Term 4 Week 4 2025

From the Principal

After a very warm week and lots of extra-curricular activities it was nice to slow the pace down this morning with our Christian Meditation as a whole school. It’s a simple yet powerful practice that reminds us that God is with us in the stillness — guiding, strengthening, and filling our hearts with peace.

This week our school community came together in a sea of red to bring awareness to Day 4 Daniel, a special time to remind ourselves about the importance of safety, respect, and looking out for one another. 

Another way we need to look out for one another is at our peak times of drop off and pick up. We ask families to recognise the speed signs, particularly within the carpark and keep eyes open for little ones moving about. We thank you for your patience in this small pocket of time to ensure everyone is safe.

Our School Board came together this week in our second last meeting for the year and were able to share some of the amazing things that have been happening around the grounds and some future planning moving forward. Next year we will commence the process of applying for funding to support the refurbishment of two of our oldest buildings: Mulholland and Joyce Crooks. This is a long term project that, once approved, will commence construction in 2027 and completion by 2028. 

We also lose a few of our long term Board members as their children head into secondary schooling. I would like to acknowledge their time, effort and support in ensuring our school continues to grow and flourish. Their wisdom and commitment have helped guide important decisions and strengthen the partnership between families, parish, and school. We are truly grateful for all they have contributed to the St Francis story.

As we look ahead to 2026, we are seeking expressions of interest for new School Board members. If you are passionate about supporting our mission and contributing to the future direction of our school, I warmly invite you to contact me for more information. Being part of the Board is a wonderful opportunity to serve our community and share in the ongoing story of St Francis School.

God Bless

Lisa Fitzsimmons

Religious Life of the School

Dear families,

Welcome to Week 4.  It’s hard to believe how quickly the term is moving. It’s been wonderful to see our students so engaged in their learning and the many activities happening across the school.

THANK YOU PREP A

Thank you to Prep A for hosting Monday’s Assembly and sharing the important message of Day for Daniel. You reminded us all to Recognise, React to and Report unsafe situations — and to stay safe, strong, and smart.

ALL SAINTS DAY                                                                                                                       

Tomorrow we celebrate All Saints’ Day, a special time in our Church calendar when we honour all those who have lived lives of faith, hope, and love. Some saints are well-known, like St. Francis Xavier and St. Marcellin Champagnat, while many others are everyday people who quietly shared God’s love through their words and actions. All Saints’ Day reminds us that each of us is called to holiness — to live with kindness, compassion, and courage in our daily lives.

For our students, it’s a chance to learn about these inspiring people of faith and to see how they, too, can make a difference by showing love and care for others. The following day, All Souls’ Day, invites us to pray for and remember our loved ones who have passed away, as we give thanks for the gift of eternal life and God’s promise of hope.

CHRISTIAN MEDITATION

Today, our school gathered together at the start of the day for Christian meditation, focusing on all saints, especially those who are significant to our school community: St. Marcellin Champagnat, St. Francis Xavier, Mary, and Bede Polding. Christian meditation is a time for silent, reflective prayer that helps us connect with God and listen for His guidance. All classes engage in this practice throughout the week, allowing students to take a break from their busy lives and quietly be in God’s presence.  Thank you to those parents who were able to join us this morning. 

MINI VINNIES VISIT

Last Thursday, our Mini Vinnies students visited the Regis Home in Ayr and spent a joyful morning helping residents create mosaic tiles for the garden. As they shared stories, laughter, and creativity, our students truly demonstrated our Catholic identity — living out the call to love our neighbour and putting faith into action. It was a wonderful reminder that even small acts of kindness can bring joy and reflect God’s love in our community. A big thank you to BCH for letting us use their bus and to Mr Matt for driving it.

CWL LUNCHEON

On November 19th, we will be holding the CWL Christmas Luncheon. We need assistance from Year 6 parents to help with the morning’s activities. I understand everyone has busy schedules, but your support is really important. If you haven't yet responded with permission, a donation, or your willingness to volunteer, please do so as soon as possible. Thank you to those who have already replied and contributed generous food donations.

This luncheon is a cherished tradition for both the school and the parish, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for students to demonstrate “love of neighbour” and “love in action” as they serve the ladies and help raise funds for local St. Vincent de Paul to support families during the Christmas season and beyond. It’s also a great chance for parents to come together, contributing to our community and parish.

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

On Tuesday, 11th November, at Sacred Heart Church, Ayr, the Parish will be holding its first Annual Parish Meeting as a new parish. It will start with Mass at 5:30pm followed by the meeting in the Parish Hall at 6:30pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to come together and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit reflected through our parishioners. Father Manoj extends a warm welcome to all.

Lisa and I will be attending and would love for you to join us. We would love to see some parents there to represent our school. If you can attend, please let either myself or the office know by next Friday so we can provide Father Manoj with numbers. For more details, please refer to the flyer at the end of the newsletter.

Blessings for a wonderful weekend,

Maria

Learning Corner

LEARNING and TEACHING

Every minute counts!

Isn’t change interesting?

It’s interesting how many things we once questioned have now become part of everyday life. The internet, electric cars, and even online shopping were all met with doubt at first! But over time, people saw the benefits, and these ideas became normal.

Education is no different. What we see in schools today has evolved from the 1990s work of William G. Spady, an academic, educational psychologist, sociologist and considered the father of Outcome-Based Education. When it was first introduced, many parents and teachers weren’t sure about it. It asked us to think differently — to focus less on what teachers teach and more on what students learn and can do.

The advantages that became apparent were:

• Students understand what they’re learning and what success entails.
  
  
• Teachers can clearly see each child’s progress and plan the next steps.
  
  
• Parents receive more meaningful feedback about their child's learning growth.

Today, the principles of Outcome-Based Education are built into the Australian Curriculum. Each subject has clear achievement standards and learning outcomes that guide teachers’ planning and assessment. This means that whether your child is learning to write a persuasive text, solve a maths problem, or design a science experiment, the learning goals are transparent and consistent across schools. Like those once-questioned trends that have become essentials — from smartphones to electric cars — OBE, although not explicitly named, has demonstrated its staying power. It has helped shift classrooms towards a more student-focused, purposeful, and inclusive approach to learning.

The path to responding to student needs to ensure successful learning for all students is a never-ending and evolving one. One of the areas that evidence-based research is telling us is the importance of routines in a classroom environment that values the different ways of learning and recognises all forms of success.

 With changes to current practices being implemented in 2026 it is reassuring to know that any change goes through the stages of resistance and wariness until we see results and then acceptance.

Resistance is excellent as it helps develop an understanding of the changes. However, a willingness to listen and question is vital to successful progress.

I look forward to hearing your views and reactions to the changes we will see.

Enjoy your weekend!

Rita

P.A.T.H

2026 School Leaders

Students of the Week

Swimming Carnival

Community

As a thank you for being a Fire School in 2025 and for your ongoing support in helping ignite the next generation of athletes and leaders, we’re excited to offer your school community an exclusive 10% discount on General Admission tickets to our very first home game of the 2025/26 season. We’d love to see your students, families and staff filling the Fire Pit, celebrating the start of a huge season. 
The discount code can be found attached, this code needs to be entered in the Password section before selecting your tickets via the link below: 

https://premier.ticketek.com.au/events/TSVFIRE126/venues/TNV/performances/ETVF0000026A/tickets

Let’s PACK THE PIT and make Game 1 unforgettable!