Lord, we ask that you watch over Pope Francis and grant him the courage, strength, and the healing he needs. 

Grant wisdom, compassion and empathy to those caring for him, as well as others entrusted to their care. 

Grant those of us who love your Church faith in your healing heart and unite us in prayer for all those experiencing pain and illness. 

In Jesus’ Holy name we pray. 

AMEN. 

How lovely it was to see the colours of Bradman, Fraser, Gilmore and Patterson shining across Stromlo pool yesterday at our St Anthony’s swimming Carnival. Years 3-6 had a wonderful day, filled with enthusiasm and friendly competitive spirit! My sincere thanks to our Physical Education Teacher Jamie for his coordination of this event, along with all our wonderful staff and family volunteers. Events like this just cannot happen without the support and time from our families volunteering. Thank you from all of us at St Anthony’s. 

Some days are harder than others  

The term has continued to progress well for our students. I appreciate that some days can be harder than others. Mondays may often be a little more challenging for our students, particularly our little ones. This is very common, predominantly in weeks 4-6 of every term. Please be assured we will care and look after your children and will always call you if we feel we have exhausted all strategies and your child is unable to manage through the day. 

When visiting classrooms and speaking with students this term, I have reminded them of the importance of having a go and that when we make mistakes it is an opportunity for us all to learn and grow. It is important to remind our children of having a growth mindset and discuss with them the importance of when we are challenged, not to give up easily, but instead see a challenge as an opportunity to develop skills and understanding. I have researched a lot around a growth mindset and challenging learning by James Nottingham. James Nottingham uses a visual presence of the learning pit. This concept I have seen work very effectively with children and can have a profound impact on how students think and improve their learning. Below is an example of the learning pit.  

Learning occurs when you step out of your comfort zone. And yet, many people are hesitant to take this step for fear of making mistakes or revealing their weaknesses. 

That’s when the Learning Pit can help: to encourage and reassure learners that taking risks, asking questions, and trying new things can help them develop their abilities and deepen their understanding. 

~James Nottingham 

REPORTING TO FAMILIES 

Term 1 Parent/Teacher Interviews week 9. 

Term 2 Semester 1 Report with Grades 

Term 3 Open Classrooms 

Term 4 Semester 2 Report with Grades and comments 

SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR PROGRAM 

Our School Wide Positive Behaviour Program aims to safeguard the rights of students 

and teachers to learn and teach in a safe, supportive environment. The main objective 

is that students will recognise their responsibility both for their own behaviour and 

for the natural and logical consequences that flow from it, empowering them to 

become responsible community members. 

To achieve this, we endeavour to create an environment within the classroom that is 

warm, encouraging and consistent. We involve the students in formulating, 

communicating and understanding our rules Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be a 

Learner and how these rules transform into acceptable behaviour. 

We strive for a consistent approach to behaviour management with continued 

inappropriate behaviour and all serious matters of unacceptable behaviour reported 

to families and followed up appropriately with Catholic Education. 

This term our students have been involved in developing a PowerPoint of our behaviour guidance procedures and have shared these in our classrooms. I encourage you to discuss these procedures with your child and share what they have learned from the power point they have viewed in class with their teacher. 

THIS YEAR WE HAVE MANY EXCITING EVENTS PLANNED FOR OUR COMMUNITY.  

FFF Mass 

This Sunday is our monthly FFF mass. The Family, Faith, Focus Mass is an invitation for all our families to come to Church on Sunday at 9.00am and celebrate Mass. Our teachers also attend this Mass, with some leading our children’s liturgy. The children’s liturgy is an opportunity for your child to break open the Gospel in a smaller setting with teachers and other children in the church, while the grown-ups can continue to be part of the Mass in the main church with Father Leonese. All are very welcome. 

Movie Night 

We look forward to hosting the St Anthony’s movie night on Friday 14 March on our school oval. Our students have all voted and the Movie will be Despicable Me 4. Food stalls including chip on a stick, lollies, popcorn, Sausage sizzle, Goodberry's and our school canteen will be open for sales. Tickets will be available shortly to purchase. This event is for St Anthony’s students and their families only. 5.30pm-8.30pm. 

