Newsletter - 2025 Term 2 Week 10

Prayer

End of Term Prayer

We thank you Lord, for our term together. For the successes, the challenges, and what we have learnt this term we are grateful. Be with us as we spend our time with family and friends. Give us strength and courage to do what is right; to be witnesses of our faith. Keep us safe in our activities; give us rest and good fun. As we prepare for Term Three, bring us all back refreshed and ready. Thank you for our friends and classmates, including staff, families and community of St Agnes’ Primary School who care for us all.
Amen

School Calendar

To access the School Calendar on Compass:

- Using a mobile phone: Click on the Calendar tab at the bottom of your Compass home page. You will have the option to view the calendar as daily or weekly. To see future dates, click on the small calendar at the top right hand side.

- Using a computer: Click on the Calendar icon at the top left hand side next to the Compass logo. You will have the option to view the calendar as a day, week, month or term.

Principal Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

What a fantastic term we've had! Our students have achieved so much, and there's been tremendous growth and learning across all areas. Thank you to our wonderful students for your enthusiasm, hard work, and positive attitudes. You've made us incredibly proud with your achievements this term.

To our parents and carers, thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Your involvement makes such a difference to our students' success. Our dedicated staff have worked tirelessly to provide excellent learning opportunities, and their commitment has been outstanding.

As we break for the winter holidays, take time to celebrate all that's been accomplished this term. Enjoy a well-deserved rest with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for another exciting term ahead.

Tell Them From Me Survey

I would like to begin by thanking all parents, staff and students who participated in completing the survey. Your honest and constructive feedback is genuinely valued and appreciated. The Tell Them From Me Survey provided an important opportunity for our parent community to share insights about our school, helping us recognize our strengths while identifying opportunities for growth and improvement.

We appreciate the 48 parents who took the time to complete the survey. While this represents a smaller portion of our parent community, we understand the challenges of finding time to respond to surveys in busy family schedules. Please remember that your feedback, concerns and questions are welcome throughout the year, not just during survey periods. Feel free to contact me through the School Office at any time.

Once the survey data becomes available, I look forward to sharing the results with you, including our areas of strength, opportunities for improvement, and any items requiring further clarification.

School Community Forum – Learning Agenda

We extend our sincere gratitude to the School Community Forum for hosting the learning forum on our school's Behaviour Processes. Mr Craig Brazel's comprehensive presentation clearly outlined our new Positive Behaviour Support system, helping the community understand the thoughtful steps being taken to enhance student behaviour and wellbeing. Further information around these changes will be sent out to our parent community at the beginning of Term Three.

The forum's commitment to facilitating these important conversations demonstrates the valuable partnership between school and community that benefits our students' success.

We look forward to our next School Community Forum in August, where Mrs Cath Eichmann, Regional Director for Hastings, will present on Social Media, Screen Time and Mobile Phone use - another crucial topic for our school community. We look forward to seeing you come along.

Semester Reports

Academic Reports are now available online through Compass. These reports recognise and celebrate your child's accomplishments throughout the semester. We encourage you to review them together with your child at home. Should you have any questions or concerns after reading the report, please don't hesitate to schedule a meeting with your child's classroom teacher when the new term begins.

These reports reflect ongoing conversations about your child's learning journey rather than unexpected news. They document student work, highlight achievements, and outline areas for continued growth and development. Every child has made meaningful progress, and you should feel proud of their efforts and accomplishments.

I extend my gratitude to our dedicated teaching staff, who have worked tirelessly to understand each student's individual learning needs and track their academic progress throughout the semester.

Farewells

We bid farewell to three valued staff members, Mrs April Crutcher and Miss Ruth Hodge, who have decided to pursue new work opportunities and Mr Ed Godschalk who has been with 5 Faith for this Semester.

All three have contributed significantly to our school community through their dedication to student learning and professional commitment. They will be missed by students and colleagues alike and we wish them every success in their future endeavours and thank them for their service to our school community.

We would also like to farewell the following families from our school community: 

Elle and Jesse H, Edward and Thomas M, Zach B, Henry T and Veda R

We wish you all the best at your new schools — may it bring exciting opportunities, great new friendships and plenty of happy memories.

