Term 2 Week 6 2025
From the Principal
Dear Families and Friends,
Planet Protectors in Action! This week, our amazing Planet Protectors shared their passion for caring for our world through Laudato Si, highlighting the positive impact we’re making here at St Francis. A big focus has been on Containers for Change, making sure only eligible 10c containers go in. The best way to check? If you can’t see the 10c label, it doesn’t go in!
Exciting news—there’s an additional incentive! Every 100 containers collected earns a ticket into a $10,000 prize draw for a winning school. Let’s keep up the great work and aim high!
Celebrating Reconciliation Week This week, our school community embraces Reconciliation Week, engaging in meaningful activities in classrooms and preparing for an important focus at our next assembly. A huge thank you to Mrs Tracie Duthie and Mrs Jaki Nicol, who support our First Nations students and help deepen our collective awareness.
We have an exciting weekend ahead where I will be attending my first Sweetest Days Hottest Nights. They will be presenting the Sweetest School winners around 1pm. I have my fingers crossed for St Francis!
God bless,
Lisa Fitzsimmons
Religious Life of the School
Dear Families,
Laudato Si’ Week
Laudato Si’ Week is a special time each year when we reflect on Pope Francis’ message in his letter Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. It reminds us of the importance of caring for God’s creation and living in harmony with the Earth, each other, and future generations. During this week, we are encouraged to take simple actions that help protect our environment—like reducing waste, saving energy, and appreciating the beauty of nature. It’s a chance for families, schools, and communities to come together and be reminded that caring for our world is a part of our faith and responsibility. Ask you children what they have learnt about Laudato Si’ in class this week.
Religiosity Shift
At the beginning of the year, Lisa and I attended a PD that focused on Creating a Culture of Dialogue - the Religiosity Shift. A Religiosity shift emphasises dialogue with people of different beliefs and worldviews, encouraging students and staff to think critically about their faith and connect it to modern life.
Its goal is to support conversations that are open, inclusive, and rooted in the Catholic faith, encouraging a deeper and more reflective understanding of faith.
Catholic schools are helping by creating spaces where students can learn about Jesus, grow in faith, and live out values like kindness and compassion. Talking openly about faith with children and each other is also really important, as it helps keep our Catholic identity strong.
Over the past two weeks, our teachers at St Francis School have been exploring the changes we’re seeing in how people connect with their faith. Together, through videos, discussions, and role play, we’ve been learning about the importance of dialogue—having open and respectful conversations with others. These conversations help us better understand different ideas and deepen our connection to our Catholic identity. In Term 3, we’ll continue this important journey as we reflect on what dialogue and Catholic identity mean for our school community.
Term 2 Class Mass Dates
Thursday 5th June - 9am - Years 1 & 2
Thursday 12th June - 9am - Prep & Year 6
Thursday 19th June - 9am - Years 3, 4 & 5
All families are most welcome to join us!
Save The Date
Monday 2nd June - 2:15pm - Reconciliation Liturgy
Prayer for Our Common Home
Loving God,
You created a beautiful world full of wonder and life.
Help us to care for the Earth, our common home,
with thankful hearts and gentle hands.
Teach us to protect all living things,
to share what we have, and to live simply.
May we always remember that we are part of Your creation,
called to love, respect, and care for it together.
Amen.
Have a wonderful week,
God Bless,
Maria
Learning Corner
LEARNING and TEACHING
Every minute counts!
DID YOU KNOW?
The Australian Curriculum is aspirational which means it is a desire to achieve a high level of success.
The Australian Curriculum sets out the essential knowledge, understanding and skills students need to learn, and the quality of learning that is expected of the students as they progress through the first 11 years of schooling.
The Australian Curriculum is designed to prepare young people for the future world in which they will learn, and prepares them to respond to the challenges that will continue to shape their world. It sets out the priorities and aspirations we hold for all our young people. The curriculum represents what the Australian community values as the knowledge, understanding and skills that young people should attain.
Although Queensland rates student achievement on an A to E scale, the Australian Curriculum rates demonstrated student achievement as Satisfactory, Above Satisfactory or Below Satisfactory. The Queensland ‘C’ represents the Australian Curriculum ‘Satisfactory’ standard.
You will notice in your child’s Semester Report that a list of what children have been taught in each subject has replaced the learning statement and there is no teacher comment for Religion, Mathematics or English. Children’s learning in each subject is monitored on a daily or weekly basis and teacher planning is adjusted accordingly to respond to student learning needs.
For Primary School students, the best way for parents to keep current with their child’s learning journey is to listen to their learning experiences and keep regular contact with their teachers about any learning concerns. If your child is experiencing learning challenges and difficulties that are not part of the usual learning process, their teacher will let you know. A result on a Semester Report will not provide you with information about skills that are developing well and those that are in need of extra support in class.
The opportunity for a meeting with the class teacher is available to all parents/carers after Semester Reports are released on the last Friday of term.
PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE
Congratulations to:
3/4B who have read 146 books so far (30.42% of the target of 480)
5B who have read 25 books (6.67% of the target of 375)
1/2B who have read 15 books (3.13% of the target of 480)
We hope to see more classes join this list in Week 8
Key dates | Activity |
6 May – 22 August | Reading period for Prep to Year 9 students |
25 August | Student reader record forms submitted to teacher |
3 – 14 November | Premier's Reading Challenge Celebration Weeks |
Every student who completes the challenge, and returns the completed record reader form, will receive a Certificate of Achievement.
Children will receive the Reader Record sheet on Monday to begin recording what they have read.
A list of suggested books can be found here.
Keep up the sharing of books
Rita
Class in the Spotlight - PA
We've had a delightful and productive week in Prep! Here's a glimpse into our activities:
- Morning Learning Connections: Each day begins with engaging activities to foster a positive and focused start.
- Handwriting Practice: We concentrated on forming letters correctly.
- Letter Craft Fun: Students enjoyed creating crafts related to our letter of the week, reinforcing letter recognition through art.
- Library Visit: Students had a blast borrowing books from the library.
- Christian Meditation: We enjoy our daily meditation time.
- Weekend Recount Writing: Children practiced their writing skills by sharing and illustrating their weekend experiences.
- Numeracy Focus: Our math sessions delved into teen numbers and number partitioning, using hands-on activities to build a strong number sense.
Prep Open Day
Please share with friends and family who hava a child due to enrol into Prep next year. Encourage them to come and experience the St Francis Catholic School rainbow of possibilities.
Planet Protectors
Take a look at the poster created by our planet protectors! Copies will be displayed around the school as a reminder to students.
Tuckshop
Who wouldn't want to be a part of our amazing Tuckshop team. We are looking for helpers, even for a day or two. Fill in the form below and return to the Office.
Tuckshop 2025
Parent Name: __________________________ Mobile No.: _______________
Student Name: _______________________________
I can work: Mon □ Tues □ Wed □ Thurs □ Fri □
I can bake: Mon □ Tues □ Wed □ Thurs □
Fortnightly □ Monthly □ OR Other □ _______________
Library
Let's Read Together - School Library
Monday to Friday - 8:10am to 8:30am
All ages welcome
Community
