Newsletter Term 1 Week 8, 28.3.2025

Principal's News

Christian service puts faith into action. In Catholic schools, as we study and look to Jesus Christ as our role model and Teacher, we come to a greater understanding of the depth of Christian service.  Jesus served every person regardless of creed, background, faith, social status or age.  He put faith into action by showing all those around him how our Heavenly Father is compassionate, courageous and forgiving.  Jesus didn’t just talk about His faith; He lived it.

We are called by faith to go into the world to share the love of God with all those we meet.  Each person, at every age, is called to become Christ for another by serving every person with a humble heart and with a generous spirit.

Be the reason that someone encounters Jesus in our school and sometimes, only sometimes, use words to do it!

From the School Calendar

Week 9, Term 1 2025

• Monday 31/3/25: 2:25pm School Assembly
• Tuesday 1/4/25: 
• Wednesday 2/4/25:
• Thursday 3/4/25: 9am K-2 Mass, Family Faith and Fun Night 5:30-7pm
  
• Friday 4/4/25: 
  

Week 10, Term 1 2025

• Monday 7/4/25: 2026 Kindergarten Interviews Commence, School Cross Country
• Tuesday 8/4/25: 
• Wednesday 9/4/25: Rewards Day-Pyjama and Movie Day, First Reconciliation 6pm
• Thursday 10/4/25: 9am 3-6 Mass, 
  
• Friday 11/4/25: Stations of the Cross Liturgy, Last day of Term 1

Learning Conferences

I would like to thank all parents and families who were able to attend the learning conferences during the past two weeks. I know that it can be difficult at times to juggle work, family commitments and everything else that life throws at us, however, it is extremely powerful for students to have the opportunity to showcase their classwork, celebrate their learning and discuss progress towards goals they are working on.

Our learning conferences are a very important part of strengthening our parent partnership and your attendance reinforces to our children that you are here to support them and that you value their learning.

Our attendance percentages at these meetings are as follows.

School Gates

I would like to thank all families for your support and patience as we transitioned to having our school gates locked during the day to ensure our school site is safe and secure for students, staff and families.

Please note the following points below.

• The school gates near the canteen will be unlocked between 8-9am and 2:30-3:30pm each day.
• The main school gate near Flying Start is our main entrance to the school.
• Our office staff would love to see all parents and visitors at the office prior to anyone accessing classrooms, picking up students early or delivering messages throughout school hours. 
  

Thank you for supporting us in keeping all our children safe and meeting regulations for school safety.

Occupational Therapist-Welcome Analea

Welcome to Analea our amazing Occupational Therapist working in our school each Thursday. Analea is an incredible asset to our team and for our children. Her role in the school is:

• The overall responsibility of a school-based OT is to furnish support and provide interventions for the school to support students to engage in school activities and achieve independence within the school setting 
• Provide expertise in a variety of diagnoses and strategies to implement different techniques that can support all our children engage and meet the demands of the school environment.
• To support teachers and upskill them in understanding and supporting students with additional needs.
• It is not 1-1 therapy with individual students.

Attendance

Expect your child to be at school every day.  Today our school attendance percentage was 94%. Our target for every school day is 95%.

Every school day builds upon the previous one, making it essential for students to attend regularly.

Regular attendance is crucial as it fosters resilience and enables students to form vital social connections.  Please be mindful that if your child is late to school or leaves early, this will be marked as a partial absence and this partial absence accumulates towards their overall percentage. 

During the week, there were letters sent home to families where students fell below 90% in their attendance for the first 8 weeks of school. We acknowledge that there may be many reasons for absences and you may have already provided information to the school about why your child has been away. However, this communication is to ensure all parents are aware that their child’s attendance is currently at or under 90%. 

Please come and see me to discuss any questions or concerns that you may have regarding attendance. Working together and supporting each other is crucial in helping our children grow and flourish at St Anthony's.

Kindergarten 2026

It is extremely unusual to be talking about enrolment for next year already, however,  places are filling quickly and we already have many online enrolments for our kindergarten class for 2026.

 I am encouraging any new families and current families with siblings entering kindergarten in 2026 to complete the online enrolment form as soon as possible.  This can be found at https://www.kngplism.catholic.edu.au

Interviews for prospective students and families will commence at the end of Term 1 and the beginning of Term 2. Offers of placement for 2026 will be made early in Term 2. If you know of anyone who might be considering our beautiful school, I would be grateful if you could let them know that enrolments are open now.

