2025, Term 1, Week 2

Principal Message

Dear Families,

Welcome to 2025. We welcome our existing students and families, our new families and our 47 Kindergarten students who have commenced their school journey this week.

In last weeks ‘bulletin” I shared the story of geese flying in a V Formation. To re cap: Geese flying in a V formation exemplify teamwork and mutual support, leading to maximum benefit for the group. Each bird's wing flaps create uplift for the one behind, enhancing flight efficiency. When the lead goose tires, it rotates to the back, and another takes the lead, ensuring shared responsibility. Additionally, geese honk to encourage each other, maintaining speed and motivation. If a goose falls out of formation, it quickly returns to benefit from the group's collective power. This behaviour illustrates the importance of collaboration, shared leadership, and mutual encouragement in achieving common goals.

When we enrol families at St Ambrose, I often say to each family that we don’t enrol a child to the school we enrol the family. We want everyone to work together, support each other and focus on our common goal - your child!

I trust that this year we will embark on this journey together, focusing on academic excellence and personal growth. We encourage our students to embody our core values of responsibility, respect, and courage in all their endeavours.

Research consistently shows that active parental involvement significantly enhances a child's educational experience, leading to better attendance, improved behaviour, higher grades, and enhanced social skills.

By supporting our dedicated teachers and demonstrating genuine interest in your child's progress, you play a crucial role in their success.

As a Catholic community, let's work together to create a nurturing environment that reflects our shared values. Your engagement and support are invaluable as we strive to provide the best possible education for our students.

Yours sincerely,

Brian Laybutt
Principal

School Uniform

From Monday 17th February students who are not adhering to the school Uniform Policy will be issued with a "Breach Of Uniform Policy" form that will be sent home and then needs to be returned to the school signed by a parent / carer. Each week random uniform checks will be held.

UNIFORM BREACHES CAN BE FOR:
Formal Uniform                      Sport Uniform                   School Socks             School Hat                  School Shoes           Hair Ties                         Jewellery                     Make Up                Hair Style/Cut           Nail Polish

For full details regarding our School Uniform Policy, please refer to the Parent Handbook on our Web Page.
Parents are asked to positively encourage the correct wearing of uniforms at all times. 

• All children are expected to be neat in appearance whilst at school. 
• It is expected that students will wear the full school uniform (formal /sports) each day - this entails the correct uniform , shoes, socks and hair ties (if required).
• The sports uniform should only be worn for sports days or for special sporting events (e.g. carnivals).
• Hats need to be in good condition - hats that are torn, frayed or faded will need to be replaced.
• Hair must be kept need and tidy, students with long hair must have it tied back. 

Parent Class Representatives

Each class is seeking to have at least two class parent representatives.

The class parent representatives help organise Year Group get togethers, reach out to new families and help the school coordinate one school event, that is allocated to each grade.

Importantly the class parent representative works with the school in bringing families together and in creating a welcoming culture.

If you would like to take on the role, please contact your child’s class teacher or contact the school (02 6676 0099)

Parent Forum

The Parent Forum will be conducting it’s AGM on Monday 24th Feb at 6.00p.m. at the school.

We require the following positions to be filled:

Chairperson
Secretary
Committee Member
Committee Member
Kindergarten Rep.

What does it entail?

The committee meet three days before the General Termly meeting and set the agenda. The Parent Forum General Meetings are held at the school, commencing at 6.00p.m. and generally run for 45 min.

All meetings are live streamed on Facebook.

The Chairperson runs the meeting, the secretary records the minutes and shares all correspondence. Committee members assist with discussions and the decision making process. If required a committee member may substitute for the Chairperson or Secretary at the General Terms meeting.

From time to time the committee may be called to convene to discuss and provide the school with advice on various school matters.

If you would like to nominate for a Parent Forum Position please send through your EOI to:

Sapot@lism.catholic.edu.au

Student Absenteeism

In 2024 at St Ambrose:
52 students had less than 80% attendance to school - this equates to missing at least one day per week or in excess of 40 days (8 weeks) absent from school last year.
59 students had between an attendance rate of between 81% and 85%.  Again almost 1 day per week and in excess of  30 days (6 weeks) absent from school last year.
Clearly for some students there may be some valid reasons e.g. illness. However, having extended holidays, family time or just a "day off" can have an extremely adverse effect on your child's education.
Regular school attendance is crucial for a child's academic success and personal development. Consistent attendance allows students to fully engage in classroom activities, participate in discussions, and grasp complex concepts, leading to better academic performance. Conversely, chronic absenteeism can result in learning gaps, lower grades, and an increased risk of school disengagement, which, as the students get older, can result in early school departure and possible behavioural issues. It also promotes a habit of non-attendance and poor work ethic. Moreover, students who attend school regularly are more likely to develop essential social skills and establish positive relationships with peers and teachers. By prioritizing consistent attendance, we support our children's educational journey and future opportunities.

Attending school is not only a legal requirement, it is in your child's best interest!!

