Newsletter - 2025 Term 3 Week 3

Prayer

Dear God

We thank you for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the First Nations of this land. We are grateful for their enduring connection to country, their rich cultures, and their deep wisdom.

During NAIDOC Week, we pray for greater understanding and respect between all people in our community. Help us to walk together in a spirit of listening, learning, and reconciliation.

Bless the elders, the families, and the children, and inspire us all to care for this land and each other with love.

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 meaningful week we've had celebrating NAIDOC Week at St Agnes’. Under the theme 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,' we witnessed the bright future of our community through the strength of our young leaders as they began the week in prayer, beautifully guided by Aunty Sharon and Aunty Lynda.

This celebration connects deeply with our Catholic values and the teachings of Jesus Christ. Just as NAIDOC honours the passing of wisdom from Elders to the next generation, Jesus emphasized the vital importance of children and young people, declaring "Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Our students demonstrated this living faith as they led us in prayer and reflection.

The strength found in Indigenous communities over 50 years of advocacy mirrors Jesus's teaching about community strength - "Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Both Indigenous and Christian communities understand that our greatest power comes from supporting one another and working together for justice and equality.

As we continue to walk alongside our Indigenous brothers and sisters, we're reminded of our shared values of dignity, self-determination, and respect for wisdom passed down through generations. This NAIDOC Week has beautifully reinforced our commitment to honouring diverse cultures while celebrating the common threads of faith, community and hope that unite us all.

Our NAIDOC celebrations were made even more special by the presence of so many families - thank you for joining us in this important week of recognition and reflection. Following these meaningful celebrations, I travelled to Lismore to serve on a School Review Panel for a fellow diocesan school in the north.

Being welcomed into another school community is both a privilege and a learning opportunity. While the review process requires intensive focus and dedication, it offers valuable insights that benefit everyone involved - both those conducting the review and the school community being reviewed. These experiences remind me of the strength and diversity within our Catholic education network.

I'm excited to return to our vibrant St Agnes’ community on Monday, bringing with me fresh perspectives and renewed appreciation for the exceptional work happening right here at home.

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Connected Catholic Communities Symposium

Next week I'll be travelling to Sydney for the Connected Catholic Communities Symposium, where I've been invited to join a panel presentation on our Sustainable Extended Service Schools model. This session will showcase how our partnership with Social Futures creates positive social impact through collaborative approaches that benefit all stakeholders in ways that wouldn't be possible working alone.

Since 2019, this partnership between Social Futures and Lismore Catholic Schools, including St Agnes', has delivered valuable outcomes for our students, families and broader community. I'm honoured to have this professional opportunity to share our experiences and give back to our wider Catholic education community.

It's exciting to represent our St Agnes’ school and demonstrate how strategic partnerships can strengthen our mission to serve and support our community in meaningful ways.

Assistant Principal Appraisal

During Term 3 on 27 August 2025, Kate de Bressac will be involved in an Assistant Principal appraisal process as part of her contract conditions with the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools.

The appraisal process seeks information from a variety of people associated with the school. The process aims to highlight the positive aspects of the Assistant Principal’s performance and identify areas for further development.

A timeline will be constructed to suit the needs of the school community. A panel consisting of the school Principal as Chair and a Regional Assistant Director from the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools will conduct the appraisal.

The full Assistant Principal appraisal process involves:

• a survey and self-appraisal statement completed by the Assistant Principal
• surveys of school staff and Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools personnel
• input by the Principal
• input as arranged with the Parish Priest
• interviews with school staff
• interviews with any parents who wish to present
• a formal interview with the Assistant Principal by the panel

Any parents who wish to make contact with the panel are welcome to do so by contacting myself before the appraisal date. Please note, not all those that wish to be interviewed may be accommodated.

Thank you for your support of the school’s leadership team.

Have a lovely weekend ahead.

Peace be with you

Brendan Kiely
Principal

Assistant Principal - Mission

Bullying No Way: National Week Of Action – 11 to 15 August

St Agnes' Primary is proud to participate in the Bullying No Way: National week of action – 11 to 15 August 2025. 

