Newsletter Term 1 Week 7

Dear Parents

We appreciate those who have accepted the roles of Class Parents at the school.  These people liaise with the teachers and find ways to engage families of that grade with what’s happening at school. If a family is having a difficult time it might be the class parents who engender support from others. Sometimes the teachers may ask them to help get a message out to families. They share relevant information, eg a new baby has been born, or someone is ill etc. so that care and kindness and support can be offered. Class parents sometimes suggest social activities for the children of that class or for the adults. Class Parents are very important in helping to build a sense of community across our school and can be a vital link in building a partnership between home and school. Class Parents are invited to attend the Parent Forum meeting which will be held at 6.00pm next Tuesday evening, 16th March in the school staffroom. All parents are most welcome to attend the forum regardless of whether they are a class parent or not. But the forum will be a chance to meet everyone and say thanks.

Next week we have two important feast days: Wednesday 17th is the feast of St Patrick and Friday 19th is the feast of St Joseph who was the spouse of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Students will be learning more about these two saints in their Religious Education lessons. Friday is also Anti-Bullying Day and Saturday is Harmony Day. Our student leaders and SRC have decided to celebrate all these with a special day on Thursday which they are calling “Colour our World with Kindness”. It will be a mufti day and students may wear brightly coloured clothes on this day and bring along a gold coin donation, the proceeds going to Caritas. Some activities will be organized for students but essentially we want it to be a day where kindness is shown in many different ways at school and where the message of caring about others is not just proclaimed but visible for all to see. Well done to our all our SRC members for this initiative.

The recent rain which is life-giving for our Earth, has however played havoc with some sporting fixtures. Today’s winter sports trials in Grafton have had to be cancelled and at this stage will now be held next Friday 19th.

We have been delighted with the number of families who have contacted us about Baptism for their children. This begins their Sacramental journey. If you have been considering this step please do not hesitate to contact the school and Mrs Falcke will then talk you through the process. There are a number of students who will be receiving the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation for the first time on the evening of Tuesday 23rd March at 6.00pm in the church.

Please be mindful of the need for students to be at school on time for classes to begin. Literacy block takes place in the morning so if your child is regularly late they are missing vital learning and instruction time. Students should only be away for a legitimate reason which is recorded. We are accountable to the Catholic Schools Office for student attendance and can be queried about patterns of student non-attendance. The CSO in turn is accountable to government for this as it is a requirement of law that students attend school.

Please note that school finishes this term on Thursday 1st April for the Easter holiday break and will resume on Monday 19th April. There will be two student free days next term on Wednesday 5th May and Friday 25th June which is the final day of that term.

If your child travels to and from school by bus please talk to them about the expectations of behaviour on those buses. They must sit down, talk quietly to those around them, not eat on the bus and not do anything that might distract the driver. Safety and respect are always the reasons for these rules.

Consciousness. How am I today? Where am I with God? With others? Do I have something to be grateful for? Then I give thanks. Is there something I am sorry for? Then I ask forgiveness.

God bless

Lynne

Term 1 2021

Thursday, March 18th - Infant MASS: Year 1

Friday, March 19th - Assembly: Year 5

Friday, March 19th - Primary Schools, Hockey Carnival: The Fitzpatrick Shield

Tuesday, March 23rd - Parish Second Rite Reconcilliation (students make their First Reconcilliation @ 6pm)

Thursday, March 25th - Primary MASS: Year 5

Friday, March 26th - School Cross Country (am)

Thursday, April 1st - Last day of Term 1 - HOLY THURSDAY

Friday, April 2nd - GOOD FRIDAY

Sunday, April 4th - Daylight Savings Ends

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: St Anthony's Primary School Policies

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

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

M A S S  A T T E N D A N C E  A N D  P R O T O C O L S
Please do not attend if you have any cold/flu-like symptoms
The number permitted to attend Masses and any church services is determined by the 2 square metre rule.
There is no need to book in for regular Masses.
O n a r r i v a l : Please sanitise your hands on entry, check in with the Service NSW QR code (or record your name and contact
details on the Mass attendance sheet).
P h y s i c a l D i s t a n c i n g : A degree of physical distancing between persons not of the same household is encouraged. If you have any
concerns regarding distancing please wear a mask or let an usher know if you are not comfortable being seated closer than 1.5 metres
from another person.
S i n g i n g : Choirs are now permitted with 1.5 metres between singers and 5 metres from congregation. For the time being, on advice
from the Bishop, we will have no congregational singing until further notice.
H o l y C o m m u n i o n : Holy Communion to be received on the hand only, physical distance where possible.
C l e a n i n g : We ask several volunteers stay behind to help us out with the task of cleaning. We appreciate your assistance.

