Message From Our Principal 

As we come to the end of another wonderful year at St Patrick’s, it’s a time to reflect on all the achievements, challenges, and moments of growth that have shaped 2025. From classroom successes and specialist showcases to sports days, community events, and everything in between, this year has been a testament to the resilience, creativity, and spirit of our students, staff, and families. We are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together and grateful for the ongoing support that makes our school community so special.

As we farewell our graduating students, we do so with immense pride and gratitude. Throughout their time at St Patrick’s, they have grown in confidence, character, and resilience, embracing challenges, nurturing friendships, and contributing to the life of our school in so many meaningful ways. We thank them for the joy, leadership, and spirit they have brought to our community, and we wish them every success as they begin the next chapter of their learning journey. May they carry with them the values, memories, and lessons that will guide them well into the future.

Our Graduating Students Awards Afternoon was a wonderful celebration of achievement, leadership, and growth. Families, staff, and students came together to recognise the unique strengths and contributions of each graduate, acknowledging their hard work, resilience, and dedication throughout their years at St Patrick’s. It was a proud moment for our community as we honoured their accomplishments and wished them well for the exciting journey ahead. The afternoon was filled with smiles, gratitude, and heartfelt reflections—an inspiring way to mark the end of their primary school years.

Our recent school-wide Orientation Day was a wonderful success, as students eagerly stepped into their 2026 classrooms and connected with their new teachers and classmates. It was particularly special to welcome our new Foundation students, who joined us with big smiles and excitement for the year ahead. The day was filled with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a sense of belonging, as all students embraced the opportunity to experience their new learning environments. We look forward to seeing our newest members of the St Patrick’s community grow and thrive next year.

What an amazing job our students did at Teresa's Retirement Morning Tea! Their beautiful singing and enthusiastic performances truly lit up the day and filled us all with pride.  Each of our classes had 1 last photo with Teresa:

A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful parents who have organised our annual Christmas lunch. Your hard work, time, and dedication created a special and memorable day for all of our students and staff. The delicious food and festive atmosphere brings so much joy and excitement, and it is truly a beautiful example of the community spirit that makes our school so special. We are incredibly grateful for your efforts and the magic you brought to this much-loved tradition!

Congratulations to our students who reached 100% attendance for Term 4! This is a fantastic achievement and reflects their commitment to learning and being part of the school community each day. Consistent attendance is such an important part of success at school, and we are so proud of the effort and enthusiasm shown by them. Well done to all the students and their families for making this a priority – keep up the great work!

Our annual Gingerbread House fundraiser was a very successful event. Events like this wouldn’t be possible without our amazing donations we received from businesses and people in our community. A huge thank you to:

Coles

Tongala Pub

Camel Milk Co

Coco Handmade

Frank & Coco

Their donations allowed us to raise more funds on the night to go towards special projects in our school. 

A big THANK YOU to the fundraising committee for organising such a wonderful event!

As we farewell Ms Chrissy Dove,  we wish her all the best in the next chapter of her career. Here is a shorter version of the poem I wrote about Chrissy:

Caring: You created a calm, steady environment where students felt supported and cared for each day.

Helpful: You consistently guided students with patience, ensuring they understood their tasks and felt supported in their learning.

Respectful: You showed genuine respect for our LSOs and valued the important role they play in supporting students.

Inviting: Your open-door approach made learning feel safe, engaging, and accessible for all.

Supportive: Your classroom was a place of encouragement, where challenges became opportunities and students grew in confidence.

Reserved: Your quiet, thoughtful presence fostered a focused and calm learning space.

Welcome Back: We’d love to see you return next year as a relief teacher.

As we farewell Tyarna, we wish her all the best in the next chapter of her career. Here is a shorter version of the poem I wrote about Tyarna:

Thoughtful: Your care and consideration were evident in every intervention and resource you provided, always tailored to each student’s needs.

Young: Your energy and enthusiasm brought a vibrant spark to the LSO team, motivating both students and staff.

Approachable: Students always felt comfortable seeking your help, knowing they’d be met with kindness and genuine support.

Reliable: Your consistency was appreciated— even if we needed a few reminders for emails and modules! Thankfully, the students don’t email.

Non-Judgemental: You created a safe space where students felt respected and comfortable being honest about their needs.

Amazing: If Grade 3 had to pick just one word for you, it would be “AMAZING”—and we couldn’t agree more!

SCHOOL CAPTAINS

This year marks another exciting milestone for St Patrick’s as we introduce our very first School Captains. As our school has grown, so too has our commitment to developing strong student leadership. We wanted to create an opportunity for our young people to have a voice, to contribute to the life of our school in new ways, and to step into roles that reflect their growing responsibility and maturity. Establishing School Captains is a significant step forward—one that signals our belief in our students’ ability to lead with integrity, kindness, and courage. Our first captains, will help shape what this role looks like for future students, and I know they will set a high standard. Today, we celebrate not only their appointment, but the beginning of a new tradition that strengthens our school community and empowers our students to shine.

Jim has been selected as our 2025 School Captain, a role that reflects the positive impact he has on our school community. Jim brings a wonderful sense of humour to everything he does—he knows how to make others smile, how to lift the mood, and how to bring people together. Beneath that humour is a thoughtful, dependable young leader who is always willing to help, always respectful, and always ready to give his best. Jim’s ability to connect with others, combined with his genuine care for our school, makes him an outstanding choice for School Captain. We are incredibly proud of him and excited to see him lead with warmth, confidence, and character.

Charlotte has also been selected as our 2025 School Captain, a role she has earned through her kindness, maturity, and strong sense of responsibility. Charlotte leads by example—she is respectful, hardworking, and consistently puts others before herself. Her peers look up to her, our staff admire her calm confidence, and she embodies everything we hope to see in a St Patrick’s leader. We are incredibly proud of her, and we know she will represent our school with integrity and pride throughout the year.

The St Patrick’s Primary School students have been invited to participate in the Tongala community event- Carols By Candlelight. This event is taking place on Saturday the 14th of December at the Tongala Soundshell. Carols by Candlelight is from 7pm to 9pm. The BBQ will be ready by 6.15pm.At this event students are asked to wear Christmas attire/colours and they will sing a range of Christmas Carols.

MAGNIFY SANDHURST

 Learn more about Magnify Sandhurst at  https://www.ceosand.catholic.edu.au/lea.../magnify-sandhurst