From the Principal

Dear Families,

I hope the holidays provided you and your family with a chance to rest, recharge, and enjoy some quality time together before the excitement of Term 4. This final term of the year is always filled with energy and purpose, as we balance meaningful learning with a vibrant calendar of community events — including excursions, assemblies, whole school prayer, Mission Stalls, World Teachers’ Day, Remembrance Day, and our much-loved Carols on the Turf evening.

Across the school, there is a real sense of momentum as students continue to build upon their growth in literacy through our structured approach, strengthening their skills as confident readers and writers. In classrooms, our Deep Learning focus is also flourishing, with students exploring design technologies in creative and authentic ways — solving real-world problems, designing, testing, and refining their ideas with curiosity and persistence.

Please take a moment to look over the calendar so you can plan to join us for the many special moments ahead in our final term for 2025. It's almost time to start our 2026 Foundation transition sessions, which is always an exciting time. 

Colour Run Fundraiser

Our School Fun Run taking place next Friday....we're almost there! Thank you so much for your support so far. We have already raised $10,900 – an amazing effort by our community! It’s not too late to create a profile or start fundraising. Just jump on funrun.com.au to get started.

Event Details: 

Date: Friday 24th October

Foundation – Grade 2: 1:00-1:30pm

Grades 3/4: 1:30-2:00pm

Grades 5/6: 2:00-2:30pm

Location: St Patrick’s Primary School – Students will complete a run around the school block, with Foundation to Grade 2 completing one lap and Grades 3–6 completing two laps. Neighbours have been notified of the event and its scheduled times to ensure awareness particularly around driveways.

What to bring:

-   White t-shirt (wear to school on the day)

-    Old runners

-    Shorts that can any be colour

-    Towel 

-    Change of clothes

Trivia Night

After careful consideration, the decision has been made to cancel the upcoming Trivia Night due to limited bookings. While this is naturally a little disappointing, it also provides an opportunity for us to pause and reflect on what kinds of community events best suit our families at this time.

A huge thank you to the dedicated volunteers who invested so much time and effort into planning this event. Your enthusiasm and commitment to bringing our community together are deeply appreciated.

Looking ahead, our Parents and Friends (P&F) team will soon be sharing a short survey to gather feedback and ideas from our school community. We’re eager to understand what types of events and opportunities you would most enjoy and value as a member of St Patrick’s.

Your input will help shape future gatherings that reflect the interests of our families and continue to strengthen the wonderful sense of community at our school.

Class Groupings for 2026

As planning begins for the 2026 school year, staff at St Patrick’s are engaging in the important and carefully considered process of creating class groupings for next year. This process is highly collaborative, drawing on the knowledge and insights of classroom teachers and specialist staff who know each student well. Each child will also have the opportunity to nominate friends they feel they learn best alongside, helping us form balanced, positive, and supportive learning groups. This year, we will not be seeking additional feedback from families regarding class placements, as we have great confidence in the professional judgement and care our teachers bring to this process. Our goal is to shape engaging and connected learning environments where every student can continue to grow and thrive in 2026.

Enrolments

If your family is aware that you will not be returning to St Patrick’s in 2026, we kindly ask that you inform the school office as soon as possible. We continue to receive a number of enrolment enquiries from families seeking places for next year, and your early communication greatly assists with our planning.

2025 St Patrick’s School Athletics Day

Friday 7th November – Llanberris Athletics Track (York St, Ballarat East)

We are excited to provide further details about our 2025 St Patrick’s School Athletics Day for all students from Foundation to Year 6 will be held on Friday 7th November at Llanberris Athletics Track. The children are already looking forward to competing on a professional track, and we know this will be another wonderful day of participation, teamwork, and school spirit. Hopefully the weather is a bit nicer to us this year!

General Information

Following the success of last year’s arrangements, we will again be using the same drop-off and pick-up procedure. This worked very smoothly in 2024, thanks to the cooperation and community spirit of our families.

• Drop-off: Parents are asked to drop their child/ren off at Llanberris Reserve between 8.30am and 8.45am. Students should make their way to their classroom teacher in the grandstand to have attendance marked.

   

• Pick-up: Parents are asked to collect their child/ren from Llanberris at 2.45pm. Please aim to collect your child no later than 3.00pm and let the classroom teacher know when you are leaving.

   

If you are unable to coordinate transport, please reach out to the school - there are plenty of parents who are happy to assist with transport arrangements.

Parents are responsible for transporting children to and from Llanberris. Please note that neither the school nor Extend will be providing transportation to After School Care, though Extend will remain open for families who wish to organise their own travel arrangements.

Uniform

Students should wear their full sports uniform and consider the weather — a named hat, jumper, and coat are recommended. They are welcome to wear house colours in the form of a t-shirt, socks, or hair ribbons. Please note that coloured zinc, hairspray, and face paint are not permitted.

Lunch & Medications

Students need to bring their lunch, snack, and water bottle in their school bag, along with any personal medications. Asthmatics must carry their puffers with them. All school-stored medications (Ventolin, EpiPens, antihistamines, etc.) will be brought to Llanberris. Sunscreen will be available at several locations.

The canteen will be open for adults to purchase hot drinks and snacks. We ask that you do not buy food for the children, as they will be busy competing throughout the day.

Events

Students will compete within their year levels, rotating through activities under staff supervision. Events will commence at 9.00am, beginning with sprints to allow students to cheer each other on — always a highlight of the day. This will be followed by field events. The program will go ahead even in damp conditions, as Llanberris has an all-weather track. Please see the timetable below for scheduled events, with the understanding that this is a guide and adjustments may need to be made on the day.

We know the children will give their best effort and encourage one another throughout the day. Athletics Day is always a highlight of our school calendar, and we look forward to celebrating another successful event together.

SchoolTV 

This week on SchoolTV you will find a focus topic on School Transitions.

Whether it is starting school for the first time, moving up to a higher grade or embarking on a journey through secondary school, there is no doubt that any school transition is a very exciting time for children and parents. It means that the children are growing up!

However, for many it may also be a very anxious and stressful time for both parents and children. Parents need to be aware of their child’s feelings during any school transition and minimise anxiety so the process is an enjoyable experience for all. It is important for children to attend transition or orientation programs offered by schools. Familiarisation is often key to reducing stress levels. It is also important for parents to talk to their children about their expectations and being more responsible for their own needs.

Click on the link below to access a wealth of videos, articles, and resources on the aforementioned topics.

All Editions | St Patrick's School - Ballarat (schooltv.me) 

Thank you for such a positive start to term 4 - let's make it a great one!

Kind regards,

Ben Shields