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St Anthony's Primary School Kingscliff

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23 Boomerang Street
Kingscliff NSW 2487
Subscribe: https://kngplism.catholic.edu.au/subscribe

Email: sapkings@lism.catholic.edu.au
Phone: 02 6674 1368

St Anthony's Primary School Kingscliff

23 Boomerang Street
Kingscliff NSW 2487

Phone: 02 6674 1368

  • Visit our Website
  • Newsletter Archive
  • School Calendar
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Like us on Facebook
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    Newsletter Term 3 Week 3, 8.8.25

    • Principal's News
    • Expectations for Learning and Behaviour
    • Book Week- Book an Adventure
    • MISSION NEWS
    • LEARNING AND TEACHING
    • SPORT NEWS
    • Diocesan Touch Football - Cate Thierjung
    • NSWPSSA U/12’s Rugby League - Ky O’Grady
    • Tweed Zone Athletics Carnival
    • St Anthony’s Science Fair
    • Flying Start
    • Term Dates 2026
    • COMMUNITY NEWS
    • A HEALTHIER LUNCHBOOK
    • Parish Information and News
    • St Anthony's Parish - Care Group

    Principal's News

    On Thursday 8th August, we celebrate the feast day of St Mary of The Cross MacKillop ~ Australia’s first saint. As a young woman (born in Melbourne in 1842) Mary was concerned that so many children in rural Australia could not afford education. With the support of Fr Julian Tennison Woods and like minded women of faith, Mary started up schools for children who would not have received an education without her. Mary knew that this was part of God’s plan, she saw a need and did something about it. These women of faith are known as the Sisters of St Joseph and they hold a special place in our hearts and the history of many of our Catholic Schools across Australia.

    We honour Mary as a courageous Australian who, at great cost to herself, believed in God’s plan for her and made a difference to children all across Australia. Together we continue to celebrate this amazing Australian leader and model of faith to us all.

    Expectations for Learning and Behaviour

    Our Vision for learning, faith and wellbeing at St Anthony's is underpinned by the belief that all students can learn, grow and achieve at high levels given the right time, support and classroom structures. We are proud of our focus and commitment as we strive towards being a school of excellence and  promote a culture of high expectations for every child and every teacher at our school.

    As Principal at St Anthony's, I have a responsibility and moral purpose to work with and support all our staff to ensure that every student in our school has the right to learn, grow and flourish in a safe, focused and calm learning environment, and I make no apology for having a relentless focus to ensure that this happens in every classroom, everyday.

    Having high expectations for learning means we must also have high expectations for behaviour in our classrooms. Establishing clear and consistent routines and learning behaviours in every classroom throughout our school is at the heart of supporting all our students to be successful and to learn how to be a valued member of something bigger than themselves. 

    As our children learn and grow, we expect them to make mistakes. Failure is how we all learn and growing up is hard at times. What is expected however, is that we learn from our mistakes, supported by our teachers, as we try to be better people and better learners. In all our classrooms, we are explicitly teaching our children expected learning behaviours and expected classroom behaviour that we want to see at St Anthony's.

    Our children are at the heart of everything we do at our school and they deserve the very best. They are loved, cared for and St Anthony's is their school. This also means that we are learning how to be accountable and responsible for our choices and behaviour both inside the classroom and on the playground. It is through having clear boundaries and knowing exactly what is expected for behaviour and learning, our children will flourish here at St Anthony's as they continue growing as responsible young men and women ready to make a positive difference in our world.

    Book Week- Book an Adventure

    Book Week is approaching with our book fair in the library between Monday 18th August- Friday 22nd August and that means plenty of fun here at St Anthony's.

    Our Book Character Parade will be at 9am on Monday 18th August. The Book Fair will be held in the library and parents are more than welcome to have a look and purchase as many books as you like for your children or to donate to the school. 

    With all the fun things happening it is good to pause and reflect that we have this week to generate some enthusiasm for reading and the obvious benefits that can be gained from reading books. I encourage all our students to make a special effort to read a bit more during this week.

    MISSION NEWS

    Feast of the Assumption

    Next Friday, August 15, is the Feast of the Assumption. 

    The Feast of the Assumption is one of 2 Holy Days of Obligation in the Catholic Church, with Christmas Day being the other.

    According to our faith, the Holy Mother, "Having completed her course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory". Although defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII just over half a century ago, the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven has been accepted from back to the earliest of Christian times.

    The Assumption signals the end of Mary's earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. While the bodies of both Jesus and Mary are now in heaven, there is a difference between the Assumption and the Resurrection. Where Jesus arose from the tomb and ascended into heaven by his own power, Mary's body was taken up to heaven by the power of her Son.

    For this reason we use different words to describe each event. One is the Ascension of Christ and the other, the Assumption of Mary.

    A big thank you to the girls from Year 5 and 6 who are working hard to lead a beautiful and reverent AUSLAN signing of the hymn ‘Hail Mary’ for our whole school Mass next Friday. 

