Newsletter Term 1 Week 4 (17.2.23)
From the Principal
Dear Parents
Our first Mass for the year was held yesterday and was a wonderful occasion to witness our school leaders for 2023 receive their badges. In addition, all of Year 6 promised to be good role models to the younger students throughout the year and to live our school motto of Love & Service. Leaders pledged to serve our school with pride, loyalty and example and to go about their duties with cheerfulness, always showing kindness and respect. I am confident that this bunch of leaders led by Captains Elise Edwards and Raff Carroll-Cinque will certainly do that and more. We congratulate them all and wish them well in their roles this year.
Next week begins the season of Lent, on Ash Wednesday. Mass will be at 9.00am in the church for all students from Years 1 – 6. All will receive the ashes on this occasion. Fr Paul or one of the teachers will make the Sign of the Cross on each person’s forehead. It is a reminder to us all that this life on earth is only temporary and therefore we are asked to live good lives whilst we are here, loving God and loving our neighbour. During Lent, which runs until Easter, we deliberately take time to think about how we can do better and be better. Religious Education lessons will be linked to this season allowing students to express their knowledge and understanding, as well as making efforts to pray more regularly, show love and kindness, and giving to those less fortunate through Caritas.
On Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday) we are in for a treat as it is Pancake Day, the day before Lent starts. There will be the opportunity to purchase pancakes (pikelets) at lunch time on this day for a gold coin. Donations of pancake mix in a shaker bottle are requested from families of students in years 1- 5. Year 6 are bringing in the toppings! Thank you for the donations.
Parent/Teacher “Meet & Greet” meetings are being set-up for the next two weeks. You will be given the opportunity to choose a time when you can meet with each of your children’s teachers. This is the chance to not just meet the teachers but a chance to talk to them about your child’s strengths and areas for development this year. Meetings are only short – 10 minutes – so please endeavour to commit to this.
Kindergarten will hold an information evening for their parents at 5.00pm on Tuesday in the Hall (Pearl Street entrance).
At St Anthony’s we want students to be spending time reading each night. This is the most beneficial thing they can do for their ongoing learning. You get better at reading by reading continually. We do not set onerous homework tasks. The time spent reading on their own, or if younger, being read to, is what we see as the most important thing for homework. Teachers will sometimes suggest learning multiplication facts, playing Maths EMU games, practising reading high frequency words, finding out about something they are learning about in school, playing word games or finishing off something begun in school as other forms of homework. Teachers may also set tasks in Studyladder for students to do if your child is looking for something more.
We spent two days earlier this week doing MAIs (Mathematical Assessment Interviews) where all students from Years 1 -6 had the opportunity to show their mathematical thinking. Whilst individuals were doing their interviews, the rest of the grade was engaged in some fun activities. We appreciate the support of the local Rugby League, AFL and Hockey clubs who freely gave their time to spend with our students. Other activities included body percussion, art, board games, STEM activities, meditation and other indoor games which were all led by some of our teachers.
Just for parents information, the final day of this term is Thursday 6th April. Second term will commence for students on Wednesday 26th April.
No-one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of it for another.
Enjoy the weekend.
God bless
Lynne
Important Dates & School Information
Term 1 2023
Tuesday, 21st February - Shrove Tuesday - Pancake Day
Wednesday, 22nd February - ASH WEDNESDAY
Thursday 6th April - last day of Term 1
TERM DATES 2023 - pupil free days etc to be advised
Term 1: Friday, 27 January to Thursday, 6 April
Term 2: Wednesday, 26 April to Friday, 30 June
Term 3: Monday, 17 July to Friday, 22 September
Term 4: 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/
Sunday's Gospel
This Sunday’s Gospel comes from Matthew (5:38-48),
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.”
How many of you feel like you’ve already got this one covered? Nobody? Good! Me neither! We should probably talk about this.
Jesus knows that if we keep doing all of this “eye for an eye” stuff it will continue to escalate. He’s trying to teach us how to stop it for good. Jesus is teaching us you can’t play the same old game and expect it to change.
One day Mother Teresa went to a local bakery with a child to ask for bread for the starving children in the orphanage. The baker, outraged at being begged for bread from him, spat in her face and refused. Mother Teresa calmly took out her handkerchief, wiped the spit from her face and said to the baker, “Okay, that was for me. Now what about the child?” The baker, shamed by her response, gave the bread needed.
How would you react in that situation? Jesus asks us to, “...Turn the other cheek.” Jesus loves people who worship him AND those who spit in his face.
When we are told to ‘turn the other cheek,’ we are not being told to be ‘pushovers’ and let others ‘walk all over us’. Instead, we are called to offer a powerful act of non-resistance. When someone is violent or unjust, let the reality of what they’re really doing become displayed, just like Jesus displayed on the cross. Let your oppressor see what they are doing is wrong and offer them a chance at redemption.
