Welcome Back Defence Families & Carers

At St. Anthony’s Catholic College, we foster strong friendships between students and
teachers while continuing to grow our Defence community, which now includes 97
students at Assisi and 66 at Padua.

I am excited to welcome our new Defence students and reconnect with those
returning. Our college is deeply committed to supporting the pastoral care of
Defence children, understanding the unique challenges they face. We strive to
minimize these challenges by closely monitoring students and providing activities
that help them navigate both the practical and emotional aspects of Defence life.

As the primary point of contact for Defence families, we support students by
engaging with them through classroom visits and playground interactions, taking a
genuine interest in their well-being and progress. We also attend school events such
as assemblies, class activities, musicals, and carnivals. Working closely with
teachers and staff, we monitor Defence students, particularly during deployments,
training exercises, and courses.

Additionally, we offer support to partners and family members during times of
absence and provide pastoral care for students adjusting to a new school, relocating,
or coping with deployment-related challenges. We organize farewell activities for
students moving to new postings, assist with Educational Allowance applications for
tutoring support, and connect families with programs and services available within
the college, St. Anthony’s Parish, Defence Member Support (DMFS), and the wider
community.

Staff are encouraged to collaborate with the Defence School Mentor to ensure
smooth transitions into and out of the college, offering continuous support, especially
during parental deployments or training exercises.

Please contact me at Assisi Campus on 07 4751 7300 (Tuesday-Thursday) and Padua Campus on 07 4751 7200 (Monday & Friday) or email
kholliday@sacc.catholic.edu.au

Kristin Holliday                                                                                              Defence School & Family Mentor