T4 W6 Newsletter 2024

From The Principal

Dear Parents & Carers.

Life-Giving Duty

There is something to be said for doing one’s duty. We tend to think that if we can chose to do what we want to do, we will be free and have a sense of fulfilment - that can happen.  Conversely, we tend to think that when we have to do something we don’t like, we will not only feel put upon but be diminished as persons – not necessarily.

In fact, if we accept what has to be done with grace and get on with it, it can be quite a liberating experience.  We are freed from the tyranny of our own likes and dislikes, freed from having to make all the decisions, freed from ourselves to get on with the task at hand.  This situation happens so frequently in family life: walking the floor at night with a sick child, doing the rounds of the doctors with an elderly parent, being patient when the orange juice is spilt – you can think of a dozen instances in each day.  It is in these situations that we experience one of the central teachings of our Christian faith: dying to self leads to life.

In the Gospels Jesus teaches that we have to die to ourselves to rise to the fullness of life.  In his own life he showed how it was done.  Now he has promised us his Spirit to strengthen and guide us.  When we feel challenged, we can pray for this Spirit to come and help us transform that difficult situation into a place of grace and love.

Loving God, we often feel overwhelmed by the challenges of life, as though they are killing our spirit.  Send us the Spirit of Jesus to guide us through the difficult and dark moments of our lives that we may bring the love of Jesus into our families and communities. We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

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 22 November, 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 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 GROWTH

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 8 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 PROGRESS & READING COACH TRIAL

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

Year 3 Prayer Celebration- Friday Assembly

This Friday, our Year 3 students will lead us in a beautiful Prayer Celebration on preparing for Advent, held at the beginning of Assembly. We warmly invite you to join us in supporting our students as they guide the school community in this special time of prayer and reflection.

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.

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 are now overdue date. If you have not paid these in full, 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. 

Student Leadership

Newsletter Report By  Lizzy  |   I would like to thank all classes that put their absolute best into their stalls on mission Fair. I loved how every stall was fun and interesting. One thing I will say is when the bell goes remember to put your hand up and stop talking, so far we have been doing ok but remember to stop and face the teacher. Remember to keep your hat on at playtime and put on sunscreen every day. 

Mercy Awards

Congratulations To Our Mercy Award Recipients Of The Week |  Prep B, Zachary Z, Taytum C, Julianna D, James M, Baily W, Charlotte L, Achilles D, Toby T, Zahliah C, Monica Z, Jemma M, Charlotte W, Mason C, Montana W, Jed P, Deejay P

General Information

Parent Orbit App Setup Guide

Community News