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- PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
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- ST ANTHONY'S KINDERGARTEN BOOK FAIR
- ASSISI CAMPUS NEWS - Copy
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- THE WIZARD OF OZ
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Good Day, Good People,
We had the pleasure of listening to our candidates present their speeches for our College leadership positions during assembly at Assisi this week. Five students- two girls and three boys put forward their ideas on why they would be good leaders for 2026. I was very impressed by these young people and how they spoke to a large audience. The voting is happening presently and we will be announcing the captains early next week. We wish them all well and know the College will be in good hands.
This week the College has been celebrating Science week with numerous activities happening to focus on science. This subject area is extremely important, and we have had numerous students do very well in the sciences and take their futures in that direction. Curiosity certainly is good for our minds and science helps us explore this.
Next week is Book week. Again, there will be various opportunities for students to celebrate this. I have spoken many times about the importance of reading. Children who read do better is my mantra. Better at school, better at life. Reading and comprehension is the greatest tool we teach our children. This needs to start at home and be nurtured at school. Book week is an opportunity for us all to revisit reading in our lives and the lives of our children.
I will be attending an Education Conference in Cairns between Wednesday & Friday of next week. This is an opportunity to listen to educational experts and see what is the latest in discussions around schools. I look forward to this opportunity and hopefully bringing some ideas back to St. Anthony’s.
I wish to congratulate our Eco Warriors for their efforts over the last couple of weeks winning a Gold Award at an International event: Global Link Australia. Well done to all involved.
We have our Winter Carnival on this coming Friday 22nd of August from 5.00pm to 9.00pm. Please come along and support the College. Remember school will finish at 12.20pm on this day.
We also want to bring your attention to a wonderful concert the College will be running on August the 30th. We bring you our first ever St. Anthony’s Spectacular. Tickets are available at the College.
Barry Horner
Principal
| Term 3 - Week 6 |
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All week: Book Week & Year 12 Post School Pathway Interviews Tue 19 August - Interschool Athletics Carnival Tue 19 August - SET Plan Interviews Wed 20 August - Interschool Athletics Carnival Wed 20 August - SET Plan Interviews Fri 22 August - Winter Carnival (School finishes at 12:20pm) Fri 22 August - JCU Book Week Program (JCU, All day, selected Yrs 11-12) Fri 22 August - Year 11 Legal Studies Excursion (Tsv Magistrates …, All day) Fri 22 August - 11CFI First Aid Course (L6 & 8, All day) |
| Term 3 - Week 7 |
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All Week: Science Week Tue 26 August - Board Meeting Tue 26 August - Year 12 History Excursion (All Day) Wed 27 August - FUSE Cup (SCCC, All day, Selected Yrs 7&8) Thu 28 August - FUSE Cup (TCS, All day, Selected Yrs 9-12) Fri 29 August - Japanese Speaking Competition (RCC, HR - P4)
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Welcome to the halfway point of our term.
As we reach this stage, many of our students begin to experience an increase in classwork and assessments. This can sometimes feel overwhelming and stressful. In these moments, it is important to pause and remember the comfort and strength that our faith offers us.
Be with us, Lord
Faith is not a guarantee that life will always be easy. At d
ifferent times, we all face challenges and difficulties that test us. In these moments, it can feel like we are being asked, just like Peter, to step out and walk on water. Yet, at the same time, the Lord reaches out His hand to steady and hold us.
We can also look to St Anthony of Padua, whose life was marked by trust in God even in times of trial. May his example inspire us to seek God’s guidance, courage, and presence in our own journeys.
No matter what we face, God’s promise remains: He is with us—constantly and faithfully.
A Prayer for our students
Loving God,
We lift up our students to You in this busy time of learning, assessment, and exams.
Remind them that their value is not measured by grades, but by the love You have for them.
Bless them with calm hearts, clear minds, and the courage to do their best.
May they know the gentle presence of Christ walking beside them and the spirit of St. Francis guiding them to live with kindness, peace, and respect.
