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Dear Families,
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The dates for National Reconciliation Week are the same each year; 27 May to 3 June.
These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision, respectively.
27 May 1967. On this day, Australia’s most successful referendum saw more than 90 per cent of Australians vote to give the Australian Government power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and recognise them in the Census.
3 June 1992. On this day, the Australian High Court delivered the Mabo decision, the culmination of Eddie Koiki Mabo’s challenge to the legal fiction of ‘terra nullius’ (land belonging to no one) and leading to the legal recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of lands. This decision paved the way for Native Title.
Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The National Reconciliation Week 2023 theme is ‘Be a Voice for Generations – Act Today for a Reconciled Tomorrow. This Friday, 2nd June at St Anthony’s our Reconciliation Week focus assembly will be led by our First Nations students and Five Assisi in the school hall at 12:00 pm. We warmly invite all of our First Nations families and 5 Assisi families to join us for this assembly.
During this assembly, we will share a slideshow of what it means to live on Ngunnawal land.
Out of school uniform
Friday 2nd June will be an out of uniform day. We invite all students and staff to come dressed in the colours of our Australian, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags. For students who identify with another nationality, feel free to come in the colours of your flag or even in national dress.
After lunch, we will be participating in a Reconciliation March around the top oval as a powerful reminder of all people coming together in the spirit of reconciliation. In the event of inclement weather, this will be done on the walkway by our First Nations students.
Students are encouraged to bring or make flags or banners focusing on this year’s theme for this event.
Calendar Reminders:
- Today students from Years 3 & 4 and Years 5 & 6 will be competing in the Primary Rugby League - Sullivan Shield. My thanks to Mr Joe McGrath and Mrs Tracey Adamson for accompanying our students.
- Year 5 have their excursion to the AEC and Reconciliation Place on Monday 5 June.
- Year 6 have their excursion to Geoscience Australia on Thursday 8 June.
- 3L will be leading our prayer focus assembly on Friday 9 June in the school hall.
- Tuesday 13 June is the feast day of St Anthony of Padua
Semester 1 Reports and Parent-Teacher Interviews
Our teachers are currently finalising and preparing Semester 1 reports. Reports will be available via Compass on Wednesday 21 June. Following this, parents and carers will have the opportunity to meet with their child’s teacher/s to discuss their learning in Week 10. Bookings will open on Compass for end-of-term parent-teacher interviews next week and close on Friday 21 June, Week 9.
Tell Them from Me Survey
As part of our focus on school effectiveness, we invite students, parents and teachers to participate in an online survey – Tell Them From Me (TTFM). The link for the 2023 annual TTFM survey will be sent by the end of this week via Compass
Students, parents and teachers have the opportunity to participate in this survey. The survey is anonymous, voluntary, and participants can skip any questions they are not comfortable answering. Results will show all scores combined together – it is not possible to single out individuals in the results.
The information provided will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing. Students in Years 3-6 will have the chance to complete the survey next week.
P&F News
The school P&F will be meeting next Wednesday from 7pm to 8pm online via Zoom. Parents and carers from within the community are welcome to join and attend. Please contact the school if you would like more details to join.
We are very grateful to our wonderful sponsors from our 2023 fete and St Anthony’s is very excited to announce that we fundraised just over $28 000 to go towards playground improvements and new sports jerseys for our school. An enormous thank you to all that were involved in making our school fete so successful and to all who came to be a part of our day.
