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St Patrick’s Primary Sutherland - Mentoring Database

One of the great strengths of our community is parents who are highly aspirational for the social, emotional and academic achievements of their children.  The staff at St Patrick's Primary Sutherland would like to continue to strengthen relationships with parents and the wider school community by creating a database of expertise and interest. It is our hope that we can use the wide range of expertise and interests identified to support learning in our classrooms. 

To express interest on becoming a mentor, please complete this form. 

Mrs Hill will contact parents/guardians/volunteers to discuss the possibilities of working together to support and challenge our students through a mentoring process.

ICAS 2025

We are pleased to inform you that St Patrick’s will once again be offering ICAS in 2025. This will be offered to students in Year 3 through to Year 6 in the areas of English (Reading Comprehension), Writing, Mathematics and Science.

What is ICAS?  

ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’  higher

order thinking and problem-solving skills.  Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals. 

Learn more about ICAS here:  (https://www.icasassessments.com/products-icas)

St Patrick’s has for over a decade encouraged students to challenge themselves by participating in the ICAS Assessments and we have had a history of excellent results. These tests are challenging and will be administered during the school day. Students will be provided with a school device to use due to assessment security requirements.

The final date for online booking and payment for the ICAS assessments is Monday, 14 July 2025 after this date, students will not be able to participate this year.

2025 Participation:

In 2025 students have the opportunity to participate in the following subjects. Students will sit the tests in 2025 during school hours. (Test dates will be confirmed via Compass.)

*Students who participate in enrichment classes are strongly encouraged to take the tests relevant to the subject area/s in which they attend (e.g Writing/Mathematics Papers).

If you would like your child to participate in any of the subjects listed above, please visit the online Parent Payment System to make a direct payment to UNSW Global. The Parent Payment System is a simple and secure online payment service specifically for parents to purchase ICAS Assessments.

How to participate in ICAS ? 

If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please:  

1. Read the terms and conditions here: (icasassessments.com/wp-

content/uploads/2023/04/2023-ICAS-Assessments-Schools-TsCs_S2023.V6-1.pdf) 

2. Go to the Parent Portal to sign up to chosen subject areas here:

Your parent page link is:https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/parent-payment/IWH942

3. Enter our school’s access code – IWH942

4. Enter your child’s details, select the subject areas your child would like to participate

in, then proceed to payment.  

5. Prices range from $20 - $25.

6. Online payment will close: Monday, 14th July 2025

Please note that the ICAS subject areas shown for selection are at the school’s discretion.   

After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email, please keep this for your records.  

ICAS Results and Certificates:

Once we have received your child’s ICAS certificate, we will send it home with your child. The back of the certificate shows ICAS results and the login details, “TAP ID and Pin”, that you and your child need to enter the Results Portal orti.icasassessments.com/ortiStudent

Sydney Writers Festival 

Report from our Students

LANA

On Thursday in Week 4,  20 students from Year Six went to the Sydney Writers Festival in the Sydney Town Hall by train early in the morning with Mrs Robinson and Mrs Wainwright. Once we arrived we got our seats and looked at the amazing architecture of Town Hall. Shortly after the show had begun, Joel Mckerrow (our host) told us a poem which was an engaging starter. Then he showed us his incredible and inspiring books such as ‘Heist’, ‘Story Beats And Rhyme Drops’ and ‘Urban Legend Hunters’. After that Terri Libensen joined us all the way from the USA, and told us about how she became an author and a cartoonist, as well as gave a lesson in how to draw her iconic character for ‘Emmie and Friends.’ I enjoyed Jacqueline Harvey, our special guest who told us all about her new book that’s just been released, ‘Girl and the Ghost.’ She told us she was an Assistant Principal and how a child she taught in kindergarten and Year 3 is now her Illustrator. Cool Right! We actually had her visit our school last year during Book Week!

Then we had time to buy books and get them signed! After all of that, we went back to our seats and listened to more authors such as Jarred Thomas, who told us about all the adventures he's been on, and why he’s writing his series set in different countries such as Jamaica, Hawaii, Tahiti and many more. The series he is working on is Uncle Xbox. Then Lana and Rebecca got the chance to talk on the microphone and ask Jarred a few questions. Then the one and only Katrina Nannestad came and told us about all the books she wrote. They were really heart warming stories, because it is all about the war and young kids in the war and their experiences. Then Joel Mckerrow wrapped the day up. It was such a good experience for so many people and inspiring people. Everyone loved it and would love to go to it again.

IZZY

Going to the Sydney writers' Festival was an amazing experience. There were 5 authors there Terri Libson, Jacqueline Harvey, Joel Mkarrow, Jarad Thomas and Katrina Nannenstead. They all talked about how they come up with ideas for their books. Some of them said it is about their life experiences or events in history. We got to buy their books, meet them, have a photo with them and get a signature. Jacqueline Harvey gave me a poster and signed it, the poster is now in the library. Terri Libensen showed us how she draws her characters in her Emmie and Friends series.

SCARLETT

The Sydney Writers Festival was a really great experience for me. We got to meet amazing and creative authors, Jacqueline Harvey, Terri Libenson, Jarad Thomas and Katrina Nannenstead.