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St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Back to School 2026 Whilst school holidays can be a wonderful time of Christmas and New Year celebrations, filled with less routine, maybe a holiday and some relaxation, there is also the necessary job of preparing to get students back to school. At St Patrick's we aim to provide as much information as we can for parents to help in that process. School Uniform All of the school uniform information can be found on our website here . All uniform items that identify the school, such as polo shirts, house polos, backpacks, jumpers, hats and dresses are to be purchased through Academy Uniforms. Their Thomastown store is open over the school holidays and the school uniform shop near the netball courts will reopen on Thursday 29 January from 9:00am to 5:00pm . All other uniform items (except shoes) can also be purchased through the uniform shop, but can be substituted for like items from other department-type stores. School Requisite Items St Patrick's provides a list of items that a student will use throughout the year, broken up into a list of items the school provides and a list of items re quired to be supplied by families. The list was provided at the end of Term 4, but copies of the School Requisite List for 2026 for each year level can be found here: Prep Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Back to School Reminders Please remember the following: Label everything that is being sent to school; If a 2025 classroom is labelled on an item, such as lunch boxes, please change it to the 2026 class; Do not forget to also change the classroom on the reusable school lunch order bags to avoid lunch orders being lost; Lunch orders recommence on the first day of school - Monday 2 February; Specialist classes will commence on Monday 2 February - check infographic for your class sports uniform days. School Reopening The school office will reopen on Friday 30 January , and our Year 1-6 Get To Know You meetings will also be on Friday 30 January . S tudents will return with classes to commence for Prep to Year 6 on Monday 2 February 2026 . Communication A reminder to ensure that your email address is registered with the front office so that you receive the weekly ewsletter. Please email Elise Vlasveld (elise.vlasveld@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au ) to request to be added to the newletter list. We also recommend that all families with Facebook, request access to our parent/carer-only Facebook group. You can find the group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stpatskilmorefamilies . You must answer all questions to be admitted to the group. Only parents and carers will be accepted, and all other requests will be decli ned for privacy reasons. Finally, you must ensure that you setup your PAM account. The Parent Access Module (PAM) is connected the school's SIMON student management system. From this account you can notify absences, access reports, provide and update medical information, nominate emergency contacts, etc. You will be provided with access information if you have not already got access. Other Dates Please refer to the Hours, Dates and Days webpage for further information about school hours, terms dates and other school calendar dates. 2026 Welcome Barbeque To welcome our families to school for 2025, there will be a back-to-school barbeque on the evening of the first Friday of school, Friday 6 February 2026 from 4:45-6:00pm . 2026 School Fees Finally, school fees for 2026 have been set, and information can be found on the webpage here . School fee invoices will be sent out early in Term 1. The school is moving to all payments being made by direct debit (either weekly, fortnightly or monthly). Please contact Deb Amodio, the Finance Officer, to setup your direct debit arrangement . Late in 2021, our head office, MACS, released a new Concessional Fee Policy, which provides reduced fees for: families of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent; families with Health Care or DVA Cards; or those families facing severe financial hardship. In order to be eligible for the Concessional Fee Policy, you must be entitled to the CSEF Payment, with an eligibility cut off date in April. Do not delay in applying for CSEF and Concessional Fee, as we cannot apply the discounts if the CSEF application is not approved. CSEF applications close at the end of Term 2. If you believe that you may be eligible for a concessional fee, please contact Deb Amodio (deb.amodio@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au ) to request the documentation to apply for the concessional fee. The concessional fee must be paid by direct debit and the concessional fee is not retrospective, and any existing debt stands in full. If you face issues in paying the school fees, at any time during the year, please contact Deb Amodio, and discuss what arrangements can be made to assist your situation. It is important that you contact the school early so that we can assist appropriately.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. NAPLAN St Patrick's participates in the annual NAPLAN testing for Years 3 and 5. NAPLAN is conducted online during May each year. It tests a variety of literacy and numeracy skills and is just one of many assessments that St Patrick's uses throughout the year to judge a student's academic progress. NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy), is an annual assessment for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It tests the types of skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. The tests cover skills in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy. The assessments are undertaken every year in the second full week in May. The test is administered by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), which is the independent statutory authority responsible for the overall management of the Australian National Assessment Program, in collaboration with representatives from all states and territories and non-government school sectors. NAPLAN is made up of tests in four areas: reading writing language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation); and numeracy. NAPLAN test results provide information on how students are performing in the areas of literacy and numeracy and support improvements in teaching and learning. The data from NAPLAN test results gives schools and