Listed below are some important dates for Term 4.

Awards

Congratulations to the following students who will receive an award at assembly on Friday 17 November for being a great learner and wonderful community member.

Gold Pennant - Avery Hunt, Milah Morris, Klara Doebler

Gold Awards - Olivia-May Sanchez, Kimberly Axiak, Luca Cevenini, Levi Carstens, Abel Boyce, Riley Fiatarone, George Crossingham, James Dimassy, Sienna Morschel, Evie Biffin, Lachlan Batty, Zara Cevenini, Amelia Bruna, Madeleine Spinks, Cooper Noonan, Samuel Stack, Harrison Walker, Levi Boyd, Ellie Stocken, Kruz Fiez, Gabriella Merheb, James Moon, Savannah Debono, Leila Catford-Potter, Violet Mitchell, Evan Gudiksen, Preston Rae, Leah Norton, Indigo Webster, John Boulos, Seth Froude, Jesse Slater, Gabriella Semaan, Caite Goodall, Ashton Finch, Joel Carstens, Tara Kerslake, Elizabeth Smith, Jed Smith, Georgia Saliba

This is important information for families with Year 6 students and students in other grades who will be leaving St. Anthony's at the end of 2023. Please take note of the following:

1. **Access to Compass Parent Portal:** When your child leaves St. Anthony's at the end of 2023, parents will lose access to the Compass Parent portal. This change will occur unless your child is transitioning to a Wollongong Diocesan High School/Primary School. If you child is attending one of our Diocese of Wollongong High Schools all records will remain on your Compass Parent Portal.

2. **Access to School Reports:** After your child leaves the school, you will not be able to access your child's school reports through the Compass Parent portal.

3. **Action Required:** If you wish to retain copies of your child's school reports for future reference, it is important to download and print them before Friday, 15 December, 2023. This will ensure you have access to this valuable information after your child's departure from the school.

It's crucial to make the necessary arrangements to secure these reports if you want to maintain records of your child's academic progress. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and if you have any questions or need assistance with this process, please reach out to the school for support.

Father Peter will welcome parents, carers, families, parishioners, students and staff from selected classes to join him for a Mass every second week. On Tuesday 14 November at 9:30 am Mass will be held by Year 1R and Kinder White with Year 6W joining them to celebrate. 

It's great to see that some families have already returned the order forms for the school canteen's lunch that will be provided to student on our P and F Fun Day.

The upcoming P and F Fun Day on Friday, 24 November, will be an exciting day with lots of fun activities. The list of activities, including Jumping Castles, Christmas Arts and Crafts, Yoga Session, Cardio Fitness session, and a Bento Box for lunch from the canteen.

It's important to note that no payment is required for the Bento Box lunch on that day. However, you should make sure to return the attached order form to the school by Friday, 17 November. This will help the school with catering and logistics to ensure that all students can enjoy the activities and lunch on the day. It sounds like a day full of fun and excitement for the students!

This week, our school had the privilege of hosting Senior Constable Kylie and Senior Constable Greg, Police Youth Officers, who delivered a highly engaging and informative session on online safety to our Stage 2 and Stage 3 students. In this digital age, it is crucial that we equip our children with the knowledge and tools to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

Their presentation was not only informative but also filled with humour, ensuring that our students were not only engaged but also retained the essential lessons they learned.

The officers discussed various important topics, including:

1. Information Sharing and Privacy Settings: They emphasised the significance of understanding the boundaries when sharing information online and how to protect their privacy.

2. Age Restrictions for Applications: Ensuring that students adhere to age-appropriate content and applications is essential. Age restrictions are there for a reason.

3. Self-Reflection: They encouraged students to ask themselves questions before sharing anything online. What are they sharing, and who are they sharing it with? This self-awareness is crucial in the digital world.

We believe in the power of a strong partnership between school and parents to ensure our students' safety in the digital world. Please take some time to discuss these topics with your child and reinforce the importance of responsible online behaviour.

Stay tuned for more tips and resources on safe online practices for children. Together, we can create a safer and more responsible digital environment for our students.

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.