St Patrick's Primary School Pakenham
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136 Princes Highway
Pakenham VIC 3810
Subscribe: https://stppakenham.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Email: principal@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au
Phone: 03 5943 9000

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"That they may all be one, as you Father, are in me and I am in you"

Newsletter for the 26th June 2025

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Newsletter for the 26th June 2025

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!

Ajak FKG, Lily FKG, Chloe FKG, Elena 6TA, Shingo 2WJ, Phoenix 3OM, David 2WJ, James 6TA, Milah FKG, Isabel 5BC, Krystal 6TA

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In class, 5SM have been working on developing the mood in our stories by using strong, descriptive words. Here is a sample of what we wrote after thinking about being Stewards of Creation.

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Thursday 26th June 2025
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Gospel of the Week

 Matthew 16:13-19

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

You are Peter, and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said, ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So, I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

 

Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians,

This week, the Gospel tells us Peter, meaning rock, the foundation - upon which the church will be built. Jesus gives Simon Peter a new identity, but also defines a new community, a new family. This family would last forever; Peter and other members were given authority and 'keys' to the Kingdom of God.

Jesus is going to build his church. This is the first time Jesus uses the word “church” and he will only use it one other place in the Gospel of Matthew. The word “church” simply means “assembly.” Jesus proclaims that on the foundation of the apostles Jesus will build his assembly of saved people.

Tomorrow the school reports will be uploaded onto the Parent Access Module (PAM) for parents to view. This year, the reports will look different, and the main change is that there is no written comment. Please ensure you read the cover letter that is at the front of your child’s school report. There are instructions listed below on how to access the reports. If you have any concerns, please call the office on 5943 9000 or call in to see Megan or Cindy.

This week, St Patrick’s is undergoing its Review process which I have written about in the newsletter this term. Students, all staff and parents were interviewed in this process. The outcome of the school review will see new goals set in the areas of Catholic identity, Learning and Teaching, Leadership-Learning and Teaching, Leadership- Child Safety and Leadership- Resources. I would like to tank all my staff on their valuable contributions to our school. Their tireless efforts do not go unnoticed, and I applaud the work they do in nurturing your child’s academic and social emotional wellbeing.

 

Thank you and God Bless,

Meg

Our Semester 1 school reports are available on PAM for you to review. Below are instructions on accessing them.

1. Select your child profile by clicking on their image

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2. From the drop down menu select Assessment Reports

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3. From here you select action then preview or download and you can view your child's school report.

Please enjoy some recounts of our time exploring Melbourne.

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This week's artist of the weeks come from some of our Year 5 students. Students created Diptych artworks to compare aspects of nature from Australia and Asia. Please enjoy the work from our very talented students.

Mpho 5BC

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Isabel 5BC
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Charlotte 5BC
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DATE ACTIVITY
27/06/2025 Girls AFL 9's- Selected Year 5 & 6 Girls
01/07/2025 Parent Teacher Meetings
02/07/2025 Parent Teacher Meetings
04/07/2025 Last Day of Term 2 - 2.30pm School Finish
21/07/2025 First Day of Term 3
20/08/2025 Book Week Parade
21/08/2025 Pupil Free Day
22/08/2025 TIL Day - Pupil Free Day
11/09/2025 to 16/09/2025 Semper Dental Van Visit

 

Year Level Camp/ Fun Day Dates:

DATE YEAR LEVEL ACTIVITY & LOCATION
30/10/2025 3 Fun Day - St Patrick's Primary
11/06/2025 - 13/06/2025 4 Camp - Phillip Island
16/06/2025 - 18/06/2025 5 Camp - City
25/11/2025 - 28/11/2025 6 Camp - Coonawarra Farm Resort

 

TERM DATES 2025

  First Day Last Day
Term 2 22nd April 4th July
Term 3 21st July 19th September
Term 4 6th October 16th December

  

2025 PUPIL FREE AND TIME IN LIEU DAYS:

The 3 Time in Lieu days ensure that we can manage our commitment for all staff to continue to provide activities such as school camps for our students.
Please note, these dates are separate from our 8 Staff Professional Development days. Those 8 days are for our staff professional learning which will focus on Religious Education, Learning and Teaching and Student Wellbeing.

07/03/2025 Pupil Free Day
06/06/2025 Pupil Free Day
21/08/2025 Pupil Free Day
22/08/2025 TIL
31/10/2025 Pupil Free Day
03/11/2025 TIL
17/12/2025 Pupil Free Day
18/12/2025 Pupil Free Day
19/12/2025 TIL

We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the ANZAC appeal.

The total raised by the schools in our area was $2,593.25 and St Patrick's school contribution was $248.80. This was the 3rd highest in the shire.
The money  raised will be used for veterans and their families welfare throughout the state.
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The Book Fair will be in the Library again this year.

Parents, carers, grandparents are welcome to come in with your child/ren to purchase any book/s. 

Children will come home with a wish list after viewing the books at school. You can send cash with the child or go to the Lamont website www.lamontbooks.com.au  and pay by credit card. These are options if you are unable to come and visit the book fair at school. This year the book fair will be open while parent teacher meetings are on. Your child/ren must be accompanied by an adult.

