Bernadette Fabri, Principal at St Patrick’s Primary Parramatta.
Name: Bernadette Fabri
Title: Principal at St Patrick’s Primary Parramatta
What do you do in your job?
One of the most satisfying things about being a teacher or a principal is that no two days or weeks are the same. There are so many different aspects to the role ranging from administrative tasks to watching children learn and achieve.
How long have you been doing this job, and what first sparked your interest in this area?
This is my ninth year as a principal, but I didn’t have this aspiration as a young teacher. I think you recognise that you have the ability and desire to make an enormous difference in the lives of a community and become confident to give it a go.
What do you like most about the job?
There are many aspects that I love but the most satisfying is watching children and staff grow and flourish and increase their confidence and skills. They contribute to the school in the most extraordinary ways that far exceed what one can do alone.
What was the most unexpected thing you have had to do in your job?
Without doubt, having to lead a school during a pandemic was the most unexpected thing that I had to do. Never in a million years, as they say, did I see that coming.
How have you adapted to greater demand for online learning during COVID? What other challenges have you faced during the pandemic?
Online learning was a steep learning curve for both students and staff with the pressure and desire to achieve success in a short period of time.
Supporting children from diverse situations meant continually adapting things to suit as many families as possible.
Decisions focused on safety first and maintaining good relationships when most people were feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Guideline changes were also challenging and most principals experienced decision fatigue.
How transferable are your skills? Are there any other jobs that require similar skills and qualifications?
I have always been in education. [But] I think they are extremely transferable. Solving complex problems, developing strong interpersonal skills, patience and an even temperament under stress. Leading a school also requires a positive and hopeful attitude and an understanding that success is best achieved when people feel valued and supported to contribute in their own unique ways.
What advice do you have for people wanting to get into a career related to your skills and experience?
The satisfaction gained from teaching is indescribable. I’m sure many people remember a teacher that changed their lives because they believed in them in some way. Most teachers do this as part of their natural tendency to nurture and a love of learning. Our future depends on the brightest and most capable young people entering the profession.
What skills and personal skills do people need in teaching?
It’s highly relational, and people skills are a must. It requires a deep interest in learning the most effective ways to increase student achievement growth and the ability to foster quality relationships in the workplace and solve complex problems.
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01 Oct 2026
From Facebook
⚽🏅Celebrating Our World Cup Stars!🏅⚽ Our Primary World Cup may be over, but there were a few more achievements to celebrate! Throughout the tournament, our players demonstrated skill, determination, teamwork, leadership and wonderful sportsmanship. Our Season Awards recognised some of the students who made a special contribution both on and off the field. ⚽ Golden Boot: Mahli 🛡️ Best Defence: Joseph A and Paul D 🥅 Best Goalies: Zac A and Jordan A ⭐ Most Consistent Players: Josh Y, Noah Y, Josh N, Mason, Roman, Nicholas P and AJ 👏 Encouraging Team Leaders: Frank and Joey K 🏆 Overall Player of the Season: Jesse J Congratulations to all our award recipients! While trophies and awards are wonderful, we are equally proud of the qualities celebrated through them: teamwork, perseverance, encouragement, courage, sportsmanship and having a go. Well done to every player who made this season such a success, and another big thank you to Mrs Cadman for creating such a fantastic opportunity for our students. ⚽💚💛 #BelongToSomethingGreater #cspd2026 #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #catholicschools #cspd #learningisfunatStPats #PrimaryWorldCup #SeasonAwards #SoccerAtStPats #Teamwork #StPatricksParramatta #LearningIsFunAtStPats30 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🕰️💚 Way Back When Wednesday 💛🕰️ Is it time to dive back into the St Patrick’s archives... but can you guess the year? 📸 Here are a few clues: 🎬 Ghostbusters had us asking, “Who you gonna call?” 🎶 Wham! had everyone singing along to Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go 🇦🇺 Bob Hawke was Prime Minister 🏉 The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs were celebrating premiership success 💻 Computers were getting into more homes... although they looked VERY different from the ones we use today! Meanwhile, at St Patrick’s, another generation of students was busy learning, laughing and making memories. Can you guess the year? And, even better, do you recognise anyone in these photos? Share your memories with us in the comments! 💚💛 #WayBackWhenWednesday #GuessTheYear #StPatricksParramatta #SchoolMemories #OurHistory #100YearsOfCatholicEducation
Latest News More news
01 Oct 2026
From Facebook
