Mr Hyatt
Finally! I am back into routine!
It’s great to finally be getting back into routine as we settle into the school year! The past few weeks have been busy, but it has been wonderful to see our students engaged and thriving in their learning.
Last Wednesday, we had the privilege of welcoming the School Performance Leaders from Armidale Catholic Schools, who visited our classrooms. They were incredibly impressed by the level of engagement, enthusiasm, and quality of learning happening across the school. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the dedication of both our students and teachers.
I’m also pleased to share that library and band lessons have now commenced for our Years 3-6 students. These sessions provide valuable learning experiences, and I encourage students to make the most of these opportunities.
Finally, I look forward to seeing a number of parents at our first Parent Assembly for the year tomorrow afternoon. Your support and involvement play a key role in the success of our school community, and I truly appreciate the time you give to be part of these events.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and I hope you have a great week ahead!
The role of our wonderful P and F Committee
At St Patrick’s Primary School, our Parents and Friends (P&F) Association plays a vital role in supporting our students, staff, and the wider school community. The P&F is a dedicated group of parents and caregivers who work together to foster a strong sense of community while also raising funds to enhance learning opportunities for all students.
One of the key contributions of the P&F Association is their commitment to organising fundraising events throughout the year. These initiatives provide essential resources, technology, and learning materials that directly benefit our students. From classroom equipment and library resources to sports gear and excursions, the funds raised help create a richer and more engaging learning environment.
Beyond fundraising, the P&F also plays a crucial role in strengthening relationships within our school community. They organise events that bring families together, fostering a sense of connection and shared purpose in supporting our children’s education.
We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing dedication and generosity of our P&F Association. Their efforts make a meaningful difference in the educational experience of every student at St Patrick’s Primary, and we encourage all families to get involved where possible.
The P&F Committee would like to remind everyone that all of our parents/families are under no obligation of having to donate money and/or feel pressured to purchase items at anytime throughout the year.
Thank you to our P&F for your incredible support—you are truly making a difference!
We have a new Bishop
The Diocese of Armidale is entering an exciting new chapter with the appointment of its new Bishop. Last night, Pope Francis announced that Reverend Dr. Peter Murphy will be the next Bishop of Armidale.
Bishop-elect Murphy is currently serving as the Parish Administrator of St Michael’s Cathedral in Wagga Wagga and as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga. With a strong background in pastoral leadership and a deep commitment to the mission of the Church, he brings a wealth of experience and faith to his new role.
This appointment marks a significant moment for the Diocese, and we look forward to welcoming Bishop-elect Murphy as he begins his journey in Armidale. Let us keep him in our prayers as he prepares to take on this important ministry, leading our faith community with wisdom, compassion, and dedication.
Diocesan Swimming Carnival - tomorrow
Wishing the best of luck to Grace S, Katie, Grace F, Tom, Florence, Josie, Nina, Shaun, Airlee, Harry F, Oscar, and Will as they represent our school at the Diocesan Swimming Carnival tomorrow in Gunnedah! Congratulations to each of them on this achievement—we are incredibly proud of you all.
A recap of the event will be featured in the next edition of the newsletter. Go team St Patrick’s!
Parent Information Night Follow-Up
A sincere thank you to all the parents who attended our annual Parent Information Night last week. The evening covered a wide range of important topics and provided our teachers with the opportunity to share insights into the general operation of their classrooms for the academic year.
I understand that some parents were unable to attend for various reasons, and I have received requests to share the presentation slides with families.
Attached below, you will find a copy of the slides used during last Tuesday’s session.
Kindergarten Parent Best Start Interviews
A letter was sent home to all of our Kindergarten families with a report of their child's Best Start Assessment results recently. Ms Wilson will be sending home an invitation in the very near future for Kindergarten parents to attend a Best Start Interview for their child.
Horticulture
Mrs Ireland and Mrs Hoy visited school to model some horticulture ideas for the upcoming Walcha Show exhibition. This year, students are being asked to complete their horticulture entries at home and to drop entries off at the Walcha Show Horticulture pavilion by the morning of Thursday 13th March.
Following are the themes for each class:
Kinder Make a birthday card with flowers, seeds or foliage.
Year 1 and 2 Make a birthday card with flowers, seeds or foliage.
Years 3/4 Hanging display - can be a single strand of flowers, beads, gumnuts, foliage or a circular hanger.
Year 5/6 Boot - decorated with flowers or foliage.
St Patrick's staff and students would like to thank Julie and Phylis for visiting our school and giving us so many fantastic ideas. The horticulture group really wants to encourage as many entries as possible. Why not try to dry some flowers now in preparation?
The Winner of 'Wearing Uniform With Pride' Award Is.......
Congratulations to McKenzie for being the first recipient of this year’s ‘Wearing Uniform With Pride’ award! With so many students demonstrating great pride in their uniforms, choosing a winner was no easy task. Well done, McKenzie—you truly deserved this recognition!
SCHOOL HOURS
Supervision of students commences at 8:30am, there is no supervision prior to this time, therefore no students should be onsite.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN testing will take place in Weeks 7, 8 and 9 (Wednesday 12th March- 24th March) of this term. Students in Years 3 and 5 will sit tests for Writing 12th March, Reading & Language Conventions 13th March and Numeracy 18th March. Please refrain from making appointments during school time on these test days. It is important that your child is available on the day unless they are unwell. In the case of illness students will be able to sit the test on Thursday 20th March until Monday 24th March.
Further information for parents and carers can be found here:
https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support
I encourage all parents of students in Years 3 and 5 to explore the Public Demonstration Site with your child (click on button below). Here you will find sample questions for each of the areas assessed.
https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site
Click below to see a short video showing how to navigate the Public Demonstration Site.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ElaxjY7xKzPkl4QijbH_YPs9IRtkr8FU/view
2025 Staff Development Days (PD Days)
All schools within the diocese have been granted a total of eight staff development days for this year. These designated days aim to improve the teaching capabilities of the staff, with a specific focus on the curriculum. Additionally, they provide an opportunity for the staff to implement the new teaching syllabus for the upcoming year. So far, we have already utilised two of the allocated staff development days.
In the past, all of the staff have found that visits to other schools in the diocese to view their literacy and numeracy blocks as well as talking to other teachers have had the greatest impact in assisting them to improve their teaching practices and student outcomes. With this mind, I am planning to take all of the staff on a three day road trip where we will be visiting other schools in the diocese. Dates are not confirmed as yet but I am trying to plan the visits around the Kings Birthday Long Weekend in an attempt to minimise any inconveniences to our families. I will let everyone know as soon as everything is confirmed.
Below are the dates when the other three staff development days will take place.
Monday 21st July (First day of Term 3)
Monday 13th October (First day of Term 4)
Thursday 18th 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.