From the Principal

Dear families,

This week, St Patrick's joins schools across the Ballarat Diocese in commemorating a momentous milestone: 150 years of Catholic education. From April 29th to May 3rd, we're immersed in the spirit of Catholic Education Week, celebrating not only our collective journey of 100 years but also the unique contributions of each school community.

Last week, we held our ANZAC Day service led by our students. It was a moving tribute that deeply resonated with our school community. We extend our gratitude to Glen Strange for his careful planning and support for the service.

As we embrace this week of celebration, let us reflect on the rich heritage of Catholic education, the values it instills, and the profound impact it continues to have on our lives and communities. 

Staffing Announcement

It’s with mixed emotions that I announce that Ange will be leaving our school. After 12 years of dedicated service, Ange is embarking on a new journey, commencing a full-time role at Loreto College in the Student Reception area. While we will miss Ange dearly, we are also excited for her as she embraces this new opportunity and takes the next step in her career. 

Mother's Day Breakfast

We extend a warm invitation to all families to join us for our annual Mother's Day Breakfast. This year, based upon the feedback from families, we have shifted the breakfast to Thursday morning to enable you to make it to secondary school celebrations that are often scheduled on the Friday.

Visiting Authors

Get ready to dive into the world of storytelling as we welcome two esteemed authors to our school this May. On the 20th, we eagerly anticipate the visit of George Ivanoff, followed by Nicky Johnston on the 27th. These visits promise to ignite imaginations, inspire creativity, and deepen our understanding of the profound impact of stories.

George Ivanoff, known for his captivating narratives across various genres, brings a wealth of experience to our school. From gripping adventures to thought-provoking mysteries, his books have enchanted readers of all ages. With his visit, students will have the opportunity to gain insights into the art of storytelling, learning firsthand about the creative process behind crafting compelling tales.

Following closely is Nicky Johnston, a talented author and illustrator whose works have touched hearts worldwide. Through her beautifully illustrated stories, Nicky explores themes of empathy, resilience, and the power of human connection. Her visit promises not only to spark creativity but also to foster empathy and understanding among our students.

These visits align perfectly with our schoolwide concept of 'story,' which serves as a thread woven throughout all curriculum areas. By immersing ourselves in the worlds created by George and Nicky, we aim to enrich our understanding of literature, enhance our writing skills, and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the diverse narratives that shape our world.

There is an opportunity to pre-purchase books to have a copy signed on the day of the visit. Please have a look at the details below and, particularly, the cut off dates for orders. There will be an option to purchase through Lamont after the visits, but the copies purchased after the visit won't be signed.

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

Our staff professional development day last Friday focused on building our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) system, fostering a culture of positivity and consistency across our school community. The day aimed at refining our approach to student behaviour management and reinforcing positive actions.

One of the main tasks was drafting a new behaviour matrix. This comprehensive document outlines positive actions expected from students in various situations throughout the school, whether it is in the yard, classroom, or offsite and more. By clearly defining expectations in diverse settings, we aim to provide students with a consistent framework for demonstrating positive behaviours.

In addition to the behaviour matrix, our focus on consistency led us to work towards the completion of a behavior response flowchart. This tool will serve as a guide for staff members in effectively addressing student behaviors, ensuring that responses are fair, proportionate, and aligned with our SWPBS principles.

A key strategy introduced during the professional development day (which we'd trialled at the end of term 1) is the implementation of behaviour blitzes across the school. The blitzes involve actively seeking out and acknowledging positive behaviours demonstrated by students. By catching students doing the right thing, we not only reinforce desired behaviours, but also promote a culture of encouragement and recognition within our school community.

The next steps in our SWPBS journey are to seek student and parent input around the matrix and flowchart. The intent is to share a completed draft with our School Advisory Council as well as hold a working party with parents, students and staff which will be facilitated by Marney O'Brien. If you are interested in joining the working party, please contact me via email (principal@spballarat.catholic.edu.au). 

Drummo Social Circle Meeting

The Drummo Social Circle plays a vital role in supporting our school through various initiatives and events. It's a fantastic opportunity to connect with other members of our community, contribute ideas, and make a positive impact on the experiences of our students and families. 

Our next meeting is on Monday 13th May at 7pm in the library. 

All members of the school community are always welcome - we'd love to see you there!

Winter School Uniform

Thank you to the parents that have offered feedback requesting clarity for which uniform to wear on excursions. This should now be clearly stated on all permissions.

It is now expected that all students are in their correct winter uniform - time for the shorts to be packed away until term 4. For an outline of the correct uniform items please check the information page here.

Closure Days - Term 2

Our next scheduled closure day is Friday 7th June.

2025 Foundation Enrolments

Expressions of Interest for 2025 Foundation student enrolments will close on 23rd May. Further details for the process can be found on our website: www.spballarat.catholic.edu.au

In this edition of SchoolTV - TRAUMA

Children and teens will experience events during their lives that will affect them emotionally and physically. How they react to these events depends on their age, personality and past experiences. Children can experience strong feelings of fear, sadness, guilt, anger or grief, making it difficult for them to cope with everyday life.

There are a number of ways that parents and care givers can support children after a traumatic event. Your reaction to an event, will impact your child’s ability to cope and recover. Children will look to the adults in their lives to help them better understand a traumatic event so it is important to ‘tune in’ to their fears and provide them with the comfort and support they need.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn how to gain a better understanding of trauma and how it affects children of all ages.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Trauma edition of SchoolTVhttps://spballarat.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/trauma

Wishing you a great week ahead.

Kind regards,

Ben Shields