2025, Term 1, Week 10

Principal Message

Dear Families,

As we reach the end of Term 1, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the busy and exciting few months that have passed. Our students have been given a wide range of opportunities designed to enhance their learning, and it’s been wonderful to see their growth and development over the term. From academic challenges to extracurricular activities, our students have been encouraged to engage with their learning in new and meaningful ways.

Our dedicated teachers have worked tirelessly throughout the term to create programs that are focused on engaging students and helping them reach their full potential. They continually review data, collaborate with one another, and share best practices to ensure that every child receives the best education possible. This approach has proven invaluable in helping our students progress and achieve success in all areas of their learning.

As a school, we place a strong emphasis on providing a supportive and nurturing environment where each child feels valued and motivated to learn. It’s through this commitment to excellence that our students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We are incredibly proud of the progress they’ve made in Term 1, and we look forward to continuing this journey with them.

As we approach the school holidays, it’s important to note that ANZAC Day falls during this break. This day provides us with a valuable opportunity to come together as a community to honor the bravery and sacrifice of those who served our country. St. Ambrose has a proud tradition of supporting the ANZAC Day march and ceremony, and we encourage all families to consider participating this year. Students are invited to join the procession and be part of this important event. The school has a strong presence at the ceremony, and your participation would be greatly appreciated. Further details about the march and ceremony are included in this newsletter, and we hope to see many of our families there supporting this special occasion.

As we head into the Easter period, it’s important to pause and reflect on the significance of this time in the Catholic calendar. Easter is the most important event in the Christian faith, a time for reflection, prayer, and praise. It represents the death and resurrection of Jesus, signifying the promise of new life and hope for all Christians.

For many families, Easter is also a time to come together and share in the joy of the season. It’s a time for reflection on the meaning of new life, symbolized through the Easter egg, which represents renewal and rebirth. Whether it’s through attending Mass, sharing Easter eggs, or spending time with loved ones, we hope this Easter brings peace, joy, and a deep sense of gratitude for all that we have.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our families for their ongoing support throughout Term 1. Your involvement and encouragement play an essential role in your child’s educational journey. As we enter the school holidays, we hope that all of our students enjoy a well-deserved two-week break. We trust that they will return to school feeling refreshed, recharged, and eager to continue their learning.

We wish you all a peaceful and joyful Easter and look forward to welcoming the students back for an exciting Term 2. Thank you once again for your continued support.

Yours sincerely,

Brian Laybutt
Principal

Road Safety & Traffic Management Reminder

Please use the pedestrian crossing when walking through the car park.

Music Assembly

Week 5, 8 & 9 Award Recipients

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Staffing Changes

Mrs Grace Murray will be taking Maternity Leave from the beginning of Term 2, up until the end of the 2025 school year. Mrs Murray is expecting her first child and we wish her and her husband Lewis all the best as they embark on this exciting time in their lives. Mrs Murray's position will be taken by Miss Kristy McKinnon, who has been teaching Yr 3 this term.

Additionally Mr James Cutler is taking Term 2 as paternity leave. Mr Cutler's position will be taken by Mr Darcy Townsend.

ANZAC Day

St. Ambrose students will proudly represent the school at the upcoming Pottsville ANZAC Day March - Friday 25th April, continuing the school’s strong tradition of supporting this significant event. We strongly encourage all students to participate in the march, showing their respect for the local community and honouring those who served.

Marchers will assemble between 7:15 am and 7:30 am at the corner of Coronation Avenue and Berleys Lane. The march will begin promptly at 7:45 am, proceeding along Coronation Avenue to the roundabout, before turning left onto Tweed Coast Road. The march will reach the Cenotaph in ANZAC Park around 7:55 am, where the ceremony will take place. It is expected to conclude at approximately 8:30 am.

Students attending are asked to wear their full school day uniform and bring their school hat for sun protection. We look forward to seeing our students demonstrate their pride and support for not only the school but importantly for this important day of remembrance.

