2025, Term 2, Week 6 Newsletter

Child Safe Statement and Commitment

The Child Safety Officers at St Patrick's are Tegan McDonald and Shona Louden. slouden@spkoroit.catholic.edu.au

Acknowledgement of Country

Prayer

God of Love, You are the creator of this land and of all good things.

We acknowledge the pain and shame of our history and the suffering of peoples – especially the grief of those who were taken as children from their homes and families, taken from all they knew and loved.

We ask your forgiveness.

We thank you for the survival of Indigenous cultures.

Give us the courage to acknowledge the realities of our history so that we may build a better future for our nation.

Teach us to respect all cultures.

Teach us to care for our land and waters.

Help us to share justly the resources of this land.

Help us to bring about spiritual and social change to improve the quality of life for all groups in our communities, especially the disadvantaged.

Help young people to find true dignity and self-esteem in the ways of your Spirit.

May the power of your love be the foundation on which we build our families, our communities and our nation.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Principal's Message

Dear parents and carers,

Our door is always open...

Ongoing drought conditions continue to impact many families across South West Victoria and our local St Pat's community, particularly those working in farming and related industries. We understand the strain that these circumstances can place on our families, and remain committed to ensuring that no child’s access to an education is affected.

If your family is experiencing hardships, please know that confidential financial support is available. I encourage you to reach out – my door is always open for a chat, whether it's to talk things through or to explore ways we may be able to assist.

Please also take a moment to look at the flyer below for a free event supporting farmers in South West Victoria. It's a great opportunity to connect, recharge, and feel supported by the wider community.

Last week was full of exciting events across the school!

We kicked off with our Foundation Information Night for 2026 families—a great chance to welcome new faces and showcase our classrooms.

Tuesday saw our first Learn and Explore morning, with future Foundation students enjoying the play space, Zen Den, and playground. We look forward to seeing them again on Wednesday 28th May and Friday 6th June, from 9:30–10:30 AM.

On Thursday, we hosted the Biggest Morning Tea with Koroit Playgroup and St Pat’s, raising $531 for the Cancer Council. Highlights included:

• A live Coast FM broadcast – thanks Miss Hamilton!
  
  
• A delicious cheese platter from Cheese World
  
  
• Treats by our Hands On Learning students
  
  
• A PMP course run by Year 5/6s
  
  
• Prizes donated by the playgroup – congrats to Sam Mahony (1st) and Spencer Wood (2nd)!
  
  

Don’t forget – the School Disco is this Friday, 30th May! Get ready for music, dancing, and lots of fun! Parents are invited to meet at Dukes for a meal during the disco! See flyer below.

Kind regards,

Tegan McDonald 

Principal

This week we are sharing what SWPBS looks like at St Pat's when we are out in the Play Areas.

NEW PODCAST EPISODE – LIVE FROM THE BIGGEST MORNING TEA!

In this heartwarming episode of the Learning Lounge Podcast, we recorded live at the Biggest Morning Tea, proudly co-hosted by St Pat’s Koroit and Koroit PlaygroupThe morning was a true celebration of community, with delicious treats lovingly prepared by our amazing Hands on Learning students. We were joined by Coast FM and supported by Cancer Council Victoria all coming together to raise awareness and funds for a great cause. Tune in to hear the energy, stories, and spirit that made the day so special. Listen now

Enrolment Information

Enrolments close soon, and acceptance letters will be sent out along with your Foundation interview time and date in early Term 3.

Managing Screen Time

Many parents have reported excessive screen time as the number one health concern affecting kids, especially now in the hyperconnected world we live in. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that there should be no screen time at all for children under two, less than an hour a day for children aged from two to five, and less than two hours for five to 17 year olds. However, these guidelines have been disputed by experts and often ignored by families. Parents must play an important role in modelling a positive approach to using screens, and assisting children to navigate the content they access.

NCCD Information

Student Awards

Congratulations to the recipients of the Student Awards, announced at assembly last week:

Room 1

Harper Buchanan: For your amazing counting this week. It is wonderful to see your confidence begin to shine through. Keep up the great work! 

Leo Clissold: For always showing enthusiasm and focus during floor time and learning activities. You listen carefully, contribute thoughtful ideas, and show a love for learning every day. Keep up the fantastic effort!

Room 2

Scout Buchanan: You’ve done an amazing job with your writing this week, and I am so proud of how hard you’ve worked! You’ve used what you’ve learned, and you’ve made your sentences shine. Keep being awesome, the world needs your sparkle!

Layla Briggs: Your enthusiasm and hard work are really shining through! You've made such amazing progress in your school work, especially in your writing. It's clear you're having fun learning new things and showing everyone your fantastic work. You're a superstar Layla, keep on shining!

Room 4

Lenny Stonehouse for being a wonderful listener and a great role model in wellbeing this week! Well done Lenny.

Annie McMahon for consistently being a great friend and always encouraging of respectful and responsible behaviour. You model this beautifully Annie, keep it up!

Room 5

A huge congratulations to the whole class for planning and delivering such an outstanding assembly this week! Your hard work, teamwork, and confidence truly shone through – well done!

Ryker Lane: Thanks for always showing up with a big grin, a positive attitude and a helping hand. You give everything a go, try your best and support your classmates without hesitation. You’ve taken Grade 3 in your stride and should be incredibly proud of yourself. Well done Ryker!

Room 6

A huge congratulations to the whole class for planning and delivering such an outstanding assembly this week! Your hard work, teamwork, and confidence truly shone through – well done!

Room 7

Zephyr Lane: You have really stepped it up this term and are showing some exceptional leadership skills. Your efforts and focus during our literacy unit have been impressive, and it’s been great to see your skills and knowledge continue to grow. During our recent Leadership Day, you stepped in seamlessly—despite missing an entire day—and immediately made a positive impact, helping to guide your team with confidence. Keep up the great work!

Mazie Fechete: Mazie, thank you for always being amazing! You consistently give 100% effort in everything you do and are always ready to help out with a smile. Your positive attitude, kindness, and hard work make a big difference in our classroom every day. Keep being amazing!!

Canteen & Cake Raffle

The Canteen & Cake Raffle are coordinated by our P&F.

Canteen operates at lunchtime on Wednesday and Friday.  Wednesday is sales of  icy-poles and snacks and Friday includes distribution of lunch orders. 

Click here to sign up for the Term 2 Canteen Roster

Cake Raffle is just something for fun! Students can purchase tickets in the classroom on Friday mornings for 20cents and the raffle is drawn by a student from the family who has supplied the cake.  "Cake" is a general term - the prize does not have to be home made and you can choose to bring whatever you like biscuits, slice or chocolates.

Click here to sign up for the Cake Raffle Roster

Assembly Roster

Lost Property & Second Hand Uniform

We've cleared out some long term items from the Lost Property but we don't want to refill it - please remember to label your uniform items so your uniforms don't end up here!

Second Hand Uniform

Please speak to Becc Sanderson 0423 956 556 if you wish to purchase or donate some preloved items of uniform.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Neve Harlock and Remi O'Connor who have celebrated their birthday this week.  We hope you had a fantastic time celebrating with family and friends!

Star of the Sea - Parish Bulletin

Dates to Remember

Please refer to the public calendar on the school website for the most up to date calendar items.

https://www.spkoroit.catholic.edu.au/news-events

Community News