All details for Term 3 have been provided in our newsletter. A few dates to lock into your calendar for the beginning of term:

• Creative Arts Spectatcular Workshop - Sunday 27 July
• SCF Year 4 Social Sunday - Sunday 27 July
• Zone Athletics Carnival - Wednesday 30 July
• Sydney Dance Company Visit - Friday 1 August
• SCF Year 5 Social Sunday - Sunday 3 August
• Whole School Naidoc Celebration - Out of Uniform/First Nations Colours - Tuesday 5 August
• SCF Year 6 Social Sunday - Sunday 10 August
  
• School Photos - Monday 11 August and Tuesday 12 August

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday. Please use this time to enjoy our beautiful weather in the Hastings Region and all it has to offer. Whether you are travelling or staying at home, be safe and enjoy. We shall see you all when school resumes on Monday 21 July. 

Peace be with you

Brendan Kiely
Principal

Assistant Principal - Mission

Homeless Collective

On Tuesday some of the SRC Team got to attend the Homeless collective to donate the 26 sleeping bags purchased with the money from our Footy Jumper and Hot Chocolate initiatives.

Being at the Homeless Collective made us aware of where our fundraising has gone. We were surprised by how big of a project it was and really enjoyed chatting to the welcoming and friendly volunteers and clients. While we were there we got to serve soup, collect the finished plates and help sort some clothes.

We saw long tables of food donated by Oz Harvest and Bakers Delight. We also checked out the pantry, which has started to fill back up after it was donated to Flood victims. Different organisations provide for the homeless on different days and they all use it.

Volunteers cooked the food, served it, washed up, found clothes to give individual people as well as chatted to the clients and made them feel special. One of the volunteers, Donna, visits every week and provides free haircuts to the clients and volunteers. She mentioned that she could not cut hair that day because her clippers were being fixed and they were taped up. We decided to use some of the money we raised today to buy her a new set. We are also working on a banner for Sr Marjorie’s Soup Kitchen that can be put up on the days she operates from there.

We were proud to donate the sleeping bags to Mr Gilmore and Sr Marjorie, and to Diane and Mr Leary from St Vincent de Paul. The volunteers and clients were really grateful for our donations and wanted us to thank everyone. 

Written by Georgina F, Alex A and Chloe L

During the school holidays, parents of primary school-aged children should focus on establishing clear social media guidelines, fostering open communication, and promoting a healthy balance between online and offline activities. This includes discussing online safety, potential risks, and the importance of respectful online behavior, while also encouraging them to engage in offline activities and maintain a healthy sleep schedule. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

By implementing these strategies, parents can help their primary school-aged children navigate the digital world safely and responsibly during the school holidays, ensuring a positive and healthy online experience. 

ArtWalk 2025

Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

Learning and Teaching Updates

We cannot believe that it is already halfway through the year and that is already time for Semester Two Reports. Your child’s report is available through Compass. If you click on their profile and select ‘Reports’, you will be able to view it. We hope that you enjoy reading about their many achievements and areas for growth. We also ask you to remember that these reports are a small snapshot of the fabulous whole that makes up all of our students. A written report can never fully capture the effort, determination, and resilience that so many students demonstrate every single day. Our staff have put so much effort and care into ensuring that they know your child as an individual, and reading their reports truly demonstrates this care and compassion. Celebrate effort, set goals and most importantly, enjoy the well needed rest, ready for more exciting learning next term.

Kindergarten Have Learnt To Write Sentences Already!

Our amazing Kindergarten students can already read and write simple sentences. They are learning to blend the sounds to put together words, use their tricky words in a sentence and put all of their phonics skills to the test to “have a go”. Have a look at their amazing authorial efforts, including a special message to me on the whiteboard when I visited their classroom.

Year Two Koala Conservation Diorama’s

Year Two have had a wonderful time learning all about the Koala’s natural habitat and the threats to their existence. After their visit from Anne from the Koala Hospital, the children spent their time creating representations of the habitats and identifying the threats to the koalas. Their creative work is amazing, and their conservation message is very strong. Congratulations Year Two on your amazing efforts. It was wonderful to see how proud you were of your efforts. 

