Mr Hyatt
Our busy month is continuing!
Welcome to this edition of the newsletter, where I extend my warm greetings to all. Prior to commencing my segment, I sincerely hope that all the mothers and grandmothers within our learning community had a delightful Mother's Day celebration this past Sunday.
I remember when I first commenced my teaching career over twenty years ago, there were certain times of the school year when it was quiet, where you just spent your time teaching in the classroom on a day-to-day basis without any interruptions or distractions. Haven't times changed since then? The first few weeks of this term have been absolutely hectic and looking at the calendar for this term, it is not going to change for at least the next few weeks for a number of events that are coming up, in which a number of them are mentioned further on in my segment.
I guess this is just a sign of the times as at my weekly principal's meeting, I was informed that all of the other schools in the diocese are experiencing the same situation at the moment. Hopefully, things will quiet down soon.
I have to admit that I have enjoyed spending more time in most of the classrooms due to the teacher shortage that we have had over the last fortnight. It has been a highlight seeing where all of the students are at with their learning and it's definitely a lot better than having to do the compliance and administration work that is part of my job description.
I apologise for the delay in sending out the survey regarding the proposed changes to our school uniform, as mentioned in last week's newsletter. The survey was distributed earlier this week to all families to gather their opinions on the matter, and we have already received numerous responses. If you have not yet shared your thoughts on the potential uniform adjustments, there is still time to do so as the survey will remain open until Friday, May 31st.
I want to extend my congratulations to all the students who took part in various sporting events over the past weekend. I had the opportunity to witness the Walcha United Soccer Club Under 8's team compete against North Armidale in Uralla on Saturday, as well as observe all our junior rugby players at the annual Walcha Junior Rugby Carnival on Sunday. I am eager to see more of our students showcase their talents in their respective sports in the weeks to come.
Dr Cameron Stelzer Visit
On Monday, St Patrick's School had the pleasure of hosting a children's book author, Dr Cameron Stelzer. The students were fortunate enough to participate in some workshops led by Dr Stelzer himself.
The workshops focused on inspiring creativity and imagination, skills that are essential for any aspiring writer. Dr Stelzer began by sharing with the students some of his own experiences as a writer and the challenges he faced along the way. He then went on to discuss the importance of reading and how it can help to improve one's writing skills.
The students were then given the opportunity to participate in some writing exercises. Dr Stelzer provided them with some prompts and encouraged them to let their imaginations run wild. The students were asked to create their own characters and write short stories about them. They were also given the chance to share their stories with the rest of the class.
The workshops were not only informative but also engaging and fun. The students were able to learn from a professional writer and gain valuable insights into the world of writing. They were also able to express their creativity and have fun while doing so.
Having Dr. Cameron visit the school was a fantastic experience, and we anticipate the opportunity to collaborate with more distinguished guests in the future.
2025 Kindergarten Open Morning held on Tuesday!
I was delighted to host a number of families at our Open Morning on Tuesday. I extend my gratitude to our captains, guests, faculty, and parent representative for sharing their insights during the information session. Your contributions are truly valued. Each speaker delivered their message with enthusiasm, emphasising the many ways in which we excel as a distinguished professional learning community.
We look forward to having the children back to start Transition in Term 3 Week 6.
Enrolments are now open for Kindergarten 2025.
Please contact the school for an enrolment package - 67772328 or email
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK 26th May-1st June
Catholic Schools Week will be commemorated by the Armidale Diocese during Week 5, from the 26th of May to the 1st of June. As part of the celebrations, our students from Years 3-6 will join other schools in the Armidale Deanery for a Mass at the chapel located in O'Connor Secondary College on Thursday.
On Friday, May 31st, the school will once again be organising a House Challenge Day, just like last year. This event will witness the Red and Blue teams reignite their rivalry as they engage in various challenges throughout the day. Parents, grandparents, and carers are warmly invited to attend and observe the competitions, and they may even have the opportunity to participate in some of the challenges. Considering that Winter is drawing near, I am optimistic about having a pleasant and sunny day. Let's hope for the best!
Withdrawing from the Armidale Eisteddfod
I regretfully inform you that both of our choirs have had to withdraw from their respective sections at the Armidale Eisteddfod scheduled for next Thursday. The decision was not made lightly, as we carefully considered various factors before reaching this conclusion.
We faced certain logistical challenges that impeded our ability to adequately prepare for the competition. Mrs. Mackson went on a well-deserved vacation with her family overseas towards the end of the previous term. Prior to her departure, all classrooms were provided with video links to practice their pieces for the eisteddfod, allowing us to commence our preparations in advance. Regrettably, the links provided were non-functional, posing difficulties in group rehearsals and practice sessions. Consequently, our timing and coordination, essential aspects of choir performances, were adversely affected. We anticipated a resolution to the issue early last week with Nicole scheduled for a catch-up session. However, this session did not materialise due to Nicole falling ill.
I recently received information that Nicole is still unwell and will not be able to assist with our preparations for next Thursday. Both choirs will be disadvantaged from a lack of preparation, that forced myself to make the hard decision of withdrawing from this year's Eisteddfod. I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to some of our families who have already bought tickets to support both of our choirs. Hopefully, this is an isolated incident and we will return to perform at the Armidale Eisteddfod in 2025.
Good luck tomorrow at Barraba!
I send my warmest regards to the 24 students from St Patrick's who will participate in the Diocesan Winter Trials at Barraba tomorrow. Mrs Hoy will be supervising the team throughout the day, and I know all of our students will be great ambassadors for St Patrick's Primary.
The Winner of 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' Award Is.......
Indie has been chosen as the recipient of the 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' award for this week. We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Indie for consistently demonstrating pride in not only her school uniform but also her sports uniform.
Australian Early Development Census
From May 2024, our school, along with thousands of others across the country, will participate in the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).
The AEDC is a teacher-completed census (similar to a questionnaire) which provides a comprehensive picture of how children have developed by the time they start their first year of full-time school.
The AEDC is an Australian Government Initiative and is completed nationally every three years. Children don’t miss any class time while the AEDC is completed, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information.
The data collected through the AEDC is used by schools, communities and governments to better understand children and families’ needs, and identify the services, resources and support they need. AEDC data is reported at a school, community, state/territory and national level. AEDC results for individual children are not reported and the AEDC is not used as an individual diagnostic tool.
Some teachers have found that completing the AEDC made them more aware of the needs of individual children and their class, and that the data was useful for planning for transitions to Year 1 and developing programs. Participation in the AEDC is voluntary, however, the AEDC relies on all schools with children in their first year of full-time school participating in the collection.
2024 Remaining Staff Development Days (PD Days)
Monday 22nd July (First day of Term 3)
Monday 14th October (First day of Term 4)
Friday 20th December (Last day of Term 4)
Contacting Your Child's Teacher
Teachers welcome contact from parents, if you need to talk with staff please either contact the class teacher by phoning the school – 67772328 or email the school at spwadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au.