Hold them close, Lord, and strengthen them with Your promise:
“Do not fear, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Amen.
We encourage our students to recognise the face of God in one another by choosing kindness in their words and actions each day. In the spirit of St. Francis, who embraced simplicity, humility, and peace, our young people are invited to live gently with others and with creation, reflecting God’s love through compassion and respect. This Franciscan way of life builds a community where peace, care, and understanding flourish.
As we move through this busy part of the term, with assessments, exams, and study taking much of our students’ energy, we keep them close in our prayers. May they always remember that their worth lies not in results, but in the love of God who journeys with them. We are reminded in Isaiah (41:10), God gently reassures us: “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
With this hope, may our students find courage, peace, and strength to continue their learning with hearts grounded in faith.
Good Day, Good People,
Eisteddfod 2025
St Anthony’s is excited to be part of the 2025 Eisteddfod, taking place in Weeks 9 and 10 of this term. Each class will be participating in this special event, either through choral speaking or a short play, providing every student with the opportunity to perform and shine on stage.
In addition to class performances, our Choir and instrumental ensembles will also be performing and competing at the Civic Theatre, proudly representing our college community.
We wish all of our students the very best as they prepare to showcase their talents!
Safety Reminders
A friendly reminder to take extra care around our school pedestrian crossing!
To help keep our students and families safe, we kindly ask all drivers to:
Please also be patient and respectful to our wonderful crossing supervisor, who helps keep our children safe every day.
Carpark
Please also remember that the speed limit in our school carpark is 10 km/h at all times. Driving slowly and staying alert, especially during drop-off and pick-up, helps protect our children and ensures a safe environment for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community safe.
Kindy Carpark Courtesy 
A gentle reminder to please be mindful of our Kindy families during afternoon pick-up. The Kindy carparks can become quite busy, and it can be difficult for parents to exit their parking spaces.
We kindly ask all drivers to be considerate and allow room for Kindy parents to safely and smoothly exit the carpark. Your patience and cooperation help keep our school community running safely and respectfully for everyone.
Thank you for supporting a safe and respectful school community!
God bless,
Karen Krzelj - Deputy Principal (Acting), Padua Campus
SHINE award winners from Years 4- 6
FIRST NATIONS NEWS
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day
On Monday 4th August, our school joined communities across Australia in celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day. This year’s theme, "Little Footprints, Big Futures," honoured the potential of every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and the role we all play in supporting their growth, cultural identity, and future aspirations.
Students participated in a variety of classroom and lunchtime activities across Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. These included reading stories by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, engaging in art projects inspired by traditional designs, learning songs and dances, exploring Dreaming stories, and taking part in games enjoyed by First Nations children. These experiences provided a fun and meaningful way for our students to recognise and celebrate the culture, history, and contributions of Australia’s First Peoples.
We were delighted to welcome First Nations artist Arthur Conlon to our school, where he worked with our Year 6 art classes. Arthur generously shared his cultural knowledge, inspiring students with stories, traditions, and artistic techniques drawn from his heritage. Under his guidance, the students created their own unique artworks, drawing on the rich symbolism and storytelling traditions of First Nations culture. It was a valuable opportunity for our students to deepen their understanding, express themselves creatively, and connect with Australia’s First Peoples through art.
URSTRONG/FRIENDOLOGY
Our classes have been continuing their journey with the URSTRONG Friendology curriculum, and I’ve enjoyed hearing from teachers about the progress of their lessons. Each year level is engaging with content tailored to them, and by now students will have explored the Friend-O-Meter. I’ve included a Parent Resource you might like to try at home. If you and your child complete the activity together, I’d love to hear your feedback.
The Friend-o-Meter: Time to Chat!
How is your child feeling in their friendships? Get them talking & opening up with this activity! Some friendships bring out the best in us while, unfortunately, some bring out the worst. It’s so important to teach children that friendships are a choice and help them learn the difference between healthy & unhealthy friendships.
