Term 1 Week 9

From Samantha Suthers' Desk - Principal

Last week, our school community was honoured to host a special visit from Bishop Michael, Director Michael McCusker, Assistant Director Stephen Dale, and our parish priests Fr Andrew and Fr Peter. This visit marked one of their final stops in their extensive tour across the Diocese, which included visits to all 39 primary and secondary schools. Their dedication and commitment to Catholic Education is truly commendable.

Their journey spanned across our Diocese, from the northern reaches of Mackay, west to Longreach, and south to Bundaberg. Despite the vast distances travelled, their favourite part of the journey was undoubtedly engaging with the children and responding to the thoughtful and curious questions posed.

At St Francis, some of the insightful questions from our eager students included:

• What is the relationship between Catholics and Jews?
• What is the Catholic view on the Big Bang theory?
• What was before God?
• Can you explain the Holy Trinity?

As someone who has been both a student and a teacher within our Diocese—from attending St Patrick's Emerald and Marist College Emerald to teaching in the Rockhampton, Western, and Southern Regions—these questions truly made me stop and reflect. The inquisitiveness and depth of thinking displayed by our students highlight their commitment to learning and their hunger for greater knowledge.

I felt both proud and honoured to witness these profound questions and the learning that followed. We are truly blessed at St Francis to provide our students with opportunities to broaden their understanding of the 'bigger picture' through the lens of our faith. Being part of a Catholic primary school allows us to integrate this deeper level of thinking into our daily teachings, enriching our students' educational journeys.

Let us continue to nurture this spirit of inquiry and reflection within our students, fostering a community where faith and knowledge thrive together. 

From Meredith's Desk- APRE

Holy Week at St Francis

For Christians, the anchor of our faith is Jesus Christ and his teachings of love and compassion.  Our students will gather in class groupings in our final week of term to reflect on Holy Week and the joy of Easter.  Families are welcome to join us.

From Kylie's desk- APC

We were lucky enough to have some special visitors last week, including Bishop Michael and our Director, Mr Michael McClusker. Every week, Mr McCusker writes the Message Stick to all in the Catholic Education Diocese of Rockhampton. His article last week resonated with me, especially when we reflect on the success of many of our students. Looking at our Year 6 students, as we walked around Facing Island for 10km on Wednesday, as part of a Science excursion, I was so proud of their growth. From little Preppies, seven years ago to today,  helping each other, accepting diversity and developing into beautiful young people. Parents and teachers of our students must be so proud. I certainly am. High school teachers often comment that it is obvious when they have St Francis students in their classes - they are leaders, they are creative, caring and welcoming - true indicators of Mitfreude.

Michael wrote.....What does student success look like?
The German word ‘Mitfreude’ when translated means ‘gaining pleasure through other people’s success’. I think teaching is a profession where ‘mitfreude’ is practiced on a daily basis in every school across the Diocese, where we strive to provide experiences for students that enable them to grow and succeed. An essential formula to enable mitfreude to flourish involves knowing our students and meeting them where they are. It requires us to facilitate learning experiences that will cultivate in students the motivation to persevere in their effort and to feel the joy and satisfaction of success. Thank you for all that you do on a daily basis to enable students to feel success in their learning.

Parent Communication - Feedback!

At St Francis, we are committed to fostering a strong and supportive school community. Effective communication between the school and our families is a key part of this commitment. To help us improve and ensure we are meeting your needs, we are seeking your feedback on our current communication practices.

We would love to hear your thoughts on:

• How effectively we communicate important information and updates
• The clarity and frequency of our communications
• Your preferred methods of communication (e.g., email, newsletters, social media, etc.)
• Any suggestions you have for improving our communication

Your feedback is invaluable to us and will help us enhance our efforts to keep you well-informed and engaged with your child's education and school activities.

Please take a few moments to share your thoughts by clicking on the link below. We thank you in advance for your time and input.

Thank you for your ongoing support and for being an integral part of our school community.

Students On Site

Student safety is our top priority. Without teacher supervision, there are increased risks that we want to avoid. We understand that mornings can be challenging for some families, and we appreciate your cooperation in supporting our guidelines.

Teacher Supervision Starts at 8:10am

Please be aware that teacher supervision at school begins at 8:10am each morning. For the safety of all students, we kindly request that students do not arrive on the school premises before this time. This precaution is necessary to ensure that all students are adequately supervised and safe while on school grounds.

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)

To support families who need to drop off their children earlier, we are fortunate to have an Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) program. The OSHC operates from 6:00am to 6:00pm, providing a safe and supervised environment for students outside of regular school hours. We encourage families to utilise this service if earlier drop-offs are necessary.

Phone : 0400701721 - St Francis OSHC
Email : Sfts_Oshc@rok.catholic.edu.au

Student Mobile Phones

There has become an increasing amount of students arriving to school with mobile phones. 

To ensure a focused and distraction-free learning environment, all students are required to hand in their mobile phones to the office before the first school bell at 8:25am. Phones can be collected after the last school bell at 2:45pm.

Your cooperation is appreciated in maintaining our school’s commitment to student wellbeing and academic success.

Sharing of Lunch Box Food

As part of our ongoing commitment to the safety and wellbeing of all our students, we are reaching out to ask for your support in discussing an important topic with your children: the sharing of food.

In our school community, we have a number of children with food allergies. These allergies can be severe, and even a small amount of an allergen can cause a serious reaction. To ensure the safety of all students, it is crucial that children understand the importance of not sharing food from their lunch boxes.

While we consistently communicate this message at school, we believe that reinforcing it at home will make a significant difference. Your guidance can help children understand why it's important to respect these rules and look out for their friends.

