Wednesday 18th March at 9:15am - St Patrick's Day Liturgy followed by Official School Opening of St Pat's 'Garden of Harmony'
Wednesday 25th March at 7:00pm - Annual General Meeting
Students recently brought home their Student Update Form, ICT Agreement, and Photo Permissions Form.
Please return all forms if you have not already. Any questions please contact the front office.
TERM 1: TUESDAY 27 JANUARY 2026 - THURSDAY 9 APRIL 2026 (11 WEEKS)
Good Friday 3 April (Public Holiday)
Easter Monday 6 April (Public Holiday)
End of Term for Students Thursday 9 April
Student Free Day Friday 10 April
Autumn School Holidays - Saturday 11 April - Sunday 26 April
FROM THE LEADERSHIP TEAM
From the Principal - Catherine O'Dea
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members
It has been wonderful to watch the landscaping project at the front of our school take shape. The new entrance, productive garden beds, and peaceful shelter are already helping transform this area into a welcoming and calming space for our students, families, parishioners, and visitors. Our hope throughout this project has been to create an outdoor environment that supports sustainability, encourages time in nature, and offers special places for reflection and connection. We are still waiting for some of the final features to be installed.
We are delighted to share that the official opening of the St Patrick’s Garden of Harmony will be held on Sunday 15 March, following the 8:30am Family Mass. We will also celebrate the new space as part of our St Patrick’s Day festivities on Wednesday 18 March, following the 9:15am Mass. We look forward to welcoming you into this beautiful new area of our school community.
Our Walking Together at St Pat’s Family Evening was a wonderful success. It was fantastic to see so many families join us, engaging in classroom activities, meeting teachers and educators, and connecting with one another. The sense of community throughout the evening was truly heart-warming, and we are grateful to everyone who came along and contributed to such a positive and joyful atmosphere.
This week has been a very special one for our St Patrick’s community as we begin the season of Lent. On Sunday, our staff were formally commissioned at the Family Mass at St Patrick’s Church. This was a beautiful celebration, made even more meaningful as it coincided with the Lunar New Year celebrations for our Vietnamese parishioners.
Throughout the week, our students have also taken part in important Lenten traditions. On Tuesday, we enjoyed cooking and sharing pancakes together for Shrove Tuesday—a simple but joyful way to prepare for the season ahead. Yesterday, our whole school gathered for Ash Wednesday Mass, marking the beginning of Lent with prayer, reflection, and a sense of unity.
Enjoy the cooler weather.
Warm regards
Catherine
Thank you for coming to our 'Walking Together at St Pat's Family Evening'
We had a fantastic turnout for our Walking Together with St Pat's Evening! Families and children enjoyed completing the map activity, joining in the raffle, and sharing a sausage sizzle together.
A big congratulations to our happy prize winners, who took home a coffee machine, a book pack, and a school uniform voucher!
We are grateful to everyone who came along, engaged with our staff, and helped make the afternoon such an enjoyable start to the school year. Your support and involvement strengthen the strong partnership between home and school.
Thank you for being part of this special event!
From the APRIM - Rachael DeTullio
Beginning of Year Mass - “Together in All Things Love”
Our school community gathered to celebrate the Beginning of Year Mass, presided over by Monsignor Minh Tam. This special occasion marked the start of the new school year and set the tone for our theme: “Together in All Things Love.”
During the Mass, our Reception students and Year 6 students received a special blessing, symbolising God’s guidance, care, and love throughout the year. The whole school participated with joy and reverence, joining in prayers, hymns, and reflection.
The Mass was a beautiful reminder of the importance of community, compassion, and supporting one another. As we begin this year, we look forward to living out our theme—being together in all things with love, in our learning, our friendships, and our daily actions.
May this year be filled with faith, kindness, and a strong sense of belonging for every member of our school community.
Shrove Tuesday at St Patrick's School
Our school community came together to celebrate Shrove Tuesday with the much-loved tradition of sharing pancakes. The delicious pancakes were expertly cooked by Thomas and Matt, who arrived early to prepare fresh batches for all students to enjoy.
Our Year 6 leaders did a wonderful job assisting with the organisation and serving, helping classes collect their pancakes and toppings with care and responsibility. Their leadership and willingness to serve others truly reflected the spirit of the day.
Shrove Tuesday reminds us of the importance of reflection, preparation and generosity as we begin the season of Lent. It was a joyful way to gather as a community, share a treat, and look ahead to the Lenten journey together.
Thank you to everyone who helped make the morning such a success!
Warmly,
Rachael
Staff Commissioning Mass
Last Sunday, our St Patrick's School staff attended our Staff Commissioning Mass at St Patrick’s Church. A big thank you to Father Olek and the Croydon Park Parish community for hosting us, blessing our staff and commissioning both returning and new members for the year ahead.
This year’s Commissioning Mass also coincided with the parish’s Lunar New Year celebrations, making the occasion an especially joyful gathering for the church community.
We are grateful to begin 2026 together in faith, service and community.
Invitations
We have had so much happening at St Pat’s, and we’re excited to continue growing together in all things love! You are invited to join us for the official opening of our new Garden. We would love to see our families come along and celebrate this wonderful improvement to our school community.
We also invite all Parents and Caregivers to attend our Annual General Meeting.
Come along to hear about what’s happening at St Pat’s and how we are continuing to grow as a community. Parents and Caregivers are encouraged to nominate for a position on the School Advisory Board—a great way to support and contribute to our school’s future.
Please download the School Advisory Board nomination form here.
We hope to see you there!
Please find the St Patrick’s Term 1 planner.
This document will be updated as required and will be made available on our website.
Children’s University 2026 - Registrations Now Open!
