Mr Hyatt
The Momentum Building at St Patrick's
Welcome to Week 3! It is hard to believe how quickly the year is moving, but the pace at St Patrick’s is already well and truly established. With the successful completion of our Swimming Carnival in Armidale on Monday and classes now fully immersed in their daily learning routines, our school is currently a hive of activity.
Looking at the calendar, it appears that this momentum is only set to increase. The next few weeks are shaping up to be even busier as we move into the heart of the term. From our Welcome Assembly and Lunch tomorrow to our student leaders representing the school at the National Servicemen's Service on Sunday, and the Armidale Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival fast approaching in Inverell, there is certainly no slowing down.
While a packed calendar demands a lot of energy from our staff, students, and parents, it is also a sign of a vibrant and healthy school community. It is wonderful to see our students offered so many opportunities to shine inside and outside the classroom. I encourage everyone to keep a close eye on the newsletter dates to stay on top of the exciting weeks ahead as we navigate this busy term together.
School Swimming Carnival
What a fantastic day we had on Monday at our School Swimming Carnival, even though the conditions weren't ideal! Leading up to the event, I must admit I was interested to see how things would pan out with the change of venue to the Monckton Aquatic Centre in Armidale. Even though it rained throughout the whole carnival, I am delighted to report that the day was a resounding success. The facilities were excellent, and the atmosphere was filled with school spirit and determination.
Events like these do not happen by magic, and their success relies heavily on the support of our school community. I want to extend a huge thank you to the many parents and family members who made the trip to Armidale to cheer on the children; your presence made the day special for the students. To our staff, thank you for your energy and flexibility in managing the new venue.
Finally, a special note of gratitude must go to Mrs Pittman and Mrs Rizzi. A change of venue brings with it a mountain of new logistics, and I know these two put in countless extra hours behind the scenes to ensure everything ran smoothly. Thank you both for your incredible organisation and dedication to our students.
Our official presentation for the swimming carnival where we will be announcing the age champions as well as the overall winning house at our Welcome Assembly and Lunch tomorrow.
Ash Wednesday and Beginning of School Year Mass - 18th February 11:30am @ St Patrick's Church
Our first K-6 School Mass for 2026 will be the Ash Wednesday Beginning of the Year School Mass, on Wednesday 18th February in St Patrick's Church beginning at 11.30am. Our new School Captains, House Captains and School Leaders will have their badges blessed by Monsignor Ted and be formally commissioned. Everyone is invited to join us.
Well Done Josie, Rebee and Shaun!
Last Friday, Josie, Rebee, and Shaun traveled to Tamworth to represent St Patrick’s and Armidale Catholic Schools at the Polding Summer Trials. Facing sweltering conditions and some of the best tennis players from across northern New South Wales, our players displayed exceptional skill, determination, and sportsmanship.
Although they narrowly missed out on selection for the Polding team, their performance on the court was outstanding. They should be incredibly proud of their dedication and the way they conducted themselves. Congratulations to Josie, Rebee and Shaun for representing our school community with such pride. Well done, team!
Welcome Lunch and Assembly, Tomorrow, Friday 13th February
As we settle into the rhythm of the new school year, it is time to come together as a community to celebrate the start of 2026, tomorrow, Friday 13th February.
I am delighted to invite all families—both those who have been with us for years and those who have just joined the St Patrick’s family—to our Official Welcome Assembly and Lunch.
This is a wonderful opportunity to meet our new staff, connect with other parents, and officially welcome our new Kindergarten students and families to the school.
We will begin with a short assembly to recognise our student's achievements for the start of the year and welcome our new students, followed immediately by lunch for everyone to enjoy (Students will need to bring a packed lunch or purchase one from the canteen, which will be open on the day).
I look forward to seeing many of you there to kick off the year with great food and even better company tomorrow.
2026 National Servicemen's Commemoration Day Service This Sunday
This Sunday, 15th February, the Armidale and District National Servicemen's Association will host a Commemoration Service at the National Servicemen's Monument in Central Park. Commencing at 11:00 am, this service honors the National Servicemen (conscripts) who lost their lives in World War II and Vietnam, as well as those who have passed away since completing their service.
We are proud to announce that a group of our Year 6 students will be attending the ceremony to lay a wreath in memory of the fallen.
Kindergarten Parent Best Start Interviews
A letter was sent home to all of our Kindergarten families with a report of their child's Best Start Assessment results earlier this week. Ms Wilson will be sending home an invitation for Kindergarten parents to attend a Best Start Interview for their child in the very near future..
Compass information up to date
If any families need to update details in regard to change of family dynamics, address, phone number, etc.
Please email school spwadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au or through Compass parent portal.
It is essential that all our records are current and up to date.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN testing will take place in Weeks 7, 8 and 9 (Wednesday 11th March- 23rd March) of this term. Students in Years 3 and 5 will sit tests for Writing 11th March, Reading & Language Conventions 12th March and Numeracy 17th 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
School Hours & Supervision
Teachers commence duty at 8:30am and finish duty when the last bus leaves St Patrick’s approximately 3:10pm.
Supervision begins at 8:30am in the COLA
School starts: 9am (Bell - 8:50am)
Recess: 11:00am – 11:30am
Lunch: 1:30pm – 2:10pm
School finishes: 3.00pm.
SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS
The school office hours are 8:30am to 3:30pm
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.