In the coming weeks we will be inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.

We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing
at St Anthony's.

The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You are able to access the parent survey on your computer or mobile device by using the URL below:

Listed below are some important dates.

An Exciting New Award!!

I am excited to announce that we have implemented a new award system at our school to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our students.

While the Silver Awards, Gold Awards, Pennants and Medallions remain our primary awards, there have been some changes in how they will be presented. Moving forward, only the Gold Pennants and Medallions will be awarded at our school assemblies.

Please note that Gold Awards will no longer be presented during assemblies. Instead, these awards will be given to students during class by their classroom teachers. This change allows for a more personalised recognition of students' achievements within their classroom environment.

In addition to our existing awards, we are introducing a new award called the 'Super Star' award. This award will be presented to students during assemblies and will be chosen by their classroom teachers. The Super Star award recipients are selected for demonstrating exceptional academic work, showing kindness to their peers, actively engaging in their learning and embodying the values of our school community.

We believe that these changes will enhance our award system and provide greater opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of all our students.

Thank you for your continued support as we strive to recognise and encourage the success of every student at our school.

The following awards will be presented to students at week 3 assembly on Friday 17 May at 2:10 pm.

Medallion - Beau Marano

SuperStar - Florence Taylor, Hemi Borg, Abby Carver, Koa Rae, Ryan Murphy, Finn Bowmaker, Gabriel Van Der Zee, Claire Warwick, Oden Shephard, Tara Kerslake, Alexander Bruffer, Lucas Hurtado, Kaidence Cartwright, Connor Barcicki, Adriano Ripepi, Annabel Dengate, Lucy Page, Ivy Oitmann, Flynn Walker, Evie Biffin, Nate Coulter, Arlo Webster, Eve Bruna, Bobby Nolan, Piper Wheeler, Charles Boyd, William Moon, Elizabeth Smith, Sophie Simpson, Ivy Humphries, Cooper McBurney, Hayden Perham, Harrison Walker, Carla Cherubini, Nicholaz Sanchez, Bella Smith

Kinder Red will be presenting at assembly on Friday 17 May at 2:10pm. Assembly will be starting a little earlier due to a small Liturgy at the start assembly. We would like to invite parents/families from Kinder Red to join us in the hall for the presentation. 

The Kinder and Year 1 Athletics Carnival will be held on Thursday 16 May between 12:00 pm -1:45pm. Parents and family members are welcome to join us on the Far Field to watch the students participate in the activities.

Consent for your child/children's attendance to the Athletics Carnival is to be made by parents on the COMPASS Portal by Friday 10 May, 2024. If consent is not given your child will be unable to attend the carnival. If for some reason your child is unable to attend due to a medical appointment etc. please DECLINE your child's attendance COMPASS.

Thank you for your heart-warming generosity with the Caritas boxes, combined with the sales from the second hand uniform shop St Anthony's has raised $2017.70 for the missions. This will undoubtedly go a long way in supporting those in need.

Calling all heroes in the Picton community! Your chance to make a life-saving difference is here! The Picton Mobile Donor Centre will be open from 24-27 July 2024, at Picton Memorial Park and we need your help to ensure a steady blood supply for those in need.

 Can't make it to Picton? No problem! You can still join the cause by visiting the Camden Woolworths on Mitchell St, Camden, from 6-11 May 2024. Alternatively, you can donate at any donor centre near you. Every drop counts, and every donation saves lives!

 To make your donation count towards our community efforts, remember to register with our dedicated team: Sparking Life - St. Anthony's Picton. Your support will help us reach our goal and provide hope to those battling illnesses and injuries.

 Register now to secure your spot and spread the word among your family and friends. Together, let's spark life and make a lasting impact on our community! #DonateBlood #SaveLives #SparkingLife #StAnthonysPicton #PictonCommunityStrong 

We would like to notify you that from Monday 13 May 2024, Picton Buslines drivers and staff will be implementing a two-week blitz on school student bus passes.

The Transport for NSW School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) provides eligible school students with free or subsidised travel on public transport between home and school. When travelling between home and school, students must adhere to various regulations regarding passenger behaviour and the Codes of Conduct for travel by bus. One of the obligations of students is to show their travel pass or ticket when requested.