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Sports News

Athletics Carnival Wrap-up

Last Friday, we successfully hosted our Athletics Carnival under stunning winter conditions. Despite ongoing wet weather and field closures posing significant challenges, a dedicated effort from our staff ensured the event proceeded smoothly. Special thanks to Dave and Adam Mendes for their invaluable assistance in mowing and marking the field, which enabled us to conduct both the trial events and the carnival itself. Without their hard work, the carnival would not have been possible.

The Athletics Carnival is a celebration of sport, featuring both competitive and non-competitive events. Students had the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, including track events, long jump, shot put, ball games, relay races, and parachute activities, which fostered teamwork and school spirit.

Our competitive athletes participated in the 100m, 200m, and 800m races, long jump, and shot put. The 1500m final was completed before the carnival, and the discus event will take place once field access is restored. For these athletes, the carnival serves as a selection process for the upcoming Zone Trials, scheduled for Week 2 of Term 3 at St Joseph’s Regional College. Throughout the events, students accumulated points for their respective House Teams. Congratulations to Clarence House for winning the 2025 Athletics House Cup.

We commend all athletes selected to represent St Agnes' at the Zone Carnival. A list of events and team members has been posted for students, and notes have been sent out via Compass to attending students today.

Finally, on Monday morning, we awarded our Age Champions and Age Champions Runners-up. Congratulations to the following champions:

8 Years Girls Age Champion: Claudia F 
8 Years Girls Age Champion - Runner-up: Aurora S

8 Years Boys Age Champion:  Liam C
8 Years Boys Age Champion - Runner-up: Jai C

9 Years Girls Age Champion: Evie E
9 Years Girls Age Champion - Runner-up: Eva D

9 Years Boys Age Champion: Arlow F
9 Years Boys Age Champion - Runner-up: Lachlan F

10 Years Girls Age Champion: Evie D
10 Years Girls Age Champion - Runner-up: Pippa T

10 Years Boys Age Champion: Arie F
10 Years Boys Age Champion - Runner-up: Jaxon F

11 Years Girls Age Champion: Ivy G
11 Years Girls Age Champion - Runner-up: Alba W

11 Years Boys Age Champion: Hunter F and Dominic R
11 Years Boys Age Champion - Runner-up: Liam O

12 Years Girls Age Champion: Stella D
12 Years Girls Age Champion - Runner-up: Hermione P, Emilia A, Ruby H and Emily K

12 Years Boys Age Champion: Oliver W
12 Years Boys Age Champion - Runner-up: Beau L

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Polding Rugby Union Trials in Forbes

On Monday 30 June, three of our talented students, Zane B, Kruze D, and Jho’Arryn represented Aggies at the Polding Rugby Union Trials in Forbes. Having progressed through the Zone and Diocesan trials, they advanced to Polding selection, aiming for a spot on the Polding Team to compete in the NSW PSSA Championships in Term 3.

Despite the early chilly conditions, reports from families were that the weather was ideal for rugby. The day commenced with skill development sessions, followed by game situations where our boys showcased their abilities. They competed alongside students from the Lismore Diocese against union players from Northern NSW.

All three athletes delivered commendable performances on the field. Notably, Zane B impressed selectors with his skills, earning him a place on the Polding Team for the upcoming NSW PSSA Championships in Newcastle. Congratulations to Zane, and well done to Jho’Arryn and Kruze for their efforts on the day.

We are incredibly proud of their achievements, and we wish Zane the best of luck at the State Championships.

Paul Kelly Cup Regional Finals in Coffs Harbour

On Tuesday, 15 of our Year Five and Six students travelled to Coffs Harbour to compete in the Paul Kelly Cup Northern NSW Finals. Due to earlier weather disruptions and the cancellation of the Zone Gala Day, teams had the opportunity to participate in the Regional Finals.

Throughout the day, the boys played three matches, displaying resilience and growth. Notably, only two players in the Aggies team had prior AFL experience. In their first game against South West Rocks, they contested every play with determination, ultimately losing to a team with more experienced AFL players.

In the second match against St James from Banora Point, the boys applied their learnings, improving their gameplay and narrowly went down to a team that reached the final. In their final game, the team came together to secure a victory against St Joseph’s Port Macquarie.