LJ Hooker | Tangled Tails | Capital Chemist Wanniassa & Tuggeranong | Envy Bathroom | The Canberra Times | Third Eye Grill | Canberra Southern Cross Club |
Officeworks Tuggeranong | Fifth Lane Photography | Vikings Erindale | The Markets Wanniassa | Jordo's Chop Shop | GWS Giants | Club Lime |
Cockington Green | The Gecko Gang | Grill Wanniassa | Star Buffet | Burrito Bar Tuggeranong | Rebel Sport | Kaisercraft |
Ali Baba Erindale | Cafe Guru Wanniassa | National Dinosaur Museum | Questacon | Cockington Green | Limelight Cinema | Flipout Majura |
Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing | Coles Wanniassa | Curves Wanniassa | ACT Rural Fire Service | Constable Kenny Koala | ACT Policing | Lake Tuggeranong Sea Scouts |
Tuggeranong Town Band | Merici College Dance Troupe | Rhee International TaeKwon-Do | Canberra Prosperous Lion Dance Association | Bunnings Tuggeranong | Nellie's Cafe & Bar | Slinko Canberra |
Goodberry's | Harry Hartog | Cakery Bakery |
Successful Grant applications
St Anthony’s Primary Parents and Friends Association has been successful in their application of the ACT Government’s Non-Government Parent Engagement Grant Program through the ACT Block Grant Authority. This is an exciting opportunity for our school where we are looking to upgrade the front of our school with the help of our parents and carers. The P&F has been granted $10,638 which will contribute towards the proposed project for an area out the front of the school for families to meet and converse at pick up and drop off times. An opportunity to share your voice and make suggestions for this project will be shared over the coming weeks in preparation for the project to commence in term 3.
We look forward to the contributions of our families and enhancing our school community engagement through this project. Keep your eye out for further details over the coming weeks.
I am pleased to confirm that our school application for receiving funding through the Albanese Government’s Schools Upgrade fund has been successful and we have received $25,000. This has gone towards the much needed upgrading and installation of shade structures across the school. Mr David Smith will be visiting our school on Monday, 5 June to share this announcement.
Uniform Shop, Hats and school uniform
Please ensure children are coming dressed in their full winter uniform to school. This includes black school shoes (not runners). During June and July school hats are not compulsory as per sunsmart advice. If you are needing assistance with your child’s uniform please let your child’s teacher know so that we can assist. The uniform shop will be open this Saturday between 9.00-10.30am.
School photos
If your child/ren were away for school photos this week and you would still like to get their photos, please get in touch with MSP directly to make an appointment with them to have a make-up photo, including sibling photos. This will take place 2 weeks from 31 May 2023 to ensure your child/ren are in the school photo packs. No other makeup day will be available.
Please note, for any orders/payments after 14/06/2023 an archive fee of $20.00 will apply.
Toys
The joy of bringing toys to school can often be tarnished by being lost, being taken or sometimes creates unnecessary conflict between students.
I therefore advise that no toys are to be brought to school unless it is for news or a teacher-directed event. Teachers have been advised to hold on to toys if they arrive at school and give back to students at the end of the day for them to take home and keep at home. Thank you for your understanding.
As a vote on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament nears, Australia’s bishops have encouraged Catholics to read and discuss the Uluru Statement from the Heart – the document from which the Voice proposal emerged.
During their plenary meeting in Sydney this week, the bishops considered how they might assist Catholics in preparing for the referendum to enshrine the Voice to Parliament in the Constitution, with a vote due in the second half of 2023.
While the bishops – based on a decision they took in May 2022 – will later this year issue their annual Social Justice Statement on the place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australian society, they decided to issue a statement at this point in the referendum process.
The bishops argued that the fact First Nations Peoples have lived in Australia for many thousands of years but their custodianship of the land isn’t mentioned in the Constitution is “an omission which needs to be rectified”.
A Voice to Parliament isn’t the only way to achieve that outcome, the bishops wrote, but it “is the way requested by those who gathered at the historic meeting at Uluru”.
“This could be a significant step towards a more just and equitable Australia,” the statement says.
“We want to encourage all Australians to educate themselves as well as possible concerning the proposal to establish the Voice.
“This is an important moment in the history of the nation, and it can help us to move towards a deep and just reconciliation. It also offers a mechanism to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.”
The bishops call for a meaningful debate on the issue, acknowledging that “people may, in good faith, have differing concerns and perspectives”.
