamwork, and school spirit. Hopefully the weather is a bit nicer to us this year!

General Information

Following the success of last year’s arrangements, we will again be using the same drop-off and pick-up procedure. This worked very smoothly in 2024, thanks to the cooperation and community spirit of our families.

Drop-off: Parents are asked to drop their child/ren off at Llanberris Reserve between 8.30am and 8.45am. Students should make their way to their classroom teacher in the grandstand to have attendance marked.
Pick-up: Parents are asked to collect their child/ren from Llanberris at 2.45pm. Please aim to collect your child no later than 3.00pm and let the classroom teacher know when you are leaving.

If you are unable to coordinate transport, please reach out to the school - there are plenty of parents who are happy to assist with transport arrangements.

Parents are responsible for transporting children to and from Llanberris. Please note that neither the school nor Extend will be providing transportation to After School Care, though Extend will remain open for families who wish to organise their own travel arrangements.

Uniform

Students should wear their full sports uniform and consider the weather — a named hat, jumper, and coat are recommended. They are welcome to wear house colours in the form of a t-shirt, socks, or hair ribbons. Please note that coloured zinc, hairspray, and face paint are not permitted.

Lunch & Medications

Students need to bring their lunch, snack, and water bottle in their school bag, along with any personal medications. Asthmatics must carry their puffers with them. All school-stored medications (Ventolin, EpiPens, antihistamines, etc.) will be brought to Llanberris. Sunscreen will be available at several locations.

The canteen will be open for adults to purchase hot drinks and snacks. We ask that you do not buy food for the children, as they will be busy competing throughout the day.

Events

Students will compete within their year levels, rotating through activities under staff supervision. Events will commence at 9.00am, beginning with sprints to allow students to cheer each other on — always a highlight of the day. This will be followed by field events. The program will go ahead even in damp conditions, as Llanberris has an all-weather track. Please see the timetable below for scheduled events, with the understanding that this is a guide and adjustments may need to be made on the day.

We know the children will give their best effort and encourage one another throughout the day. Athletics Day is always a highlight of our school calendar, and we look forward to celebrating another successful event together.

SchoolTV

This week on SchoolTV you will find a focus topic on School Transitions.

Whether it is starting school for the first time, moving up to a higher grade or embarking on a journey through secondary school, there is no doubt that any school transition is a very exciting time for children and parents. It means that the children are growing up!

However, for many it may also be a very anxious and stressful time for both parents and children. Parents need to be aware of their child’s feelings during any school transition and minimise anxiety so the process is an enjoyable experience for all. It is important for children to attend transition or orientation programs offered by schools. Familiarisation is often key to reducing stress levels. It is also important for parents to talk to their children about their expectations and being more responsible for their own needs.

Click on the link below to access a wealth of videos, articles, and resources on the aforementioned topics.

All Editions | St Patrick's School - Ballarat (schooltv.me)

Kind regards,

Ben Shields

School Calendar Term 4- Updated 2025