St Francis Catholic Primary School - Tannum Sands eNewsletter

A Message from Leadership

At St Francis, we are blessed to have additional expertise within our wider school community. One of these invaluable resources is Bianca McLeish, our Diocese Student Wellbeing Coordinator. Bianca works across all schools in our diocese, partnering with teachers and schools to promote and enhance student wellbeing.

This week, Bianca conducted a professional learning session with our OSHC team. Part of their learning was looking at children's brain development. This session was not only informative for our OSHC educators, but it also provided practical strategies to support the developmental needs of children in our care.

I am delighted that Bianca said 'yes' when I asked her if she would kindly contribute an article for this week’s newsletter, drawing on her expertise in this area. Her insights provide a deeper understanding of how brain development influences children’s behaviour, learning, and wellbeing. This information is very timely after last week's article and helps us dive a bit deeper into the brain development of our children.

In children, the brain operates in two main modes: the learning brain and the survival brain. The learning brain is calm, curious, and open to new experiences, while the survival brain is focused on threat and fear.  Trauma, stress, and other experiences can shift a child's brain into survival mode, hindering their ability to learn and regulate their emotions. Understanding the difference between these brain states is crucial for supporting children's wellbeing and learning. 

LEARNING BRAIN

SURVIVAL BRAIN

Features:  Calm, curious, open to new experiences, comfortable with ambiguity, willing to try new things. 

Function:  Facilitates learning, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. 

When it's active:  When children feel safe, secure, and supported, they are more likely to be in their learning brain.

Features: Hyper-focused on threat, uncomfortable with ambiguity, fear of trying new things. 

Function: Triggers the "fight, flight, or freeze" response in response to perceived danger. 

When it's active: Children who have experienced trauma, feel unsafe, or are under significant stress may spend more time in their survival brain. 

Understanding Children’s Survival Brain:

Children in survival mode may have difficulty focusing, regulating emotions, and engaging in learning.  Aggression, impulsivity, tantrums, and irritability can be signs of a child being in their survival brain.

Supporting Children's Learning Brain:

Create safe and supportive environments: Educators and caregivers should prioritise creating spaces where children feel safe, secure, and supported.

Build Relationships: Strong, trusting relationships with adults can help children regulate their emotions and access their learning brain.

Trauma-Informed Practices: Educators and caregivers should be aware of the impact of adversity and trauma and use trauma-informed approaches to support children's learning and wellbeing.

Promote Joyful Activities: Encourage children to engage in activities that bring them joy can help them shift from survival mode to learning mode.

Mrs Samatha Suthers - Principal

Winter Appeal

With the chilly mornings of Winter certainly upon us this week, it was a timely conversation with our wonderful Year 3 students this week who are leading our school in the promotion of the St Vincent de Paul Winter Warmth Appeal. At St Francis Catholic Primary, the ‘why’ of how we live and interact with one another is underpinned by the Gospel teachings of Jesus Christ. I shared a passage from the Gospel of Matthew with our Year 3 students where the words ring true beyond the barriers of time:

“I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink;
I was a stranger and you welcomed me into your homes,
naked and you clothed me;
I was sick and you took care of me,
in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 26:35-36)

St Vincent De Paul is a charitable organisation within the Catholic church to which many of us would have connections whether it be a ‘walk-through on a Saturday morning or dropping off of donations to the local store. My mum volunteered at Vinnies for several years in her retirement. The generosity that we share through our contributions to the Winter Warmth Appeal are a simple way that we can send ripples of kindness throughout our community and model for our children the words of our St Francis prayer, ‘it is in giving that we receive.’

Mrs Meredith Grove- APRE

Weekly Reflection - Hope

Recently I have come across Nick Caves’ thoughts on cynicism and hope three times in very different places. So perhaps you too have seen these words from his The Red Hand Files Issue #190*. He says, “Unlike cynicism, hopefulness is hard-earned, makes demands upon us, and can often feel like the most indefensible and lonely place on Earth… It is the warrior emotion that can lay waste to cynicism. Each redemptive or loving act, as small as you like... keeps the devil down in the hole. It says the world and its inhabitants have value and are worth defending. It says the world is worth believing in. In time, we come to find that it is so."

He learnt this truth the hard way – coming to terms with the deaths of two of his sons. But we too can learn it in rearing and in teaching children. There are times when the demands can overwhelm us and we are tempted to give up in cynicism or indifference. Hope is what teaches us to dig in and dig deep, to keep doing the small acts of kindness and love – to reread the toddler’s story when we are tired and weary of it, to speak to the morose teenager when we would prefer to be lost in our phone, to keep at the boring work knowing that it will support our family. These are the works of hope.

