Dear Parents and Carers,

It is a pleasure and a privilege to be part of such a dynamic and vibrant College community and to have the chance to report on just some of the experiences the students have participated in since our last newsletter.

One of the most exciting aspects of joining the College is supporting the Secondary students as they explore their future aspirations. It is a great strength of St Anne’s College that our teachers are so passionate about giving the students a wide range of opportunities to open their minds as to what careers may be possible for them in the future. The wider Temora community is also committed to these goals, making many opportunities available.

Last week we welcomed Ruby Lucas from Work Pathways who addressed the Yr 10 and 11 students on the upcoming work placement program. It is great to know our students will be so well supported throughout this process and we look forward to their feedback on their experiences.

Last week, 4 Yr 10 and 11 students participated in the Made for a Trade program organsied by TAFE. The students spent the week at TAFE experiencing and learning skills in tiling, welding, plumbing, brick laying and welding. This was a fantastic opportunity for them to gain on the job insight into the various trades, and what may excite them as a future career prospect.

Thank you to Mrs Harper (Careers Advisor), Mr Gaynor (VET Coordinator) and all the Secondary Staff for their enthusiasm, expertise and commitment to supporting St Anne’s senior students.

Driving Simulator

Thank you to the Temora Rotary Club and the representatives from the Young branch for giving our senior students the opportunity to test their driving skills and learn about safe driving practices using the Driving Simulator last week. This was an excellent experience with life-long learnings achieved.

Clean Up Australia Day

Thanks to St Anne’s Students and teachers who were out in force on Friday 28^th February cleaning up our corner of Australia! Despite the boiling hot day, everyone got into the spirit of the occasion – well done students!

 Shrove Tuesday

The students enjoyed a special breakfast of pancakes on Tuesday morning. Thanks to Mrs Williams and the staff and helpers for making this possible.

Ash Wednesday

Thank you to Fr Alex and Mrs Gaynor for organizing the Ash Wednesday service this week. Ash Wednesday is a holy day that signifies the beginning of Lent. The Ash Wednesday Service was held at 10.15am with parents and carers welcomed to join the students. Ash Wednesday marks the entry into a season of spiritual preparation for Holy Week, which culminates in Easter. The day affirms that we are dust, as ashes are literally spread in a cross on our foreheads. The cross represents Jesus and how he has redeemed us. We are encouraged to seek repentance with humble hearts and prepare for his gift.

St Anne’s Community Council – Open Meeting and AGM – Tuesday 18^th March

All St Anne’s Parents, Carers and Friends are invited to the St Anne’s Community Council Open Meeting and AGM. During this meeting, attendees will learn about the activities planned for the year, have the opportunity to give feedback and suggestions, and also have the chance to put their hand up to support the various activities. Also, we will share the improvement areas the College will be focusing on in 2025.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank sincerely two members of the Council who will be stepping down this year:

It is my honour to extend the gratitude of the school community to Mr Duncan McCrone who has lead the Council with great expertise, enthusiasm and commitment for three years. His term as Chair has been particularly effective and significant as the College transitioned to offer Year 11 and 12 and transitioned to a new model of governance. Thank you, Duncan, on behalf of the St Anne’s Community!

Treasurer Cassie Coddington has also been instrumental in these processes and given dedicated service for seven years to the College. Thank you to Cassie too for giving her time and expertise to the College through serving on the Community Council.

The Annual General Meeting and election of new members to the Executive Council will also take place during this meeting. If you are interested in joining this dynamic and dedicated group, please complete the attached Expression of Interest or drop by the Office and let us know. Please click below for the EOI.

NAPLAN – 2025

NAPLAN Tests will commence on Wednesday 12^th March. Please see information for Parents and Carers later in this newsletter. Thank you!

School Photos

Scheduled for Tuesday 18^th March, please ensure the students are dressed neatly in full school uniform. For those who may like a family photo, please make your request as indicated later in the newsletter. Thanks!

Parent and Teacher Interviews

Another important upcoming date is the first session of Parent and Teacher Interviews for 2025. Primary interviews will be scheduled Tuesday 1^st and Wednesday 2^nd April 3.30 – 6.00pm. Secondary interviews will be scheduled on Wednesday 2^nd April 3.30 – 7.00pm. Please mark these dates on your calendars. More details and a booking form to follow via Compass.

Catholic Leaders’ Retreat
All Principals from across the Archdiocese will be attending the Catholic Leaders’ Retreat this week from Tuesday 4 – 7 March in Bowral. Mrs Geraldine Holland geraldine.holland@cg.catholic.edu.au will be Acting Principal in my absence. Please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Holland during this period. 