This week-long event encourages schools and communities to work together to prevent and address bullying. The theme for 2025 is 'Be Bold. Be Kind. Speak Up.'

By working collaboratively within our community, we can collectively help reduce bullying.

Families play an important role in helping children understand bullying and know how to respond to it. We are focusing on the theme of this campaign throughout the whole of Term 3 and into Term 4. These are important conversations to have with your child.

If your child tells you about things at school, or you observe something in public that involves conflict or bullying, take the opportunity to talk about what bullying is. You can learn more about what defines bullying at bullyingnoway.gov.au.

Questions you could ask:

• What do you think bullying is?
• Have you seen it? How did you feel?
• Have you ever felt scared at school because of bullying?
• As well as me, who are the other adults you would talk to when it comes to things like bullying?
• Have you or your friends left other kids out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not?
• Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happens again?

Remind your child that bullying is never okay and discuss how they can respond safely if they experience or witness it.

Encourage them to seek help from a trusted adult and keep seeking support if needed.

By promoting open communication, we empower children to stand up against bullying and create a safer environment where everyone can feel that they belong.

Social Circles

Social Circles began last Friday, led beautifully by Years 5 and 6 students. Students from Kindergarten through to their Year 6 Buddies shared in learning about how we should treat each other for St Agnes’ to become an even more welcoming and inclusive school community.

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Sacrament of Confirmation

Candidates in Years 3 and above in the St Agnes’ Parish will make their Sacrament of Confirmation.

Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Christian Initiation, along with Baptism and the Eucharist. It is considered the sacrament that 'completes Baptism'.

Completion of Baptism: At your child's Baptism, you and their godparents made promises on their behalf to renounce sin and profess faith in God. In Confirmation, your child, having reached an age of reason, freely chooses to renew those promises for themselves.

The Holy Spirit: The central focus of Confirmation is the Holy Spirit. Just as the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost, the sacrament bestows a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the confirmed person. This strengthens them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit to live a life of faith.

Full Membership: Through Confirmation, a person is fully initiated into the Catholic Church. They are "sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" and are strengthened to be missionary witnesses of Jesus Christ in the world.

We look forward to being a part of their faith journey and celebrating this special occasion with the candidates.

Mary MacKillop Feast Day

The Feast Day of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia's first Saint, is celebrated on 8 August. This day commemorates her life, her dedication to education, and her founding of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Students are participating in learning about Mary, her faith journey that led her to become Australia’s first saint and her importance to Catholic Education.

Sr Marjorie from Sr Marjorie’s Soup Kitchen attended our assembly this afternoon to talk about her life as a Sister of St Joseph who followed in Mary’s footsteps in becoming a Sister of St Joseph, taught primary school children and supports those in need in our community.

The SRC have created a banner for Sr Marjorie’s Soup Kitchen at the Homeless Collective and will be able to present it to her when it arrives.

Feedback from Fr Prodencio

Year 5 and 6 students have been recognised by Father Prodencio for their outstanding reverence, respect and engagement in their recent Masses at Christ the King Chapel. Congratulations to the staff who prepared them and to the students for their behaviour. We hope to get similar feedback about our other grades this term.

Congratulations to McKenzie Hinton

Kenzi from 1 Love entered the Lismore Diocese Jubilee Year of Hope Art competition. Kenzi's work has been selected to be displayed in our St Agnes' Parish Office Hall in Haywood Street over the coming weeks. Well done Kenzi! Your St Agnes' school community is very proud of you!

Safe Bus Travel

Riding the school bus is a privilege and a great way for our students to get to and from school. To ensure a safe and positive environment for everyone, we'd like to remind parents about the importance of good behavior on the bus.

We have been working with the bus company to ensure our students are behaving respectfully and responsibly to ensure their safety.

Should you have any concerns about bus safety or concerns about issues with bus travel for your child, please contact the following number 131 500.

Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

DIBELS Information For Families

You may have heard your child come home saying that they did a DIBELS test in the last three weeks. We are again collecting our whole school DIBELS reading risk analysis to enable us to support all children to learn to be fluent and accurate readers. 

