Dear families,

We hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and had the chance to relax, enjoy the sunshine, spend time outdoors, or perhaps attend a special event! We’re excited for a big week ahead here at St Patrick’s, especially with tomorrow’s school sports day – a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their skills, team spirit, and love of competition. Plus, the start of junior swimming next week is sure to bring more excitement as our youngest students dive into building their skills and confidence in the water.

It’s a busy time of year but we love it! We’re looking forward to making the most of these special events with the whole school community!

Community Conversations

We would love your involvement and voice in this year's discussions on Wednesday 13th November. There will be two sessions running: 9am and 5pm in the school library.

Please complete this form to register a session.

100th Year Celebrations

Thank you for joining us in celebrating our 100th Year Cocktail Party. The evening was filled with laughter, nostalgia, and lively conversations, as many of you shared cherished memories, looked through old photos, and connected with past and current families and staff to celebrate our wonderful school. It was heartwarming to see the past, present and clear hope for a bright future of our school come together in such a meaningful way.

Your support and enthusiasm helped make the evening a great success, and we’re grateful to have shared this milestone with you. When the photos arrive from Sovereign Hill, we’ll be sure to include them in our newsletter to relive these special memories together.

As promised, I’m also sharing a recount from Gerry Hogan that I referenced on the night. Please enjoy this piece of our shared history, and thank you once again for a memorable celebration.

Recollections of St Patrick's from days gone by: Drummo Revisited shared by Gerry Hogan.

At the time of my commencement at Drummo, this all boys' school, catering for students from grades 3 - 8, probably had about 120 enrolments, averaging approximately 40 in each of the three classrooms. I say this because a Thornton Richards class photo of grades 7 / 8 taken in 1953, which I have in my possession, shows 39 males in total. Unfortunately many of the names, especially the grade 8 students, I have forgotten.

Travelling daily to school by tram was never a hardship, especially in the very early days of Term 1 when a nearby Drummo lad living near my own guardians' abode, Ted Waterhouse, took me under his wing. Initially the jump from a co-ed, one-teacher state school of 30 students to Drummos 120's was somewhat daunting, but nowhere near as daunting as leaving one's parents and eight siblings behind.

SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT: In those years all students shared a common gravel playground, with a small bitumen area available also as the assembly area. Rarely did grade groups overlap unless it was foray by the Jones boys and some of their mates from the grade 5 / 6 group to initiate some "laughing treatment" via a cypress tree along the boundary fence which was commonly called the tickle tree. Thankfully over the many years past I have never lost this ability for a jolly good laugh!

Sports equipment was extremely limited in a time when society was just trying to get back on its feet after facing the depression and then WW11, so a few tennis balls and some well worn bats sufficed. High up on the southern end of the brick building a circular air vent containing a number of wooden slats would entertain us recess after recess as we tried to lodge further tennis balls in the vent to add to a collection built up over the years. Of course a football was unheard of, possibly because of the gravel surrounds, but probably due to the cost. In fact you could go to any football match in Ballarat in those days and see hundreds of spectators invading the ground during half time, etc., and all kicking tennis balls and not a football to be seen. This appeared rather strange to me as our family

in the Malle always had a football in our care.

Daily milk was provided all students and still gag at my introduction to pasteurized milk as our family possessed a Jersey milking cow and can assure you that the bottles of school milk were a pale imitation of the real thing. This was also the first time I encountered the pungent smell of gas Gerard Coffey and myself prepared lunch, on a roster system, for the three Brothers, still remains with me to this day. Thankfully the North Ballarat house of my guardians had a combined wood and electric system throughout.

Assemblies most mornings would consist of the Cockerell brothers regaling all who would listen with the retelling of a movie they had seen the previous night, whilst finishing off a bag of lollies they had purchased from one of the nearby lolly shops. It seemed like the brothers saw a new flick every night of the week, but probably only the one each week in reality.

To the north of the school were tennis courts which were fully inhabited on Mondays by the local Ballarat based priests. Of course even trying to snatch a glimpse of who was playing was just about a mortal. Hopefully in this day and age the current students get a lot more use of this area than we ever dreamt.

On the 22nd of November, we will celebrate our Centenary with our current students and families. Classes will contribute to a Time Capsule and we will celebrate Mass at 12:00 pm at the Cathedral and have a picnic lunch back at school afterwards.

On Monday 25th of November, students are invited to dress up in clothes similar to those worn 100 years ago. Think old, possibly raggy and keep it simple.

More information will be provided in future issues of The Drum.

Please advise our admin team if your child is not returning to St Patrick's in 2025

If your child will not be returning to St Patrick's in 2025, please inform the office as soon as possible. This helps us reach out to families on the waiting list and supports our class list and planning processes. Email info@spballarat.catholic.edu.au and include your child’s name and the school they will be attending next year.

Class Structures for 2025

The opportunity for Student Information Sharing has now closed and has helped shape our decisions for 2025 class placements. Currently, staff are thoughtfully discerning class groupings for next year. In this process, we carefully consider each student’s academic, social, and emotional needs to determine the best placement for their growth.

At school, children learn essential social skills, including how to engage with a diverse range of peers. This is why it’s important for students to build varied friendships and interact with children of different abilities, rather than remaining within small, familiar groups. Such experiences are invaluable in helping them grow socially and adapt to diverse learning environments.

Students were invited to share their preferences, and staff have collaborated closely to bring their knowledge and insights into these decisions. On Tuesday, December 3rd, students will participate in a Going-Up Morning, where they will meet their new teacher and classmates for 2025.

We're also excited to bring our 2025 Foundation students together for the first time on Tuesday 19th November!

Save the Date

Our Semester 1 Celebration of Learning morning was a great success and received glowing feedback from those who attended. We will be holding a Semester 2 Celebration of Learning morning on Wednesday 4th December between 9-10am.

In the Next Newsletter...

Please keep an eye on our week 7 newsletter that will contain:

Important information regarding 2025 School Closure Days
2025 School Fees
Information about the Family Fee Assistance Scheme

SchoolTV

This week you'll find extra information on a special report entitled '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 topic.

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

Kind regards,

Ben Shields

School Calendar Term 4 2024 - Updated 7th Nov.