Please contact the school office on 66741368 if you have any questions or concerns regarding the enrolment process.

ANZAC DAY

St Anthony's has a proud history of supporting ANZAC Day commemorations in our local area. To this end, we have once again been invited to attend and support our local march. Local RSL Sub-Branches are always delighted to see school students supporting the march and honouring the traditions and sacrifices of those who have served our country in all armed conflicts. 

As ANZAC day occurs during the school holidays, it is anticipated that some families may be away but if your child is here, then it would be wonderful to see them march as part of our school community.

Students are welcome to wear the medals of relatives but these must be worn on the correct side of the chest (right side) in keeping with ANZAC Day protocol. Students attending need to wear their full school uniform including hats. It is also a good idea to apply sunscreen before the march.

Once the march concludes, students are welcome and encouraged to stay for the service. All students must be picked up directly from the staff attending and supervising the march to ensure student safety.

The details for each march are listed below:

• Friday 25^th April 2025
• Mass 9am
  
• Meeting Time: 10:15am
• Location: Kingscliff Bowling Club (opposite the Fire Station)
• Full school uniform including hat and drink bottle

They gave their tomorrow, so that we can live our today!

Lest We Forget.

Rewards Day

To celebrate a fantastic term of learning, growth and friendship, we will enjoy a movie and pyjama day on Wednesday 9th April (Week 10). 

MISSION NEWS

Lenten Prayer Group

In this week’s Lenten Prayer group we explore the concept of ‘Homecoming’ through the parable of the Prodigal Son. Sometimes we drift away from home and away from the Father and at times we, like the Prodigal Son, hit ‘rock bottom’. In these moments we should always remember the Father is waiting for us with open arms, ready to embrace us in His mercy and love. It was great to see some more students this week. It would be so wonderful to get more parents and parishioners to come, so please know that you are very welcome!

Families, faith and fun

The students in K-2 are looking forward to our ‘Families, Faith and Fun’ evening this Thursday, April 03 5:30- 7pm. The night will feature a mix of games and activities and finish with a shared pizza dinner, which is provided by the Lismore Catholic Schools Parent Assembly.

If you haven’t already registered, please use the link https://bit.ly/SAKFFF25 or QR code attached on the flyer. 

We’d love to see you there!

Passion Play

On the last day of the Term, April 11 at 2pm we will have our whole school observance of Jesus’ final moments in the school Passion Play. This will feature a large number of students dramatising the final moments of Jesus’ like, climaxing in the Resurrection of Christ at Easter.

Ordinarily the Term finishes during Holy Week, however both Holy and Easter happen during the Holidays this year, so we will celebrate and observe this, the high season of the liturgical life of the Catholic Church, in the final week of the Term.

We would love all families to come pray, remember and celebrate. All are welcome!

Companions

After the success of 2024, we are continuing our Companions program. We are seeking grandparents and parishioners who might have some time to come into school once a week and work with a student (or groups of students) who would benefit from a ‘companion’ to build positive relationships, self-esteem and resilience. It might be teaching a child how to play cards or how to knit and having a yarn about life’s ups and downs at the same time. 

Volunteers need a Working With Children Check, which can be organised through the school.

If you would like to volunteer for the program or want to talk further about Companions, please contact Gemma Ballantine (Assistant Principal, Mission) through the School Office.

Project Compassion

During Lent Catholics are also called to pray, fast and give. The major giving initiative in the Catholic Church is Project Compassion through Caritas.

The theme for Project Compassion 2025 is “Unite against poverty this Lent”. Students have large Project Compassion boxes in their classrooms and the youngest child in the school has been given a small Project Compassion Box to take home and fill by doing ‘odd jobs’ around the house and asking people for donations. Project Compassion is intended to promote a sense of philanthropy amongst students and instil in students care and concern for those less fortunate than themselves. Please encourage your child to return their boxes to their class teachers by the last week of this Term so our school total can be counted and sent through to Caritas before Easter.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Mathematics Around the School: A Hands-On Approach to Learning

Mathematics is alive and thriving throughout our school, with each year level engaging in a wide variety of hands-on activities and experiences. From measuring with everyday materials to using technology to enhance learning, students are discovering the joy and practicality of math in different ways. Here’s a glimpse of the exciting mathematical learning happening across our school!