We have attached the information flyer sent home from last year that provides families with further information regarding the assessments.

Australian Catholic Education Conference

During Week 5, members of the leadership team will be attending the Australian Catholic Education Conference. This is an important learning opportunity for Catholic leaders and clergy. This year’s theme is 'hope, anchored in faith', and the conference will focus on the strategic vision and mission of Catholic education across three key areas- Faith, Excellence and Access.

The key learning areas that will support us as we continue to strengthen our school are: Catholic identity, mission and formation; learning and teaching; leadership and governance; parent engagement; parish and community engagement; resourcing and infrastructure; advocacy and marketing. 

We are grateful for the opportunity to hear from some of the world’s leading experts in their fields and we are looking forward to bringing it back to our school community.

Sports News

Second Place At The Hastings Zone Athletics Carnival

Last Wednesday, 55 students attended the Hastings Zone Athletics Carnival at St Joseph’s Regional College. The day began with chilly weather, which benefited our long and middle distance runners. As the sun emerged later, conditions became ideal for competition.

To qualify for the Zone Carnival, students had to perform well in our school trials. This event gave them the chance to compete against peers from Catholic schools between Laurieton and Macksville. As always, our athletes gave their best across a range of track and field events - running, jumping and throwing. Each aimed to place in the top three of their event to secure a spot at the Diocesan Athletics Carnival, scheduled for Tuesday 26 August, in Coffs Harbour.

15 students qualified for the Diocesan team, along with our junior girls’ relay team. Thanks to their outstanding efforts, Aggies finished second overall at the carnival.

Special congratulations to Evie D, Charlotte B and Pippa T, who claimed the Junior Girls Age Champion titles, and to Ava Q, who was named runner-up for the 11 Years Girls Age Champion.

Congratulations to the following athletes:

Evie D - Junior Girls Age Champion, 1st place 1500m, 1st place 800m
Charlotte B - Junior Girls Age Champion Runner-up (equal), 1st place 100m, 3rd place 200m, 1st place Jnr Girls Relay
Pippa T - Junior Girls Age Champion Runner-up (equal), 3rd place 100m, 1st place 200m, 1st place Jnr Girls Relay
Ava Q - 11 Years Girls Age Champion Runner-up, 1st place 100, 1st place 200m
Stella D - 2nd place 100m, 3rd place 200m
Oliver W - 3rd place Long Jump
Asha W - 3rd place Shot Put, 2nd place Discus
Hunter F - 2nd place 1500m, 3rd place 800m
Kruze D - 3rd place Long Jump
Kitt Q - 3rd place Discus
Hermione P - 2nd place Long Jump, High Jump (qualified)
Ivy G - 2nd place 800m
Lisa V - 2nd place 100m, 1st place Jnr Girls Relay
Issy O - 1st place Shot Put
Chelsea O - 1st place Jnr Girls Relay

Zane B Represents Aggies at the NSW PSSA Rugby Union Trials

Congratulations to Zane B, who travelled to Newcastle this week to compete in the NSW PSSA Rugby Union Championship. Zane earned his place on the Polding team after progressing through four levels of selection. The team was made up of Catholic school students from across Northern Sydney to the Tweed.

The Championship was held over three days. During the first two days, the Polding team played three matches, securing victories against South Coast, MacKillop and Sydney South West. These wins earned them a spot in the semi-final against Sydney West, with a chance to reach the grand final.

In a tightly contested match, Polding narrowly lost two tries to one, moving them into the playoff for third place against the Hunter region team.

Unfortunately the third place playoff game was a washout.  The Polding team was awarded 3rd place on points differential. When asked about the experience, Zane was proud of the way he played, and the Polding team for their accomplishments on the field. Well done Zane, a great achievement.

Polding results:

Win 46 - 0 v South Coast
Win 15 - 5 v Mackillop
Win 26 - 5 v Sydney South West
Semi Final - Loss 5 - 12 v Sydney West
Final (3rd/4th)  v Hunter - Game washed out due to weather. 