Book Fairn Dates:

Monday June 30th – Wednesday 2nd July

Monday From 8:30 – 9:00am and 3:00 – 4:15pm 

Tuesday From 8:30 - 9.00am and 3.00 - 7.00pm

Wednesday From 8:30 – 9:00am and 3:00 – 6:00pm

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Thank you again for your support

Health Issues

Once again, we are hitting the Winter season and along with that comes cold and flu. We have also seen an outbreak of Gastro going throughout the school. I ask all parents to PLEASE be very vigilant when it comes to deciding if your child is well enough to come to school. Children with nasty coughs, runny noses, fevers, sore throats and upset tummies need to be kept home and monitored. Sending your children to school will not do them any good, nor will it be wise for the rest of the community. If your child/ren are showing these symptoms, we will be ringing you and asking you to collect them please.

Future Enrolments

This term, once again, we have had multiple inquiries for school tours, in particular for 2026.

With this in mind, can I please ask for any existing families who have younger siblings coming to St Patrick’s in the next few years, to please make sure they fill in their enrolment forms early as possible. St Patrick’s is looking to manage a high demand of places within the school community and places may become limited.

St Francis Xavier College, Officer school tours

If you are looking to enrol your child into St Francis Xavier, Officer, please note these important dates in your calendar.

Officer Campus Talk & Tour – 09.30am – 10.45am 

Tuesday 24 June

Tuesday 12 August

Tuesday 09 September

Tuesday 14 October

Wednesday 12 November

Year 7 2026 Enrolment Interviews

Wednesday 4 June

Wednesday 29 October

Year 7 2027 Enrolment Interviews

Wednesday 2 July

Year 7 2027 Parent Information Evening

Wednesday 7 May 7.00pm

Year 7 2026 Transition Day – Monday

8 December all day

We are selling St Patrick's Primary School branded beanies. These can be purchased for $12.00 from the office.

Perfect for the chilly mornings!

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We use PAM as our main form of communication.  All emails, Student Attendance, Sick Bay notes, School Reports, commonly used forms, excursion/camp permission notes and Family Learning conversations, will all be communicated via PAM.  

Access PAM via this link   Link to PAM 

PAM - Parent Access Module

PAM (Parent Access Module) is our Parent to School communication platform.   PAM will provide real time access to keep parents updated with their children’s progress, important dates and messages. Relevant resources – calendar events, student reports, parent notified absences, absence data and sick bay notes will all be accessed via PAM.

Parents will be able to easily book Parent Teacher interviews through PAM, and access teacher email addresses. 

PAM accounts are linked via your email address that we have in our systems. 

If you have recently changed your email,  please call or email us on office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

Click on the 'forget password' link to set your password and then verify your email address.  (Email addresses must be verified for PAM to work properly).  Once your email is verified, your email can be used as the username for your account.

Once you have successfully logged in, you can save PAM to your homescreen on your device.

If you have any issues or need help with PAM please contact the school via email, office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

PAM Instructions

Parent Notified Absences via PAM

Once you have PAM set up and saved to your home screen you can easily send in Parent Notified absences.   Please use this platform going forward as this automatically syncs with the class roll.   This will fix the issues of receiving SMS notifications even though you had already notified the school. 

Please remember to update your Contact Details, Media Consent Details and any relevant Medical Details for your child if they change.  

Most medical profiles have now been updated. Please remember to keep them up to date and upload any asthma/allergy plans that may be relevant.

To update any contact details please contact the school office. 

SiMON Everywhere is an app our school uses to acces PAM and CDF Pay. We will be sending reminders through this app, as such please download and sign in. There is a guide below for your reference. If you are having any issues please contact Megan McMenamin in the school office mmcmenamin@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

School Fee Statements have been emailed out to most families.   Please check your junk/spam folder if you haven't received it.   As in previous years, all Fees are charged at the start of the year with the expectation that they will be paid by the end of the school year.   This can be done as one payment or instalments, via Direct Debit, Bpay, EFTPOS or cash.   You can find Direct Debit forms in the Knowledge bank section of PAM, or ask at the school office.   If paying by BPay please use the code on your statement to ensure the payment comes off your fees.   

2025 SCHOOL SAVINGS BONUS (SSB)

The School Savings Bonus is a State Government initiative designed to assist
families with cost-of-living pressures. Under this funding, each eligible student is
entitled to a $400 bonus for application towards activity levies and uniform purchases
from approved supplier. Within our school, all CSEF applicants are eligible to receive
this funding. All families who have a Centrelink Health Care Card and have not
applied for CSEF in the past are encouraged to contact the school office and initiate
an application this year. Please refer to the below link for more information:

https://www.vic.gov.au/receiving-school-saving-bonus#non-government-school-
information

Health Care Card and School Savings Bonus

For those families who have an eligible Health Care Card your fees are still being processed with the concession rate to be applied.   If you haven't filled in a CSEF (Camps, Sports, Excursion Funding) form please download the attached form or pick one up from the school office.   This needs to be done as soon as possible so we can receive the funding and apply your concession.   This year it will also affect the allocation of the School Saving Bonus ($400) that the government announced last year.   So the sooner these forms are in the better. 

