Friday 17, October 2025

From the Principal's Desk

Welcome back to our final term of the year.  Our students have commenced new units of work and are showing great growth from the start of the year. Yr 2 and 4 students commenced their swimming program last week.  Next Friday (24^th) we look forward to our P & F Disco. We hope to see many families there – don’t forget to wear your fluro! 

Staff updates

We have welcomed a few new teaching staff this term due to staff being on leave.

2A – Denice Bedis

4B – Leisha Parker (M, Th, F) and Lauren Glover (T, W)

5C – Emily Conlin

School Photo shoot

We will have a photographer onsite next Wednesday October 23^rd.  The photos taken on the day will assist in updates for marketing, including our website.  Staff and students will be invited to participate in some chosen photos. We will only be showcasing the checked shirts with any formal uniform photos.

World Teachers’ Day

Celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide, World Teachers' Day was established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1994 to recognise the role of teachers in society. World Teachers' Day is held internationally on the 5th of October. As the day usually falls during the Australian school holidays, Queensland celebrates on the last Friday in October. This year’s theme will centre on Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession - highlighting the transformative potential of collaboration for teachers, schools and education systems. Reframing teaching as inherently collaborative – supported by policies, practices, and environments that value mutual support, shared expertise, and joint responsibility – is essential to strengthen teaching, learning, and teachers’ professional fulfilment.

Best wishes for a wonderful week ahead,
Narelle Harney

Assistant Principal Administration

As we settle into Term 4, there is a wonderful buzz around our school with plenty of upcoming events to look forward to. Next Friday promises to be especially exciting, as we will be kicking off the day with Crazy Sock Day—students are invited to wear their wildest, wackiest socks to school! That evening don’t miss out on the Funky Fluro School Disco. Year 6 students will be selling glowsticks to fundraise for their end of year gift and this year, we will also be introducing a raffle with an absolutely amazing main prize. Be sure to get a ticket – you have to be in it to win it! Bring a picnic to share with friends and family as it’s sure to be a colourful and energetic event for all our students to enjoy with their mates.

Looking ahead, our much-anticipated School Awards Ceremony will be held later this term, where we’ll celebrate the achievements and efforts of our students. Year 6 students can look forward to their Fun Day—a special occasion to mark the end of their primary years—followed by the Graduation Mass, where we will gather as a community to farewell and bless our graduating class.

In other news, Year 2 and Year 4 students are already making a splash at their swimming lessons at Tobruk Pool, which started last week. There has been so much excitement around these lessons, particularly from our Year 2 students for which this is a new school experience. We are delighted to see their confidence grow with each session, and we thank our teachers and parents for supporting these important life skills.

A quick reminder regarding morning arrivals: students are to enter the school grounds through the main gate on Atkinson St or the gate on Sydney St from 8am onwards. For safety and supervision reasons, the OSHC gate should only be used by those attending OSHC, Choir, or before school instrumental lessons. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our school community safe and organised.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to an action-packed and memorable Term 4 with you and your children!

Warm regards,

Assistant Principal – Administration

Assistant Principal Religious Education

Welcome back for another busy term. It seems we have started at full speed already with a lot more to come. Please make sure you are up to date with the parent calendar. Our weekly updates give a snapshot of the week ahead and are posted on our social media platforms and sent as a broadcast. 

Our first 2025 Prep Meet and Greet session was held on Tuesday afternoon 15th October. Our Transition Program with next year’s prep students staying and interacting in the Prep rooms commences in Week 3 on Thursday from 9-10. We still have places available, so please pass on information to family and friends, or encourage contact with our office staff. The final Prep Transition Session will be Friday 13th November and will be 9:00am to 10:15am and include a parent information session in the Library. 

2026 Instrumental Music Program 2026

Mr Chandler from the St Augustine's Music Program will be holding an information session next Thursday, 23rd October 2025.

Location: Music Room at 5.30pm

For parents of students in Years 2 to 5

School Band Performance

Thank you to Mr Chandler for working with our students on their music learning. We hope you enjoyed the school band’s performance at yesterday’s assembly.