School Maintenance/Improvements

During the school holidays the following works were carried out in the school:

• Steam Cleaning of all carpets
• Sanitisation and cleaning of all classrooms
• Maintenance and sanitised cleaning of all air-conditioning units
• Maintenance check on all play equipment
• All pathways cleaned with an industrial gurney
• Pest Spraying (environmentally friendly)
• General maintenance
• Water damage repairs to Yr 4 classrooms
• Water recycling - storm water drainage and piping

A big thank you to:

Colin Binns ( Koby & Rye) who installed our new piping system, so as to collect storm water from the awing facing the oval. This water is being pumped into the school water tanks that will in turn be used two water the school ovals.

Brent Mathews - Brent came in during the holidays and removed two fallen trees and a significant amount of debris that was left in the wake of a severe storm that hit the school in late January. Brent also oversees the school landscaping and his work is greatly appreciated

Pete McConnell - Pete is our General Maintenance Worker and throughout the holidays he has been maintaining the school grounds and attending to all minor repairs and maintenance.

A big thank you from all of us at St Ambrose!!

Justice Of The Peace

If you ever require a Justice of the Peace to witness signatures or verify documentation - Brian Laybutt is a JP and is happy to provide this service. Please call the office on 0266760099 to make an appointment.

Change of Details

Please update your information via the Compass App or contact the school office if there is a CHANGE of ADDRESS, HOME PHONE NUMBER, WORK PHONE NUMBER or EMERGENCY CONTACT so that in case of accidents or any emergency, we can make immediate contact with you.  In the event of an accident, when a parent cannot be contacted, the child will be taken to a local medical centre or an ambulance will be called.

A member of staff will always accompany the child to hospital.  

The school must have the student’s current address and contact phone numbers on record at the school.

Corporal Punishment in Catholic Schools Policy Statement

Staff in schools of the Lismore Diocese are prohibited from using corporal punishment as a means of punishment or correction of students.

St Ambrose Primary school does not condone the use of corporal punishment as a form of behavioural modification in the home situation

Corporal punishment is defined as the application of physical force in order to punish or correct a student but does not include the application of force only because of action taken to prevent personal injury to, or damage to or the destruction of property of, any person, including the student.

Smart Watches and Phones

Students are NOT allowed to wear smartwatches or access phones whilst at school.

The school acknowledges that parents may wish their child to have a smartwatch or phone with them so that they can communicate with their parent/carer either before or after school or in the case of an emergency etc. Whilst acknowledging the necessity in some students having phones/smartwatches, the school is prohibiting phones/smartwatches from being used during school hours.

This measure is taken to primarily prevent students from using smartwatches/phones for the purpose of  sending messages during the day to either family members or other students and taking unsolicited photos of students, class and staff.

Students who do wear a smartwatch to school will need to hand it in at the Office when arriving at school and they can then collect the watch as they leave the school in the afternoon (same applies for phones). 

Parents/families who wish to get a message to their child can use the communication channels provided by the school.

Blessing of badges for School Leaders and SRC students

School Mass Tuesday 17^th February 9:15am

Next Tuesday our Year 5 & 6 students will attend Mass. At this celebration Father Paul will bless the leader’s badges and we will distribute them to our students, this will also include the SRC students from Years 3 to 6.

Please join us in this special celebration.

Sacrament of Baptism into the Catholic Faith

If you have a child that has not been baptised Catholic and you would like to consider this sacrament please contact me, as I am happy to discuss details with you. (One parent must be baptised Catholic, for this to occur).

If you have any questions or queries concerning sacraments, please contact me.

Thanking you.

Sue Falcke
Assistant Principal Mission

Important Sacramental information for 2025 (Please take note of dates and times)

The sacraments are offered to students who are baptised Catholic and are in the appropriate class or above year levels and have not yet made that Sacrament.

Term 1

Year 4 students baptised catholic will complete the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation. These students will begin preparing for this Sacrament within the next few weeks. There will be a Parent/Child meeting on Tuesday 4^th March 5:00pm at St Ambrose School in the Year 4 classrooms. Students and their families will attend a commitment Mass on Sun. 9th March at 7:30am - This Sunday Mass will be a School/Parish Mass, whereby teachers will be attending to the ministry jobs and there will be children’s liturgy.

Students will make their First Reconciliation on Wednesday 9^th April, 6:00pm at St Anthony’s Church Kingscliff. We keep these students in our prayers as they move through their preparation in receiving this sacrament.

SACRAMENT OF PENANCE/RECONCILIATION 

If your child is in a Year 5 or 6 class, Baptised Catholic and has not yet received the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation and you would like to enrol your child to receive this Sacrament this year, please send an email requesting this with your child’s name and year level and forward it to Sapot@lism.catholic.edu.au attention Sue Falcke by Friday 21st Feb. 

