Statement of Special Religious Character of the School
St Anne’s Catholic Primary School is located in the coastal town of Sarina, which has a regional population of approximately 13 790. The student population of the school remains relatively stable with approximately 235 students from 148 families enrolled. St Anne’s Catholic Primary School is the only Catholic school in this district.
CHARACTERISTICS COMMON ACROSS THE DIOCESE
Within Catholic Education in our Diocese, all who serve in the ministries of Adult Faith and Formation, Catholic Schools and Religious Education in State Schools strive to live the Catholic Education motto: “Meaning for Life”. In our school community, we aim to emulate the defining features of a Catholic School:
Within Catholic Education in our Diocese, all who serve in the ministries of Adult Faith and Formation, Catholic Schools and Religious Education in State Schools strive to live the Catholic Education motto: “Meaning for Life”. In our school community, we aim to emulate the defining features of a Catholic School:
- Give witness to the message of Jesus and the mission of the Church
- Have a clear Catholic identity
- Be open and accessible to all who seek our values
- Offer a relevant and holistic curriculum of quality teaching and learning
- Be a community of care
- Develop inclusive partnerships within a community of faith
CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO THE HERITAGE OF THIS SCHOOL
Situated behind St Michael’s Catholic Church in Range Road, Sarina is St Anne’s Catholic Primary School. On 23 May 1925, Bishop Joseph Shiel blessed and opened St Anne’s Catholic Primary School. The first students, 53 in total, enrolled on the 29 June 1925 and by the end of the year, there were 66 students. From 1923 to the end of 1987, eighty-two Sisters of Mercy served the people of Sarina at St Anne’s Catholic Primary School. Mr Harry McNaught was the first lay Principal in 1986 and 1988 saw the start of a completely lay staff.
Mercy Charism is listening to the heart, ready to be open and respond to it. It is being aware of others and trying to understand how they feel. It begins in our heart and leads to action and justice. Catherine McAuley called on Sisters of Mercy to not just talk about love and compassion, but to do something about helping people in need. This action is the “CHARISM of MERCY.”
Situated behind St Michael’s Catholic Church in Range Road, Sarina is St Anne’s Catholic Primary School. On 23 May 1925, Bishop Joseph Shiel blessed and opened St Anne’s Catholic Primary School. The first students, 53 in total, enrolled on the 29 June 1925 and by the end of the year, there were 66 students. From 1923 to the end of 1987, eighty-two Sisters of Mercy served the people of Sarina at St Anne’s Catholic Primary School. Mr Harry McNaught was the first lay Principal in 1986 and 1988 saw the start of a completely lay staff.
Mercy Charism is listening to the heart, ready to be open and respond to it. It is being aware of others and trying to understand how they feel. It begins in our heart and leads to action and justice. Catherine McAuley called on Sisters of Mercy to not just talk about love and compassion, but to do something about helping people in need. This action is the “CHARISM of MERCY.”
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRESENT SCHOOL COMMUNITY
The motto of St Anne’s Catholic Primary School is “Faith and Knowledge.” Our motto relates to our Mission Statement which in part tells us that we must encompass the following values. We will:
The motto of St Anne’s Catholic Primary School is “Faith and Knowledge.” Our motto relates to our Mission Statement which in part tells us that we must encompass the following values. We will:
- Offer compassion to those in need
- Look to the wisdom of our Catholic faith
- Practise Christian values
- Encourage each other to strive for personal best in all we do
- Help each other to learn for life together
STUDENT REFELCTIONS OF ST ANNE (2015)
- Prep: Saint Anne is Jesus’ Grandma and Mary’s Mummy. She is all about love and she helps us. Her heart is full of kindness, care and love.
- Year 1: Saint Anne is Jesus’ Grandmother. She is a patient, loving teacher. She is grateful, polite, caring and loving. She is a beautiful lady.
- Year 2: Saint Anne is the grandmother of Jesus who is a kind, caring and a helpful saint.
- Year 3: Saint Anne was the grandmother of Jesus. She taught Mary to love God so she then passed this onto Jesus. Saint Anne was loving, kind and respectful. She has the love of God in her heart. Saint Anne is a wonderful role model who helped others and cared for all people.
- Year 4: Saint Anne teaches us. Saint Anne was a wife, a true and faithful mother and a grandmother. She is the patron saint for the poor. She lived in the presence of her husband Joachim and her daughter Mary. Later she welcomed her son-in-law Joseph and above all her beloved grandson Jesus. Saint Anne had compassion, tenderness, love, reverence and was caring. Saint Anne would have been filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Her bond with her family was so strong that the world had to know her name. She would have been a great influence on her daughter Mary and grandchild Jesus, just like she is a great influence on us today.
- Year 5: Saint Anne was a woman of great faith as she taught her daughter, Mary, about God so much that Mary said “Yes” to God when she was asked to be the mother of Jesus. Saint Anne may not have been called Anne – that, what we know about her and Joachim, are just tradition and legend. However, it is not the name of Saint Anne that is important, but the character she must have been. This is because Mary, who raised Jesus, must have had her own parents (Anne and Joachim) as guides and examples of parenting.
- Year 6: Saint Anne teaches us to love and care about each other. She sets good examples of how to make right choices and to be faithful to Jesus our Saviour.
PARTNERSHIPS
St Anne’s Catholic Primary School enjoys a positive and affirming relationship with the Parish of St Michael’s as we walk the journey of our Catholic faith together. We build on the legacy left to us by the Sisters of Mercy to make a future that fulfils all the promise and potential of the present.
St Anne’s Catholic Primary School enjoys a positive and affirming relationship with the Parish of St Michael’s as we walk the journey of our Catholic faith together. We build on the legacy left to us by the Sisters of Mercy to make a future that fulfils all the promise and potential of the present.