We developed a visual tool, The Friend-o-Meter, to help children easily reflect on and communicate how they’re feeling in their friendships. In our research, we have found that children do not always assess or evaluate the health of their friendships –meaning, they do not have boundaries when it comes to friendship. We want children to think about whether or not friendships are healthy for them and what qualities are essential in healthy relationships.
Friendship skills are relationship skills, and we do not want children first learning about healthy relationships when they’re teenagers in romantic relationships. We want kids asking themselves now, “Is this friendship (relationship) good for me? Does this person treat me with the respect I deserve?” so that this self-compassion will be an instinct when considering future relationships.
Whether your child has come home from a bad day at school or you’re concerned they’re not surrounding themselves with the right friends, give this little activity a try! It will help open up the lines of communication and get them to share how they are feeling in their friendships.
Instructions
- Say to your child, “Hey! I have a fun idea... Let’s draw together!” Find a quiet place to colour together where they will feel comfortable chatting.
1. NOTE: Keep in mind that some children won’t open up if a sibling is around, as friendship issues feel very private and sometimes embarrassing. They also might not trust their sibling to be supportive or respond in a helpful way. Create some one-on-one time so that your child will feel safe sharing their stories with you! - Say, “I want to draw a picture of the Friend-o-Meter! Have you heard of it? It helps us think about how we’re feeling in our friendships.” Show them an image of the Friend-o-Meter (above) and start drawing.
- As you go through each colour, ask them for examples in their friendship. Start with your own personal examples first to lead the way. You might say, “In a Green-Zone Friendship, I feel like I can be myself and feel really comfortable – like with my friend, Shari. It feels really easy with her! Can you think of a Green-Zone Friendship in your life?”
- Explain to your child that it’s normal for friendships to sometimes dip into the Red Zone because Friendship Fact #1: No friendship (or relationship) is perfect. Say, “Sometimes our friendship ends up in the Red Zone because of a conflict—a Friendship Fire. But, sometimes it just slowly ends up in the Red Zone over time, and we don’t know precisely why—we just know that it doesn’t feel good anymore.” Share an example in your life.
- Say, “If your friendship is in the Red Zone because of a Friendship Fire, the key is that you put it out and get the friendship back into the Green Zone again!” If your child identifies a Red Zone Friendship in their life, ask them, “What’s ONE THING you can do that might help get it back to the Green Zone?”
1. NOTE: To put out Friendship Fires, we teach children to work their way around the Friend-o-Cycle. There are great videos (found on their website) they can watch to teach them how to Talk-it-Out with a friend.
Keep focusing on your child and what THEY can do to keep friendships in the Green Zone, empowering them with simple, easy-to-try ideas.
Remind them, “There’s only one person you can control – that’s YOU! And, always remember, you deserve Green-Zone Friendships!!”
Use the Friend-o-Meterto spark discussions with your child and regularly check in on how they’re going in their friendships.
Gracelyn Mitchell
Assistant Principal Administration (Acting) - Padua Campus
Science Week 2025 – Decoding the Universe
This week, Padua came alive with curiosity and discovery as we celebrated Science Week 2025 under the theme Decoding the Universe. Our students explored the hidden language of nature through a series of hands-on, inquiry-based stations designed to spark wonder and encourage scientific thinking.
Paired in buddy groups, older students guided younger learners through activities connected to the four elements, Sun, Earth, Water, and Wind, as well as special First Nations perspectives on the natural world. From launching air rockets to decoding animal tracks, every station invited students to ask questions, make predictions, and see science in action.
These experiences didn’t just entertain, they built teamwork, problem-solving and observational skills, all while deepening our connection to the world around us.
A huge thank you to our staff, students and helpers who made this week possible.
Happy Science Week
Spelling Bee Champions!
Last night, eight of our incredible students represented St. Anthony's at the Annual Townsville Catholic Schools Spelling Bee. The competition was intense, but our students represented us amazingly. We are so proud of their hard work, preparation, and confidence on the night.