Last Sunday we celebrated the Feast of Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit. One of the chief gifts of the Spirit is Hope. For most of us, most of the time, hope is not found in big gestures or sweet feelings. It is found in the small, daily gestures of love and service when we don’t feel like serving or loving. We can call on the Spirit of God to uphold us in those times to help us to be faithful, to be hopeful.

Loving God,
send me your wise and faithful Spirit
to give me the hope I need to grow in love and kindness
in whatever difficult situations I face
– whether they be big or small.
I ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear me.

Sr Kym Harris osb

Affirmation Awards

Monday 16th June

Lunch Club

Tuesday 17th June

Physical Education Lessons

All students will participate in PE lessons today with Mrs Kylie Linforth. AFL coaches from AFL Queensland will be running PE sessions.

Students to wear their sports shirts. Hats and water bottles are essential.

Digital Technologies Lessons

Students from Prep to Year 2 will participate in Digi Tech lessons today with Mrs Meredith Grove.

Lunch Club

Robotics Club this term is for the Year 4 to 6 students who are participating in the Robocup Junior Challenge on Thursday, 19th of June.

Tuckshop Day

Private Music Lessons

Instrumental music lessons today with Miss Erin Moynihan. Great news - the school band will be putting an entry into the 2025 Gladstone Eisteddfod, well done team!

Piano lessons today with Liping- it is delightful to hear that some of Liping's students will also be participating in the 2025 Gladstone Eisteddfod.

If you would like any information regarding our instrumental music or piano lessons, please contact Mrs Meredith Grove.

Wednesday 18th June

Year 6 Paper Planes team at Chanel College

The top 12 Year 6 students will compete in the Paper Planes competition at Chanel College.

Mrs Suthers and Mrs Linforth will be accompanying the students. Students will be travelling to & from school via bus.

Private Music Lessons

Piano lessons today with Liping- it is delightful to hear that some of Liping's students will be participating in the 2025 Gladstone Eisteddfod.

Guitar lessons today with Wayne.

If you would like any information regarding our piano lessons, please contact Mrs Meredith Grove. If you would like any information regarding our guitar lessons, please contact Mrs Kylie Linforth.

Lunch Club

Thursday 19th June

Robo Cup Junior Challenge

An exciting opportunity for those students who have committed to the weekly Robotics Club!

Mrs Suthers will drive a bus with Mrs Grove and Miss Erin attending.

Visual Arts Lessons

Students from Prep to Year 2 will participate in Visual Arts lessons today with Mrs Mel Harstorn. Children will eagerly experiment with a variety of materials to create their own unique pieces of art.

Performing Arts Lessons

Students from Year 3 to Year 6 will participate in Performing Arts lessons today with Mrs Sharyn Dicker. Children are learning drama and dance this term.

Lunch Club

Private Music Lessons

Piano lessons today with Liping- it is delightful to hear that some of Liping's students will be participating in the 2025 Gladstone Eisteddfod.

If you would like any information regarding our piano lessons, please contact Mrs Meredith Grove.

Port Curtis Cricket 10 - 12 years

For those students who handed their nominations to Mrs Kylie Linforth, the PC Cricket Trials is from 3.45pm at the Brothers' Cricket Club in Clinton.

Friday 20th June

Zone Athletics - Country Coast

St Francis is hosting the Zone Athletics Day - Country Coast 9-12 years. More information will be sent to families next week when Mrs Linforth returns.

Private Music Lessons

Piano lessons today with Liping- it is delightful to hear that some of Liping's students will be participating in the 2025 Gladstone Eisteddfod.

If you would like any information regarding our piano lessons, please contact Mrs Meredith Grove.

Lunch Club

Tuckshop Day

Movie Night - P&F Family Event

See you next Friday at our annual Family Movie Night, screening Moana 2! Arrive from 5:30pm, with movie screening to start at 6pm. Keep an eye on the St Francis P&F Facebook page for updates.

Where: Movie will be screened on the grass area next to the undercover area. Picnic rugs can be set up on the grassy slope, camp chairs on the basketball court only please.

What to Bring: Bring your pillows, cuddly toys and blankets to snuggle up with, picnic rugs or camp chairs. Gold coin donation, and money to purchase something from the food truck or tuckshop. Picnic dinner.

