Welcome to week 4 of term 4,

Heavenly Father,

You created me in Your image and call me to grow in holiness.

I thank You for the gift of life, and for every moment that shapes my heart.

 

Lord, I ask you to renew my mind and spirit.

Help me to let go of pride, fear, and all that keeps me from You.

Teach me to trust your timing, to seek Your will above my own,

and to find peace in the work of becoming who You made me to be.

 

When change feels difficult, remind me that Your grace is enough.

When I fall, lift me up with mercy and strengthen me to begin again.

 

Send Your Holy Spirit to guide my steps -

to fill me with wisdom, patience and courage.

May my words and actions reflect Your love,

and may my growth bring glory to Your name.

 

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Last Thursday I attended the Catholic Leaders Day and Mass with fellow Principals’ in Archdiocese, led by our Executive Director Mr David de Carvalho and Archbishop Prowse. Archbishop Christopher Prowse presided our Catholic Leaders’ Mass; Eyes opened, Paths Shared, Encountering Jesus: receiving, restoring, rejoicing. Our Archbishop highlighted Pope Leo XIV's first apostolic exhortation, titled "Dilexi Te" ("I have loved you"), which was published on October 9, 2025. It calls Christians to love and care for the poor, building upon the work of Pope Francis and emphasizing the church's preferential option for the poor. It addresses structural causes of poverty and inequality, and calls for a change in mentality to prioritize human dignity over material wealth.  Our Archbishop called on each of us as leaders to consider what we are doing in our schools to address Socially marginalised, Catholic social teachings and the Church and education of the poor. His powerful statement that “Schools sew the seeds of the future” led me to consider for our strategic plan and vision for St Anthony’s; what else can we be doing to prepare our students for the future? Our staff are currently developing our Annual Improvement Plan for 2026 and our strategic plan for 2026-2028 under the key themes of:

• Catholic Identity and Culture
• Excellence in Teaching and Learning
• Staff Capacity and Leadership
• Partnerships and Community
• Stewardship and Resources

As a staff we work hard to ensure we meet the goals of our Annual Improvement Plan each year. I commend our staff as we head towards the second part of term 4 in achieving all we set out to do as a staff in 2025.

As a community I welcome you to offer any contributions for our strategic plan we are currently developing under the key themes above. If you would like to share your ideas for consideration, please email me directly at erin.marmont@cg.catholic.edu.au by COB Friday 5 December. Our staff will continue to formulate our strategic plan over the weeks ahead with our final consultative process happening as a staff on our Pupil Free Day at the end of term. We look forward to sharing our plan ahead early in 2026.

Our Executive Director Mr David de Carvalho will be visiting St Anthony’s this Friday. We look forward to showcasing all the wonderful learning opportunities St Anthony’s offers along with introducing our magnificent staff and students’ surrounded by our beautiful school environment.

We have many End of term events ahead. Please see all the details in this newsletter.

Congratulations

Sending our warmest congratulations to Mr Luke Brown, Jess, and George on the arrival of beautiful little Hazel! Wishing your family precious moments together as you welcome this new chapter.

World Teachers’ Day

We, the teachers, want to express our deepest gratitude to the parent community for celebrating World Teachers’ Day with us. Your thoughtful gestures, kind words, and warm appreciation truly made us feel valued and supported.

Ride Safely to School

A big thank you to everyone who helped make Ride Safely to School Day such a success! The day encouraged students to ride their bikes or scooters to school while learning important road safety skills.

Together, we promoted healthy habits, independence, and safe travel to and from school. Your support, participation, and enthusiasm helped make the event both fun and educational for all our students.

Grand Friends’ Day

Grand friends’ Day was a cherished tradition that brought our community together to show appreciation for the wisdom, love, and guidance of our older generations. The day included a delightful picnic and a “Dance Through the Decades” performance, adding extra joy and excitement to the celebration. It was a time for laughter, storytelling, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

A special thank you to Mrs. Adamson for organising this wonderful event — your hard work and dedication made the day truly memorable. We were so grateful to have the opportunity to share this special time with everyone. Thank you for coming!

