Filter Content
- Principal's Message
- Date Claimers
- P and F Meeting - Monday 12 May ZOOM ONLY
- Athletics Carnival - Years 2 - 6 - Friday 23 May
- Bishop Brian reads The Lost Sheep - Tuesday 27 May
- Mother's Day Stall - Thank You
- ANZAC Day March
- Strengthening Relationships - Parents and Carers Courses
- STAR4Kids
- Diverse Learning Information
- Offertory Procession
- Catholic Life
- Parish Mass Times
- NEW!! Canteen Menu 2025
- OOSH - Before and After School Care
- Uniform Shop
Dear Parents, Carers, Staff and Students,
As we return from the Easter break, our commitment to fostering strong connections – with our students, community, and faith – remains central. Our recent Easter Liturgy, prayer service for Pope Francis and our Anzac Day liturgy powerfully demonstrated this spirit of unity within the St Anthony’s Catholic community, a privilege we deeply value.
Reflecting on Sunday's Gospel (John 21:15), Jesus' question to Peter, "Do you love me?", prompts us to consider how we embody this love within our community. As part of our Catholic teachings, we are often reminded that experiencing Jesus' love is fostered through our relationships with one another. In a world that celebrates individuality, we are called to go further, embracing the dignity of each unique person as Jesus did. This commitment allows us to actively live out our school values.
This term is dedicated to continuing the important work of Catholic education with high expectations for all. Our teachers will be thoughtfully assessing student learning in preparation for Semester One reports and parent/teacher interviews. We warmly invite you to actively engage in your child's learning journey. Should you wish to gain insights before these formal meetings, please feel welcome to contact your child's teacher through the school office.
School Cyclic Inquiry
In the coming weeks, our school will be participating in a School Cyclic Inquiry (SCI). This is a collaborative, school-led process that typically occurs every four years.
The SCI is a valuable opportunity for St Anthony's to:
- Celebrate and showcase the effectiveness of our long-term strategic improvement and growth in faith, learning, and wellbeing to the Bishop of Wollongong, the Director of Schools, and our wider community.
- Identify key strategic improvement priorities to guide our next School Strategic Improvement Plan (SSIP).
The SCI process involves two key phases:
- Self-Reflection: Led by the Principal, our school Leadership Team and staff, this preparatory period will involve consultation with all stakeholders – including staff, the Parish Priest, parents, students, and senior CEO personnel. We will be engaging with system data, evaluating our progress using the School Improvement Tool (SIT) and closely examining our Living Catholicity Foundation Domain. Your input and perspectives will be an important part of this reflection.
- Inquiry and Review: An external panel of experienced educators will visit our school to conduct interviews, observations, and discussions with our Leadership Team, staff, parents, students, clergy, and the broader community. They will also spend time in our classrooms to see learning in action
- Panel Visit Dates: Day One Friday 16 May
Day Two Monday 26 May
We look forward to this process as a way to celebrate our achievements and collaboratively shape the future direction of St Anthony's. I have already shared information on how you can be involved in the consultation phase and I strongly encourage you to consider joining one of our parent consultation panels on Monday, 26 May.
Take Care
Mr Justin Devlin
Principal
Listed below are some important dates.
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2025 Term 2 May |
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| Monday 12 | P & F Meeting at 6:30 pm ZOOM ONLY |
| Friday 23 | Year 2 - Year 6 Athletics Carnival |
| Tuesday 27 | Open Classrooms - Celebration of Learning |
| Tuesday 27 | Diocesan Cross Country |
| June | |
| Monday 9 | King's Birthday - Public Holiday |
| Friday13 | St Anthony of Padua Feast Day |
| Thursday 26 | West Region Netball Gala Day |
| July | |
| Thursday 3 | Last day of term 2 for students |
| Friday 4 | Pupil Free Day/ Staff Spirituality Day |
Parents and Carers are invited to join us on Monday 12 May at 6:30 pm for our P and F Meeting. This meeting will be held by ZOOM ONLY. The zoom link will be sent out via Compass Parent Portal on Monday.
Our Athletics Carnival will be held on Friday 23 May, 2025 at Tahmoor Sportsground, 140 Thirlmere Way, Tahmoor. The children who will be attending are Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The children will be catching buses to and from the Carnival departing the school at 9 am and returning in time for the afternoon buses. Parents are permitted to take their children at the conclusion of the carnival after informing their child's teacher.
