Dear St Anthony's Families,

Welcome to Term Three!

A Prayer for Our Community

Loving God, bless our school community with open hearts, that we may welcome each child, each family and each staff member as Christ himself would welcome them.

We know that hard days will come and for some they are already here. In those moments, teach us to turn towards one another rather than away, and to find in each other a place of refuge.

Grant us patience and compassion, that inclusion, empathy and respect may be more than words, but the lived practice of how we hold each other up.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. St Anthony of Padua, pray for us.

Amen.

Learning Conversations

Thank you to everyone who attended our Learning Conversations. These sessions are important, not just as a chance for parents and teachers to talk, but for our students too. They give students the chance to see that their hard work is valued, that having serious, and sometimes tricky, conversations happen, but that support is available in the areas where they need it and that both their teachers and parents value their voice and input in their learning journey.

We are always open to feedback, so please let us know what you think of the new reporting process and the Learning Conversations.

RE Excellence Symposium

Wednesday and Thursday this week , Mr O'Mahoney and I attended the Religious Education Symposium. It was a wonderful two days where we learnt a lot and had the chance to touch base with staff from hundreds of other MACS schools.

Please find a bit more info in the Education in Faith Page.

First Eucharist

On Sunday the 9th of August many of our Year Four students will be making their first Eucharist. This very important sacrament will be held at 11am Mass and we would love the support of our community.

School Closure Week 5 Monday

A friendly reminder that Monday the 10th of August is A SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY and the student won't have school. These days are important for our staff to learn, reflect and collaborate. This day will be a faith formation day for all our staff.

Torres Strait Islander Flag

Thanks to Esha, our school will be the proud owner of a Torres Strait Island flag for our flag pole. Esha took it upon herself to write and correspond with the office of The Honorable Josh Burns MP and request a flag. This request was honored and we are picking it up next week.

Focus on Learning

Why Reading at Home Matters

Explicit teaching in the classroom gives students the skills they need to read - phonics, fluency, comprehension - but skills only grow strong with practice. Reading at home each night gives students that vital extra practice, turning new skills into lasting habits. Just as important as listening to your child read, is reading aloud to them, or co-reading and discussing books in older years. Hearing fluent, expressive reading, models what good reading sounds like. Discussion about the tricky words and chapters build vocabulary and comprehension in ways worksheets cannot. Ten to fifteen minutes a night, of both practice and of listening or discussion, makes a real difference. Thank you for supporting your child's reading journey at home.

Fees Reminder

Thank you all those families who have paid in full or are paying their fees through a payment plan. If you require support, please reach out.

Thank you to everyone for a successful start of Term 3. We are all very blessed with our wonderful school community.

In partnership,

Ru Lameijn

Principal

Parents and Friends Association (PFA)