Dear Parents and Caregivers

As we reach the end of another exciting semester here at St Patrick’s College, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for the remarkable dedication and enthusiasm demonstrated by our incredible students. It has been an honour to serve this community as the Acting Principal and witness the incredible growth and achievements of community throughout this term.

I would like to congratulate our students, for their commitment to their studies and willingness to embrace the opportunities presented to them. They have shown an incredible thirst for knowledge, actively participating in class discussions, and consistently pushing themselves to achieve their personal best.

Furthermore, I must commend our students for their outstanding involvement in extra-curricular activities. Whether it was, Debating, Rugby, Theatresports, Football Chess, Music, a role in the musical or any of the countless opportunities; their passion and dedication have been nothing short of inspiring. They have showcased their talents and enriched our school community with many memorable moments, and for that, I am immensely proud.

None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the unwavering support of our parents and caregivers. Your encouragement, involvement, and belief in our school and its mission have been invaluable. From attending and volunteering at school events, to providing a nurturing home environment that fosters learning, you have been instrumental in the success of our students. Thank you for entrusting us with the education and well-being of your children.

All Student Reports will be available to families on Friday, 23 June. This presents a wonderful opportunity for you to sit down with your son/s and review his report card together. Take the time to acknowledge your son's accomplishments and recognise the hard work and dedication he has put into his studies. I encourage you to celebrate his successes and let him know how proud you are of his achievements. This positive reinforcement will not only boost his confidence but also encourage him to continue striving for excellence.

It is also an important opportunity to have an open and constructive conversation about areas where improvements can be made. Help your son to identify any challenges he may have faced during the semester and guide him in setting realistic goals for the future. As always, our dedicated staff are here to support you and your sons.  If there are any concerns, the next opportunity to engage with your son's teacher will be the Online Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, 25 July. Information regarding Parent Teacher Conferences will be published on REALM. The booking window will open on Wednesday, 19 July at 7.00pm and close on Monday, 24 July at 8.30am.

At the end of the Semester, we farewell Ms Kucks and Mr Calvino who have completed contracts for staff on leave. On behalf of the St Patrick’s College we say thank you to the following fulltime staff who are leaving our College: 

• Mrs Demetria Karydas - Café Staff (16 Years Retirement)
• Ms Pam Harvey Café Staff (4 Years)
• Mr Andrew Szabo – Teacher (11 Years Retirement)

We thank these staff for the wonderful contribution they have made to our community and in particular the impact they have made. We wish them well as they begin the next chapter of their professional journey.

MAJOR WORKS and IMPROVEMENTS

The College is embarking on a number of major building projects that will impact the College during the upcoming winter break. These include:

IT Server Outage

There will be a major outage of IT during the week beginning Monday 26 June – 1 July. This will impact access to major platforms for Staff, Parent and Students. access to all platforms. Access to various platforms will return progressively as servers become operational. We hope the full access returns on 1 July 2023.
The biggest impact on families will be access to student reports. 

Students Reports will be released for families on Friday, 23 June as per usual, however, this will only allow two full days of access before REALM systems go offline.  Reports will be accessible once REALM is back up on Monday, 3 July. 

Morven Refurbishment

As our students depart this Friday, renovations on the downstairs area of the Morven building will begin in earnest and will be completed approximately for the start of Term 4. In the interim the following movements will be operational from 19 June 2023:
Main Office – Seaview Building which will include the following:

• Main Reception
• College Principal
• College Deputy Principal 
• PA’s to Principal and Deputy
• College Receptionist  

Back Oval replacement

Work will commence on Monday, 19 June to replace the synthetic grass on the back oval. This work is dependent on the weather, it is anticipated that it will take approximately 3 weeks and be ready for the beginning of Term 3.

Winter Break Happenings

Over the winter break we have a number of tours or activities running. I would like to wish all those who are participating in these activities all the very best and congratulate them on their selection.

• Confraternity Rugby League Carnival 26 – 30 June
  The annual Confraternity Carnival will be held in Brisbane this year hosted by St Laurence’s College. We wish the Students and Staff all the best for this prestigious Rugby League competitions.
• Melbourne Tour 26 – 30 June
  The Inaugural Melbourne Educational Tour will depart on Monday 26 June. The week has been organised to provide a cultural and informative experience in Melbourne and the surrounding region including visiting the MCG, Melbourne Goal, Ballart Gold Fields and the food precincts of Carlton.
• Music Tour 21 – 25 June
  Students and Staff depart on Wednesday 21 June to complete their annual Music Tour on the Sunshine Coast. These talented Students and Staff will engage in music workshops and perform at Stella Maris and Siena College. We wish all involved the very best and look forward to the feedback when they return.

I would like to thank the Mr Polich, Mr Sikich, Mr McNally, and Ms Albury who have organised and are responsible for these tours. Thank you also to the Staff who are attending these activities as their contribution and attendance is appreciated.

Term 3 Important Dates

• Monday 10 July 2023 – All Classes Resume
• Thursday 13 July 2023 – Student/Tutor Group Photos Friday 14 July 2023 Interhouse Track and Field
• Saturday 15 July 2023 Trial Basketball/Rugby League/ Tennis Trial Iona College
• Thursday 20 July 2023 – Spirit Assembly Basketball/Rugby League/ Tennis
• Saturday 21 July 2023 – Round 1 Padua Tuesday 25 July 2023

Parent Student Conferences College Satisfaction Survey 2023 – Date Claimer

In 2021, the College entered an arrangement with our network of Edmund Rice schools in Queensland to conduct regular surveys designed to gauge community school satisfaction.

In 2022, that process involved a survey of staff, our incoming Year 5 and Year 7 as well as our graduating Year 12. We repeat these last two surveys annually. This year we are checking on the whole school student population along with parents.

We use this feedback to make reports to the School Advisory Council and to government, but more crucially, feedback helps us to plan better for the future. As our Strategic Plan is coming to an end, the information gathered is a valuable source of information in the development of the new College Strategic Plan.  

An external consultant, Mr Michael Elphick, assists us with the process and in the first weeks of term 3, parents, carers and guardians will receive an invitation to participate in a Parent Satisfaction Survey.  The survey will arrive from Michael via a platform known as ‘survey monkey.’

Participants are not identified to the school and there is an opportunity for parents to comment if they wish. The College would encourage all parents, carers and guardians to participate.

As Acting Principal, I would like to thank you all for your support throughout the Term. It has been an absolute privilege and honour to lead this great College during Term 2. Thank you once again for an incredible semester. I look forward to seeing you all in Term 3, refreshed and ready to embark on new adventures together.

Live Jesus in our Hearts

Mr Frank Torrisi
Acting Principal