Hall Renovation 

With the renovation of the hall happening this year and fete ride availability dates, we will not be hosting our school fete in 2025. However, we look forward to our Super fete in 2026. Megan Doherty our wonderful fete coordinator has already booked in several stalls and rides for 2026. The concrete pour for the hall is happening later next week and is another exciting step closer to having it over the finish line this year. Please be mindful of concrete trucks exiting our school throughout the day on Thursday/Friday next week. I thank our community for their patience and understanding during the construction phase.  

Community Council Meeting and school improvements  

On Tuesday, 11 March our community council will be having their term meeting. On our agenda is the inclusion of fundraising events in 2025 and developments across the school. You will see in our sensory garden and school playground we have had the poles installed ready for our new shade structures. The shade cloths should arrive over the coming weeks. In addition to this, we are creating a musical garden and interactive storyboard play area for our students near our sensory garden.  We are also installing some new outdoor seating areas and an additional buddy bench in our playground. We look forward to these new play areas being ready for our students in term 2. 

Kids Playdate 

Members of the community council have organised a St Anthony’s kids play date in the park on Sunday 23 March at Tuggeranong town park. This is a wonderful event for our families to join with children and meet members of our St Anthony’s community. 

First Aid and CPR training for staff 

Last Tuesday evening our staff met for our annual First Aid and CPR training. My thanks to our staff for their time in ensuring they are equipped with the necessary skills in the case of an emergency. 

Evacuation and Lockdown drill 

This week we will be having an Evacuation drill. This is an opportunity for our students and staff to be aware of the processes we have in place in the event of an evacuation or lockdown at school.  

Principals’ Conference 2025 

Next week I will be attending the annual principals’ conference in Bowral. I am looking forward to meeting Mr David de Carvalho as the Executive Director of Catholic Education.   This is a valuable opportunity for professional development and seeking further improvements for our school. I thank Garreth Wigg who will be acting as Principal during my absence and our wonderful leadership team and staff who continue to work tirelessly each day to support our students and families. 

Welcoming Mr David de Carvalho as the Executive Director of Catholic Education.    

Mr David de Carvalho is well known to many within Catholic Education, and the Education sector more broadly. He is presently the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Philosophy and Education at the University of Notre Dame Australia. He has held the positions of Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA); Chief Executive Officer, NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) and Chief Executive Officer of the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC). In these roles he has shaped the national educational landscape in terms of the National Curriculum, modernisation of the NAPLAN assessment, reform of the NSW Higher School Certificate and, more recently, the development of new Initial Teacher Education programs, including in Early Childhood Education.  

His long career in service to the Australian educational and Catholic communities commenced as a teacher at Xavier College in Melbourne before working with Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service then moving into leadership roles in the Australian  

Catholic Social Welfare Commission, followed by senior roles in the Australian Public Service including the Departments of The Treasury, Health and Ageing, Finance, Education, and Prime Minister and Cabinet. David has also held a number of governance roles, including as one of the foundation directors of Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Education Limited and as a member of the NESA Board, the Asia Education Foundation and of Marist Schools Australia Board.  

Archbishop Christopher Prowse noted David’s long and deep experience in education but also his depth of faith commenting, “David’s commitment to the evangelising mission of the Church has been a consistent feature of his personal, family, public and ecclesial roles. He is well-versed in the Church’s social teaching and believes that outreach to the most vulnerable and marginalised should be a hallmark of Catholic education.” Archbishop Prowse also noted the significance of this appointment for the new Education entity,  

“Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Education Limited, is one expression of the Archdiocese’s understanding of synodal process, decision-making and accountability.  David’s appointment as Executive Director marks a significant step in our unfolding synodal journey in Catholic Education.”  

NAPLAN 

In weeks 6 and 7 our year 3 and 5 students will be participating in NAPLAN. Please see details of NAPLAN in the letter attached to this newsletter.  

