Celebrating Community
By Mrs Liz Illingworth, Principal
Being a member of the vibrant St Patrick’s College community continues to excite me and bring new opportunities for encounters, conversations and interactions with the many young people who are the central focus of our College. As Term 1 draws to a close with our holidays commencing next week, to say the term has been exciting and full of opportunities would be an understatement.
Recently I was able to attend the Head of the River Regatta and spend the day with our Rowing community. St Patrick’s College had several wins and placings on the day - well done to all Rowers. Congratulations to Rowing Captains, Jack Clark and Ashlee Cherry for leading the team over the season and for the excellent results obtained. It was a pleasure to be at Lake Barrington last week and watch the outstanding teamwork, effort and companionship that is a part of this sport.
Congratulations to our Senior Boys Tennis team, captained by Campbell Young, for making the NSATIS Final. The boys played a great match against a strong Marist team, going down 4-2. Highlights included seeing the excellent competitive play from our boys, which was matched by their outstanding sportsmanship. Well done to Campbell and Thomas Chambers for their individual wins.
Congratulations also to our Senior Girls Basketball team, who played off in the NSATIS Basketball final against St Brendan-Shaw College. This was a great game, with the girls going down 58-32 in a competitive display. Well done to Basketball captain Keely Morrison for leading the girls.
Our Year 7, 8 and 9 Cricket teams are all performing well. There have been many fantastic team performances already this season, with one round to go before the break. Congratulations to Harry Page, who made an outstanding 50 last weekend. When the innings ended and Harry walked off, it was great to see how his teammates supported and encouraged him - they were genuinely pleased and excited for him. To me, this is so much about what sport and other extracurricular activities can provide.
As well as all these sporting activities, our Debating teams are performing very well. Last week, our Senior team had a close victory against St Brendan-Shaw College. Congratulations to Elenoa Ravai, Jack Adams and Otto Middleton, ably supported by Elena Darby-Rodriguez and Evan Williams.
As we conclude Week 8, it is exciting to let you know the School of Rock is coming together well. The commitment of the staff and students involved is outstanding, and the run-through over the last weekend was brilliant. I hope you all have secured tickets for the show, which runs from May 3-5 at the Princess Theatre.
Year 8 campers returned last Friday from their House camps. Being lucky enough to visit MacKillop More and MacKillop Barry on camp was a highlight of my week. Seeing the staff and students working together, helping each other out, cooking, eating and playing together demonstrated the amazing relationships that can form through such fantastic experiences.
The past week our Year 11 and 12 students have taken part in their Retreat. These were amazing opportunities for our Seniors to explore their personal spirituality, reflect and continue to develop connections with their peers.
Term 1 has certainly been busy and I would like to this week acknowledge the St Patrick’s College staff who work to ensure that our students have so many diverse opportunities to grow and flourish. I wish to acknowledge our students who have been exceptional this term and thank you, our parents/guardians, for the support you provide to your children and that you give the College.
Why Share all These Positive Experiences?
St Patrick’s College is a Catholic college. Choosing to be a part of our community involves choosing all that the College represents. My experiences across this first term would certainly suggest that those who choose to embrace all aspects of the College, those who wear our uniform with pride, those who attend and participate in everything that is on offer, those who engage fully in their studies, and those who choose to push themselves to be their best, are certainly the members of our community who gain the most.
Having high expectations of your children; expecting them to give their best, wear their uniform with pride, participate and show respect, will help them flourish and to be their best self.
Validations Survey
School Validation occurs every five years. Validation provides assurance about the ongoing improvement of the College, and in 2023 this will have a particular focus on learning and assessment. In order to focus on continuous improvement, we need to know what our parents, staff and students feel about the College.
Parents/guardians should have received a Survey on Monday, 27 March. This survey is conducted independently, and all data we receive is anonymised and confidential.
We ask that you please take the 10-15 minutes required to complete this survey to support us in ensuring we provide the best environment and education for all students in our care.
Thank you in anticipation for your time.
Holy Week and Easter
Next Thursday is Holy Thursday. As a College, all students will participate in a liturgy journeying across Holy Week. Holy Week is the most important week in the Church's year. It is a time when we celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We remember his actions, reflect on his messages and recommit to living as his disciples in the world today.
Thank you to all for your support and commitment to the College during Term 1.