Acting Head of Campus

Welcome Back to the School Community

Welcome back to the 2026 school year! I hope all our families enjoyed a safe, restful and refreshing break. It has been wonderful to see students returning to school with smiles, enthusiasm and a readiness to reconnect with familiar faces and routines.

A very special welcome to our new families and staff joining our community this year, we are delighted to have you with us. We look forward to getting to know you and working in partnership to support your child’s learning and wellbeing.

We are excited to welcome our new students in the Junior class: Arlo, Kinsley, Aiden and Oscar. They have already begun settling into school life, and we are pleased to have them as part of our learning community. In addition we welcome the following staff to the St Patrick's School Community, Georgia (Junior Class Teacher), Tristan (Green Class Teacher), Simon (Senior East Class ESO), Meagan (Yellow Class ESO) and Susan (Junior Class ESO). We have also welcomed a new Business Manager to Catholic Special School, Diana Atkinson, who will be working at both Our Lady of La Vang and St Patrick's Special School. Please join me in making them feel welcomed.

Daily Routine

To support a calm and successful school day for all students, we appreciate families continuing to support our daily routines:

• Gates open: 8:30 am

• Classes commence: 8:45 am (Yard duty concludes at 9:00 am)

• Recess: 10:45 am – 11:15 am

• Lunch: 12:45 pm – 1:15 pm

• End of the day: 3:00 pm

Consistent routines help students feel secure, regulated and ready to learn. Thank you for your continued support in ensuring students arrive on time and are collected promptly at the end of the day.

Parent–Teacher Interviews

Parent–Teacher Interviews will be held on Wednesday, 25 February. These meetings play an important role in supporting each student’s learning journey and provide an opportunity for families and teachers to work together in the construction, discussion and review of Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs).

This is a valuable time for parents and caregivers to become actively involved in the learning process, ask questions, share insights, and engage in meaningful conversations about individual progress, strengths and next steps. Teachers will also share information about student learning, engagement and wellbeing.

For senior students, Parent–Teacher Interviews are also an opportunity to engage in the PATH (Planning Alternate Tomorrows with Hope) process. PATH supports future‑focused planning by exploring a range of options available to students and contributes directly to SACE Modified – Experiencing Identities and Futures (EIF) and Activating Identities and Futures (AIF). This collaborative process helps ensure learning pathways are purposeful, strengths‑based and aligned with student goals.

Information regarding appointment times and booking processes will be shared with families closer to the date.

Important Dates and Upcoming Events

Families are reminded of several important upcoming events:

• PPL Night: Wednesday, February 25

  Please ensure this date is noted in your calendar. Further information will be shared closer to the time.

   

• Parent Welcome Night: Wednesday, February 11,  5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

  The Parent Welcome Night is a valuable opportunity to connect with staff, meet other families, and learn more about the year ahead. We strongly encourage all families—especially new families—to attend.

Thank you for being part of our school community. We look forward to a positive and successful year together.

Warm regards,

Sean

Acting Head of Campus – St Patrick Special School