Dear St Anne's Community,

This is the last newsletter for the 2024 school year and sadly, my last newsletter to you.

We have some exciting events still to come, before we say goodbye to the 2024 school year on Wednesday of next week (18/12/24).

Events

• Transition visit- Today, students in Years K-5 visited their 2025 classroom and teacher for an hour. 
• K-5 Certificate Presentation- I look forward to presenting students with their certificates at the short assembly tomorrow morning. 9:30am under the COLA near the school library. 
• Year 6 Celebration Mass- Congratulations to our Year 6 students on this significant milestone in their educational journey. I look forward to celebrating with them at Mass tomorrow, starting at 10:30am.
• Carols in the Park- Thank you to Mrs Gaynor for her work in bringing the choir together for this event on Saturday. 
• Yr 11 Orientation- Our current Year 10 students will have an opportunity to explore the new software that they will be using next year. They will be issued with a lease computer next week.
• Reports- Reports will be issued via Compass on Tuesday afternoon 17/12/24.
• Awards Presentation- Our end of year awards assembly will be held in the town hall at 12noon. At this assembly, we will also announce our 2025 student leadership team. Students will receive their badges; however, they won't make their pledge until next year at the opening school Mass. 
• Signing out- If you wish to take your child home after the presentation assembly next Wednesday, we will have sign out books available in the foyer. 

Thank you to our generous staff for their time on excursions recently. It is always a busy time of year for teachers with report writing etc. and I appreciate them spending this time away from their families. 

To all our students and families that are leaving St Anne's at the end of this year, thank you for your time with us and I wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Your contribution to St Anne's is and has been greatly appreciated.

I was recently contacted by the Temora Independent for a comment on my time here and I said that I could sum up my time spent at St Anne's in two words - privilege and gratitude. I personally feel it has been a privilege to lead the St Anne's community for the past 5 years. As a community, we have gone through our ups and downs with COVID, restrictions, renovations and growing numbers, to name a few. However, I have been well supported by staff, students and parents in this community, and I am extremely grateful to everyone that has had a positive impact on my time and my family's time. I thank my wife, Danielle and two daughters for their support of me in this role. We are sad to say goodbye to Temora and St Anne's, but excited for the next chapter in our lives and to be closer to our extended families. 

I wish you and your families the very best for the future and thank you for entrusting the staff and I, in the education of your child. 

Take care and God Bless,

Grant Haigh

Advent 

During this Advent season we reflect, anticipate and prepare for the ‘advent’ of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day. 

All Christian denominations despite different traditions, await the arrival of Jesus Christ. Each of the four weeks of Advent which lead up to Christmas focus on a different theme - those of hope, peace, joy, and love. 

The scripture readings of Advent balance the two elements of remembrance and anticipation, the first two Sundays in Advent (through December 16th) look forward to Christ’s second coming, and the last two Sundays look backward to remember Christ’s first coming. Over the course of the four weeks, Scripture readings move from passages about Christ’s return in judgment to Old Testament passages about the expectation of the coming Messiah to New Testament passages about the announcements of Christ’s arrival by John the Baptist and the Angels.

Let us use this time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus and show acts of kindness and charity to others around us.

Prayer is a beautiful way to help cut away from distractions of the season and open your heart to prepare for the joy and hope of Christ's birth.

This Advent, Lord, come to the manger of my heart.

Fill me with Your presence from the very start.

As I prepare for the holidays and gifts to be given,

Remind me of the gift You gave when You sent Your Son from Heaven.

The first Christmas gift was the greatest gift ever.

You came as a baby born in a manger.

Wrapped like the gifts I find under my tree,

Waiting to be opened, to reveal Your love to me.

Restore to me the wonder that came with Jesus' birth,

When He left the riches of Heaven and wrapped Himself in rags of earth.

Immanuel, God with us, Your presence came that night.

And angels announced, "Into your darkness, God brings His Light."

"Do not be afraid," they said, to shepherds in the field.

Speak to my heart today, Lord, and help me to yield.

Make me like those shepherd boys, obedient to Your call.

Setting distractions and worries aside, to You I surrender them all.

Surround me with Your presence, Lord, I long to hear Your voice.

Clear my mind of countless concerns and all the holiday noise.

Slow me down this Christmas, let me not be in a rush.

In the midst of parties and planning, I want to feel Your hush.

This Christmas, Jesus, come to the manger of my heart.

Invade my soul like Bethlehem, bringing peace to every part.

Dwell within and around me, as I unwrap Your presence each day.

Keep me close to You, Lord. It's in Your wonderful Name I pray. 

Amen.

~ by Renee Swope, “The Manger of My Heart” from Proverbs 31 Ministries

  Full excerpt adapted from Christianity.com

2025 First Eucharist date - N.B. much earlier than usual

For 2025 there are a number of changes to the Sacred Heart Parish Sacramental program and the timeline for the year. Please note that the Sacrament of First Eucharist (Communion) will be held in Week 8 of Term 1 Sunday 30th March. This sacrament is for students in Year 4 or anybody older who has made their First Reconciliation inthe Catholic church and may have missed the sacrament or wish to make it in 2025.