             

Boorowa

Our students had an exciting day at Boorowa for Soccer and Netball Day last Friday. They arrived early and travelled by bus, ready to participate with energy and enthusiasm. Throughout the day, they showed excellent sportsmanship, teamwork, and positive behaviour, making us very proud.

A special thank you to all involved for organising this fantastic event and to all the volunteers and teachers who helped make the day run smoothly. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to develop their skills, enjoy healthy competition, and create lasting memories.

  

Year 1 Canberra Theatre Excursion       

Year 1 had an amazing day at Imagine Live at the Canberra Theatre! The students were full of excitement and curiosity, enjoying the magical performances and bus ride.

It was a day packed with fun, creativity, and inspiration, and our little theatre-lovers were a joy to watch as they explored the world of live performance!

 

Canteen

The final pieces of the puzzle for our hall are almost complete. We are just awaiting some new appliance for our new canteen before we can open. As outlined in our previous newsletter, we are also looking to develop a revised menu for the beginning of 2026. Please see information below:

We warmly invite our parent community to join us for a consultation on our 2026 canteen menu. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your ideas, provide feedback, and help create a menu that our students will love!

Date: Thursday, November 13
Time: 8:30 AM
Location: Meet at the front office

We look forward to seeing you there and working together to make our canteen even better!

Alternatively  if you would like to share your ideas via email for consideration, you can email our Assistant Principal:  callie.bolitho@cg.catholic.edu.au

Christmas Movie and Carols Night- Friday 12 December 6pm-9.30pm.

Don’t miss the St Anthony’s carols  and movie night on Friday, December 12 6pm to 9.30pm. Tickets $10 a family. The students will soon be asked to vote on which Christmas movie they would like to see on the big screen. A link for payment  will be posted on Compass soon. Come along and enjoy a picnic, carols and movie to celebrate the end of another school year. There will be Goodberries, lollies, popcorn, chip on a stick and barbecue on site as well. See you there.

Kindergarten 2026 Orientation

Kindergarten Orientation for our 2026 students is next Wednesday 12 November from 9.30-10.45am.

2026 Year 6 leadership shirts

Orders for school shirts can be placed until Wednesday, 6 November at 3:00 pm.

Cost: $60 per shirt
If you wish to purchase more than one shirt, please indicate the quantity on the order form.

Sizing: Available at the front office at your convenience. An adult must attend fittings, which will take place before or after school.

Make sure your order is in on time to secure your shirt!

Order link: CompassTix

Toys at School

Whilst it is always exciting to share new toys with our peers, may I request to avoid toys being damaged or lost, students refrain from bringing toys to school. These can often become an unhelpful distraction and cause conflict between students. Thank you for your support.

Lost Property 

Labelled items are return to the children. However, we gather a lot of clothing that is not labelled. If your child loses anything, please check lost property located at the entry of the library. Items unclaimed are sent to the Clothing Pool for resale. It is extremely important to regularly check all your child’s belongings are labelled correctly. 

Class requests

During this term, we will be finalising our staffing arrangements for 2026. Below is a copy of the ‘Class Allocation Policy’ which aims to ensure a fair and just process in allocating students to classes for the upcoming school year. 

I firmly believe that teachers are in the best position to decide a child’s placement because they know all the children in their classes and have a view of the ‘big picture’. However, I invite parents to inform me of anything that you feel needs to be considered, for your own child’s well-being or development. 

In 2026 there will be three streams of classes across K-6 at St Anthony’s Parish Primary School. Within each class there are different combinations of children in classes. When forming the class lists the following factors are taken into consideration: 

• Gender; 
• Diverse Learners; 
• Work habits; 
• Cognitive ability; 
• Friendships; 
• Behaviour; 
• Health considerations; 
• Religion (to assist in achieving a balance between classes, especially in Sacramental years) and 
• Common names. 

Ideally, we aim for an equal spread of both positive and challenging characteristics. Where practical, parental requests based on educational concerns may be considered. At St Anthony’s, the staff and parents will follow these principles and guidelines when considering the placement of students each year: 

Every care will be taken to ensure that each child is placed in the best situation to enhance learning and social development. 

Parents who wish to raise particular concerns regarding the placement of their children in particular classes should put the concern in writing and email it to me (erin.marmont@cg.catholic.edu.au) by Friday of Week 4 (7 November). 

