Term 1 - Week 6
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents and Carers
This Saturday, 8th March, is International Women’s Day.
God our Creator
We thank you for all women throughout the world.
We pray for the day when each woman will be treated with honour and dignity.
We acknowledge, with gratitude, the role of women in our families and in our societies,
those who have fed, guided, taught, loved and protected us.
We pray for your continued blessing of all women.
Amen.
To all the women in our school community, thank you for your hard work, multi-tasking, laughter and strength of character. You shape our world for the better!
Lucy Harvey
Principal
Welcome to the Week 6 Newsletter
The enrolment period for 2026 for all Catholic schools in our Diocese opened on 17th February. This week we commenced our enrolment open days for new families seeking a place at St Patrick’s for next year. It is a privilege to showcase our beautiful school, and we look forward to welcoming more families to our community. During our first information session on Thursday, our School Captains, Evie and Imogen, spoke of why they love St Pat’s. Evie and Imogen confidently interacted with our new families as they led a guided tour of our spaces and answered questions about life at St Pat’s. The voice of the student is pivotal to our school, and I am very proud of Evie and Imogen for their maturity in sharing their thoughts and experiences. Our next open day session and tour for this term is Wednesday 12th March at 4:30pm. Word is spreading that St Patrick’s Primary School Swansea is EXTRAORDINARY!
SIP – Strategic Improvement Plan
A school’s development is guided by its strategic plan. The Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) is a key document that underpins our school’s strategic focus. A plan for school improvement at St Patrick’s, involves collating and analysing data to identify key focus areas, considering the steps to address, and measurement of impact as well as identifying key stakeholders and sustainability.
The strategic planning process involves consideration of key questions, including:
- Where are we heading? Why?
- How will we get there?
- How are we going, so far?
- How do we know? What’s our measurement of impact?
- Where to next?
- What support is needed?
As a staff, we continually review, reflect and refine our SIP, informed by and continuously adapted using data and evidence. Our school’s Strategic Improvement Plan for 2025 below, outlines our goals for improvement in the domains of Catholic Identity / Curriculum, Learning, and Welling. All staff professional development and learning is designed around achieving these goals.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Laura and Chris on the birth of their baby daughter. A beautiful sister for Corban and Cohan .
2026 Kinder siblings
All current parents who have a child starting Kinder in 2026 are reminded to pick up an enrolment pack from the front office.
St Mary’s Gateshead – our pathway high school
St Patrick’s Primary and St Mary’s Catholic College work in partnership for your child’s education as our students transition from primary to high school. We would love for our parents of our younger years to have an opportunity to take a tour of St Mary’s to learn more about our pathway school as a preference for the next stage in your child’s education.
Parents from Kinder to Year 5 (particularly Year 4 and 5) are invited to attend a tour of St Mary’s College, hear from the Leadership Team and speak with staff and students, on THURSDAY 20th MARCH 3:45-4:45pm. We encourage you to take up this wonderful opportunity. See flyer below.
Year 7 2026 St Mary’s Information Evening
Parents of Year 6 students enrolling at St Mary’s Gateshead for 2026 are invited to attend an information session at 5pm at St Mary’s TUESDAY 11th MARCH. See flyer below.
St Patrick’s Day
Monday 17th March is a very important day for our community as we celebrate the feast of our patron saint, St Patrick. Our day will begin with mass at 9:30am in the Church, followed by a recess break. At 11am in the hall, our students will tell the story of St Patrick’s, announce our St Pat’s Day Art recipients as well as unveil our new commissioned art piece ‘Patrick Returns’. A family picnic lunch will follow in the playground at 12pm.
We encourage all our little leprechauns to wear green and bring a gold coin for the missions. Families are encouraged to join us, please see flyer below.
Medication
A reminder that all medications required by students during the school day must be kept in the first aid room. This pertains to ongoing medication and short term medication such as nurofen, panadol and the like. Students are not permitted to self administer medication, therefore should not have medication in their school bag. A form must be completed by parent or carer for the administration of medication.
Allergies
There are several students with severe allergies to peanuts, pistachios and cashews. These allergic reactions can occur through ingesting and indirect contact. To ensure students are safe, we ask parents and carers to avoid where possible sending any products containing the above items. Education is key here, so it is important that you talk with your child about reasons why this is important and ensure they too understand.