Sacred Heart Parish Sacraments Parent Meeting for all 2025 candidates & First Eucharist Parent Meeting 

A special meeting will be held early in Week 2 of Term 1 to explain the changes to the Sacred Heart Parish Sacramental program for 2025. This meeting will take place Tuesday 11th February at 6pm. All parents of candidates wishing to make a Sacrament in 2025, either their First Reconciliation (Year 3 and above), First Eucharist (First Communion - Year 4 and above)  or Confirmation (Year 6 and above) are required to attend this meeting to meet Father Alex Osbourne the new parish priest for 2025 and to learn about the changes.

Following the general Sacraments meeting parents for First Eucharist are asked to stay for the additional information about First Eucharist. A reminder will also be sent out early in Term 1.

Presentation Day 2024 & Opening School Mass 2025

Please note that students who will hold positions of leadership in the school for 2025 have already been voted and will receive their badges at this year’s presentation day. At the Opening school Mass at the Town Hall on Thursday 6th February 2025, these students will give their dedication pledge and receive a blessing from Fr Alex to begin their new roles.

N.B. Parents are invited to attend both events, but to expedite the process they will not be required to pin the badges on.

Reminder about Christmas mass volunteers

Please remember to volunteer your children for the Parish Christmas Eve Mass. Please contact Anne-Maree Sleigh who is coordinating the readers and offertory roles at amsleigh@gmail.com to express your interest or you can leave your child’s name and your contact details at the front office to be passed on to Anne.

Narraburra visit

A huge thank you is extended to Years 7 & 8 who did an amazing job today spreading some Christmas cheer when they visited the residents of Narraburra Lodge to wish them a Merry Christmas with their singing and dancing. It was also wonderful top once again spend time interacting with the residents. It was clearly a highlight for all involved. A huge thank you to all of our staff who joined the students with such enthusiasm. We are truly blessed to have such giving individuals in our community.

Term 1

Tuesday 4th February - Students Return to school

Thursday 10th April - Last Day of Term 1 

Term 2 

Tuesday 29th April - Students return to school

Thursday 3rd July - Last Day of Term 2

Term 3

Tuesday 22nd July - Students return to school

Thursday 25th September - Last day Term 3

Term 4

Tuesday 14th October - Students Return to school

Wednesday 18th December - Last Day of Term 4

To express our gratitude and appreciation for his dedicated service to our parish, a farewell BBQ lunch will be held for Fr Sijo at St Joseph’s Hall next Sunday 22^nd December, after 10am Mass. The parish will supply the meat and parishioners are asked to bring their own drinks and a salad or dessert to share. Everyone is most welcome to attend. Also, after Mass this weekend and next, there will be a special collection taken outside the church, to present as a farewell gift for Fr Sijo.

Week 7

Kinder: Libby Ghioni, Molly Bush, Hudson Miller

Year 1: Jackson Bourke, Nick Martinez, Matilda Lynch

Year 2: Josie Bush, Zoe Sinclair, Frankie Townsend

Year 4: Evie Keith, Matthew O'Connor, Alice Reid 

Week 8

Kinder: Molly Bush, Edward Coleman

Year 1: Isla Pike, Ellie Fisher, Olivia Purcell

Year 2: Paddy Wallace, Samayra Lama, Leo Jayawardene, Spencer Lynch, Alby Swanston, Olivia Perry, Sophie Irving

Year 3: William Bush, Ruby Crawford, Rylee Overs

Year 4: Rosie Wooden, Matthew O'Connor, Olive Coddington

Year 5: Will Tillman, Adele Oliver, Clancy Gibbs

Congratulations to Stella Krause on being named as the first MC Sportsperson of the Year for the Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese. 

This award is for athletes with additional needs from Year 2 up to Year 12, so this is an exceptional achievement for Stella who is only in Year 4.

Stella has gone from strength to strength over the past couple of years and is a very deserving recipient of this award as she has excelled in both Cross Country and Athletics.

Congratulations Stella on your outstanding achievements in 2024.

A year of TRP

What a fantastic first year of The Resilience Project we have had! The students have enjoyed our lessons and activities alongside implementing the tools and using the language of our key principles Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy throughout the school and our community. It was so nice to see this demonstrated by the students and we look forward to continuing TRP into 2025.   

Christmas and school holidays are the perfect opportunity to continue to apply these tools into our day-to-day life. The gift of giving without receiving. Kindness to share spreading cheer to all during the holiday season that may be a time of many feelings. Being mindful of ourselves and having some time to reflect on the year that was, the highs and lows. Showing gratitude, there is always something to be thankful for and what a beautiful time to do this sharing with friends and family.

Drumbeat with Year 6

During Term 4, Year 6 participated in the fantastic program Drumbeat. This was delivered by Anne Macauley from  Temora Community Centre.

Drumbeat is a social development program exploring a range of relationship issues. Building resilience in young people for later life. Drumbeat encourages understanding of the range of emotions and their expression in a positive way which can enhance good relationships at home and with peers. During the time they will find an increase in levels of connection, self-esteem, cohesiveness and problem solving.

This is a unique program that offers an opportunity for students to celebrate being an individual whilst highlighting the importance of team work through fun, rhythm and expression of music. We use genuine African drums known as ‘talking drums’.