"That they may all be one, as you Father, are in me and I am in you"
Filter Content
- Class Newsletter - 4VR
- Birthdays
- Principal's Newsletter
- End of Term 1 & Start of Term 2
- Easter Raffle - Donations needed and Ticket Purchases
- DATES TO REMEMBER
- Harmony Day
- ANZAC memorabilia
- Camp Australia -
- CDF Pay by Flexischools
- Sacrament Dates
- Baptism for School Aged Children
- PAM
- Contact, Media Consent and Medical Details
- SiMON Everywhere
- School Fees and Concessions
- Positive Partnerships - Free Workshop
- SchoolTV
- Pakenham Junior Football Club - Players Wanted! - Copy
Welcome to 4VR’s Newsletter
We have been so busy learning this term!
We have written about some of the highlights below.
‘Learning Pit’
We began our year in 4VR talking about strategies that can help us to learn. One thing we learnt was that sometimes we can ‘get stuck’ in our learning but that we should never give up. We can find a way to climb out of the ‘Learning Pit’. The important thing is to have a go and not stay stuck.
Ruth and Achieu: I’ll have a go.
Rebecca: I’ll try my best.
Mach and Alier: I will ask someone for help.
Lachlan: I will try a new strategy.
Javika: Almost there, just keep trying.
Akuoch: I’ve got this!
St Patrick’s Day Recounts
Happy St Patrick’s Day - By Baaz
First we went to the church. It is near our classroom.
Then we had fruit and snack and went out to play.
Next all grades from yellow, green, red and blue house went in groups and did activities. I made a clover, did an escape room and took a look at a sculpture of St Patrick. After that we had a bbq and went to play.
Finally I wrote this recount.
My favourite thing was the escape room.
Happy St Patrick’s Day - By Raine
On the 17th of March 2025 it was St Patrick's Day and we had fun!
First we did prayer and Layla was the one saying which prayer to do. Then we had mass in the church. After mass we learnt a bit about St Patrick like he escaped from the bad people who treated St Patrick like a slave.
After that we all had snack. It was about 10:30 by the time we got back to the classroom and I had some fruits and a chocolate bar.
Then we had recess play. My friends Ruth, Mercy and I played with a little Prep.
After that we did rotations. We all had to go to our house colour and Green House was first with Mrs Andrews.
Next we had our lunch. The teachers planned for us to have some sausages with bread and maybe some tomato sauce. After that we had a late playtime and again I played with my friends Mercy and Ruth and a little prep.
Finally we packed up to go home and it was sooooooo much fun.
I felt really happy and excited because we all had soo much fun.
And we had a really good lunch and I think we all had a really good day!!
Democracy Incursion Recounts
Democracy Incursion - By Aluk
On Friday the 21st of March grade 4VR had an incursion on democracy. At first we all went to the Discovery Room.
Our visitor was named Danny. He taught us about democracy. Democracy means people power which comes from two old Greek words. Danny had slideshows to go through some of Australia's Government levels and the democracy we use - in Australia we use representative democracy. The Federal Government of Australia is the highest level. State governments come next which have Premiers. Lastly we have councils which are local governments.
Next, some of us were selected to have a chance of being our pretend council. Our candidates names were, Healthy, Flowers, Chief, Bricks, Court and Cabbage. All of the candidates read out speeches to the rest of the class. We had time to think about who we would select, and finally we started voting. We had guards ensuring that we were allowed to vote and making sure that we didn't rig the votes. Finally the votes were counted and I was mayor! I was proud of myself and the other candidates. Danny asked if I wanted to let candidate flower be a council member and as a fair mayor of course I said, ‘’Yes!” Five other council members were selected. As mayor I had to wear a black robe, a white ruffle and a gold necklace.
Finally, we had a roleplay on whether dogs should be on a lead or not. Everyone had a say but not everyone could vote. Only us councillors could. All together we agreed that dogs would be allowed off leads only if they’re trained well.
Overall I loved it and learned a lot!
Democracy Incursion - by Joyce
On Friday the 21st Danny came to teach us about Democracy. Democracy is about voting in an election. Voting is about choosing someone to be our Prime minister.
