Dear Families,

I am thrilled to announce that the countdown to our bi-ennial Arts Festival has begun! This much-loved event will run from Tuesday 9th September to Thursday 11th September, with the main community event taking place on Wednesday 10th September.

On the Wednesday evening, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm, the school hall will be open to our whole community to view the extraordinary artwork created by our talented students. Entry will be by gold coin donation, with Tap & Go payment also available. All proceeds will support future Arts initiatives at St. Patrick’s.

Earlier in the day, we are delighted to be welcoming local kinders and residents from Mercy Aged Care to enjoy a private viewing of the exhibition. As part of this special visit, our school band will also perform, sharing their music and hospitality with our guests.

A huge congratulations to Mrs. Jen Brown, our Art Teacher, for the incredible creativity, energy and preparation that has gone into making this event possible. We also extend our thanks to Mrs. Susan Williams for her wonderful contributions to the Performing Arts and community aspects of the festival.

The order of events for Wednesday 10th September is as follows:

Junior Choir – 4:30pm
Prep to Year 2 Live Art Auctions – 5:00pm
Senior Choir – 6:30pm
Year 3 to Year 6 Live Art Auctions – 7:00pm

In addition, as communicated by our Parents & Friends Association, each year level will be contributing items to our silent auction. Further details about these can be found below and on the P&F page of this newsletter, items can start to come in ASAP to the office for collection and collation.

To make the evening even more enjoyable, a selection of food trucks will be on site during the Wednesday night event, providing families with the chance to grab a bite to eat while enjoying the exhibitions and performances.

The Arts Festival is always a wonderful celebration of creativity, community and talent. We look forward to welcoming families, friends and visitors to join us in celebrating the incredible gifts of our students.

Confirmation

Tonight we gather as a school and parish community to celebrate a very special milestone in the faith journey of our Year 6 students — the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne. This is such a significant occasion in the lives of our young people as they step forward to confirm the promises made for them at Baptism and open their hearts to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

We are deeply grateful to Fr. Justin for leading our community in this sacred celebration and for conferring the Sacrament upon our students. His presence and guidance help our children to see the beauty and importance of their faith as they continue to grow as young Catholics.

A heartfelt thank you must also go to Mrs. Kathryn Ady, our Religious Education Leader, for the many hours of preparation, guidance and support she has given to ensure our students were ready to receive this Sacrament. I also wish to acknowledge and sincerely thank our Year 6 class teachers — Mr. Matthew Hale, Miss Laura Smith and Mr. Nathan Mayberry — for their dedication, encouragement and care in preparing their students, not only academically but spiritually, for this important step in their lives.

I am also grateful to our Deputy Principals, Mrs. Diakrousis and Mr. Speranza, for their unwavering support in helping to bring together this special occasion.

Finally, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the families of our Year 6 students. The love, guidance and example you provide every day nurtures the faith of your children and enables them to embrace this moment with confidence and joy. Tonight’s celebration is as much a testament to your commitment and support as it is to the students’ own faith journey.

Tonight will be a wonderful celebration of faith, community and family. We pray that the gifts of the Holy Spirit — wisdom, understanding, right judgement, courage, knowledge, reverence and wonder and awe — continue to guide and inspire our Year 6 students as they live out their Confirmation in their everyday lives.

Father's Day Activities next week

Next week, on Tuesday 2nd September, our amazing P&F will once again host our Father’s Day Morning at school. Dads and special friends are warmly invited to join their children from 7:45am onwards to have a sweet treat in the hall and a play on the playgrounds. For those who prefer a stronger coffee, a coffee van will also be available on the playground from 7:45am.

The classrooms will be open from 8:30am for visits.

All visitors are also invited to attend Mass with the students at 9:15am in the church.

On Wednesday 3rd September the P&F will run the Father’s Day Stall, where students can purchase thoughtful gifts. Prices range from $3–$8, so don’t forget to send a bag with your child to keep their purchases safe.

For more information, please see the Father’s Day fliers in the P&F section of this newsletter.

Book Week

Next week, St. Patrick’s School will be celebrating Book Week, a highlight on our school calendar each year. We have a wonderful variety of activities planned to inspire a love of reading and storytelling in our students.

The week will feature our much-loved Book Week Parade on Thursday morning, where students will have the opportunity to come dressed as their favourite book characters and share in the joy of stories brought to life. We are also very excited to welcome an interactive musical adventure, Treasure Hunt, which will be performed in the hall and promises to be an engaging and fun experience for all.

Throughout the week, the Book Fair will be open in the Library before and after school, giving families the chance to explore and purchase from a wide selection of books.

Book Week is always a special time in our community — a celebration of imagination, creativity and the joy of reading. I am very much looking forward to seeing our students embrace the week with enthusiasm and delight.

Cyber Safety Evening

📅 Wednesday 8th October🕖 7:00pm – 8:30pm

St. Patrick’s School is very excited to be partnering with Marty and Carley McGauran from Inform and Empower to present a parents-only online Cyber Safety Webinar for our school community.

This session will provide parents with practical strategies, up-to-date information and valuable insights to help keep children safe and supported in the ever-changing digital world. It promises to be an engaging and informative evening, equipping families with the tools they need to guide their children in developing safe and positive online habits.

We encourage all parents to mark this date in their calendars and join us for this important event. Please click here for more information and to RSVP.

Year 4 Bike Ed Training

Congratulations to our Year 4 students on the excellent start to their Bike Ed training this week. I was so impressed with the resilience they showed in trying new activities and persevering when faced with more challenging skills. It was wonderful to hear such positive self-talk and encouraging group support as students celebrated each other’s successes in skill development.

We are very much looking forward to the Year 4 Bike Ed Camp later in Term 4, where students will continue to build on these skills and enjoy the experience of riding in different environments.

A special thank you to Mr. Edwards and Mr. Speranza for their assistance and support in teaching the sessions this week. Well done to Miss Lenton who also practised her bike riding skills preparing for camp.

2025 School Improvement Surveys

In 2025, our school is participating in Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys (MACSSIS). MACSSIS is an annual process whereby schools listen to the thoughts and feelings that students, families and staff have about how their school can improve. These surveys help inform the ongoing improvement of schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

We would appreciate it if families could take the time in the next 3 weeks to complete the survey. Information captured ultimately benefits the school and the community.

The survey which will be available online, can be accessed from Monday 1 September and needs to be completed by Friday 19 September 2025. This survey may only be completed once. The survey link is www.orima.com.au/macsfamily . A unique family PIN will be issued via email and hard copy notice to each eldest child next week.

Upcoming P & F Events

School Calendar

Please use the following google link to add the school calendar to your own calendar for ease of information exchange. School Google Calendar HERE.

God Bless

Pat Berlingeri

Principal

Parish Bulletin