A huge well done to our dedicated spellers! They truly made us proud.
2025 Book Week will be celebrated from August 16th to 22nd and in the lead up to this week students are being introduced to the books nominated for Book Week Awards. Book Week is celebrated across Australia and is a way of acknowledging the importance of books in our lives. It is also a chance to celebrate the talent of Australian authors and illustrators. The winners of the nominated books in the different sections will be announced prior to Book Week and students will be able to compare their opinions with those of the Book Council Judges.
Book Week Free Dress Day
When: Friday 22nd August
In Greccio Place – 8:30 to 9:10am
The theme this year is – Book an Adventure
Come dressed as a book character or where you would go on an adventure
Books nominated for Picture Book of the Year
The Garden of Broken Things written and illustrated by Freya Blackwood
One day, curious Sadie follows a cat into the tangled vines behind the lonely house at Number 9, Ardent Street.
Deep in the undergrowth, past all the twisted, rusted things, Sadie finds the cat sitting on the lap of a woman, bent with time and weariness.
Sadie has found the Garden of Broken Things.
The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel
Some cats are house cats. Some are apartment cats.
But Tinka is a truck cat. Tinka lives everywhere.
Along with his human, Yacoub, Tinka travels roads wide and narrow, near and distant. But no matter how much they travel, home feels very far away – for both of them
A leaf called Greaf written and illustratedby Kelly Canby
Bear is all alone and lonely until he finds the greenest, most beguiling leaf. A leaf called Greaf. Bear holds Greaf tight throughout the days and nights that follow. Bear can barely remember a time before Greaf. It is as if things have always been this way. Until one day,
they aren't. ...
A reminder for all those students who have undertaken the Premier’s Reading Challenge that the final date for completed sheets MUST be returned to me in the library by FRIDAY 22nd AUGUST.
Storybox Online – Have the nominated stories and other activities for Book Week
The link and Log in details are as follows https://storyboxlibrary.com.au/
Username: Padua
Password : SACCStoybox
Sue Keith
Teacher Librarian
Padua Campus Library
“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.” – Roald Dahl
We would love to welcome the school students over to the Book Fair.
The fair will be open from 8:00-8:15 and 2:35-2:55 each day, in the kindy office.
We have tap credit card payments and we are not taking cash this year.
Families can come over from Week 5.
Our fortnight started with the Townsville Careers Expo where we had many very well behaved students from Years 10-12 attend. This even extended to a Boeing Defence Apprenticeship information session. We hope this event has helped these students find out more about their career. All this fortnight Kathryn Tebble has been conducting all the Year 12 Post School Pathway Interviews with parents and students. This is to ensure we have the right plans set up for the next step.
There have been so many events our students have had the opportunity to partake in. From the Arts there was the Scene Project Outcome Day at St Patrick’s College. Our Drama students loved this day and were even lucky enough to catch up with some of their friends from other schools. Last night quite a few students and staff went to the ‘& Juliet’ Excursion at the Civic Theatre. Academically we had our maths minded students participate in the Australian Mathematics Competition. We hope they enjoyed this challenge and we wait to see their results later this year. We had a group of our Year 12 Japanese students attend the Young Language Ambassador Conference. We also congratulate Jasmine Jackson for her participation in the QATSIF Graduation Ceremony. She was able to be recognised by QATSIF with a range of other students on this scholarship from the region.
On a sporting front it has been very busy with our Dragons Volleyballers competing at the Senior School Volleyball Cup down on the Gold Coast. The Boys team played very well all carnival to finish with second place in Division 2. While the girls battled away to finish third in their division. Last weekend our 13 Boys and Open Mixed Dragons Touch players competed in the NQ All Schools Touch Football Carnival. Our Open mixed team narrowly missed out on going through to the semi finals and the 13 Boys learnt a great deal and improved so much over the weekend. Yesterday and today we had a Year 7-9 team of boys and girls compete in the Secondary Schools Cricket Carnival. The boys had a win and a loss with a young team. We hope to have them in the competition again next year. No news back from the girls yet.
