T4 W4 Newsletter 2025

From The Principal

Dear Parents & Carers,

As we prepare to celebrate World Teachers’ Day this Friday, I invite our community to reflect on the many ways our school has supported their child’s growth this year.  Our classroom teachers are an exceptional group—committed professionals who consistently go above and beyond to provide quality education and care for our students.

Beyond the classroom, we’re fortunate to have a team of educators who bring specialised expertise to our school. Whether it’s through inclusive curriculum design, targeted interventions, or specialist programs, these teachers play a vital role in enriching our learning environment.  

Of course, none of this would be possible without the dedication of our school officers – teacher assistants, administration and finance staff, and other support personnel.  Much of their work happens quietly behind the scenes, but is essential to the smooth running and welcoming spirit of our school. From the friendly faces in the front office to the well-maintained grounds and the thoughtfully curated library collection, their efforts are felt in every corner of our community.  Our teacher assistants, in particular, provide invaluable support to students, offering care and compassion.

This Friday, as we mark World Teachers’ Day, we also take the opportunity to celebrate the uniqueness and giftedness of all staff who contribute to the life of our school.  At St Anne’s, it’s not World Teachers’ Day, it’s World Staff Day.  Every member of our team plays a vital role in shaping a nurturing, inclusive, and inspiring environment for our students, and we are truly grateful for their dedication.

Principal's Messages

THANK YOU  |  Thank you, Mrs Tatchell, for leading our NAIDOC activities with passion and purpose. Your efforts not only brought the celebrations to life but also enriched student learning in meaningful ways. A big thank you as well to all the staff who helped make the day so engaging and memorable. You are deeply appreciated!

Prep Enrolments Now Being Taken For 2026

PREP 2026  |  Do you have a Prep student beginning in 2026?

We are now taking enrolments via the online system.  We encourage both existing and new families who have a child starting Prep in 2026 to lodge their enrolment application as soon as possible.  Applications are to be made via our online enrolment application available on our website via this link: https://www.sasrok.catholic.edu.au/   

Please contact the school office for further information or if any assistance is required.

Centenary Tea Towels for Sale $16

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR 2025

Student Protection News

Across The Curriculum

Progress Achievement Testing

This term, students in Years 1-6 completed their Progress Achievement Tests (PAT) for Mathematics and Reading.

PAT is a standardised assessment aligned with the Australian Curriculum. It provides teachers valuable, targeted data to track each student's academic progress, identify specific learning gaps, and inform their teaching for the remainder of the year. This information assists teachers to ensure we are providing the right support to help every student succeed.

AUSTRALIA'S BIGGEST SAFETY LESSON

Australia’s Biggest Child Safety Lesson (ABCSL) is back to deliver important safety messages to children in 2025.

ABCSL 2025 will focus on Contextual Prevention which can be translated to Safe Spaces, creating safer environments for children in online and offline spaces.

Australia's Biggest Safety Lesson will launch on 31 October 2025, as part of Day for Daniel. Students across St Anne's will participate in one of two age appropriate lessons. The lower primary lesson is created for children aged 7 to 9 and upper primary years for children aged 10 to 12.

Religious Life of the School

From the Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Ms Georgia Moloney

World Mission Month, Day for Daniel and World Teacher’s Day: Friday 31st October

This October, Catholic Mission and the wider Catholic community unite to celebrate World Mission Month, guided by the theme “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” It’s a time to reflect on our shared mission to bring hope, compassion, and justice to communities around the world.

By supporting missionaries in their vital work, we help create life-changing opportunities for children, families, and entire communities. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of our sisters and brothers across the globe.

Day for Daniel: Wear Red to Raise Awareness

Also on Friday 31st October, we will be recognising Day for Daniel, Australia’s largest child safety education and awareness event. This special day honours the memory of Daniel Morcombe and promotes the importance of child safety in our communities.

To show support, students are invited to wear a red t-shirt with their school shorts. The colour red symbolises Daniel’s legacy and our shared commitment to keeping children safe.

Let’s come together in hope, action, and awareness to make this day meaningful for all.

Mission Fair at St Anne’s

On Friday 31st October, St Anne’s will host its annual Mission Fair between 12noon and 1.30pm. The day will begin with a Prayer Assembly led by our Year 5 students, followed by a vibrant afternoon of fundraising fun:

• Students will run a variety of stalls, games, and activities after first lunch (various cost)
• Sausage on bread will be available for purchase at $3
• We’re seeking donations of cupcakes, lolly bags, jelly cups, and other treats for the Year 1 cake and lolly stall
• Students will need coins to purchase and participate in activities

Please send donations in on Thursday 30th or Friday 31st October. All proceeds will go directly to the Catholic Mission.

World School Staff Day

On Friday 31st October, we will also celebrate World School Staff Day. This is a special occasion to honour the incredible dedication, passion, and impact of our teachers, teacher aides, administration and grounds staff.

At St Anne’s, we are deeply grateful for the educators who inspire, guide, and nurture our students every day. Their commitment to learning and care helps shape not only academic success but also the hearts and minds of future generations.

We invite families to join us in recognising and thanking our staff. A kind word, a thoughtful note, or a simple smile can go a long way in showing appreciation.

Let’s come together to celebrate the wonderful staff who make our school community so special!

