Assistant Principal's  Message

Term 2 Winning House.....MacKillop!

Congratulations to MacKillop for collecting the most SPBL tokens throughout Term 2. 

On Tuesday, the MacKillop students wore their house colours and celebrated by enjoying an icecream and having extra play. 

SPBL - Term 2

At St Anthony's, we focus on School Wide Positive Behaviours for Learning as part of our behaviour management.

Our school expectations are:

• Be Safe
• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible

If all of our students follow our expectations, then what a wonderful place St Anthony's would be! Students are rewarded when staff see them being respectful, responsible or safe, and the student will receive a star stamp on their SPBL card in the classroom. Once the card is complete for each section of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Star, the student will then receive an award. The awards are:

Wellbeing: 'I'm Bored!' 

Just yesterday, I heard my friends child call out,  "I AM BORED!" 

I gave her child a bowl and asked him to gather items around the house that start with 'G'. 

He managed to find a glue stick, a gumball, a glove, and even an empty garbage bag.

After about 5 minutes, I set a timer and challenged him to put everything back in one minute. 

He loved the rush! We continued the game, and believe it or not, it kept him busy for the next 15 minutes. Then, he found something else to do on his own. Boredom is just a chance for kids to be creative!

This week's parenting guide has 100 ideas to keep your bored child engaged.

The Plant-astic Presentations

The children were very excited to present their Plants that they have grown or researched. On Monday, Parents and Carers were invited to see the children's presentations and ask questions about the Plant they had presented. Two students from each class were asked to present their Plant to the wider community. 

Here are some wonderful photos of the students and visitors. 

Cross Country Championships

The second level Mary MacKillop Championships for the Cross Country was extremely  exciting! The Cross Country was held at Sydney’s International Equestrian Centre in Horsley Park. There were so many talented contestants that raced. In the races there were about 50 contestants that were all incredibly fast and it was such an exciting experience!  was able to get a PB and so was Sammy (personal best) which can be very hard to do, but we both pushed ourselves to the limit! The course was harder than last year with many hills. We also had the best time ever! Sammy and I did so well and would love to do it again if we had the choice. We are so proud of all students that try their personal best. 

Morgan  & Sammy

International Competitions & Assessments for Schools (ICAS)

ICAS is a series of competition assessments, set at a challenging level, which focuses on problem solving skills. Students who sit ICAS are asked to demonstrate a deeper, integrated, and thorough level of learning. The assessments are suitable for students wishing to extend themselves academically and take up the personal challenge of competing in an international assessment.

ICAS assessments can serve as a valuable tool for parents to gain insights into their child's academic performance, make informed decisions about their education, and support their learning journey effectively.

The exams are available to students in Years 2 to 6. The test will be administered BEFORE SCHOOL at 7:45 am in the Year 2 classroom and will be supervised by Mrs Iorfino.

The following table shows the exams and the dates on which the exams are held. The cost per test is indicated below.

In 2025 students have the opportunity to participate in the following subjects:

Please note: ICAS assessments have a strict testing window and if a student is absent on the designated day of testing, it may not be possible for them to complete the test.

If you would like your child to participate in any of the subjects listed above, please visit the online Parent Payment System to make a direct payment. The Parent Payment System is a simple and secure online payment service specifically for parents to purchase ICAS Assessments. Please note, we cannot facilitate refunds or make alterations as all money is paid directly to ICAS Assessments. 

Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition. Every student will receive a printed certificate and an online result report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.

IMPORTANT:  Please enter your child’s name accurately into the System as this is how it will appear on their ICAS certificate.

2025 Staff Development Days (Pupil-Free Days)

Each year, Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) provides time for Staff Development Days (SDD) which provides professional learning time for all staff. With the introduction of the new English and Mathematics Syllabus' in 2023 (K-2) and 2024 (Years 3-6) and the implementation of other syllabi within the next two years, SCS has provided the following days in 2025. 

Blessings,

Marie Iorfino

Assistant Principal