T4 W5 Newsletter 2023

From The Principal

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Being human is at times a very fragile experience.  But being human is also a very rewarding and life-giving experience.  Some may say, ‘We are what we are, and that’s that!” or “I can’t help the way I am – that’s just me!”  This I believe can be a bit of a cop out.  This statement does nothing to challenge the very heart of our existence, the essence of our core.  The challenge to be human is a tall order in which to live fully in light of what we believe. 

The following is taken from ‘The Ripple Effect’, a book by Tony Ryan.

“The human grapevine is one of the clearest examples of a ripple effect in everyday action.  A passing comment from you, spoken in just a few seconds, could eventually change someone's life.  A single piece of gossip, begun by one person, can spread like wildfire through an entire city within a few hours.

Even on this very day, there are reputations being made and broken by word-of-mouth all around the world.  Reputation is a fragile concept, and one malicious rumour spread by a single person can destroy credibility that may have taken years to develop.

Whenever you take part in a conversation, you should be aware of the consequences of what is being said.  It is no exaggeration to state that one slip of the tongue can ruin someone's life.  Thus, if someone secretively tells you something that you suspect is not true, you should make an effort to stop the gossip spreading any further.

Ask them how they would feel if a similar rumour was being told about them.  Remind them of the ripple effect they create every time they take part in spreading innuendo about others.

Naturally, there are positive forms of gossip on the human grapevine as well, and you should indulge in them whenever you can.  Spread stories about the good actions of others, especially when they are not present at the time.”

The challenge this week is to talk about another person in a positive light.  It may be harder than you think – give it a go!  When you do this you are moving closer to fully living the gospel message and being the best version of yourself.

Principal's Messages

Students Not Returning to St Anne's in 2024  |   If you have children at St Anne's in years Prep to Year 5 and know that your child will not be returning to St Anne's in 2024, can you please let myself or Kathy in the office know as soon as possible, so we can take this into account when planning classes and staffing for next year. 

TOYS AT SCHOOL  |  We are finding that toys at school are on the rise and are a distraction to the learning process. This includes those items deemed 'fidget toys'. We are seeking your assistance in ensuring that toys and other treasures are NOT brought to school. This includes collector cards such as, for example, Pokemon. These are now all banned from school.

These items will be collected and dropped off at the school office for collection.

'Fidget toys' can only be brought to school if they are written into the Personalised Learning Plan of a student.

Thank you in advance for your support with this.

SCHOOL DISCO  |  The preferred method of paying the admission fee for our disco and making your  pizza/hotdog selection is via Flexi Schools. If you wish to pay via cash or Eftpos there are also order forms available in the office. You can pay on the night but may not get your first choice or pizza or hotdog. 

HELP NEEDED IF YOU ARE ABLE  |  We are taking donations to assist with this worthy cause if you are able.

LAUDATO SI  |  Our Laudato Si Club is collecting items for Dignity Bags.  We are teaching our students that it is important to help not just the environment but others less fortunate than ourselves. If you have items you can donate, we would be extremely grateful. Our goal is to create 5 bags to donate.
Thank you. Mrs Gill

HELP | We urgently need volunteers in the Tuckshop. We can't offer this service to our students without volunteer assistance. Please ring Kathy in the office and leave your name with her if you are able to assist.

WORLD TEACHERS' DAY | In the charism established by Catherine McAuley through the Mercy Sisters, we celebrated "World Educators' Day".  Our whole staff were given gifts as a token of gratitude for the work that they do, often above and beyond reasonable expectations. In true hospitality, which Catherine was known for, we gathered, we prayed and we gave thanks.

Special thanks to Mrs Bianca Morris who made our gifts – your blood is worth bottling.

We celebrated all of the staff in our school, as together we all work to provide optimal learning opportunities for our students.

Thank you to all who took the time to write a short note, give a small token of gratitude or just said thank you.  You are the reason we do what we do; your children are our ‘why’.

Tuckshop

Due to the Wellness Expo Tuckshop, for this week only, will be open Wednesday and Thursday, not open Friday. 

The St Anne's Tuckshop is open Thursday and Friday each week. Orders can be placed and paid for online via Flexischools or cash orders can be placed first thing in the morning in a brown paper bag with the student's name, class, first or second lunch and order clearly written on the outside. If you order Tuckshop for your child, please remember to still supply friut for fruit break for that day, as well as second lunch if you only order first lunch Tuckshop. 

If you can volunteer to help in the tuckshop please ring Debbie Nielsen on ph. 0417 128 428. 

COVID Requirements

Student Protection News

Across The Curriculum

Tired of reading the curriculum part of the newsletter?  If you answered yes, then I’d love your feedback. What would YOU like to read? 

For example...

- How to provide your child with prompts or questions when reading

- Strategies teachers use during mathematics lessons

Click on the link below to complete the google form.

https://forms.gle/QTSYN8eTbEEMMQmS6

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Yours in learning,

Shona Gibson

The Good News

From the Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Erika Milne

CATHOLIC MISSIONS FAIR

Thank you to all classes and their teachers for organising stalls for the very popular Catholic Missions Fair. Thank you to families for donating items for our fair. It was an amazing morning with stalls like spiders, lemonade, target ball, chocolate toss, bean bag toss, ball in a bucket game, hairspray, name the bear, guess the lollies in the jar, white elephant and the very competitive Coolock Vs McAuley coin line. A lot of fun was had for an important cause of helping Catholic missionaries assist those in need. We raised $1372.45. Well done St. Anne's!

Vinnies Christmas Appeal 

The Vinnies Christmas Appeal serves to bring joy to families and individuals who may need a little extra support. The Christmas Season for most, is often a time of celebrating with family and friends, sharing in the joy of giving and receiving presents, laughing over family traditions and silly season moments. However, for 2.2 million Australians, including families and 750,000 children, living below the poverty line, it can be a time when meeting even their most basic needs, like having food on the table, a place to call home, or keeping the lights on is a real struggle.

Each class will gather donated items in a basket and present them to St. Vincent De Paul at our annual giving mass on Thursday 30th November 2023. To uphold the dignity of those receiving the hampers, please ensure that all food items are not due to expire for another six months and are in date and in good condition.

Finance News

Concession Card Discounts  |  If you have an existing concession card discount,  please be aware that discounts are not automatically applied to new enrolments.  Discounts are applied to each student upon individual application and there is a form that is required to be completed each time.

If you have an existing concession card registered at St Anne’s and have more than one student, please contact Sandra Adams to confirm that discounts have been applied to each student. 

Term 4 Fees  |  Term 4 fees are now over due. If you have not paid your fees in full, and do not already have a payment plan in place, please contact our Finance Officer, Sandra Adams, to discuss options. 

Sports News

Students Of The Week

Congratulations To Our Students Of The Week  | Lui B, Julianna D, Joe S, Mia S, Grace M, Luca B, Jordan L, Eva P, Hadley W, Tia F, Za'Layah M, Summer K, Paige E, Khloe S, Jemma M, Brooklyn K, Taysha M, Nait B, Lizzy S, Wyatt H, Noah G, Clare B, Abby B, Prep G, Kaly F, Zane C

Year 4 Recycling

Waste Free Wednesday

General Information

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Community News