Children who are unable to participate should still attend the carnival and they may assist the teacher on the day. Throughout the day the children will be participating in running races, ball games, novelty events and some field events. They will need to wear their sports uniform, hat and pack sunscreen and water. The children may wear their purchased coloured house group t-shirts. Those children who have not purchased a coloured t-shirt will need to wear their school sports shirt. The class teacher will have all medication and action plans with them. If your child has any medical condition that the school is unaware of, please speak to their teacher or the office staff.
Consent for your child/children's attendance to the Athletics Carnival is to be made by parents on the COMPASS Portal by Friday 9 May, 2025. 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.
Our Mother’s Day Stall was once again a great success this year! A big thank you goes to Ellie Wetton and Rachel Williams for their incredible efforts in sourcing such a wonderful variety of gifts. The selection was fantastic, and the students thoroughly enjoyed choosing something special for their loved ones.
We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the following parents who generously volunteered their time to help set up and run the stall. Your support and dedication ensured everything ran smoothly, and we truly couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you - Monique Smith, Amanda Boyd, Amy Reid, Aimee Dounan, Pam Falcone, Stacey McKenzie, Erin Moon, Melissa Hunt, Kelly Williams, Sarah Owers, Katie Mealing, Tabatha Latta, Kiora Novek, Ching-l HSU, Alysha Sharp, Tanita Coulter, Elizabeth Francis.
We had some amazing raffle prize donations this year:
Celebration Society donated a beautifully presented gift pack. All the kids wanted to win it! Deb, who owns The Celebration Society would also like to let families know that they are stocking baptism and first communion gifts, so check them out!
Porter and Hudson donated a gift pack full of amazing goodies!! Bec supports all our Mother’s Day stalls so make sure you visit if you ever need some amazing flowers for someone special!
Jen T Photography kindly donated a mini Mother’s Day photoshoot, Jen is a local photographer and St Anthony’s mum who takes great family photos! How great is that!
- Arlo Webster year 5
Porter and Hudson gift
- Knox Fiez year 3
Jen T Photography
- Salvatore Cenatiempo year 2
Thank you all!
On Friday, 25 April, students from St Anthony's School in Picton participated in the annual ANZAC Day March, commemorating the sacrifices of Australian and New Zealand soldiers. The students demonstrated pride and respect as they honoured the fallen soldiers, embodying the spirit of remembrance that defines ANZAC Day.
The school's involvement in this significant event highlights its commitment to instilling values of respect, gratitude, and national pride in its students. Such participation fosters a deeper understanding of Australia's history and the importance of honouring those who have served the nation.
St Anthony's students, along with their families, contributed to the solemnity and significance of the day, ensuring that the legacy of the ANZACs continues to be remembered by future generations.
Thank you to all the parents and students who dedicated their morning to this meaningful event, demonstrating the enduring spirit of the ANZACs.
Community Links Wellbeing is a not-for-profit organisation funded by a Primary Health Network. We offer free, holistic, voluntary, solution-focused programs that promote overall wellbeing. Among our latest initiatives for the local Wingecarribee, Wollondilly and Camden community is Star4Kids which we took over as of 1 January 2024.
Star4Kids is FREE psychological therapy for children aged 3-12 years with, or at risk of, developing a mild to moderate mental illness, including depression, anxiety or stress disorders. With a mental health treatment plan, the child would be able to access 12 counselling sessions that are delivered by our mental health clinicians.
We have attached the provisional referral form that, with consent, any professional is able to complete which will give the child access to 3 counselling sessions, and then can then later be accompanied by a mental health treatment plan for further sessions.
Please do not hesitate to contact our Program Support team on 0455 104 104 or this email, should you have any questions.
Supporting our Diverse Learners and families at home offering some strategies on how to help foster engagement in learning and promote success both at school and at home. If you need any support for your child please reach out and make contact as we highly value positive partnerships with our parent community.
Miss Karyn Wescombe
Diverse Learning Support Leader
Wildflower Holistic Services - Principal Psychologist Alexandra McCarthy
Raising Emotionally Intelligent Kids: How to Foster Self-Awareness & Empathy
You want your child to grow up confident, empathetic, and resilient - to navigate life’s challenges with self assurance, build strong relationships, and stand firm in their emotions. You likely put so much pressure on yourself to “get it right”. But raising emotionally intelligent kids doesn’t mean you need to have all the answers, or get it right every time. It’s about guiding your child to understand their emotions and learn from experiences. Emotional intelligence is a skill that will shape their entire lives, helping them thrive in a world that isn’t always kind or predictable.
