Newsletter - 2025 Term 1 Week 3

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From the Leaders

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Luke tells us of life guidance Jesus gives to his disciples. The Lord refers to the most difficult situations, those that test us, those that confront us when people are hostile or try to harm us. He asks us not to act in hatred and to go beyond our instincts. Jesus says: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”. And “To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also”. This is not easy, but Jesus did it and he tells us to do likewise. He wants us to stand up for what we believe in, but not be aggressive or violent. Jesus asks us to show strength in the way we respond.

We look forward to welcoming Mr Brendan Kiely to the St Agnes’ Primary School Community next week. Mr Kiely is joining us on loan from St Joseph’s Primary, Wauchope in the Acting Principal Role. We are excited to get to know him and have his guidance during the recruitment phase for a new principal. We know everyone will make him feel appreciated and valued. 

Today’s Liturgy to celebrate the beginning of the school year, was a special occasion for everyone at St Agnes’. It was a wonderful opportunity to gather with all students, staff and family members as a community to pray for God’s blessings on this Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope, as well as for the student leaders who received their badges. Father Paul blessed the badges before they were pinned on by their parents and carers. This ceremony provided an opportunity to acknowledge the importance of St Agnes’ Primary School in developing the whole person academically, religiously, socially and morally. This is relevant not only for elected student leaders, but all students. Thank you to all guests who were able to attend. Staff and students’ hopes and goals for 2025 were brought forward in recognition of us being Pilgrims of Hope. 

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Kindergarten Are So Clever!

We are so proud of our Kindergarten 2025 students, they have settled into life at St Agnes’ so beautifully. There has been so much fun, laughter, a few tears and some hilarious questions! Right from day one, they have started Maths Groups using their MAI data, so we sincerely thank all of those parents who took the time to bring their children in for their Best Start and MAI sessions. Our Kindergarten students have loved getting to know their buddies and we congratulate Year 6 for their patience and kindness. We are so excited to see our newest community members building strong relationships within their Aggies family. We remind our Kindergarten parents that there are no silly questions, please don’t hesitate to speak to your class teacher if you need anything.

We were thrilled to have some Kindergarten visitors come and show us their writing and drawing about their houses, and it has been wonderful to see what they have been doing in Mathematics and fine motor skill development.

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Green Team

2025 is well underway here at St Agnes’, and over the summer holidays our fantastic Groundsman Dave Hotham has half-filled Aggies Veggie Patch with garden waste and the students are now adding their own fruit and veggie scraps as well.

This organic matter will slowly break down and provide nutritional content for micro-organisms that reside in healthy soil, enriching the growing medium for the students’ crops which will be put into the ground later this term.

On Wednesday afternoon, we received a delivery of beautiful soil, ten cubic metres to be exact, from Mitch and the wonderful people at Grow Lush. The soil was for our Green Team to allow us to continue the project.

Over the coming weeks we will work hard to get the soil into the garden beds, and in the meantime we’ll enjoy that gorgeous, unmistakable aroma of fresh, nutritious soil that now wafts across the school with each north-easterly breeze!

Number Fluency Program

One of our School Annual Improvement Plan goals this year is to increase student outcomes in Mathematics. St Agnes’ is very excited to share that we were successful in an expression of interest opportunity to partner with our diocesan knowledgeable others and Dr Ange Rogers to implement the Number Fluency Program as a trial in 2025. The Number Fluency Program (NFP) developed by Dr Ange Rogers is designed to enhance students' mathematical skills through regular, low-stakes practice sessions. These brief, focused fluency sessions are integrated into classroom routines, fostering confidence and self-efficacy in Mathematics. By emphasising motivation and success, the program allows students to engage meaningfully with Mathematics, building their skills through structured practice of previously learned concepts. We are very excited to be engaging in this opportunity for our students and look forward to sharing more details soon.

NAPLAN

Each year the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is sat by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Students will participate in tests for writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. NAPLAN 2025 will take place from Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March.

NAPLAN is just one part of our school’s learning assessment program. The tests assess literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school, so the best preparation is their everyday classroom learning. Our school will also undertake activities to help students become familiar with the types of questions and tools available in the online tests. The public Demonstration Site is available for you to see the format of the online tests.

Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website and the NAP website . If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact your child’s teacher or Kate de Bressac.

Make Getting Students to School on Time Every Day a Top Priority

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school and themselves. Ensuring that students arrive at school on time every day is crucial for their academic success and wellbeing. Parents play a crucial role in instilling the importance of punctuality in their children. Here are some strategies for parents to make getting students to school on time every day a top priority:

• Establish a Consistent Routine: Set a daily routine that includes specific times for waking up, getting ready, having breakfast, and leaving for school. Consistency helps children develop good habits.
• Model Punctuality: Children often learn by example. Demonstrate the importance of punctuality by being on time for family events, appointments, and other commitments.
• Limit or Have No Screen Time in the Morning: Minimise distractions such as excessive screen time in the morning. This helps your child stay focused on getting ready for school without unnecessary delays.