End of Year Celebrations at St Anne’s

As we approach the final weeks of Term 4, we are excited to share some important dates and events that will bring our school community together in celebration and reflection.

St Anne’s Christmas Performance

Tuesday 2 December at 5.00pm 

Wednesday 3 December at 12.00 noon

We are thrilled to announce our Christmas Performance at St Anne’s. All students will be involved, either performing with their class or in main character roles (auditions will be advertised soon). This special event will celebrate the joy and meaning of Christmas through music, drama and dance.

• Tickets: $5 per person, with limited seating available for each performance
• Funds raised will support performance expenses such as set design and costumes
• Raffle: There will be eight prizes, each offering four front row seats to one of the performances. Raffle tickets will be available soon

Stay tuned for more information

Final Assembly and Farewell – Friday 5 December

8.40am – Nativity Prayer Celebration Led by our Year 1 students, this beautiful prayer service will honour the Birth of Jesus and help us reflect on the meaning of the season.

11.30am – Farewell to Mr Oches and Year 6 We will gather to celebrate the incredible contribution of Mr Oches, who is resigning after more than 20 years of dedicated service to St Anne’s. All students will perform a special farewell dance, rehearsed during Dance lessons this term.

We warmly invite all current and former staff, students and families to join us for this heartfelt farewell and to honour Mr Oches, leaving staff and our graduating Year 6 students.

Religious Life of the School Calendar

Please see the table below for important dates for Mass and Assembly for the remainder of the year. Guests more than welcome to attend.

Join us in the Hall at 11.30am on Tuesday 11th November for a Remembrance Day Prayer celebration.

Finance News

Term 4 Fees  |  Term 4 school fees are now overdue. If you have not paid in full and do not have a payment plan in place, please make an appointment to see our Finance Officer. 

Important Information regarding how School fee payments show on the Parent Orbit App  |  With the introduction of the new Parent Orbit App, parents are now able to easily see where they are up to with their school fee payments. However, an important thing to note is that any payments that have been made in the past 2 weeks may not show in the App, as they need to be processed to your account after the payment is received and this is done in bulk every week or two. If it is longer than 2 weeks since you have made a payment and it is still not showing on the Orbit App, please contact the Finance Officer, Sandra Adams, for it to be looked into. Sorry for any confusion this has caused.  

Sports News

Cathy Freeman Relay

The Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay hosted an inspiring community athletics event on Friday the 24th of October, as local school students took part in the Cathy Freeman Relay.

The event, which honoured the enduring legacy of Mackay-born Olympic champion Cathy Freeman, drew large crowds to watch primary and secondary students compete in a thrilling 4x100m relay challenge and individual 400m races.

Freeman herself attended the day, personally presented the trophies to the winning teams. Well done to Bella and Bronson for you participation in the 400m race, you both represented St Anne's with pride. A huge congratulations to Bella , Zan'eisha, Bronson and Preston for your participation in the relay. We are so proud of your efforts and the sportsmanship you displayed.  

P&F News

Student Leadership

Leadership is a quality that all students of St Anne's Catholic Primary School are encouraged and supported to develop.  These experiences ensure that students perceive themselves as leaders and have the opportunity and confidence to take on leadership roles and find their voice.

Newsletter Report Week 3 By Brooklyn  |  First of all I would like to thank all grade 5 and 6 students that completed in NET team activities and were very well behaved. 

Thank you to the Sarina State High School students for your time and volunteering in grades 6, 4, 2 & 1. 

Even though we only have 7 weeks left of school we still have to listen to all the teachers' rules and make sure you put your hand up when the bell goes at lunch time. 

Congratulations to all the grade 2's who competed at Mackay Eisteddfod and came in 2nd place. Great job!

I hope you all had a great week. Make sure you follow all your teacher's rules. 

Newsletter Report Week 4 By Jed | I like to thank Mrs Tachell for organising NAIDOC week and all the helpers. We appreciate the help. Also I would like to remind everyone to put their hand up at lunchtime so we don’t have to stay in after the second break. That’s all. Thank you for listening and have a great day.

Laudato Si

This term Laudato Si have been able to share their success in the garden with our community. 

Lettuce, tomatoes and eggs have been collected and shared with the school tuckshop and sold to the community to assist with planting in new produce. 

The Laudato Si club meets each week to discuss ways they can follow Pope Francis instruction of "looking after God's earth."

So far this year the club has collected over 10 wheelie bins of popper and bottles, saving them from going into the landfill. 

The club is looking forward to harvesting beetroot, strawberries and cucumbers later in the term. 

Mercy Awards

Congratulations To Our Mercy Award Recipients Week 2  |  Indie C, Ava S, Harry S, Freya S, Jaxon D, Ellie F, All of Year 2, Cohen D, Mackenzie S, Eva C, Molly M, Sophie C, Nevaeh W, Lillie P, Nait B

Congratulations To Our Mercy Award Recipients Week 3 |  Jonas H, Ivy L, Emma N, Year 1 C, Phoebe W, James M, Bentley B, Jack B, Harper O, Zachary Z, Isabelle B, Achilles D, Charlotte D, Lewis J, Paige G, Zan'eisha M, Addison W, Chris B

General Information

Community News