Newsletter Term 1 Week 3 (10.2.23)

From the Principal

Dear Parents
How delightful it was to welcome our Kindergarten cohort on Monday. We had a big crowd here to wish them well for their first day. Lots of photos, hugs and a few tears – from both adults and children! However, it wasn’t long before the children settled into their classroom and enjoyed the activities the teachers had prepared for them. And here we are at the end of their very first week of “Big School”. Well done to all of them! It’s been a very big week so they will need lots of rest over the weekend so we can do it all again next week! A big warm welcome to all those families new to St Anthony’s this year.
If you are struggling with your child experiencing some separation anxiety at the beginning of the day, please let the teachers know as we can put some strategies in place to help make it easier for both you and your child. Rest assured that in every case, the children settle rather quickly once parents have left. If we are worried at all about them we will call you and talk about how to meet their needs. 
Yesterday 14 of our Year 6 students sang the national anthem at the opening of the new fire station in Kingscliff. What an honour for them! We have had such positive feedback about how good they were and also how well-behaved as they had to listen to lots of speeches! We received a lovely framed certificate of appreciation from NSW Fire and Rescue for being part of the ceremony. The best part I believe was that the students were each presented with a “goody bag” which they certainly enjoyed!
We were treated to some fantastic speeches by 16 of our Year 6 students who put themselves forward for School Captain yesterday. New staff at our school commented on the incredibly high standard. I am very proud of the calibre of our students who truly understand what being a leader can entail and I encourage them all to continue to put themselves forward for roles in the future. One feature which stood out yesterday was the students who have only been at our school for a couple of years who were able to say how welcomed they felt at this school and how much they want to give back. Of course not everyone will get a captain’s badge this year but all of our Year 6 students have the opportunity to be good role models for the rest of the school in their final year of primary school. 
Next Thursday 16th February we will hold our first school Mass for the 2023 year. At the end of the service, Year 6 will make a pledge to the whole school to promise to show leadership throughout this year and then those students who have been chosen for specific leadership roles will receive their badges. It is a very special occasion and all parents are welcome to join us for the Mass and the induction of our leaders. Students from Years 1 – 6 will attend. 
On Monday and Tuesday of next week, teachers will be undertaking some maths assessment with their students individually. Years 1 – 6 students will rotate through six forty-five minute activities each day. Students may wear their sports uniform on Monday as some of the activities will be outside. Lunch will be at 11.15am and recess will be from 1.30pm – 2.00pm on these days. Teacher assistants will accompany each grade on the activity rotations. The data collected on this day will be used to monitor students’ mathematical growth and assist us to determine who needs extra support and in what areas.
Thirty-eight students have been selected to represent our school at the Zone Swimming Carnival to be held on Tuesday in Murwillumbah. We wish them all the very best for this event. A bus will transport the team to the carnival.
Parents please be reminded to NOT park in the church carpark to drop children off for school or pick them up at the end of the day. 
If you are using the drive-through of an afternoon to pick up your child and your child will require help with the seatbelt, we ask you to come slightly later (eg 3.05pm). This will enable the line to keep moving but then we will be more free to assist with seatbelts. If you have others picking up your child, please advise them of this. Also please do not park the car in the driveway and leave it during drop-off and pick up times. Thanks for your assistance with this.
If any family is considering Baptism for their children this year, please make contact with the school and we will contact you with support for this.
Prayer isn’t just words. Prayer is being with God everywhere, no matter where you are.
Enjoy the weekend.
God bless
Lynne

Important Dates & School Information

Term 1 2023

Tuesday, 14th February - Tweed Zone Swimming Carnival Murwillumbah

Thursday, 16th February - Opening School MASS @ 9.00am

Tuesday, 21st February - Shrove Tuesday - Pancake Day

Wednesday, 22nd February - ASH WEDNESDAY 

TERM DATES 2023 - pupil free days etc to be advised

Term 1: Friday, 27 January to Thursday, 6 April

Term 2: Monday, 24 April to Friday, 30 June

Term 3: Monday, 17 July to Friday, 22 September

Term4: Monday, 9 October to Tuesday 19 December

Child Protection Policy can be found on our School Website under Information/School Policies: St Anthony's Primary School Website or in the following link: https://www.kngplism.catholic.edu.au/school-policies/

