Dear Families,

This morning, I had the pleasure of attending the Kilbreda College Year 12 Final Assembly. It was a wonderful celebration of achievement, leadership and community spirit, and I was filled with pride to see so many of our past St. Patrick’s students recognised for their hard work and dedication. Many received academic and leadership awards, a true reflection of the strong foundations and values they developed during their time at St. Patrick’s.

A special mention must go to Amelia Presnell, who has served with distinction as Co-Captain of Kilbreda throughout 2025. Amelia has been an outstanding role model for her peers, demonstrating integrity, kindness and commitment to her school community. It was particularly touching to witness Amelia hand over her leadership responsibilities to another former St. Patrick’s student, Elizabeth Jones, who has been appointed Co-Captain of Kilbreda for 2026.

We are incredibly proud of both Amelia and Elizabeth, and it is wonderful to see our former students continuing to lead, inspire and make a positive difference beyond their primary years at St. Patrick’s.

School operations updates

In the coming weeks, we will be expanding our use of the nForma platform to include most of our school communication functions. While we already use nForma for the daily roll, student reports and school website, this transition will allow us to make full use of the additional features available within the system.

This change has been prompted in part by Operoo ceasing operations in Australia, making it timely for us to consolidate our processes within one integrated platform. Having the majority of our operations in nForma will streamline communication with families, allowing easier management of medical information, permission forms, updates and general correspondence. We are confident this will make communication clearer, more consistent, and more convenient for families in the long term.

In addition, I will be sharing information in the coming weeks regarding changes to the structure of school fees for 2026. These changes have been directed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) as part of a broader review of school fee structures across the system. I have been in ongoing discussions with both MACS Finance Administration and our School Advisory Council, and I will communicate the outcomes and details of these changes to families towards the end of this term.

Please be assured that we are committed to keeping any fee increases to an absolute minimum, and to ensuring that a St. Patrick’s education remains accessible and affordable for all families. Support will continue to be available for any family experiencing financial difficulty.

Staffing Updates

I am delighted to share the happy news that Mrs Ellie Connell and her husband Stuart are expecting their second child in mid March next year. Mrs Connell will continue in her current classroom role until the end of this year and will remain with us for the first half of Term 1 next year in a support capacity.

New staffing appointments will be announced in next week's newsletter when they have been finalised.

Prep 2026 Orientation

The orientation process for our 2026 Prep classes will begin next month. I am pleased to announce that our 2026 Prep teachers will be Mrs Charlotte Spence, Miss Nikahla Short, and Miss Laura Smith.

Our Prep teachers do an outstanding job each year in preparing and supporting our newest students as they begin their school journey. The orientation process is an important and exciting time for children and families, helping everyone to feel comfortable, confident and connected to our school community. Charlotte, Nikahla and Laura put great care into planning engaging, welcoming and developmentally appropriate experiences that ensure our new Preps are ready for a smooth transition into school life.

I am very excited about the Prep team we have for next year and look forward to meeting our 2026 students and families during the upcoming orientation sessions:

Wednesday 12th November – Parent Information Evening
Tuesday 18th November – Prep 2026 Orientation Session #1
Tuesday 25th November – Prep 2026 Orientation Session #2

Summer Uniform

As the warmer weather returns, a reminder that all students should be in full summer uniform from the beginning of next week, including their school hat. Wearing the correct uniform helps promote a strong sense of pride and belonging within our school community, while the hat is an important part of our SunSmart policy to ensure all children are protected during outdoor activities.

Thank you for your support and assistance in helping us maintain our high standards and keep our students safe in the sun.

Year 6 2026 Jumpers

Recently, our current Year 5 students completed surveys to choose the style and design for their Year 6 jumper for 2026. I am pleased to announce that they have selected a blue hoodie-style jumper as their preferred option (current Year 6 jumper). The students have also chosen the design for the back of the jumper, which you can see below.

Ordering information and instructions will be shared with Year 5 families in the coming weeks. We also have a range of sample sizes available in the school office for students to try on to ensure the correct fit.

Please see below for the most popular design selected by the students.

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

Community Information

Music Lessons at St Patricks