Mr Hyatt
It’s hard to believe that we are already approaching the halfway point of the term! Time is certainly flying, and with the arrival of Autumn, it’s a reminder of just how quickly the year is progressing.
We are definitely in a busy period of the school year. Just yesterday, our whole school community came together to celebrate Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent. Meanwhile, our Mini Vinnies team is busy preparing activities for our upcoming St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Looking ahead, we have several important events on the calendar:
School Photos – This Wednesday.
NAPLAN – Commencing later that day for our Year 3 & 5 students.
Cross Country Preparations – All classes have started training for our event at John Oxley Sporting Fields.
Despite all of these activities, it’s wonderful to see every student continuing to fully engage in their learning each day. I look forward to catching up with everyone soon!
What a wonderful achievement!
Last Friday, twelve of our students proudly represented St Patrick’s Primary at the Diocesan Swimming Carnival in Gunnedah, braving the scorching conditions. Competing against some of the best swimmers from across the Armidale Diocese, each student should be incredibly proud of their efforts.
A special congratulations to our Senior Girls Relay Team, who secured an impressive third place overall, and to Grace S, who delivered a fantastic performance in the 12/13 Years Girls 50m Freestyle, finishing second overall. With this outstanding result, Jessica has earned a place in the Armidale Diocese team and will now compete at the Polding Swimming Trials on April 2nd and 3rd at Sydney Olympic Park.
Our entire team displayed exceptional enthusiasm and sportsmanship throughout the event. A heartfelt thank you to the families who made the early morning journey from Walcha to Gunnedah—your support is truly appreciated.
For a full breakdown of our team’s results, be sure to check out the sports section of this newsletter.
School Photo Day This Upcoming Wednesday
As the highly-anticipated School Photo Day approaches on Wednesday, March 12th, students and staff alike are gearing up to capture memorable moments. The annual tradition of taking school photos not only marks a moment in time but also serves as a poignant reminder of growth and milestones.
The students are reminded that they will need to wear their sports uniform on Tuesday and Friday, and their normal summer uniform on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday for next week only.
Celebrating International Women’s Day
This Saturday, March 8th, we celebrate International Women’s Day, a global day dedicated to honouring the achievements of women and advocating for gender equality. It is an opportunity to recognise the contributions of women in all areas of life—at home, in our communities, and across the world.
The theme for this year highlights the importance of inclusion and empowerment, encouraging everyone to support and uplift the women and girls in their lives. At St Patrick’s Primary, we take pride in fostering a community where respect, equality, and opportunity are at the heart of what we do.
Let’s take a moment this Saturday to appreciate the incredible women who inspire us daily—our mothers, sisters, teachers, friends, and leaders. Together, we can help build a more inclusive and supportive world for future generations.
Parent-Teacher Interviews – Term 1
Parent-Teacher Interviews for all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will commence on Monday, 24th March. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for parents to gain insight into how well their child has settled into the school year, discuss their current progress, and collaborate with teachers to set individual learning goals for the remainder of the semester.
Parents can make a booking through the Compass portal Conferences, a notification will be sent out when bookings are open.
We encourage all families to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with teachers and support their child’s learning journey.
Walcha Central Taster Day
On Monday, some of our Year 5 and 6 students participated in the first Walcha Central School Taster Day of the year. By all accounts, they had a fantastic experience and are already eagerly anticipating the next Taster Day later in the year!
The Winner of 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' Award Is.......
Congratulations to Hudson for earning this week's 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' award! With so many students demonstrating excellent uniform standards, selecting a winner was no easy task. Hudson, your dedication and effort are truly commendable—well done!
SCHOOL HOURS
Supervision of students commences at 8:30am, there is no supervision prior to this time, therefore no students should be onsite.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN testing will take place in Weeks 7, 8 and 9 (Wednesday 12th March- 24th March) of this term. Students in Years 3 and 5 will sit tests for Writing 12th March, Reading & Language Conventions 13th March and Numeracy 18th March. Please refrain from making appointments during school time on these test days. It is important that your child is available on the day unless they are unwell. In the case of illness students will be able to sit the test on Thursday 20th March until Monday 24th March.
Further information for parents and carers can be found here:
https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support
I encourage all parents of students in Years 3 and 5 to explore the Public Demonstration Site with your child (click on button below). Here you will find sample questions for each of the areas assessed.
https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site
Click below to see a short video showing how to navigate the Public Demonstration Site.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ElaxjY7xKzPkl4QijbH_YPs9IRtkr8FU/view
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.