We acted out how to vote. The candidates names were Candidate Chief, Candidate Healthy, Candidate Cabbage, Candidate Flowers, Candidate Court and Candidate Bricks. I was one of the first candidates to speak in the voting but I didn’t get to be the mayor. Aluk was voted to be the mayor and she had to dress up in a robe!
Democracy is from the Greek language people=demos and power=kratos.
We learnt about the three levels of government.
The three leaders of government are mayor, premier and prime minister.
Then we got to act out voting for candidates to become mayor! Candidate Healthy won - Aluk was Candidate Healthy. Aluk became mayor and I was one of the councillors. My name was Councillor Fair. We talked about whether dogs should be on leads at the park. Then only the councillors got to vote on it.
Democracy Incursion - By Aarush
First on Friday morning Danny came for an incursion for democracy and told us all about voting and having a say also all about the council. My class, which is 4VR, we all went to the discovery center (digitech room).
Then we all sat down and he introduced himself. After that we went through the three levels of government which are federal government,state government and local government.
After all that information about democracy six people got chosen to be a candidate for our little democracy voting and pretend council meeting. The candidates were Candidate Bricks, Candidate Flower, Candidate Health, Candidate Chief, Candidate Court and Candidate Cabbage. They all had a speech of their own about why to vote for them off a piece of writing given from Danny. And there were voting officials that operated the voting box and the voting papers. The people that operated the voting papers would ask you three questions. What is your name? Can you vote? Have you voted in this election before? Then they gave us a paper and there were six candidates and all the candidates' jobs. We numbered them one to six by which was our favorite.
Next we put the votes in the votes box and sat down. After everyone delivered their votes in the box we all sat down on the floor and the voting officials counted the votes. Whoever had the most votes would be mayor. At the end Aluk was the mayor.
Then we had a council meeting which I was in. I was the safety councillor. We talked about whether dogs should be allowed off lead in parks. Only the councillors were allowed to vote on it.
Reading
In reading we go into groups and my group is called the Mangoes. We all take it in turns to read to the teacher. Also we have another teacher and her name is Mrs King. We get to talk about words and write sentences. Some other activities we do are answer questions about books, crosswords, cut and match words and Sound Waves spelling games.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!
Evangeline 5BC, Patrick 5SA, Charlotte 6TA, Ezra FGW, Zing 1NC, Ester 1AF
Thursday 27th March 2025
Gospel of the Week
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
Your brother here was dead and has come to life.
The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:
‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.
‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.
‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.”
dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.
‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.”
‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it is only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”’
Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians,
This week, the Gospel tells us in this parable Jesus gives a vivid picture of God and what God is like. God is truly kinder than any of us. He does not lose hope or give up when we stray from him. He is always on the lookout for those who have a change of heart and want to return.
The main theme that Jesus communicates through this parable is God's boundless mercy and love, demonstrating that no matter what sins we have committed, we can always 'return home' and be received with forgiveness. The three primary characters in the story are the father, and his two sons.
The moral lesson that Jesus taught through this parable is to love everybody, especially strangers and those who are in need of help. Like we read in the story about the Good Samaritan and we look at who made the choice to stop and help and who chose to cross the road. It is not for anyone to judge at why people make the decisions they do. We all have our reasons which will be based on previous experiences. If we look through the eyes of Jesus, let’s ray that we try and find the good in everyone.
A HUGE thank you to Louise Breeden for her incredible organisation of today’s Cross Country! This is no easy feat to set this event up for the whole school and every year, she continues to produce a wonderful activity that all students can participate in. Thanks also to my dedicated staff who continue to work hard to ensure that every student is kept safe and has a fantastic day.
Next week, and the first week of Term 2, we will be having our Holy Week Assemblies to which all parents are invited to. The dates and times are as follows:
Holy Week assemblies
All assemblies at 2.00pm in the Stadium
Monday, March 31st - Palm Sunday Foundation (Prep) to Year 2
Tuesday, April 1st -Last Supper Year 4's
Wednesday, April 2nd- Agony in the Garden Year 3's
Thursday, April 3rd- Stations of the cross- Year 6's
Term 2, week 1
Wednesday, April 23rd- The Resurrection by Year 5's
We look forward to welcoming you all to celebrate these very holy occasions.