⚽🏅Celebrating Our World Cup Stars!🏅⚽ Our Primary World Cup may be over, but there were a few more achievements to celebrate! Throughout the tournament, our players demonstrated skill, determination, teamwork, leadership and wonderful sportsmanship. Our Season Awards recognised some of the students who made a special contribution both on and off the field. ⚽ Golden Boot: Mahli 🛡️ Best Defence: Joseph A and Paul D 🥅 Best Goalies: Zac A and Jordan A ⭐ Most Consistent Players: Josh Y, Noah Y, Josh N, Mason, Roman, Nicholas P and AJ 👏 Encouraging Team Leaders: Frank and Joey K 🏆 Overall Player of the Season: Jesse J Congratulations to all our award recipients! While trophies and awards are wonderful, we are equally proud of the qualities celebrated through them: teamwork, perseverance, encouragement, courage, sportsmanship and having a go. Well done to every player who made this season such a success, and another big thank you to Mrs Cadman for creating such a fantastic opportunity for our students. ⚽💚💛 #BelongToSomethingGreater #cspd2026 #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #catholicschools #cspd #learningisfunatStPats #PrimaryWorldCup #SeasonAwards #SoccerAtStPats #Teamwork #StPatricksParramatta #LearningIsFunAtStPats
30 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🕰️💚 Way Back When Wednesday 💛🕰️ Is it time to dive back into the St Patrick’s archives... but can you guess the year? 📸 Here are a few clues: 🎬 Ghostbusters had us asking, “Who you gonna call?” 🎶 Wham! had everyone singing along to Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go 🇦🇺 Bob Hawke was Prime Minister 🏉 The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs were celebrating premiership success 💻 Computers were getting into more homes... although they looked VERY different from the ones we use today! Meanwhile, at St Patrick’s, another generation of students was busy learning, laughing and making memories. Can you guess the year? And, even better, do you recognise anyone in these photos? Share your memories with us in the comments! 💚💛 #WayBackWhenWednesday #GuessTheYear #StPatricksParramatta #SchoolMemories #OurHistory #100YearsOfCatholicEducation
29 Sep 2026
From Facebook
⚽🏆 The Final Whistle! 🏆⚽ What an incredible Primary World Cup Soccer tournament it has been! Over the past weeks, Australia, England, Spain, Brazil, Portugal and France have battled it out on the field, bringing energy, determination, teamwork and plenty of excitement to every game. From Australia holding strong at the top, to England’s late charge, Spain’s skill and teamwork, and Brazil, Portugal and France continuing to improve and challenge throughout the competition, every team had something to celebrate. But the final results are only one part of the story. The real win has been watching our students play together, develop their skills, encourage one another and demonstrate fairness, perseverance and respect. Congratulations to every player who took to the field and helped make our Primary World Cup such a memorable event. ⚽💚💛 And a huge thank you to Mrs Cadman for bringing the World Cup to life for our students! #BelongToSomethingGreater #cspd2026 #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #catholicschools #learningisfunatStPats #cspd #PrimaryWorldCup #SoccerAtStPats #Teamwork #Sportsmanship #StPatricksParramatta #LearningIsFunAtStPats
28 Sep 2026
Celebrating 40 years of Voice of Youth and the power of student voice
Six Year 6 students from 58 Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) Primary schools came together at St John XXIII Catholic College Stanhope Gardens on 22 September for the Voice of Youth Grand Final, showcasing their public speaking skills through a series of thoughtful and engaging speeches.
26 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🎭✝️ Faith Comes to Life ✝️🎭 Our Year 5 and 6 students had the wonderful opportunity to experience 'Be the Witness', a contemporary Gospel musical bringing the story of Jesus to life through the eyes of St Peter. Through music, drama and storytelling, students experienced the Gospel in a completely different way, exploring Peter’s journey of faith, courage, doubt, forgiveness and discipleship. What a wonderful opportunity to experience the beauty of live theatre while deepening our understanding of our Catholic faith. Sometimes a story we know so well can take on new meaning when we experience it in a new way. 💙💛 #BeTheWitness #FaithInAction #CatholicFaith #Stage3 #StPatricksParramatta #CatholicSchools #BelongToSomethingGreater #BelongToSomethingGreater #cspd2026 #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #catholicschools #cspd #learningisfunatStPats
25 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🕰️💚 Way Back When Wednesday 💛🕰️ Different faces. Different classrooms. Different ways of teaching. The same purpose. For generations, St Patrick’s staff have been united by a passion for learning and a belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive. Teaching continues to change and evolve, but our commitment to moving student learning forward has always been, and will always be, at the heart of what we do. Here’s to all those who have taught, supported and inspired generations of St Patrick’s students, and to those who continue that story today. 💚💛 Who do you recognise? We’d love to hear your memories. #WayBackWhenWednesday #StPatricksParramatta #OurStory #TeachingAndLearning #CatholicEducation #100YearsOfCatholicEducation
