Newsletter - 2025 Term 1 Week 4

Calendar

From the Leaders

Dear St Agnes' Families

It is with immense joy and a heart full of anticipation that I step into the role of Acting Principal at our beloved St Agnes' Primary School. I am truly honoured to join this vibrant community, one built on a foundation of faith, learning, and unwavering support.

As I begin this journey, I am filled with gratitude for the warm welcome I have already received. I have been deeply impressed by the dedication of our staff, the enthusiasm of our students, and the strong sense of community that permeates our school. I look forward to getting to know each of you and working together to nurture the minds and hearts of our children.

At St Agnes', we strive to provide an exceptional educational experience, one that fosters academic excellence, spiritual growth, and the development of strong character. We will continue to maintain high standards, ensuring that every child is challenged to reach their full potential, both academically and personally. We will continue to cultivate an environment where learning is engaging, where curiosity is encouraged, and where every student feels valued and supported.

Our guiding principles will always be Love, Faith, and Hope. These virtues are the cornerstones of our Catholic identity and will inform everything we do. We will nurture a community where love is expressed through kindness and compassion, where faith is strengthened through prayer and reflection, and where hope inspires us to strive for a better future.

In particular, as we embrace this year designated as the Year of Hope, let us focus on cultivating a sense of optimism and resilience in our students. Let us teach them to see the good in the world, to persevere through challenges, and to believe in the power of possibility.

We will endeavour to create a school environment where hope flourishes, where dreams are nurtured, and where every child feels empowered to make a positive impact.

I believe that strong partnerships between home and school are essential for student success. I encourage you to actively participate in your child's education and to stay connected with our school community. Together, we can create a nurturing and enriching environment where our children can thrive.

I am excited to embark on this new chapter with you. I am confident that, with God's grace and your support, we will continue to build upon the strong legacy of St Agnes' Primary School.

Peace be with you.
Brendan Kiely
Principal (Acting)

In this Sunday’s Gospel Jesus teaches us through many images in his parable. His message to the disciples and each of us is, that to be a true disciple of his, he or she must first learn from the teacher. Lessons we learn from Jesus are based on how to live a life that reflects God’s love. He also reminds us that people learn not just from what they are told to do, but by following the example they model. Others can tell what we believe by the way we act. 

Welcome To Our New Student Wellbeing Officer

We are thrilled to welcome Angela Provost to our staff team, beginning next week. Angela comes to us with wonderful experience in engaging students in social and emotional development experiences. Angela joins our Pastoral Care Team to provide support identified in our triage meetings and she will be with us on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you believe that your child requires some social, emotional, attendance or wellbeing support please talk to your class teacher so that we can provide the necessary referrals to the pastoral care team.

Today we were happy to gather and welcome some of our new families with a morning tea. We look forward to journeying with them throughout their child’s Primary School Education.

NAPLAN

As we have already communicated, the Years 3 and 5 NAPLAN assessments are only a couple of weeks away. We remind all families of these grades that the public demonstration site is a great way to familiarise your child with the platform of the assessments. Year 3 Writing is still a paper test, however all other assessments are online. Our NAPLAN assessment schedule is as follows:

Writing: Wednesday 12 March - 9:15am to 10:45am
Reading: Thursday 13 March - 9:15am to 10:45am
Conventions of Language: Friday 14 March - 9:15am to 10:45am
Mathematics: Monday 17 March - 9:15am to 10:45am

Can all families please ensure that they have sent in headphones to use for the 2025 school year. Your child will need them for the NAPLAN assessments.

Year 6 Extension Opportunity Success

Each year, our diocese offers an extension opportunity for students in Years 5 and 6 to participate in English and Mathematics programs run by expert teachers in the diocese. For Term 1 the option is available to students in Year 6. This year St Agnes’ submitted a number of students for consideration and were lucky enough to have six selected across both English and Mathematics. We are so proud of our students and excited for this wonderful opportunity for them. Our successful applicants were:

English: Lucy Davis, Georgina Foot, Emily Krizanec and Mila Stoykovich

Mathematics: Alex Bushe, Hermoine Polock and Emily Krizanec

The children have begun their online weekly extension zooms and our feedback is that they are wonderful participants. Congratulations on this wonderful achievement.

