St Anne's Catholic Primary School Sarina eNewsletter

From The Principal

Remembering our Dead

Families have many different ways in which they remember their loved ones who have died. Photos, stories – even planning a tree or rose in their honour. You might like to ponder on what your family does.

Remembering our loved ones is very important in our faith and our Church has two days especially dedicated to this – the Feast of All Saints, 1 November and All Souls Day, 2 November. On the first day, we remember all those good, holy and wonderful people who now share fully in the light and glory of God. Amongst these are people I have known who were so good and loving that I believe they are now enjoying the full delight of God. I also believe that they still care for me, holding me and all whom they loved in their hearts. But what about the people who didn’t die ‘good and holy’ – the people with whom we have unsolved issues and who may have hurt us seriously? Our Church holds that, in some mysterious way, God has another space of healing, where their failures and sins of this life are dealt with. What and how I don’t know but I do know that it gives me a way of dealing with the hurt and injury they have dealt upon me. My injury is respected, and I can move into forgiving them as God forgives by remembering them in prayer before God.

As well as celebrating these two special days, many parishes have a Memorial Book where the names of our loved ones are recorded, and they are prayed for at the celebration of the Eucharist through this month. You might like to ring your Parish Office to have your own loved ones listed in this book and remembered in prayer.

Loving God, you know how those we known who have died still live in our hearts and lives. We thank you for the love and goodness they gave to us. We ask your healing and forgiveness for any hurt they may have done or that we have done to them. May we all come together one day in the fullness of your love. We ask this in Jesus’ name, confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

St Michael’s Catholic Church has a Memorial Book into which you can enter the names of loved ones. If you would like one of the staff to do this on your behalf, please ring the school office on 4994 8285.

Principal's Messages

NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY | As the end of year approaches, we would like all library books to be returned to the library. To assist in the end of year audit, student borrowing will finish 8 November 2024. If all items have not been returned by this date, the cost to replace the lost resources will be charged to your school account. As a school community we can’t afford to have resources go missing so your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated.

BOTTLE STALL | As part of our effort to support the Parish, we will be holding and running a Bottle Stall at the Parish Fair this year. The fair is scheduled for Saturday 9 November 2024.

In conjunction with this, a competition is being held to see which class collects the most bottles. The winning class will be decided after working out the average. The class that achieves the best bottle average will be awarded a prize. Please start sending in bottles now to your children’s class. These can be bottles that have been bought from the shops, or you may wish to fill your own bottles. Fillings need to be a minimum of $2.00 in value please. Please help where you can.

You may fill bottles with: buttons, any sort of knick knacks, hair accessories, bath bombs, seed packets, lollies with wrappers, party surprises, soap, toy cars, balloons, beads, homemade jam, homemade chutney, pencils, erasers, money, fairy stones, miniature water pistols, jewellery, ribbons, candles ….. the list is endless.

Please give careful consideration to not placing certain consumable items; including medication, cleaning products and sharp objects in bottles, as I imagine this stall will attract many, many children.

PREP 2025 | This week we hosted the final in a series of Prep 25 sessions. We also welcomed parents to their first official meeting at St Anne's Catholic Primary School with the school leadership team.

WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY | Last Friday Australia united to celebrate World Teachers' Day!

Thank you to all the amazing teachers who inspire, guide, and shape the future every day!!

At St Anne's though, we do things a little different and celebrate our whole staff on this day. We are one and together we achieve so much. We are the village!

Congratulations to each and every staff member for the role you play in each of the lives of our precious students!

Thank you Mrs Morris, for the gift of cupcakes, your generosity is immense and we really appreciate your kindness.

Thank you too to the many families who took the time to acknowledge the hard work of those who work in schools.

Prep Enrolments for 2025

PREP 2025 | Do you have a Prep student beginning in 2025?

We are now taking enrolments via the online system. We encourage both existing and new families who have a child starting Prep in 2025 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/

Interviews being conducted now.

