Term 3 Week 8 Newsletter

Prayer

From The Principal

Last week, the staff at St Anthony’s were blessed to engage in our second staff formation session, guided by Alison Stone from the Franciscan School Australia. As a Franciscan school, we are deeply rooted in the spirituality of walking in the footsteps of Christ, inspired by the life and teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Together, we explored two significant texts - the Canticle of the Creatures and Laudato Si’ - that invite us to reflect more deeply on our relationship with creation and our responsibility as stewards of the Earth.

Saint Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures, written over 800 years ago, reminds us of the sacred connection between humanity and all elements of God’s creation. It encourages us to recognise the divine presence in nature and to approach all living things with reverence and gratitude.

Now in its 10th year, Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ builds on this tradition, calling us to care for our common home and to respond to the environmental challenges of our time with faith, action, and hope. During our session, we examined the key messages of the encyclical and discussed what they mean for us at St Anthony’s - both as individuals and as a school community.

Living in Tasmania, we are uniquely positioned to witness the beauty and wonder of God’s creation. We are called to not only appreciate this gift but also to protect it for future generations. As part of our reflection, we were invited to consider this powerful question from Laudato Si’ (paragraph 160):

“What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?”

This question prompted deep personal and communal reflection. What is our response - in our own lives, and in the life of our school? How do we teach our students to live with awe and wonder, with care and responsibility?

As we move forward, may our actions reflect our Franciscan values: simplicity, care for creation, and love for all. Together, we continue our journey of faith, inspired by the spirit of Saint Francis and the call of Laudato Si’ to be people of hope and transformation.

Ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day.  

In life, challenges inevitably occur for ourselves, friends, family, colleagues and other acquaintances. Having someone to check in and have meaningful conversations with builds trust and a safe space to openly and honestly discuss what we may be struggling with. You don’t need to be an expert to reach out, you just need to be a good listener and supportive.

The four recommended steps are as follows;

• Ask R U OK?
• Listen
• Encourage action
• Check in

FIREWORKS 2025

Thank You!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came along, volunteered, donated, sponsored, and supported our community event — we couldn’t have done it without you! We look forward to sharing the final fundraising total with you once everything is finalised.

Relive the magic and watch the fireworks light up the night here: Watch the video

We are especially grateful to our Snap, Crackle & Pop sponsors. Your generous support made it possible to bring our families and friends together for an unforgettable evening of fireworks, fun, music, and memories.

Kinder and Prep News

This week Kinder and Prep had an incursion on snake safety. We enjoyed patting blue tongue lizards. There was a baby one which we really liked! It felt bumpy and was shiny. We also loved learning about snakes and how to be safe around them. We had lots of questions and learnt that if we see a snake, we need to walk very slowly away or if they are close, to freeze. We also practiced bandaging each other which was a bit tricky. We had a great time learning about different snakes and reptiles!

My New Gallery

Gala Day Term 3, 2025

Team 1: Netball was really fun. Hunter did a lot of fantastic shooting. Everyone did brilliant passing and Noah Meb in centre was always there when you needed to pass the ball. Madsy and Ivy were impossible to get by in defence. Kinsey and Grace were applying great pressure, and Mason was getting the ball where it needed to be. Casey was everywhere and wore himself out with his determination!

Team 2: Everyone played very well and had excellent skills, even those who haven’t played before! Our team worked well together. Tina kept playing, with a stitch, and showed great determination. Raff and Noah used their basketball skills and were amazing players. Macie was so fast, Spencer was a really good shooter, and Evie was an excellent team player. Vani and Ari were great at having a go at every position.

Everyone showed great teamwork, used their skills and worked well together. If anyone made a mistake, we just had a laugh together. Mrs Furfaro and Mrs Scott were super proud! 

By Mason, Vani & Evie

Friendly Reminder:

Friendly Reminder: 

Absences and Illness – Please Keep Sick Children at Home

To help keep our school community healthy, we kindly ask that you keep your child at home if they are feeling unwell or showing any signs of illness (e.g. cough, sore throat, fever, runny nose, upset stomach).

If your child is absent, please record the absence on Compass and include the reason (e.g. "unwell" or "cold symptoms"). This information is confidential and helps us monitor and manage any illness trends across the school. If you are unable to access Compass please call the school office.

Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe and well.

Singfest

Congratulations to all our students who participated in Singfest last week. The performance was outstanding. Thank you to the wonderful Nat Zegveld, who worked tirelessly with our students to enable them to perform so beautifully.