Show you care for others in your words and actions

A copy of our Bushfire Plan can be found here on our website - https://www.padcath.wa.edu.au/formsandprocedures

Friday 30 May

Tuesday 3 June

Friday 15 August

Monday 15 September

Please check the PCPS community calendar for upcoming and future dates as the calendar is regularly updated https://www.padcath.wa.edu.au/community-calendar

I am looking forward to seeing families at our special PCPS Family Mass at Our Lady of the Mission this Sunday 16 March at 10.00am. At this liturgy the families from Padbury CPS will be participating in all parts of the Mass along with the parish community. This is a special mass and we only have two per year so I ask all families to make a big effort to come along.

Big thanks to Liz De Haas and Severine Gibson for co ordinating this special mass.

At PCPS we proudly embrace neurodiversity and strive to create an inclusive environment where every student's unique strengths are celebrated. To support this commitment, we have introduced two enlightening books for staff to read to their classes: All Brains Are Different and The Brain Forest. These books are accompanied by engaging activities designed to foster understanding and appreciation of neurodiversity among students.

To further enhance our inclusive practices, we continue to incorporate staff professional development sessions focused on neurodiversity awareness and best practices for supporting all students.

Additionally, the P&F has organised a guest speaker for parents, Clare Britton, to visit in May and share valuable insights on neurodiversity. These initiatives reflect our dedication to nurturing a supportive and inclusive community for all our students.

Harmony Day will be celebrated at PCPS on 21 March with the theme this year being - Harmony, we all have a role to play. It coincides with United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

It is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism and is all about inclusivity, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or language background.

As a school we will be celebrating this week with activities in the classroom, a Harmony Day dress up day and an assembly on Friday 21 March commencing at 8.45am.

Children and staff are invited to wear clothes from their cultural heritage, sportswear from that country or wear orange which is the colour for Harmony Week. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversation, and it also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect. As part of the celebration on the day, students will be receiving a gelato compliments of the school.

These celebrations create opportunities for all of us to think, talk about and recognise how our differences make Australia a great place to live.

Did you know?

• Australia is a multicultural nation, with many residents born overseas or having parents born overseas.
• Besides English, common languages spoken in Australia include Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Punjabi.
• More than 150 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander languages are spoken in Australia.

The Year 6 student leadership programme has been revitalised for 2025. Our new Year 6 leadership model, ‘Student Voice’ has been developed to increase involvement and engagement by Year 6 students, as individuals and collectively as a year group. The major change has been that students will rotate through two different ministries across the two semesters. In the past students were in the same ministry for the entire year. Alongside this, the creation of a Sport ministry will allow additional students to assume the role of sports leaders throughout the year. From this year onwards, there will not be sports captains as in the past, rather the students in the sport ministry, during any carnival, would be leaders for their faction.

As part of the Eco Warriors, you will become a protector of nature! You will collect eggs and feed the chickens daily, take care of our thriving vegetable garden, and even help relocate friendly bobtail lizards to safer homes. Get your hands dirty while making a difference for our school’s environment!

Join the Mercy Stars and play an important role in our school’s faith journey. You will help organise and read during whole school masses, and work on exciting fundraisers to support Caritas, Life Link and Wheelchair for Kids making a real impact in our community.

Become a School Ambassador and be the face of our school! You would assist in running and speaking at school assemblies, helping with Merit Award recipients, and warmly welcoming guests to the school during special events. Get ready to shine at every opportunity!

In the sports squad you would organise and maintain sports equipment, help set up for class sport lessons. Whether it's assisting during P.E. lessons or during carnivals, you will be the behind-the-scenes support ensuring everyone has what they need to succeed!

Be a part of the Creative Crew and dive into the world of art, science, and books! Help pack up science experiments, set up and tidy art lessons, and scan and return books in the library. You will keep the wheels turning for creativity and discovery.

Join the Playground Guardians and spread kindness throughout the school! Help younger students in the junior playground, be a caring friend to anyone feeling left out, and organise fun games for everyone at lunchtime. You will make the playground a happier place for everyone.

Each ministry is mentored by a staff member and designed to be collaborative in nature. Students regularly meet with their designated staff member to discuss their roles, ideas and any issues put forward by students and staff. Throughout the process and experience of the initiative, Year 6 students become equipped to problem solve, increase their collaborative skills, carry out tasks, understand accountability and maintain a sense of ownership between group members, the school community and the broader community. ‘Student voice’ allows the students to feel heard, take ownership and acquire the skills and strategies that good leaders possess.

