Each year the school concentrates on one of the four focus areas which are listed at the bottom of the School Identity Statement (pictured above).

In 2023 our school-wide focus is on supporting the students to develop their ability to grow and increase their capacity for ‘resilience’. Resilience is the ability to harness one’s inner strength to help them rebound from setbacks or challenges. It gives one the ability to see past these challenges, to find enjoyment in life and better handle stress. These skills can be developed and learned with practice and commitment. While we can still experience strong emotion during challenging times, with resilience we keep functioning — both physically and psychologically. It’s also important to acknowledge that being able to reach out to others for support is a key part of being resilient. 

Mary MacKillop is a wonderful role model of how reaching out to support others can help to achieve great things. She experienced great adversity and hardship but never stopped working for others and achieving her best with great determination, perseverance and resilience. Caring about others and behaving towards them with affection, generosity and concern can lead to one having genuine feelings for another person’s struggle and being compelled to take action with the desire to help. 

Genuine expressions of compassion are fundamental to authentically living out our own faith, nurturing the faith life of our Catholic school community to be inclusive of all. In order to promote lifelong learning, we value each of these essential skills at St Anne’s, and work in partnership with families and the community to help foster these in the students. As always the strong tradition of the Josephite sisters in the Temora community and in particular of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, influence our theme. We hope to instil these same skills of determination, perseverance and resilience in the students and whole community of St Anne’s. 

It is our aim to not only encourage a sense of commitment, but also to promote initiative to seek out a relationship with God, to use their voices to speak up when they are in need and to act with genuine concern for one another whilst growing in their own capacity for resilience. 

Our scriptural quote for 2023 is:

“Whatever troubles may be before you, accept them bravely, 

remembering whom you are trying to follow.”           

                                                                 (Mary MacKillop,1909)

OPENING SCHOOL MASS & SRC INDUCTION

On Wednesday morning the 2023 School Captains, Sports Captains, Year 10 Prefects and the SRC class representatives from Years 3-9 for Semester 1 were inducted, receiving their badges at the Opening School Mass. We sincerely thank all who were able to join with us for the Mass.

The new Vicar General Fr Richard Thompson celebrated the Mass for us.  We were extremely fortunate to have also been joined by other distinguished guests with Mr Ross Fox Director of the Catholic Education Office, Mr Brad Gaynor Performance Improvement Leader Catholic Education Office, Temora Shire Council Mayor Rick Firman OAM accompanied by Mrs Beth Firman, Mr Dennis Sleigh former Principal of St Anne’s Mrs Margaret Sleigh, Sister Mary O’Dea rsj, benefactors and long-time friends of the school Mr Rex Bryant and Ms Rosemary Carney, our Parish Priest Fr Sijo Jose, and of course parents, friends, staff and students.

Our new students and staff members and families were welcomed. Fr Richard blessed the new teachers and student leaders as they begin the journey of guiding and leading the students of St Anne’s in the footsteps of Christ and proclaiming His name by their example.

This year marks a significant milestone in the history of St Anne’s Central School as we embark on our first intake of Year 11 students with the start of Stage 6. The St Anne’s Community Council gifted each of the pioneering Year 11 students with a senior blazer to commemorate this momentous occasion and we thank our distinguished guests for presenting these to our Year 11 class.

Let us embark on this 2023 school year forever faithful.

CONGRATULATIONS ARE EXTENDED TO THE NEW STAFF AND STUDENT LEADERS OF 2023

New Staff 2023

Miss Lauren Herbert: Science, Maths, Religion & PDHPE teacher

Mr Simon Gaynor: Construction, Wood and Metal teacher & VET coordinator

Mrs Anne Cooper: Art, Tech & Food Tech teacher

Mr Brett Inch: Maths and Metal teacher & Careers coordinator

Mrs Jenna Bush: English, History & Religion teacher

School Captains 2023

Bea Balon (Yr 11)

Angus Cooper (Yr 11)

Meg Ruskin (Yr 6)

Judd Oliver (Yr 6)

School Prefects 2023

Ruby Matthews (Yr 10)

Josie Crawford (Yr 10)

Sport Captains 2023

Joes: Mia Block (Yr 11) and Livy Blackwell (Yr 6)

Johns: Zoe Bent (Yr 11) and Georgia Gibbs (Yr 6)

Pauls: Joshua Daly (Yr 11) and Imogen Baldock (Yr 6)

Pats: Callie Gregory (Yr 10) and Matthias Lancaster (Yr 6)

Student Representative Council 2023

Yr 3: Evie Keith & Mack Oliver 

Yr 4: Primrose Minchin & Joey Guymer

Yr 5: Addie Warren & Riley Gilchrist 

Yr 7: Lana King & Charlie Cooper

Yr 8:  Izzy Crawford & Bradley Daly

Yr 9: Maisy McCrone & Lillian Oliver

The students will resume attendance at the weekly parish Masses at 10am on a Wednesday morning on a class roster commencing in Week 3.

FIRST RECONCILIATION DATES FOR THE CALENDAR

A note will be sent home to the Year 3 parents next week regarding the Sacrament of First Reconciliation. Any families who have a child wishing to join the Sacramental program for their First Reconciliation from Year 4 -11 are invited to email or contact Mrs Collins at jacqueline.collins@cg.catholic.edu.au 

First Reconciliation Parent Meeting in St Joseph’s Hall 7pm Thursday 2nd March, (Week 5 of Term 1)

First Reconciliation Sacrament Sacred Heart Parish Church 7pm Thursday 4th May, (Week 2 of Term 2)

REFURBISHMENT OF THE SACRED HEART PARISH CHURCH

During the past few months there have been significant changes made to Sacred Heart Parish church with it’s refurbishment. The changes include fresh paint with a new colour scheme, the seats and floorboards sanded and polished as well as new carpet. Thank you to all of those involved in the process which our school community gets to benefit from. We ask that parents please speak to their children to reiterate what the teachers have said about respecting the church and looking after it (including avoiding sharp objects in their pockets at Mass to prevent scratches in the seats, for example).

ALTAR SERVING

Altar server training will recommence later in the term.To be eligible, the children must have received their First Eucharist in the Catholic Church. If your child would like to become involved in serving in this way, please contact Mrs Collins via email at jacqueline.collins@cg.catholic.edu.au to indicate your interest in adding them to the program.