Sacraments for 2021

This year we will move forward with students making their sacraments.

The sacraments are offered to students who are baptised Catholic and are in the appropriate class or above year levels and have not yet made that Sacrament.

Term 1

Year 4 students baptised Catholic will receive the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation. These students have already began preparing for this Sacrament and they will make their First Reconciliation on Tuesday 23rd March, 6:00pm at St Anthony’s Church Kingscliff. We keep these students in our prayers as they move through their preparation to receive this sacrament.

Term 2

Year 4 students who receive the Sacrament of Penance in Term 1 will receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

They will attend a parent/child meeting in week 2, Wednesday 28th April at 6:00pm at school. Following this the students and their family will attend a commitment Mass of their choice over the weekend of 1st and 2nd May. Students will then have the opportunity to make their

First Holy Communion at a Mass of their choice over the weekend of 5th or 6th June or weekend 12th or 13th June. (A note will go home about this towards the end of week 9)

Term 3

Year 3 students baptised Catholic will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

These students will attend a parent/child meeting in week 3, Wednesday 28th July at 6:00pm at School. Following this the students and their family will attend a commitment Mass of their choice over the weekend of 1st and 2nd August.

The students will then receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday 8th September, 6:00pm at St Anthony’s Church, Kingscliff. This date is given to us through Bishop Gregory Homeming’s office.

 If you have any questions or queries concerning sacraments, please contact Sue Falcke via school email and I will get back to you.

If you have a child that has not been baptised Catholic and you would like to consider this sacrament please contact me, as I am happy to discuss details with you. (One parent must be baptised Catholic, for this to occur).

During this time of Lent may we come to know Jesus more deeply and to live in His truth. We pray that we become the people Jesus calls us to be, a welcoming community alive to relationships of justice and peace.

Wednesday 17th March - Feast Day of Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick was a bishop who preached the love of Christ in Ireland. As God sent Saint Patrick to teach the Gospel to the people of Ireland, so may we bring peace and joy to others.

Friday 19th March St Joseph’s Feast Day

On this day we remember Joseph, husband of Mary and father of the Holy Family.

Year of St Joseph

Pope Francis on December 8, 2020 published an Apostolic Letter Patris corde (With a Father’s Heart), commemorating the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.

To mark the occasion, the Holy Father has proclaimed a “Year of St Joseph”, running from December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021.

We are invited by Pope Francis to reflect on and imitate the creative courage of St Joseph. Joseph was courageous in taking on the responsibility of becoming the husband of Mary and the legal father of Jesus and all that those two roles entailed. As we follow Joseph in the Gospel, we see how he could turn a difficulty into a possibility with his trust in the providence of God.

Mt St Patrick College Year 7 2022 Enrolment Applications

Mr Paul Reidy, Principal visited the school to talk to Year 6 students and deliver enrolment packages.

Online Enrolment Applications will be available for completion as from next week Wednesday 10th March from the College website https://mspclism.com/enrolment/

Our Open Day is on Thursday 18th March, 5.00pm to 6.30pm, Gilbey Multipurpose Centre. Entry and parking via Queensland Road.

Enrolment applications close on Thursday 1st April, 2021. 

If you have any questions or difficulties completing the form, please contact the Enrolments Secretary (02) 6672 2340 or by email mspcenrolments@lism.catholic.edu.au

Scott Thomson visited the Year 6 classes and distributed enrolment packages on March 8th

At St Anthony's we want to build the most epic, awesome playground ever. Calling for all interested people to join our PPC (Playground Planning Committee). We need ideas, builders, architects, painters, anyone who wants to be remembered as part of this fantastic legacy we will leave for all future students. Please send an email with your details to julianne.barlogio@lism.catholic.edu.au.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

In addition to the classroom Performing Arts program, private and small group instrumental lessons, singing lessons are available during school hours with qualified, experienced tutors. These lessons are at extra cost, paid directly to the tutor each term. Timetables are rotated each week so that children do not miss the same classroom work.

