Thank you everyone!

The past week at St Patrick’s Primary School has been nothing short of eventful, filled with activities that have brought our school community together in meaningful ways. From sporting events to spiritual gatherings and leadership visits, it has been a fantastic start to the year.

We finished off last week with our much-anticipated Swimming Carnival, where students showcased their enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and determination in the pool. It was wonderful to see so many students participating and cheering each other on, making it a memorable day for all.

Monday saw the celebration of our Opening School Year Mass, a beautiful and reflective occasion where we gathered in faith, asking for guidance and blessings for the year to come. It was a special moment to come together in prayer and reaffirm the values that unite us as a school community.

On Tuesday evening, we welcomed parents and guardians to our Parent Information Night, an important opportunity to connect, share insights, and outline the exciting plans for the year ahead. We appreciate the engagement and support from our families as we work together to provide the best learning environment for our students.

Adding to the excitement, we had the privilege of hosting four School Performance Leaders at St Patrick’s. Their visit provided valuable insights and encouragement as we continue striving for excellence in education. Their engagement with our staff and students was both inspiring and constructive.

Meanwhile, to round off the week, I am currently attending the first Principal’s Conference of the year in Armidale. This is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with fellow principals, share ideas, and gain new perspectives that will benefit our school community.

Parent Information Night

I extend my gratitude to all the parents who joined us for the Parent Information Night on Tuesday. It was a pleasure to reconnect everyone and also to share our goals for the year ahead, along with the numerous events that will take place at different times throughout the year. The teachers provided insights into classroom routines and structure as well as explaining expectations for homework, which will officially begin next week.

Furthermore, numerous valuable recommendations were put forth by all stakeholders regarding the enhancement of St Patrick's. Soon, the majority of these suggestions will be implemented. Next week, we will be recommencing the weekly "Wearing Uniform with Pride Award", and soon introducing "Attendance Awards" acknowledging the students who make that extra effort to ensure that they are wearing their uniform in the correct manner as well as regular school attendance.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mrs Pittman and Ms Wilson for their exceptional culinary skills in preparing the barbecue. Their efforts are truly valued and highly appreciated.

Swimming Carnival - Friday 14th February

I apologise if I seemed a bit vague on Friday during the swimming carnival. I spent most of the day closely monitoring the radar and scanning the hills, hoping no storm clouds would appear and disrupt the event before all the races were completed. It was a huge relief that just as I was packing up the equipment, only a light sprinkle began to fall.

Besides worrying over nothing, what an incredible day we had at our annual Swimming Carnival! Our students showed exceptional enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and determination, making the event a true success. From the first race to the final dash for cash, it was inspiring to see everyone giving their best effort, cheering for their peers, and embracing the spirit of friendly competition.

A huge congratulations to all of our swimmers—whether you were racing for a place, earning points for your house, or simply giving it a go, you should be very proud of your efforts. Your resilience and positive attitude throughout the day made it a fantastic experience for everyone involved.

I would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to the parents, families, and supporters who joined us on the day. Your encouragement and enthusiasm from the sidelines created an uplifting atmosphere for our students. A special thank you to those who volunteered their time to assist with timekeeping, marshalling, and other essential roles—your help was invaluable in ensuring the event ran smoothly.

Lastly, a big thank you to our dedicated staff for their hard work in organising the carnival and making sure the day was enjoyable for all. Events like these truly showcase the wonderful community we have at St Patrick’s.

I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Ella and Harry K for their impressive victories in the highly anticipated "Dash For Cash" races. Additionally, a special mention goes to Grace Smith for her outstanding achievement in the Senior Girls 50m Freestyle event, where she set a new record with an impressive time of 36.18. The previous record of 38.55 was held by M. Sturgess since 1990.

Grace also made history in the Senior Girls 50m Breaststroke, surpassing S. Hobb’s long-standing record of 53.79 set in 1989, by completing the race in an incredible 52.00 seconds. Congratulations, Grace! You should be extremely proud of breaking both records.

Below is a list of our 2025 Swimming Champions and Runner Ups. Congratulations on your achievements.

Juvenile Boy Runner Up	Alfie Davey
Juvenile Boy Champion	Harry King
Juvenile Girl Runner Up	Anna Blomfield
Juvenile Girl Champion	Eve Young
Junior Boy Runner Up	Will Lisle
Junior Boy Champion	Harry Fletcher
Junior Girl Runner Up	Phoebe Grills
Junior Girl Champion	Airlee Tate
11yr Boy Runner Up	Benji Provost
11yr Boy Champion	Shaun Zorgdrager
11yr Girl Runner Up	Florence Davey
11yr Girl Champions	Josie Wauch
Senior Boy Runner Up	Digby Clark
Senior Boy Champion	Tom Lisle
Senior Girl Runner Up	Grace Fletcher
Senior Girl Champion	Grace Smith

Finally, I would like to once again congratulate the Red team on their well-earned victory. There's no doubt that the Blue team will be planning their comeback at the school's cross country event later in the term.

2025 National Servicemen's Commemoration Day Service

On Sunday the 16th of February, the Armidale and District National Servicemen's Association organised a Commemoration Service at the National Servicemen's Monument located in Central Park Armidale.

This solemn event aimed to honor the memory of the national servicemen (conscripts) who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War 2 and Vietnam. Additionally, it paid tribute to those who lost their lives while serving their country and those who have since passed away after fulfilling their military duties.

Our school captains, Indie and Tom, along with Claire, participated in this event alongside their families and me by placing a wreath. These students should take great pride in their involvement, as they represented St Patrick's Primary School with excellence and served as outstanding ambassadors.

Beginning of School Year Mass Highlights

Our 2025 student leaders were commended for having their badges blessed during Monday's Mass, during which they also recited the student pledge for 2025. These exceptional leaders already exemplify remarkable leadership qualities across all areas of our school, and we applaud their outstanding achievements.

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 for Kindergarten parents to attend a Best Start Interview for their child.

SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS

The school office hours are 8:30am to 3:30pm

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.

Community Announcements

Triple P - Free parenting courses.