Our kids are growing up in a world full of noise - constant digital interactions, social pressures, and emotions that feel too big for them to handle. Emotional intelligence isn’t just a “nice to have” skill; it’s what will help them:
- ‘Keep their cool’ by handling conflict without shutting down or lashing out.
- Cope with disappointment, frustration, and setbacks in a healthy way.
- Respond to others with respect and understand their perspective
- Build real, meaningful relationships in a world that’s increasingly online.
- Develop resilience and self-awareness that carries into adulthood.
Dr. John Gottman’s research shows that emotional intelligence is a stronger predictor of success and happiness than IQ. It’s not about being “smart” in the traditional sense, it’s about being able to manage emotions, connecting with others, and adapting to life’s inevitable ups and downs.
So, how do we nurture emotional intelligence in our kids?
See “negative” emotions as an opportunity to connect
Big feelings aren’t bad feelings. When your child experiences anger, frustration, or sadness, it’s a chance to help them understand and manage their emotions. Learning to regulate big feelings is key to emotional intelligence. Try to approach with curiosity, for example, “It sounds like you’re really upset. Is it because your sister took your toy?” This helps them make sense of their emotions and feel heard.
Co-regulate before expecting self-regulation
Kids can’t regulate their emotions on their own until they’ve learned how. Before asking them to “calm down,” help them feel safe and secure first. A reassuring hug, a gentle voice, or just sitting with them while they ride out their emotions can go a long way. Over time, they’ll learn to self-regulate.
Label emotions to build self-awareness
When you notice your child moving through a big emotion, help them name it. “I can sense you’re getting frustrated,” or “It sounds like you’re feeling hurt.” labelling emotions helps kids
recognise what they’re experiencing and start making connections between feelings and reactions.
Teach coping strategies
Equip your child with tools to manage emotions in a healthy way. Deep breathing, movement (like jumping or stretching), drawing, or simply talking about their feelings can help them process emotions instead of getting stuck in them.
Set boundaries while teaching problem-solving
Kids are going to make mistakes, just like we do as adults. The goal isn’t to shut down emotions but to guide them toward healthier responses. A helpful reminder: “All emotions are acceptable, but all behaviours are not.”
For example, if your child lashes out in anger, you might say, “It’s okay to feel mad, and I understand why you’re upset. But it’s not okay to hit. What could you do next time to show me you’re angry in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone?” They often need your help brainstorming ideas, but each time they practice, they get a little better at managing their emotions.
Final Thoughts
The world our kids are growing up in is different from the one we knew. Emotional Intelligence is a skill that our little ones will need more than ever in a world that rewards speed over reflection and reaction over understanding. Emotional intelligence is the foundation our kids need to thrive. It’s what will help them pause before reacting, choose empathy over judgement, and find calm in chaos.
And it starts with us. When we model emotional intelligence, we teach our kids that emotions aren’t something to fear, they’re something to understand. And that’s a lesson that will stay with them for life.
An invitation is extended to any families/couples/friends interested in taking part in the offertory at the weekend Masses. If you would like to be an active participant in this important task, please arrive 15 minutes before Mass and make yourself known to the greeters who will introduce you to the offertory organiser for that Mass. If you are unsure and would like further information, please call the Parish Office on 46 832 230.
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.
| St Anthony's Church Tahmoor | ||
| Saturday Vigil | 5:00 pm | Tahmoor |
| Sunday | 8:30 am | Tahmoor |
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Reconciliation |
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| Saturday | 4:00 - 4:30 pm | Tahmoor |
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Weekday Mass Times - This Week |
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| Tuesday |
5:00 pm |
Adoration |
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5:30 pm |
Tahmoor |
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| Wednesday | 8:30 am | Tahmoor |
| Thursday | 8:30 am | Tahmoor |
| Friday | ||
Please see our new canteen menu which includes a new range of gluten free options.
The uniform shop is now open for face to face purchases every Friday from 9 am. Otherwise orders can be emailed to the school via info@sapdow.catholic.edu.au
Orders must be at the office by 9am Fridays.