STEM

On Wednesday 2nd of April, Year 5 and Year 6 presented their STEM MAD Showcase. The STEM Student Showcase is a celebration of student learning designed to acknowledge and promote STEM learning initiatives that address real-world problems. It demonstrates the particularity of Catholic Schools and encourages students to make a difference (MAD) in the world by acting for justice and the common good. The students had been hard at work this term to come up with a creative innovation that would benefit our community and our world. It was wonderful to share all of the creative group presentations with parents and the other students.

Easter Hat Parade

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Senior Choir Day

The Senior Choir had a wonderful time at the Primary Choir Day on the 28th of March, where they joined together with choirs from St Joseph's, St Ambrose, and Mt St Patrick's. Throughout the day, they learned new songs, honed their vocal skills, and enjoyed the chance to connect with fellow young musicians. It was an enriching experience filled with fun, learning, and lots of music!

Stations of the Cross

Congratulations to our wonderful year 6 students who were involved in performing a reenactment of the Stations Of The Cross for our school community.

Holy Week

Sunday 13th April begins our journey into Holy Week with Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Jesus’ royal entrance into the holy city of Jerusalem was also an entrance into the mystery of his suffering, Death, and Resurrection.  As we enter this holiest of weeks with Christ, may we draw into deeper union with Him and with one another.

On Thursday 17th April we enter into the most Holy Triduum with the Church throughout the world.  It is the Passover of the Lord Jesus, and we pray to know the power of Jesus’ dying and rising in our lives. John’s Gospel presents Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, this is the mandatum and deepest meaning of the Eucharist: to become one with Christ, blessed, broken, and shared out of love.

Good Friday 18th April is not only about remembering the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus as a past event but about immersing ourselves in the saving mystery of Christ present among us today. 

Together, we hold the Death of the Lord in our hearts and draw new life from the holy Cross by which he continues to redeem our world.

Holy Saturday, 19th April, on this night, in the midst of the new fire, it is sung “The Light of Christ,” and we reply, “Thanks be to God”. In the church we hear the stories of God’s saving love throughout history. In this vigil we are renewed to tell the story of God’s victory over death by how we reflect the light we received in Baptism.

Easter Sunday, 20th April – The Risen Lord. Jesus’ resurrection confirms his divinity; the risen Christ is the principle and source of our future resurrection. He does not only rise to a “glorious” life for himself but he also shares this new life with all sons and daughters of the Father in the Holy Spirit.

For H O L Y  W E E K  A N D  E A S T E R  CHURCH C E R E M O N I E S Please refer to the St Anthony’s Parish Bulletin for further information

Sacrament of Baptism

If you are a parent who is Baptised Catholic and your child/ren have not been baptised into the Catholic Faith and you would like this to occur, please email the school with your name, child’s name, year level and contact phone number.

This information will be passed onto Mrs Falcke who will contact you to discuss the process.

Sacraments

Voluntary Assisted Dying a Catholic Response

Everyone is welcome to learn about the recently introduced Voluntary Assisted Dying in NSW and the Catholic response. The session will cover three things, Catholic commitment to quality end of life care, an outline of the NSW law and, some global perspectives on assisted dying. The presenter is Rev. Dr. Anthony Gooley, who is a deacon in Ballina parish and a theologian. He has worked for a time in the Catholic health sector and taught theological ethics. The session will be held at St Anthony’s Parish, in the meeting room (beside the church) on Wednesday 30th April from 10am-12pm (Time TBC). The event will include discussion and question/answer time. Please register with the parish office (parkings@bigpond.com) to help us plan for hospitality.

Parish Newsletter

2025 Parent Class Representatives

Thank you to all the parents who have volunteered to be class representatives this year. There are still a couple of classes without a volunteer. Please contact your class teacher or the office if you are able to help out.

Apple Parent Sessions – We’d Love Your Input!

Each term, we host an Apple Parent Session on a Friday morning. These sessions are a great way to explore iPad features, set-up parental controls, showcase how iPads are used in class, ask questions, and build confidence in supporting your child’s digital learning journey.

To make these sessions as relevant and helpful as possible, we’d love to hear from you!

