Term 2 Week 7 2025

From the Principal

Dear Families and Friends,

It’s hard to believe we’re already this far into the term! Our students have been working diligently on their assessments while also embracing the many special moments that make our school life so vibrant.

This week, we came together to mark National Reconciliation Week through a thoughtful and moving assembly led by our First Nations students and 5B. In classrooms, students explored the meaning behind this important time—recognising the need to acknowledge past wrongs and commit to building a better, more inclusive future together.

We also had a very sweet reason to celebrate—our school was named the Sweetest School at the Sweet Days Hot Nights Festival! One of the highlights was seeing our students beaming with pride as they were recognised for growing the sweetest sugarcane. A huge thank you goes to Mrs Emily Fiamingo and our incredible Planet Protectors team for all the passion and hard work that made this achievement possible.

As we approach the final weeks of term, we encourage families to help set students up for success each day—ensuring they start with a nourishing breakfast, bring a hat for sun safety, and pack a jumper, as the shaded areas of our school are getting quite chilly!

Let’s finish the term strong, together.

God bless,

Lisa Fitzsimmons

Religious Life of the School

Hello families,

Recently, I had the opportunity to take part in a three-day APRE Retreat at the House of Prayer. It was a special time to slow down, reconnect with God, and reflect through personal prayer, creativity, stillness, cooking, and rich conversation. I return feeling refreshed and spiritually nourished, ready to embrace the final weeks of the term with renewed energy.

Class Mass

On Thursday, students from Years 1A, 1/2B, and 2A came together to celebrate their class Mass, with the theme of Faith. In class, the children have been learning about the different ways they can talk to God through prayer. They are discovering that faith means trusting in God, even when we can’t see Him, and that prayer is a powerful way to strengthen that trust.

Thank you to Father Manoj for leading the Mass and for sharing a beautiful message about faith and the importance of being grateful for all the wonderful things we have in our lives. A special thank you to the students for their reverence and their joyful singing—it was lovely to hear their voices as they shared some new songs with our Parish community.  A big thank you to to our parents and friends who joined in the celebration with us. 

Pentecost

This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, one of the most important days in the Church’s calendar. Pentecost comes from a Jewish tradition and was originally a harvest festival celebrated 50 days after Passover. For Christians, it marks the day—50 days after Easter—when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and other followers of Jesus. As described in the Acts of the Apostles, they were filled with the Spirit and began to speak in different languages, giving them the courage and ability to share the message of Jesus with people from all nations. Pentecost is often called the "birthday of the Church" because it marks the beginning of the Church’s mission in the world. It reminds us of the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives today, helping us to live with faith, courage, and love.

This weekend, we also celebrate a special moment in the life of our school and parish community with the Rite of Welcome Masses for our Sacramental candidates. As these children begin their preparation to receive the Sacraments, we keep them and their families in our prayers and ask the Holy Spirit to guide them on their journey of faith.

Reconciliation

Best wishes to all of our students participating in the Sacramental Program. Next Wednesday, they will take an important step in their faith journey as they celebrate their First Reconciliation. May the Lord bless each of them on this special occasion—may His love be upon you, and may His presence always guide you. We pray that this experience brings peace to their hearts and a deeper understanding of God’s endless mercy and love.

Have a wonderful week,

God Bless,

Maria

Learning Corner

LEARNING and TEACHING

Every minute counts!

I love this image for its powerful message and how it challenges our understanding of ‘equality’ and ‘equity’.

 We often hear “if the children achieving ‘Cs’ were given  the same School Officer time as some other students, they could achieve at a ‘B’ or ‘A’ standard.”

The first illustration would represent this reality, with one child receiving more support than needed. At the same time, another child is deprived of access to the curriculum, to which legislation states they are entitled. In the second illustration, with different supports, everyone has access to the game and, similarly, the curriculum in the classroom setting.

If a child can access the curriculum at a ‘C’ standard, they have all they need to continue learning successfully. The ‘A’ and ‘B’ are achieved when they demonstrate how well and consistently they can apply what they have learnt to different situations.

School Officer funding is received based on the identified barriers to curriculum access. The obstacles that qualify for support funding are lifelong disabilities, just like the child who cannot see over the fence because of their height. A child diagnosed with ASD has inherent lifelong characteristics that make it difficult for them to access the curriculum. Access to curriculum is about overcoming barriers caused by a diagnosed disability that hinders learning. As a school, we are accountable for the use of the funding for students with a disability, and we must report the difference this funding has made to student learning.

We are responsible for ensuring all children access the curriculum by addressing their learning disability, learning difficulty or learning difference through the adjustments made in the day-to-day classroom planning.

Parents are encouraged to share their concerns about their child’s learning with the classroom teacher.

 PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE

Congratulations to:

5B for reading 290 books (77.33% of the target of 375)

3/4B for reading 147 books (30.63% of the target of 480)

6A for reading 70 books (16.09% of the target of 435)

1A for reading 62 books (13.48% of the target of 460)

4/5A for reading 41 books (8.54% of the target of 480)

Great to see more classes joining the tally!

Every student who completes the challenge, and returns the completed reader record form, will receive a Certificate of Achievement.

Keep up the regular reading and sharing of books.

Rita

Guidance Counsellor

In this edition of SchoolTV - Diet & Nutrition

We all know that diet and nutrition is vital to your child’s development and growth, but are you aware of the effects it has on your child’s brain development and how it can impact their academic achievement?

In this era of convenience, it is easy to reach for pre-packaged and processed foods to cope with busy schedules. However, these foods are usually packed full of sugar and salt which can have adverse health effects. Making a habit of reading food labels can help reduce the risks. It can also help to stabilise your child’s energy, improve their mood, maintain a healthy weight and improve their general wellbeing.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will discover practical advice for teaching your kids about the benefits of incorporating a healthy diet and good nutrition.

Here is the link to the Diet & Nutrition edition of SchoolTV
https://sfatsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/diet-nutrition

P.A.T.H.

Class in the Spotlight - 2A

This week, 2A have been shining brightly in their learning! The students have been busy writing creative and detailed descriptive sentences as they prepare for their upcoming writing assessment. In Mathematics, they’ve been exploring number patterns and partitioning, developing their confidence and accuracy with daily number facts. Each day begins with a Word of the Day to build vocabulary, and in Religion, the class has been reflecting on the power of prayer in their own lives. Well done, 2A, for your focus, enthusiasm, and thoughtful contributions across all areas of learning!

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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. 

Library

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Birthdays

Students of the Week

Community