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

Date Saver - St Anne's Centenary Week 2025

St Anne's 99 Years in Education

COVID Requirements

Student Protection News

Across The Curriculum

READING PROGRESS

One of our goals at St Anne's is for all students to make progress in reading. Practices we have put in place in order to achieve this goal are regular staff professional development, reading every day in classrooms, reading program trials and consistency in school practices. It is exciting to report that almost all students have demonstrated reading progress this year!! Congratulations to our students and wonderful staff for your commitment to our student goal. Thank you!

There will a presentation of awards at assembly in Week 6 for:

- DRA Reading Growth

- PAT Reading Growth (Progress Achievement Testing)

- PAT High Flyer Awards

Contact will be made via email if your child is receiving an award.

READING TRIAL - READING PROGRESS & READING COACH

The Year 5R class at has been trialling two new digital reading tools, Microsoft Reading Progress and Reading Coach. The students have been engaging with the Microsoft Reading Progress tool on Teams, and the results have been impressive. This program has significantly increased student engagement and confidence in reading and writing, helping to foster a newfound love of literacy among learners.

The Microsoft Reading Coach program has encouraged students to tackle more complex texts, leading to improved reading skills. Many students who were previously reluctant to read aloud are now participating actively, discovering a greater enthusiasm for literacy. This shift has been evident in their willingness to explore new genres and tackle challenging vocabulary.

Additionally, the program has provided a supportive environment for students to practise their reading skills independently. With the ability to receive immediate feedback, learners are building their confidence and developing a love for reading. The interactive nature of the tool has made reading practice enjoyable, motivating students to engage more deeply with texts.

In the competitive atmosphere of Year 5, students have embraced the challenge of improving their accuracy and fluency. They are enthusiastic about personalised reading tasks tailored to their individual goals, which fosters a sense of ownership over their learning journey.

Students have also been actively engaged with the Microsoft Reading Coach site. This has been allowing students to create and practice their own stories. Students are able to generate stories using AI and can adjust the story to best suit their reading level. The class have been excited to read as much as possible to unlock new characters and settings for their stories. Through the confidence gained through the AI generated stories, a number of year 5 students have begun to write their own stories for fun. This has been a drastic shift from the, at times, reluctant writers at the beginning of the year.

The trial of the Microsoft Reading Progress tool in Year 5R has proven to be a transformative experience, increasing student engagement, and building confidence in both reading and writing. The school community looks forward to seeing continued growth as we further integrate this powerful tool into our literacy program.

Parents are encouraged to explore the Microsoft Reading Coach site at home with their children. This resource can further enhance reading practice and create a collaborative learning environment that extends beyond the classroom.

Written by Siobhan Rice - 5R Classroom Teacher

The Good News

From the Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Ms Georgia Moloney

Mission Fair and Crazy Sock Day a Huge Success!

We are thrilled to share that our recent Mission Fair and Crazy Sock Day was a wonderful success, raising well over $1000 to support our mission initiatives! This incredible achievement would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and hard work of our students, who put in tremendous effort to create and run a range of fun and creative stalls. A heartfelt thanks also goes to our dedicated staff for their support and coordination on the day, and to all parents and families who came along to join in the festivities.

Your participation and generosity truly embody the spirit of our school community. Thank you once again for making this event so memorable and impactful for everyone involved!

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

Term 4 marks the start of the Christmas Appeal for St Vincent de Paul Society and we invite you once again to join us in making a difference to people’s lives. Christmas can often be a stressful time of year for individuals and families, especially with the added financial pressures associated with the festive season. Every year the Society, with your support, helps families across Queensland celebrate Christmas. This Christmas, your support can help to alleviate some of the pressures families and individuals may be facing during this season.

The St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland is thankful and appreciative of the ongoing support your school community has provided throughout 2024, and you have helped us raise awareness around the issues of homelessness and poverty. Once again, thank you for a fantastic year. We look forward to another great Christmas Appeal!