Birthdays
At school we like to share birthdays. You are most welcome to bring in cupcakes to school to celebrate your child's special day. Please check with the class teacher about allergies. Please note: No nut products.
Upcoming Dates
Week 7
Week 8
Message from RE Coordinator
Lent / Ash Wednesday
Last Wednesday we celebrated the beginning of the Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time put aside to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Easter. For children a simple way of explaining Lent is about making Lent a time of focus on being a better person by:
- Praying more
- Fasting, which may mean giving up something we do not need. This may be food such as chocolate or could include time in front of the television, iPad, electronic games etc
- Almsgiving, which could include putting aside some of their pocket money to assist in a worthy cause such as Project Compassion.
At our Ash Wednesday liturgy, we were sprinkled with ash on their forehead. These ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year and symbolise the dust from which God made us. As the ashes are applied the words are spoken, “Remember that God loves you”
These words and actions are a symbol of our penance, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice, particularly during Lent.
Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee Walk
A big thank you to Evie Buchanan, Imogen Walker and Lucy Layton for joining in the Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee walk from Nobby’s to the Cathedral this morning. Around 1,000 people from schools and parishes around the Diocese gathered together for this special event. Thank you to the family members who joined us and for their support.
St Patrick’s Day
On Monday 17th March, the school will be celebrating our patron saint, St Patrick. We will gather as a school community to celebrate mass at 9.30am. After a short break, we will gather in the hall to announce the St Patrick’s Day art competition award winners and unveil our new portrait of St Patrick. This artwork has been specially designed by Steve Todd in consultation with the students around their perspectives of St Patrick and what he means to the school community.
Lunch orders will be available via the QKR app and parents are more than welcome the stay and spend time with their children. On the day, students are encouraged to wear green for a small donation that will be forwarded to Project Compassion.
Project Compassion
This Lent, we’re invited to Unite Against Poverty with Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. This year is especially significant as we celebrate the Jubilee Year - a time of renewal and solidarity.
Project Compassion 2025 shares three stories from around the world. We’ll meet Toefuata'iga - (Toy-foo-ah-tah-ing-ah) a young student from Samoa who faced severe water shortages at her school. Thanks to Caritas Australia and the generosity of supporters like you, her school now has a 10,000 L water tank improving hygiene and allowing the teachers to prioritise education.
We’ll get to know Lam from Vietnam, born with short stature, Lam faced social exclusion and limited employment opportunities – through the I-SHINE program, Lam is now a freelance graphic designer.
And we’ll meet Irene from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who faced immense challenges after losing her father to war and raising her children in poverty. With support from Caritas Australia, Irene received vocational training in sewing and farming and can now support her whole family.
Watch our Introduction to Project Compassion film HERE - be inspired by 3 powerful stories of resilience and strength, and learn the impact that your support can have on vulnerable communities around the world.
Mr Daniel Lockwood
RE Coordinator
Message from Assistant Principal
NAPLAN
All students in Years 3 and 5 will sit NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy) tests during Weeks 7 and 8 of this term. The test window is open from 12th to 21st March to allow students who may be absent on a test day to catch-up when they return to school. There are 4 tests – Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language, and Numeracy. Students will complete all tests online except for the Year 3 Writing test which will be completed on paper.
All students need to bring a set of headphones to school for use during the NAPLAN assessments.
NAPLAN is just one part of our school learning assessment program. The tests assess literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school.
In preparation for NAPLAN, our school will undertake activities to help students become familiar with the format and functionality of the online tests. These activities are not an assessment of student ability and will not be marked. Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not required nor recommended.
The public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site) is available to see the types of questions, tools and functions used in the NAPLAN tests.
Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website (https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/naplan/parent-information).
If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact me by phone or email janine.schneider@mn.catholic.edu.au.
Period Positivity
Period poverty is the lack of access to sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education and inadequate toilet facilities. It is also the stigma and feelings of shame and embarrassment of a normal bodily function, and subsequent impacts on mental health.