Parish News

St Anthony's Parish

Parish Priest: Fr Paul McDonald

Finance Manager: Paul Crouch

Parish Secretary: Marty Darragh

Pastoral Assistant: Catherine Holliday

Phone: 0266741368

Email: parkings@bigpond.com

Website: http://stanthonysparishkingslciff.org

WEEKEND MASS TIMES
VIGIL: KINGSCLIFF 6:00pm
SUNDAY:POTTSVILLE 7:30am
KINGSCLIFF 9:00am

WEEKDAY MASS TIMES
TUESDAY: POTTSVILLE 9:15am
WEDNESDAY: KINGSCLIFF 8:00am
THURSDAY: KINGSCLIFF 9:00am
FRIDAY: KINGSCLIFF 8:00am

RECONCILIATION TIMES

SATURDAY: KINGSCLIFF 5:00-5:30pm
SUNDAY: POTTSVILLE 7:00—7:25am

Current Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 9am-3pm

PARISH NEWSLETTER LINK: http://stanthonysparishkingscliff.org/news-events/

Love and Service @ St Anthony's

Love and Service at St Anthony’s

What does the Lord require of you?
Do justice, love kindness,
    and walk humbly with your God. 
-Micah 6:8
  
This week our older students have been giving speeches and thinking a lot about leadership from a Catholic lens.We have been so impressed with the maturity of our students and their eagerness to serve our school.  Whether we like it or not we are all leaders and we should never underestimate our impact. You may have heard of the term Servant Leadership, but what is it and why is it so important?

The term ‘Servant Leadership’ has its origins in Robert Greenleaf’s 1970 book, The Servant as Leader where he states, "Good leaders must first become good servants." At the time, the concept of Servant Leadership was vigorously debated amongst professionals across a range of disciplines, particularly in light of the increasing public failings of leaders across a range of fields. The discussion goes on to this day and Servant leadership is adopted by a range of international organisations, catholic and non, including Starbucks and Marriott International. So what is it, where did it come from and why does it matter today?

Jesus is the ultimate servant leader. He who radicalised traditional notions of leaders as powerful, strong men with armies and wealth. Jesus, the greatest leader of all, came into the world as a vulnerable infant, with no wealth or armies, inverting the old hierarchy of leaders being served to leading in service to others, with humility, love and communion with God. 
How can the practice of humility draw us closer to leading like Jesus?

Serving God
A true servant leader is one who serves God in obedience to the First and Greatest Commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." There are plenty of examples in history of bad leaders who have wielded power selfishly over others as if they were their own gods, but leadership under the authority of God is properly viewed as a stewardship for others.
Contrary to our natural human ambition for self-glory, from the moment of His descent in the incarnation to His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus modelled humility and service toward the Father in perfect commitment to the Father's Mission through many sufferings, trials, and tests. As Jesus prayed in the midst of his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Not my will, but Thine be done." 
Service always begins with recognising that we are God’s own, called to animate His Mission, serving with conscientiousness and an eager spirit.
Serving others
The Second Greatest Commandment, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself," is related to and flows out from the First. A servant leader is one who honours others. Servant leaders are not prideful or self-seeking but empower and value others through encouragement and with a focus on developing their fullest potential. Jesus commissioned a team of co-leaders to share in His work and spent His ministry caring, preparing, and equipping them with truth and grace. Jesus prioritised human relationships in the work.

There is simply no servant leadership without love, and there is no love without hubble service - before God first and toward others second—in imitation of Jesus. Love and service.

Kindergarten

What a wonderful week we have had during our first big week in Kindy! We are all settling in so well and love to learn and play with our new friends. We can’t wait to watch them thrive here at St Anthony’s!

Kindergarten 2023

Kingscliff Fire Station Opening Ceremony

The newest fire station in New South Wales has today opened its doors. Some St Anthony's Students attended the opening Ceremony

KIngscliff Fire Station Opening Ceremony

Miscellaneous

Netball Registrations 2023