Good Day, Good People,

The wet weather keeps coming and I would like to thank you for your assistance this term when we had to close school early, close school altogether or go to a supervisory role. As well as very wet drop off and pick up times. The wet weather is set to continue next week but we will get through it. We look forward to a much calmer term two at least in terms of the weather. In wandering around the playground, I would like to raise with you that a lot of our students are under prepared for rainy weather. I would encourage all of our students to have rain protection with raincoats, an umbrella, our College jacket (helpful but not fully rainproof), or at least a towel they could use to dry off. I know our teenagers are often more interested in looking cool, but we all need protection from our current weather patterns.

Camp season is still under way. Our Year six students had a good camp a couple of weeks ago at Daradgee Environmental Centre. Our Year 7 students head off on Wednesday to Camp Kanga near Proserpine. I thank the many staff and parents who have been able to help these camps go ahead.

As this is the last Newsletter of the term I would like to thank you all for the term and wish you a nice Easter break next week.

Easter Sunday is the last weekend of the holidays and seems a fair way off, but I would like to encourage you to look for ways to celebrate this special time in the Christian calendar. Our Parish will have services during this time on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday and all are welcome. It is important that our children see Easter for more than chocolate and bunnies.

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us and we celebrate his death and resurrection each year to remind us of this. It is a time for self-reflection and how we can change to live a life more like the teachings Jesus left us with. Happy Easter to all and thank you Jesus.

Yours sincerely,

Barry Horner

College Principal

Good day, good people!

As we approach the joyous celebration of Easter in 2025, we embrace this sacred season as a time of reflection, renewal and gratitude for the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

During our daily routines and responsibilities, Easter invites us to pause and rejoice in the boundless love of God—a love so great that He gave His only Son to redeem us and offer the gift of eternal life. It is a season of hope, reminding us that even in life’s challenges and uncertainties, we are never alone. God walks with us, offering His peace, guidance, and unfailing grace.

On behalf of the entire St. Anthony’s community, we extend our warmest wishes for a blessed and joyful Easter. May this season fill your hearts and homes with love, laughter, and the promise of new beginnings as we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s resurrection.

(Website for other Parish times and locations.)

Holy Week

Whilst we are on school holidays the middle weekend begins the sacred journey of Holy Week with Palm Sunday (13th April), a time of deep reflection and heartfelt gratitude. Over this week we walk with Jesus through His final days on earth, we are reminded of His unwavering love and sacrifice. Yet, in the sorrow of the Cross, we find the promise of joy—the hope of His resurrection.

Easter is a season of renewal, a time to open our hearts to God’s grace, to embrace new beginnings, and to give thanks for the boundless love that sustains us. May this Holy Week draw us closer to Christ and to one another in faith, compassion, and peace.

Easter is the gift of HOPE,

Renewed in the promise of Christ’s resurrection.

Easter is the gift of PEACE,

Found in the gentle presence of our loving God.

Easter is the gift of LOVE,

Poured out for us in boundless mercy and grace.

O Lord, as St. Francis embraced Your peace,

May we be instruments of that same peace,

Bringing hope to the weary,

Compassion to the suffering,

And love to all Your creation.

Through the light of Your resurrection,

May we walk in faith and humility,

Seeing You in every brother and sister,

Cherishing the beauty of creation,

And living as true reflections of Your love.

Amen.

—Author Unknown 

Project Compassion - Market Day

In Week 9, our Assisi students came together in the spirit of generosity, raising funds for Project Compassion through their Market Day—a beautiful afternoon filled with joy, community, and a shared commitment to helping others. Monday, March 31st, our Padua students will continue this mission through their own Market Day, embodying the love and compassion of Christ in their actions.

Guided by the words and teachings of Jesus, our students are living examples of faith in action, showing kindness, care, and a heart for those in need. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all students and parents for embracing these values—your generosity is a true blessing to those who need it most. May God continue to inspire and guide us in our journey of love and service.

As we celebrate the last week of Term One and the joy of Easter, we pray that your hearts are filled with love, your homes with peace and your lives with the hope of Christ’s resurrection. 