The St Vincent de Paul Society is asking for volunteers to come and sort or pack hampers at their Office in Mackay. The dates and times are as follows:

Saturday 7th December Sorting of the donations 8.30am – 12.30pm

Saturday 14th December Packing of the Christmas Hampers 8.30am – 12.30pm

Volunteers will need to contact the office and leave their name and contact details by email: office.mackay@svdpqld.org.au or phone on 4957 3955 (Mon, Wed & Friday 8.30am – 1.30pm). Someone from the Mackay office will then contact them to confirm the dates and times. Even if volunteers cannot spend the whole time, they are more than welcome to come for an hour or two. Every little bit helps.

Donations or tinned and non-perishable foods (e.g. cordial, tinned fruit, pasta, coffee, tea etc) can be placed in the basket in each classroom and will be presented to a member from St Vincent de Paul at our End of Year Mass.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like more information.

Seafarers

Each year, we collect toiletries to support the Seafarers in Mackay, offering them comfort and care while they are away from home. If you would like to contribute, we welcome donations of toiletries and/or empty shoe boxes, which can be sent to school with your child and given to their teacher for collection. Your generosity helps brighten the lives of those working at sea, and we greatly appreciate your support in this meaningful cause.

Halloween – An Ancient Pagan Rite

Much of the significance and meaning of the feasts of All Saints and All Souls has been overtaken by the popular celebration of Halloween. The feast of All Saints was also known as All Hallows Day – in the Old English language hallow means to sanctify or make holy. The day before, October 31, was All Hallows Eve(ning) and the name over time became shortened to Halloween.

According to Elizabeth Harrington in Liturgy Lines, “Rather than trying to ignore or resist the growing popularity of Halloween, perhaps we can take advantage of the opportunities it offers to talk about a Christian understanding of the big issues of life and death, good and evil.” She explains:

Halloween is simply All Hallows Eve - that is the day before All Saints Day (November 1) which is followed by All Souls Day (November 2). Both days are reminders that all of us, living and dead are united in a living communion with Christ and one another.
Halloween originated in the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany.
Halloween symbols of skeletons and skulls remind us of our own mortality and the need to pray for the dead. It also invites us to talk openly about death in a culture that largely avoids the subject.
The carving of pumpkins into Jack-o’-lanterns has more meaning when linked with the story behind it. Jack was a gifted fellow who was completely self-centred and never in his life used his talents to help another human being. Jack had the cleverness to outwit the devil but it wasn’t enough to get him into heaven. Hence he is condemned to roam forever between heaven and earth, holding his pumpkin light high.

From a Catholic perspective, Halloween is a time to remember our Baptismal promises to reject “Satan and all his works” because with Jesus Christ we have absolutely nothing to fear. Christ has conquered sin and Satan once and for all.

As Halloween and the month of November approach let us focus on our saints and our family members and friends who have departed this life. Let’s remember that Halloween is simply the eve of All Saints Day and not be distracted by the global commercialisation of what was originally a Celtic pagan rite dating from ancient times.”

Halloween:https://www.liturgybrisbane.net.au/resources/liturgy-lines/halloween/ All Hallows Eve: Halloween from a Catholic Perspective:

Finance News

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 repayment 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.

School Fees | Term 4 School Fees have been issued with a due date of 31/10/2024. If you foresee any issue paying in full by this date, and do not already have a payment plan in place, please contact our Finance Officer Sandra Adams to discuss options.

Sports News

Swimming Carnival Volunteers Needed | With our Swimming Carnival, on the 25th of November, fast approaching we are putting a call out for any parents who are able to volunteer to help on the day. If you are able to help with marshalling, timing or recording results please let the office know. We also need parents to help with the P&F sausage sizzle being held at the carnival. Many hands make light work and every bit of help is greatly appreciated.

Tuckshop

If you order Tuckshop for your child, please remember to still supply fruit 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 from 8:30 -10:30am on Thursday or Friday on the week your child's class is rostered, please contact the office.

Mercy Awards

Congratulations To Our Mercy Award Recipients Of The Week | Matilda G, Gracie D, Jada D, Brayden G, Aliya R, Bentley B, Harper O, Zoe D, Ben T, Harleigh S, Patrick Z, Travis S, Preston H, Seth W, Katelyn B, Amelia H, Brooklyn K, Amelia S, Mackintyre W, Lizzy S, Allira H