systems the ability to measure their students’ achievements against national minimum standards and student performance in other states and territories. Reports on individual student performance are provided to all students and parents/carers by the states and territories. NAPLAN results are also reported nationally through summary results released in August and a full national report released in December. Whilst St Patrick's Primary School actively participate in the NAPLAN testing, it is not seen by the school as a be-all-end-all test, as it is just part of an ongoing testing regime that the school does to keep close check of student's performances. Parents and students should be aware that an unexpected result in a NAPLAN test is unusual, but should it occur, the school will work with the student and family to identify what may have contributed to the results. For more information on NAPLAN, go to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority website here or the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority website here . *Source: www.nap.edu.au

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Vision, Values and Logo A school's vision and values speak to the core of the school and what it believes in. Our logo is a well-known symbol that represents the school's history and mantra of walking in the footsteps of the Lord. School Vision St Patrick’s Primary school works in partnership with families, the parish and the community both locally and global. Together the whole school community developed its Vision statement in 2017. “St Patrick’s is a Catholic learning community. We commit to being a school where all members have an opportunity to flourish in an inclusive relational environment. We believe in developing active and curious learners. We aspire to be compassionate and responsive to the needs of all.” School Values We value celebrating Catholic traditions, engaging in dialogue and critically reflecting on faith in a contemporary context, and that social justice is an integral part of our Catholic faith. We value and nurture a caring community of staff, students and parents by promoting the values of respect, tolerance and co-operation. We value that every child at St Patrick’s should experience 12 months growth in 12 months. We value that personalised learning is embedded in our curriculum with student engagement, rigorous teaching and purposeful learning in all areas of the curriculum. We value that all students should accept responsibility for their own learning and need to develop a higher level of self-esteem which in turn will lead to resilience and empathy. We value the criteria for St. Patrick’s Primary School to be Child Safe compliant. We value a staff culture that is characterised by a shared vision and a strong sense of team work. We value the involvement of all families and community groups in the life of the school. School Logo The St Patrick's school logo is: In the Footsteps of the Lord The motto was selected after a school-wide competition was run in 1988. The competition was won by a Year 3 class (3J) after one of their families had discussed the competition around the dinner table and spoke about how at times in life Jesus may have helped and how they could live like Him, hence "In the Footsteps of the Lord". The class submitted that motto and won and it has been the school motto ever since.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Visual Arts The exciting world of Visual Art is opened up to our students in many ways through our vibrant Visual Arts Program. Painting, Drawing, Printing, Modelling, Construction, Clay work and Textiles are all on the agenda for our students to explore. At St. Patrick’s we believe Art is for everyone. Learning basic techniques within these core areas, and building up skills as the years progress, enables our students to gain a well-rounded understanding of Visual Arts practices and exposes students to many different art forms. Immersion in a Visual Arts program generates opportunities for students to develop their creative abilities, express their ideas and experiment with new materials and techniques, as well as learning to work collaboratively with their peers and problem solve. Artist studies and Art Appreciation develop curiosity, ignite interest and enhance self-esteem as students respond to art works, have opinions, use Arts Language and express thoughts, reactions and observations about their world.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. School Fees School fees cover basic tuition, capital works for maintenance and development of school buildings, provision of specialist tuition, as well as camps. To sustain quality Catholic education at St Patrick’s, parents agree at enrolment that full school fees and levies are payable when the school accepts the enrolment of their child. The Catholic Parish of St Patrick’s Kilmore, in association with the educational vision of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, seeks to offer a Catholic education for its children. St Patrick’s Primary School seeks to provide excellence in education, with Catholic values at its heart, wholistic in its scope and pastoral in its process. It is necessary for St Patrick’s to collect school fees to cover financial costs in meeting the goals of the school and the parents who choose Catholic education for their children. St Patrick’s sets school fees annually taking into account the Archdiocesan recommended minimum fee, government contributions and the local circumstances of the community. We recognise that in particular circumstances, from time to time, parents may need an avenue for discussion and mutual decision with school personnel about the procedure and capacity to pay the given fees. The Parish has placed the role of fee management with the Principal of the school. The Principal will access the advice and consult with other appropriate authorities within the school, the parish and Catholic Education in determining just decisions about the level of school fees in any particular year and in discussion with any particular parent or family in regard to the payments of fees. The School Fees and Charges Policy can be found here . 