Newsletter 18/08/2025: Term 3, Week 5

From the Principal

It is hard to believe that we are over halfway through term 3 already.

It was wonderful to meet kindergarten students, their teachers and some family members who attended our Taster Day last week. It was fantastic to see engaged young children embrace the morning's theme of  'journey' to be brave and explore what our school had to offer. We hope the Taster Day made a lasting memory on both students and parents, encouraging the enrolment of prospective new families.

This week, I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the Australian Catholic Education Conference in Cairns. With the theme ‘Hope, anchored in faith’, the conference will centre around the strategic vision and mission of Catholic education, with a focus on three key pillars: Faith, Excellence, and Access. The program includes a wide range of inspiring speakers, presentations, and workshops covering areas such as Catholic identity and mission, learning and teaching, leadership, community and parish engagement, resourcing, and advocacy. I look forward to bringing back fresh ideas and initiatives to share with our community. Please note that I will be away from Tuesday to Friday, with Tarryn Delaney and Jess Courtney stepping in as Acting Principal during this time.

A gentle reminder to families: if your child is unwell, please keep them at home to rest and recover. If they are well enough and require schoolwork, please contact their classroom teacher. However, sometimes rest is the best medicine.

Finally, we’re excited for our Book Week dress-up day this Friday, August 22. Celebrating literature encourages a love of reading, sparks imagination, and fosters creativity. It’s a joyful opportunity for students to connect with stories, characters, and authors in a fun and meaningful way.

Foodbank

We have an empty freezer at school and are hoping that some of our families might consider doing a bit of a cookup to provide for our Foodbank, it's wonderful to be able to provide a little help when we have families in need for various reasons.

Community Meal - 5/6A

Last Wednesday the 13th of August was our Community Meal hosted by 5/6A.

Thank you to the families that supplied food and to Narelle for her organisation.

Spelling Championships

Our annual grade 5/6 Spelling Championships are commencing tomorrow.

 Grade 5 & 6 students should have received their list of words.

Test 1 will be held on the 19th of August, Test 2 on the 26th of August, Test 3 on the 2nd of September & Test 4 on the 9th of September.

Lions Eye Screenings

PLEASE RETURN YOUR PERMISSION FORM IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY!

The Camperdown Lions Club will be at our school this Wednesday the 20th of August to conduct eye screenings.

Students in Foundation and Grade 6 have been given a permission note. If these could be returned to school as soon as possible that would be great.

If you have a child that is not in Foundation or Grade 6 but wish for them to be screened, please contact the office and we will send a permission note home for you.

Trivia Night

Our St Patrick's Trivia Night is being held on Friday September the 12th, pop this in your diary and gather up your friends to come along for some fun!

Come dressed in AFL Finals footy gear!

This is always a great social night for the St Pat's community and a great initiative of our Parents & Friends committee.

Tickets are $20 per person. The night will be held in the Big Room. Tables are up to 10 people with BYO food + drinks, there are loads of prizes and games!

Arrival from 7pm for 7:30pm start. Our major raffle will be drawn at 8:30pm. 

Please contact the school office to book a table or join with others to make a table.

Pot O' Gold Fundraiser

St Pat's Pot O’ Gold Draw!
Win Camperdown Cash to spend at any business of your choice in postcode 3260.

Prize values - 1st $2000     2nd $1000     3rd $500
Tickets are $20 each. 

Every family has received 2 tickets to sell. If the tickets could be returned to the office at your earliest convenience that would be great. If you buy your tickets online, we would appreciate the paper tickets be returned to the office for re sale purposes.

We will be selling raffle tickets down the street outside the newsagency on Tuesday 2nd, Thursday the 4th, Tuesday the 9th, Thursday the 11th & Friday the 12th of September. The shifts will be 10am - 11.30am & 11.30am - 1.00pm. If you could spare some time on any of these dates and can help, please contact the office. 

Pot O' Gold Raffle

Father's Day Celebration

SAVE THE DATE!

We will celebrate Father's Day on Friday the 5th of September.

Mark it in your diaries, more details to come soon!

Hooptime Basketball

The second of our Hooptime basketball competitions was held last Friday at Camperdown with three 5/6 Rookies teams competing.

This Friday the 22nd August the AllStar 3/4 teams will be competing in Terang. If your child has been selected to play you will receive a PAM permission for you to consent to them attending on the day.

CATHOLIC SCHOOL CULTURE

LEARNING AND TEACHING

LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

Pupil Free Days

There is only 1 remaining school Closure Day which is on Friday September 19th, the last day of term 3.

Our staff will participate in a Professional Development Day on Structured Literacy.

Students are not required to come to school on this day.

The final day for students in Term 4 is Thursday the 18th of December 2025.

WELLBEING

Book Week Dress Up Day

St Patrick’s looks forward to once again celebrating all that is great about books, reading and literacy at our Book Week Activity Day on Friday 22nd August. Children are encouraged to participate in the day by dressing as a book character and joining in literacy and creative activities during the day. This fun day is much loved by our students and staff alike. 

School Dates 2025

Friday 22/8                         3/4 All Stars Basketball

                                                Book Week Dress Up Day

Friday 29/8                         3/4 Rookies Basketball

Friday 5/9                           Father's Day Afternoon Tea

Friday 12/9                          Trivia Night & Raffle drawn

Saturday 13/9                    Eucharist 6.30pm Cobden

Sunday 14/9                       Eucharist 11.00am Camperdown

Friday 17/10                        Grade 1 excursion to Cudgee Wildlife Park

Mon 20/10-Wed 22/10   Grade 6 Camp to Melbourne

Sunday 26/10                    Whole School Parish Mass

Tuesday 28/10                  2026 Foundation Interviews 

Tuesday 4/11                     Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Tuesday 9/12                    2026 Move Up Day

Tuesday 16/12                   Grade 6 Graduation 6pm

Thursday 18/12                 End of School Year Mass and Awards

Noone's Uniform

Noone's now have stock of all our new uniform for purchase. You can pop into the uniform shop to try on.

The shop is located in the Mercy Regional College building.

In Term 3 the uniform shop is open on the following days -

Monday 12.00pm - 4.00pm & Thursday 8.00am - 12.00pm

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrate their birthday this week.

Jaden T & Winnie F

Community Events

Camperdown Basketball

Port Campbell Nippers

Camperdown Show Oct 11th