Junior School

By Mr Gavin Webb, Director of the Junior School

Welcome to the 2022 school year at St Patrick’s College, especially to the Year 7’s and new Year 8 students. No doubt the summer break was full of rest and great experiences with your loved ones, be it on a holiday or just spending quality time at home. In light of everyone’s experiences over the last two years at school we all await with excitement at what 2022 will deliver, albeit with some caution about what may actually unfold. 2020 and 2021 taught us many things, with resilience, adapting to new circumstances and never taking anything for granted being three that come to mind. Let’s all attack 2022 with effort and enthusiasm.

2022 has started in a typically very busy manner in the Junior School, here is a snippet of what has occurred thus far.

• Monday, January 31 saw 248 Year 7’s enter the College gates for the first time as a “Paddy boy”. The boys spent the majority of the day with their Pastoral Teacher. Lockers were allocated, diaries handed out, a visit to the library was had, musical instrument demonstrations by staff were given and a Q & A walking tour with a Year 12 student. As well as all this the Year 7 cohort were given an official welcome by our Principal, Mr Steven O’Connor, in the Chapel.
• A successful Year 7 Parent Information Night was held on Monday, January 31, thank you to all for understanding the need for this to be online. If you were not able to access the link or have any follow up questions please do not hesitate to contact your son’s Pastoral Teacher or any other key staff at the College.
• The Year 8 cohort commenced on Tuesday.
• A whole College Assembly was streamed into classrooms on Tuesday morning, again we need to continue to adapt.
• Beginning new subjects and being introduced to new staff.
• …and the list goes on.

New staff

A big, warm welcome to the following staff who have joined SPC (Junior School) in 2021.

Matt Carroll

James Couzens

Paul Stephens

Rylee Booth

It is always wonderful to see new faces at the College and we look forward to the expertise and knowledge they will pass onto the boys.

 

Year Level Coordinators and Pastoral Teachers 

Please see below the list of YLC’s and PCT’s for Year 7 and 8, they are the first port of call, please don’t hesitate to contact any staff member via email or phone.

YLC’s

Year 7 – Jacinta Burge and Margie Dodd

Year 8 – Brianah Walsh and Janelle Spierings, we welcome Janelle, who is new to the role, but has been at SPC for several years.

PCT’s

7A Mark Stahl	8A James Couzens
7B Brendan Dix	8B Amanda Rossato
7C Jenny Willis	8C Mike Kent
7D Brendan McCarthy	8D Tim Delaney
7E Kerryn Parkinson	8E Robyn Cocomazzo
7F Claud Procaccino	8F Gerard Willis
7G Matt Carrol	8G Paul Stephens
7H Brett Earl	8H Rylee Booth
7I Emmanuel Desfosses	8I Tony Beggs
7J Melinda Cameron	8J Courtney Simpson

 

Key dates – Term 1

SPC is quite a busy place, especially in Term 1. It is vital that you and your son are aware of what is happening on a day-to-day basis, be it with homework or a major College event. A reminder that all permissions are done electronically via PAM (Parent Access Module) and to ring the College by 8:30am if your son is going to be absent on a particular day. Besides this, the Pastoral Teacher is the first port of call. The table below highlights just some of the key dates in Term 1.

Mon, Feb 7	Year 7 Camp – Log Cabin Lodge, Creswick (all week, each group sleeps one night, 2-3 groups at a time)
Tues, Feb 8	House Assembly – SPC Swimming Carnival
Tues, Feb 15	Academic and Welcome Assembly
Wed, Feb 23	SPC Swimming Carnival
Thur, Feb 24	ACC Athletics
Fri, Feb 25	Yr 8 Elephant Ed.
Fri, Feb 25	Leadership and Sport Assembly
Tue, March1	House Assembly – Athletics Carnival sign up
Wed, March 2	Ash Wednesday Liturgy
Mon, March 14	Labour Day long weekend
Thur, March 17	St. Patrick’s Day Mass
Mon, March 21	Yr 8 Retreats (all week)
Thur, March 24	Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews (TBC)
Wed, March 30	ACC Swimming
Thur, March 31	Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews (TBC)
Wed, April 6	SPC Athletics Carnival
Fri, April 8	Last day of Term 1, 2:30pm finish

 

Year 7 Camp – Log Cabin Lodge, Creswick

The time honoured Year 7 Camp at Log Cabin Lodge, Creswick, commences on Monday, February 7. A big thank you in advance to the Year 7 Co-Ordinator’s, Margie Dodd and Jacinta Burge for their organisation and presence throughout the week. I would also like to acknowledge the respective Pastoral Teachers who will accompany their Pastoral Group overnight. Many challenges will be overcome, friendships will be made and College traditions taught.

• 7A, B (M. Stahl, B. Dix)

Mon Feb 7

• 7C, D (J. Willis, B. McCarthy)

Tue Feb 8

• 7E, F (C. Procaccino, K. Parkinson)

Wed Feb 9

• 7G, H (M. Carroll, B. Earl)

Thur Feb 10

• 7I, J (E. Desfosses, M. Cameron)

Fri Feb 11

Final word

Both Year 7 and 8 students have made a very positive start to the year. The boys have been punctual to class, the uniform has generally been well worn and they have brought the required belongings/materials to class. Relationships are being built on or beginning to form for those that have just met this year, this is crucial to your son’s success at school as well as being organised, communicating well, and getting enough sleep!

Regards

Mr Gavin Webb

Director of Junior School