General News
Dhulu - Message Stick
Yaama!
Welcome to 2026! We cannot wait to begin your child's cultural learning experience this year.
Cultural Immersion Groups
At St Edward's School, we provide weekly Cultural Immersion lessons for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The lessons are programmed and taught by our Aboriginal Education Assistants. Each grade will have one lesson a week focusing on a significant part of Aboriginal Education and Culture.
Kindergarten - The Dreamtime
Year 1 - Aboriginal Art & Gamilaraay Language
Year 2 - Cultural practices & Gamilaraay Language
Year 3 - Identity, Family/Kinship & Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Role Models
Year 4 - Gamilaraay Language
Year 5 - Connections to Country
Year 6 - Indigenous Storytelling, History & Miyay (Girl) and Birray (Boy) Business
Gamilaraay Word of the Week
For our new parents and guardians at St Edward's, we provide students with the opportunity to learn words in Gamilaraay language each week. Our Gamilaraay Word of the Week will begin in Week 2.
Term 1: Greetings & Dhiiyaan (Family)
AEA team
Brittany Cloake - bcloake2@arm.catholic.edu.au
Primary AEA
Jarrod Peachey - jpeachey@arm.catholic.edu.au
Primary AEA
Amanda Gwalter - agwalter@arm.catholic.edu.au
Infants AEA
Sally-Anne Clarke - sclarke@arm.catholic.edu.au
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Focus Teacher
Welcome Back to the 2026 School Year
We would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new and existing families to St Edward’s School as we embark on a fresh academic year. It was wonderful to see all our smiling and excited Year 1 - 6 students back at school today, reconnecting with their friends again and sharing news of what they did in the holidays!
We also look forward to welcoming our new Kindergarten students and families next Thursday 5th February, looking smart in their summer uniform for the purpose of photos.
Just a reminder that all students wear their summer uniform every Tuesday and Thursday. Sports uniform is to be worn on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please make sure all students come to school with their hat, bring a water bottle, sip and crunch, morning tea and lunch.
St Ed's Swimming Carnival
Just a friendly reminder, next Wednesday 4th February is our St Edward's Swimming Carnival. All Primary children are to come to school as normal and will travel to the carnival by bus with their supervising teachers and return to school at the conclusion of the carnival.
The only year 2 students who will be present at the carnival are those who have emailed setsport@arm.catholic.edu.au prior to 28/1/2026. Parents of Year 2 students who are attending the carnival are asked to organise transport to and from the carnival or to and from the Primary Campus and allow 8yr old Infants swimmers to be bussed with the Year 3 classes.
Online permission - No child will be allowed access to the pool at the Swimming Carnival without a completed evaluation of their swimming ability and submitted by his/her Parent/Carer.
This will allow the children to go in the corresponding events at the carnival.
On Wednesday 4th February, children will need to:
- Wear their full sports uniform, including school hat
- Do bring enough food and water to last through the Swimming Carnival
- Bring their swimming bag to school with swimmers, sunscreen, towel, goggles etc.
- Children will change at school.
PLEASE NOTE THE SCHOOL CANTEEN WILL BE CLOSED NEXT WEDNESDAY 4TH FEBRUARY. Students in Year 1 and Year 2 who will be at school will need to bring a packed lunch and a water bottle to school.
2026 School Term Dates
Regular attendance at school is essential for students to achieve quality life outcomes. Parents or carers of children of compulsory school age are responsible for ensuring their child attends school every day. Here are the school term dates for 2026 for our students:
Term 1
Tuesday 27th January to Thursday 2nd April
Term 2
Monday 20th April to Friday 3rd July
Term 3
Monday 20th July to Friday 25th September
Term 4
Monday 12th October to Thursday 17th December
2026 Pupil Free/Staff Development Days
As we prepare for a busy and exciting year ahead, we encourage you to mark your calendars in advance with our 2026 Pupil Free Days. These days are designated to provide valuable opportunities for staff development and planning, ensuring we can continue the highest quality education for our students.
Back to School Supplies
KINDERGARTEN supplies are all provided at school, however students will just need a library bag and a paint shirt.
School Hours & Supervision
The school grounds are supervised from 8.15am until the last bus leaves in the afternoon. No child is to be at school before 8.15am and all should leave the school grounds as soon as possible after 3.00pm.
School starts: 8.45am
Recess: 11.00am – 11.40am
Lunch: 1.20pm – 1.50pm
School finishes: 3.00pm
OFFICE HOURS
Primary & Infants Office: 8.00am - 4.00pm daily
Compass
Compass is our School Parent Portal. It will allow you to access up-to-date and meaningful information about our school and your child's progress. Compass includes many different features, including the ability to:
Approve past absences for your child.