Aggies Parkrun Initiative

Last week, we kicked off the Aggies Parkrun in less-than-ideal weather, but that didn’t stop our students and Mr Behan from showing up and completing the 5km run. The Parkrun initiative encourages students to engage with the community while promoting fitness and healthy lifestyles.

Parkrun is free to register and attend, with events held weekly across Australia. Students and families who’d like to get involved can register here. Once registered, your barcode can be used at any Parkrun location. For more details, visit the Parkrun Port Macquarie website.

Please note: an adult must accompany all students. A staff member will aim to attend each Port Macquarie event, and will attempt to attend the other Park runs in the area from time to time.

Last week, the Wauchope community celebrated their 400th Parkrun, with Charlotte E from Year 6 proudly representing Aggies. Well done, Charlotte!

We hope to see many members of our Aggies community join us this Saturday morning to run, walk, or jog together. Good luck to any students taking part in other Parkrun locations!

Future Dates

Term 3

• Tuesday 19 August to Thursday 21 August - PSSA Touch Football - Mudgee
  
• Thursday 21 August - Paul Wilson Cup and Diocesan Netball Challenge - Laurieton
• Tuesday 26 August - Diocesan Athletics Carnival - Coffs Harbour
                                      - Northcoast Regional Netball Final - Grant Street, Port Macquarie
• Tuesday 26 - Thursday 28 August: NSW PSSA Soccer - Ballina (Good luck Nicholas D)
• Thursday 28 August: Aggies CAPA Spectacular
• Friday 29 August: Pupil Free Day
• Wednesday 3 September: NSW Touch Football Gala Day - Tuffins Lane, Port Macquarie
• Wednesday 10 September: Years 3 and 4 Netball Gala Day - Port Macquarie
• Friday 12 September: Polding Athletics - Glendale
• Wednesday 24 September: Paul Wilson Cup and Diocesan Netball Challenge Finals - Grafton
• Friday 26 September: Pupil-free day

Creative Arts News

Creative Arts Spectacular - Thursday 28 August

Our Creative Arts Spectacular is fast approaching! This year we will be having two shows, a Matinee at 12:00pm and night show 6:45pm at Panthers Club Port Macquarie. Tickets will be available for purchase via Compass next week - keep an eye out on Compass for the link.

Sydney Dance Company

What a fantastic day it was for our students as they immersed themselves in the world of professional dance! Last Friday, some of our students from Years 4, 5, and 6 participated in two incredible workshops with The Sydney Dance Company, an experience that left everyone feeling inspired and energised.

The talented dance educators from the company were simply wonderful. They encouraged all students to step out of their comfort zones and find the joy in movement. Each session began with an introduction to The Sydney Dance Company's work and the core values that guide its professional performers: Safety, Respect, Commitment, Kindness and Communication.

These principles resonated deeply with our students, as they mirror the very values we aim to instill in them throughout their Catholic education. The discussions directly linked to our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) framework and our focus on being Respectful, Responsible, Resolute and Resilient.

It was a beautiful day filled with creativity, collaboration and fun. Thank you to The Sydney Dance Company for providing such a memorable and valuable experience for our school community!

We even made it on the news thanks to Prime 7. 

Leader of Pastoral Care

Build the Habit of Regular Attendance

Nurture your child’s love for learning by supporting their curiosity and helping them see school as a place to explore ideas and discover interests. Foster social connections by encouraging friendships outside school. Phoenix shares that what makes coming to school great is, ‘playing soccer with my friends and learning.’

The Sleep Connection

Do you know how vital sleep is to your children's health, learning and emotional wellbeing? Do you know what effects screens are having on the quantity and quality of our sleep? Don't miss this opportunity to find out strategies you can use to help your children develop healthy sleeping habits for optimal function!

Join Sleep Educator Lisa Maltman from The Sleep Connection for an insight into how important sleep is for your children - and you - and tips for making sure the whole family gets enough zzzzzzzz.

This Sleep Webinar has been organised by the Council of Catholic School Parents. 

Register using this link - See you online!

For parents and carers of K-12 school students

School Counsellor

Parenting Workshop

Don't miss our parenting workshop to help strengthen your child's emotional intelligence. Please RSVP HERE. 

