Dear St Anne's Community,

Welcome back to Term 1 2022. I hope everyone managed to have a restful break and that your plans were not impacted too much due to COVID. It was wonderful to see students return to school on Tuesday. Our new kindergarten students seem to have settled right into school. A big welcome to the 9 new students and their families that have joined us in other year groups across the school. The students joined us in years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7.

We also welcome 3 new staff members; Mrs Bianca Matthews (Year 2), Miss Hayley McRae (Classroom Support Assistant) and Mr Greg Williams (Cleaner/Maintenance). Mr John Goode has cut back his hours and he will focus on the gardens and grounds moving forward. We greatly appreciate John's work and the way in which he presents our school. Greg will be looking after maintenance tasks around the school. 

We have much to look forward to this year. From a strong academic program, improved facilities, to the hope that restrictions ease as the year progresses. The students have not missed a beat and I was pleased to see how settled the school was when I walked around to classes this week. 

Thank you for your support in picking up the RAT kits and for adhering to our restrictions. You are assisting us in making the school a safer place for all.

Don't forget to check Compass for regular updates.

Take care,

Grant Haigh

Principal

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 2022 our school-wide focus is on supporting the students to develop their skill and demonstration of ‘compassion’.

Compassion literally means to “suffer together”. Compassion is a crucial skill which we can continually improve. It is about moving beyond empathising with the need of another, to a genuine desire to help and take action. 

Mary MacKillop is a wonderful role model whom we refer to as a great example of compassion in her life. 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. 

We also have our Scriptural quote for this year which derives from this goal, the identity statement as a whole and also the strong tradition of the Josephite sisters in the Temora community and in particular the influence of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Mary MacKillop’s life was dedicated to serving others, recognising the needs of others and taking action. We hope to instil this same sense of service in the students of St Anne’s. It is our aim to not only encourage a sense of selfless service, but also to promote initiative to seek out a relationship with God, to use their voices to stand up for injustice and to act with genuine concern and compassion for each other.

Our scriptural quote for 2022 is a motto which comes from Mary MacKillop (St Mary of the Cross):

 “Never see a need without doing something about it.”

                                                        Mary MacKillop

ALTAR SERVING

Altar server training will recommence next week.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 as soon as possible. 

WEDNESDAY PARISH MASSES & WHOLE SCHOOL MASSES ON HOLD

Unfortunately with the current restrictions, the students will not be attending whole school masses or Wednesday morning parish masses as per usual.

OPENING SCHOOL LITURGY & SRC INDUCTION

Next Tuesdayl the School Captains, Sports Captains and SRC Representatives for Semester 1 will be receiving their badges at a small Opening School Liturgy at 9am. Parents of these students will receive an email via Compass to provide a zoom code should they wish to join and watch their child receiving their badge. Our apologies that we are unable to invite you to join us on the premises at this time.

We are very proud of our secondary school captains, Will and Myra, for their interesting and well spoken speeches that they delivered at the Australia Day Ceremony at town hall.

If you are interested in trialing/representing in any of the following sports in Term One, please see Mr Hughes for details:

9/2/2022 - Touch Southwell Park

11/3/2022 - Cricket venue TBA

1/4/2022 - Under 11's and Open primary rugby League, Open primary netball Canberra

A reminder that to trial in these sports, students need to be of a suitable standard and parents are responsible for taking their child to the trial and subsequent venues if successful.

Book Club

This week, Issue #1 of Scholastic Book Club has been sent home. The due date for Book Club is Wednesday, 16^th February 2022.

A reminder that all payments are to be made online via Loop. To make payments visit scholastic.com.au/LOOP or download the LOOP app.

We are always looking for new volunteers to help on our canteen on a Monday, the occasional Tuesday or for an hour (10.30am to 11.30am) on a Friday. Please contact our canteen manager, Belinda on 0412 142166 if you can help out.

We offer classes in kinder gym, gymnastics, acro, cheer, ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary and highland. Experienced and qualified teachers.

Ages from 3 and up.

Studio is at the C.W.A. Hall next to the Court House.

Classes have resumed but enrolments are still being taken.

For enquiries please phone Christine on 0427 782 954.

Reminder - If you need to postpone your child's canteen order please send Belinda Maxwell a text on 0412142166 before 9.30am on the day.

Did you know - You can cancel your child's canteen order on the QKR App anytime before 8am on the day.

Monday 14th November - Team 1 - Carly Bickham, Andrea Cartwright, Ashlee Smith

Monday 21st November - Team 2 - Kirsty Oliver, Liz Oliver

Monday 28th November - Team 3 - Lisa van Egmond, Nicole Talbot

Monday 5th December - Team 4 - Kerissa Reardon, Rochelle Caldwell

Monday 12th December - Team 5 - Meg Morton, Ali McCrone, Atalie Perry

A reminder that the disabled parking spaces near the hall are not to be used when dropping off and picking up children.