Term 2

Year 4 students who completed the Sacrament of Penance(Reconciliation) in Term 1 will complete the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

They will attend a Parent/Child meeting in Week 2, Tuesday 6^th May at 5:00pm in the Year 4 classrooms. Following this, the students and their families will attend a commitment Mass on Sunday 18th May at St Ambrose Church 7:30am. Students will then have the opportunity to make their First Holy Communion at a Mass of their choice over the weekend of 31^st May/1st June or 14th & 15th June.  Students will be able to collect their Holy Communion certificates at the School/Parish Mass 7:30am on Sunday 22nd June.

Term 3

Year 3 students baptised Catholic will complete the Sacrament of Confirmation in Term 3. The actual day of celebration for this Sacrament by Bishop Gregory Homeming will be Friday 5^th September, 6:00pm at St Anthony’s Church, Kingscliff. Further information to follow.

Staff Blessing

Last Sunday the Staff from St Ambrose pledged their commitment for 2025 and received a blessing from Fr Paul. 

Sienna from year 4 sang beautifully with Mrs Mathews in the church choir. 

Parish Newsletter

Swimming Carnival

On Tuesday, students from all years 2-6 dove into action at our highly anticipated Swimming Carnival at Tweed Regional Pool, Murwillumbah! The sun was shining, the water was sparkling, and the school spirit was high as everyone came together for a fun-filled day of competition, teamwork, and school community.

A big congratulations to all of our participants, whether you were racing down the lanes or cheering from the sidelines. It was fantastic to see so many students embracing the carnival with enthusiasm and sportsmanship. The atmosphere was electric, with everyone showing their school spirit and supporting their houses.

Congratulations to our Age champions for 2025

Senior Boy Champion - Enzo Boni

Senior Girl Champion - Indigo Abbott 

11 yrs Boy - Darragh Matson

11 Yrs Girl - Wren Hoffman 

10 Yrs Boy - Georgia Brown 

10 Yrs Girl - Talin Hutton 

9 Yrs Boy - Robert Grills

9 Yrs Girl -  Jasmine Thomson 

8 Yrs Boy - Ned Brown 

8 Yrs Girl - Darcy Hamilton 

Finally, the 2025 Swimming House points champions are……

In 4th place we have team TEAL

Coming 3rd was WHITE 

In 2nd place we had  PURPLE

And in 1st place we have mighty GOLD!!

A huge thank you to all our teachers, staff, and volunteers, who helped ensure everything ran smoothly. We wish all our 40 students attending the Zone Swimming Carnival on Wednesday 19th February all the best!

Gold Coast Suns Visit - Stage 3

On Monday 10th February, year 5 and 6 were thrilled to welcome the AFL Gold Coast Suns to St Ambrose!! We were very lucky to have Will, Bodhi and Ben! The players spent time interacting with our students, signing autographs, and sharing their knowledge and experiences of AFL with students. This visit was a fantastic opportunity for our students to connect, ask questions with the players, learn some skills and drills, get autographs and learn about the new superkick program. Thank You to the Gold Coast Suns for making this visit such a memorable experience!

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Upcoming Sporting Events

Art room volunteer for 2025

We are looking for a regular volunteer to help in the Art room next year. Ideally someone who can commit to a regular weekly time, even if it's just for 1-2 hours, on a Monday or Tuesday. Please contact the school office on 026676 0099.

Birthday Celebrations at School

Mathematics Assessment Interview (MAI)

Welcome back to a new school year. We are looking forward to another great year of wonderful learning and fun!

THANK YOU for scheduling an MAI time with your child’s classroom teacher. This interview determines a student’s existing mathematical knowledge in the area of Number. The data is used by teachers to plan mathematical tasks to meet the needs of all students. You will receive a Parent MAI letter in the upcoming Teacher/Parent Meet & Greets that outlines what your child can do in the areas that were assessed, and strategies in these areas that can support your child at home. 

We look forward to seeing many of you over the coming two weeks at our Parent/Teacher Meet and Greets.

Chelsea Carter
Assistant Principal- Learning & Teaching

Jessica Wilson
Leader of Pedagogy

Apple Parent Workshop: 9am Friday 28th Feb

Start The School Year Safely - Road Safety

Traffic Management Policy

Wellbeing

Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools

The Strategic Directions 2025-2027 outline our aspirations for students, teachers, and school communities. These directions will guide and support our decision-making over the next three years.
Families can also learn about the Strategic Directions on the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools website under the Our Organisation heading.

The NSW Council of Catholic School Parents has a number of free parenting education sessions this term.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Live Life Well @ School nutrition

Community News

2025 Sign-on details for Casuarina Beach Rugby Club

"Want to be part of an awesome club? Bored of your old sports and want to try something new? Come along and join rugby at Casuarina Beach Rugby Club!
Boy, Girls, Women's and Men's! 
U6-9 play in the GC comp on Saturday mornings
U10 -U16 play Far North Coast Rugby Union comp on Friday nights for juniors and Saturdays for Colts, Women's, and Senior Men's. 
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