Drive through  

A reminder for Parents and Carers using drive-through in the morning and afternoon. Please ensure children are exiting and entering the vehicle via the curbside. There have been recent events where cars are overtaking at morning drive-through, and students are dangerously close to these vehicles. Please also ensure vehicles drop off and pick up children from as close to the top of the drive-through (near give way sign) to allow a smooth run of traffic to flow through. 

Kindergarten Rest Day 

Our last Kindergarten Rest Day is this Wednesday. Congratulations to our spectacular Kindergarten students and their teachers and families. Well done on your first month of kindergarten. Full weeks of kindergarten begin from next Monday. 

PERKS Parent Workshops 

Parenting & Carer Workshops Supporting Southside Families.

Looking for some information on how you can best support our child/ren? You may find some interest in the Perks parent workshops. Perks parent workshops are open to all Southside families to attend regardless of which school your child attends. Next Monday from 5.30-7pm is an early childhood development workshop held at Explore & Develop Conder. 29 Sidney Nolan Street, Conder. Included in this week’s newsletter are details of workshops that will be held this year and may be of interest to you.  

Term 1 Monday 3 March  
Time:  5:30 - 7pm  
About: Are you a parent or carer of a child aged 0 – 5 years? Would you like to learn more about developmental milestones? 
Venue: Explore & Develop Conder. 29 Sidney Nolan Street, Conder. 
Presenting Organisation: EACH  
Register here.  

Workshop:  Managing Big Feelings 

Term 1 Thursday 6 March. Gowrie Primary School. Register here. 
Term 2 Date: Thursday 29 May. Venue TBC. Register here.  
Time: 5:30 - 7pm 
About: Managing children’s big emotions is challenging and part of everyday life as a parent or caregiver. This workshop will provide 3 clear strategies for helping children move through their emotions, so they are able to re-engage with play, learning and daily routines.  
Presenting Organisation: Marymead Catholic Care  

Workshop: Speech Therapy Basics For Parents 
Term 1, Saturday 15 March  
Time: 10am - 11:30 am  
About: Are you concerned about your child's language development? Are you on a waitlist for a speech therapist but want to do something now to best support your child?  
Venue: Coombs Community Centre  
Cost:  
Please register here.  

Workshop: Adolescents, Anxiety and School  
Term 1 Thursday 13 and 20th March (Two Sessions)  
Time: 5:30 - 7pm  
About: Are you struggling with your teenager's or pre-teen's anxiety? Is school attendance a challenge?  
School Venue: Namadgi School 
Presenter: Sarah O'Sullivan. Bachelor of Social Work, UNSW  
Cost: $30 - This covers both sessions (and will fund the professional facilitator)  
Please register and pay here  

Workshop: Managing Conflict in the Home 
Term 1 Monday, 31 March, 2025  
Time: 5:30 - 7pm  
About: Some strategies to build better relationships with family members and what to do when conflict arises. The workshop will touch on 3 main areas: couple relationships, parent/child relationships & sibling relationships.  
Presenting Organisation: Relationships Australia 
School Venue: TBC 
Register here.  

Workshop: FU2Bullying 
Term 2 Thursday, 5 June, 2025  
Time: 5:30 - 7pm 
About: explore 3 strategies for parents whose children are being bullied at school, online or other areas of their life 1) The science behind why people bully others, Baiting, and How to deal with bullies safely.  
Presenting Organisation: Canberra PCYC 
School Venue: TBC 
Registration Link: Coming Soon.   

Workshop: Dads as Teachers 
Term 1 Thursday 27 March (Numeracy). Charles Conder School. Register here  
Term 2 Thursday 12 June (Literacy). Lyons Early Childhood School. Register here  
Term 3 Thursday 4 September (Social-Emotional Development & Belonging). Charles Conder School. Registration Not Open  
Term 4 Thursday 27 November (Creativity). Venue TBC  
Time: 5:30-7pm 
About:  C'mon dads! Learn practical strategies to increase your child's literacy, numeracy, and creativity with fun play activities at home or outside in the garden or park. There are learning opportunities for children everywhere and dads play an important role in this. There will be 4 unique workshops offered in each Term, come to one, come to them all.   
Presenting Organisation: Uniting Care Kippax  

Term 1 dates and events 

Enjoy your week,

Erin