“Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.”

                                                         

St Patrick

              

Dear Parents

We had a wonderful St Patrick’s Day yesterday. We are very grateful for Fr Mark celebrating Mass with us and the P&F for providing green jelly for all the students.  I’d like to thank Mr Mattas for his organisation of the day, and thank all the staff for the energy and Irish spirit that was injected into the day!

We have collated an album of photos from the day that you can view here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cjmZzm_nvHom5WMhj0_DznUO-4vXEVWg?usp=sharing

Please be mindful that you cannot share photos on your own social media without permission from the parents of the other students.

Uniform Survey

Thank you to the parents who have responded to the Uniform Survey. It’s not too late to contribute to the survey by following the link below:

https://forms.gle/HQsABVA8x4i6xgyD7

If the link doesn’t work for you, please email the office and we can help you.

Can I please reassure you that any new addition to the uniform would be introduced to our 2023 Kindergarten students. I will always take into consideration any financial burden on families and remind you that there is financial support for families in need.

There was overwhelming support for girls having the option of wearing pants in winter.  Our next step is to now consult with Lowes on different options available.  I am hopeful that this option for girls could be available this year.

The majority of parents were in support of a new hat and school bag, however, there were a number of constructive comments that made me realise more information may be required.

Firstly the reason for considering a new hat is that our existing hat does not have our school crest on it.  Other than the letter STP, there is nothing that identities it as our school, a Catholic school.  Rather than simply changing the logo, we believe it is timely to look at other hat options available.  The current school hat has material that fades, is unable to be washed and the cords are often chewed by the students. There are some new options in school hats that address all these concerns.

The school bag that we would consider introducing would cost approximately $55.  It comes with a lifetime guarantee, ensuring it would last your child from Kindergarten to Year 6.  This works out at less than $8 a year.  Introducing a bag like this would also reduce pressure on families to buy more expensive brands each year.  Students would still be able to personalise their bag by adding a keyring.

I have added a new section to the survey titled ‘General Comments’, please feel free to add any additional comments here, even if you have already previously completed the survey.

We will make a decision in the coming weeks once we have consulted all stakeholders.

Parents on School Grounds

This pandemic has provided us an unexpected opportunity to stop and reflect on some of our school processes and procedures.  We have found that during the restrictions, which prevented parents from being on the school grounds before and after school, there have been a number of benefits to our students and staff.  It has been noticeable, across a number of schools, how settled and ready to learn the students have been in the morning.  The current procedures allow the students to settle quickly with their friends, and has increased resilience and independence for all students.  Teachers have also been able to prepare more effectively for learning each day.  The benefits for our students and their learning suggest that this model is our preference moving forward.

We are aware that many parents enjoyed being on the school site before and after school and we are very mindful that parent engagement is critical in strengthening the relationship between home and school.  Therefore, we have begun looking at some very purposeful reasons to have parents onsite again. Our first event will be  the School Cross Country, where all parents and family members are most welcome to attend. At the end of term you will be welcome to attend our End of Term Awards Ceremony. We look forward to sharing these occasions with you all.

Save the Date

We will be having an End of Term Assembly on Friday 8 April from 11.30am. We will present all Principal, Gold and St Patrick Awards at this time, as well as some new special end of term awards. Parents and family members are welcome to attend.

Sports Uniform on Monday

Students are most welcome to wear the sports uniform on Monday as we will be practising for Cross Country. 

Ms Gabi Tobin - Principal