We’re excited to share that registrations for Children's University Adelaide 2026 are now open at St Patrick's School!
Children’s University is a fantastic, family-supported program that encourages children to explore learning beyond the classroom. Students can participate in a wide range of educational, cultural, sporting and community activities outside of school hours, record their efforts in their Passport, and even attend a special graduation ceremony to celebrate their achievements
Membership Fee: $16.50 (inc. GST) per student. Includes one Passport (replacement Passports $7.70 inc. GST)
Final cut-off for late registrations: Friday Week 9, Term 1
Families can register using the QR code:
We encourage all interested students to join and start their learning journey beyond the classroom!
Limited enrolments now available
We are grateful for the wonderful community we share at St Patrick’s, and we’re excited to announce that limited enrolments are now open for 2026 and beyond, including mid?year intake.
If you know friends or relatives looking for a nurturing, supportive school where children feel encouraged and ready to learn, we’d love for you to share your positive experiences. Your word of mouth truly helps our community grow.
We warmly welcome new families to join us anytime. Come and see our school in action: book a tour today and discover the difference St Patrick’s can make for your child.
We invite your friends and family to book a school tour now and explore what St Patrick’s has to offer.: School Tours, St Patrick's School
Canteen Update
OPEN - Monday, Thursday & Friday
We have updated our Eating and Canteen arrangements:
The canteen is open only during the later eating break for snack purchases.
It is not open during the first break for over?the?counter sales.
Lunch orders will be delivered at 11:30am for the main eating time.
All orders can be placed through QKR.
Please place orders on the QKR app before 9:00am.
Our canteen also has a new, healthier menu, created in line with the Right Bite Food Policy, and it is now available on QKR.
Please keep these changes in mind when planning and packing your child’s meals.
UNIFORM SHOP
OPEN - MONDAY, THURSDAY & FRIDAY
8.30am - 10am
Please ensure your child is wearing the correct uniform.
PLAYGROUP
Playgroup - All Welcome!
Invite your friends and come join the fun!
St Patrick’s Playgroup is a warm, welcoming space for families with children under 5 years.
Tuesdays & Fridays (during school terms)
9:00am - 11:00am
33 Dudley Street, Mansfield Park SA
Playgroup SA has partnered with the Office for the Early Years (Department of Education) to offer free development checks for children aged 12 months to 4 years. These checks celebrate milestones and help monitor your child’s development. Please note: this is not a health check.
To learn more or book a development check, contact Chau Tran - 8303 4500.
A free, fun, and supportive space for little ones to play, learn, and grow!
LITTLE PADDY'S TRANSITION PROGRAM
At St Patrick’s School Mansfield Park, we are proud to offer Little Paddy’s Transition Program—a complimentary and supportive introduction to school life for all children beginning Reception.
This program is designed to help young learners build confidence, develop early routines, and feel comfortable within their new school environment. Through engaging activities, classroom exploration, and time spent with our dedicated staff, children are gently guided into the expectations and excitement of Reception.
Little Paddy’s provides families with reassurance and ensures each child has the opportunity to make a smooth, positive start to their educational journey at St Patrick’s School.
Give your child the best possible start—with Little Paddy’s.
For more information, please contact our front office.
VOLUNTEERING
As a Volunteer at St Patrick's, you can get involved in:
Parents & Friends Community
Canteen - Fridays
School Advisory Board
School Events
Excursions - Class support
Sports Day
An important role of Volunteer is to promote strong links between the parents and the school but also strong links between families, where members of families really feel that they belong to the school.
An active parent group also ensures the school is well resourced and the grounds are always well maintained.
We are welcoming new parents to come along and Volunteer at the School and join the Parents and Friends Group. Any amount of time is helpful.
We offer direct debit, BPay, EFTPOS and direct deductions from Centrelink to cater to the changing financial needs of our families at St Patrick’s School. When the direct debit payment option is selected your school fee payment is calculated over the full school year right up until the 31st of December 2024. This means smaller payments are required, making this method the most affordable way to budget for your commitment. Please come into the office or ring me on 83034500 if one of these options would better suit your financial requirements.
School Card is applied for online. If you haven’t already applied for this year, please arrange as soon as possible as the cut-off date is early November. Instructions on how to do this are available at the front office.
School Card must be applied for each year.
If at any time you are having trouble meeting your school fee commitment, or have any queries, please contact me on 83034500 to discuss this matter.
Our school fees will remain unchanged for 2026.
Kind Regards
Dan Guo (Finance Officer)
CAMP AUSTRALIA - OSHC
OSHC
Hi Everyone
Welcome, If you require our services, please register on www.campaustralia.com.au and follow the link.
BOOKINGS can be made when you register on the Website.
Hours of Operation
Before School - 7AM - 8.30AM
After School - 3.10PM (2.30PM Tues) - 6PM
We offer breakfast for the children in the morning and fresh fruit and second snack after school. Kids will enjoy sports, art and crafts,
For all Enquiries and Bookings - Please go to the website or call Ph 0447 141 518
Thankyou Michele
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Latest News from Croydon Park Parish
Keep up to date with the latest news from our Parish. Parish Newsletter is available in English, Vietnamese, and Italian available for download.
Saturday 7th March
9:15am - 4:00pm
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church
420 Seaview Road, Henley Beach
Speaker: Fr Josy Sebastian MSFS
The day will include:
9:15am Mass
Talks by Fr Josy
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Reflection & Reconciliation
Prayer Ministry
Benediction with incense
Please bring your own lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Enquiries & bookings:
Phone Pauline on 0403 002 240 by 4th March
Cost: Donation (cash)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
We would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respects to the elders both past, present and future for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and hope of their people