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
Anyone can love their friends, but all that does is keep us in a very small world of people we like who are like us and people we don’t like who are not like us. To love your enemies is possibly Jesus’s most difficult and most important teaching. You can never face the dark side of your soul until you have the courage to embrace those who threaten you. Normally those people who threaten us carry our own faults in a different form. Love your enemies. Show God’s love and mercy; Be kind and forgiving in word and action, the way God is toward you.
Ministry Team News
Next week on Tuesday 21st February, we will be hosting Shrove Tuesday. We will be serving pancakes from the canteen at lunch time. Students need to bring a gold coin donation to receive a pancake on the day. We are raising money to donate to Caritas Australia. By supporting Caritas Australia this Lenten season you are helping make a difference in the lives of less fortunate people around the world.
We are asking for donations to support this cause. Students from Kinder to Year 5, please bring in a pancake shaker mix from Coles or Woolworths on Monday and leave it at the Canteen in the morning. The shakers need to be Original or Plain flavour only.
Year 6 students are being asked to donate the toppings (jam, nutella, dollop cream or maple syrup).
Parent helpers would be greatly appreciated to assist with cooking and serving pancakes from dropoff time (approx 8:40) until 11:30am. Please call the office to let us know if you are able to help.
Shrove Tuesday February 21st
On Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday) we are in for a treat as it is Pancake Day, the day before Lent starts. There will be the opportunity to purchase pancakes (pikelets) at lunch time on this day for a gold coin. Donations of pancake mix in a shaker bottle are requested from families of students in years 1- 5. Year 6 are bringing in the toppings! Thank you for the donations.
Please note on Wedesday the Canteen will not be serving MEAT
Sports News
St Anthony’s Primary Swimming Carnival
The St Anthony’s Primary Swimming Carnival was held on Friday 3rd February at the Kingscliff Aquatic Centre. Congratulations to all the students from Years 2 - 6 who participated in the day with such great house spirit. The following students were awarded Swimming Age Champions for 2023:
8 Years Boys - Thomas Huett
8 Years Girls - Zara Reid
9 Years Boys - Harry Chapman and Finn Zuber
9 Years Girls - Lennox Stonefield
10 Years Boys - Finn Carroll-Cinque
10 Years Girls - Scarlett Mison
11 Years Boys - Dax Stonefield
11 Years Girls - Aria Boyle
12 Years Boys - Rafael Carroll-Cinque
12 Years Girls - Ivy Mison
We would like to thank all Teachers for their hard work throughout the day in hot conditions and a very special mention to Mr Reid from the Kingscliff Swimming Club who gave up his time to be the starter for our carnival.
Tweed Zone Swimming Carnival
On Tuesday 14th February we had 37 students represent St Anthony’s at the Tweed Zone Catholic Primary Schools Swimming Carnival.
It was an extremely successful day for our school and our swimmers put in their best effort, coming away with several placings throughout the day and many chosen to progress onto the next level at the Diocesan Carnival.
The following students were awarded age champion:
Junior Girl - Scarlett Mison
Junior Boy - Finn Carroll-Cinque
Senior Girl - Ivy Mison
Senior Boy - Rafael Carroll-Cinque
11 Years boy Runner Up - Dax Stonefield
Finally, what a team effort, all our swimmers achieved such great results that St Anthony’s were awarded the Champion Swimming School for 2023 taking out the whole carnival. Congratulations to all the team!!
Good luck to all the students who were chosen to represent the Tweed Zone at the Diocesan Carnival in Kempsey on 3rd March.
Cricket News
Congratulations to Max Caspersz who represented the Lismore Diocesan for cricket on Friday 10th February in Lismore for the Polding trials. You have been a fantastic representative for St Anthony’s in regards to both your effort and sportsmanship.
Hockey News
At the end of last year, Term 4, several St Anthony’s students and past students took part in the Summer 6 a-side Hockey program. The program took place at the Tweed Hockey Centre and the students worked on their skills and played small 6 a-side games in a fun environment.
Congratulations to the following students for their participation and being great representatives for St Anthony’s school:
Annabelle Watson, Maddison White, Ivy Moloney, Stella Lindsey, Kade O-Shea, Connor Dunnachie, Nicholas Croker, Hugo Watson, Mack White and Luke Thierjung.
If your child is interested in playing a fun new sport Hockey Tweed are looking for players to sign up for the 2023 season. Either see Mrs Croker or see the contact details below for a club in your area.
Year 1 - Mathematics
Year 1 was excited to invite families into our classroom today to help with hands-on mathematics activities. The students have enjoyed exploring different ways to make ten using games and manipulatives. We are looking forward to continuing to build our mathematics skills with our helpers every Wednesday morning.
Canteen Helpers Needed
It's that time of year again. We are desperately in need of helpers in the canteen. Particulary on Fridays.
If you can help please see Ellen in the Canteen or let the office know.
Thank you Ellen
Miscellaneous