Food and Drinks: Families are welcome to bring their own dinner to eat. The Tuckshop will be open to sell snacks and drinks, and Poppa’Licious will be onsite – see menu’s below. Cash and EFTPOS will be available for purchases at the tuckshop and Poppa’Licious.

Weather: In the event of wet or windy weather, the movie night will still go ahead as planned inside the hall.

Please note that children must be supervised by parents/guardians at all times.

A big thank you to our sponsors who are helping to keep this an affordable event for the whole family. Please consider supporting these businesses who are supporting our school community.

We also need parent help to bring this evening together.

Set up of decorations, picnic rugs and tables, etc. This happens from 2:45pm on Friday 20th June, so if you’re at school for pick up on Friday, please consider hanging around for a short while to pitch in.
Helping during the evening. We need volunteers in the tuckshop where we’ll be selling drinks and snacks (no food prep required), manning the welcome table, etc.
Pack up afterwards. Many hands make light work. Please consider hanging around after the movie finishes to help.

Let us know via the Sign Up Genius, email or P&F Facebook page if you’re able to help with any of the above.

Thank you!

2026 Prep Enrolments

Prep 2026 Enrolments Are Open!

Interviews are starting next week- don't miss the opportunity to secure a place for your child in our welcoming and nurturing school environment.

Contact us today on 49 948 320 or enrol online via:-

https://www.rok.catholic.edu.au/st-francis-catholic-primary-school-tannum-sands/

St Francis Enrolments

Winter Warmth Appeal

St Vincent De Paul Winter Warmth Appeal

Donations can be given to the school office for our annual Winter Warmth Appeal until Monday 23rd June.

Tuckshop News

Our School Tuckshop is urgently needing volunteers for the following dates:

- Friday 20^th June

- Friday 27^th June

If anyone is able to assist, please call the school office on (07) 49 733 600.

2025 Premier's Reading Challenge

Principal_letter_template_to_parentscarers_to_accompany_reader_record_form.pdf

Parents & Friends Association

WANT TO GET INVOLVED

Sign Up Genius for Term 2: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B44ACAB23A6FCC61-56501735-term

Sign Up Genius Term 2

STAY IN CONTACT

The P&F Committee is always willing to hear from you. We can be contacted via email SFTS_PandFSecretary@rok.catholic.edu.au or by messaging the St Francis Tannum Sands P&F facebook page.

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

Second Hand Pre Loved Uniforms

Pre_loved_Uniforms_Flyer.pdf

Community News

Shop for Schools Rewards Campaign

St Francis School has signed up to be involved with the Shop for School Rewards Campaign, which is on from Monday, 12th May until Sunday, 22nd June.

This is a fantastic opportunity for your school to earn rewards while our school community shops at Gladstone Centre Plaza.

To get involved please scan the QR code on the below flyer and register online.

Welcome_to_Shop_for_Schools_GCP.pdf

Parents Supporting Readers Workshop

Goals Football Development - Winter Holiday Clinics

⚽️ June 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/DCGAA
🧡 https://www.trybooking.com/DCGAN
❤️ https://www.trybooking.com/DCGAT

2025 CQ Health Sport & Recreation Expo

Are you ready to take the first step toward a healthier and happier you?

The 2025 CQ Health, Sport & Recreation Expo is just around the corner, and it promises to be an event you won’t want to miss! This year’s expo is a fantastic opportunity to access a wide range of local health and wellbeing services.

What’s on offer:

Meet local health and wellbeing providers and learn about the services available in your community.
Get complimentary health, blood pressure, and skin checks to stay on top of your wellbeing.
Enjoy a variety of fun activities designed for all ages and abilities, making it a perfect day out for the whole family.
Treat yourself to tasty food, healthy options, and freshly brewed coffees as you explore the expo.
Participate in our exciting Health Passport Game for a chance to win fantastic prizes!

This event is about more than just health – it’s about community, fun, and taking the first steps toward a healthier lifestyle together. Bring your family and friends along and make a day of it! Event Details:📅 Saturday June 21st
🕘 9 am – 1 pm
📍 Maxine Brushe Community Meeting Place, Philip St Precinct

Brought to you by CQ Health and My Health for Life.

Stallholder Registration:
Stallholder registration is still open, so if any local health or fitness providers are interested in joining the expo, please contact Renarta at CQ Public Health on 07 4920 6989 to reserve your spot!