For those of you who may not be aware, we have a staff member, Mrs Annette Tanner, who is unwell at the moment and if I could ask you, please to keep Annette and her family in your prayers as she battles an ongoing illness. Annette has been a teacher here at St Patrick’s for 15 years.
God Bless
Meg
Future Enrolments
This term, we have had an incredible beginning to the year with 31 school tours being held. Out of these 31, we have had 7 new enrolments this year, inquiries for next year, 2027, 2028 and 2030!
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.
Thank you.
School Advisory Committee (SAC)
SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SAC)-Looking for new parent members
I am looking for some new parents to be a part of the School Advisory Committee. Please let me know if you are interested. This committee meets only 4-6 times per year and as the name suggests, is an ‘advisory committee’, so no other work other than you may be asked to do a prayer and or take the minutes of a meeting. If you wish to be a part of the SAC, please email Meg at mescalante@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au
The role of the SAC is:
The School Advisory Committee operates as the principal consultative and advisory body in the school. The School Advisory Committee is advisory to the principal. This body acts as an adviser on strategic planning, support to the principal, school improvement and development, policy and general leadership, the sole purpose ultimately being to serve and work toward the mission and vision of the school.
The School Advisory Committee provides advice to the principal within the context of this Charter and the vision statement of the school.
- School Advisory Committee Purposes
The purposes of the School Advisory Committee are to:
- act as an advisory body to the principal on matters concerning education in the school
- act as a forum for discussion on matters concerning education in the school
- provide a link between the parish priest, principal, teachers and parishioners in relation to the provision of Catholic education in the parish community
- promote community development by fostering a strong inter-relationship between the parish, the primary school and Catholic secondary colleges.
- School Advisory Committee Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the School Advisory Committee are to:
- promote the Catholic ethos of the school
- provide feedback on and review of school policies
- plan for the future of the school and its ability to accommodate future enrolments
- provide advice on budget planning and finance-related matters
- contribute to the selection process for the school principal
- provide advice on the appropriate provision of faith development and Religious Education programs
- promote child safety in the school
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 13 May
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
Parent Helpers-Term 2
We will be running an induction for any parents who wish to help in the classroom on Tuesday 1st April at 9am in the front office. Please note, any parents wishing to assist in the classroom must have a Working with Children Check. It only needs to be a Volunteer one to assist in the classroom. The school will require a copy of this to keep in our files. We will notify parents of the date once we have finalised it.
ATTENTION PARENTS: School Uniform
I am asking please that all students, to be wearing our proper school uniform. It is important that we maintain a high standard of uniform throughout the school year and to wear it with pride.
I will continue to ask all students to be wearing proper school shoes and uniform right up until the end of the year. Runners are NOT school shoes. Please see pictures below. I understand that students are growing constantly, however they will continue to grow for many more years and so I cannot always accept this as an excuse. We must remember that many students are adhering to the correct standards of school uniform and therefore, it is important that the students and their families please respect this. Secondary schools do not accept poor unform standards.
If finance is a concern when it comes to uniform, please speak to your classroom teacher. St Patrick’s has a very good second-hand uniform shop that you can top up your child’s uniform with. It is a third of the price you would pay at the normal uniform shop, and the money goes straight back to the school.
This is an example of a school shoe to be worn every day, except on sport days/events:
This is a runner and NOT a school shoe
PE Uniform and illness/injury
It is important that students wear the correct uniform and footwear on the day that they have PE. The school polo shirt and sports shorts are the expected clothing along with sneakers with either laces or velcro straps. NO SLIP ON SHOES are permitted due to safety reasons.
If your child is recovering from illness or is suffering from an injury, please advise me as early as possible prior to your child’s lesson day so that the activities can be modified or an alternative learning option can be arranged.
If your child is suffering from a serious injury or recovering from such (eg: broken bone) please send a doctor’s certificate with a date confirming return to normal activity. This assists with maintaining the safety of students which is a priority at St Patrick’s.