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is a Christian festival celebrated in many countries across the globe. It falls on the Tuesday before the beginning of Lent – a period of around six weeks leading up to Easter. During Lent, Christians give up luxuries to remember when Jesus went into the desert for 40 days to fast and pray.

The exact date of Shrove Tuesday changes from year to year. But one thing stays the same — it’s always 47 days before Easter Sunday. And yes, you guessed it, it’s always on a Tuesday!

The name comes from the old word ‘shriving’, which means to listen to someone’s sins and forgive them. In Anglo Saxon England, Christians would go to church on Shrove Tuesday to confess their sins and clean their soul. In other words, they would be ‘shriven’.

In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Canada, Shrove Tuesday has another name… Pancake Day! Traditionally during Lent, Christians would give up rich, tasty foods such as butter, eggs, sugar and fat (some Christians continue to do so, in fact). Shrove Tuesday was the last chance to eat them – and what better way to do so than with a delicious pancake!

We are greatful to the families who will be coming in to help organise pancakes to be delivered to the classrooms so students can participate in this celebration.

Ash Wednesday

The first day of Lent. By tradition, Catholics have ashes sprinkled on their foreheads to mark repentance. Ash Wednesday is like a special day that helps us prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ life. Family and friends of St Agnes’ Primary School are invited to join us for this important event in the school hall on Wednesday 5 March from 12:00 pm.

Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that prepares Catholics for Easter by reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at the Easter Triduum, calling the faithful to repentance, spiritual renewal and deeper union with God. Through acts of self-denial, charity, and increased prayer, Catholics seek to grow in holiness and follow Jesus more closely. 

The Triduum is the three day celebration of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection, spanning Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil, culminating in the joy of Easter. 

Good Attendance In Primary School Will Be A Skill That Will Help Them Succeed In High School

Good attendance in primary school is a fundamental building block for academic success and overall wellbeing, and it sets the stage for success in high school and beyond. Primary school is the foundational stage of a child's education. Regular attendance ensures that children build a solid understanding of fundamental concepts and skills that serve as the basis for more advanced learning in high school.

By recognising the long-term benefits and reinforcing the importance of regular school attendance in primary years, students are better equipped to succeed in high school and beyond. Attending school regularly instils a sense of responsibility and work ethic in students and participating actively in class are essential components of success.

Sacrament of Penance

On Thursday, students in Year 4 gathered to learn about the Sacrament of Penance and the importance of asking for and giving forgiveness in their lives through a Reflection Day. Students participated in individual, small group and whole class activities including a whole grade mass at Christ the King Chapel.

We thank the students and teachers for their preparation and engagement in this important aspect of our Catholic faith and look forward to working together in family workshops and whole parish celebrations of this sacrament later in the term.

Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion

Below is a letter from St Agnes' Parish regarding the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion for students in Years 4, 5 and 6 that will take place this year .

If your child is a Baptised Catholic, who has not made either of these Sacraments, please click on the link in the Parish letter or contact Vanessa Denham at the Pastoral office on 0447 992 986 for more details. Your child will also have needed to make their Sacrament of Confirmation (make up date is 16 March). If your child has not made this Sacrament please also contact Vanessa Denham.

Please note access to the online form will close at 5:00pm on Monday 3 March 2025.

Pastoral Care

Seasons For Growth - Learning To Live With Change and Loss

Everyone is affected by change and loss at some time in our lives. At St Agnes' we are offering the Seasons for Growth program this term to Year 6 students. We plan to offer the program to other grades throughout the year. 

This program is facilitated in small groups of up to 7 students and is based on research which highlights the importance of social support and the need to practise new skills to cope effectively with change and loss. Change and loss can include things like parent separation, changing schools, loss of a loved one or a change in friendships. The program focuses on building skills such as how to manage feelings, problem-solving, decision-making, effective communication and develops peer support networks. Participation in the program can promote improved self-esteem and self-confidence as well as giving children the opportunity to find their own voice amid change.

If you think your Year 6 child would enjoy joining the Seasons for Growth program, we encourage you to talk to him/her about it. Please send your expression of interest, or any questions about the program to our School Counsellor, Kate Watson, via email kate.watson@lism.catholic.edu.au.  

