From the Principal

Dear Families,

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope everyone has had the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing break and is returning feeling refreshed and ready for another exciting semester of learning.

This semester, our whole school will be exploring the concept of Perseverance through the statement, "Every Challenge is an Opportunity." It's a simple idea, but one we believe can have a powerful impact on the way our students approach learning and life.

Over the coming months, you'll hear this message regularly. Whether a student is working through a tricky maths problem, improving their writing, learning a new skill in PE, navigating friendships or bouncing back after making a mistake, we'll be encouraging them to see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. By using this language consistently across classrooms, the playground and in our everyday conversations, we're hoping to build a shared understanding that perseverance isn't about getting everything right the first time - it's about sticking with it, learning from the process and continuing to move forward. You may like to refer to this at home with you child.

Alongside our usual learning programs, students will also be exploring the Earth and Space and Physical Sciences strands of the Science curriculum this semester. There will be plenty of opportunities for students to investigate, experiment, ask questions and make discoveries as they deepen their understanding of the world around them. Just like our Semester 2 concept, science reminds us that learning often comes through trial, curiosity and persistence.

We're looking forward to another wonderful term of learning together and thank you, as always, for your ongoing support as we continue to nurture confident, curious and resilient learners.

Parents and Friends Association

We warmly invite all families to attend our upcoming Parents & Friends meeting next Monday 20th July at 7pm at the Western Hotel.

Your presence is important to us - not just as a participant, but as a valued member of our school community. Please don’t worry that attending means you’ll be roped into running events or leading activities! We simply invite your voice into the conversation, your thoughts, and your ideas about how we can make our school the best it can be.

Whether you’re a regular, a newcomer, or just curious, we’d love to see you there. Your perspective matters!

Sacrament of Confirmation

We are now preparing for the next Sacrament in our students’ faith journey: Confirmation. This special Sacrament is open to all students in Grade 3 and above who have been baptised. To begin the process, please register your interest by completing this form. 

An information session for parents will be held on Thursday, July 23rd at 9:00am at St Patrick's Primary, and we encourage all families to attend. Alternatively, parents can join the Parish Information Session in the Glowrey Room at St Patrick’s Cathedral at 5:30pm on Thursday, July 23rd. 

We look forward to supporting ours students as they prepare to receive this important Sacrament.

Seeking ideas for a Parish motto and logo design 

The Ballarat Cathedral Parish Pastoral Council invites parishioners and School Communities of St Patrick's Cathedral, St Columba's and St John the Baptist churches to share their creativity. Submit your ideas for a unified parish logo and a motto that captures the spirit of our three communities gathered as one family in Christ. Submissions are open until August 15th 2026, and may be submitted online using this link: https://v0-parish-council-website.vercel.app/

3-Way Chats

Next week, we are looking forward to offering 3-Way Chats to reflect on learning achievements throughout semester 1 and to co-design learning goals and experiences as a team for the second semester. 

NOTE - Bookings close at 3:30 pm tomorrow (Friday).  

A few years ago the School Advisory Council composed the below protocols for the 3-Way Chats that are quality guidelines for what we aim to achieve through this interview model. 

3-Way Chat bookings are available via PAM. The interviews are scheduled for 10 minute bookings between 3:30-6:00 pm on Monday 20th or Tuesday 21st of July. 

Aims of the Three Way chats

• That students will articulate their learning goals with support from classroom teacher and parents
• That communal understandings about individual learning needs will be established between student, parents and classroom teacher
• That attention will focus on goal setting as a means for improving learning, behaviour and/or social interactions
• That the student will be affirmed in their ability to articulate and desire to improve their learning, social interactions and/or behaviour

• That the principles of twenty first century learning are fostered among students

   

Protocols for Three Way Chats

• Families will be responsible for booking their 3 Way Chats
• Once a booking has been made, a commitment to attend the 3 Way Chat will be presumed
• In the event of unforeseen circumstances, an alternative meeting time may be arranged at a mutually convenient time
• 10 minutes will be strictly adhered to for each 3 Way Chat
• No 3 Way Chat will be permitted to go over time
• Failure to book a 3 Way Chat will be understood to mean that a meeting is not sought by the family and this will not be followed up by the school or classroom teacher

2026 NAPLAN Reports

NAPLAN Individual Student Reports for Grade 3 and Grade 5 students have now been received by the school.

Reports will be available for collection from the school administration office when you arrive for your scheduled 3-Way Chat next week. We have chosen this time simply as a convenient opportunity for families to collect their child's report.

If you are unable to attend a 3-Way Chat, your child's NAPLAN report can be collected from the administration office at another time.

A Mid-Year Reflection: Child Safety and Student Wellbeing

As we reach the midpoint of the school year, we are proud of the continued work to ensure St Patrick's is a place where every child feels safe, valued, connected and ready to learn.

The Child Safe Standards continue to guide everything we do, shaping the relationships, routines and learning environments that help every student thrive. We are committed to listening to student voice, celebrating the diversity of our community and creating classrooms where every child feels a strong sense of belonging.

Earlier this year, we were fortunate to work alongside Sarah from One Red Apple to strengthen our understanding of high-quality Tier 1 classroom supports. This professional learning has reinforced the importance of clear expectations, positive relationships and consistent practices that support all learners to succeed.

Building on this foundation, we will continue working with Jane Bennett from DOBCEL throughout Semester 2 to further strengthen our classroom behaviour supports and develop greater consistency across the school. This work is about ensuring every student experiences calm, predictable and supportive learning environments, no matter which classroom they are in.

Together, these ongoing improvements help us continue to provide a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment where every child can learn with confidence and flourish.

SchoolTV 

This week on SchoolTV you will find a focus topic on friendship and belonging.

“The ability to obtain, maintain and retain friendships is, according to all the childhood psychologists in the whole wide world, the greatest predictor of wellbeing. Having a rich repertoire of friends is a true indicator of whether your child is travelling ok.”

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

Click on the link below to access a wealth of videos, articles, and resources on the aforementioned topics.

All Editions | St Patrick's School - Ballarat (schooltv.me) 

Kind regards,

Ben Shields