2025, Term 2, Week 10

Principal Message

Dear Families,

As we come to the end of a very busy and engaging term, I want to take a moment to reflect on the many opportunities our students have had to grow both academically and personally. This term has been filled with rich learning experiences that have challenged students appropriately and encouraged them to become confident, capable learners.

At the heart of everything we do is our commitment to our core school values: Respect, Responsibility, and Courage. These values are not just words on a wall — they are embedded in our daily routines, our teaching, and our interactions. They form the foundation upon which our school community stands and thrive. It is truly inspiring to see students embracing these values, both in and out of the classroom, in the way they support one another, engage with their learning, and take responsibility for their actions.

Our recent NAPLAN results are a testament to the high standards of teaching and learning taking place at our school. They reflect the consistent efforts of both students and staff in striving for excellence. In addition, feedback from the Tell Them From Me survey and our Wellbeing surveys tells a powerful story of a school where students feel safe, valued, and motivated. These results are a source of great pride and confirm that we are on the right path in fostering a nurturing and inclusive learning environment.

None of this would be possible without the incredible dedication, professionalism, and commitment of our staff. Every day, they go above and beyond to support the academic progress and wellbeing of our students. I thank each and every one of them for their hard work this term.

As we look ahead to Term 3, I’m excited about what’s to come — more opportunities for learning, growth, and community connection. I hope the upcoming break offers everyone a chance to rest, recharge, and spend quality time with family.

Thank you for your continued support of our school. We look forward to seeing all our students back, ready for another successful term.

Warm regards,
Brian Laybutt
Principal

Term 3 Commences

Staff Appointment

Congratulations is extended to Mrs Jess Wilson who was recently appointed Acting Assistant Principal at Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Skennars Head.

The position is  for Term 4 (2025) and Term 1 & 2 (2026) - Maternity Leave position.

Jess is currently our Leader of Pedagogy (LOP).  We are all thrilled for Jess who has worked so hard at St Ambrose, both through personal study and through developing incredible skills as a LOP and positive relationships with staff, students and families.

A position so well deserved!
Congratulations Jess from all of us at St Ambrose

School Community Group - Agenda Items

Dear Families,

The School Community Group (Parent Forum) will be meeting on Friday the 25th July to formulate the agenda for the meeting to be held on Wednesday the 30th July.

If you have any Agenda items that you would like to raise any items to be discussed / clarified could you please send them through to our secretary - Nicole Adams , so they can be included. Email address is:stambrosescg@gmail.com

OHSC Now Open

Kindergarten 2026

Traffic Management

Drama Assembly

Weekly Awards

Term 3 Sacrament of Confirmation

Please take note of the following dates and commitment involved in the preparation of this Sacrament:

The Sacrament of Confirmation is targeted at baptised Catholics in the Year 3 classes (you will received individual COMPASS invites in the near future to register your child.) 

If your child is baptised a Catholic and is in Years 4 – 6 but has not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation and you wish them too, please email the office, Attention  -  Sue Falcke informing me of this by Mon. 30^th June.

Commitment to this Sacrament involves: (please take a note of the dates)

• Attending a parent/child meeting on Tuesday 29^th July at St Ambrose Primary School (Term 3, week 2) at 5:00pm in the year 3 classrooms.

• Attending a Parish/School Mass at Pottsville on Sunday of 3^rd August at 7:30am as it is a commitment Mass to this Sacrament whereby your child will have a small activity to participate in

• Working through a variety of home tasks.

• Attending the Confirmation Celebration at 6.00pm on Friday

5^th Sept. (Term 3, Week 7) at 6:00pm at St Anthony’s Church, Kingscliff.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to speak to me. 
Thanking you for your support in the preparation of your child receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation

Sue Falcke
Assistant Principal - Mission

School Family Parish Mass: Sunday 3rd August

STS MARY & AMBROSE CHURCH, POTTSVILLE
SCHOOL FAMILY/ PARISH MASS CELEBRATION 7:30am

Commitment Mass for students who will be making their Confirmation this Term.

We hope to see many St Ambrose families at this Mass celebration

At this Mass celebration staff from St Ambrose will be attending to the ministry duties and there will be children’s liturgy

Winter Appeal

The Mini Vinnies have been very busy this term with the Winter Appeal. It was wonderful to see all of the donations for those less fortunate in our community. We presented our Winter Appeal donations to the St Vincent De Paul committee members on Wednesday and they were very appreciative of the wonderful effort St Ambrose has made towards helping our wider community. We would like to thank everyone who contributed towards this special fundraiser.

