Principal's Message

The light at end of the tunnel is getting close!

It’s hard to believe how quickly the school year is rushing to a close as we approach the final and fastest month of the year: December, which means that with just over three weeks to go, there is still a significant number of important and exciting events packed into the remaining school calendar at St Patrick's Primary. 

This week also marks the final week of the Church Year, and we prepare our hearts for the beginning of the holy season of Advent this coming Sunday, which means the Church Year starts anew; we offer a prayer of thanks for the year that is ending and ask for hopeful anticipation as we prepare for Christ's arrival. 

I am also excited to announce that eight talented students from St Patrick's Primary School will be attending the Armidale Catholic Schools Summer Trials in Tamworth on Friday, December 5th, and I send my very best wishes and support to our representatives: Phoebe and Maddie for Girls Basketball, Marcus for Boys Basketball, Josie, Airlee, and Lucy for Girls Tennis, and Rebee and Shaun for Boys Tennis.

I extend my sincere appreciation for the dedicated guidance and invaluable advice provided to the School Advisory Council (SAC) this past term by both Rebecca Whillock and Andrew Wark, and I am thrilled to thank and welcome Kate King and Jordan Young for volunteering to join the SAC for the 2026 academic year, a contribution that is greatly appreciated. 

I also give my heartfelt thanks to all the SAC members who participated in the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday evening, as your support, advice, and counsel throughout the year have been truly invaluable, and I eagerly anticipate continuing our vital collaboration in the year ahead, with the first SAC meeting for the 2026 academic year scheduled for Term 1.

As we finish off the remaining lessons, celebrate our achievements, and prepare for the summer break, let us all continue to encourage and support one another, demonstrating the spirit of our community in every task and event; I look forward to sharing these final, special weeks with you and wish every member of our St Patrick's family a strong, successful, and joy-filled conclusion to the 2025 school year!

Be a Bright Star Day this Monday 1st December

Mark your calendars! This upcoming Monday December 1st, St Patrick's Primary School will be lighting up the start of the final month with our special "Be A Bright Star Day!"

To celebrate the festive season and spread some much-needed cheer, students are encouraged to ditch their normal uniform for a day and come dressed in the brightest, most colourful clothing they own! Think neon, stripes, dazzling accessories—the brighter, the better!

This mufti day, however, will be a little different. Instead of the usual gold coin donation, we are asking students to bring in non-perishable food items. These generous donations will be collected and delivered to the St Vincent de Paul's Christmas Appeal, helping local families in need enjoy a brighter Christmas dinner.

Let's shine brightly and support a great cause! Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Carols by Candlelight - December 9th 

The students of St Patrick’s have been invited to sing carols at the Carols by Candlelight event at McHattan Park on Tuesday, 9th December, starting at 7:30 pm.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their talents and spread the festive spirit within our community. I encourage families to come along and support our students as they perform.

I look forward to seeing you there for an evening of music and celebration!

Year 3-6 Mega Band Day

Last Friday, our Years 3–6 students enjoyed a  musical collaboration at the New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM) in Armidale, participating in a  successful Mega Band Day!

Our students joined forces with their peers from St Joseph's Primary, Glen Innes, and Chandler Public School. This  day provided a wonderful opportunity for the young musicians to combine into one large ensemble and perform a number of musical pieces they have been diligently practising throughout the year in their individual band lessons.

In the morning the combined band rehearsed a wide variety of songs, experiencing the sound of a large group playing together. Following a break, the students  delivered a small, informal concert, showcasing the  progress they made during the day.

After their  performance, the students disembarked to return to their respective schools.

A sincere thank you is extended to Miss Cattelini, Mrs Makeham, and Mrs Rizzi for dedicating their time and providing supervision to the St Patrick’s students throughout the day. 

2026 School Leadership Speeches and Election Day

I extend my sincere congratulations to all the students who recently delivered speeches while vying for key roles as school captains, sports captains, or official school leaders for the upcoming year. Marcus Blake, Flo Davey, Ellody Hoy, Anish Kandukuri, Hannah Marchant, Tom McMaugh, Benji Provost, Airlee Tate, Rebee Wark, Josie Wauch, Hugh Whillock, and Shaun Zorgdrager all deserve tremendous credit for overcoming their nerves and delivering truly outstanding speeches.

The votes have now been carefully tallied! I am excited to officially announce our 2026 School Leaders during Presentation Morning ceremony on Friday, December 12th.

A huge thank you goes out to all the parents, grandparents, and supporters who were able to join us for the speeches. I greatly appreciate the tremendous support you have provided your children over the past weeks as they prepared and presented their messages.

Finally, a collective good luck to all our Year 5 students! Regardless of the outcome of the vote, you have all already demonstrated exceptional qualities that will make you invaluable and effective leaders for our school community next year.

THE LAST DAY FOR  RETURNING LIBRARY BOOKS IS FRIDAY 5TH DECEMBER!

As we approach the end of the year, it is essential to begin the process of inventorying all the books in the library. This undertaking will be substantial, and to guarantee its completion prior to the conclusion of the school year, all books must be returned by Friday, December 5th. We extend our gratitude to all students and their parents who have already returned their library books, as this will greatly facilitate our upcoming stocktaking efforts.

2025 School Fees

This is a friendly and important reminder that all outstanding school fees for the current year are due to be paid in full by Sunday 30th November.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. Timely payment of school fees is essential for the school to continue providing quality resources, programs, and opportunities for all students.

Follow up letters will be sent next week for those families who have not finalised payments.

School Opening hours

To ensure the safety of students, please remember students should not be dropped off at school any earlier then 8.30am. The main school gate will be opened at 8.30am. There is no supervision of students prior to this time.

Next P and F Meeting this upcoming Tuesday 2nd December at 6.00pm

The last P and F Meeting for this year is scheduled to take place this upcoming Tuesday, 2nd of December starting at 6.00pm at the Commerical Hotel . I hope you can join us.

Updates to Our End-of-Year Events

This year, we've made some significant changes to our end-of-year Presentation, Performance, and Mass, based on valuable feedback from our families and the availability of priests.

Here are the details for your calendars:

• "Ali Baba and the Forty Bikies" Performance: Our annual school performance will be held at the Walcha Multi-Purpose Centre on the evening of Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
• Annual Presentations : On the morning of Friday, December 12, 2025, the Annual Presentations will take place at 9:30 am in the school COLA. Immediately following, the school community is invited to a morning tea picnic in the school playground.
• Graduation Mass & Whole School Barbecue: The celebrations on Friday will conclude with the Graduation Mass at 12:00 pm. Students can order their lunch through compass - BBQ

Semester 2 Reporting

At present, the educators are engaged in the preparation of student reports for Semester Two. Parents will have the opportunity to access these reports through the parent portal during Week 9. Should you prefer to receive a printed report, please inform the school.

How to access the Semester Two reports on Compass in Week 9:  

Log into Compass

To view the Semester 2 report, click on your child's profile and select report.

The Winner of 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' Award Is.......

Congratulations to Reid for receiving this week's 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' award! Well done, Reid—you should be proud of yourself. Everyone at St Patrick’s admires the way you consistently wear your school and sports uniform with pride.

Dates for Term 1, 2026

The official start date for the 2025 school year will be Thursday 29th January 2026 for all students in Years 1 - 6. 

Kindergarten will commence Monday 2nd February 2026 following Best Start Assessments.

2025 Remaining Staff Development Days (PD Days)

Thursday 18th December (Last day of Term 4)

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.

SCHOOL HOURS

Supervision of students commences at 8:30am. Students should not be on-site until after 8:30 AM.