Where Did the Term Go?

It is quite honestly a little scary to think that this time next week, our students will be waking up to their very first day of the school holidays!

Term 1 always seems to pass in the blink of an eye, but this year has felt exceptionally fast-paced. When we look back at everything our school community has achieved over the past nine weeks—from our Cross Country and netball clinics to our valuable parent-teacher interviews and engaging classroom learning—it is no wonder the time has flown by so quickly. I am incredibly proud of the energy, dedication, and resilience our students and staff have shown since day one.

While the holiday finish line is in sight, we still have a wonderfully busy Week 10 ahead of us. Between our upcoming P&F meeting on Tuesday, and our School Photos and Easter Hat Parade on Wednesday, April 1st, there is plenty of excitement left to squeeze in before the final bell rings.

Let’s make this last week of term a fantastic one. I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events as we celebrate a highly successful start to the school year!

School Cross Country

Congratulations to all the students who performed exceptionally in yesterday's Cross Country event! It was wonderful to witness the students giving their best effort, and we appreciate the significant number of parents who showed up to support their child/ren. Also, well done to the Apsley House for being the overall champion house group for the day.

Congratulations to the following Champion & Runner up winners:

Cross Country 2026
Juvenile Boys Champion	Finn Olrich
Juvenile Boys Runner Up Champion	Jack Mansfield
Juvenile Girls Champion	Poppy Betts
Juvenile Girls Runner Up Champion	Eleanor Cameron
Junior Boys Champion	Archie King
Junior Boys Runner Up Champion	Campbell Laurie
Junior Girls Champion	Harriet Laurie
Junior Girls Runner Up Champion	Tallulah O'Brien
11 Years Boys Champion	Will Lisle
11 Years Boys Runner Up Champion	Hudson Cross
11 Years Girls Champion	Lucy Rizzi
11 Years Girls Runner Up Champion	Airlee Tate
Senior Boys Champion	Benji Provost
Senior Boys Runner Up Champion	Shaun Zorgdrager
Senior Girls Champion	Josie Wauch
Senior Girls Runner Up Champion	Ellody Hoy

Early in Term 2, we will be announcing the students who have successfully qualified for our school's cross country team! These runners will proudly represent us at the Armidale Catholic Schools Cross Country Trials, taking place in Barraba on the 22nd of May. Stay tuned for the official squad announcement after the term break.

There are some more photos from our school cross country in the sports section of this newsletter.

OPEN MORNING for 2027 Kindergarten Students - 19th May 9:30am-11am

St Patrick's School will host our 2027 Open Morning on Tuesday, May 19th, from 9:30 am to 11:00 am.

This event provides prospective parents with the opportunity to discover what our school can offer their children. Guests will be able to meet our staff, take a tour of the campus, and enjoy morning tea. Additionally, children preparing to start school are welcome to attend and participate in activities with our current Kindergarten class.

If you know any families with a child starting school next year, or anyone interested in learning more about St Patrick's, please extend an invitation for them to join us.

LET'S GET READY FOR KINDERGARTEN 2027

Online Enrolments are now open for Kindergarten 2027.

through Compass and website https://stpatrickswalcha.catholic.edu.au/

Parent-Teacher Interviews – Term 1

For most families, today wraps up our final round of parent-teacher interviews for the term! These meetings are a vital part of how we support our students, giving us a wonderful chance to connect, share observations, and discuss your child's progress. A massive thank you to all the families who attended. Your involvement is key to creating a thriving learning environment, and we deeply appreciate your dedication to partnering with our teachers. The insights we've shared will absolutely help guide and support our students' growth as we move through the rest of the year.

Easter Hat Parade- Wednesday 1st April

Get ready for a burst of creativity and festive cheer! I am thrilled to announce that our annual Easter Hat Parade will be held on Wednesday, 1st April at 1.00pm. This beloved school tradition promises to be a wonderful event for students, families, and staff alike.

I know very soon the students will busy crafting their most imaginative and colourful Easter hats. From whimsical bunny ears to elaborate floral designs, we anticipate a parade absolutely filled with creativity and Easter spirit.

Following the parade, our P&F will draw the lucky winners of the Easter Egg Raffle. We will also be announcing which fortunate student has been selected as "Principal for the Day" to take over the school early next term!

I warmly invite all parents, grandparents, and friends to join us in celebrating the festive spirit of our students. I look forward to seeing you at 1.00pm on Wednesday 1st April for what is always a highlight of the term.

Mass and First Reconciliation Tomorrow at 11.30am

Please join the students and staff of St Patrick’s Primary School tomorrow at 11:30 am for our final Mass of the term. The service will be held at the school and will include some of our students receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. All parents and community members are invited to attend.

I look forward to sharing this special celebration with our school community and hope to see many of you there.

Annual School Photo Day

Please be advised that our annual school photo day will take place this upcoming Wednesday, 1st April. For the photos this year, all students are required to wear their normal sports uniform. Please ensure your child arrives at school in the correct attire.

P and F Meeting this upcoming Tuesday evening

This upcoming Tuesday (31st March) at 6:00pm, the Parents and Friends (P&F) Committee will be holding a meeting in the Year 3-4 classroom, with the option to join via Google Meet.

This is a great opportunity for parents and community members to come together, discuss upcoming events, and support initiatives that benefit our school.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend, whether in person or online. We look forward to seeing you there!

Premier's Reading Challenge

Exciting news this year as St Patrick's students will again be participating in the Premier's Reading Challenge. We urge all students to take part.

Your child's login details will be sent home shortly. You and your child will then be required to log in, provide the child's information, so they can record their books online.

Many of the PRC books can be found in our school library, where we will encourage students to borrow them during library time. Additionally, we are introducing all students to "SORA" - an app tailored to the contemporary student reading experience. This app enables students to explore and enjoy ebooks and audiobooks from their school, for both recreational and assigned reading purposes. It also includes the PRC books. We aim to have this process completed for students very soon!

Change of Uniform Days for Week 10

Due to the netball clinics continuing on Monday and Tuesday, followed by our annual School Photos on the final day of term (Wednesday, April 1st), there will be some changes to our usual uniform schedule next week. Please note the adjustments listed below:

Week 10

Monday- Sports Uniform (Netball Clinic)

Tuesday- Sports Uniform (Netball Clinic)

Wednesday- Normal Summer Uniform (School Photo day)

Important Dates: End of Term 1 & Start of Term 2

As we quickly approach the end of Term 1, I want to provide our families with plenty of notice regarding some important upcoming dates.

The final day of classes for students this term will be Wednesday, 1st April. Please note that Thursday, 2nd April, will be a Pupil Free Day, as our teaching and administrative staff will be participating in a Religious Education Professional Development Day.

Looking ahead to Term 2, we will welcome students back to school on Tuesday, 21st April. The day prior (Monday, 20th April) will also be a Pupil Free Day to allow our staff to update their mandatory First Aid accreditations.

I understand that having Pupil Free Days at the very end and beginning of the school terms can require sudden adjustments to family schedules and childcare. I sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to our families. I deeply appreciate your understanding and support as our staff complete this essential training to best serve our students.

School Hours & Supervision

Teachers commence duty at 8:30am and finish duty when the last bus leaves St Patrick’s approximately 3:10pm.

Supervision begins at 8:30am in the COLA

School starts: 9am (Bell - 8:50am)

Recess: 11:00am – 11:30am

Lunch: 1:30pm – 2:10pm

School finishes: 3.00pm.

SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS

The school office hours are 8:30am to 3:30pm

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.

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