Crazy Sock Day is coming up on Friday next week 24th October,  with all funds raised going to Catholic Missions Australia as part of Socktober. The international community being supported this year is Zambia. 

Blessings for a wonderful term.

Debbie McGuinness

Leader of Diversity

This term, students will continue developing their emotional and social skills through Reboot. They’ll use the 5 Faces language to check in with each other and manage their emotions and begin using Power Bubbles to help navigate social challenges with empathy and understanding. Through the Positive Change Highway, students will also set and work towards personal and classroom goals with teachers guiding and supporting them every step of the way.

We’re also excited to launch a new award at assembly: You’re Awesome! This replaces the I-Spy awards and celebrates students who show kindness, follow our school expectations and demonstrate positive wellbeing; both in the classroom and in the playground. Keep an eye out for our first “You’re Awesome” recipients after the Week 4 assembly.

Mary Amongst Us Awards - Weeks 1 & 2

Mackillop Centre

Last week students received a Term 4 Scholastic Book Club catalogue. The catalogue is full of new books at great prices, and they are a wonderful idea for Christmas gifts. You will find the order details on page 39 of the catalogue. All purchases provide the school with a commission to buy new resources and books for the library. Orders need to be placed by Friday 24th October, with all order forms returned to the library.

Happy reading,

Mrs Ross, Mrs Havill & Mrs Reilly

Student Highlights

🌟 Star Student Awards

Calvin

Calvin did his 2km run in the Run Port Douglas Festival in September. He did a time of 11minutes, placed first in his age group, and overall 16th out of 151 competitors. 

Sports News

Mary Mills Competition
At the end of Term 3, on Friday, a group of our students proudly represented the school in the Mary Mills Competition.

Well done to all who participated — it was a fantastic day and a wonderful opportunity.

For any students that might be interested in participating in upcoming trials for Aquathlon and Triathlon scan the below QR Code for more information.

2026 Instrumental Music Program at SFX

St AUgustines Music Staff will be holding Parent Information Night for the 2026 Instrumental Music Program!

If your child is currently in Years 2–5 and is:

• Interested in learning a musical instrument,
• Curious about what the program involves, or
• Would like more information…

Then we’d love for you to join us!

📅 Date: Thursday, 23 October 2025
🕠 Time: 5:30pm – 6:00pm
📍 Venue: SFX Music Room

Come along to hear a short presentation and take part in a Q&A session with our music team.

Save the Date - P & F Disco

Parent Portal and MYCE App

Accessing the MYCE App

Parent and Caregivers can download the latest version by clicking the following links:

• ​MyCE Mobile App - Apple App Store​
• ​MyCE Mobile App - Google Play

Accessing the Parent Portal

https://sway.cloud.microsoft/jjlLuzLFbAEbPGfC

2025 Term Dates

Prep Enrolments for 2026

Children who were born between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021 are eligible to attend Prep in 2026.

Enrolment applications for the 2026 Prep year are currently being accepted! Interviews for placement in the 2026 Prep classes are underway, with offers now being made to families.

A friendly reminder to existing families: please ensure that enrolment applications are completed, and interviews are scheduled for younger children transitioning to Prep. It's important to note that having a sibling at SFX does not automatically guarantee the enrolment process.

For those with family or friends seeking a high-quality education for their children, we kindly urge our school community to share your experiences with St Francis Xavier’s School and the positive impact of a Catholic education. Encourage them to reach out to the school at 4037 9900, explore our website, or visit us in person so that we can engage in a discussion about enrolling their child.

Tuckshop News

The tuckshop will now be open three days per week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — starting Week 7 and continuing through to the end of the year.

Please note: Prices have slightly increased.

Ordering is quick and easy with Flexischools, a trusted platform that allows you to place canteen orders online anytime.

To get started, download the Flexischools app from the App Store or Google Play, and follow the instructions to set up your account.

Term 4 2025 - Date Claimers

2026 Prep Transition Program

Our Prep Transition Program for 2026 Prep students will begin next term. Please refer to the flyer below for important dates.

Community News