In Conclusion

It was a great pleasure to attend the Kindy Parent Social at the Bowling Club on Friday 28^th February. Parents and teachers had a great time meeting old and new friends and participating in competition and games organised by Ms Barrett. Jordan did a great job of all the organisation for the evening, thank you!

With best wishes and Lenten blessings to you all,

Mrs Louise Grant

Principal

FAST THIS LENT
In the words of Pope Francis

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.

Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

Fast from worries and have trust in God.

Fast from complaints; contemplate simplicity.

Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

Fast from bitterness; fill your hearts with joy.

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate.

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

Fast from words; be silent and listen.

Ash Wednesday 

The students participated beautifully in the Ash Wednesday Mass yesterday. This marks the beginning of the 40 days of preparation leading to Easter. Thank you to the parishioners who also joined us at Mass. It is a wonderful sight to see such a full church again. We thank all of the students and staff who played important roles in the mass today. 

Project Compassion boxes: 

Project Compassion boxes are being sent home with the youngest student in each family this week. The Canberra Goulburn Archdiocesan schools all support Project Compassion and we ask that our families all support this worthy cause as best we can. Donations can be collected in the boxes during the season of Lent and returned to the school office at the start of Easter for us to send our school donation. The money is collected to help vulnerable communities forge a path out of poverty. There are many amazing initiatives, which your donation will support, among them are education programs, supporting initiatives of community health workers, vocational training opportunities, and providing life-changing water tanks for families. 

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day)

On Tuesday we celebrated Shrove Tuesday with the students who were treated to a Pancake breakfast. 

Thank you to the staff for generously giving their time to come in early to cook. Thank you to Noelene for preparing this for us and a heartfelt thank you to the students for their warm smiles and beautiful manners to brighten our morning. 

First Eucharist for Year 4

We continue to keep the students preparing for the Sacrament of First Eucharist in our prayers as they grow in faith and learn about how this beautiful Sacrament will deepen their relationship with Jesus.

Year 9 Western Region Retreat in Temora

The Year 9 Western Region Retreat brings together our students with those from Sacred Heart Cootamundra and McAuley Catholic College Tumut. This will occur this term. An amended date is being confirmed and will be communicated shortly. 

NAPLAN

Each year the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is sat by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Students participate in tests for writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. NAPLAN 2025 will take place from Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March. NAPLAN is just one part of our school’s learning assessment program. The tests assess literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school, so the best preparation is their everyday classroom learning. Our school has been undertaking activities to help students become familiar with the types of questions and tools available in the online tests.

The public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site) is available for you to see the format of the online tests.

Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website (https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/naplan) and the NAP website (https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers).

When speaking about NAPLAN with your child(ren) please ensure they understand NAPLAN is one part of the school’s approach to assessment. If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact your child’s homeroom/classroom teacher.

Week 3

Kinder: Eadie Rands, Madeleine Tait, Alanah Fisher

Year 1: Koby Tahapeehi, Alba Kite, Hunter Swanston

Year 2: Jesse Overs, Callum Roberts, Zafiya Yassi Ramos

Year 3: Mack Carnie

Year 4: Bentley Combe, Phillipa Gibbs, Frances Moroney, Winfred Puertos

Year 5: Rosie Wooden, Samuel Moroney, Jackson Parry

Year 6: Abby Watts, Madison McCormack, Peyton Combe

Week 4

Kinder: Audrey Williams, Ollie Gibson, Dusty Combe

Year 1: Ashton Coddington, Ada Harris

Year 2: Lucas Mattner, Isla Pike

Year 3: Leo Jayawardene, Josie Bush, Zahlie Oliver

Year 4: William Bush, Evelyn Tait, Harrison Pham

Year 5: Evie Keith, Bayley Piggott, Dusty Karn

Year 6: Joey Guymer, Belle Wilesmith, Jack Crawford

Week 4

Year 7: Lilah Caldwell - Great understanding of how landscapes change over time. Elsie Keith  - Great understanding of erosion and weathering.  Alexander Mattner - Great understanding of of how landscapes change over time. Grace McCrone  - Great understanding of erosion and weathering.  Charles Minchin - Great understanding of erosion and weathering. 

Year 8: Jake Buerckner - Showing excellent application to Maths tasks. Archie Foster  - Showing cosistent effort in Maths. Larna Pilon  - Having an enthusiastic approach to Maths tasks. Harry Swanston  - Pleasing effort and application to all set tasks in Georgraphy.

