Listed below are some important dates.

We would like to invite parents, grandparents and members of the St Anthony's community to join us for our next P & F Meeting on Friday 5 July (Week 10) at 2:00 pm in the school Library. 

Monday 22 July will be a Pupil Free Day. Only staff will be onsite and students will return to school on Tuesday 23 July for their first day of Term 3.

Year 2 Red will be presenting at assembly on Friday 9 August at 2:20pm. We would like to invite parents/families from Year 3 Red to join us in the hall for the presentation. 

Wildflower Holistic Services - Principal Psychologist Alexandra McCarthy

Cognitive and Learning Skills

- Can your child recognise letters, numbers and basic shapes?
- Does your child show curiosity and the ability to solve simple problems?

Why is it important to have these foundational skills established?

Without these foundational skills established, children can quickly find themselves playing catch-ups with peers who are progressing more quickly. Those who start school with these basic building blocks can then have teachers continue to build on them, as opposed to those who are just beginning the process of learning these skills. For some children, especially those who are on the younger side of their cohort, delaying school entry by a year can have benefits not only regarding their maturity and development but also having more time to practice building these foundations before beginning school. For example, younger children may struggle more with the social and emotional demands of school, an extra year can help them develop the skills needed to thrive in the classroom. Older children are often better at self-regulating as well and with this better self-control and increased coping skills, they are better able to adapt to school routines and expectations within the classroom. For some young children, starting school too early can be overwhelming, leading to anxiety and a negative attitude towards learning. Giving them time to grow can reduce these pressures. A child who enters school when they are ready is more likely to have a positive experience, laying a strong foundation for future learning and academic success.

If your answer is no to several of the questions listed above and your child is below the compulsory age to attend school in NSW, your child may need more time and support to develop the skills necessary for a successful start to school. It's important to address any areas of concern and consult with early childhood educators (future school and daycare) or a paediatrician for further guidance. We encourage you to consider all aspects of your child's readiness and don’t feel pressured to live up to societal expectations - consider what is best for your child immediately and in the long term.

 Year 6 - Exciting News! 

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our Year 6 Literary Showcase website! This initial publication features a remarkable collection of student narratives, all centered around the critical theme of sustainability for the Cumberland Plain Woodland. 

Despite its once vast coverage of 107,000 hectares across western Sydney, only 6% of this precious ecosystem remains. Our talented Year 6 students have poured their hearts into creating narrative texts that bring awareness and celebrate the beauty of this Critically Endangered Ecological Community. 

We invite all parents to visit the website and join us in celebrating the marvellous work of our students. Let’s come together to appreciate their creativity and passion for preserving our natural heritage. 

 Year 6 Literary Showcase

 Announcing the Launch of the Year 5 Literary Showcase Website! 

We are thrilled to unveil the official website for our Year 5 Literary Showcase! Dive into the creative world of our talented students as they explore various literary styles of poetry, all centered around the inspiring theme of Hope.

 Launch Date: 3 July 2024

On the website, you can:
 Read beautifully crafted poems
 View artwork and illustrations accompanying the poems

Join us in celebrating the creativity and imagination of Year 5. Visit our Literary Showcase to experience the poetry of hope brought to life by our incredible students

Don't miss out on this literary journey!  #Year5LiteraryShowcase #PoetryOfHope #CreativeYoungMinds #CelebrateLiterature

Next term, Year 5 and 6 students will have the opportunity to learn both the guitar and ukulele using the school’s guitars. To support their learning, we are kindly seeking donations of capos. A capo is a device that raises the pitch of all guitar strings equally when placed across a fret, effectively transforming the guitar into a ukulele. This allows students to reproduce the ukulele's higher-pitched sound and play songs using ukulele chord shapes without needing to switch instruments. Ukulele chord structures are simpler than those of the guitar, which gives students more flexibility in mastering strum patterns and chord changes. If anyone has any going unused, our students would be greatly appreciative. Guitar Capos/Clamps can be dropped at the school office.

Community Links Wellbeing is once again running the very much in demand workshops for parents/ carers- Managing Challenging Behaviours Collaboratively .

The popular workshops designed by Dr Steve Walker are running in Term 3 at Bowral or Term 4 at Tahmoor.

About the 8 session program:

• Target Group / Aim:
• parents / carers who have children diagnosed with ADHD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder, or experiencing difficult and disruptive behaviours.
• parents / carers who are desperate to take part in an interactive program so that they could encourage changes within the family.
• they may have already sought assistance with the behaviours but there has been no change
• assist families experiencing the impact of challenging and disruptive behaviours such as suspensions from school and aggression to family members

• Location and time
• 8 x 2hr sessions over 8 weeks
• Term 3: each Monday  from 29 July to 16 September, 10am to 12pm at Community Links Wellbeing 1/68-70 Station St Bowral
• Term 4: Each Wednesday 16 October to 4 December, 10am to 12 pm at Tahmoor Community Centre, 6 Harper Close Tahmoor

The workshops will be presented by Cherrie Willingham and Corinne Woolcocks from Community Links Wellbeing on behalf of Dr Steve Walker who will also make a guest appearance to discuss key issues.

** This workshop is FREE for Parents and Carers only and is not for staff employed in the sector. Priority of placement is always given to participants in the Wingecarribee Wollondilly and Camden LGA’s first

Please contact Community Links for more information or to register for this workshop.

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.