2026 School Fees School Fees have two components: family fees and per child fees. School fees are subject to the Concessional Fee Policy (see below). The 2026 Family Fee has been set as follows: The fees for one child in Prep to Year 3 would be $4,075 in 2026, for two siblings in Prep to Year 3 it would be $4,819 in 2026, etc. School fees are charged to the family at the start of the year for the whole of the year. All school fees are to be paid in full by the end of Term 3. The school uses direct debit as the method of payment of school fees. EFTPOS, cash, cheque, direct deposit into our bank account is available for for any overdue payments or upfront payments in full. We ask all families to fill out the direct debit form upon enrolment, or at the commencement of the school year if a direct debit is not currently in place. If you are not able to pay fees by direct debit, please contact the Finance Department (finance@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au ) to discuss an alternative payment plan. DIRECT DEBIT FORM 2026 DIRECT DEBIT FEE SCHEDULE FEES ARE COMPULSORY AND WE DO MAKE EVERY ENDEAVOUR TO COLLECT FULL PAYMENT Concessional Fee Policy Late in 2021, our head office, MACS, released a new Concessional Fee Policy, which provides reduced fees for: families of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent; families with Health Care or DVA Cards; or those families facing severe financial hardship If you believe that you may be eligible for a concessional fee, please contact the Finance Department (finance@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au ) to request the documentation to apply for the concessional fee. The concessional fee must be paid by direct debit and the concessional fee is not retrospective, and any existing debt stands in full. The Concessional Fee Policy can be found here . The Concessional Fee Application Form can be found here . The 2026 Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) Application Form can be found here . It opens on 27 January 2026 and closes at the end of Term 2.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. External Newsletters In addition to the internal school newsletter, there are a number of organisations that support the work of Catholic Education. Their newsletters provide insight and information to our families. Marist Schools Australia (MSA) Their latest newsletter can be found here . Catholic Schools Parents Victoria (CSPV) Their latest newsletter can be found here and select the year and "eNews". Catholic Education Today (CET) Copies of the CET magazine can be found here .

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Social and Emotional Learning Social and emotional learning (SEL) helps students to learn and practice skills that they need to build resilience and manage their emotions and relationships with others. This may include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships skills and responsible decision-making. To provide the best opportunities for all students to achieve their full potential, Catholic school communities seek to provide a comprehensive curriculum with strong pedagogical understandings and evidence-informed practices to personalise learning and engage young people at a level appropriate to their knowledge, skill and ability. (Horizons of Hope, CEM, 2017) To do this St. Patrick’s has clear expectations in regard to the teaching of Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Each class is expected to explicitly teach SEL in a 45- 60 minute lesson per week. To do this the school uses 3 approaches including a new approach for St Patrick’s being the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) program as the main source of content for SEL lessons. This program aims to support students develop students’ social, emotional and positive relationship skills. The RRRR program links with the Australian curriculum and ensures that students are being consistently taught the expected outcomes across their schooling at St Patrick’s. Secondly we use resources obtained from the trauma informed practices of the Berry Street Education Model particularly in the areas of self regulation and teacher instruction/ co-regulation skills. The whole school was trained in these practices over 2017, 2018 and 2019. The third source of information for the successful teaching of SEL at St Patrick’s is the use of the Zones of Regulation program. This program is utilised by many external specialists including Occupational Therapists and Speech Pathologists. St Patrick’s utilises this program to ensure that there is a common language among the school and external professionals in reference to emotions and emotional regulation tools. It supports students to hear consistently that all people have emotions, there are no good or bad emotions, and all people need tools and/ or support to regulate their emotions sometimes. The RRRR explicit learning program falls under the whole school approach of Respectful Relationships (RR). St Patrick’s is in our first Year of RR and is under the mentorship of Assumption College who also use these methodologies and the RRRR program across all year levels. St Patrick’s has combined the methodologies of Respectful Relationships and our involvement in the Berry Street Education Model to address the needs of the St Patrick’s community. St. Patrick believes in nurturing student wellbeing in order for all students to engage in their learning and inevitably flourish. The school system targets wellbeing and Social Emotional Learning at an individual, class and whole school level. “Engaged learners have a positive sense of identity, connection with their peers and community. They are invested in learning in and beyond the classroom. This enables them to flourish and grow in confidence as curious, optimistic and inspired knowledge-builders, problem-solvers, conceptual thinkers and self-motivated learners.” Horizons of Hope, CEM, 2017 Religious Education Specialist Subjects

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. French Conversation Classes St Patrick's Primary School offer all of our families the opportunity to participate in French conversation classes with our French teacher, Mr Quentin Berlatier. One of the specialist subjects offered at St Patrick's Primary School is French. Our French teacher, Mr Quentin Berlatier, is a native of France and is fluent in French. He is offering all of our families the opportunity to attend the school before pick up time on a Monday, 2:15-3:00pm, and participate in French Conversation classes free of charge. It is a wonderful opportunity for families also partake in the French language and engage in the students' learning of the French language.