Contact can be made by sending along an old-fashioned, handwritten note with your child to give to me during lesson time, through the PAM app or by emailing me directly lbreeden@stppakenham.catholic.edu.auTerm 1 will finish at 2.30pm on Friday 4th April 2025.
What a wonderful start to the 2025 school year it has been!
Our 1st Day back to school for Term 2 will be Tuesday 22nd April 2025
This year our P & F Committee will be running our Easter Raffle. We are requesting donations of Easter Eggs or Easter related items to be handed in to your students classroom.
Tickets are to be purchased through the CDF Flexischools App. Tickets will be $1.00 each or 10 tickets for $8.00.
The raffle will be drawn and announced on Wednesday 23rd April after our Holy Week assembly for The Resurrection.
Thank you and Good Luck!
| DATE | ACTIVITY |
| 28/3/2025 | Year 5 Lifesaving Incursion |
| 01/04/2025 | Parent Helper Induction Session 9am |
| 03/04/2025 | Year 2 Community Visit and Letter Posting |
| 4/4/2025 | Last day of term - 2.30pm finish |
| 22/04/2025 | Term 2 Begins |
| 28/04/2025 | School Photos |
Year Level Camp/ Fun Day Dates:
| DATE | YEAR LEVEL | ACTIVITY & LOCATION |
| TBC | 3 | Fun Day - St Patrick's Primary |
| 11/06/2025 - 13/06/2025 | 4 | Camp - Phillip Island |
| 04/06/2025 | 5 | Camp Information Night - 5.30pm Start |
| 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 1 | 30st January | 4th April |
| 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 |
A highlight of the assembly was a beautiful performance by our Hakha Chin students, who danced to the song Chin Mi Sinak, meaning We are the Chin People, sharing a traditional cultural dance that reflected their heritage.
Dressed in orange and traditional clothing, we embraced the message that "Everyone Belongs." Through music, dance, and heartfelt reflections, we celebrated the strength of our multicultural community and the values of kindness, acceptance, and respect.
A big thank you to our students, teachers, and families for making this day so meaningful. Let’s continue to celebrate diversity and build a welcoming environment for all!
Our Grade 6 Captains will be selling some ANZAC memorabillia
The following items will be available for purchase -
ANZAC Day Pin White $2.00, ANZAC Day Wrist Band $3.00 or ANZAC Day Bronze Pin $5.00
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.
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 |
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 |
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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.
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|
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Blessing mass |
September 13th and 14th all weekend Masses Saturday- 6pm, Sunday -9:00 and10:30 |
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Parent Workshop- Fr Elio Capra |
Thursday 4th September 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. |
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Reflection Day |
Friday 10th October at school. (time TBC) |
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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
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Bookings for your preferred time and link will be shared in the coming weeks.
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 mass |
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 |
|
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 |
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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 and 6 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.
Parents who would like to have their children baptised are required to attend baptism preparation. Please enroll through the parish website https://stpatrickspakenham.com.au/
For further details and assistance please contact
Mary Tresa Andrews
Religious Education Coordinator
Have you logged into your PAM account yet!
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/
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.
SPECIAL REPORT: Social Media & Comparison Culture
Young people today are growing up in a world where exposure to other people's lives is constant. Through social media and other platforms, they are regularly presented with curated highlights - from flawless holiday photos and academic milestones to the latest fashion trends and fitness achievements. This continuous stream of idealised content fuels what is known as comparison culture, where self-worth is often measured by how someone stacks up against others.
For children and adolescents, who are still figuring out who they are, this culture can be particularly damaging. Constantly comparing their appearance, achievements, or social standing to friends, influencers, and even strangers can lead to unrealistic expectations and a skewed sense of self-worth. This relentless need to measure up can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and anxiety - undermining both confidence and emotional wellbeing.
It's vital that parents and caregivers understand how deeply comparison culture can influence a child's self-perception and sense of value. Left unchecked, it can foster perfectionism and a dependence on external validation, where a 'like' or comment becomes the measure of their worth.
The good news is, families have a powerful role to play in helping young people navigate these challenges. This Special Report will help you empower your child to build the resilience and confidence needed to navigate today's comparison-driven world and embrace their own unique path.
Here is the link to your Special Report https://stppakenham.
