Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

We have come to the end of a busy Term 1. Thank you for your support to your child and the school throughout the term. Easter is a special time in the Catholic Church calendar, where we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, following his crucifixion. His resurrection marks the triumph of good over evil, sin and death. It is the singular event which proves that those who trust in God and accept Christ will be raised from the dead.

I hope that you are all able to enjoy the Easter holiday period together as a family and come back refreshed for Term 2.

Sacrament of First Communion

On Saturday evening, Annie Thomas, Lara Thomas, Adele Scicluna, Clare Boyd and Charlie Sammut celebrated the Sacrament of First Communion at the Cathedral in Sale. It was a wonderful celebration with a total of 23 students from across the Parish taking this next step in their faith journey. The students all had a great evening and were proud to receive the body of Christ for the first time.

KidsROAR

On Tuesday, KidsROAR visited St Patrick’s. KidsROAR provide Personal Safety Education lessons based on the Protective Behaviour Themes:

• ‘We all have the right to feel safe at all times’ and
• ‘We can talk to someone we trust about anything, no matter what it is’.

The student program content includes:

• Feelings and emotions
• Know the meaning of consent
• Recognise safe and unsafe feelings
• Early warning signsIdentify and use correct anatomical names of the private parts of their body

• Safe network of trusted adults who they should tell if they are feeling worried or unsafe
• Secrets

St Patrick’s takes child safety very seriously and programs like KidsROAR help all students reduce their vulnerability to abuse and unsafe situations.

Catholic College Sale Principal Visit

Last week, new Catholic College Sale Principal, Brett Van Berkel visited St Patrick’s. Brett is keen to create a strong link between Catholic College Sale and the Catholic Primary Schools in the area. Whilst Brett was here, we discussed our school and how Catholic College Sale can work to support our school and the students as they transition to high school. During his time at the school, he also toured around the classrooms to meet the students and had morning tea with the staff. It was great to have Brett visit and deepen our partnership with Catholic College Sale.

Kinect2Dance

Last week we had Jordyn from Kinect2Dance visit St Patrick’s to run dance sessions with all the students. Each day the students participated in 45-minute sessions where they learnt a couple of dance routines. The students engaged well in the sessions, and this culminated in a dance presentation at the end of the week. It was great to see so many parents and family members attend the final performance. I know your children really appreciate you being there!

State Swimming Finals

Year 6 student, Riley Bartlett, has qualified for the State Swimming Finals in the 50m Breaststroke after winning the event at the Gippsland Region Swimming Carnival recently. Riley is dedicated to being the best that he can be with swimming, training out of Traralgon Swimming Club three mornings and two nights each week. We wish Riley all the best when he competes on Thursday 1^st May, and we look forward to hearing how he goes.

ECSI Survey

Parents were recently sent an invitation to participate in the Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) Survey. Please find below the login instructions for the survey, Whilst, it is not compulsory, I encourage as many families to complete the survey as it provides the school with valuable information.

This month on SchoolTV - Cybersafety

Young people today are growing up in an increasingly connected world where technology is part of their everyday lives –– for learning, socialising, and entertainment. While the digital world offers enormous benefits, it also comes with serious risks. From cyberbullying and online predators to inappropriate content and screen time concerns, navigating the online environment can be challenging for young people and their families.

Cybersafety is not just about blocking access –– it's about empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to use technology responsibly and safely. This includes understanding privacy settings, recognising scams, and developing healthy digital habits. At the same time, it's important for parents and caregivers to stay informed, have open and judgement-free conversations with their children, and lead by example through positive online behaviour.

In today's digital age, safeguarding a child's wellbeing must also include protecting their online life. This edition of SchoolTV will help you better understand the digital landscape your child is navigating and offer practical strategies to help them stay safe, confident and in control online.

Here is the link to your Edition https://stpstratford.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/cybersafety-au

Kind regards,

Joel