In 2022 students from St Paul’s Catholic College Booragul advocated for female hygiene products to be made available in school toilets to provide access, equity and dignity to students who menstruate. A Diocese-wide working group was formed to investigate the impact of period poverty in our schools and lead the way in addressing the issues by exploring the feasibility of:
- Installing free period products in dispensing machines in our schools, aligned with the placement of the sanitary bins.
- Developing an awareness education program for schools in conjunction with the syllabus.
- Developing a policy that will help reinforce the promotion of dignity, gender equality and reproductive health.
The working group soon developed an initiative called Period Positivity. The initiative is about making periods normal. From free period care products to more informative discussions, the initiative aims to promote greater accessibility, equity and dignity for all.
As of this week at St Patrick’s:
- Sanitary products will be available to students for free, via a dispenser in the girls’ toilet block.
- If students find themselves needing pads they will be available from the dispenser.
- Students will still be able to use their own products, but there will be the option to use the free products provided in the female toilets for those who need them.
The product roll-out will be complemented by an educational awareness program that will be deployed to students.
For more information, please visit https://www.mn.catholic.edu.au/students/period-positivity/.
Mrs Janine Schneider
Assistant Principal
Message from Diverse Learners Team
Learning Support Teacher Networking Day
This week I attended the LST networking day at the Catholic Schools Office on Hunter Street, Newcastle. These days are held once a term for all LSTs in the Diocese. We get updates around new procedures or documentation required for supporting students with additional needs, as well as training in specific areas such as language difficulties, behaviour management and writing Personalised Plans.
The meeting on Wednesday included a presentation from the Risk and Safety Team about writing risk assessments. These are a requirement for many aspects of our work as teachers, not only for excursions and extra-curricular activities but also for students returning to school after an injury or hospitalisation. A risk assessment might also be attached to a behaviour plan where a student is at risk of harm from physical or mental health. These plans are always made in consultation with parents.
High Potential & Gifted Education - Gifted Education Mentor Networking Day
A couple of weeks ago, I visited NUSpace for our GEM networking day. This is one of the University of Newcastle buildings located on Hunter Street near to the Civic Theatre.
There has been an extensive review of HPGE in the Diocese by an external organisation over the last 2 years, resulting in more than 20 recommendations. These have not yet been shared with schools, so we will have to wait until the big reveal to find out the new direction.
However, it was emphasised that the role of the GEM is to work alongside teachers to raise achievement levels across the school. I can support teachers in providing challenge for the identified students in each class. One way might be for me to look at the class program for one Key Learning Area and help to adjust some of the tasks. This might be done by offering a choice of presentation or product, increasing the level of complexity, or reducing the amount of support offered.
My timetable for this term includes:
- Year 6 OneNote extension project, linked to Storm Boy with a focus on Ethical Understanding (ACARA General Capabilities).
- Y3 problem solving strategies using Upper Primary Mathletics materials
- Supporting differentiation in classrooms
- Checking in with identified HPG students: goal setting; work reflections; creating portfolios
- Writing or updating Personalised Plans
Mrs Jo Simes
Learning Support, Gifted Education, EALD Teacher
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island Education
During Term One, our students will spend time exploring the new native plants that surround our beautiful boardwalk space. We will do some research to discover which plants have edible fruits or are used as bush tucker. We will also find out which plants were used for specific purposes by the indigenous people, for example, medicines and tool making. Information gathered by our students will be placed on special plaques and placed beside the plants.
School JAECG Representatives
At the end of last year, some of our students help establish a St Patrick's Junior Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.
The Junior AECG (JAECG) is a student committee that is established by the AECG and aims to:
- To ensure Aboriginal Cultures are represented and embedded throughout the school environment and curriculum.
- To empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through real and active participation in school decision-making.
- To provide a platform for Aboriginal student voice.
- To advocate for Aboriginal Education
Congratulations to the students elected to the Executive positions of the JAECG! The students will receive their badges at Monday morning assembly.
Cooper Ballard-Totten - President
Will Bevan - Vice-President
Ryker Henderson – Secretary
Mrs Liz Walker
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Teacher
Library News
Issue 1 Book Club orders have been distributed. We hope everyone is enjoying the purchase.
Books purchased through Book Club earn credits for the school which we use to purchase new books for the library, so we really appreciate your support.
Issue 2 has been distributed, and orders will close Wednesday 26th March. Order through LOOP.