TUITION IS AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING INSTRUMENTS:

GUITAR: Mr Mark Payne will be teaching private and group lessons for students from Year 3 onwards. These will be timetabled throughout the school day and students will be able to use guitars in the Music room for lessons. For further information, call 0447 381 985.Cost:   Group lessons: 30 minutes = $15         Individual Private lessons: 30 min = $30

SINGING: Joanne Rohwer, our singing teacher, has a wealth of performance and teaching experience. Joanne will be teaching small groups and individual lessons during school time. Joanne can be contacted directly on: 0405 368 871. Cost: Group lessons: 30 minutes $135/term; Private lessons: $270/term (10 wks).

DRUMS/PERCUSSION: Mr Ben Smith is our Drums/ Percussion tutor. Ben will be teaching students from Years 2 – 6. Lessons for Drums will take place during school hours in small groups (or privately if requested) on Tuesday mornings. Before school lessons can also be organized if preferred. For further information, please contact Ben directly on 0433 492 920.

Grades 2-6 Cost: $30 min Private Lessons - $30, 30 min Group Lessons* - $15
* Group lessons will be available in the event that two or more students from the school express interest. Group lessons are not credited in the case of students absence

PIANO: Tara Williams, our piano teacher, has extensive experience and will be teaching individual piano lessons during school time on Monday’s. Tara can be contacted directly on - 0414 479 103 or contact the school office for enrolment forms.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

FEES: are payable directly to the teacher concerned who will provide you with an invoice each term. It is appreciated if the full term is paid within two weeks of the initial lesson. If this is a concern, please discuss another payment option with the tutor directly. Unpaid fees will result in the child’s tuition being cancelled.

ILLNESS: please advise your teacher by SMS if your child is unable to attend his/her lesson due to illness so lessons can be made up.

ENSEMBLES:There will be opportunities for all instrumentalists to be involved in ensemble performances at special school events throughout the year.

Recital evenings: Each private tutor is encouraged to hold at least one recital evening showcasing their students’ talents during the year in the school hall.

Performance opportunities: Students are encouraged to share their talents at school and in the wider community. Such opportunities include performing at school assemblies and other school events, providing music for Masses, in local nursing homes and competing at the Murwillumbah Eisteddfod.

SCHOOL PERFORMANCE GROUPS:

CHOIR: This year there will be an Infants Choir - Years 1/2 and two Primary Choirs - Years 3/4 and Year 5/6 with rehearsals scheduled each Thursday morning during class time (students will not miss any curriculum work). Mr Steven Spurlock will be conducting these choirs with rehearsals taking place in the Music room. Choir members are committed for the duration of the semester with a two-week trial period. Primary Choir members are also encouraged to sing at the school-led Sunday Masses once a month and at special celebrations (e.g. Confirmation, First Eucharist etc). There will also be opportunities for small vocal groups & percussion & recorder groups as part of the in school music program.

BELLS ENSEMBLE: This year there will be a Bells Ensemble for students in Years 3 to 6. This group will rehearse during lunchtimes. They will be provided opportunities to perform throughout the school year at Eisteddfod and community performances.

SCHOOL INSTRUMENTAL LESSONS: Mr Steven Spurlock is our school Music Teacher This year there will also be an opportunity for students in Years 4 to 6 to receive instrumental tuition on Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet and Drums. These will be group lessons held during school time on Friday mornings. Places are limited. A small number of Instruments are available to be loaned from the school. Students who participate will be asked to make a financial commitment of $25 by purchasing the music book used during lessons.

If your child is interested in instrumental music lessons with Mark (Guitar), Ben (Drums), Jo (Singing) or Tara (Piano) could you please complete the form that is held in the office or online: St Anthony’s Extra-Curricula Arts and return to the school office in order to organise lessons as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact the tutor directly to enquire about availability.

If your child is interested in instrumental lessons with Steve on Flute, Trumpet, Clarinet or Drums please contact the school office in order to organise lessons as soon as possible.