8 October 2025 — Week 1, Term 4
Welcome from the Principal
Dear Families
Welcome back to the start of Term 4. As we all draw our collective breath before the start of another busy term, we hope the holidays provided your family with a plethora of opportunities to spend quality time together.
It was extremely positive to witness the many families who attended the St Patrick’s School Musical 'Hoodwinked' on Friday, 12 September. These events are extremely important in fostering a positive relationship between the school and home. As our vision statement suggests, we are an inclusive community committed to high levels of learning for all. It was wonderful to observe the development of all our students, where every child was given an opportunity to perform in front of an audience. It is still quite amazing how effective the old 'cream pie' gag is even in 2025. The school's staff never cease to amaze me. From the dream of Miss Preston, to the direction of Miss Hickey and the expert duck throwing of Mr Young, all our staff need to be congratulated for going that extra mile and for their willingness to facilitate a school musical which is no mean feat.
In terms of staffing and class structures, preparations are well underway for the 2026 academic year. The school will maintain the current structure of four classes but their makeup, particularly in the early years, cannot be confirmed until midway through Term 4. We anticipate that our Week 5 Newsletter will provide confirmation of staffing and class structures for 2026.
To assist with planning for 2026, the school would appreciate a courtesy email if you intend to leave St Patrick’s at the end of 2025 and your child is not in Year 6. The school also requires details of the next school your child will attend.
Whilst the whirlwind nature of Term 4 looms like a summer cyclone on the horizon, there is much to celebrate. Another cohort of Year 6 students and their ever-supportive parents will leave the safety of St Patrick’s as they embark upon the next stage of their educational journey at secondary school. Observing the holistic growth of our students in Prep to Year 5 is also another wonder to behold. As always, we need to remember what a gift it is to be an educator.
As always, if you have any queries or concerns, please contact the school.
Keith Blaikie—Principal
Keith.Blaikie@twb.catholic.edu.au
St Patrick's Parish and School Fete
Celebrating Community Spirit
The St Patrick’s Parish and School Fete is more than just a fun evening out - it’s a cherished tradition that brings together generations of families, friends, and community members in Allora. As one of the only parish-school fetes still running in the Diocese of Toowoomba, it holds a special place in the hearts of many.
Running since the early 1980s, the fete has grown into a vibrant celebration of community spirit. One of its most beloved traditions is the Anything Goes competition, a rite of passage for students and parents alike. Whether it’s quirky costumes, creative performances, or hilarious challenges, Anything Goes has created countless memories and continues to be a highlight of the day.
In recent years, the Sheath Pitching Exhibition has made a welcome return, honouring the school’s strong ties to the agricultural heritage of the Allora region. This event not only entertains but also educates, connecting our young learners with the traditions of the land.
The St Patrick’s Parish and School Fete is guided by three key aims:
- Community Connection: To foster strong relationships between St Patrick’s Parish, St Patrick’s School, and the wider Allora community by creating a welcoming, family-friendly environment where everyone feels they belong.
- School Spirit: To showcase our school as a vibrant, inclusive, and nurturing place where every individual is valued and celebrated.
- Fundraising for the Future: To raise essential funds that support both parish and school initiatives—enhancing learning spaces, upgrading facilities, and creating new opportunities for students and parishioners.
As we prepare for another exciting fete, we invite everyone to join in the celebration. Whether you’re a long-time supporter or a first-time visitor, there’s something for everyone at the St Patrick’s Parish and School Fete. Let’s come together to celebrate our shared history, our vibrant present, and our hopeful future. We are looking forward to seeing you on Friday 17 October from 5:00pm.