Kindergarten

Measuring and Numerals- Our Kindergarten students are starting their mathematical journey by learning to measure through direct comparisons. Using hands-on materials, they are practising measurement by comparing objects alongside their developing numeral recognition and writing skills. It's wonderful to see how engaged they are in making math both tangible and meaningful!

Year 1

Combining with Concrete Materials In Year 1, students are deepening their understanding of combining amounts to find totals. With a variety of concrete materials like counters, cubes, and blocks, they are developing their addition skills and building a solid foundation for their number sense. These manipulatives help students visualise and internalise the mathematical concepts they are working on.

Year 2

Exploring Area Outdoors Year 2 students are embracing outdoor learning as they explore the concept of area. Using informal units such as their feet and bodies, they practised measuring the quadrangle outside their classroom, gaining real-world experience in understanding how to measure the space around them. This hands-on approach is helping to bring abstract concepts into concrete practice.

Year 3

In Year 3, students are diving into the world of fractions in a hands-on and creative way! Using paper strips, they are learning how to make multiple representations of the same fraction. This approach encourages them to see that fractions can be represented in more than one way, proving that there is often more than one correct answer when working with fractions. The challenge is for students to find all possible representations of a given fraction, helping them develop a deeper understanding of equivalence and fraction relationships.

Year 4

Using Computers to Track Progress In Year 4, students are leveraging technology to track their learning journey.  Before embarking on a two-week unit of work, students take formative assessments to group them according to their needs. At the end of the unit, they revisit these assessments to reflect on their progress. This blend of technology and reflection allows them to identify areas of growth and celebrate their achievements.

Year 5

Playing Games to Strengthen Fluency- Year 5 students are loving their concrete materials and games, which are helping them practise their addition and subtraction skills with precision and fluency. Using a reverse ‘five minute collection’ game students are extending their understanding of place value, particularly focusing on working over the decade.

Year 6

Converting Distances with Technology- In Year 6, students are applying their math skills to real-world scenarios by converting distances between metres and kilometres. Using iPads and Google Earth, they are able to measure distances on maps, making their learning experience engaging and interactive. This integration of technology adds an exciting dimension to their study of measurement.

SPORT NEWS

2025 STA CROSS COUNTRY 
Date: Monday 7th April, Venue: Jack Bayliss Park
The St Anthony’s Cross Country will take place this year at Jack Bayliss Park along Kingscliff Beach foreshore just North of the Bowling Club. Students will walk over to the foreshore with their class groups. Students will either run 1, 2 or 3 laps of the track depending on their age group. Please wear sports shorts with your house coloured t-shirt. If you do not have a shirt in your house colour just wear the school sports shirt.

No set times for starting any age group. The day will follow the program as set.

Approx: 9:00 am Start

Start 12/13 Yrs Boys (3km)
Start 12/13 Yrs Girls (3km)
Start 11 Yrs Boys (3km)
Start 11Yrs Girls (3km)
Start 10 Yrs Boys (2km)
Start 10 Yrs Girls (2km)
Start 8/9 Yrs Boys (2km)
Start 8/9 Yrs Girls (2km)
Start 7 Yrs Boys and Girls (1km)
Start 6 Yrs Boys and Girls (1km)
Start 5 Yrs Boys and Girls (1km)

Wear your house colours with pride!

The top 6 finishers from each division (8/9 Years and above) will be selected to attend the TWEED ZONE CROSS COUNTRY at Murwillumbah Showgrounds on Thursday 8th May. The subsequent Diocesan Cross Country will be in Grafton on Tuesday 20th May. 
Parents are welcome to attend the carnival. Most of the track will be roped off with tape or cones. Please be aware of where the students are running and avoid these areas. 
The recording/judging area at the end of the track will be roped off and out of bounds for spectators and students who are not racing. Please do not attempt to enter this area to see your child/children as accurate judging and recording of places is necessary for students to progress to the next level of Cross Country. 

Year 3 and 4 Hockey Gala Day

The annual Tweed Primary Schools Hockey 6 a side Gala Day was held on Tuesday 25th March for Years 3 and 4 at the Tweed Hockey Centre in Murwillumbah. 

The Gala Day has an emphasis on participation and fun. Playing 6 a side hockey on a smaller field means more touches of the ball and more opportunity to learn the basics of hockey.  St Anthony’s had 7 teams from Years 3 and 4 participate on the day.  Congratulations to all students. Your behaviour and sportsmanship were exceptional.

