Term 2 Week 8 2024

From the Principal

Dear Families,

This morning we had the first of our 2025 Prep Open Days. It was great to welcome so many students and families to our school and it was wonderful to hear a few of the children already calling St Francis their school and to see just how excited they are about starting ‘big school’. If you or someone you know wasn’t able to make it along to our Open Day today, we will be doing it all again on Monday 10th June. Please encourage them to email ayr@sfatsv.catholic.edu.au to register their place. It isn’t too late to register. I would like to thank our amazing Prep Team of Kelly Harris, Megan Tatnell and Katrina Rainbow for the time and effort they put into ensuring that our Prep Open Day is a welcoming and joyful experience for families.  

Behaviour Management

It is the responsibility of the school to provide a safe learning environment which is conducive to the physical and emotional well-being of its students. St Francis Catholic School’s Positive Behaviour program (Positive Behaviour for Learning, PB4L) The Good Samaritan’s P.A.T.H. teaches the four rules of expected behaviour (Persist with Learning, Act Safely, Treat all with Respect and Help your Neighbour). We are also a UR STRONG School. UR STRONG is a whole school skill based strategy that teaches friendship skills, interpersonal skills and conflict resolution. In line with UR STRONG, at St Francis Catholic School we don’t use the word “bullying” as it is a term that is misused and results in students, teachers and parents labeling a child a “bully”. We refer to the behaviour not the child. The UR STRONG methodology outlines that conflict is defined into two categories:

• Normal conflict referred to as a Friendship Fire.
• Actions that are intentionally unkind or cruel are referred to as Mean-on-Purpose behaviour.

We acknowledge that at times students may experience either Friendship Fires or Mean-on-Purpose behaviour. The Leadership Team along with the School Board have ratified a Response to Bullying (Mean-on-Purpose Behaviour) Policy. This policy clearly outlines the definition of a Friendship Fire as well as Mean-on-Purpose Behaviour and steps that families can take as well as actions the school will follow in these situations. I encourage you to have a read of this policy which can be found on our school website. 

Safe People

Every school in the Townsville Diocese has at least two dedicated School Safe People. At St Francis, our Safe People are Mrs Jones, Mrs Cranitch and Mrs Danello. Our role covers a diverse range of responsibilities but the main one is to be a person that students, staff and parents can talk to if they feel unsafe or are concerned by the behaviour of others.

This week on Assembly students were reminded about the Safe People role, who our school Safe People are and what we are here for. We also reviewed our Safety Network Hand and discussed the people we may find on our safety network. I encourage you to have a chat with your child/ren about their safety network and who is on their safety hand. 

If you have any questions about the Safe Person Role, please don’t hesitate to contact Rita, Areti or myself.

FACE Meeting

Just a reminder that we have a FACE Meeting on Thursday from 2 - 2:45pm. This meeting will be held in the Staff Room. I hope that you can join us.

Spirit of Catholic Education

Each year during Catholic Education Week we recognise a member of our school community who makes an outstanding contribution to the life of our school through the annual Spirit of Catholic Education Week Awards. This person can be a staff member or volunteer in the school community. I am very proud to announce that our recipient for 2024 is Kathy Giddy. Kathy is a long time volunteer at St Francis and is a familiar face to all students through her presence in the tuckshop. Kathy is a very deserving recipient of this award and I invite you to join me in congratulating her.

Have a wonderful week.

Take care and God Bless

Amanda

UR STRONG

Friendship Groups, Cliques, & Fitting in

What’s the difference between a healthy vs unhealthy Friendship Group? #Squadgoals

“What if there’s someone in my group that isn’t very nice to me?“

“Can I be in more than one group?“

“What if my group of friends don’t get along with another group?“

“I don’t feel like I fit in with my group and I want to switch groups!“

This pack-like mentality is very common with kids who are striving to find their way in this world, but it’s not always the healthiest approach. Friend groups and cliques can be exclusive and alienating. Stereotypes emerge, peer pressure is at its worst, and kids start to mold to fit the group’s reputation and rules.

Being part of a group, however, can feel good. Kids truly fear social isolation and sometimes make poor choices in their friendships so as to not be seen to be alone. Over the years, countless kids have told us they would rather have a bad friend than no friend at all. Being with a group can feel safe.

In our workshops with students, we talk to them about the difference between healthy and unhealthy friendship groups using the Friend-o-meter. Some friendship groups feel good and some do not and we discuss the qualities of a healthy friendship group.

To support children to try and break down these invisible walls that exist in their friendships, here are 3 important conversations to have with them:

• Discuss the difference between “fitting in” versus “belonging”, which Dr Brené Brown explores in her research on vulnerability and shame. Our goal is to help children feel that vital sense of belonging. We can feel we belong, even when we’re alone. We can feel we belong, even if we don’t get invited to every birthday party. We can feel we belong, even if our friend is hanging out with another friend. How are you fostering that sense of belonging in your students or your child? We need to reinforce Friendship Fact #3: Trust & respect are the two most important qualities in a friendship and help build that capacity for self-compassion and self-worth in every child.
• Encourage your students or child to think about each friendship individually. Group dynamics are tricky and the reality is that ‘group mentality’ reinforces unhealthy thinking patterns like stereotyping and discrimination. We need to teach children to look at people as individuals; they are more than the sum of their parts. Reinforce Friendship Fact #2: Every friendship is different and encourage your students or child to focus on what works in each one of their individual friendships.
• Glennon Doyle Melton, author of Love Warrior and creator of Momastery, recently posted a story on Instagram encouraging people to switch to horseshoes instead of circles when they’re standing with a group. A circle is closed off and doesn’t leave room for people to join, while a horseshoe is welcoming. We talk to kids a lot about the messages they’re sending with their body language. What message is the group sending when it stands in a circle? A horseshoe says, “We’ve got room for more!”