Here are a few points you might consider covering in your discussion:

• Understanding Allergies: Explain what food allergies are and why some children cannot eat certain foods.
• The Importance of No Sharing: Emphasise that sharing food, even with good intentions, can be dangerous for friends with allergies.
• Helping Friends Stay Safe: Encourage your child to support their friends by following the no-sharing rule and informing a teacher if they notice someone food swapping.

We appreciate your partnership in fostering a safe and supportive environment for all our students. By working together, we can help ensure that every child feels safe and cared for at school.

Sporting Carnival Permission

Dear families,

A letter was emailed on Tuesday regarding the need for permission for next term's sporting carnival and term 4's swimming carnival.

Please accept/decline this invitation via Parent Orbit - Events and Payments. 

Thank you.

Kylie Linforth

All Welcome- This Tuesday From 8:30am

Vacation Care - St Francis - OSHC

If you are interested in your children attending our OSHC Vacation Care, the ladies can be contacted at:

Phone: 0400701721 - St Francis OSHC
Email: Sfts_Oshc@rok.catholic.edu.au

School Uniforms

St Francis Uniform Shop

Did you know that Wearitto comes to St Francis every Tuesday?

The shop is open 8:30am -10:30am in Green Pod the room beside the Hub.

Please sign in through the QR code in the office or on the uniform shop door. When prompted for organisation please type 'visitor'.

Alternatively, you can order online and items can be picked up from the office in the afternoon of the next Tuesday after the order is placed:

https://www.wearitto.com.au/schools/st-francis-catholic-primary-school-ts 

Gladstone Trading Hours:

You can also order by using the Parent Orbit App, by clicking on 'Uniforms' on the Orbit's home page. Please see the images below.

Second Hand Pre Loved Uniforms

Parents and Friends News

NEON Disco

Get Ready to Glow! The NEON disco is happening tonight, Friday the 28th of March and the countdown is on. Wear your brightest neon outfits and get ready for a night of music, dancing and fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Food & Drinks: Small packets of chips, lollies, soft drinks and juice poppers will be available for purchase via cash or EFTPOS. No dinner items available and the tuck shop will not be open, so please arrange your dinner plans accordingly to best suit your family. You are welcome to bring food if you wish. We ask that all children are sitting while eating and drinking.

Supervision: All children are to be supervised by their parent/care giver for the duration of the disco.

Younger Siblings: are welcome, however must be supervised at all times. A Toddler Space will be set up with colouring and age-appropriate games.

If you have children in both the first and second sessions: At the completion of the first session, students are to leave the hall with their caregiver. If they have older siblings staying on for the second session, the younger siblings can dance on the basketball court supervised by their caregivers. This is to reduce the risk of children being injured on the dance floor.

Please reach out to the P&F if you have any questions via email  SFTS_PandFSecretary@rok.catholic.edu.au or the St Francis Tannum Sands P&F Facebook Page.

Parents & Friends Facebook Page

If you haven’t checked it out yet, take a look at the new P&F Facebook Page. Like and follow us to stay connected to P&F events and initiatives. Link below or search “St Francis Tannum Sands P&F” in Facebook to find us.https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573112566338

 Upcoming P&F meetings

All are welcome at P&F General Meeting and we’d love you to attend. Younger siblings are welcome. The next meeting dates are:

Term 2: Friday 9th May 2025, 8:30am – 9:30am, staffroom

Term 3: Friday 25th July 2025, 8:30am – 9:30am, staffroom

Community News

Gladstone Regional School Bus - CDC

CDC Gladstone provides the school bus services for the Gladstone region.

For Bus Timetables and Bus Route Schedules please use the below link to the Gladstone CDC website.

https://cdcqueensland.com.au/school-services/gladstone-schools/

The Gladstone CDC office's address is - 9 Lyons Street, South Gladstone and their contact number is (07) 4972 1670

Hydrogen Community Information Centre Open Day – Come and Explore!

Join CQUniversity’s Hydrogen Central Community Open Day for a hands-on experience with interactive exhibits, renewable energy experiments, and virtual hydrogen production!

Date: Saturday, 29th March 2025
Time: 11 AM – 3 PM

Location: Hydrogen Central, CQUniversity Gladstone, 43 Bryan Jordan Drive, Leo Zussino Building

🔹 Meet industry and government experts
🔹 Explore cutting-edge renewable energy tech
🔹 Build molecular models & take home a craft atom!
🔹 Experience virtual hydrogen production in our immersive theatre
🔹 Enjoy hands-on activities for all ages!

This event is free and open to the whole community – a great opportunity for students to learn about the future of energy!

📩 More info: h2central@cqu.edu.au | 🌐 www.cqu.edu.au/h2central

📌 Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/168fTsgNft/

Gladstone Council - Moonlight Movie Event

Goals Football Development - April School Holiday Clinics

⚽️ April school holiday soccer clinics are back with Goals Football Development!! Very limited places remaining                   🥅 Run by A-Diploma candidate coach! 
 Links for booking below:
💚 https://www.trybooking.com/CUVFB
🧡 https://www.trybooking.com/CUVFM
❤️ https://www.trybooking.com/CUVIP

Young Engineers Workshops - Central Queensland University

Art Classes - April School Holidays

Easter In Gladstone - 17th to 21st April 2025

There are a variety of free and ticketed events across the long weekend throughout the region. All event details can be found here:

www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/easter

Gladstone Harbour Festival Fun Run - 18th April

Strong Communities Term 2 Parenting Support Programs

Circle of Security Parenting & Turning In To Kids - Now open for registrations

Mother's Day Classic Walk/Run