The PCPS 3-6 Swimming Carnival was held on Monday at the outdoor pool at HBF Stadium in Claremont. Big thanks to Mr O’Mara who ran the carnival in Mr Hignett’s absence, and to all the staff and parents who volunteered to help, we couldn't do it without you. It was a fabulous fun day for all!

You will have received email communication regarding Parent-Teacher interviews that are coming up for classes in the last weeks of this term. These interviews are a great opportunity to speak with your child’s teacher and see how your child has settled in this year and how they are progressing. I encourage all parents to sign up for a meeting time as the teachers will be meeting with all parents. Please ensure you have booked your timeslot.

Our Pre-Kindy (3-Year-Old) is going super strong once again this year with sessions running on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Please contact the office and speak with Mrs Ellen to enrol your little one into our exciting PK programme in future years. Click on the following link for further information -

If you have friends or neighbours who have children who are 3 years old , please talk to them about our exciting Pre-Kindy programme and encourage them to enrol for future years.

Enrolments and interviews are now taking place for Pre Kindy 2026 and 2027

Please note that Kindy 2026 is full!

Don’t forget to enrol siblings as some families have missed out.

IF YOU HAVE A BABY ENROL THEM NOW!

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Margaret Williamson

Principal

Congratulations to the Shenouda family (Andre Yr2) on the birth of their baby sister Skyla.

A baby girl is a blessing

A gift from heaven above

A precious little angel to cherish and love

Thank you to everyone who has submitted their school fee payment option forms or paid their school fees in full. Your prompt response is greatly appreciated.

As a reminder, it is a school requirement for all families to complete a payment option form each year.

We kindly remind those families who have not yet returned their forms to do so immedtiately as these were due on the 4 March. Please ensure they are emailed to accounts@padcath.wa.edu.au or dropped off at the front administration.

If you need me to resend your fee statement, please email your request to accounts@padcath.wa.edu.au

We appreciate you cooperation and thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this matter.

Mrs Prelean Bismark

Finance Manager

School photo day is coming! Every student should have received a personalised flyer to bring home from Kapture Photography containing your child’s unique codes for ordering school photos online.

KEEP YOUR FLYER SECURE!

The unique codes contained on the flyer will be issued only once.

Order EARLY for sibling photography

Sibling photos can ONLY be ordered online. Once you receive the personalised flyers for your children, it is imperative that you order your sibling photo early to avoid missing out! There is a physical limit in the school schedule to how many sibling photos can be taken. Once the maximum capacity of sibling orders has been reached, no more sibling orders can be placed.

Ms Mac Callisto & Mr P O'Mara

Assistant Principal

Last Wednesday 5 March all families will have received their Project Compassion boxes. The theme of Project Compassion this year is ‘Unite Against Poverty’, because together we can take action to make a lasting difference!

For 60 years, Caritas Australia has been working with communities around the world to confront the challenges of poverty. Through locally led programs, we work with all people towards a world where all can thrive and reach their full potential.

Each dollar raised will help change the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. We can work together for justice and dignity to build a better future for all and to make a difference. Please send in your boxes once you have filled them up. Thank you for your prayers, generosity and support in changing the lives of others in our world who are vulnerable.

Mac Callisto & Peter O'Mara

Assistant Principals

All Masses are held in the church and for information regarding days/times or to read the current newsletter please follow the link below

Our Lady of the Mission

We are excited to share that PCPS has recently adopted the U R Strong programme, designed to empower our students with essential social-emotional skills and foster healthier friendships. This initiative aligns perfectly with our commitment to nurturing well-rounded individuals. We are also delighted to announce an upcoming online course for parents, offering insights and practical strategies to support your children in this journey. We strongly encourage all parents to participate—together, we can create a positive and supportive community for our children.

Mrs Ali Fisher

Social Worker

Mrs Bastow and Mrs Ewen

Musical Directors

On Monday, 10th of March the Year 3 - Year 6 students participated in our annual swimming carnival. A big thank you to the parents who volunteered their time on carnival day in an official capacity. To have such wonderful help is greatly appreciated! It was nice to see so many parents watching and the children enjoying themselves.

Congratulations to Mackillop on being the overall winners of the carnival.

John Paul 615

Mercy 615

Padbury 618

Mackillop 641