If our children are going to form groups, which they will, let’s give them the tools they need to understand they are individuals (and so are their friends) who always belong…even when they’re alone.

Written by Dana Kerford
Friendship Expert and Founder of URSTRONG

Religious Life of the School

Dear families,

Week 8 is done and we are nearly on the countdown to holidays. The students have been working diligently to complete assessments and teachers have spent many extra hours writing and proofing report cards.

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is an important day for our parish community as the Church in Ayr is named ‘Sacred Heart’. They will be holding a Mass this Sunday at 9 am to celebrate, everyone is invited.

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the Friday after the Corpus Christi octave. The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus profoundly symbolises His boundless love and compassion for humanity. Represented through the image of Christ’s heart, crowned with thorns and often aflame, it serves as a poignant reminder of His enduring sacrifice and the depth of His divine mercy.

In our daily lives, especially within the school community, the Sacred Heart invites us to embody Christ’s love in our interactions. It encourages us to show kindness, extend forgiveness, and support those in need. This devotion is not just about venerating an image but embracing its values: selflessness, empathy, and unwavering love.

Reflecting on the Sacred Heart also calls us to acknowledge our own hearts, assessing how well they align with Christ’s example. Are we compassionate and understanding? Do we strive to heal rather than hurt or to unite rather than divide? The Sacred Heart is a beacon of hope and a call to action in a world often marked by division and strife.

As we move through this school year, let the Sacred Heart inspire us to create a community where love, respect, and kindness are paramount. May we always remember that in emulating the heart of Jesus, we not only grow closer to Him but also transform our school into a place where everyone feels cherished and valued.

Years 3 and 4 Class Mass

Years 3 and 4 had their Class Mass on Wednesday. Their theme was the Trinity, which has been their learning focus this term. Thank you to Father Truong for leading them and speaking about the Trinity. He spoke about the Father being the element we pray the Our Father to, the Holy Spirit as a guiding force who helps us to make good and better choices and the Son as Jesus who forgives us when we fail to listen to the Holy Spirit. Father Truong even had Croc Jibbitz to give as prizes for correct answers.

Thank you to the students for their beautiful voices, it was lovely to hear them singing some new songs.

Assembly

Thank you to PB for leading the assembly on Monday. We enjoyed hearing about their opinions of fairytale characters.

God Bless

Nicole

Learning Corner

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

How much screen time does your child have each day?

Why does your child have screen time?

About fifteen years ago, we would have correctly thought that the more screen time our children had, the better equipped they would be for the future. How misled were we?

Research has now shown the negative impact of screen time on growing children. If a young child is adept at navigating games and the internet on a device, it is no longer a response of admiration but fear and horror. It is admirable of children and promising for their academic success when they can say several rhymes, talk about books they have read, and have a wide range of vocabulary. It is even better when they present you with a strong argument for participating in particular events instead of the tantrum of ‘everyone is doing it’, ‘all my friends have it’ or ‘you are mean!’.

Technology is an excellent tool as it allows us to achieve goals that would not be efficiently possible without it. Thanks to technology, medical science has advanced a great deal. Children with learning difficulties have access to learning that would not previously have been possible.

The Australian Curriculum: Technologies Foundation to Year 10 comprises two subjects: 

• Design and Technologies, in which students use design thinking and technologies to generate and produce designed solutions for authentic needs and opportunities  
• Digital Technologies, in which students use computational thinking and information systems to define, design and implement digital solutions for authentic problems.  

The Australian Curriculum V9.0 includes aspects of the learning area of Technologies across all subjects. 

Where does your child spend most of their time?

How many books have they heard or read as part of the Premier’s Reading Challenge?

Have a great weekend.

Rita 

Guidance Counsellor

In this edition of SchoolTV - MANAGING SCREEN TIME

Parents play a crucial role in modelling a positive and healthy approach to using screens and assisting children to navigate the content they watch. It is better to model and mentor screen use, rather than monitor it. Children tend to do more of what they see us do, and less of what we tell them to do. However, it is still important to outline the risks and highlight the benefits of screen use to ensure you keep a balanced attitude. Encourage discussions around the issues that people experience in monitoring their screen time and be honest about your own difficulties.

Parents need to remain firm in their approach to managing screen time. Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a child’s overall wellbeing. Ensuring the correct privacy settings are in place is vital to prevent children from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate content or online predators. Parents need to also be mindful of the potential impact screen time can have on a child’s social, emotional, educational, behavioural, and even physical domains.

In this edition of SchoolTV, caregivers will be provided with a range of guidelines and strategies to help manage screen time at home.

Here is the link to the Managing Screen Time edition of SchoolTV
https://sfatsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/managing-screen-time

Class in the Spotlight -

What a great week we had in Prep B! 

We started the week off by presenting our first ever Assembly. We loved carrying special items and getting the chance to go on stage and talk into the microphone. 

In PLD, we have been working hard at blending and segmenting sounds to create words. This week we learnt about digraphs and that it is when two letters join together to make one sound. We also got to write our CVC words with chalk out on the concrete. 

In English, we have continued learning about fairy tales and have been working hard on our reading and writing skills. 

In Maths, we have been learning about numbers up to 10 and identifying numbers that come before and after. We took our Maths Rotations outside on Thursday and got to practise writing our numbers on the concrete with chalk. 

Finally, we got 10 stars in our Super Star Jar by working together as a team to make smart choices and follow our PATH expectations. We enjoyed an iceblock at the end of the day as our reward!

Prep B

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