Parent concerns will be considered during the process. It must be clearly understood, however, that no definite guarantees can be given regarding parental concerns. 

Where appropriate, advice will be sought from the Leadership Team, School Counsellor and current class teacher during this process. 

Considering all the factors listed above, the current class teachers compile class lists using Class Creator from mid-term, Term 4. These are then overseen by me to confirm. 

Children will be informed of their class placement for the following school year in December and the opportunity will be provided for them to spend some time with their new class teacher on step up day in Week 10. New students to the school for the following year are invited to attend. 

Throughout this process, after appropriate consultation, I reserve the right to make final professional decisions regarding the placement of children. 

I thank our community for their ongoing support and trust in this rigorous process. 

Students not returning to St Anthony’s in 2026

It is a system requirement to advise the school in writing if your child will not be returning to St Anthony’s in 2026. Please email the office directly at office.stanthonyswanniassa@cg.catholic.edu.au

School reports  

An enormous thanks to our teachers who continue to work tirelessly preparing Semester 2 reports. This semester, student reports will be supported with classroom teacher comments to outline student success and areas for development. Optional parent/teacher interviews will be provided in week 9.  

Student reports will be released via Compass on Wednesday 17 December (week 10).

To access your child’s report please go to the Compass app, click on the image of your child in the top left-hand corner, select the Reports tab in the top right-hand corner and then select 2025 - Semester Two to view their report.

A reminder that the A-E scale is very different to what it looked like years ago. Our Kindergarten students will receive an alternative scale to A-E as outlined below. 

Please take some time to familiarise yourself with the guidelines for assessment and reporting.  

Kindergarten Scale of Assessment 

Engagement with Learning 

Consistently	Displays thorough knowledge, understanding and application of the content, processes and skills in this area
Usually	Displays engagement with learning most of the time
Developing	Is beginning to display knowledge, understanding and application of the content, processes and skills in this area
Needs Improvement	Is yet to display knowledge, understanding and application of the content, processes and skills in this area

 

Kindergarten Grade Scale  

Above Expectations	The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills in most situations
Meeting Expectations	The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills
Working Towards expectations	The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills
Experiencing Difficulty	The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills

 

Year 1- Year 6 Grade Scale  

Outstanding	The student has extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations
High	The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills in most situations
At Standard	The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills
Partial	The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills
Limited	The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills

 

Year 1 – Year 6 Achievement Scale  

A	The student has extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations
B	The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills in most situations
C	The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills
D	The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills
E	The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills

When a student receives a ‘C’ grade, it means they have demonstrated the quality of learning described in the Achievement Standard, based on the content studied in the reporting period. If a student receives a ‘C’ in both semester 1 and 2 reports, it indicates that the student has made progress, and learned new knowledge and skills based on the new and more challenging material studied. 

A student’s report will list a grade for each subject studied. 

The following A-E descriptors will appear on the report: 

• A demonstrating outstanding achievement of the standard 

• B demonstrating a high achievement of the standard 

• C demonstrating achievement of the standard 

• D demonstrating partial achievement of the standard 

• E demonstrating limited achievement of the standard. 

 

Term 4 Pupil Free Day

The last day of term 4 is Thursday 18 December. Please note that pupil free days are system directed and not determined by the school or Principal.

Please note that OOSCA will be closed on Friday 19 December 2025.

Term 4 dates and reminders

Friday 7 November:   Executive Director David de Carvalho school visit

Monday 10 November:    Year 6 Excursion to Pizza place with Alex

Tuesday 11 November:  Community Council Meeting

Wednesday 12 November:   Kindergarten Orientation 9:30-10:45am

Monday 17 November:   Italian Day

Thursday 20 November:  Thriving Minds Mental Health Program

Friday 12 December:  Christmas Movie and Carols night

                                    Year 6 Queanbeyan Pool

 Monday 15 December:    Year 6 end of year dinner @ Vikings Club

Thursday 18 December:  Students last day of Term 4

For all school events and dates, please check the calendar on our school website at stanthonys.act.edu.au/calendar and Compass.