Congratulations to Beau L, who was awarded the Coach’s Award for Best on Ground. Well done to all the players for their dedication and sportsmanship:

Zane B, Malakai C, Ryan C, Reagan C, Jack C, Kruze D, Kallan F, Beau L, Patrick M, Kitt Q, Archie SB, Max S, Jenson T, Enzo W, and Oliver W.

Three Aggies Girls Get the Shot at the Polding Touch Football Trials

Yesterday, Stella D, Mia B and Ivy G had their chance on the touch football field. The girls had waited a long time for the selection, having qualified for the event through Diocesan selection way back in December 2024.

The Trials were at the new sporting grounds in Lake Cathie, meaning very little travel for the competitors. The girls were playing for the Lismore Diocese Team and aiming for selection on the Polding Team to compete at the NSW PSSA Championships in Mudgee, August 19-21.

Unfortunately, the training session for the Polding team was cancelled on Thursday, but the selection day was held in stunning weather. All three girls played well through the pool games and enjoyed the opportunity to play against other quality touch football players. Congratulations to Mia, Stella and Ivy for making it this far in the selection process.

From the day Stella was selected to represent the Polding Team at the upcoming NSW PSSA Touch Football Championships. Well done Stella!

Future Dates

Term 3

• Wednesday 30 July - Zone Athletics - St Joseph’s Regional College
• Tuesday 26 August - Diocesan Athletics Carnival - Coffs Harbour
• Tuesday 5 August to Thursday 7 August - PSSA Rugby Union - Newcastle
  
• Tuesday 19 August to Thursday 21 August - PSSA Touch Football - Mudgee
  

St Agnes' Photo Gallery - Term 2

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Creative Arts News

Creative Arts Spectacular

It is pleasing to see just how far all of our extra curricular dance and drama groups are progressing with their preparation for our up and coming Creative Arts Spectacular. 

Save the dates:

Dance and Drama workshop : Sunday 27 July School Hall

Creative Arts Spectacular rehearsal day: Wednesday 27 August Panthers Club

Creative Arts Spectacular performance day: Thursday 28 August Panthers Club - 12:00pm Matinee and 6:45pm Evening Show

Student Awards

Assembly Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received an award at recent assemblies:

Aila N, Airlie B, Aisha M, Anastasia K, Andrea Anna T, Ara J, Ariana F, Arlow F, Asha G, Asha W, Aurora M, Avery C, Brodie C, Cassidy H, Charlie J, Chase M, Chase O, Chloe L, Daisy-Rae A, Eedie M, Elise G, Elkana J, Ella M, Emersyn F, Enzo W, Ethan W, Eva C, Evie P, Georgina F, Grace M, Hadi K, Harper C, Hayley M, Hazel L, Hendrix M, Hunter F, Imogen S, Ira S, Isaac R, Ivy C, Jai C, Jarred P, Jett L, Jude H, Kai N, Kanata N, Kitt Q, Kohen W, Lachlan F, Lachlan H, Lachlan L, Layla M, Leo H, Lily S, Louis R, Lucy D, Luka E, Macy C, Maia C, Maisyn F, Margaux R, McKenzie H, Michael L, Michelle A, Murray B, Narz M, Nathania N, Neosha K, Nicholas D, Olive G, Oliver L, Patrick M, Patrick P, Reagan C, Ryker D, Ryuta F, Scarlett F, Sharni D, Shivanya R, Shivonne S, Skyler B, Slayter G, Stella D, Tabitha B, Theodore R, Thomas B, Thomas B, Van M, Wynter W, Zach B and Zuri T

Congratulations to the following students who received 300 Dojos this week:

Arie F and Kanata N

Congratulations to the following students who received 200 Dojos this week:

Aanshi P, Addison A, Adelaide W, Aemy M, Aiden V, Alexander M, Alira S, Amahli M, Amber Sage N, Amelia W, Angus F, Annabelle S, Archer M, Archie M, Arthur V, Aubree S, Audrey F, Ava R, Boston F, Bridie W, Cedar B, Charlie EVANS, Charlie JACKSON-HOPE, Charlotte BEDWELL, Chelsea ORME, Claudia FOOT, Daisy-Rae A, Daniel L, Diya D, Edison L, Eisha G, Eleanore M, Elsie K, Emersyn F, Emilia T, Ethan W, Eva D, Everett B, Felix F, Finn P, Frankie C, Grace M, Harper W, Hartley O, Hazel L, Henley C, Imogen W, Indi S, Ira S, Isaac R, Isabelle P, Ishel Elsa J, Ivy G, Jack D, Jackson L, Jiya R, John D, Johnny F, Jorgie P, Joshua  A, Jovan A, Kaia S, Kaito S, Keira M, Kohen W, Lachlan S, Lucky S, Lexi C, Lily G, Lisa-Marie V, Luca B, Lucas V, Lucy C, Luka E, Mahli N, Mahli-Lee W, Maia C, Maja M, Maliya L, Marcella J, Matilda H, McKenzie H, Mia B, Migha A, Miles G, Molly B, Neosha K, Oliver L, Olivia C, Oto V, Patrick J, Peyton T, Prisca K, Rachel H, Riley O, Rose M, Ryan F, Sage P, Scarlett F, Shivanya R, Sienna R, Skylah N, Sophia S, Sophie W, Stella A, Sylvia L, Tate A, Theodore H, Theodore R, Thomas B, Thomas B, Tully D, Vivienne L, Waverly C, William G, Willow H, Willow W and Wynter W

Congratulations to the following students who received 100 Dojos this week:

Aiden V, Archie M, Brodie C, Claudia F, Daisy-Rae A, Eleanore M, Emersyn F, Frankie C, Grace M, Harry M, Henley C, Johnny F, Mahli N, Marcella J, Molly B and Tate A

School Community Forum

Dear Parents and Carers

It is hard to believe we have reached the end of Term Two! It has been a big term with lots of exciting opportunities for students and our school community. 

Congratulations to Mr Brendan Kiely who during this term has been appointed as Principal, after a term as Acting Principal. His support for the School Community Forum is very much appreciated. 

Thank you to all parents, grandparents and staff involved in our Term Two SCF activities. These included the Mother’s Day Lunch, Volunteering at Port Macquarie Ironman, the Mother’s Day stall, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 Social Sunday’s at Springloaded (which have raised over $1000 to date). 

Thank you to Kate Bale and Michelle Gerathy for organising our Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser. Thanks also to everyone who baked or served on the day. $1809.73 was raised and donated to the Cancer Council to support work in cancer research, prevention programs and support services. 

Please SAVE THE DATE for our next SCF meeting on Monday 25 August at 5:45pm. Please note this is a date change. At this meeting we will be joined by Mrs Cath Eichmann, Regional Assistant Director, Hastings and former Principal of MacKillop College. Cath will present to parents on the topic of ‘Managing phones, screen time and social media’ from her experience as a secondary Principal.

Please see below for the minutes of the June SCF Meeting and the SCF Key Dates Calendar to see all that is planned for Term Three.

Wishing everyone an enjoyable school holiday break!

Kind regards

Allison Ritchie
Chairperson
St Agnes’ Primary School Community Forum
E: pandfstagnes@gmail.com

Canteen News

Parish News

Community News

Mental Health Support During The School Holidays: 

For parents seeking support during the school holidays – Help is available

• Visit your local GP
• headspace Counselling: Parents or students can call or walk in to their local headspace centre. 
• eheadspace, online and phone counselling for young people aged 12 to 25 and their families: 1800 650 890 www.headspace.org.au/eheadspace
• Kids Helpline, online and phone counselling for young people aged 5 to 25: 1800 551   800  www.kidshelpline.com.au 
• Parentline, counselling and support for parents and carers: 13 22 89 https://services.dffh.vic.gov.au/parentline
• National Medicare Mental Health Support make a free call to 1800 595 212 between 8:30am – 5pm weekdays (except public holidays)
• Lifeline, crisis support and suicide prevention for all Australians: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au
• Beyond Blue, online and phone support service for individuals experiencing depression and anxiety and their families: 1300 224 636 www.beyondblue.org.au (including translated resources to help parents and families support young people’s mental health). 
• Head to Help, digital mental health resources from Australian organisations: 1800 595 212 www.headtohelp.org.au/
• Suicide Call Back Service, online, phone and video counselling for anyone affected by suicidal thoughts: 1300 659 467 www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au 
• contacting 000 if you are in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others