25 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🎭🎶 A Night to Shine! 🎶🎭 What an incredible celebration of the Performing Arts at St Patrick’s! On Thursday evening, our students took to the stage to share their gifts with our community. Ms Gaudry and our talented choir filled the space with music, while individual students showcased an extraordinary range of talents through singing, piano, violin, drama and dance. 🎹🎻💃🎤 There is something very special about watching young people find the confidence to step onto a stage and share something they love. Our students were simply fantastic, and we could not have been prouder of them! A very special thank you to Ms Gaudry for the time, energy, and passion she put into organising such a wonderful evening and giving our students the opportunity to shine. The curtain may have closed on this year’s Showcase, but we’re already looking forward to next year! 🌟💚💛 #PerformingArtsShowcase #LetYourLightShine #Music #Drama #Dance #StPatricksParramatta #LearningIsFunAtStPats #BelongToSomethingGreater #cspd2026 #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #catholicschools #cspd #learningisfunatStPats
24 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🌟🎸 One Stage. So Many Talents! 🎸🌟 Our Stage 3 students continued the entertainment at St Patrick’s You’ve Got Talent, stepping forward to share their gifts, including some fantastic guitar playing! 🎶 It takes courage to stand in front of your peers and share something you have practised and worked hard to develop, and we were incredibly proud of every student who took to the stage. Our Talent Show was also a chance to reflect on how fortunate we are to have opportunities to discover, develop and share our gifts. Not every child has access to the same opportunities, resources, or experiences, which makes it even more important to appreciate our gifts and look for ways to use them for good. Congratulations again to our wonderful MacKillop students and Ms Arida for bringing everyone together for such a joyful celebration of talent. 💚💛 #StPatricksYouveGotTalent #Stage3 #CelebratingOurGifts #Gratitude #StPatricksParramatta #CatholicSchools #BelongToSomethingGreater #cspd2026 #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #learningisfunatStPats #cspd #catholicschools
22 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🎭✨ The Talent Continues! ✨🎭 Stage 2 certainly brought plenty of variety to St Patrick’s You’ve Got Talent! From the beautiful sounds of the piano and violin to Irish dancing, magic and even a few comedy sketches, our students shared an amazing range of talents with their peers. 🎻🪄☘️😂 Behind every performance were hours of practising, learning, persistence and the courage to stand in front of an audience and have a go. Another huge shout-out to our MacKillop students, who, with the guidance of Ms Arida, worked behind the scenes to organise and bring our Talent Show to life. What a wonderful celebration of the many gifts within our St Patrick’s community! 💙💛 #StPatricksYouveGotTalent #Stage2 #CelebratingOurGifts #StPatricksParramatta #LearningIsFunAtStPats #BelongToSomethingGreater #cspd2026 #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #catholicschools #cspd
21 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🌟🎤 St Patrick’s You’ve Got Talent! 🎤🌟 Last Monday, our Kindergarten, Years 1 and 2 students proved that talent comes in MANY different forms! We saw singing, dancing, and even some impressive Rubik’s Cube solving as students bravely stepped up to share something they love and a talent they have worked hard to develop. 🎶💃🧩 What we loved most was seeing students celebrating and encouraging one another. Every talent was different, but every performer had their moment to shine! A huge congratulations to our performers and to our MacKillop students, who did a wonderful job organising the Talent Show under the guidance of Ms Arida. 💚💛 #StPatricksYouveGotTalent #LetYourLightShine #Stage1 #StPatricksParramatta #LearningIsFunAtStPats
20 Sep 2026
From Facebook
💛💚 A Safety Update about Sharing Student Images Online 💛💚 You may have noticed that the way we share photos and videos of our students is beginning to look a bit different. Following recent guidance from the eSafety Commissioner, we are taking a more considered approach to selecting and sharing student photos and videos across our social media channels.💛💚 #esafetycommissioner #BelongToSomethingGreater #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #cspd #learningisfunatStPats
19 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🕰️💚 Way Back When Wednesday 💛🕰️ The faces may change, the hairstyles certainly change, and fashions definitely come and go... but some things at St Patrick’s remain constant! 😊 Across the generations, our staff have shared the same commitment to helping every child learn, grow and become the best they can be. These photos capture some of the many people who have brought their knowledge, passion and heart to St Patrick’s over the years. Each has played a part in our school's story and in the lives of the students they taught. Recognise a familiar face? Tag them or share a memory of a St Patrick’s staff member who made a difference to you. 💚💛 #WayBackWhenWednesday #StPatricksParramatta #OurStory #TeachingAndLearning #SchoolMemories #100yearsofcatholiceducation #BelongToSomethingGreater #cspd2026 #100yearsofcatholiceducation #learningisfunatstpatsparramatta #learningisfunatStPats #cspd