“We are an open democracy, and this is a moment to use our democratic institutions to produce a high-quality debate shaped by a genuine concern to do justice and bring healing to First Nations Peoples,” they wrote.
“We ask those drafting the changes to the Constitution to work together in a spirit of cooperation, so that the proposal presented to the Australian people will appeal to a wide range of the population.”
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference endorsed the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2021, with the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia taking the same step last year.
The bishops encouraged Catholic parishes, schools and agencies to arrange opportunities for people to read the document and have discussions about their response to its key messages.
You can read the full statement at: https://bit.ly/BishopsVoice
Access the Uluru Statement at: https://ulurustatement.org/the-statement/view-the-statement/
Matt Giteau Cup Champions!!!! By Mr Van Meurs
The Matt Giteau cup was a fantastic day out for the students from years 5&6. The team competed in a pool with four other schools from South Canberra. We had several players who were playing Rugby Union for the first time, and it blew me away how quickly they picked up the game. We won the first game against St Gregory’s and took the confidence from that win into the rest of the day. The team moved through the competition undefeated, playing an expensive game style with outstanding defence. The day was capped off with an impressive display of running rugby against a strong team from St Edmunds College, who are renowned for their Rugby. The team stuck to their guns and managed to grind out the win to be crowned, South Canberra Matt Giteau Cup Champions!!!!!
Well done to all the students involved!
The team was made up of -
Adriaan B
Liam B
Liam C
William C
Archer E
Cooper G
Fraser H
George-Nathan L
Joseph R
Riley S
Noah W
Tuggeranong Regional Cross Country
Tuesday 23rd of May saw our cross country runners make their way to Stromlo running track to represent the school at the Tuggeranong Regional Cross Country carnival. The students were excited and couldn’t wait to get running on a sunny but chilly morning. After a course walk through that allowed our runners to visualize where they were going students were set and in the zone to take on the grassy hills of Stromlo. The students were tackling the same distances from our school carnival and were aiming to set some PB’s. Each student ran their heart out and represented the school immaculately. Congratulations to all of the students who competed on the day.
Permission Notes on Compass
All sport days will have permission notes published on compass. It is vital that these are completed by the due date to ensure students place on the team. No late entries will be accepted. Permission notes will close approximately 1 week before the competition date. This is to ensure we can enter correct number of teams, organize team lists and send out any final information.
Students must have completed a compass permission note before the due date to be considered for team selection.
If you have any issues with compass please contact the school asap.
Upcoming Events
Please note the following upcoming events in your calendar
Week Sport Date
6 Rugby League: Sullivan Shield Yr 5/6 Brumbies 10’s Thursday 1st June Friday 2nd June
7
8 ACT Cross Country Thursday 15th June
9 Year 5/6 Netball Tuggeranong Gala Day Jamie Pearlman Cup Year 5/6 Basketball Su Geh Yrs 3/4 Basketball Tuesday 20th June Thursday 22nd June
10 Years 3/4 Netball Thursday 29th June
Please check compass for permission notes for these events. Permission notes must be completed for students to be considered for team selection.
Sporting Success Stories
There are many talented sportspeople in our community achieving great things outside of school. If this is you, we want to hear from you. Please email your stories, along with a photo to josh.mcgrath1@cg.catholic.edu.au and we will endeavor to share your success with the school community.
RCIA - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
Every year our Parish offers this program, which is an opportunity for people who are not Catholic but are interested in learning about our faith. There are no obligations attached to doing this journey of faith. If you are interested or know someone who is, the program commences with an enquiry night after the 5:30pm Mass on Thursday 13th of July. It will end no later than 7pm. Please spread the invitation.
To acknowkledge NAIDOC Week 'For The Elders' in Week 1 of the July School Holidays, OOSCA would like to hold a morning tea for the elderly in our community. To do this we are seeking someone who has contacts with an elderly group to coordinate this event with us. Please contact Necta or Janice if you feel you can help.
Thank you!