    All are welcome to attend this important Feast Day; 9am at St Anthony’s Church.

    Confirmation Retreat 

    All Year 3 students have been learning about the Sacrament of Confirmation during their Religion lessons this Term. All of Year 3 and the students receiving Confirmation in Years 4-6 are invited to attend the Confirmation Retreat day next Friday, August 15. All students attending the retreat are allowed to wear Confirmation fire colours (red, orange, yellow) free dress on this special day. The kids will celebrate with Pizza for lunch and a Zooper Dooper. Please pack some Recess and fruit for your child. Please also let us know if your child has any dietary requirements so we can cater accordingly.

    A reminder that the Sacrament of Confirmation will be on Friday, September 05 at 6pm with our Bishop Greg Homeming.

    Faith, Science and Reason

    With Science Week being celebrated at St Anthony’s next week it is a valuable opportunity to highlight some of the contributions made by Catholic Scientists. In a society that often overlooks Religion as a ‘story’ that is ‘out of touch’ with Science it is important to remember that not only does the Catholic Church continuously evolve with the latest scientific discoveries, it is often ahead of the game in terms of the moral and ethical considerations about the use of science and technology to serve the common good. Three Catholic scientists who have led in the STEM space include:

    1. Fr Gregor Mendel: Father of modern genetics and Catholic priest
    2. Fr Georges Lemaître: Formulator of the Big Bang Theory and Catholic priest
    3. Sr Mary Kenneth Keller: Pioneer of computer science and Catholic sister.

    Catholic Scientists

    Attendance Matters

    Regular attendance at school for every student is essential if students are to achieve their potential, and increase their career and life options. Schools, in partnership with parents, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. While parents are legally responsible for the regular attendance of their children, school staff, as part of their duty of care, record and monitor part and whole day absences.

    We have noticed a number of students with chronic absenteeism. While families were encouraged to keep their child home during the Covid Pandemic, chronic and complex absenteeism is now a massive issue affecting students and their families nationwide. 

    Please ensure your child attends school every day that they are well to enhance your child’s academic, social and emotional wellbeing and promote a sense of connection and belonging to the school community.

    Attendance Procedures

    LEARNING AND TEACHING

    Byron Writers Festival Excursion – A Day of Inspiration

    On Wednesday, our students had the privilege of attending the Byron Writers Festival, an experience that sparked imaginations and encouraged a love of storytelling.

    We began the day with celebrated author Sally Rippin, whose most popular series include Billie B Brown, Hey Jack! and School of Monsters. She taught us how to draw a “School of Monsters” character, sharing her practical tips on turning everyday ideas into extraordinary stories. Her warmth and creativity made it clear why she is one of our favourite authors.

    Next, Peter Helliar—best known for his children’s book series Frankie Fish and Herman Crab—kept everyone laughing with his jokes and playful energy. He read us a story he wrote at just eight years old, Buried Alive, and gave us a sneak peek at his brand new series, Detective Galileo. This funny mystery follows a horse trying to solve a case who eventually calls in the Police for help. Peter also invited a student and a teacher onto the stage to help him draw a horse, making the session even more interactive and fun.

    We then met Maxine Beneba Clarke, a poet for children, tweens and adults. She taught us a poem called Tick Tock Dance, a circular poem that loops back to the beginning and keeps repeating. Her performance was not only engaging and relatable, but it also gave us an important life lesson about originality and staying true to our own voice.

    To make the day even more special, all the authors signed books for students—a treasured keepsake of an inspiring day.

    Here are some of our students’ reflections:

    • “It will help me get ideas for my writing. Peter was my favourite as he was funny and I love his books.” – Raf, Year 5

    • “Sally Rippin’s ideas of how to write a story by making an everyday thing not so everyday was my favourite part.” – Zara, Year 5

    • “Anyone can be an author and start at any time.” – Alex, Year 6

    • “New ideas for writing come from imagination and experiences.” – Evelyn, Year 6

    It was a day filled with laughter, creativity, and important lessons about the power of words. We are grateful to the Byron Writers Festival for such an inspiring opportunity, and we look forward to seeing how our students’ own writing journeys unfold.

    SPORT NEWS

    Diocesan Touch Football - Cate Thierjung

    Congratulations to Cate Thierjung who represented the Lismore Diocese at the Polding Touch Football trials at the end of last Term. She travelled to Port Macquarie and competed against around 70 other players among 6 teams with only 12 players selected for the Polding Team. 

    Amazing effort to be representing the Diocese in such a competitive sport and for displaying excellent sportsmanship and determination in the process. 

    Well done Cate!!

    NSWPSSA U/12’s Rugby League - Ky O’Grady

    Congratulations to Ky O’Grady of Year 6 who recently represented the NSWPSSA for U/12 Rugby League at the National Rugby League Championships held in Brisbane last week.