Yesterday we also had the prospective 2026 College Captain speeches. The staff were really impressed with the standard of all of the speeches. They did really well and we will be able to find out on Monday who our captains will be.
Until next Newsletter or I see you, take care.
Nick Antoniazzi
Deputy Principal - Assisi Campus
From the desk of Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching,
Unfortunately Helen is on leave this week and unable to share her wisdom with us.
We look forward to her next newsletter article
Take care.
Helen Rainnie
Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching
We are proud to announce this term there will be a collaboration of the Arts across campuses to present one amazing show. More info to come but please save the date!
Young Language Ambassador Conference 2025
On Friday, 8 August, seven students from Assisi and Padua Campuses attended the Young Language Ambassador Conference at JCU. Inspiring guest speakers shared how learning another language had opened doors to unexpected careers and global opportunities - from fashion design to marine biology, and from Tahitian dance to international travel. Students returned with renewed enthusiasm for their language studies and a fresh appreciation for the possibilities that multilingualism offers.
Year 10 students getting reading for SET Plan Interviews
During homeroom, our Year 10 students have been preparing for their SET Plan Interview. Students have completed an online Morrisby career profiling quiz to help identify their strengths, interests, and possible career pathways, and developed a Career Action Plan to assist them with reflecting on their goals, skills, and aspirations to assist with deciding on their senior subjects. The Career Action Plan will be available at the SET Plan Interviews next week.
Year 12 students applying to study at university in 2026
QTAC Applications
The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) is responsible for managing the undergraduate university and tertiary education admissions process in Queensland.
Queensland Year 12 students can begin their QTAC Application for courses commencing in 2026 from Tuesday 5 August. Students will need to:
- create a QTAC Account; and
- register to access their ATAR in the ATAR Portal
To stay informed about key dates and receive timely reminders, students can sign up for QTAC’s Remind Me service. Sign up now to go in the draw to win prizes such as Google Nests, Beats Headphones and more.
JCU Early Offer program
JCU’s Early Offer program is a pathway to give students some peace of mind knowing they have a place at university next year, and is one less thing to stress about during exam time. The offer they receive will be “conditional” – basically, this means it comes with conditions. For example, an offer might be conditional on achieving a certain ATAR or completing specific subjects. Students considering applying for an early offer are encouraged to make an appointment to discuss with Miss Tebble.
University key dates and events
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Date |
Event |
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Friday 1 August |
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Monday 4 August |
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Tuesday 5 August |
Year 12 QTAC Early Bird applications open |
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Thursday 14 August |
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Tuesday 30 September |
JCU Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science dual applications due |
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Wednesday 1 October |
QTAC Early Bird Applications close (higher application fee applies) |
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Friday 10 October |
JCU Early Offer Nominations close |
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Monday 1 December |
CQU’s Principal’s Recommendation Scheme applications close |
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Monday 8 December |
QTAC due date to apply and submit supporting documentation |
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Thursday 18 December |
ATAR release |
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Tuesday 23 December |
December (early) Offer Round |
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Thursday 15 January |
January (main) Offer Round |
Townsville Careers Expo – Year 10, 11 & 12 Students Explore Future Pathways
We recently took about 80 of our Year 10, 11 and 12 students to the Townsville Careers Expo. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to explore a wide range of careers, employment and training opportunities, and talk with employers and industry, education and training providers, and apprenticeship and traineeship agencies. A big thank you to our students who represented the school so positively throughout the day — your enthusiasm, curiosity, and excellent behaviour made us proud.
Discover the Townsville Creative Technologies Centre (TCTC)
Unleash your imagination at the Townsville Creative Technologies Centre – where creativity meets cutting-edge tech! At the heart of Heatley Secondary College, the Townsville Creative Technologies Centre delivers nationally accredited Certificate II & III courses across creative tech disciplines like Printing & Graphic Arts, Music Production, Screen & Animation, and Game Design—all taught using industry‑standard equipment and software.
