Term 2 Week 9 2025

From the Principal

Good day families and friends, 

We certainly haven’t slowed down this term! Many of our students are well and truly ready for the upcoming holidays, having enjoyed a wonderful range of extracurricular activities happening right here in our local community. I am looking forward to seeing many of our very own students in the theatre performance, ‘Storytellers’ this weekend.

This week, St Francis caught the “fire bug” alongside our local cane farmers when the Year 1 students were visited by our local firefighters. They brought their firetruck along and gave a fascinating demonstration of the tools and equipment they use to keep us safe.

Meanwhile, our Year 5 and 6 students were firing up their skills on the court when they took part in a basketball clinic led by our local basketball coaches - a great experience for our aspiring athletes!

On Thursday our Years 3's, 4's and 5's were on fire too participating beautifully in our school Mass. There were lots of different roles to play and the singing with actions brought the Church to life. Fr Manoj reminded us all of the importance of loving one another, a message that echoes our school’s mission and the PATH values we live by every day.

Today, we held our Prep Open Day, welcoming families to explore the many exciting possibilities that await our new students. Interviews will begin in Week 1 next term, so please be sure to contact the office to book a time — siblings also need their chance to have interviews and share what they love too.

Looking ahead, enrolments for Year 7 at Burdekin Catholic High School for 2026 are filling quickly. If you have children ready to enrol, please complete an application form as soon as possible, as places are limited across other year levels too.

As we approach the final week of term, I’d like to remind families of the importance of regular attendance. School is a vital place where our students grow not only academically but also socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Many of the special events this term play an important role in shaping who we are as a community, and the learning that happens during these times is just as valuable as the lessons taught with pen and paper. 

We are truly blessed to have holidays every ten weeks, so let’s make sure our students are in class every day to help them reach their full potential.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

God bless,

Lisa Fitzsimmons

Religious Life of the School

Dear families,

As we approach the final week of Term 2, it’s a wonderful time to pause and reflect on the many blessings of the past months. Our students have grown in their learning, deepened their friendships, and shared in the prayer life of our school community.

Year 3, 4 & 5 Class Mass

Yesterday we celebrated a beautiful Mass with our Year 3, 4 and 5 students, focusing on the theme of Jesus' mission – to love one another. Fr Manoj reminded us of the importance of loving our friends and loving God in our everyday lives. It was heartwarming to see the students’ enthusiasm and reverence shine through in every part of the celebration. A special moment was when Father invited those preparing for the Sacraments to gather around the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer—a powerful reminder of their faith journey. We sincerely thank Fr Manoj for celebrating Mass with us and extend our heartfelt gratitude to the parents, families and friends who joined us in this special celebration.

Today, our Year 1 and 2 students gathered for Christian Meditation, providing a beautiful opportunity to pause, reflect, and connect with God. The children embraced the stillness with reverence and calm, creating a truly special atmosphere. We are grateful to Fr Truong for joining us and supporting our students in their growing faith journey.

Next Friday, St Francis will celebrate NAIDOC Day. NAIDOC Day plays a vital role in fostering unity, promoting awareness, and recognising the diverse cultures and contributions of Indigenous Australians. It serves as a platform for sharing knowledge, building bridges between communities, and honoring the enduring resilience and cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

NAIDOC Day has a theme each year and this year it is ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy’. This theme celebrates the achievements of the past and looks forward to a bright future, emphasizing the strength of young First Nations leaders, the vision of communities, and the enduring legacy of ancestors. The theme also acknowledges the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week, a significant milestone in honoring and elevating Indigenous voices

Our day will begin with a liturgy. It will be in the Samaritan Centre and all are welcome to join us. With permission, activities throughout the day will highlight the wisdom and connection to Country of our Traditional Custodians, while also exploring the knowledge and perspectives of Traditional Owners from other parts of Australia. It will be a great way to end the term.

Have a wonderful week,

God Bless,

Maria

Learning Corner

LEARNING and TEACHING

Every minute counts!

NAPLAN UPDATE

This week, we received the school's NAPLAN Report. This report showed us how our Year 3 and Year 5 groups performed in comparison to the performance of the state cohorts in the areas of Numeracy, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation. This allows us to identify our strong areas and the areas we need to work on.

As we look at the results, we examine the ‘WHY’  of these results. We do need to take into account if the concepts tested had already been taught or if they were to be taught in Term 2 or later. Another influencing factor is the attendance rate of students who did not perform as well as expected.

As teachers plan for next term, using the information provided by NAPLAN reports, PLD  and DIBELS screening, as well as in-class assessments, to identify the needs of the students.  All teachers will spend a day, Tuesday or Thursday, of next week to begin their planning for next term.

 INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NAPLAN REPORTS

QCAA (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) will begin posting the Individual Student Reports to schools in Week 1 of Term 3. Reports will then be sent home.

SEMESTER REPORTS

An addition to the semester reports is the  ‘Interview Requested’ OR ‘Interview Welcome’.

Interview Requested means the teacher has not already had a recent discussion with you about your child’s learning progress and is concerned about your child’s progress.

Interview Welcome means the teacher has no concerns about your child’s learning, but if you have concerns, you are welcome to request an interview by calling the office to arrange a time.

Semester Reports will be available via COMPASS at 3.00 pm Friday, 27  June.

 PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE

Congratulations to:

5B for reading  430 books (114.67% of the target of 375)

3/4B for reading  287 books (59.8% of the target of 480)

1A  for reading 167 books (36.3% of the target of 460)

1/2B  for reading 116 books (24.17% of the target of 480)

3A  for reading 100 books (23.8% of the target of 420)

PB  for reading 80 books (25% of the target of 320)

6A for reading 72 books (16.55% of the target of 435)

4/5A for reading 45 books (9.38% of the target of 480)

Great to see classes increasing their tally each week!!

Remind your child to hand in their Reading Records to be marked in their class’s tally.

Keep up the regular reading and sharing of books.

Rita

Guidance Counsellor

In this edition of SchoolTV - Physical Activity & Exercise

In the last decade, children’s participation in physical activity and exercise has been in decline. In this digital age, children are using computers and mobile devices, not only for learning, but for relaxation and recreation purposes. This sedentary lifestyle is having a detrimental effect on today’s youth. The key is finding the balance.

Research shows, that regular physical activity and exercise leads to changes in the brain. It improves cognitive function, elevates mood, enhances learning and improves academic outcomes. Playing sport helps kids develop fundamental movement skills impacting positively on their confidence, self-esteem and ability to develop social skills. Parents play an important role in helping children establish positive habits that will benefit their children in the long-term.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will discover practical advice relating to the benefits of regular physical activity and exercise, as well as tips on how to get their kids motivated and moving more.

Here is the link to the Physical Activity & Exercise edition of SchoolTV
https://sfatsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/physical-activity-exercise

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