Student Awards

Assembly Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received an award at today's assembly:

Ahaan D, Aiden V, Ande S, Archie M, Arliah F, Arlow F, Ava C, Ayna D, Beau J, Bonnie M, Charlotte B, Claudia F, Daniel L, Darling L, Eva S, Evangel A, Evelyn J, Finn P, Flynn L, Grace B, Grayson B, Habel S, Hana D, Hayden N, Jade J, Jake G, Jannah S, Jay N, Kade W, Kaia S, Layla M, Levi S, Lily S, Matilda W, Mia B, Mia C, Migha A, Mikayla O, Nirvik K, Oliver W, Oscar D, Prisca K, Raphael C, Rocky W, Rory C, Sally-Ann V, Sienna R and Willow H

Dojo Awards

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

Aisha M, Amelia M, Antonio J, Aston G, Ayarin A, Bailee C, Benjamin B, Benjamin C, Benjamin C, Benjamin C, Billie P, Brisha C, Cade S, Charlotte B, Ella M, Emerson S, Emily H, Gemma W, Hallie T, Hannah B, Jala C, Jayden J, Jenine J, Kai N, Kirrily J, Lacey W, Leo H, Leo R, Lisa V, Lisa V, Louis R, Lucy C, Mahli W, Molly B, Nathania N, Nina T, Oscar H, Phoenix N, Rachel H, Shivonne S, Tilda R and Vera M

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

Airlie B, Alex A, Alfred S, Amelia C, Amelia S, Amirah T, Anastasia K, Ande S, Ara J, Archie B, Asha R, Ashton R, Aurora M, Aurora P, Aurora P, Aurora S, Ava C, Ava Q, Aylah H, Bailey B, Benjamin M, Bonnie M, Cassidy H, Charlee C, Charlee T, Charlotte L, Chase M, Cody N, Daniel I, Davina I, Diyana S, Duke W, Elsie M, Emily H, Emily T, Erinn L, Eva C, Evana A, Faraday W, Georgia B, Hamish D, Harley R, Harley R, Hermione P, Hudson M, Hunter B, Huxley G, Imogen S, Indi F, Ishan J, Isla W, Isolde O, Ivy C, Jackson R, Jarred P, Jasper K, Jaspian A, Jax E, Jaxton N, Jay N, Jovana A, Kalani R, Kallan F, Karvella I, Karvella I, Karvella I, Keira M, Korbann M, Korbin C, Kruze D, Lachlan C, Lakshmi S, Lawson M, Layla M, Layla M, Layla R, Liam C, Liam J, Lily J, Logan S, Lucas R, Lucey B, Luke F, Marcus G, Mia M, Mia T, Michael V, Michelle A, Migha A, Mila S, Molly B, Nicholas B, Nikita S, Noah B, Noah E, Patrick P, Phebe C, Pip A, Piya V, Rebekah B, Reginald F, Rocky W, Roman S, Ruben D, Ruben D, Sadie O, Sadie O, Samuel B, Scarlett E, Scarlett G, Sienna L, Skyler B, Sophie J, Storm T, Taya M, Thomas B and Zali T

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

Alba W, Alex A, Alexander B, Alfred S, Alyssa M, Ari K, Arliah F, Asha W, Aurora M, Braxton H, Casey C, Charlie T, Charlotte D, Charlotte E, Charlotte H, Chloe L, Dean C, Elise R, Emilia A, Emily K, Emme C, Enzo W, Erinn L, Faraday W, George S, Georgia W, Georgina F, Gillyanna V, Hadi K, Harrison J, Harrison S, Imogen H, Ivy C, Jack C, Jake G, Jax E, Jaxton N, Jayde B, Jayden C, Keyana W, Kobi W, Koby S, Konnor B, Korbin C, Lilyana P, Lucy D, Luke F, Macy C, Makayla D, Malakai C, Marcus G, Mia C, Nicholas B, Nirvik K, Noah F, Oliver W, Reagan C, Rebekah B, Rossana A, Ruby H, Ruby W, Ryan C, Sally V, Sienna T, Stella D, Sunday A, Thomas E, Tyler C and Zane B

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