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. School Staff Every child deserves a champion; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be. Rita Pierson (educational writer) School Leadership Principal/RE Leader Deputy Principal/Literacy Leader Operations Manager EA to Principal Maths Joint Teaching and Learning STEM Learning Diversity Student Wellbeing Michael Bourne Kate Ruck Tracy Connors Elizabeth Darvell (Mo-Th) Jessica Kurzman (Mo-Th) Shelly Michalke & Jessica Kurzman (Mo-Th) Shelly Michalke Natalie Rees Carly O'Neal-Shipley Sallyanne McMeikin principal@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au kate.ruck@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au tracy.connors@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au liz.darvell@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au jessica.kurzman@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au shelly.michalke@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au natalie.rees@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au carly.onealshipley@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au sallyanne.mcmeikin@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au Classroom Teachers Prep Blue Prep Green Prep Red Prep Yellow 1 Blue 1 Green 1 Red 2 Blue 2 Green 2 Red 3 Blue 3 Green 3 Red 4 Blue 4 Green 4 Red 5 Blue 5 Green 5 Red 6 Blue 6 Green 6 Red Sarah Benetti Erin Gray Rachel Trotter Tiffany Phillips Cassie Thompson Kayla Anquetil Aleisha Mellado Mandy Chandler Monica Barca Kiandra Kindred Anh Castles Sam Gauci Whitney Pobjoy Michael Walsh Rachael Finnin Emma Rayner Danica Smith Rachael Williamson Natasha Borg (Tu-Th) Tanya Cunningham (Mo-Fr) Bonnie Cullinan Shara Hall Jake Peric Taylah Schofield sarah.benetti@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au erin.gray@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au rachel.trotter@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au tiffany.phillips@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au cassie.thompson@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au kayla.anquetil@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au aleisha.mellado@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au mandy.chandler@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au monica.barca@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au kiandra.kindred@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au anh.castles@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au sam.gauci@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au whitney.pobjoy@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au michael.walsh@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au rachael.finnin@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au emma.rayner@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au danica.smith@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au rachael.williamson@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au natasha.borg@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au tanya.cunningham @spkilmore.catholic.edu.au bonnie.cullinan@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au shara.hall@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au jake.peric@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au taylah.schofield@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au Specialist Teachers Science Visual Arts Physical Education French Tracy Richardson (Mo-Tu) Ben Boyd (We-Fr) Jodie Hopper (Mo,Tu) Kirsty Bridge (We) Sophie Smith (Th-Fr) Nick McDermott TBA Support Staff Psychologist Library Technician Learning Support Officers SBAT LSO Melissa Duggan (admin@everymindpsych.com.au ) Cathy Minogue Kerry Bickerton Rosa Cannizzaro Nikki Cook Renee Dickson Natasha Dimkovski Mandy-Jane Frost Amanda Harris Donna Hinsley Angela Hodgins Emily Jacobs Danielle Laffan Kira Lazarev Corina Lilburn Charlotte Marsh Justine McElvogue Amanda McKay Hayley McLaughlin Seema Oberoi Justine Richardson Sylvia Ruiz Meg Tait Sarah Tomsky Carol Tully Lisa Wesselman Charlie Connors Admin staff Administration & Enrolments Officer Administration Officer Administration Officer Digital Tech Admin/Admin Officer First Aid Officer/Admin Officer Finance Officer Payroll Officer Maintenance Manager Groundsman Elise Vlasveld (M, Tu, Th, F) Kaitlyn Bickerton (Mo-Th) Emily King (Tu, We) Kate Filipovic Gin Gannan Deborah Amodio Robyn Hallowell Adrian King (Mo, Tu, Fr) Paul Liddy (Mo, We, Th, Fr) elise.vlasveld@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au kaitlyn.bickerton@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au emily.king@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au kate.filipovic@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au mikayla. gin.gannan@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au deborah.amodio@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au robyn.hallowell@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au Instrumental Music Staff Music Coordinator Drums Guitar Piano Vocals (singing) Corey Mills Corey Mills Nathan Brincau Edward Mountain Ethan Wynne Isabelle Zoch corey.mills@spkilmore.catholic.edu.au

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Language - French St Patrick's offers the study of French language and cultre to our students. French is a major language spoken across five continents, and the official language in 29 countries. It is also one of six official languages of the United Nations. The French language also aligns St Patrick's with one of the languages taught at Assumption College. Gabby- Alliance Française French Poetry competition finalist, 2021 Students interact with the teacher and their peers using simple language and gestures for exchanges such as greetings, farewells, and for talking about self and family. They participate in group activities through song, rhyme, games and transactions. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the state-wide Alliance Française French Poetry competition. They develop a curiosity for French culture and traditions, and compare cultural differences. The study of a second language contributes to the overall education of students, enhancing communication, cross-cultural understanding, cognitive development, literacy (in both English and French) and general knowledge. Have a look at this video to see what French looks like at St Patrick's:

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Literacy At St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, we not only value the teaching of English but believe that it is paramount in providing students with the skills and understandings to fully access the curriculum and develop as divergent, critical thinkers. Through the integration of the three strands: Reading & Viewing, Writing & Spelling and Speaking & Listening, the students are provided with learning experiences that enable them to develop skills and strategies to be competent and confident users of the English language. Literacy skills are best taught through modelled, guided and independent learning experiences, based on explicit teaching. Therefore we provide a differentiated curriculum that caters for the diverse needs of the learner through effective, relevant and challenging learning and teaching opportunities. The English curriculum aims to ensure that students: learn to listen to, read, view, speak, write, create and reflect on increasingly complex and sophisticated spoken, written and multimodal texts across a growing range of contexts with accuracy, fluency and purpose appreciate, enjoy and use the English language in all its variations and develop a sense of its richness and power to evoke feelings, convey information, form ideas, facilitate interaction with others, entertain, persuade and argue understand how Standard Australian English works in its spoken and written forms and in combination with non-linguistic forms of communication to create meaning develop interest and skills in inquiring into the aesthetic aspects of texts, and develop an informed appreciation of literature. Reading and Viewing At St Patrick’s, we aim to provide an evidence space based approach focusing on the ‘Science of Reading.’ We aim to encourage classroom environments which promote a love of books and reading where students feel inspired to read. Each classroom and digital platform is a language rich environment. Books are given their rightful place throughout the school. Library borrowing is scheduled once per week for every class from Prep to Year Six. Students are explicitly taught how to select ‘Good Fit Texts’ from the Library. Teachers ensure students are exposed to a wide range of reading material across genres including print and multimedia. St Patrick’s has implemented the program in the context of a Response to Intervention Framework. InitiaLit is a Tier 1 program and is designed to be delivered to whole classes by classroom teachers. Prep to Year Two use the InitiaLit Literacy Program. InitiaLit is an evidence-based whole-class literacy program which provides all students (Prep - Year Two) with essential core knowledge to become successful readers. Year Three - Six use an evidence-based instructional reading model based on the Science of Reading. Explicit teaching of reading strategies, vocabulary, grammar and spelling. InitiaLit is an evidence-based whole-class literacy program providing all children with the essential core knowledge and strong foundations to become successful readers and writers. InitiaLit is a three-year program, covering the first three years of school (Prep to Year 2). InitiaLit–Prep incorporates the key components necessary for early reading instruction – phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. InitiaLit–1 continues on from InitiaLit–Prep in providing an explicit and effective model for teaching reading, spelling and related skills to children in their second year of schooling. The program incorporates daily lessons in reading and spelling, as well as rich language instruction using children’s literature. As with InitiaLit–Prep, a set of decodable InitiaLit Readers (Levels 10-16), have been developed to align with the InitiaLit–1 instructional sequence. These readers, used alongside the program, will help students generalise and consolidate their skills. By Year 2, most children will be well on their way to reading independence. The program builds on the skills taught in InitiaLit–Prep and InitiaLit–1, with the focus shifting now to consolidating children’s reading and spelling skills, working specifically on reading comprehension, fluency, spelling and vocabulary. MiniLit and MacqLit The MiniLit and MacqLit programs are literacy intervention programs. MiniLit is aimed at Prep to Year 2 and comprises 80 lessons, delivered 4 times per week, for one hour per lesson. A placement test will indicate the ideal starting point on the program for each student, with criteria provided for grouping students according to instructional level. Regular assessments administered throughout the program will monitor progress. Each lesson comprises three main components: Sounds and Words Activities Text Reading Story Book Reading MacqLit is aimed at Years 3-6 and is an explicit and systematic reading intervention program for small groups of older low-progress readers. It is a comprehensive sequence of lessons that includes all the key components necessary for effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Writing and Spelling At St Patrick’s, we aim to provide a classroom environment which promotes opportunities to support the whole of the writing process from the planning stage through to publishing. The explicit teaching of the thinking processes involved through Modelled, Shared, Guided and Interactive Writing are clearly demonstrated so that students can apply them in their own independent writing and take place across the school from Prep to Year Six. Prep to Year Two use the InitaLit Literacy Program. InitiaLit is an evidence-based whole-class literacy program which provides all students with essential core knowledge to become successful writers. Prep to Year Two spelling is incorporated through the InitiaLit Literacy Program. The Seven Steps are the building blocks to great writing and they break down writing into simple chunks so students aren’t overwhelmed by writing a whole piece straight away. Instead, they gain confidence with each Step they learn, to become creative and engaging writers. Eventually they will learn how to put it all together and write complete texts independently. Year Three - Year Six are explicitly taught the Steps to