"It is in giving that we receive." St Francis of Assisi

God Bless

Rachel Bond                                                                          Rose Fitzsimmons

Acting APRE (Secondary)                                                        APRE (Primary)

Good day good people,

God bless,

Karen Krzelj - Deputy Principal (Acting)

Thank you to all of our parents for your understanding of the weather conditions that happened last Wednesday. What a run we are having with wet weather this year. If any families have been impacted by the latest rain please let the College know how we can support you. 

Last week we celebrated Harmony Week. It was fitting that St Patrick’s Day was part of the week as well. Thank you to the students who wore orange to celebrate the day on Thursday. There were a range of different activities for the students to be involved in and our Ubuntu lessons had an inclusive focus to it. We hope that students have learnt more about one of their classmates or a staff member. 

Also fitting in this week and as part of the third Thursday in March we celebrated Close the Gap Day. As a College we continue to educate our students about our First Nations brothers and sisters and ensure they are provided the support they need. Our First Nations students have signed up to the Emerging Leader program and had their check in meeting with their staff mentor on Thursday to discuss their student goal for the year. We wish the students all the best in their endeavours this year. 

As you are well aware, assessment is happening. Hopefully students have the feedback required to improve from their draft and they have been preparing for their exams. For our Year 12 students their assessment will make up their final grade so it is super important for them to be giving it their best shot. This week a group of our Year 9 and 10 students attended the annual Science & Engineering Challenge. 

The Leadership Team has been busy interviewing students for Year 7 2026. We have had many great conversations with our future students and look forward to seeing them start next year. Once again we have healthy numbers and will be able to fill the year level and have other students on the waiting list. 

Our parents have also been having some fun. By all reports the P&F Trivia Night was again successful. Lots of fun had by all and the Year 12s were busy looking after our parents. This also served as one of their fundraisers for their Graduation. This week we had our second Board meeting. We worked through a number of policy documents and uniform. I will send out the Attendance Policy for any more feedback from our families before it is ratified for another three years. Early next term we intend to send out a survey with regards to Uniform. We would love to hear from as many parents as possible. 

Until next Newsletter or I see you, take care

Nick Antoniazzi

Deputy Principal - Assisi Campus

Padua Library

Throughout the year St Anthony’s Catholic College participates in many initiatives that promote a love of reading for enjoyment. Along with learning how to read, we need to learn to read for enjoyment. As our lives become busier, reading provides us with quality down time that can transport us to many varied and wonderful places that inspire us, make us laugh, help us to empathize with others and to become life-long learners.

Some of the activities we will be participating in are: Term 2/3: May - the month of Reading, National Simultaneous Storytime – reading The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel, Reader’s Cup (team from Year 6), Premier’s Reading Challenge and Book Week

Parents / Carers: If your child’s book has been damaged or needs repairs, I ask that you do not attempt to repair it at home but get your child to return it to the library where we can repair the book using the correct materials and techniques. Books that are repaired at home using sticky tape often have to be thrown out as the sticky tape does even more damage to the book.

Book Club Issue 2 has been delivered and will be distributed to students this week.

Holiday Reading – Parents/ Carers don’t forget the College has access to the following online reading resources:

 Story Box Library - https://storyboxlibrary.com.au/

   Username: Padua  Password: SACCStorybox

 SORA – a library of online books. Students can access this through the commonly used links on their Intranet page. The log in details are the same as their login to their school accounts. Please note we are part of the ACEN group. 

"I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”  Roald Dahl

Sue Keith
Teacher Librarian
Padua Campus Library

A Special Report: Social Media & Comparison Culture

Young people today are growing up in a world where exposure to other people's lives is constant. Through social media and other platforms, they are regularly presented with curated highlights - from flawless holiday photos and academic milestones to the latest fashion trends and fitness achievements. This continuous stream of idealised content fuels what is known as comparison culture, where self-worth is often measured by how someone stacks up against others.

For children and adolescents, who are still figuring out who they are, this culture can be particularly damaging. Constantly comparing their appearance, achievements, or social standing to friends, influencers, and even strangers can lead to unrealistic expectations and a skewed sense of self-worth. This relentless need to measure up can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and anxiety - undermining both confidence and emotional wellbeing.

It's vital that parents and caregivers understand how deeply comparison culture can influence a child's self-perception and sense of value. Left unchecked, it can foster perfectionism and a dependence on external validation, where a 'like' or comment becomes the measure of their worth.