We have also received more information in regards to the School Saving Bonus which will be sent out soon.  

Bus Travel and Conveyance allowance

Bus travel may be available to some families if they live more than 5klms distance from the school.   Please see the information on the link below. 

The Conveyance allowance is also a government initiative to help support parents with the cost transporting student to school.  To be eligible you must live more than 4.8klms from school and St Patrick's must been your closest Catholic school.   Please fill in the application form below if you think you may be eligible.  These applications have a cut off date of 13th March, so please fill them in as soon as possible. 

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First Holy Communion

“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Lk. 22:19

 "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,”

Mark 14:22-25

Key Dates

Enrolment packs to be collected from the Parish

Tuesday 24th June 2025 – 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm 

Friday 27th June 2025 – 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm

Tuesday 1st July 2025 – 6.30 pm – 7.30 pm

Choice of enrolment dates and times: A fee of $20 will be paid on the day.

Commitment Mass

2nd and 3rd August all weekend Masses

Saturday- 6pm, Sunday -9:00,10:30 and 5pm

All students receiving the Sacrament of First Holy Communion will receive Reconciliation at 11.45 am on 10th September 2025.This will happen during school time.

 

Blessing mass

September 13th and 14th all weekend Masses

Saturday- 6pm, Sunday -9:00 and10:30

Parent Workshop- Fr Elio Capra

Thursday 28th August 2025 at 7.00pm

 

PARENT WORKSHOP (ONLY PARENTS)

IT IS AN EXPECTATION THAT ALL PARENTS OF CHILDREN RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION WILL ATTEND ON THIS NIGHT.

Reflection Day

Friday 10th October at school. (time TBC)

Celebration of the Sacrament

October, Saturday 11th at 6 pm and Sunday 12th at 10:30am

October, Saturday 18th at 6pm and Sunday 19th at 10:30am

 

Bookings for your preferred time and link will be shared in the coming weeks.

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BE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Act 2:1-5)

 

For students in Grade 6 and have received the sacrament of First holy communion

Key Dates

Enrolment packs to be collected from the Parish

Tuesday 13th May 2025 – 1.00pm – 2.00 pm

Friday, 16th May 2025, 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm

Tuesday 20th May 2025 – 6.30 pm – 7.30pm

Choice of enrolment dates and times: A fee of $20 will be paid on the day.

Commitment mass

14th & 15th June all weekend Masses

Saturday- 6 pm, Sunday -9:00 and 10:30  

Parent Workshop

Thursday 21st August 2025, at 7.00 pm

PARENT WORKSHOP (ONLY PARENTS)

IT IS AN EXPECTATION THAT ALL PARENTS OF CHILDREN RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION WILL ATTEND ON THIS NIGHT

Blessing mass

23rd and 24th of August, all weekend Masses

Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 9:00 am and 10:30 am.

Reflection Day at school

Tuesday 26th August. Time TBC

Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation

Saturday 30th August, 3 pm 

 

Bookings for your preferred time and link will be shared in the coming weeks.

 

For more information please contact:

Mary Tresa Andrews

mandrews@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au

Religious Education Leader, St Patrick’s Primary School.

St Patrick’s Primary School will now use a NEW form of CDFpay that is different to the one that we have used in the past. The NEW CDFpay is powered by Flexischools and is an App based system. This is a way of collecting money for any Fundraising, Events and paying for school lunchtime treats like Popcorn for your students. 

Parents and Guardians will need to download the App and register. Instructions on how to register are as follows:

How to register for a CDFpay account

1.    Search ‘CDFpay’ on the App Store (Apple) or Google Play store, download the app, then click ‘Sign up now’ or enter the following link in your web browser:

Look for this App Logo and Download

2.    Enter and confirm your email address, then click ‘Sign up’.

3.    Check your email inbox and follow the prompts to complete your account registration (check junk/spam if lost).

Have questions? Visit https://flexischools.zendesk.com/hc/en-au/ for detailed FAQs or chat to the Flexischools Digital Assistant. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please complete the online Contact Form and Flexischools will get back to you directly. 

When you are set up on the App. you will be able to select the Event, Fundraiser or item to purchase for your student. The school will be notified when the payment is made. 

School Fees will continued to be paid via the Direct Debit arrangement, BPay or via Card in the school office.

Dear parents, guardians and carers

Re: Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

  • year of schooling
  • category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
  • level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

  • formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
  • consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
  • develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.

Artist and producer Kush reflects on almost four years of research into diasporic artmaking, festival-making, and cultural memory. 

Through Rise of South Sudan Music and Arts Festival and a new work, Homecoming, she explores how art can teach us who we were, are, and — most importantly — could be, while strengthening community. Join us for an evening of storytelling, dialogue, and connection.

A lifelong resident of the South East of Melbourne, Kush has become a prominent figure in the local arts scene, staging innovative experiences that spotlight performing artists emerging from the vibrant community. 

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For more information and bookings click on the link:  https://www.bunjilplace.com.au/events/artist-talk-long-way-home-kush-kuiy