Enter upcoming absences for your child.
Complete Canteen orders.
Access your child's Academic Reports.
Access information regarding upcoming events and newsletters.
Book your Parent/Student/Teacher conferences.
View up-to-date class and school attendance information.
Update your registered email and mobile number (used for SMS alerts).
Please contact either school office for assistance if you are having any difficulty logging on to Compass.
Student Absences
It is vital that all student absences are explained on the Compass platform. Please note the following important guidelines:
Time limit: You must explain all absences on Compass within 7 calendar days of the absence occurring.
Outcome: Once the 7-day period has passed, you will no longer be able to make any changes, and the unexplained absence will be reflected in your child’s end-of-semester school report.
Action: If your child is absent, please log on to Compass and explain the absence on the day it occurs, if possible.
Reminders: Please be aware of the automated reminder messages sent out via Compass:
A text message is sent on the day of absence at 10:00am.
A second reminder for any outstanding unexplained absences for the week is emailed every Friday at 11:00am.
Your prompt attention to this is greatly appreciated as it helps us maintain accurate attendance records. If you are having trouble accessing all of the Compass features, there is a drop-down menu on your homepage which looks like 3 horizontal lines. Open this menu and choose 'open in browser'. This will help you access the school portal features.
Application for Extended Leave - 10 days or more
Family holidays and travel are no longer considered under the Exemption from School Procedures. Travel outside of vacation periods is now counted as an absence for statistical purposes. Please contact the school office if your child/ren will be away from school for 10 days or more, as an application form will need to be completed and approved at the discretion of the Principal.
Contacting Class Teachers
We encourage parents to contact class teachers by email between 8.00am and 5.00pm; Monday to Friday only. Please be aware, teachers need time to reply to your email as during the school day they are either teaching, on duty or in meetings. We love to hear from you but just not late at night. If a matter is urgent, please ring the school and leave a message for the teacher to contact you. Thank you for your cooperation in this.
2027 Kindergarten Enrolments - ENROL NOW
Applications for Kindergarten 2027 are NOW OPEN. Please contact the Infants Campus for an enrolment form or download it from the school's website. Enrolment forms will not be processed until all supporting documents are received: Birth Certificate, Immunisation Certificate, Baptismal Certificate (only required if your child is baptised Catholic) and proof of the student’s residential address. Please spread the word if you know of anyone with a child wishing to start at St Edward's School in Kindergarten 2027.
St Ed's P & F AGM
Our St Ed's P & F play an important role in building community by organising social events and supporting the school through fundraising activities. We encourage everyone to become involved in the P & F and join us for our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 17th February at 5.30pm in the Primary Staffroom. All welcome!
Esteem Kids
Before-school care is available in the Infants Hall for both Primary and Infants students. It operates from 7:00am to 8:30am, Monday to Friday during the term, and includes breakfast.
After-school care is available in the Infants Hall for Infants students only from 3:00pm to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday. Our Primary after-school care operates from the Art Room for primary students only from 3:00pm to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday. Afternoon tea is also provided.
Families are encouraged to make enquiries or express interest by contacting William Wong on 0410 841 628 or email: info@esteemkidsgroup.com.au or visit the website at www.esteemkidsgroup.com.au
ABSENCES - Please remember to contact (telephone or text) Esteem Kids St Edward's directly if your child is going to be absent on 0481 373 883. Thank you.
ADIG Bonus Saver Account
Check out our ADIG Bonus Saver Account - with no account fees and a bonus interest rate, on top of your base rate of interest (subject to meeting certain conditions), we can help you reach your financial goals.
Call ADIG now on:
Armidale: (02) 6772 8311
Tamworth: (02) 5776 8100
For more information, our current rates and a copy of our Terms and Conditions please visit our website.
https://adig.com.au/our-products/
For a copy of our disclosure statement, please see below.
https://adig.com.au/disclosure-statement/
Art Classes
SWAP IT
SWAP IT is a free, evidence-based school lunchbox program. The program supports parents and carers to SWAP what is packed in their child’s lunchbox from sometimes foods to everyday foods. Visit their Website here.
Cancer Council Healthy Lunch Box
Visit 'Cancer Council Healthy Lunch Box' for a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about packing a healthy lunch box.
Don't forget to like us on Facebook and tell your family and friends about our page too!
St Edward's Primary School: Facebook
We are now on Instagram too! Feel free to follow our page to keep in touch with the fantastic things that happen at St Edward's Primary School.
St Edward's Primary School: Instagram
