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Dear Parents and Carers,
Class Allocation At St Patrick’s, the process of forming class groups is a thoughtful and collaborative effort involving teachers, specialist staff, and the Leadership Team. We always aim to create balanced and supportive learning environments that consider a wide range of factors including academic needs, social dynamics, gender balance, medical considerations, and family relationships. Our goal is to place every child in a class grouping that best supports their learning and social development. It is worthy to note that with a change in our instructional approach with many students now have 2 or 3 main teachers: Class teacher, Maths teacher and English teacher, they will be in classes with differering groups of students each day and therefore reasonably they are in 2 or 3 classes.
Following the guidelines in our Class Allocation Statement of Practice, parents who wish to raise educational concerns regarding class placement are encouraged to make an appointment to speak with me in person or by phone. These conversations must take place by Friday of Week 6, Term 4 (21st November 2025) to be considered in the allocation process. While we value and consider all input, final decisions rest with me and will be made in the best interests of all students. Class placements will be shared with students during our Step Up session in the final week of Term 4, along with a welcome letter from their 2026 teacher.
Community Engagement This week the Community Council met and we talked about how we could encourage more parents to be involved.
Congratulations to the winners of the Beachathon prizes! Thanks to Tam Prime for her organisation of the event and the great prizes.
First Prize - Stand up paddle board - Mia D
Second Prize - Scooter - Levi D
Third Prize - Camera - Keeret B
Fourth Prize - Season Pass to Magic Mountain - Byron MD
Fifth Prize - Zookeeper for a day at Mogo Zoo - Harvey S.
Well done all winners!
Have your say! The new annual School Engagement Survey is launching mid-November, and you will have the opportunity to reflect on your experiences at the school as a parent or guardian and provide feedback. Your feedback will be valuable to help us understand how to better support your child and improve our school.
The new survey has been developed with the support of JWS Research. It will take around 10-15 minutes to complete, and your responses will be kept completely confidential and only reported at an aggregate level.
You can expect the 2025 School Engagement Survey to be distributed through Compass as a News Item and push notification in the coming days! If you have any issues accessing the survey link, please contact the Catholic Education Office through Strategy.Survey@cg.catholic.edu.au
Blessings,Week 3: Reading with Purpose
Reading is a key focus this week. Through Direct Instruction, students are developing strong decoding skills and comprehension strategies. Lessons are carefully sequenced to build confidence and fluency, and students are supported to apply these skills across subjects.
Spotlight on Foundation InitiaLit
Foundation InitiaLit is a whole-class literacy program designed to give our youngest learners a strong start in reading and writing. Each lesson is thoughtfully structured into three key sections: phonics, vocabulary, and reading fluency. This clear and consistent format helps students build essential skills step by step, while keeping learning engaging and manageable. It's all about laying the groundwork for confident, capable readers from day one!
In wellbeing, we’re exploring Empathy – understanding how others feel and responding with kindness. Reading together at home is a great way to build empathy. Ask your child questions like “How do you think the character felt?” or “What would you do in that situation?”
Dates for your Calendar
Tuesday 4th November- Year 5 Leadership Retreat (See Compass for information and permissions)
Class Mass, Friday 7th November- 5/6 Yellow (Families Welcome)
St Patrick's Nativity play
Exciting news! Today marked the very first step in organising this year’s Nativity play, and we were thrilled to welcome an incredible 44 students to our kickoff meeting! The enthusiasm and energy in the room were contagious as roles were discussed and ideas began to take shape.
The performance will be held later this term, so keep an eye out for updates. We’re hoping to fill the audience with as many friendly faces as possible. Families and friends are all warmly invited.
Below is a snapshot from our first gathering.
Understanding Halloween in the Catholic Tradition
As Halloween becomes more popular among children, it’s important to remember its roots in the Catholic faith. The word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows’ Eve,” the night before All Saints’ Day, a time when we honor the holy men and women who have gone before us.
This season also includes All Souls’ Day, when we pray for those who have died. Together, these days remind us of God’s promise of eternal life and the hope we have in Christ.
In classrooms today, students have been discussing how Halloween connects to our faith, not just through costumes and lollies, but through prayer, remembrance, and celebration of holiness.
Let us use this time to reflect on the lives of the saints and the joy of being part of God’s family.
Our St Pat’s students have had a very successful year in the sporting arena, and our latest star is Indi Taylor. Indi has been travelling extensively lately, starting with the Archdiocesan Carnival, where she placed 2nd in shot put. This outstanding result earned her selection in the Canberra-Goulburn team to compete at the MacKillop Trials.
At the MacKillop Trials in Sydney, Indi placed 3rd, qualifying her for the All Schools Carnival, a prestigious event that includes every public and independent school across New South Wales. We’re thrilled to share that Indi placed 5th in the entire state, an incredible achievement!
Not only did she secure 5th place, but Indi also threw a massive personal best. In Canberra, she was throwing around 7 metres; at the All Schools Carnival, she exceeded 9 metres, a remarkable 2-metre improvement. Indi has been training with her dad, and this leap in performance is a testament to her dedication and determination.
The entire school community is immensely proud of Indi’s achievements. We look forward to seeing what she accomplishes next season — we’re confident there will be even more to celebrate.
Great effort, Indi!
Term 4, 2025 School Fees
School fee statements for Term 4, 2025 have been emailed to families. Payment is due by 7 November 2025, unless you are on an approved instalment plan.
Thank you to the families who have finalised their school fees for 2025.
We strongly encourage all families to set up a weekly or fortnightly BPAY payment plan through your bank. BPAY details can be found on your fee statement.
If you are making payments by instalments and your fees will not be paid in full by the due date, please ensure this arrangement is discussed and approved by the school.
If your family is experiencing financial hardship or requires additional support, we invite you to contact the school to arrange a confidential meeting with our Principal, Jo Scott-Pegum, to explore how we can assist.
For any questions or further discussion, please contact our Office Manager, Cathy Smith, on 6492 5500 or via email at cathy.smith@cg.catholic.edu.au.
Dear Friends,
The Parent Pulse: Social Media and Our Children
From 10 December 2025, age-restricted social media platforms will have to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from creating or keeping an account.
Your voice matters. By completing this survey, you are helping Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) understand the real experiences, challenges, and hopes of families in our Catholic school communities. The insights gathered will directly shape our advocacy with Catholic Education authorities and Government, ensuring that the needs and perspectives of parents and carers are heard at the highest levels.
Your input will guide us in championing initiatives that strengthen learning, wellbeing, and partnership between home and school.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L65CL58
Regards,
Cath Garrett-Jones
Executive Director