Dear Parents and Carers,

School holidays are just around the corner as we wonder where another term has disappeared too! I hope that everyone has a chance to rest and rejuvenate over the school holidays and shake off all the coughs, colds and illnesses that winter typically brings.

PARENT/TEACHER MEETINGS: Thank you to parents and carers for engaging in conversations with their child’s teacher in regard to their learning. We hope the meetings have provided you with great feedback about areas of learning to celebrate as well as areas for future focus. This partnership between home and school is a vital part of your child’s educational journey.

GUNDAGAI PRESCHOOL AND GUMNUT CHILDCARE VISITS: Year 5 are currently enjoying the opportunity to build their leadership skills by visiting both Gundagai Preschool and Gumnut Childcare Centre. It has been wonderful to see our Year 5 students engaging in activities and making connections with these young children. They are great ambassadors for our school!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Our new Executive Director, Mr David de Carvahlo began his new position at CECG last week. Mr de Carvahlo is keen to visit the 56 schools in the Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese, as one of his first priorities. Mr de Carvalho will visit St Patrick’s on Friday 1 August (Term 3, Week 2). We look forward to welcoming David to our St Patrick’s School community.

PPDP LEAVE: I will be accessing the Principal Professional Development Program (PPDP) during Term 3 and will be away from Monday August 25 until Friday 26 September. During this time, I will be participating in some profound spiritual professional development opportunities. As 2025 is the Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope, I will be undertaking several pilgrimages that enable me to deepen my faith, values and sense of purpose as a Catholic school leader.

-Visit to Our Lady of Fatima Shrine

-Walk the Camino (also known as The Way of St James)

-An audience with Pope Leo

-Visit the Holy Doors (only open every 25 years)

-Visit the tomb of Blessed Carlos Acutis, Assisi and Padua

I hope that each of these experiences will have a profound and lasting impact on my leadership and that it will also provide a positive contribution to our school community.

TERM 3: Term 3 commences on Tuesday 22 July for all our students. Staff will return on Monday 21 July for a Professional Development Day. Wishing everyone a warm and wonderful holiday.

Christine Baron

Principal

St Patrick, Pray for us

Last week Harry Ryder, Jasper Rui, Olllie Crowe, Charlie Ryder, Parker Melksham, Dale Paton and Lachlan Hargreaves went to a Chess tournament at St Mary's Young and played seven rounds of chess.  There were students from Tumut, Canberra, Young and Gundagai.  The students were very talented and overall it was a very fun day.  William from Young used a special moved called "castling" castling is a special chess move involving both the king and one rook allowing them to move simultaneously in a single turn. Its the only time two pieces are moved at once.  The king moves two squares either towards the rook (king-side or queen side) the rook then hops over the king to the adjacent square. 

Written by Jasper and Ollie

We have had to change our school photo day to MONDAY 18TH AUGUST due to the next level Athletics Carnival.  We know that Monday's probably aren't the best option but seeing we book 12 months in advance we had limited dates and days to pick.  Please make a note in your diaries for this change of date.  The order forms and envelopes will be sent home this week.  Order can be placed online or filling out the envelope slip and returning with the correct cash.  If you require a sibling envelope please email the office and one will be sent home. 

The NRL Dragons Team will be visiting St Patrick’s on Tuesday 1 July. The Dragons visit will have a positive focus on the theme-‘To be the Best You Can Be’.   This morning some of our brave students and Miss Bartlett met up with the St George Team for a walk around Gundagai. Early start for our little NRL eager group.

Our student amenities build continue to progress well and we are excited to note the new toilet area taking shape. The tiles have been laid, the flooring has been completed, and lighting is being prepared. The new amenities are certainly looking very flash! We look forward to having them ready for students to use in Term 3 (all going to plan!)

A reminder to all parents that students need to be dressed in winter uniform for both school and sport days. The mornings have been particularly cold and frosty lately and we have noticed students dressed in summer sport uniforms. Students are reminded to come to school dressed in their winter sport uniform and can change through the day into shorts or sport tops if the day warms up.

What A wonderful giving community of students, families and teachers we have at St Patrick's!

A huge thankyou to all families for getting behind our Monster Raffle and supporting us in raising money for our mates, Riley, Fletcher, Eddy and Chelsea.

It was so heartwarming to see the true spirit of giving and sharing as our ever growing raffle was drawn on Friday. It was truly a Monster Raffle!! Every child is to be congratulated on the way they embraced the essence of doing something for others. There was much elation as children heard their names called and to see children even gifting to others! 

Thank you to the SRC for giving up their time to sell tickets, families, teachers and The Sisters of Charity for all the generous donations.

This is what makes us so fortunate to have each other and be surrounded by  people who care. Thank you.

We have had a few reports over the last week of missing woollen jumpers. The lost property bin is overflowing with items but they have no names on the jumpers so if anyone is missing sports jumpers or woollen jumpers please let me know.   We have also had a navy blue size 6 wet weather jacket handed in with "Lola" on the name tag. If this belongs to you please email Jacki for it to be sent home. 

We are also looking for 2 woollen jumpers with Isabella Boswell name or Michael written on the tag and inside logo.  If you could have a look at home or in school bags please. 

Just a friendly reminder to please name all items.

Gymnastics - Little Champions

We will welcome back "Little Champions" Gymnastics from Wagga to conduct gymnastic sessions every Thursday in the School Hall for Sport next term

The skills sessions will start in week 1 on Thursday  and Friday, then every Thursday after that for 3 weeks.

Our bell times will be altered slightly to align with CECG Compliance. The new bell times will commence in Term 3.