Parish Newsletter

NAIDOC Week

Public Speaking

Congratulations to these students who were selected to represent St Ambrose Primary School in the Tweed Catholic Schools Public Speaking Competition next term.

Year 5 STEM excursion

Last week, some of our Year 5 students had the exciting opportunity to attend a STEM Day held at St Finbarr’s Catholic Primary School in Byron Bay. The day was filled with hands-on activities designed to ignite curiosity, foster problem-solving skills, and encourage collaboration.

Students participated in a range of engaging workshops focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. From building towers to programming robots, the day provided an enriching environment for students to explore innovative ideas and think critically.

It was a wonderful chance for our students to connect with peers from other schools, share their learning, and be inspired by the possibilities of STEM. A big thank you to St Finbarr’s for hosting such a valuable and memorable day!

Congratulations to Our St Ambrose Performing Arts Stars!

I want to take a moment today to celebrate the incredible achievements of our students who participated in the 2025 Murwillumbah Festival of Performing Arts. What an outstanding display of talent, dedication, and passion for music!

First up, a huge round of applause for our Senior Choir! You poured your hearts into your performance and truly shone, earning a fantastic silver medal. That's an amazing accomplishment, and we are all incredibly proud of your hard work and beautiful harmonies.

Next, our Junior Choir demonstrated incredible resilience and dedication. While you didn't walk away with an award this time, your performance was outstanding, especially considering the challenging pieces you tackled. The growth and effort you showed were truly commendable, and we know you'll continue to go from strength to strength. Well done, Junior Choir!

And finally, to our Rock Band! You absolutely smashed it! With a new conductor at the helm, you delivered a show-stopping performance that had everyone buzzing. Your energy, talent, and ability to adapt were truly inspiring.

Mrs. Mathews is beaming with pride over all our students who participated. Your commitment to your craft and your willingness to step onto that stage are what make our school community so vibrant.

We also want to extend a massive thank you to everyone who made these performances possible. To the teachers, your tireless dedication and guidance are invaluable. To the parents, your constant support of your child's musical journey means the world. And a special shout-out to Mike Lubens and Paul Robinson, our violin teacher, who stepped in on Tuesday to conduct and handle sound engineering – your expertise and willingness to help were truly appreciated!

Congratulations again to all our performers! You've made our school incredibly proud.

Mrs Mathews.

St Ambrose Science Showcase

Get ready to put on your thinking caps, everyone! In Week 4, we'll be holding our very own St Ambrose Science Showcase. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore their scientific curiosity. Students can work on an experiment, an investigation, or even a creative design project at home, either individually or with friends and siblings. In Week 5, students will bring their finished projects to school to share their scientific discoveries and creations with the whole St Ambrose community! 

*please note this is optional

St Ambrose Has Got Talent

Our K-6 St Ambrose Has Got Talent live auditions will be held in the hall on Friday 12th September (week 8). Students will need to come prepared with any music (on a flash drive or iPad) or props that they require, costumes are NOT NEEDED for the auditions. 

Children are welcome to be part of 2 acts however, the 2 acts cannot be of the same genre e.g. 2 dances.

There will be no spectators for the auditions. 
The Talent Show will be held in Term 4, Friday 14th November (Week 5).

We can't wait to see what talent St Ambrose has in 2025!

Monster Raffle

Any family who would like to donate a prize for our upcoming Monster Raffle, please contact the school

Book Competition

QBD Bookstore,Tweed Heads is running a competition for schools to win much needed money towards new books for our school library. All students were sent home with flyers on how to participate. We thank you for your support. 

Peer Support - Being an Upstander

This term in Peer Support students have been learning about the importance of being an Upstander. Students have been involved in the following activities:

• defining the difference between a bystander and an upstander
• understanding the actions and words to use as an upstander
• role playing scenarios as an upstander
• signing an Upstander Pledge to say we can all be upstanders at St Ambrose.

The Year 6 students have shown a high level of competence leading groups of students from Years 1 to 5 once a fortnight each term. These groups enable students to meet others from various grades and share their likes, interests and discuss important topics that positively influence their wellbeing at school.

Upcoming Sport Dates

Parent Webinar

School holiday fun: Richmond Tweed Library

Byron Bay Basketball Association