Writing Success strategies to improve writing skills and student engagement. Students are provided with opportunities to write both purposeful and authentic pieces. Teachers plan activities that provide opportunities for students to explore current digital technologies within the writing program. Seven Steps Step 1: Plan for Success Step 2: Sizzling Starts Step 3: Tightening Tension Step 4: Dynamic Dialogue Step 5: Show, Don’t Tell Step 6: Ban the Boring Step 7: Exciting Endings/Ending with Impact Speaking and Listening At St. Patrick’s we seek to develop the oral language competence of students across the school. Teachers plan and implement strategies which specifically target the development of oral language skills. Language and the ability to communicate effectively is a key foundation to students’ capacity to learn in most general ways. A better developed knowledge of language and how it is used means a greater capacity to learn and to manage and to direct one’s activity as a learner (Munro, 2005) Students participate in Show and Tell, 1 minute talks, debates and oral presentations of their work. Oral language permeates throughout

St Patrick's Primary School is a Catholic education provider in Kilmore, Victoria where we work collaboratively to maximise student outcomes. Community Services St Patrick's is strongly committed to ensuring that we work in partnership with our families and the community to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children. Sometimes our families require additional support to achieve that and here we provide a list of local services that may be able to assist. This list is not exhaustive but should be considered an accessible way to gain an overview of the services available. For more information about these services, please click on the name of the service and you will be directed to more information about that particular service. Local services Kilmore Hospital Kilmore Police Station Kilmore Library Mitchell Shire Council Nexus Primary Health, Wallan Family Care, Wallan Berry Street, Seymour Seymour Magistrates Court The Bridge Youth Services, Seymour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation) (TCAC), Broadford Medical services Law enforcement Library services Local council services Medical, allied health and community services Child, family, carer and disability support Family, youth, early years, foster, housing Local civil and criminal court Youth (15-25) services Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services (03) 5734 2000 (03) 5782 1211 (03) 5734 6481 (03) 5734 6200 1300 773 352 (03) 5734 1000 (03) 5735 1800 (03) 5735 0100 (03) 5799 1298 (03) 5784 1433 Outside or phone services Headspace The Butterfly Foundation Women's Information & Referral Exchange beyondblue Lifeline Kids Helpline Parentline Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service Mental health and general support (12-25yo) Support for eating disorders/body image issues Referral service for women Support for depression, anxiety, mental issues Crisis support and suicide prevention Telephone and online counselling (5-25yo) Counselling/support service for parents Community based legal support for indigenious Australians (03) 8338 0919 1800 334 673 1300 134 130 1300 224 636 13 11 14 1800 551 800 13 22 89 (03) 5153 0449 Anchor 1 Kilmore Hospital Anderson Road, Kilmore Open 24 hours The Hospital provides services attending to medical, health and wellbeing needs of the community. With specialists who provide services in the areas of: Urgent Care Maternity & Antenatal Services Aged Care Social Work District Nursing URGENT CARE Please remember to dial 000 in an emergency The Kilmore & District Hospital Emergency Department is open for urgent care during the following hours: Monday - Thursday: 8am-10pm Friday: 8am-11pm Saturday: 10am-11pm Sunday: 10am-10pm MATERNITY SERVICES Maternity Queries: 5734 2162 Antenatal Clinic: 5734 2119 Pregnancy care and education is available on site at Kilmore Hospital on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday mornings, at Wallan Nexus Health on Mondays & Seymour Health on Thursdays. AGED CARE Dianella Hostel: 5734 2170 Cardenia Nursing Home: 5734 2155 These facilities share the site with the Kilmore & District Hospital on Anderson Road, Kilmore, VIC, 3764. ALLIED HEALTH Interpreters The hospital makes their best attempt to find suitable interpreters for patients and their families at no cost. Social Work Counselling, information, advocacy and support services are available to all inpatients, out patients, cardenia and dianella residents and their families. Hospital staff can make suggestions or referrals themselves, or patients and their family members may request a referral or contact the social worker themselves. DISTRICT NURSING (5734 2149) The district nurses service all areas of Kilmore, Wandong, Heathcote Junction, Upper Plenty, Wallan, Beveridge, Pyalong and surrounding areas. Kilmore Police Station Powlett Street, Kilmore For all emergencies call 000. Kilmore Police Station is a non-24 hour station servicing the Kilmore area and provide services including: Responding to calls for assistance in matters of personal and public safety, emergencies and serious incidents. Preventing crime through a range of proactive community safety programs. Detecting and investigating offences, and bringing to justice those responsible for committing them. Supporting the judicial process to achieve efficient and effective court case management, providing safe custody for alleged offenders, supporting victims and ensuring fair and equitable treatment of victims and offenders. Promoting safe road-user behaviour. For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 2 Kilmore Library 12 Sydney Street, Kilmore Open Monday to Wednesday and Friday 9am to 5pm, Thursday 10am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 12 noon (Closed Sunday). The Kilmore Library offers traditional library services as well as other community support services including: Book borrowing Baby book worms & Toddler Time School holiday activities Tech help classes Paying accounts Requests and information about permits, bins, animals, disabled parking permits, Bookings for concerts, forums and events VicRoads (renewals and logbooks only) Proof of age cards Firearm licence renewals Miners