Bell times will now be:

• Morning Session: 9.00-11.00am (8.55am Warning Bell)
• Recess: 11.00-11.30am (11.25am Warning Bell)
• Middle Session: 11.30-1.05pm
• Lunchtime: 1.05-1.55pm (Warning Bell 1:50pm)
• Afternoon Session: 1.55-3.15pm

Please note that lunchtime will now commence at 1.05pm.

Year 5 students will visit Gumnut Childcare Centre this Thursday 3 July from 10.00am to 10.50am. The students will be driven to and from the centre by Mrs Baron and Mrs Fairall.  Year 5 parents are asked to please provide consent via the COMPASS portal. These visits help build a connection with the Preschool children and help build Year 5’s capacity as our school leaders in 2025.

St Patrick’s will be hosting the finals of the WR Public Speaking competition this year. The finals will be held on Wednesday 6 August (Term 3, Week 3) in St Patrick’s School Hall. More information will be provided

If you are looking for something to do in the school holidays call in and visit the Gundagai Library. The Library have lots of activities to entertain children if you are looking for something for little ones over the holidays. 

The ROAR team at intereach are running a FREE "Youth Lego Masters" event this July school holidays.  

Date : Monday 7th July 

Time : 11.00am - 12.30pm 

Student Age : 12+ 

Limited spaces so bookings are essential. Contact Geoff Dewar on 0417 272 643 or email geoffrey.dewar@intereach.com.au

For any of our students that would love to try a new sport or learn new skills then this clinic will be the one for you. 

Our Gundagai Community have lots of activities over the school holiday period including a NAIDOC Disco being held at the Gundagai District Services Club on Tuesday 8th of July from 1.30pm  - 3.30pm. All Ages welcome. 

Our 2025 Little Learners program will resume again on Friday 1 August (Term 3, Week 2). We have had a great roll up of students each week who are enjoying the interactive activities each week.

Last week Mr Lachlan Hotham completed his Year 10 Work Experience at St Patrick’s School. Mr Hotham was a great asset to our classrooms, and we loved having him at St Patrick’s! We wish Mr Hotham all the best for the future and hope we have convinced him to become an educator. He would be awesome!

Gundagai Preschool children will be visiting St Patrick’s School on Thursday 3 July from 10.00-11.00am. They will join our current Kindergarten class and Mrs Eccleston for a morning of exciting activities.

Tune into "Sounds of the Mountains" radio station (FM94.1) every Wednesday at 2.15pm to hear about what our classes and school have been up to over the week.

Week 10 (2nd July) - Eliza Graham and Leila Gaskin

Congratulations to our Week 8 and Week 9 Class Awards.

Week 8 - Friday 20th June

Kindergarten - Dixie Simpson for great work in Maths when making patterns

Year 1/2 - Charlotte Kennedy for impressive quality and quantity to her writing

Year 3 - Toby Nicholls for always giving tasks 100% and positive working habits

Year 4 - Harrison Barton for exceptional writing

Year 5 - Charlie Ryder for trying hard with all his written work especially with written tasks

Year 6 - Oliver Crowe for increased checking in and acting on teacher feedback 

Week 9 - Friday 27th June

Kindergarten - Lennox Smart for showing great listening behaviour while on the floor

Year 1/2 - Fred Miller for his preposition sentences

Year 3 - Phoenix Rose for always showing independence and initiative 

Year 4 - Max Zhu for excellent oral presentation 

Year 5 - Reuben Smart for quick and accurate calculations in multiplication and division

Year 6 - Indi Cole for using rich volcabulary in all literacy responses - written and verbal

Thank you to the Dads for your hard work during Term 2 of our Meat Raffle at the Family Hotel.  This is a fantastic fundraising opportunity for our school and we appreciate your help.

WEEK 10:

• Monday 30 June 3:30-5.00pm: Parent/Teacher Meetings
• Tuesday 31 June 3.30-5.00pm: Parent/Teacher Meetings
• St George Illawarra Dragons Visit
• Wednesday 1 July 30-5.00pm: Parent/Teacher Meetings
• 40am: Principal’s Morning Tea for Term 1 and Term 2 recipients
• Thursday 3 July:  00-11.00am Gundagai Preschool Visit
•  00-10.50am-Year 5 Gumnut Childcare Centre visit
•  30pm Week 10 Awards Assembly

                                 3:15pm Term 2 concludes

• Friday 4 July: Staff Development Day - NO STUDENTS

TERM 3: WEEK 1

• Monday 21 July: Staff Development Day
• Tuesday 22 July: Students return for Term 3
• Thursday 24 July: Little Champions Gymnastics Classes K-6 (sport uniform as normal)
• Friday 25 July: Little Champions Gymnastics Classes K-6 (please wear sport uniform)

WEEK 2:

• Wednesday: 30 July-NAIDOC Week Mass-McAuley Catholic College
• Thursday 31 July: Little Champions Gymnastic Classes K-6
• Friday 1 August: Little Learners resumes for Term 3
• Executive Director, Mr David de Carvalho’s visit to St Patrick’s

Celebrating a few birthdays over the past two weeks and we would like to acknowledge and send out a Birthday cheer to the following students

21st June - Eliza Graham 

25th June - Bella Huang

27th June - Maeve Ryan 

And a special birthday wish for TODAY 1st July to Lennox Smart

Wishing all of our students, families and staff a safe school holiday period.   We hope you all enjoy the no routines and no lunch boxes for two weeks. 

See you all for Term 3 on Tuesday 22nd July