Mr Hyatt

A Belated Welcome Back!

A very warm—if slightly belated—welcome back to Term 4! This is my first full week back at school following my recent trip to Eastern Europe. It is wonderful to be back on home soil and reconnecting with everyone, though I must confess that jet lag is certainly a killer!

While I was away, our school continued to run seamlessly, and I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Mrs Makeham for stepping into the Acting Principal role. A huge thank you also goes to all of our dedicated staff members who made various sacrifices and took on extra duties to ensure everything ran smoothly in my absence. I am truly fortunate to have such a supportive team.

It has certainly been a whirlwind start to the term, with the calendar already packed with vibrant community events. Last weekend’s P&F Long Lunch was a fantastic success, bringing our community together in such great spirits, which was quickly followed by our Term 4 P&F meeting on Tuesday evening. Tomorrow, we look forward to coming together once again to celebrate Mass.

Looking ahead, we have even more exciting milestones on the horizon. We send our absolute best of luck to Josie, who is off to Newcastle next week to represent New South Wales against the top young talent in the country at the National Under 12 Girls Hockey Championships. 

On top of that, in just over a week’s time, our Year 5 and 6 students will head off on their major excursion to Canberra for an unforgettable learning experience. 

Thank you all for your warm welcome back, and I look forward to catching up with many of you at our assembly tomorrow and throughout this action-packed term!

P & F Long Lunch

A huge congratulations to the entire P&F Long Lunch Committee for organising such a resounding success last Saturday! Even though the weather wasn't overly kind to us, your dedication and meticulous planning ensured a fantastic day that brought together over 100 people in support of our wonderful school.

I am truly amazed by the incredible support of our school families, many of whom went above and beyond—spending days setting up and dismantling the pavilion at the showground, rain or shine. Thank you so much for your hard work!

The total funds raised are currently being tallied, and I will share the final figure with everyone as soon as it is confirmed.

Thank you once again to everyone who contributed to making the 2026 Long Lunch such a memorable occasion!

School Satisfaction Surveys

Last week, I received the results of the St Patrick's school satisfaction surveys.  This survey, conducted by an outside provider, surveys parents, staff and students across the schools in the Armidale diocese.  The results were strongly positive and affirming of our school from our parents as the highest score for each category stated below is out of four.

Parents responded very positively with the educational opportunities provided for their children and commented on the safe and happy school environment.  There were numerous positive comments, including: 

The staff and the student culture. An expectation of student behaviour is upheld. Very nurturing school. Sport Student opportunities. Variety and opportunity in all aspects of learning - languages, arts, music and excursions. Teachers who are positively engaged in making sure my child gets the support they need to do well. Teachers - knowing my child and striving to help them The staff are amazing, friendly and always willing to help. It’s a great team. All the children no matter what year look out for each other. Kids are always happy Office staff are incredible. Sally and Karen go above for our kids eg; sick, hurt, communication bout the kids. Those two ladies being front of the school are massive asset. Its such a warming little school. Since being at St Pat’s we have felt so welcome and involved within the school community. The community and teachers The sense of community and support, as well as the focus on positive behaviour for learning. The small size allowing my child to be seen. The friendly atmosphere. The whole school community from office staff, teachers and students are always happy friendly helpful and supportive. My child loves his time at St Patrick’s. The sense of community and support. Better focus on tuition than previous schoo.  Dedicated teachers. Caring community. The number of kids in each class. Respect and kindness are taught and expected within school grounds. It is a great all round primary school.

Real Talk Workshop for Years 4 and 6 students on Tuesday

This upcoming Tuesday, St Patrick's will be hosting the Real Talk Workshop. Our Years 4 and 6 students will be working with the students of  St Joseph's Primary, Uralla on this day. Real Talk is all about getting realon the topics of relationships and personal identity. Based on Christian values and using personal sharing from a team of dynamic presenters, 

Real Talk provides presentations, programs, and up-to-date resources and wants all young people to know their true value, worth, and dignity and to experience love for all it was created to be.

Year 5-6 Excursion to Canberra

It is only a bit over a week before the students in Year 5-6, Mrs Makeham and myself will be heading off to Canberra. Looking at the itinerary, it is definitely going to be an action-packed week. Some of the activities that we will be taking part in include: visiting Parliament House, the Royal Australian Mint, the War Memorial, the High Court, Questacon, the Australian Institute of Sport and that is only just the tip of the iceberg.

Parents and students are reminded that they need to be at St Patrick's at 6.45 am at the latest on the morning of the 2nd of November (Monday week). 

All information, (itineraries, what to pack, etc) are included in the link below.

Look out Canberra, here we come!

Year 3-4 Excursion to Lake Keepit

The Year 3-4 students will be participating in an overnight excursion to the Lake Keepit Sport and Recreational Centre on the 26th and 27th of November. Mrs Davey and myself will be supervising the students on this excursion. 

Please ensure your child's details have been updated in the below link by 3pm Friday 23rd October 2026

Parent Link

https://officeofsport.ungerboeck.com/prod/emc00/register.aspx?eid=SDhoeEdESEd3VFoxQWQxVC9WSHBuQT090

End of Year Presentation Morning - Friday 11th December at 9.30am

This year, our school Presentation Morning will be held on Friday, 11th December, commencing at 9:30 AM at the school.

The first hour of the event will celebrate the many highlights of our academic year, alongside special student performances and award presentations. Following the ceremony, all members of our school community are warmly invited to stay and enjoy a community morning tea.

Further details regarding this event will be shared with families shortly.

CRAZY SOCK AND HAIR DAY - Friday 30th October for Catholic Missions Fund Raising.

October is Catholic Mission Month, and this year’s theme, 'One Christ, United in Mission', calls us to reach out and build a more inclusive, supportive world. This year, Catholic Mission is focusing its efforts on Malawi.

To support this worthy cause, our Mini Vinnies team is busy organising several fundraising initiatives throughout the month. Mark your calendars for Friday, 30th October, when we will be holding our annual Crazy Sock and Hair Day! All students and staff are encouraged to come to school sporting their wildest hairstyles and most colourful socks, along with a gold coin donation for the Mission Appeal.

Adding to the excitement—and perhaps my own personal apprehension—is the return of our famous duct-tape challenge. While I am still recovering from the memory of being taped to the wall in previous years, we are shaking things up this year! Students will get to vote for a brave staff member (from a list of willing nominees) to be kidnapped and taped to the wall by students and staff on the day.

I have a strong suspicion I might find myself stuck to the wall once again, as word on the street is that I’m at the top of everyone’s list! For just $1 per strip of tape, students can join in the fun and help secure the "winning" staff member. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get to be on the taping side of the roll this time around—we will just have to wait and see!

Thank you for supporting our Mini Vinnies team and helping us make a difference for Catholic Mission this October.

Whole School Mass, tomorrow, Friday 23rd October

Tomorrow, Friday, 23rd October, all of the students and staff will gather at 12:00pm to celebrate Mass. I warmly invite our entire school community to join us for this special celebration.

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  - 8:55am)

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.