Year 9:  Robbie Bett  - Showing great application to Maths tasks. Darcy Reardon  - Being supportive of a new class member in Maths. 

Week 5

Year 9: Oliver Foster - Being more actively involved during class discussions in History. 

Year 11: Jaicie Blachut  - For a great fun fiction writing in English. Ahlia Derrick - For using prompts to create an engaging narrative in English. 

Rommy Wilesmith  - For a great fun fiction writing in English.

SWIMMING

Success at the Archdiocesan Swimming Carnival

Annabelle Gray - Senior Girls Age Champion 

Senior Girls Relay - 1st Place - Annabelle Gray, Elvie Crawford, Abby Watts and Quinn Crawford 

Annabelle Gray - 1^st in 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle, 200IM, 100m Freestyle

Abby Watts - 2^nd in 50m Backstroke, 50m Freestyle

                     3^rd in 100m Freestyle

                     4^th in 200IM, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly

Ellie Fisher - 3^rd in 50m Freestyle

AFL

All Schools Girls AFL Trials: Zephanie L and Belle W were successful in selections.

Thank you so much to all our existing and new Volunteers. We now have 5 Friday Teams. 

We are seeking another team for our Monday tuckshop - so if you are interested in helping out in Tuckshop. Please reach out to sharee.mckelvie@cg.catholic.edu.au

5 Tips for School Drop Off

If you and your child are having some difficulties with morning drop-offs at school, here are a few quick tips to help make things a little easier. 

1. Create a goodbye ritual. Having a goodbye routine provides comfort and familiarity so your child knows what is to come. This can be as easy as a special goodbye handshake or hug or a goodbye saying such as, “See you later alligator” 
2. Never make comparisons. Don’t chastise your child and say, “Tommy doesn’t cry when he gets dropped off”. 
3. Don’t sneak away. It may be very tempting to quietly sneak away but your child can become more distressed if you suddenly disappear.  
4. Reassure your child you will be coming back. When you pick your child up at the end of the day, reinforce the idea that you came back just like you said you would.  
5. Don’t prolong and drag out goodbyes and hang around the school. As hard as it can be at times, do your best to appear calm and in control of your emotions. Model this behaviour for your child. 

If you want to know more, here is a link to some more information. 

https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/behaviour/common-concerns/separation-anxiety

Below is the school counselling referral link:

https://mccg.my.site.com/housing/s/school-referral-form

Rebecca McCarthy

Student and Family Counsellor

St Anne's Central School Temora - Monday, Tuesday

McAuley Catholic College Tumut - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

rebecca.mccarthy@mccg.org.au

Marymead CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn
P. 02 6162 6106
PO BOX 3167 Manuka ACT 2603  |  mccg.org.au

NSW SCHOOL VACCINATION PROGRAM 

In 2025 the following vaccines will be offered:  

In Year 7, students are offered free vaccines for diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough), (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV). In Year 10, students are offered the meningococcal ACWY vaccine.   

Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.   

If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10, you can give consent online for their routine school vaccinations.   

How to Provide Consent:  

1. To complete online consent for your child’s school vaccinations, visit the School Vaccination Program online consent portal (https://engage.health.nsw.gov.au/engage)

2. For detailed steps on how to provide consent, please refer to the NSW Health webpage
   How to Provide Consent (https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/online-consent-school-vaccination.aspx).

3. Follow the steps to log in to your existing ServiceNSW account. This is the same account you may already use to renew your driver’s licence. If you don’t have a ServiceNSW account, refer to https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/services/myservicensw-account/how-to-create-an-account to create an account.

4. Update or confirm your personal details in ServiceNSW as required.

5. Complete the School Vaccination Consent Form for your child/ren. You will need to:   
6. Enter your child’s personal details  
7. Provide the Medicare card details for you and your child  
8. Read the linked Parent Information Sheet and privacy statement. Translations are available in 28 languages please refer to the NSW Health webpage https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/school_vaccination_language.aspx
9. Provide consent.   

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, have poor or no internet access or you are unable to complete the online consent, ask your child's school for a paper consent form.   

If you need assistance, please contact Albury Public Health on 02 6053 4800 press option 2.

The benefits of providing consent online:  

• SMS notification three days before the clinic to remind you of the vaccination day 
• easily update your child’s details 
• receive SMS and/or email notifications when vaccinations are given  
• faster upload of vaccination records to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).  

For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination.  

If you require information in your language, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/school_vaccination_language.aspx