Dear Families,

We hope you have all had a wonderful week.

Last week’s festival was truly fabulous, and we are confident that many of you share our sentiments about what a fantastic event it was. It was a wonderful success, made possible by the incredible efforts of our P&F and all of our fabulous parent helpers.

A huge shout-out also to our amazing staff, who are always so generous with their time and energy. Their support and dedication helped create such a positive and memorable experience for our whole school community.

Events like these are a beautiful reminder of the strong sense of community we share, and we are so grateful for the way everyone comes together to support our school.

We hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend ahead, and we look forward to another great week of learning next week.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.

Warm regards,

Joelle Diakrousis, Deputy Principal / Learning Diversity Leader

Anthony Speranza, Deputy Principal / Learning & Teaching Leader

Term 1 Learning Expo

Families are warmly invited to their child's class and year level's Learning Expo, related to this term's Inquiry topic. The times for each to take place will be:

Thursday 26th March 2:50pm - Year 1

Tuesday 31st March 2:30pm - Year 2

Wednesday 1st April 2:50pm - Year 3

Wednesday 1st April 2:50pm - Year 4

Wednesday 1st April 2:50pm - Year 5

Wednesday 1st April 2:50pm - Year 6

Wednesday 1st April 3:00pm - Prep

Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide

A helpful reminder for all of us is the Cancer Council’s “Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, and Slide” slogan. This easy-to-remember message encourages children to Slip on a shirt, Slop on sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Seek shade, and Slide on sunglasses whenever they’re outside. Practicing these sun safety steps helps build lifelong habits that protect skin health.

Further advice is also attached below:

Please ensure your child has their school hat in their bag every day, as our "No Hat, No Play" policy remains in effect. Please encourage your child to apply sunscreen before coming to school and to reapply during the day.

Child Safety Awareness for March - Child Safety Standard 2

Please see the Child Safety page for further information

Harmony Day

Harmony Day is a special celebration in Australia that recognises and celebrates our cultural diversity. It is traditionally held on the 21st of March and is a day that reminds us that “everyone belongs.” It is an opportunity for us to learn about, respect, and appreciate the many different cultures, backgrounds, and traditions that make up our community.

Schools and communities often celebrate Harmony Day by wearing orange—the colour that represents social communication, meaningful conversations, and respect for one another. Many also choose to wear traditional cultural dress, share stories, enjoy multicultural activities, and learn more about each other’s heritage.

As Harmony Day falls on the same day as our St Patrick’s Festival this year, we will be celebrating Harmony Day in Term 2 instead. This will give us the opportunity to truly honour and celebrate the rich diversity within our beautiful school community.

Further details, including the specific date, will be shared early in the term. On this day, students are invited to wear orange or their national dress as we come together to celebrate inclusivity, respect, and the many cultures that make our school such a vibrant and welcoming place.

Huge Congratulations

Myla W. (5MH) played with Melbourne City in the Dandenong Cup this past Saturday. Congratulations to the team winning the Under 11s category. What amazing effort Myla.

Random Acts of Kindness

We are delighted to celebrate the following students for their exceptional kindness and compassion. Whether through a small gesture or an intentional act of support, you have made our school a more inclusive and welcoming place. Thank you for living our values and serving as such inspiring role models for your peers. Keep up the wonderful work!"

George M. (PLS) For being an incredible helper at the St Patrick's festival. George assisted with the clean up at the end of the evening and we couldn't have done it without him!!

Sunny F., Lila S., Elssa N. and Aurelia F. (3NM) For working hard at keeping our school clean and tidy. We appreciate your hard work.

Jia S. (4KL) For her ongoing kindness and the generous way she gives her time to support all students and staff at St Patrick’s.

Seasons for Growth 2026

A notice has been shared on NFORMA inviting families to express their interest in their child participating in the Seasons for Growth program this year.

At times in life, children experience change or loss that can feel confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to manage on their own. To support students during these times, we will once again be offering the Seasons for Growth program at school this year.

What is Seasons for Growth?

Seasons for Growth is a small-group program designed to support children who have experienced significant change or loss, such as the death of a loved one, family separation, friendship changes, moving house, or other important life transitions.

The program:

Helps children understand that change and loss are a normal part of life
Provides a safe space to share experiences (if they choose)
Builds emotional literacy and coping skills
Encourages resilience and connectedness

Sessions will be facilitated by Mrs Diakrousis and will run in small groups during school hours. The program will commence in Week 6.

Students who participated last year are welcome to continue the program and will build on their previous learning. New students will begin the program from the first session, which introduces the core concepts and foundations of the program.

Please contact Joelle Diakrousis for further details

Parents and Friends Association

P & F Easter Egg Raffle

P & F Constitution