We ask that you assist by requesting that teachers on bus duty ask all students that catch Picton Buslines buses to and/or from school to have their physical bus passes ready to display to the driver before boarding the bus. Note that we will not accept students showing a photo of their bus pass on their phone.

If a student is planning on catching the bus and they do not have a current valid bus pass, their pass is damaged or lost, please inform their parents/guardians to contact our office on 02 4677 1564 or email us at info@pictonbuslines.com.au to organise a replacement pass.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Wildflower Holistic Services - Principal Psychologist Alexandra McCarthy

"How can we navigate the balance between emotions and discipline when
behaviours have crossed the line?"

In the whirlwind that is a school day, it’s common for our kids to feel overwhelmed or
dysregulated at the end of the day. As parents and caregivers, it's crucial to create a supportive environment where our kids feel validated and understood, especially during challenging moments. In the same breath, it’s also important for our kids to know when their behaviour may have crossed a line, or what they are doing is just not on. So how do we balance this? The validating of emotions whilst also acknowledging behaviour that's not on? One effective technique we’ve found is the Four Rs approach: Relate, Regulate, Respond, Reflect

Relate: Start by acknowledging your child's emotions. Validate their feelings by expressing understanding. For instance, you might say, "I can see you are feeling really upset right now because your brother took your toy”. To relate is to simply acknowledge and validate your child's emotion in relation to the event. This act of relating helps your child feel heard and valued.

Regulate: Once you've acknowledged their emotions, focus on helping your child regulate them. This often involves co-regulation, where you provide comfort and support until they feel calmer, or encourage self-regulation if they have the skills to manage their emotions independently. Remember, this process may take time, and it's okay to give your child space to calm down before moving forward. Some examples of co-regulation that you could try include giving your little one physical contact like a hug, maintaining calm yourself which reassures your child and models self-regulation, using a soft or soothing voice whilst saying “I’m here for you”,
or engaging in slow deep breathing together to help them calm down. This will be different for every child, and it’s about finding what helps them.

Respond: It’s important to note that ‘respond’ doesn’t always occur within the same day. Maybe it happens the next day, depending on when the above two actions (relate and regulate) have been done properly. Only when your child is regulated can this step effectively be done. Respond is about initiating a discussion to explore the underlying triggers of their emotions. Ask questions like, "What happened before you got upset? Were you feeling tired or hungry? Is something else bothering you?" This step helps both you and your child gain insights into what might have caused the meltdown and how to address similar situations in the future.

Reflect: Finally, take time to reflect on the experience together. This might sound like, "I know you were really upset before because your brother took your toy, but it’s not okay to hit him”. Discuss what you've learnt and how you can both grow. We encourage you to also take accountability in acknowledging your own actions, for example, maybe you were quick to anger or yelled, and just like the child they are also learning and making mistakes. This is where an apology on both ends could be useful (if appropriate and relevant). Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about what happened, and offer reassurance that mistakes are opportunities for learning and growth.

The Four R's approach is helpful in navigating and validating challenging emotions but also nurturing their emotional resilience. Showing them that what they are experiencing is valid (relating), helping them to manage their emotions (regulating), understanding what was going on (responding) and then looking back to see what could be done differently (reflecting). What matters most is that you're there to support and guide your child through life's ups and downs, helping them become more confident, capable, and compassionate individuals.

Sacramental Programs

Religious Education is a priority in Catholic schools. It provides the knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith and outlines what is needed to live a Catholic life. Sacramental programs are Parish based, Parish coordinated, family focused and school supported.

Each year the Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation are celebrated in the Parish.

A Parish based program caters to the needs of all participants. In this way children from all schools receive the same preparation for each sacrament.

The Parish based, family focused approach to Sacramental programs is widely used throughout Australia as the preferred approach. This approach acknowledges the important role of parents and families in the whole preparation process. Parents are the first educators of children in the faith and traditions of the Catholic Church. Parents involvement in Sacramental preparation is crucial in shaping the values and attitudes of each child. So it is vital, for the continual spiritual growth of the child, that the families involve themselves in the Sacramental life of Parish.