Message From Our Principal

Returning to school after long service leave was an incredibly heartwarming and delightful experience. Stepping back into the familiar setting, reconnecting with dedicated staff members, and embracing the lively atmosphere filled me with a profound sense of joy and purpose. The warm smiles and enthusiastic greetings from students and parents alike reaffirmed the strong bonds that we have cultivated over the years. As I resumed my leadership role, I was reminded of the incredible journey we have embarked upon together.

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible dedication and hard work all of the staff demonstrated during my absence on long service leave. Their commitment to maintaining the smooth functioning of the school, and unwavering support for our students and their education, did not go unnoticed.

I am especially grateful to Katie and Steph for stepping up as Acting Principals during this time. Their leadership, guidance, and willingness to take on additional responsibilities was truly commendable. The way they handled the day-to-day operations and ensured that everything continued to run seamlessly is a testament to their professionalism and dedication. 

I would like to thank all the families who embraced the wood raffle and dedicated their time and effort to selling tickets. Your unwavering support has played a vital role in raising funds for our school community. It's truly inspiring to witness the collective commitment and enthusiasm that each of you has shown. We raised $1455 . The successful winner of the raffle was Crystal Morris.

Congratulations to all of our Grade 3-6 students who actively participated in the Waranga Athletic Sports last week in Kyabram. It was an exciting opportunity for our students to showcase their talents, sportsmanship, and team spirit. It was also a wonderful chance for them to build new friendships and reconnect with peers in their community. There were lots of smiles on the faces of students who brought home ribbons, some students for the very first time. 

A big congratulations to Zac Wakenshaw on being the age champion for the 11-year-old boys fat the Carnival! 

A big thank you to the parents who volunteered to support events on the day.

On Wednesday we proudly welcomed 8 new FIRE Carriers into our community at St Patrick's. The FIRE Carrier Project, a collaborative effort by Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Victoria, Opening the Doors Foundation, and Sandhurst Catholic Education Office, is igniting the flames of Reconciliation in schools and beyond.

Joined by Louise Levy and Troy Firebrace from Catholic Education Sandhurst, we witnessed an inspiring commissioning ceremony. Troy's warm welcome to country and a powerful smoking ceremony enriched the occasion.

This year, our FIRE Carriers will team up with Louise and Troy to drive projects focused on deepening our understanding of Aboriginal history and fostering reconciliation. Together, we're taking meaningful steps towards a united future. 

Next week we celebrate Children's Book Week with some super exciting events. We kick off Monday morning with our annual Book Week Parade. All parents are invited to attend this parade at 9am. This will be followed by multi-age activities based on the short listed books of 2023. We will conclude the week with a Circus Challenge Show: students will watch the Circus Challenge Show and then partake in Circus Workshops throughout the day.

Next Thursday, 24th August, at 11am we have our annual Grandparents & Special People Mass. This mass will be followed by a BBQ lunch that everyone is invited to attend This annual event is always super special. 

In preparation for the mass, can you please send in photos of your child/ren with their special people? 

If you have more than one child at our school, and if possible, can you please use a photo that has all the children with their special people/person as we can only display so many photos. We ask that you send only 2-3 photos to keep it manageable. 

Please send them in before Monday 21st August. Please send them to school@sptogala.catholic.edu.au  so the classroom teacher's inbox doesn't get flooded with photos and also so we are able to better manage saving and using them. 

Our school production: 'Story Time Showdown' is happening in the last week of term. More information will be shared with you all next week. Keep an eye on your email as teachers will communicate information regarding costumes.

Father's Day Raffle

The prize is an amazing fire pit made by 'Firepits R Us'.

Tickets are $3 each

Books (even if unsold) to be returned to school by Wednesday 30th August. 

Drawn at Fathers Day Breakfast on Friday 1st September