2025 Term 2 Week 1 Newsletter

Prayer Focus

From the Principal

School Review

In week four of this term, St Francis Xavier will participate in the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) National School Improvement Review. We will also be having an Religious Education review in Week 3. These reviews are  an opportunity for us to reflect on our practices, celebrate our strengths, and identify areas where we can continue to grow and improve.

The reviews’ purpose is to support our school community in enhancing the learning experience for all students. ACER will work closely with our leadership team to evaluate various aspects of the school, such as teaching and learning strategies, student engagement, and our overall approach to fostering a positive school culture.

This process is designed to be supportive and constructive. It aims to highlight what we are already doing well and offer recommendations for making our school even better. Teachers and staff will be supported throughout, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that our school continues to provide the highest-quality education for all students.

The reviews will help us build on our successes and create even more opportunities for every child to thrive. We will be calling on parents to be interviewed by the ACER team. Thank you for your continued support as we embark on this important process together.

Notification of Serious Infections

I write to inform you that a student in our school is currently receiving treatment which results in a lowered immune system, which means, the student is more prone to getting ill from infections. As the student is not contagious but has a chronic illness, it is important he/she participates actively in the day to day school program without any major limitations. A major concern is that if this student develops chickenpox, measles, COVID-19, whooping cough, influenza or another serious virus, he/she could become seriously ill.  I seek your cooperation in preventing this situation.

If your child is unwell and has or may have one of these infectious illnesses, I would ask that you please:

• Do not send them to school.
• Notify the School Principal as soon as possible.
• Take them to your GP or medical centre to confirm diagnosis if possible.

Important Update Regarding Road Signage in Queen Street Cul-de-sac

I am wish to inform you of a recent change to the road signage in the Queen Street cul-de-sac. Please be advised that the signage has been updated to "No Stopping". This new signage means that stopping or parking is no longer permitted at any time within the Queen Street cul-de-sac.

The school has been informed that the Council Ranger regularly patrols this area, and fines will be issued for any vehicles found stopping or parked in contravention of the new signage.

We understand that this may require adjustments to your usual drop-off and pick-up routines. We kindly request your full cooperation in adhering to these new regulations to ensure the safety and smooth flow of traffic around our school.
For further clarification please click on the link below:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/roads-safety-and-rules/parking/parking-rules

Thank you for your understanding and support in this matter.

The Importance of RSVPs for School Events

RSVPs are crucial for the successful planning and execution of school events. We greatly appreciate parents responding promptly, as it allows us to organise the event efficiently and ensure a safe environment for all attendees. Accurate RSVPs help us determine the right amount of catering, staff, and safety measures needed. By confirming attendance, families contribute to creating a well-organised and enjoyable event for everyone involved. We kindly ask all families to respond by the specified deadline to help us deliver the best possible experience for our school community.

Walk & Talk - FREE hot chocolate and cookie for students on arrival at school

Attendance Matters

Faith & Mission

Parent Feedback for Mission Review

We would love to hear from you!

On May 13, as part of our School Review process, a review team will be visiting to explore how we live out our Catholic Identity and Mission. They would love to meet with small groups of parents at 9.10am and 12.10pm to listen to your experiences and reflections about our school. The conversations will be relaxed and informal, and everyone is welcome - no matter your religious background. The team are keen to hear from a wide range of families. Your thoughts, whether positive or constructive, are an important part of this process. If you’d like to be part of the conversation, please contact the Office as soon as you can to book in. We would be delighted to have you join us!

Project Compassion - Thank you!

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful community for your incredible generosity throughout this year’s 2025 Project Compassion fundraiser during Lent. Through your loving support, we raised an amazing $1,559.80!

Every pancake shared, every treat donated, and every raffle ticket purchased was a beautiful act of love that echoes Christ’s call to care for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). Your generosity is a powerful reflection of the Gospel in action - bringing hope, dignity, and meaningful change to some of the most vulnerable people in our world.

As a school community guided by faith, we are proud to stand in solidarity with others and live out Jesus’ call to love and serve. Your kindness has not only made a difference - it has been a true witness to God’s love at work among us.

Family Mass

Mother's Day Events

Please refer to Compass communication sent during the week with detailed, important information regarding the Mother’s Day Stall and celebration day - Liturgy, morning tea and open classrooms.

Mothers Day Stall - Tuesday 6 May

$5 gifts available - cash on the day or pre purchase via Flexischools.

The Forum is seeking volunteers to assist with the stall. If available, please sign up here: volunteersignup.org/HY9Y8.

Mothers Day Liturgy, Morning Tea and Open Classrooms - Friday 9 May from 9.15am

Note - For catering and organisational purposes, all guests are required to purchase a $2 ticket via Flexischools by Tuesday, 7 May. Unfortunately, we will be unable to accommodate guests who have not purchased a ticket in advance. Thank you for your understanding and support. 

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Staff Professional Development Day

On Monday, staff gathered for a professional development day led by Martin Scroop, focusing on Ignatian spirituality and the Awareness Examen prayer form. Inspired by St Ignatius and St Francis Xavier, founders of the Jesuits, Ignatian spirituality invites us to recognise God's presence in ordinary, everyday life and relationships.

