Happy Easter!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Long Weekend with your loved ones. This time of the year is always special, as it gives us the opportunity to come together and celebrate the holiday season with our friends and families.

For many of us, Easter is a time of reflection and gratitude. It reminds us of the importance of appreciating the blessings we have in our lives and cherishing the people who make our lives worth living. Whether you spent the weekend with your family, attended church services, or simply enjoyed some time off work, I hope you made the most of this special occasion.

As this newsletter is released to all of our families, staff, friends, and supporters, I am on the way back from Armidale with our Da Vinci Decathlon team who competed at this event at The Armidale School earlier today. Up against the best minds from several schools across the region, our team did well and all members should be proud of their achievements. It's a shame we couldn't enter two teams as this event i great preparation for the upcoming Brain Olympia heats that will be held in early Term 3 in which we will be sending two teams.

A full report will be included in the next edition of the school newsletter.

Cross Country

I extend my gratitude to the vast majority of families who have confirmed their child's participation in the School Cross Country event scheduled for Wednesday, 10th April. Students eligible to compete in the Diocesan Cross Country Trials at Barraba on Friday, 17th May will receive notification and their permission slip at the beginning of next term.

I am eagerly anticipating this year's cross-country event, particularly since I was unable to attend last year's. I extend my best wishes to all our competitors for a successful race.

In recognition of the hard work and dedication shown by all students throughout the term, I have decided to organise a special event on Thursday, 11th April. On this day, I will proudly wear my Canberra Raiders supporters gear to work, and we will be hosting a 'Wear Your Favourite Team Colours Day'. I encourage everyone, including staff members, to dress in the colors of their favorite sporting team. Whether it's rugby union, soccer, netball, cricket, league, hockey, swimming, or any other sport, feel free to show your support. If your child does not have a favorite team, they are welcome to wear mufti. There is no need for a gold coin donation.

OPEN MORNING for 2025 Kindergarten Students - 14th May 9:30am-11am

The Open Morning provides parents with the chance to discover what St Patrick's School can offer their children. Parents can engage with the faculty, take a tour of the campus, and partake in a morning tea. Transition students are also welcome to participate in activities with the current Kindergarten class.

Should you be aware of individuals with a child preparing to begin school in the upcoming year, or individuals interested in exploring our school and its offerings, we kindly request that you extend an invitation to them for our Open Morning.

LET'S GET READY FOR KINDERGARTEN 2025

Enrolments are now open for Kindergarten 2025.

Our school open morning for Kindergarten will be Tuesday 14th May 2024.

Please contact the school for an enrolment package - 67772328 or email

spwadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au

P and F Long Lunch

The P and F Long Lunch is this Saturday and I encourage everyone to go to the showground on this day to support our P and F and the school with many great items for the auction as well as prizes from the raffles that will be conducted throughout the afternoon. I am looking forward to catching up with everyone who is attending this event.

ANZAC DAY MARCH

St Patrick’s School has been invited to attend the ANZAC Day March. Those children who are available to march on Thursday 25th April, need to assemble with the school at 10:30am at the corner of Hill and South Streets. The service will begin at the end of the march, approximately 11:00am in ANZAC Memorial Park. After the service, the march will go down Darby Street to Fitzroy Street and finish at McHattan Park.

Parents could you please make sure:

*your son/daughter is in the correct school winter uniform, tie, black shoes and school hat

*you collect your son/daughter at McHatton Park after the march

A note was sent home on Tuesday to find out who will be available to represent St Patrick's at this event as it is on during the second week of the school holidays.

School Advisory Council Meeting this upcoming Tuesday

This upcoming Tuesday, April 9th at 5:30 pm, there will be a School Advisory Council Meeting. This meeting is an opportunity for Monsignor Wilkes, the SAC members as well as myself to come together and discuss important topics related to our school

Premier's Reading Challenge

Exciting news this year as St Patrick's students will again be participating in the Premier's Reading Challenge. We urge all students to take part.

Your child's login details have been sent home. You and your child will then be required to log in, provide the child's information, so they can record their books online.

Many of the PRC books can be found in our school library, where we will encourage students to borrow them during library time. Additionally, we are introducing all students to "SORA" - an app tailored to the contemporary student reading experience. This app enables students to explore and enjoy ebooks and audiobooks from their school, for both recreational and assigned reading purposes. It also includes the PRC books. We aim to have this process completed for students very soon!

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

Congratulations to Lachie for winning the 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' award this week. As I noted previously, selecting the recipient each week is becoming increasingly challenging. Lachie, you consistently demonstrate pride in both your school and sports uniforms.

TERMS 1 and 2 PUPIL FREE DAYS

The student's last term day will be Thursday 11th April.

The first two days of Term 2 (Monday 29th April and Tuesday 30th April), will be Pupil Free Days. Students will return to school on Wednesday 1st May. I do apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.

2024 Staff Development Days (PD Days)

All schools within the diocese have been granted a total of eight staff development days for this year. These designated days aim to improve the teaching capabilities of the staff, with a specific focus on the curriculum. Additionally, they provide an opportunity for the staff to implement the new teaching syllabus for the upcoming year. So far, we have already utilised two of the allocated staff development days. To minimise any inconveniences caused to our families who need to arrange care on days when the school is closed, I have scheduled the remaining six PD Days to occur either on the last few days or the first few days of each term. Below are the dates when the remaining six staff development days will take place.

Friday 12th April (Last day of Term 1)

Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th April (First two days of Term 2)

Monday 22nd July (First day of Term 3)

Monday 14th October (First day of Term 4)

Friday 20th 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.

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