Term 2 Week 9

From Kassie's desk - APC

The Importance of Home Reading Routines

Reading is a skill we continue to develop throughout our lives, but starting this process as early as possible has significant benefits for our continued success as readers.  This is why, as parents and caregivers, you play a vital role in supporting your child in becoming a fluent and confident reader.  Establishing and maintaining consistent home reading practices is crucial and has significant and positive effects on your child.  

The teaching of reading and reading comprehension within the classroom is only part of a child’s learning, and the value that is given to reading at home is equally important.  Research suggests that children who read regularly outside of school perform significantly better in school assessments and so your support at home is essential in ensuring that your child continues to make the progress they are capable of.  You can support your child by listening to them read daily for about 10-15 minutes, reading bedtime stories regularly and encouraging them to enjoy reading and sharing books together.  

Some Tips for Home Reading Include:

1. Establish a home reading routine.  Read aloud with your children everyday, aiming for a minimum of 10 minutes.  This should be a non-negotiable routine within the household.   
2. Before reading:  Look at the front cover and go on a picture walk through the text, making predictions about what might happen and discuss illustrations.  Discuss any tricky/new vocabulary.  
3. During reading:  Let your child read to you.  If they become frustrated, share the reading with them, modelling expression and reading strategies.  If your child comes to an unfamiliar word while reading, encourage them to ‘slide through’ the tricky word using their knowledge of letters/sounds.  
4. After reading:  Give your child a lot of praise for finishing a book and reading well.  Ask questions that encourage discussion.  Some questions you might ask include:  What was your favourite part?  Tell me about the characters.  What do you think will happen next?  What can you tell me about where the story took place?  What did you like/dislike about this text?

Don’t forget, each year level at St Francis is currently participating in our Premier’s Reading Challenge.  This is a wonderful initiative and opportunity, enabling students and parents to experience books together in many different contexts, including shared reading, listening to stories or reading home readers, chapter books or picture books.  

Your support with reading at home is essential, and by working in partnership, we can ensure your child achieves their potential as a reader.  If you require any further guidance regarding reading, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.  

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Kassie Boyle

Acting Assistant Principal:  Curriculum

From Libby's desk - APRE

Welcome and blessings to you all as we journey through the last few days of Term 3.

Over the past 4 weeks, some students from St Francis Catholic Primary School have attended Confirmation Formation Sessions. They have been working hard learning about the Sacrament of Confirmation, including the differences between the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. We wish our St Francis Catholic Primary Confirmation canditates all the best as they attend their Confirmation Retreat this Thursday and then the Confirmation Liturgy, led by Bishop Michael, on either Friday afternoon or Monday morning.

Lord,

    You send out Your Spirit to touch the hearts of all people. May your Spirit touch our hearts today and may we hear what you want us to learn. We ask you to be with our candidates for Confirmation and help them to listen to your voice and hear you calling to them.

In Jesus' name we prayer.

Amen

World Officers' Day

Scooter Day - Tuesday 18 June

Pyjama Day - Thursday 20th June

Bush Dance - Friday 21 June

Howdy Partner!!!  Dust off your dancing shoes and cowboy hats and get your Bush Dance moves ready … 

Families please join us on the last day of the term to watch Year 3-6 showcase their bush dancing moves from 8.35-9.45am.  Please come dressed in your country best for a bit of good ol' country fun ...YEEHAW!!

Premier's Reading Challenge

Dear Parents

Each year St Francis participated in the Premiers Reading Challenge. Forms can be downloaded from the website or see your child’s class teacher for a reading record.

Mrs Skerman has put new books aside in the library for children to borrow. The Premiers Reading Challege is a great opportunity to read new books or revisit old books.

Come and work with us...

Our Administrator for Finance, Michelle Croft has been with us for nearly 11 years. Michelle is taking a change in workplace, moving to local industry. Anyone with a keen eye for details, finance knowledge, a an ability to multitask being part of a great team, click on the link below. 

Our wonderful Liri is changing course with a family business and will be finishing as our tuckshop convenor once the position is filled. We are so grateful for the care provided in all food prepared by Liri and her volunteers.

Please forward this advertisement and the link below to friends who may be interested.

Catholic Education week - Date Claimer

Update CCS Activity Online

We need to know about your Child Care Subsidy (CCS) activity level. 

It’s important you check your activity level details regularly to make sure you’re getting the right amount of CCS.

The quickest way to check and update this is using your Centrelink online account through myGov.

Select ‘Activity Test’ then ‘Update Activity Test’ – it only takes a few minutes.

Find out more about activity levels on Services Australia website.

P&F News

The newly elected Parents and Friends Core Committee would like to introduce ourselves – we are (from left to right in the photo below) Jayne Hurst, Clare Totton, Kirstie McMutrie and Belinda Walker.

Between us, we have seven children attending St Francis, ranging from Year 1 to Year 6. Feel free to reach out to any of us if you have any questions about the role of the P&F Group, P&F supported events and activities, or how you can be involved.

We want to facilitate the building of a strong school community that helps to support learning and growth for our children.

Behind the scenes, we’ve been busy assessing where the P&F can best achieve these objectives, and looking into different ways we can encourage parent engagement. We’ve also been busy ordering gifts in preparation for Father’s Day later on in the year. Just like Mother’s Day this year, Father’s Day will also be celebrated with a free gift for our Father Figures in the spirit of giving. More information on this event and how you can be involved will be communicated closer to the time.

Parents/Carers Survey A big thank you to all Parents and Carers who took the time to complete the P&F survey sent out this week. We received numerous responses and suggestions, which we will use to help guide us when planning P&F supported events and activities for the rest of 2024.

Next Meeting All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend the upcoming P&F coffee and meeting this coming Monday 17th June, 8:30am – 9:30am in the school staffroom. At this meeting we will propose and vote on which events and activities the P&F will support for the remainder of 2024, so come along and have your say!

Additionally, you can contact us any time via the P&F email SFTS_PandFSecretary@rok.catholic.edu.au, the Feedback & Suggestions box at the school office, or by attending the general meetings. We appreciate and encourage your thoughts and involvement which nourish the St Francis community. 

Parents & Friends Group

In and around our Community ...

2024 NAIDOC Colouring Competition

NAIDOC is fast approaching and Gladstone Region Aboriginal and Islander Community Controlled Health Service Ltd T/A Nhulundu Health Service are running a colouring-in competition for all primary school students; and we would love for you to be involved!

There will 12 deadly prize packs to be won and winners will be notified on Friday 12th July. 

Please print out the competition below or collect a copy from the office.

League Stars Holiday Clinic

This school holidays the NRL will be hosting a League Stars Holiday Clinic for our aspiring or continuing players to rip into. We encourage young people from all abilities and experiences to join us in exciting games and activities that develop their ball skills, coordination and team work with their mates and new friends. Please register via the link below.

More details below;

WHEN: Thursday 27^th June 9AM – 12PM

WHERE: Briffney Creek Junior Fields, Clinton

WHO: U9-U12s Boys & Girls

STEM Education - Young Engineers' Workshop

Central Queensland University are running a Young Engineers workshop in Boyne/Tannum during the Winter Holidays on the 28th June at Boyne Tannum Community Centre.  

Young Engineers is a fun and interactive STEM based program aimed at school children from Yr1 – Yr9 (with different activities for different age groups). We have targeted sponsorship for children in Year 3-9 organised separately so this material refers to the program for children in Years 1-2, but the booking links will be updated to show information for older programs as of next week.