What, it is the end of Week 8 already!

Welcome to the end of Week 8! It is hard to believe that we are already on the home stretch of Term 1. As I walk through the classrooms and playground, I am continually impressed by the focus and positive energy our students are maintaining, even as we enter the busier, final weeks of the term.

This past week has been a wonderful showcase of our school spirit. Our St Patrick’s Day celebrations were a vibrant sea of green, and it was a joy to see the students actively participating in Mass, the leprechaun hunt, and the various competitions. Coupled with the outstanding artistic talent our students recently displayed at the Walcha Show, it is clear that we have an incredibly engaged and gifted school community.

As we look toward Week 9, our calendar remains action-packed. Parent-Teacher Interviews commence this Monday, 23rd March. If you haven't yet booked your time via Compass, please do so this weekend. These conversations are vital for celebrating your child's early successes and setting collaborative goals for the semester ahead.

Next week also brings our annual Cross Country on Wednesday, alongside the beginning of our in-school Netball program. Please ensure your children are well-rested and have their sports uniforms ready for what will be a very active few days!

Thank you, as always, to our dedicated staff and supportive parents for making all of these opportunities possible. I hope you all have a restful weekend before we dive into a fantastic, yet busy Week 9.

A sea of green!

Tuesday was a vibrant celebration of St Patrick, with our students and staff showcasing a fantastic array of green! The day was packed with excitement, ranging from a celebration of Mass and delicious green treats to a fun leprechaun hunt and lively physical activities. A special congratulations goes out to Reid, Nate, Harry F, Benji, Levi W, Rebee, Tom M and Shane for successfully finding the hidden leprechauns, and to Jack for his clever golf ball discovery. I would also like to congratulate Isabelle, Evie and Airlee for their beautiful, winning colouring-in entries!

The day was a resounding success, raising over $180 for Project Compassion! Thank you to the parents for the delicious green treats and to our Mini Vinnies for their hard work. Congratulations to everyone who contributed!

School Fees 2026

2026 School Fee Accounts - Important information from Armidale Catholic Schools Office

We would like to share an update regarding school fee accounts. Schools within the Dioceses of Armidale have transferred their administration and finance operations to an enterprise system which includes Compass and TechnologyOne. This has provided Armidale Catholic Schools with the ability to perform centralised functions relating to school fee accounts on behalf of schools, the primary aim is to free up school staff from paperwork so they can focus more on the students and the school community.

What Centralisation of functions mean for Families

The invoicing of school fees and the distribution of school fee statements each month is a function carried out by the Armidale Catholic Schools Office (ACSO). Payment of fees are due on the dates provided on your school statement. Please note this finance system provides for reminders for late payments via SMS and email. These reminders are automatically generated by the software, based on the numberof days a payment is overdue. For those families that may have difficulty in paying their school fees, these reminders may cause some concern. This is not our intention. Our intention is to manage the collection of school fee accounts with our new finance system and in doing so, alleviate some of the administrative work of our schools.

Your School Fee Account Enquiries

Despite the centralisation of various functions, your school/s will always be your point of contact for matters pertaining to fees. If you receive an automated reminder but are experiencing financial challenges, please reach out to your Principal at your earliest convenience. We are committed to supporting our families and can discuss flexible payment arrangements.

Reminders and account balances

If you have made a payment within the last 48 hours, please disregard any reminder as your transaction may not yet be reflected in your balance. You can view your balance and transactions on the Compass Portal at any time.

Walcha Central School Taster Day

On Monday, a group of our Year 5 and 6 students travelled to Walcha Central School to participate in their High School Taster Day. This event provided a wonderful opportunity for our senior primary students to experience what a typical day in high school looks and feels like!

Throughout the day, the students were able to sample a variety of high school subjects, navigate a larger campus, and meet some of the high school teachers. Transition events like these are incredibly valuable, as they help to build confidence and ease any nerves about the big jump to secondary school. I am proud of how well the students represented our school, showing great enthusiasm and exemplary behaviour throughout the day.

Parent-Teacher Interviews – Term 1

A quick reminder that Parent-Teacher Interviews for all Kindergarten to Year 6 students will kick off this coming Monday, 23rd March.

These meetings are a wonderful opportunity to sit down with your child's teacher and discuss how they have settled into the new school year. It is also a great time to review their current progress and work together to set some positive, individual learning goals for the rest of the semester.

If you haven't booked your time slot yet, you can still do so via the 'Conferences' section in your Compass portal. A notification outlining your classroom teacher's specific availability was sent out to all families last week.

I highly encourage all families to take advantage of this time to connect with our staff. Please jump onto Compass and secure your preferred time as soon as possible!

Walcha Show

Spending Saturday morning at the Walcha Show was an absolute joy, and I was thrilled to see the incredible talent and dedication showcased by our students. From vibrant, colourful artworks to meticulously crafted projects, the entries from St Patrick’s were truly outstanding.

It was wonderful to witness the hard work and creativity that went into every single submission. The wide variety of categories entered highlighted the diverse skills and interests within our school community, making it abundantly clear that our students poured their hearts into their work. I was particularly impressed by the exceptionally high standard across the board; the displays were engaging, and it was evident that our students took immense pride in their contributions.

A huge congratulations to all of our prize winners! Your achievements are a wonderful testament to your talent and perseverance, and I am incredibly proud of each and every one of you.

However, beyond the prize ribbons, it was the genuine spirit of participation and enthusiasm that made the morning so special. Seeing our students’ beautiful work displayed alongside the wider Walcha community was a fantastic reminder of the incredible talent we are nurturing right here at St Patrick’s.

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.

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 Weeks 9 and 10

As highlighted in the sporting section of this week's newsletter, I am thrilled that our students will be participating in an upcoming netball clinic, generously funded by the Sporting Schools program.

In addition to this opportunity, a reminder that our annual School Photos will be taking place on the final day of the term—Wednesday, 1st April. Because of these two events, there will be some adjustments to our usual uniform schedule over the next fortnight as listed below.

Week 9

Monday- Normal Summer Uniform

Tuesday- Normal Summer Uniform

Wednesday- Sports Uniform (School Cross Country)

Thursday- Sports Uniform (Netball Clinic)

Friday- Normal Summer Uniform

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.

NAPLAN

This upcoming Monday will mark the completion of all NAPLAN catch-up sessions. We congratulate all students who participated over the past two weeks and extend our sincere thanks to parents for their cooperation in ensuring uninterrupted testing. Student results will be available in mid-Term 2.

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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