rights permits Vline tickets DHS information kiosk For more information go to their website here . Anchor 3 Mitchell Shire Council 113 High Street, Broadford Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm The Mitchell Shire Council Civic Centre is located in the geographic centre of the Mitchell Shire in the township of Broadford. Council also has customer service centres in the Seymour, Kilmore and Wallan libraries. They offer many family and community support services and programs as well as a great website for detailed information. The open hours and address of each information centre can be found on the website under “Contact Us” or requested over the phone. Young People Youth Drop-In Centres for young people aged between 10-18 with games, sporting equipment, cooking and craft facilities, internet access and free snacks. These centres are located at: 152 High Street, Broadford Multi-Purpose Centre, Bentinick Street, Wallan These centres host: Holiday programs Youth Council Art projects & skate parks Contacts for social & emotional support Access to support and advocacy with professionals Health & Well-being Local health & well-being officer Healthy food advice and information Maternal & Child Health services Leisure centres Family support services including: Drug & Alcohol, Family Violence and Gambling support Community strategy & emergency management Other Crisis support Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander services Housing support Advice, counselling & referrals Child Protection information & referral For more information go their website here . Anchor 4 Nexus Health, Wallan 7-11 High Street, Wallan Open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 8:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 9:00am to 5:00pm Nexus Primary Care in Wallan offers a range of person-centred health, support and advocacy services to the community Allied Health Diabetes info & support Physiotherapy Occupational & Speech Therapists Podiatry Medical General Practitioners Practice, District, Continence & Community Nursing Mental Health Counselling PHaMs (Personal Helpers and Mentors) VBAF (Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund) Animal therapy with horses Community Support Services Alcohol, Tobacco and other drugs support Family Violence support Financial counselling Disability case management Personal & Home care Home maintenance Transport assistance Respite care Meals on wheels For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 5 Family Care, Wallan 45 Wellington Street, Wallan Open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm Family Care is a service that works in partnership with communities and focuses on the strengths and skills of families in order to support them through challenging times. Child & Family Support Services Child FIRST (Family Information Referral and Support Team) workers support families, young parents and children to identify and achieve their goals by promoting strong family bonds and strengths. Integrated Family Services support families to address their identified needs which may include: times of difficulty, strengthening family relationships, goal setting, parent education & support, emotional support, group programs and case coordination. Parent Child program: free service to parents with children under 4. They offer support for feeding, sleeping, behaviour, single parents, young parents, multiple births and premature infants. Men & Family Relationships: male workers assisting men with challenges including grief and loss, depression and anxiety, behaviour change, building relationships and offer support programs and groups such as: Balancing Love and Discipline Real Men Make Great Dads Keeping Kool Men’s and Women’s Anger Management Drumbeats Carer Support Services Short term in and out of home respite care Short term provision of meals, home care and personal care Information regarding local services and specific health, ageing or disability issues Information and link in with self help, community support groups and day programs Communication equipment for the aged Disability Support Services Support to carers and parents of people under the age of 25 years with a disability. Emotional support to children with disability and their families Education and information for families and carers Therapeutic programs for children and young people Referral to other specialist services Respite and recreational opportunities including school holiday and after school care, camps and weekend programs. For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 6 Berry Street, Seymour 52 Station Street, Seymour Berry Street has a focus on providing safe homes, healing childhood trauma, building stronger families, helping children to learn and speaking out for childhood. They have a large range of programs to support young people and families which are listed below. More information can be found on their website, or by contacting Berry Street Seymour. Family Services Children’s contact service for support Post-separation cooperative parenting program Youth Services Intensive case management Health & Well-being project Bushfire Youth Support L2P driving support Leaving care Early Years Community Connect for kids Early learning Emergency relief Parenting after bushfires Safe & Caring communities Saver Plus: Financial inclusion program Education, Training & Employment Adult community education Leaps & bounds School focused youth service Youth Arts & Youth Connections Foster, Kinship & Residential Care Support and caring programs for young people in foster/kinship care or residential care homes. Therapeutic Services Counselling through trauma Sexual abuse prevention program For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 7 Seymour Magistrates Court 56 Tallarook Street, Seymour Open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm The Seymour Magistrates court is the local court for the Mitchell Shire area. The website offers access to information, contact details and forms that may clarify certain processes for families and individuals. This court covers the main areas of: Family Law Family Violence & Intervention Orders Criminal matters & Traffic Offences Money claims and Civil disputes Fines & Penalties Specialist jurisdictions: Drug Court & Koori Court