Through prayerful reflection, we learn to discern God's will and make thoughtful, responsible decisions. The Awareness Examen, a daily practice of reflection, gratitude, and seeking guidance, was a key focus of our learning. Staff experienced this prayer practice firsthand and developed ways to introduce it to students.

We look forward to sharing the Awareness Examen with our students, helping foster gratitude, emotional awareness and a deeper relationship with God through sharing with Him our joys and our struggles. 

Sporting Roundup

Term 2 Date Saver

Good luck to Ella who is representing the Diocese of Lismore at the Polding Winter Sports Trials in Football (Soccer) at Bathurst on Friday. We are very proud of you!

National Walk Safely to School Day

Walk Safely to School Day will be celebrated on Friday, May 16th, 2025, in Week 3.

Students who wish to particpate can meet teachers at 8.15am at either of the following two locations:

1. Corner of Ocean and Queen Streets

2. High Street Fields Carpark

At 8:20am, they will begin the walk to school.  All students who participate will receive a FREE hot chocolate and a cookie upon arrival at school.

In the event of wet weather, a notification will go out via Compass and Facebook.

Wellbeing Corner

Positive Behaviour Support 

Positive Behaviour Support promotes student well-being through the development of clear, consistent rules, routines and procedures explicitly taught and reinforced schoolwide. Positive behaviour support is about promoting a positive culture at our school and encourages desirable behaviours and requires students to take responsibility for their own actions. 

What does PBS look like at St Francis? 

• Expected behaviours are outlined in our “Expected Behaviour Matrix” and focuses on our ROSE, Respect others, self and environment
• Fortnightly focus of one the expected behaviours from the Behaviour Matrix. This is reinforced daily and students are taught the skills needed to meet these desirable behaviours 
• Various reward systems including stamps and tokens to recognise students for their positive behaviours 
• A system to support students to achieve behavioural expectations through reminders, reflection, opportunities to reteach and partnerships with families. 

In our newsletter we will be posting our fortnightly focus to allow parents to become aware of what the expected behaviours are at school. 

As we start a new term, our fortnightly focus will be “I greet teachers and other students”. This is to further foster relationships between students and teachers and also give students an opportunity to form new relationships. 

Wellbeing Wednesday

School Community Tuckerbox

School Community Forum

Community Fete - Saturday, 25th October, 12pm-4pm

Fete Sponsorship

We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Community Fete on Saturday, 25th October! This fun-filled afternoon will bring our community together as well as raising funds for much-needed drainage improvements on our oval. Currently, after it rains, the field holds water, making it impossible for the students to play outside for days. With your support, we hope to raise enough money to purchase a drainage system, ensuring the children can enjoy the outdoor space even after it rains.

We are also seeking sponsorship for the fete. If you have any friends, family members, or colleagues who own a business or work at at business, we would greatly appreciate their support! We need large and small prizes for our main raffle and the cent auction, and any contribution will make a big difference. Please, we need your help – without your generosity, we won’t be able to raise the necessary funds to make this essential improvement. Thank you for your continued support!

Join the Fete Committee

We’re looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our committee and help organise the Community Fete on Saturday, October 25th, from 12.00pm to 4.00pm. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a fun community event while making a positive impact for our school!

Funds raised from the fete will go towards much-needed oval drainage - helping ensure our students will be able to play on the oval once the rain stops. Every contribution counts!

In addition, we’re hoping each class will be responsible for running one stall - so you can be part of a great team while supporting this amazing cause.

If you love planning, are passionate about community events, or just want to help out and have a great time, we’d love for you to be involved! There are lots of ways to contribute, from organising stalls to helping with logistics.

Interested? Please get in touch with the school or come along to our next committee meeting on Friday, 2 May, 9.00am-10.00am.

Next Meeting

The next School Community Forum meeting will be held on Monday, 19 May at 6.30pm in the school library.  There is a Zoom link below for those who are unable to attend in person.

Salina McIvor
President

Enrolments for 2026

St John Paul College - Year 7 2026

Applications open - Wednesday 30 April 2025
Applications close - Wednesday 21 May 2025
Enrolment Interviews commence - Monday 2 June - Friday 6 June 2025
Please refer to Compass newsfeed for Communication for Parents of students who are currently at an existing Diocese of Lismore Catholic School applying to St John Paul College for Year 7 2026.

McAuley Catholic College - Year 7 2026

Woolgoolga High School - Year 7 2026

For families who are interested in Year 7 2026 enrolment at Woolgoolga High School, you are required to complete an Expression of Interest paper form by 9 May 2025.
Please collect the paper form from the Woolgoolga High School office.

Playgroup

Umbrellas for sale

Business Directory

We are excited to announce the development of a St Francis Xavier Primary School Business Directory, designed to serve as a valuable resource for our entire school community. This directory will be made available to all St Francis Xavier families, through our school newsletter and social media, with the intention of fostering a stronger sense of community and connection among us all. Not only will it facilitate networking and support between our families, but it will also provide our school with access to local businesses capable of meeting any needs or services required. Through this initiative, we aim to strengthen bonds within our community while also supporting local enterprises. All business wil be advertised in this newsletter. If you are interested, please complete this Google Form.

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