St Patrick’s Parish and School Fete – Schedule
Fete Duration: 5:00pm – 10:00pm MC – Frank Ekerick
5:45pm: Students assemble at stage area
6:00pm to 6:15pm: Student performances
7:30pm: Oil Auction / Auction for Anything Goes
7:45pm to 8:00pm: Stalls Close (except Bar)
8:00pm to 8:30pm: Anything Goes Race
8:30pm: Art Union and Multi Drawer Winners Announced
Sheaf Pitching Exhibition – Time to be confirmed
Stalls and Food
BBQ: 5:00pm to 8:00pm
BAR: 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Live Music (Butch Collier) – until 10:00pm
ART Union & Multi Drawer Raffle: 5:00pm to 7:45pm
Tea and Tarts: 5:00pm to 7:45pm
Deuchar and Plant Stall: 5:00pm to 7:45pm
Cakes and Sweets: 5:00pm to 7:45pm
Butter Chicken and Cheerios: 5:00pm to 7:45pm
Attractions
Chocolate Wheel: 5:00pm to 8:00pm (Glengallan students)
Crazy Hair, Face Painting: 5:00pm to 8:00pm
Looney Tunes Jumping Castle: 5:00pm to 8:00pm (Yr2 school age and under)
Ball Pit: 5:00pm to 8:00pm (Yr2 school age and under)
5 in 1 Sports Jumping Castle/Slide: 5:00pm to 8:00pm (Yr3 school age and above)
Connect 4 Basketball: 5:00pm to 8:00pm (Any primary school age)
Animal Petting Zoo – FREE
Little Obstacle Course - FREE
Arm band for Unlimited Attraction Prices
In Yr2 and under - TBC
In Yr3 and above - TBC
Parents/Carers of children attending - FREE
Spectator Events
- Sheaf Pitching – Come and watch the lads hurl a 2.5kg bag of sheaf over the bar. Bringing back an old classic.
- Anything Goes – Looking for 12 Teams of 4 – Put your team and Team Name down at the Ticket Booth ready for the auction that will start at 7:30pm.
How can I help!
Preparations for the annual St Patrick’s Parish and School Fete are well underway. The goal for our fundraising efforts will be to cover the new handball court with shade cloth. To achieve this, we need your help. We are again receiving 50% of the profits for our extra efforts, so let’s make it count!!
How can I help now?
1. Art Union Tickets
Make sure to bring your tickets in. SELL, SELL, SELL!! Please see the office if you require more tickets.
2. Chocolate Wheel
Please start bringing donations of packets of Cadbury Share Pack Mini Bars (12 pack between $3.50 and $7.00) from Woolworths, Coles or IGA at the start of Term 4.
The Chocolate Wheel Competition is a new concept and replaces the famous Bottle Stall which has been retired. What is a Chocolate Wheel you might ask? It is essentially a massive Lucky Dip based on the same concept as the Wheel of Fortune. Prizes will be assigned for each number on the wheel. Tickets are then purchased on the night. Each ticket purchased allows for a spin on the Chocolate Wheel and the lucky tickets will be able to claim their prize!!
Not only is it an attraction on the night, but it also provides a great competition between classes as to who will get the highest amount of Cadbury Share Mini Bars Packs (averaged to account for different class sizes). Thank you in advance for your generous donations.
What other information would be helpful to know now?
3. Helpers Needed
Volunteers will be required on the night especially in the Bar, BBQ and Soft Drink Stall. The Fete is unable to operate without the generosity of volunteers. Even an hour will be of great assistance.
Rosters – Located in the Office
4. Cake Stall Baking
Plates will be sent home for the Cake Stall Baking in early term 4. There will be a baking focus for each class.
- Talgai – Biscuits/ Cakes/ Cupcakes
- Cunningham – Tarts (Caramel Tart, Apply Pie, Lemon Meringue)
- Dalrymple – Biscuits/ Cakes/ Cupcakes
- Glengallan - Tarts (Caramel Tart, Apply Pie, Lemon Meringue)
5. Working Bee
There will be a working bee on Thursday afternoon (16 October) to setup for the Fete commencing at 5:00pm and Friday (Friday 17 October) after drop-off commencing at 8:20am.
Sponsors - 2025
We can't thank our generous sponsors enough for their support. Events like these aren't possible without them.