    In their opening match they faced a tough Queensland side that went on to win the tournament without conceding a point. 

    NSW bounced back strongly on Days 2 and 3 with solid wins over Victoria and the ACT. In the semi-final they played Victoria again in a much tighter contest, but NSW managed to come out on top and secure a spot in the Grand Final. 

    In the Grand Final against Queensland, Ky's kicking game was outstanding and he made several runs despite the challenge of Queensland’s forward pack. 

    Unfortunately NSW couldn’t break through the QLD’s defence and they finished with a silver medal which was a great achievement. 

    Well done Ky St Anthony’s is very proud of your achievements and good luck in your future League career!

    Tweed Zone Athletics Carnival

    The Tweed Zone Athletics Carnival was held on Friday 1st August in Cudgen. 

    Well done to the St Anthony’s Athletics team who competed to an extremely high level on the day coming away with the champion school trophy for the second year in a row!

    Congratulations to the following students:

    • Finley Smith 9 Years Boys Runner Up Age Champion
    • Evelyn Stewart Senior Girls Runner Up Age Champion
    • Gemma Rogers 11 Years Girls Runner Up Age Champion
    • Harrison Morley Junior Boys Runner Up Age Champion
    • Eden Usher Senior Girls Multi-Class Age Champion
    • Andy De Beer 11 Years Boys Multi-Class Age Champion
    • Isaac Behs 11 Years Boys Multi-Class Runner Up Age Champion
    • Floyd Morley Senior Boy Multi-Class Age Champion
    • The Senior Girls came first in the 100m Relay (Cate Thierjung, Kahlani Gordon, Bonnie Brownjohn and Evelyn Stewart). 
    • Junior girls came first in the 100m Relay (Amelia Popov, Sammi O’Grady, Quinn Thomas and Cleo Morley). 

    Many other students achieved places at the carnival in their events. These students have nominated to progress to the Diocesan Carnival representing the Tweed Zone, good luck to the following:

    Isaac Behs, Bonnie Brownjohn, Andy De Beer, Floyd Morley, Harrison Morley, Cleo Morley, Amelia Popov, Gemma Rogers, Finley Smith, Evelyn Stewart, Joel Teague, Cate Thierjung, Eden Usher, Kahlani Gordon, Rafael Harman, Ky O’Grady, Sammi O’Grady, Ava Scott, Quinn Thomas, Samuel Jackson, Xavier Stewart, Finn Zuber, Neve Lawrence, Poppy Lalor, 

    Thank You to Mrs Ballantine and Mr Barton who went to the carnival as the St Anthony’s managers to ensure the students didn’t miss any of their events, your time is greatly appreciated. 

    St Anthony’s Science Fair

    Our 2025 St Anthony’s Science Fair will be held next Thursday 14th August. Students have been working hard on creating some interesting projects. This year we are excited to see scientific investigations including experiments which explore topics such as nature’s secret thermometer.

    We are looking forward to seeing classified collections of shells and sands and environmental action projects about local issues such as Fingal Headland and recycling. There will be engineering and technology presentations and many fascinating projects that communicate our student’s interest in and excitement for science. 

    Our science fair will be held in the school hall from 10 am - 1pm and we would love to welcome families, parishioners and local residents. Our students are excited to showcase their passion for science.

    Flying Start

    Welcome back to term 3 from Flying Start Preschool.  We have had another busy start to the term with a visit from a professional ballerina who spent time showing us all how she dances on her pointe shoes and then taught us some simple ballet steps.  This was a great opportunity to dress up an bring out the ballerina in all of us!!

    We are focussing on numbers and letters this term in our play based environment. These include fishing for letters that are in our name, bingo, snap and letter hunts.  Learning about letters and numbers help pre-schoolers build early literacy and numeracy skills in meaningful hands-on experiences. 

    Today we had a very special visit from the Kingscliff Fire Brigade.  This was a wonderful way to learn all about the important role that they play in keeping our community safe.  We got to have a turn of the fire hose as well as trying out the back seat of the fire truck.  This visit was also a great opportunity to invite our kindergarten friends over to share the excitement with us.

    We have a busy couple of weeks coming up and can’t wait to share this with you all soon.

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    Term Dates 2026

    COMMUNITY NEWS

    A HEALTHIER LUNCHBOOK

    Parish Information and News

    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: KINGSCLIFF4:00-5:30pm
    SUNDAY: POTTSVILLE 7:00—7:25am

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

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

    St Anthony's Parish - Care Group

    Many parents may have noticed from the Parish Bulletin, that the Parish has a Care Group which, among other things seeks to provide meals to any parishoners in need.

    This could include times of family sickness, new mums struggling to provide for the family in the early days of returning home, and many other circumstances of genuine need.

    Please be aware that the Care Group is very willing to help out if any families find themselves in need of this service.

    Contact: Parish Office: 0266 741 284 or Maree Moore 0439 174 116 

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