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.

Those relaxed holiday sleep schedules were great, but now it's time to get back to a routine that will help your kids focus, learn and grow. A good night's sleep can make a big difference! It looks like great advice for adults too!

Sports News

Winter Sports Trials Success!

Congratulations to all our Year 5 and 6 students who participated in the Winter Sports Trials on Monday!

Our netball team put in a fantastic effort at the indoor stadium, with six students advancing through team games to the final selection match. Congratulations to Ava S., Georgina F., and Alba W., who have been selected to attend the Diocesan trials in Grafton next week.

In Rugby League, we had an incredible turnout of boys and girls, all giving their best to the selectors. Many of our players made it to the final selection game. Congratulations to Beau L, Oliver W, Ryan C, Jho’Arryn C, Kruze D and Noah B, who have secured spots in the Diocesan Trials. Despite an injury, Zane B was also selected for his outstanding performance last year.

In soccer, four students - three boys and one girl earned places on the Zone team. The competition was tough this year, with many students making the final selections. Congratulations to Ardan B, Nicholas D, Kitt Q and Emilia A on their selection for the Hastings Soccer teams.

Our Aggies students proudly stepped onto the field wearing the brand new 2025 team kits. They looked fantastic and represented the school with great sportsmanship. Thank you to Mr Brazel, Mrs McEntyre and Miss Kershaw for managing the teams on the day and to Mr Evans for convening the Rugby League event.

Best of luck to our athletes who are continuing on to the Diocesan Trials in Grafton.

Aggies Crowned 2025 Zone Swimming Champions

On Tuesday, 34 students travelled to Macksville to compete in the Zone Swimming Trials. Our swimmers gave their all in the pool, showing incredible determination and team spirit as they supported one another throughout the day.

It was a highly successful event for Aggies across all age groups, with our team finishing the carnival as the 2025 Zone Swimming Champions!

As a result of their outstanding performances, 14 Aggies swimmers have qualified for the Diocesan Trials in Murwillumbah on Tuesday 4 March. Several of our students also earned Age Champion titles on the day.

Congratulations to the following students:

Daniel I - 10 Years Boys Age Champion
Asha W - 11 Years Girls Age Champion
Jade J - 12 Years Girls Ages Champion
Kallan F - 12 Year Boys Age Champion Runner Up

The relay races were a standout highlight of the carnival, with three Aggies teams earning their place at the Diocesan Carnival. Congratulations to our Junior Boys, Senior Boys, and Senior Girls relay teams on their impressive performances!

A special congratulations to the following students on their selection for the Hastings Team to compete at the Diocesan Carnival:

Isobel W - 8yrs 50m Freestyle
Daniel I - 10yrs 50m Freestyle, Junior 50m Backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 50 Butterfly, 4x50m Individual Medley, Opens 100m freestyle and Junior Relay
Rocky W - 10 yrs 50m Freestyle, Junior 50m Breaststroke and Junior Relay
Ardan B - Junior 50m Butterfly and Junior Relay
Jade J - 12 Years 50m Freestyle, Senior 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Breaststroke, Open 100m Freestyle and Senior Relay
Macy C - 12 Years 50m  Freestyle, Senior 50m Backstroke and Senior Relay
Imogen H - Senior 50m Butterfly and Senior Relay
Asha W - 11 Years 50m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, Senior 4x50m Individual Medley and Senior Relay
Kallan F - Senior Backstroke and 50m Breaststroke
Hunter F - Junior 4x50m Individual Medley and Junior Relay
Miles G - Senior 50m Butterfly and Senior Relay
Nicholas B - Junior Relay
Dominic R - Senior Relay
George S - Senior Relay

Aggies to Join Soccer Gala Day!

This year, St Agnes' will participate in a Soccer Gala Day hosted by Northern NSW Football. The event is designed to introduce soccer to any student who wants to play in a fun, non-competitive environment. Teams will face off against other schools in a gala day format, with mixed ability groups to help students work together and develop their skills.

The gala day will be held locally at Findlay Park on Monday 31 March, and is open to all Years 3 to 6 students. Registrations have been completed in class, and teams are currently being organised. Event details and team allocations will be shared via Compass in the coming days.

Important:

• Shin pads are required for all players.
• Soccer boots are recommended but not compulsory.

If your child wants to participate but has not yet signed up, please contact Drew Wilson or Renee Shaw at the school.

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
  

Term 2

• Wednesday 7 May - Hastings Zone Cross Country - Kempsey

Positive Behaviour Support

This week our focus has been on learning about our whole school expectations of being Responsible and Respectful at home time. We are learning about how we can transition home in a calm, respectful and responsible manner.

Canteen News

Welcome to 2025! If you have a few hours spare once a month I would greatly appreciate your help in the canteen. Please complete the note below with your details and preferred day and I will add you to our calendar.

Can I also please ask that parents update their childs class in the Flexischool App so that their lunch is sent to the correct class.

Thank you
Cassie

Parish News

Community News