Bar Sponsor:
- Blue Cow Hotel
Art Union Sponsors:
- John & Cathy Cowley
- Merivale Farms
- Victoria Lamb
Major Sponsors
- Allora Medical Centre
- Allora Pharmacy
- FKE Haulage
- Kevin & Dianne Ryan
- Maher Sand & Gravel
- Plumbowe
- Railway Hotel
Sponsors
- Allora Butchery
- Allora School Bus
- Amy's Country Cafe
- Black Toyota
- Brown & Hurley
- Danny Lyons Sports
- Leading Property Services
- Repco Warwick
- Wilson & Rigby Smash Repairs
General Information
Hoodwinked
A massive thankyou must go to the many parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, neighbours and Alloraites who attended the St Patrick's School school musical production 'Hoodwinked' on Friday 12 September. The production came together beautifully and all students need to be proud of their efforts. Special mention needs to go to Miss Preston and Miss Hickey for their direction of the musical. John Cowley, Mark O’Brien and Chester Wilson also need to be congratulated for their willingness to improve the sound quality of the production. They certainly succeeded! Congratulations must also go to school community who raised $473.85 which will be donated to the St Vincent de Paul Society Christmas Appeal. This is an amazing contribution that will help those less fortunate in our local community.
Please enjoy the following musical reviews provided by our students from Glengallan.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Overall rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
On Friday night was our school musical 'Hoodwinked'. The students all tried their hardest to bring the musical together, although they were only amateurs, they did a splendid job at acting and singing. The audience went wild after every song, which made the students feel great.
The cast of Hoodwinked learnt their lines within a few weeks and did an exceptional job at acting. Charlee P and Toby S did an amazing job at acting as the gorgeous Maid Marian, and her 'wild green hairy boyfriend' Robin Hood. Marian tries to look her best to impress Robin, but will that be enough to catch his attention? Max K did an amazing job at acting as the mean sheriff of Nottingham. He takes from the poor to give to the rich, but will Robin Hood take back what has been stolen by the sheriff? Yes, Robin Hood takes from the rich and gives back to the poor.
The costumes were outstanding, making the audience’s jaws drop! Maid Marian’s dress was dark red, with lace and puffy sleeves. The sheriff’s costume was bright with colours, and a sword prop which made his costume even better. Lastly, Robin Hood stole the show with his dark green ‘Hood’ and his rusty shirt.
By Poppy B
Last Friday on the 12th September, St Patrick’s School Allora debuted a fantastic musical called Hoodwinked. Everyone was involved from Preps to Year 6. The people responsible for this were none other than Miss Preston and Miss Hickey.
The production crew had been working tirelessly for the last two terms, and you can really see their work has paid off. The vocals were where they really shone through and you could see they practiced a lot. The songs were so catchy that I was singing them all the way home. My favorite part was the set, I liked how it gave the feeling that you were there in the story.
The characters were delightful. Robin Hood had a charming personality with Maid Marian showing her love to Robin. The Sheriff was ever devoted to love Marian and never got anywhere which is always great. King Richard the Lion Heart’s loveable character made him my favorite, and the leader of the little Merry Men put on quite a show.
All the lights, stage and the technology made it feel like a high-class proper musical that people pay money to watch so I give it.
By Aiden H
Last Friday night, St Patrick's School Allora, held a musical performed by the whole school named ‘Hoodwinked’. This play was over the top with laughter and cheering. The children in character made the musical better than any other play that we have held here at school.
Maid Marian is a wonderful lady that the Sheriff and Robin Hood had an intense fight to be the one to win her hand in marriage. Robin Hood was a charming and interesting man that was forced out of the city and then thrived and made a bigger army in the forest to give the Sheriff what he deserves. While King Richard leaves to go fight in the Crusades, he leaves the Sheriff in charge of leading the city, but the Sheriff should have never been trusted for that role as he made unfair taxes and took everything from the poor and gave to the wealthy people.
