Year Level Camp/ Fun Day Dates:

TERM DATES 2025

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.

Please enjoy some artwork from our talented St Patricks Artists!

Krystal FGW

Elias FGW

Zion FKG

Paul FGW

Four seasons in one day for the Pakenham District Cross Country Event held on Wednesday this week! Students from St Patrick’s displayed determination, resilience, courage and true Team Spirit as they ran and cheered at Toomuc Reserve. Students experienced true cross country conditions as the rain came in for a few of the events. This did not deter the team from putting in their best effort, cheering and celebrating their team mates at every point of the day. 

Well done to all students who demonstrated commitment and persistence leading up to event day, with many taking up the opportunity to build their running capacity at Active Club, lunch breaks or in their own time. All students should be proud of their achievements in what were challenging conditions. 

Congratulations to Amity H (6NB), Luke N (6NB), Charlie M (6TA), Lewis F (4MR) and Shay (4MR)

These students will now have the opportunity to represent St Pat’s at the Cardinia Division Event which will occur on Wednesday May 28th at the same venue. Permission for this event will be available via PAM shortly. We wish these students well as they stride into the next level of competition. 

Students were supported by several staff members and parents on the day. Thank you to Belinda Couch, Jake Richardson, Neesha Bateson, Sharon Blackwood, Paul Beswick and Karen Langen for supporting the students on the day, and to family and friends who attended to cheer and support the whole team. 

Stay Active!

Louise Breeden

Holy Week Assembly: Embracing Human Dignity and Unity

Our school community gathered to reflect on the profound events leading up to Easter, emphasising the enduring values of human dignity, inclusiveness, and renewal.

• Palm Sunday by Foundations to Grade 2 

• Highlighted the universal call to unity, showcasing diverse cultural expressions of faith. Students explored how Palm Sunday traditions embody collective hope and inclusiveness, reminding us of the shared joy in welcoming Christ.

• The Last Supper by Grades 3 and 4 

Reflections centered on Jesus' acts of welcoming and forgiveness during His final meal. This moment underscored the importance of embracing others with compassion and the transformative power of forgiveness in our daily lives .

• Stations of the Cross by Garde 6 

Through meditative reflections, students connected Jesus' suffering with contemporary issues of human dignity. The journey emphasized the call to uphold the inherent worth of every individual, especially those marginalized in today's society .

• Easter Sunday by Grade 5

 Celebrations culminated in the joyous message of resurrection and new life. Students were inspired to embrace hope and renewal, recognizing Easter as a time to recommit to living out the values of love, justice, and unity in the modern world.

Through these reflections, our assembly honored the sacred traditions of Holy Week and inspired a more profound commitment to embodying its teachings in our contemporary lives.

Thank you to all the families who joined us for our Term 2 Community Meeting on Tuesday! It was a wonderful opportunity to share important updates and strengthen our school community. A highlight of the morning was our mini Mother’s Day lucky draw—congratulations to the lucky winners!

We are committed to supporting families with limited English and ensuring that everyone feels a strong sense of belonging. Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to seeing you at future events. All families are always welcome!

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. 

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

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
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.

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.

This past week the Scholastic brochures were handed out in class. All orders are made online via Book Club LOOP. Please follow the link below to make your purchase.

All purchases must be made before Thursday 15th May. 

https://www.scholastic.com.au/book-club/book-club-parents/

SPECIAL REPORT: Shaping Healthy Masculinity

In today's fast-moving world, many boys are struggling to find direction. Even well-meaning online searches about fitness, confidence or relationships can lead them to content that promotes rigid or unhealthy ideas about masculinity. The critically acclaimed TV show 'Adolescence' has brought fresh attention to this issue, highlighting how boys are often exposed to messages that glorify toughness and dominance, while dismissing empathy and emotional openness.

These outdated beliefs can limit emotional growth and impact how boys relate to others - with real consequences in schools, homes and communities. That's why it's more important than ever to guide boys with care, clarity and connection.

By offering healthier role models, safe spaces to talk, and encouraging respectful friendships - especially across genders - we can help boys develop the confidence, empathy and relationship skills they need to thrive.

This special report calls for a cultural shift and advocates for curiosity-driven dialogue that builds trust and critical thinking. The goal is to raise boys who are not just resistant to harmful influences, but actively capable of questioning and rejecting them. 

Here is the link to your Special Report https://stppakenham.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-shaping-healthy-masculinity-au