With skilled industry practitioners designing the curriculum, TCTC emphasises real‑world outputs—like graduates’ show reels and portfolios—that open doors in digital media, entertainment, and creative industries.
Here are some upcoming opportunities to explore a future in creative tech:
Townsville Creative Technologies Centre – TCTC Information Evening
Date: Tuesday 26 August
Time: From 6:00pm
Location: TCTC, Heatley Secondary College
Explore 2026 course options in:
CII in Creative Industries - Animation
CIII in Screen and Media (Screen)
CIII in Information Technology - Game Programming
CIII in Music - Sound Production
CII in Printing and Graphic Arts
CIII in Visual Art - Photography
Meet the teachers and tour the facilities
See student projects and equipment in action
RSVP: Call 4726 8333 to confirm your attendance
Townsville Creative Technologies Centre – TCTC Taster Session
Date: Thursday 4 September
Time: 8:50am – 11:20am
Experience:
- Game Design
- Music & Sound Production
- Animation
- Film & Media
- Graphic Arts
- Photography
Expression of Interest: contact Mr Kyle or Miss Tebble to submit an EOI form
RSVP by Wednesday 3 September
Transportation: the School will arrange transport for students to attend this event
Key Events
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Date |
Career Event |
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Saturday 23 August |
TEC-NQ Open Day (places are limited, book your spot!) |
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Tuesday 26 August |
TCTC Information Evening |
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Thursday 28 August |
Emergency Medical Dispatchers - North Operations Centre Open Night |
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Thursday 4 September |
TCTC Taster Session |
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Saturday 6 September |
Mater Education Townsville Open Day |
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Thursday 25 September |
Emergency Medical Dispatchers - North Operations Centre Open Night |
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Thursday 30 October |
Emergency Medical Dispatchers - North Operations Centre Open Night |
For career counselling and information:
Miss Kathryn Tebble
Career Development Practitioner
4751 7300 or ktebble1@sacc.catholic.edu.au
In this edition of SchoolTV - Anxiety & Young People
Most young people today experience anxiety at some point in their life. Sometimes that slight rush of anxiety that occurs prior to an exam or sporting event, can enhance their performance. However, experiencing too much anxiety, over long periods of time, can be extremely damaging to their health and wellbeing. There is a difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ anxiety.
Statistics show, that the psychological health of young people today is far worse than it was a generation ago. This is having an adverse affect on children in both primary and secondary levels. Some of their issues of concern include stress, school, study, body image and friendship.
Parents need to be aware of the warning signs of ‘bad’ anxiety. There are preventative measures parents can implement as well as teaching kids the skills to cope more efficiently with their anxiety.
We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to the Anxiety & Young People edition of SchoolTV
https://sacc.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/anxiety-young-people-au
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How are Australian parents doing right now? It’s time to find out. The Parenting Today survey is a national survey that will bring together the voices of 10,000 parents – and you can add your voice to the mix. This is your chance to make sure families just like yours are represented. The survey will capture the experiences, strengths, and support needs of parents and carers across Australia. If you are a parent or carer to a child aged 0-18, you are invited to participate and share your experience of what it is like to be a parent in 2025. TAKE THE SURVEY NOW parentingtoday.net.au |
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Are you a young person from regional Australia who is passionate about advocating for your community? Country to Canberra wants to hear from you!
Country to Canberra’s national Leadership Competition is open for 2025 - empowering young women and non-binary people aged 15 to18 years from regional Australia to reach their leadership potential.
Winners will receive an all expenses paid trip to Canberra, where they will mingle with CEOs and politicians, receive career coaching, public speaking training, and networking opportunities to accelerate their leadership journey.
Previous winners have had private meetings with the Prime Minister and other politicians, been trained by TEDx speakers, and completed media training to appear on TV!
Is this you or someone you know? Head to
https://countrytocanberra.com.au/leadership-competition-2025/ to find out more!
