As a Catholic learning community, St Patrick's strives to be welcoming and connected, supporting the engagement of parents as partners in their children’s learning and wellbeing, and their involvement in the life and community of the school and parish.

Parent engagement is more than volunteering and helping out at the school. While we value any contribution you can make to school life, we understand that work and family commitments can make it difficult to be involved in an ongoing way. However, you can still engage in your child’s learning and wellbeing by supporting and/or attending:

• Mass and prayer celebrations with the parish and school community
• Our parish-based sacramental programs
• Parent information nights and parent/teacher meetings
• P&F Meetings and community events – see below
• School assemblies
• School open days and special occasions
• ...and offering any other practical assistance either on-site or from home

You can also engage in your child’s learning and wellbeing simply by working with the school to create a stimulating and supportive environment for them both at school and home – working together collaboratively to connect both learning environments.

This is best achieved when parents and school work in partnership to encourage positive and respectful relationships, regular and meaningful communication about children’s progress and development, and a consistent positive attitude to learning, education and school life. Get to know your child’s teacher and other staff – this is a great way to build this most important relationship!
  

Find more information and resources on parent engagement here

View our Parent-School Partnership Framework

PARENT VOLUNTEERS

If you are able, St Patrick's welcomes any parents and carers who may be able to volunteer at the school. Parent and carer volunteers are a valued support base for our school, assisting staff to provide a range of high-quality opportunities to promote the learning, wellbeing and growth of students.

Some ways you can be involved may include:

• Volunteering for the canteen roster
• Supporting library assistants by repairing and covering books
• Involvement in school working bees or maintenance
• Assistance on excursions when required
• Assistance at sport carnivals and gala days
• Helping out at and attending P&F functions

Please note: Given our commitment to safeguarding children, volunteers will first need to organise a Working with Children Check (WWCC) process – information and forms can be found on the CEDoW website.

PARENTS & FRIENDS (P&F) ASSOCIATION

The Parents & Friends (P&F) Association is the formal parent forum for St Patrick's. 

All parents and families are invited to become involved with the P&F, who work collaboratively with the school and parish about matters that affect your child at school, as well as general issues about school life including social events, fundraising and community building – underpinning the delivery of quality education in the best Catholic tradition.

Beyond the obvious benefits associated with engagement in the planning of school social and fundraising events, involvement in the Association helps parents to become better informed about important school initiatives. 

The Parents and Friends (P&F) Association exists to promote the cause of Catholic education by helping to:

• Develop a community of welcome, inclusion and mutual support;
• Raise funds for the purpose of providing materials needed to enhance student learning and improve educational opportunities; and
• Encourage members to live a full Christian life through active stewardship.
   

Join our official St Patrick's P&F Facebook group here

All parents are invited and are very welcome to attend the P&F meetings, which are held at 6:30pm on the irst Tuesday of the month (within the school term) in the Library Learning Centre.

If you can’t attend meetings there will be other opportunities to support the work of the P&F throughout the year. 
  

Our P&F Executive and representatives are as follows:

To contact our P&F Executive, please email pandf@sppkdow.catholic.edu.au