Sports News

Congratulations Beau – Diocesan AFL

Congratulations to Beau L, who has been selected to attend the Polding Trials for AFL! Last Friday, Beau travelled to Grafton to compete against players from the Lismore Diocese. He impressed the selectors through skill sessions and games and earned a spot in the next round. Beau will now travel to Newcastle in April, where he will aim to make the Polding team and compete at the NSW PSSA Championships. Well done Beau, and best of luck with the upcoming trials!

Term 1 Coached Sport - Hockey

We will begin our coached sports program for Term 1 next week. Thanks to funding from the NSW Sporting Schools grants, we have secured a qualified hockey coach to work with our students. The coaching sessions will help children learn the skills and rules of hockey. Each class from Year 1 to Year 6 will participate in two 40 minute skill sessions. The coach will be with us from Week 5 to Week 9 on Wednesdays and Thursdays. We are excited about this opportunity and look forward to welcoming Hockey NSW to our school!

A Big Week of Representative Sport – Diocesan Trials

Next week is an exciting week for St Agnes’ sport!

On Monday, Mia B, Ivy G, Eli B, and Eli M will head to Grafton to compete in the Diocesan Hockey Trials.

On Tuesday, Nicholas B, Ardan B, Macy C, Hunter F, Kallan F, Miles G, Imogen H, Daniel I, Jade J, Dominic R, George S, Asha W, Rocky W, and Isobel W will take part in the Diocesan Swimming Trials in Murwillumbah.

Then, on Friday, many of our Year 5 and 6 athletes will travel to Grafton for the Diocesan Winter Sports Trials. Ava S, Georgina F, and Alba W will compete in Netball, while Beau L, Oliver W, Ryan C, Zane B, Noah B, Jho’Arryn C, and Kruze D will trial for Rugby League. Kitt Q, Nicholas D, Ardan B, and Emilia A will represent St Agnes' in Soccer.

We wish all our athletes the best of luck in their trials and look forward to hearing about their experiences and results!

School Cross Country Carnival

The Aggies Cross Country Carnival will take place on Friday 28 March. The event will be held on the bottom field, where students will compete in endurance races according to their age groups. Training has begun, with students completing laps of the bottom field during Physical Education lessons.

While the carnival emphasises inclusion and participation, it also serves as the selection race for the St Agnes' team, which will compete at the Hastings Zone Carnival on Wednesday 7 May, in Kempsey. Six boys and six girls from each age group will be selected on the day.

The race distances are as follows:

• 8, 9, and 10 year olds: 2 km (4 laps of the field)
• 11 and 12 year olds: 3 km (6 laps of the field)

We invite the Aggies community to come out and support our athletes. A detailed program with race times and schedules will be posted soon.

Future Dates

Term 1

• Monday 3 March - Diocesan Hockey Winter Sports Trials - Grafton
• Tuesday 4 March - Diocesan Swimming Trials - Murwillumbah
• Friday 7 March - Diocesan Winter Sports Trials - Grafton (Rugby League, Netball, Soccer)
• Friday 28 March - School Cross Country Carnival
• Monday 31 March - Northern NSW Football  Gala Day - Port Macquarie
• Wednesday 9 April - Zone Winter Sports Trials - Rugby Union - Kempsey
• Thursday 10 April - Sydney Grammar V St Agnes’ Rugby Union friendly - St Agnes Field

Term 2

• Wednesday 7 May - Hastings Zone Cross Country - Kempsey

Positive Behaviour Support

This week, we have continued with our learning about our whole school expectations of being Responsible and Respectful at home time. We are learning about how we can the transition home in a calm and respectful/responsible manner.

Canteen News

Parish News

Encounter Youth Band and Children’s Choir takes place on 3rd Sunday of the Month (March 16)

All young people from our parish (primary school – 35yrs) are invited to join our Encounter Youth Band & Children’s Choir at the 5pm Youth & Family Mass, every 3rd Sunday of the month. You can access the songs and sheet music by contacting our youth coordinator and join us for practice from 3pm on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Our next practice and performance will be on the 16th of March.

If you want to see what songs we will be playing or send the cord charts to young people, click  here (the songs will be added early next week)

Community News