 

What’s on

Have a lovely week,

Erin

Have your say! The new annual School Engagement Survey is launching mid-November, and you will have the opportunity to reflect on your experiences at the school as a parent or guardian and provide feedback.

Your feedback will be valuable to help us understand how to better support your child and improve our school.

The new survey has been developed with the support of JWS Research. It will take around 10-15 minutes to complete, and your responses will be kept completely confidential and only reported at an aggregate level.

You can expect the 2025 School Engagement Survey to be distributed through Compass as a News Item and push notification in the coming days! If you have any issues accessing the survey link, please contact the Catholic Education Office through Strategy.Survey@cg.catholic.edu.au

Social story: When My Thoughts Feel Mean

Sometimes my brain says mean things to me. It might say things like “I’m not good enough,” “I can’t do this,” or “I always mess up.” These thoughts can feel big, loud, or heavy, and sometimes make my body feel tight, worried, or sad.

Everyone’s brain says mean things sometimes. It doesn’t mean they are true. It just means my brain is feeling stressed, tired, or overwhelmed.

My brain has two voices:

The Unhelpful Voice: This voice shows up when things feel hard. It tries to warn me, but it sounds mean.

The Helpful Voice: This voice is calm and kind. It helps me learn and try again.

I can learn to listen to the Helpful Voice. When the unhelpful voice shows up, I can pause and say: “That’s just a thought. I don’t have to believe it.” Then I can choose a helpful thought like “I can try again” or “I’m still learning.”

My body can help me feel calm too. I can take slow breaths, stretch, squeeze a pillow, or take a short break. I am not my thoughts—thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky.

Every time I choose a helpful thought, my brain gets stronger. I deserve kindness—especially from myself.

Parent Guide: Supporting a Child with Negative Self-Talk

1. Validate Before Fixing

 When your child says something negative, respond gently first: “That sounds really hard.” Connection comes before correction.

2. Externalise the Negative Voice

Help your child see the thought as separate from them: “Sounds like the unhelpful voice showed up.”

3. Teach Helpful Replacement Thoughts

Offer simple alternatives such as “I can try again,” “Everyone makes mistakes,” or “I’m learning every day.”

4. Model Self-Compassion

Say things like “Oops, I made a mistake. That’s okay—I’ll try again.” Children learn through observation.

5. Use Body-Based Calming Tools

Help regulate the body: deep breathing, movement, sensory tools, hugs, or quiet breaks.

6. Celebrate Effort

Shift focus from outcomes to effort: “I love how hard you tried.”

7. Create a Thought Shift Routine

Notice → Name → Breathe → Choose a helpful thought → Try again.

8. Provide a Supportive Environment

Avoid criticism or pressure. Gentle tone and guidance help reduce shame.

9. Revisit the Social Story Often

Repeating the story builds confidence and strengthens new thinking patterns.

 When to Seek Support If negative self-talk is daily, intense, or impacts functioning, consider therapeutic support.

MenALIVE Weekend – A Special Invitation to Our School Community
22–23 November 2025 | St Anthony’s Parish, Wanniassa
All men connected to our school community — fathers, grandfathers, older brothers, uncles, and friends — are invited to the MenALIVE Weekend, a unique opportunity to recharge, reflect, and reconnect.

Details:
- Saturday 22 Nov (8 am–9 pm) & Sunday 23 Nov (8:30 am–1:30 pm)
- St Anthony of Padua Catholic Parish, Wanniassa
- $55 per person (includes meals; concessions available)
- RSVP by 16 November

Register: Online Registration Form
- Download Brochure
- Scan the QR code below to register instantly.

Contact: Brett Naylor – 0455 553 223 | brett@pmconsultingservices.com.au

School student travel information for parents and students

School Travel Passes

Applications are now open for 2026 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) travel. 

Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their School Opal card at their nominated postal address from mid-January 2026. Student who need to apply for a new card or update their existing card as soon as possible. Students who receive a notification that their School Opal card is expiring need to re-submit their details. 

If a student has lost their School Opal card, they will need to apply for a replacement card. Note: a new card will not be issued if an existing School Opal card is updated online – you must submit a replacement application if a School Opal card is lost.

In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.

Terms of Use

Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use.

This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their Child/Youth Opal card for any travel outside these times.

All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.