A copy of the brochure can be viewed here.
It is great to see the students borrowing so enthusiastically this year. Keep reminding them fill in their 200 Nights Reading log and once they reach 25 nights they will earn a token.
Mrs Karen Devlin & Mrs Penelope Hale
Library Teacher and Library Assistant
Year 4 News
Miss Emma Wakely & Miss Jasmine Hewitt
Year 4 Teachers
Creative Arts
Music, music, everywhere!
Our students are showing talent, dedication and enthusiasm in their music lessons. Rosco Buchanan, one of our parents and an accomplished professional drummer, joined our Year 5 students last week to teach them some cool rhythms. Thanks, Rosco.
Our Year 4 students have started to learn the ukulele and are having fun with their beginner strumming exercises.
Our Year 5 and 6 students are showing patience and determination as they learn to read ukulele tablature and practice fingerpicking techniques.
I’m so proud of their efforts
Mrs Liz Walker
Creative Arts Teacher
Sport News
Cross Country
Save the date, Monday 7th April, for our School Cross Country at Chapman Oval, Swansea. We will be asking for volunteers to be course marshals on the day. Please email me if you can assist for the morning. If you haven’t yet completed your volunteer registration please see the office.
Pathways Sport
A big congratulations to the following students who have been selected to attend Diocesan Trials for their chosen sport on the 25th of March:
Netball
Sophie Dunn and Imogen Walker
Soccer
Khloe Hansen, Florence de Champlain and William Bevan
Rugby League
Cooper Ballard-Totten and Cooper Brown
We wish them the very best of luck.
If your child is a Weekend Sports Star, please email details and a photo to so we can celebrate their success in our next newsletter.
Mrs Claire Browne
Sport Coordinator
Office News
2025 Fee Information
Parents were emailed a copy of their annual fee account on Tuesday. Please commence payments as per the preferred frequency (weekly, fortnightly or monthly) prior to 31st March and then continue on that frequency to erode the fees over the course of each month and be finalised to a $0 balance by 30th November 2025. In April, any family that has not yet commenced fee payments will be deemed in arrears of the March component of the account.
If you have any queries please contact the office to discuss.
Applications for school travel passes through Transport NSW
The School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) gives eligible school students free or subsidised travel between home and school on NSW public transport, including trains, buses, ferries and light rail.
Depending on where students are travelling, they may receive a free school travel pass, a School Opal card, or both.
Please visit Transport NSW in the link below, to learn about eligibility criteria and apply for a travel pass which will help support transport options for our school community.
https://transportnsw.info/school-travel-apply
Other useful links and resources can be found here.
Volunteering at St Patrick's
If you would like to register to volunteer at St Patrick's, can you please complete the "Volunteer Registration Form" by clicking on the link here.
St Patrick's will be notified by the Catholic Schools Office once you are cleared to volunteer.
If you are unsure if you have clearance, please email the office at admin@swansea.catholic.edu.au to enquire.
Rachelle McKenzie
Senior School Officer
P&F update
The P&F Welcome all members within our school community to join us for our March P&F Meeting, on Wednesday the 12th of March from 6pm in the school Library. We have lots of items to discuss about what's happening & goals for the year ahead for our school, students & wider community.
We have also been very busy planning plenty of events for term 1, including:
Family Bingo Night
Friday March 14th - Tickets are $12 per player & on sale via Qkr. We welcome everyone of all ages to come along for a fun night out with some incredible prizes up for grabs!!
St Patricks Day BBQ Lunch
Monday March 17th from Midday. Lunch menu will be available to order this weekend.
Canteen Training & Tour Morning
Wednesday March 19th from 9:30am in the school hall
Hot Cross Bun Drive
Available to order online now until April 1st, with delivery to our school on the last day of term! All money raised goes towards funding our year 6 students go to their year 6 farewell
Easter Egg donations
We are seeking easter egg donations for our very popular Easter Egg Raffle on Thursday April 10th, coinciding with our Easter Hat Parade. Tickets will go on sale towards the end of March.
If you can help out with one or all, please reach out to the school or directly to our committee via email - stpatrickspf1@gmail.com
Thanks again.
Elise Moncrieff
St Patricks P&F President