The Magistrates court provides support services for individuals and families including an Aboriginal liaison program, Court Integrated Services Program (CISP), Credit/Bail Support Program & Enforcement Review Program. For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 8 Bridge Youth Services, Seymour 54 Tallarook Street, Seymour Open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm Bridge youth services work with young people aged between 12-25 and their families to support them to find solutions to the challenges that life presents. They support young people and their families through situations such as: Helping to keep families together Helping families reconnect Finding a place to live Helping with school and education Support for mums and dads to be Support for young parents/expecting parents Someone to talk to Support for young music lovers & bands News & Info The Bridge website offers information about all of these programs and how they can support you and our family in these areas. You can go to their website here . Anchor 9 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (TCAC) 37 High Street, Broadford “Protecting Our Rights - Building Our Future” Celebrate Taungurung culture and identity Bring mob together, revive Taungurung culture & language & contribute to health and well-being. Welcome ceremonies, native garden services and education about culture and language. Goranwarrabul House Seymour Health - Bretonneux Street, Seymour “All are welcome to call in for a cuppa, yarn and a look around” Improving health & wellbeing of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people Culturally appropriate & accessible information Opportunities to get to know local mob Health & wellbeing workshops, training, information sessions & groups For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 10 Headspace Level 1/340 Craigieburn Rd, Craigieburn Open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm Headspace offers mental health and general support to young people aged between 12-25 and their families at their centres, online and over the phone. The Headspace website has downloadable brochures for young people and their families with information about how they can support young people with things such as: Mental health, difficulties and disorders Eating disorders Bullying Grief Self harm & suicidal ideation Gender identity and mental health Sexuality and mental health Support after natural disasters Trauma Mental health for parents & carers For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 11 The Butterfly Foundation The Butterfly Foundation is a specialist service providing personalised and confidential support for people with an eating disorder or body image issues. They also have support services for parents, carers, families and friends, teachers, counsellors, employers, health professionals and anyone with questions about eating disorders. The services provided by the Butterfly Foundation include: Hotline and online information and advice Treatment programs Support groups Education services for: young people, professionals and teachers, parents, the whole community For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 12 Women's Information and Referral Exchange (WIRE) Open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm “Any woman. Any issue.” WIRE offers a free information and referral service for all Victorian women requiring information or support regarding: Relationships Violence against women Legal advice Money Housing Wellbeing Employment WIRE have interpreters if required and also offer free programs and events including: Seminars on family & relationships, financial capability, legal rights and personal empowerment Employment sessions & career workshops Computer tutoring & internet workshops Women’s lunch and activities clubs for women experiencing homelessness and/or isolation Legal clinics on separation and property Programs to help build financial future For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 13 beyondblue Hotline open 24 hours a day/7 days a week beyondblue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live. beyondblue can provide assistance in the areas of: depression anxiety suicide prevention self-harm and self-injury pregnancy and early parenthood grief and loss drugs, alcohol and mental health For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 14 Lifeline Hotline open 24 hours a day/7 days a week Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. It is committed to empowering Australians to be suicide-safe through connection, compassion and hope. Their vision is for an Australia free of suicide. For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 15 Kids Helpline Hotline open 24 hours a day/7 days a week Kids Helpline is a free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. They operate with child-centred practices and aim to empower those they are working and supporting. Depending on the age of the child, Kids Helpline support in the following areas: feelings mental health friends and family sexuality and relationships safety and abuse study and work For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 16 Parentline Open 8:00am to 10:00pm, 7 days a week Parentline supports and nurtures positive, caring relationships between parents, children, teenagers and the significant other people who are important to the well-being of families. Their trained counsellors can assist you to: Identify your immediate concerns as a parent Recognise your own skills and strengths Consider and develop strategies for making meaningful change Explore important aspects of your family (e.g. values and dynamics) Look at your own unique family relationships Identify your information needs and access relevant resources Access individually-paced over-the-phone parenting skills training For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 17 Victorian Aboriginal Legal Services VALS plays an important role in providing referrals, advice/information, duty work or case work assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the State of Victoria. Solicitors at VALS specialise in one of three areas of law, being Criminal Law, Family Law and Civil Law. For more information, go to their website here . Anchor 18 Students Transition to Secondary School