The music was sung amazingly well, the costumes were well put together and the lines were over the top. With all the practice, the acting was better than ever. The other characters such as the Deputy, Guards, Merry Men, Maid Marian’s Ladies, the Friars and the Taxi Drivers, all played good parts and helped keep the play together. Without everyone, nothing would have been done. So, congratulations to everyone.
My personal favourite part of the play was when the Sheriff got hit in the face with a cream pie and when the guards chased Robin to arrest him and to lock him up. Overall, the play was 5 stars. WELL DONE !!
Tyson D
St Patrick's School Musical
Teaching and Learning
Update - Zebra Finches
As you would be aware, at the start of Term 3, two breeding pairs of Zebra Finches arrived at school. The birds have been supplied by Mr. and Mrs. Woods. They have excited both students, staff and parents over the course of Term 3. The Zebra Finches are part of Glenallan’s STEM program which integrates Maths, Science and Technology. This also ties in with other science units across the school. Whilst our intention was to successfully breed them so we could observe the baby chicks, none of the eggs produced were fertile. Please enjoy the reports below from Katelyn and Skye which will provide more information for you. Enjoy!!
Glengallan Zebra Finch Reports - Katelyn and Skye
Religious Education
Minutes Reflection - Lyndal Rick | Education Officer: Mission and Identity
When I was 10, my grandma bought me a box of watercolours. This was a big step from the crayons or coloured pencils I was used to. I remember trying out all the colours and learning how to deepen them with layering and to mix the colours to make different hues. The gift opened a whole new world of seeing colours in the landscapes and people in my world, and renewed my love for drawing and art.
I imagine that hearing Jesus break open the teachings and law of his people in such a radical way, was like a ‘box of watercolours’ moment for his followers. He opened their eyes to a different way of understanding what it meant to be people of God and they found renewed hope. With him, they were able to see their world from a different perspective.
As people working in education, we hold the brush daily. We mix colours - our knowledge, creativity, and compassion - with the unique hues of each learner and colleague. Sometimes the combinations surprise us, creating moments of deep connection, insight and joy. Other times, we return to familiar tones that ground us in purpose, ritual and tradition.
As we welcome the season of Spring and all the colours and scents, we are invited to see our work, our relationships and ourselves as evolving masterpieces. What new colours might we try this term? What conversations, collaborations or quiet reflections might help us reimagine what’s possible in our classrooms and staffrooms?
A Light Exists in Spring by Emily Dickinson
A color stands abroad
On Solitary Fields
That Science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels…
Upcoming events
- Wednesday 8 October - St Patrick's Parish and School Fete Meeting commencing at 6:00pm in Glengallan classroom
- Wednesday 15 October - St Patrick's Playgroup from 9:00am until 10:30am
- Wednesday 15 October - Prep 2026 Transition Day # 1 from 9:00am to 11:00am
- Friday 17 October - Whole School Assembly commencing at 2:15pm in the Church
- Friday 17 October - St Patrick's Parish and School Fete from 5:00pm to 10:00pm
- Wednesday 22 October - Newsletter
- Date Claimers - End of School Year
- Tuesday 2 December - End of Year Mass commencing at 9:30am in the Church (All welcome to attend)
- Thursday 4 December - Year 6 and Whole School Academic Awards Ceremony commencing at 6:00pm in the Church (All welcome to attend)
- Friday 5 December - Whole School morning tea (Year 6 Graduation Cake) commencing at 10:00am followed by St Patrick's Christmas Concert commencing at 10:30am (All welcome to attend)
See the Sentral calendar for more information.
Reminders
Uniform Days
Summer Uniform (commences Monday 1 September 2025)
Formal - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
Sports - Wednesday, Friday
Please remember that we are a...
‘Nut Aware’ School.
Times for Mass at St Patrick's Church are as follows:
1st Sunday - 9:00am 2nd and 3rd Sunday – 5:30pm
4th & 5th Sunday Liturgy of the Word with Communion - 9:00am