What topics would you like us to cover? Please let us know what you're curious about, what you’d find helpful, or any specific concerns you'd like addressed. To share your suggestions CLICK HERE.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts – your input helps shape these sessions to best meet the needs of our parent community.

iPad information for parents

Cyber Safety and Digital Wellbeing

NSWCPS Swimming Championships - SOPAC

On Wednesday, 2nd April, Wren and Darragh represented the Lismore Diocese at the NSWCPS Swimming Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

Wren came 9th out of 17 in the 11years 50m Breaststroke, and Darragh came 7th out of 16 in the 11years 50m Butterfly.

St Ambrose is incredibly proud of your achievements in the pool.

Winter Sport Diocesan Trials

On Friday, 4th, April 10, 6 students from St. Ambrose travelled to Grafton to represent the Tweed Zone in Soccer, and on Thursday 10th, April 3, students headed to Grafton to represent the Tweed Zone in Rugby League. All students played exceptionally well and presented the school with great sportsmanship.

Congratulations to Maya Shackell and Samuel Bressan. Maya was selected for the Girl's Soccer team, and Samuel was selected for the Boy’s Soccer team to represent the Lismore Diocese at the Polding selection trials in Bathurst on Friday, 2nd May. We wish Maya and Sam all the best in their upcoming selection trials in Bathurst.

Sporting Schools - Tennis

Students in years 1, 2, 3 and 4 participated in the Sporting Schools Tennis grant we received this term. With this grant, we have purchased a tennis kit containing 6 by 3m nets, 30 tennis rackets, 1 equipment bag, 4 dozen red balls, 2 rolls of barrier tape, and 2 packs of drop-down lines. Students will also receive professional coaching from Andrew Bates. Students built on and learnt key skills each week in each lesson, developing their forehand and backhand shots.

St Ambrose Cross Country Age Champions

Upcoming Sporting Events

Term 2, Dates 

Year 6 Holy Week Prayer Services

As part of Religion this term, students in Year 6 worked collaboratively in groups to prepare and lead a prayer service focused on the key events of Holy Week. Our unit explored how we deepen our relationship with God through prayer, which strengthens our faith and unites us in solidarity with the needs of others.

Mothers Day Stall and Event - 8th & 9th May

Thursday 8th May we will hold our Mothers Day Stall, followed by our Mothers Day Event on Friday 9th May.

Stall:
Students can purchase gifts and raffle tickets for their mothers, grandmothers, and other special people for Mother's Day.
      When:  Thursday 8th May in morning
      Where: School – teachers will take children to stall
      Cost: All gifts & raffle tickets $2 each. Please send money in a clearly marked envelope with your child on the day.
      Raffle drawn: Assembly Friday 9th May

If students miss out on the stall they can come into the office during lunch Friday 9th May to make a purchase.

Please note that the stall gifts are purchased from the Carmelite Nuns Monastery in Goonellabah, who source and package items to sell, raising much needed funds to continue their important work.

Event:

Mums can RSVP for the pilates/yoga and/or their FREE breakfast now on Flexischools. You can also purchase breakfast for children and guests. Please note that ordering for school events outside of school hours is now done through a new parent account - not an existing child's account. Please see Compass for instructions. Please place one order for your family by 5pm Sunday 4th May.

School Disco - 16th May

Please join us on Friday 16th May for the St Ambrose School Disco. Tickets and food/drink can be purchased now on Flexischools. Please note that ordering for school events outside of school hours is now done through a new parent account - not an existing child's account. Please see Compass for instructions.

St Ambrose Learning Assistance Program

Byron Bees Free Girls Basketball Holiday Program

Free School Holidays Session for the girls to come and try basketball. Join I AM A GIRL Basketball Clinic for Girls Aged 8-14 in Byron This School Holiday. Jump into the world of basketball, where you'll enjoy fun games while developing fundamental and basketball movements. Boost your confidence, spark your imagination, and enjoy being active. Don't miss out - bring a friend for double the fun.

Register now and receive a complimentary tee. Please use the below link to register and select your applicable program: 

Casuarina Beach Rugby Club Sign On