Many thanks to our amazing hockey parents who helped coach and support our students on the day: Miss Parsons, Mrs Gell, Miss Nelson, Mr Alcorn and Mrs Henry We appreciate your effort and time.

Thanks also to Mr Judd and Mrs Holmes for your coaching and supervision. 

Tweed Zone Sports Trials

Well done to all the Year 5 and 6 students who have participated in the Tweed Zone Winter Sports Trials over the last 3 weeks. 

Congratulations to the following students who were selected in the Tweed Zone team for their chosen sport. 

They will travel to Grafton on Friday 4th April to the Lismore Diocesan trials. 

U/11’s Rugby League: Louie Fallon

U/12’s Rugby League: Ky O’Grady, Nixon Moase, Nixon Bowra

Girls Soccer: Jacinta Reynolds and Evelyn Stewart

Rugby Union will go to Grafton in May: Joe Handisides, Yani Ryan, Nixon Bowra and Ashton Dunne

Regional Primary Schools Girls AFL

Congratulations to Gemma Rogers of Year 5 who was selected in the Northern Coastal and Inland U/12 AFL team. Gemma participated in the trials at the end of February in Woolgoolga, she was selected out of 45 other players, what a fantastic achievement!

She will travel to Sydney for the NSWPSSA State titles in June.

Good Luck Gemma!

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Congratulations to Ari Swain, who recently competed in his first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition at the COMP NET Queensland State Championship 2025 on March 23rd.  At just 6 years old, Ari, a grey belt at Gracie Barra Tweed Heads, participated in this prestigious event and earned a bronze medal.

This accomplishment is a testament to Ari's dedication, hard work, and passion for the sport. It was truly heartwarming to see him demonstrate both sportsmanship and perseverance at such a young age.

Congratulations Ari, we are excited to see your continued growth in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu."

Flying Start

Week 7 and 8 at Flying Start has been full of activities and learning around our bodies.  What a great interest to follow for us all, and boy, have we had some fun.  We have been painting, singing, dancing, and practicing our fine motor skills all whilst investigating how our bodies work.  We have even been using the adventure playground to see how our bodies can climb and navigate all the equipment on offer.

As we are also lucky enough to have lunch orders from the canteen three times a week, this has also given opportunity to discuss what our bodies need to fuel them each day.  We have then been using the soccer fields to play group games of “Red Rover Cross Over” and “Octopus” to get our heart rates up, you may have seen us there if an afternoon just before picking up. 

Our other area of interest and followed with intentional teaching is social skills. We have been very busy learning about Empathy and how we use this skill in everyday life.  This has been achieved through stories, games and being responsible for looking after animals and babies within our classroom. Learning social skills is such an integral part of our program and an important part of our preschoolers learning. 

COMMUNITY NEWS

Parish Information and News

Parish Priest: Fr Paul McDonald

Finance Manager: Paul Crouch

Parish Secretary: Marty Darragh

Pastoral Assistant: Catherine Holliday

Phone: 0266741368

Email: parkings@bigpond.com

Website: http://stanthonysparishkingslciff.org

WEEKEND MASS TIMES
VIGIL: KINGSCLIFF 6:00pm
SUNDAY:POTTSVILLE 7:30am
KINGSCLIFF 9:00am

WEEKDAY MASS TIMES
TUESDAY: POTTSVILLE 9:15am
WEDNESDAY: KINGSCLIFF 8:00am
THURSDAY: KINGSCLIFF 9:00am
FRIDAY: KINGSCLIFF 8:00am

RECONCILIATION TIMES

SATURDAY: KINGSCLIFF4:00-5:30pm
SUNDAY: POTTSVILLE 7:00—7:25am

Current Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 9am-3pm

PARISH NEWSLETTER LINK: http://stanthonysparishkingscliff.org/news-events/

St Anthony's Parish - Care Group

Many parents may have noticed from the Parish Bulletin, that the Parish has a Care Group which, among other things seeks to provide meals to any parishoners in need.

This could include times of family sickness, new mums struggling to provide for the family in the early days of returning home, and many other circumstances of genuine need.

Please be aware that the Care Group is very willing to help out if any families find themselves in need of this service.

Contact: Parish Office: 0266 741 284 or Maree Moore 0439 174 116