The good news is, families have a powerful role to play in helping young people navigate these challenges. This Special Report will help you empower your child to build the resilience and confidence needed to navigate today's comparison-driven world and embrace their own unique path.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:
https://sacc.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-social-media-comparison-culture-au

Miss Kathryn Tebble

Career Development Practitioner 

H₂ Grand Prix Practice Session at CQU

On Monday, 24^th March, 11 students went to CQU to meet with sponsors, organisers and other schools involved with the Hydrogen Grand Prix. Our two teams where the Year 9-10 team with Phoenix Ahlstedt (9), Beau Earsman (9), Ethan James (10), Brock Lowndes (9), Sophie Maltby (9) and Logan Sauer (9) and the Year 11-12 team with Ethan Bottcher (11), Matthew Buxton (11), Charlotte Falkenhagen (11), Charley Harward (11), and Jonathan Versfeld (12).

Both teams had a great time getting their cars ready to race and being able to get some practice in with other Hydrogen Grand Prix participant schools. It gave them a great insight into what some of the more experienced teams are doing to get their cars a little bit ahead of the competition. They were able to interact with the other schools and get help and advice from those who have been involved for a few years now.

St Anthony’s is lucky to have been sponsored with two kits to build two cars, which is giving this great opportunity for the students to apply the learning that they have gained from our STEM, Engineering and Design classes in Years 9 through to 12. The students will continue to hone their skills and build their teamwork over the coming months to get ready for the regiMaggieonal heats being held in May. 

Welcome back all to the tuckshop and uniform shop for 2025, please find following some important information in regards to these two spaces.

Tuckshop
It is always an exciting time when the new student ID cards arrive. Please let your student know that the school does not put credit on this card. All student ID cards can be linked to your Flexischools account using the code under the student’s photo. Please do not use the barcode number on the back. By using the code on the front we are able to clearly identify the student by their photo on our screen which makes for a much smoother check out when it is busy in the line. Earlier this week a step by step instruction leaflet was sent out to parents regarding linking ID cards. Students are not permitted to use a card which is not their own, including siblings.

Students with lunch orders who are unwell or leave during the day please contact us to cancel these orders. If the food is made and not collected we cannot refund your money. For morning tea orders please contact us prior to 9am and for lunch orders please contact us prior to 11.30am. If your student leaves during the day please check with us and we can send the food home with you or your student. Only the student whose name appears on the order is allowed to pick up said order. If you wish for a sibling to collect an order as someone is away or unwell please ensure you have notified the office as orders will not be handed out on students say so alone. We thank you for your understanding in regards to this process.

EFTPOS transactions are welcome at the tuckshop in the morning before school only. No transactions via EFTPOS during lunch breaks.

Uniform Shop
All parents/caregivers must sign in at the main office prior to heading down to the uniform shop.

Please note the new uniform shop opening hours for term time:
Monday to Friday 7.30am to 8.30am if you cannot make it in during this time there are two options. Firstly, you may use the 24hr Flexischools platform to order uniforms. All Assisi uniforms can be picked up from the tuckshop and all Padua uniforms are sent down to the office to be placed in the teacher’s pigeon hole.

Please remind your student if you have placed an order so that they may come and pick up. We do not send out reminders for pick up.

Secondly you may call us and make an appointment outside the normal operating hours. We do this as we also work in the tuckshop and we cannot always be available.

Students may come without a parent/caregiver at any time in the morning to try on and purchase uniforms. Supervision and assistance will be given in the uniform shop to all students by a trained staff member.

Surf Life Saving Queensland run a school holiday program each school holidays called Little Lifesavers for kids aged 5-12.

Little Lifesavers is a fantastic way to keep kids active, engaged AND learn important water safety skills. This program is a great way to educate children on the important aspects of water safety, whilst also increasing their skills and confidence in the water with a variety of water safety and lifesaving techniques.

The next Townsville Program will be held in the April School Holidays on Wed 16^th & Thurs 17^th April 2025 (8am-12pm) at Strand Park Beach. If you know of any families who are interested in getting their little ones involved in Surf Life Saving or just love being in and around the water, this is a great opportunity for kids to come see what it is all about!

More info and future program dates can also be accessed through the below link:

https://lifesaving.com.au/community-programs/little-lifesavers

Kind Regards,

Emily Donoghue