From The Principal
Stephen Arthurson
Dear Families,
School Picnic
Thanks to everyone who came along to the picnic last night. A fantastic night was had by all, thanks to all the staff who stayed to make it successful. Look out for photos of the event on social media.
School Closure Day - Mathematics
We are grateful for your support today as we conduct our first school closure day for 2025, focusing on Mathematics. It is a requirement that all Catholic schools in Melbourne have a Mathematics goal in their annual strategic plan. Facilitated by our Maths leaders Jill Marr and Eamon Light, the intention of the day is outlined below.
Teachers and learning support staff will work together to unpack how our practices align with the new Victorian Mathematics Curriculum 2.0, MACS Vision for Instruction and important research surrounding the effective and impactful teaching of Mathematics.
As a staff, we are committed to reflecting upon and refining our practice so that we can provide the best learning opportunities for all students. Closure days are only one of the ways in which we do this, with other more regular opportunities including:
- Facilitated planning, data analysis and collegial discussions
- Modelling and coaching in classrooms by curriculum leaders
- Weekly staff/team meetings (Tues and Wed) with curriculum, wellbeing or faith focuses
Our remaining Closure Days for the year are
- Friday May 23rd (Report Writing Time in Lieu)
- Friday August 29th (Feedback - Glen Pearsall)
- Monday November 3rd (Report Writing Time in Lieu)
- Wednesday November 5th (Religious Dimension - Faith Perspectives)
Ash Wednesday
On Wednesday the Year 1-6 students and staff gathered with parishioners at St Anne’s Church for Ash Wednesday Mass. Fr Denis complimented the students on their singing, which was wonderful feedback to receive. The introduction to the Mass, which you can read below, succinctly explains the significance of both Ash Wednesday and the 40-day period of Lent leading up to Easter.
Today, we celebrate Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is a special time when we prepare our hearts for Easter by becoming closer to God. This year is also a Year of Jubilee—a time to remember God’s love for everyone, to say sorry for things we’ve done wrong, and to start fresh. In this mass, we will receive ashes on our foreheads in the shape of a cross. This is a sign that we belong to God, that we are sorry for the times we’ve done wrong, and that we are ready to start fresh with Jesus’ help.
Over the next few weeks, we encourage you to talk to your child/ren about the 3 pillars of Lent - prayer, fasting and almsgiving - and how they can use Lent as a time of personal preparation to become more like Jesus.
Uniform
The process of refreshing our school uniform before the new supplier commences has been continuing in earnest, with a focus on modernising items and utilising materials that wash and wear well.
The next step in the process will be a parent session hosted by Noone, where they will explain the thinking behind the refreshed items, and also invite input on a couple of key items. Stay tuned for details.
It is still anticipated that most uniform items will be available from the beginning of Term Two. We understand that some families are managing without all the uniform they need, so we thank you for your continued patience as we manage this short-term pain for overall long-term gain.
Prep Family Faith Night and Family Mass
We had a fantastic turnout for our Prep Faith Night last Tuesday, with around 75 students in attendance. A huge thanks to everyone who took time out of their evenings to learn more about prayer with our youngest students, and to the staff who were on hand to facilitate.
Swimming Team
Congratulations to our swimmers who competed in the Sunbury Swimming Carnival last Wednesday, successfully defending the Big Schools Shield. Thanks to Sue, Justin, Jacinta and Steph for running another highly successful event on behalf of St Anne’s.
Year 3 | Millie N, Olivia G |
Year 4 | Jean B, Sadie P, Mason S, William W, Josh R, Brodie P |
Year 5 | Edward H, Devan H, Taj O, Joseph S, Patrick C, Emily W, Brodie G, Violet O |
Year 6 | Leo W, Aiden M, Zac G, Liam G, Isabelle R, Elena D, Pearl G, Gracie B |
At St Anne's we......
Finally, we continue sharing our unofficial theme for 2025 - “At St Anne’s we…” Each class was encouraged to finish the sentence by describing something about who we are and what we do. This week I have included the examples from Y3-Y6. You can see that there is increasing complexity in understanding about what we are all about here at St Anne’s.
| Three Blue | At St. Anne’s we love one another and care for each other. |
| Three Gold | At St. Anne’s we treat people the way we want to be treated and we learn and grow together. |
| Three Maroon | At St Anne’s we take pride in our learning |
| Three White | At St Anne’s we greet everyone with a smile |
| Four Blue | At St Anne’s we participate to progress |
| Four Gold | At St Anne’s we are always striving to do our best |
| Four Maroon | At St Anne’s we make sure games are inclusive so everyone can participate |
| Four White | At St Anne’s we follow our values because it makes our school a happier place |
| Five Blue | At St Anne’s, we encourage others to grow, share their wisdom and love one another. |
| Five Gold | At St Anne’s, we are proud to belong to this special school community. |
| Five Maroon | At St Anne’s, we are a community of learners who support one another. |
| Five White | At St Anne’s, we listen, embrace feedback, care for our community, live our values of growth, wisdom, and love, and uphold respect, responsibility, resilience, and safety. |
| Six Blue | At St Anne’s, we as role models, show great sportsmanship in all that we do. |
| Six Gold | At St Anne’s, we are a respectful, kind and safe community of curious, collaborative and high achieving learners, grounded in strong, positive faith. |
| Six Maroon | At St Anne’s, we grow through faith, learning and friendship. |
| Six White | At St. Anne’s, we lead by example, show kindness, take responsibility, and support each other. With wisdom, love, and a positive mindset, our teachers inspire us to do our best. |
Warm regards and God’s Blessings,
Stephen