St Francis Catholic School - Hughenden eNewsletter

From the Principal

We have kicked off Term 3 with a bang! Our NAIDOC Celebrations this week so far have been wonderful. The children have been immersed in rich history and culture and we are very blessed to have collaborated with Fiona and Carmel Major, Kim McCosker, and Miss Brown to organise such an eye-opening and authentic celebration for our children.

NAIDOC Week, celebrated annually in Australia, honors the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It’s a time for all Australians to engage with Indigenous culture and learn about the world's oldest continuous living cultures.

This year's theme celebrates the unyielding spirit of our communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.

The fire represents the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous cultures, passed down through generations despite the challenges faced. It is a symbol of connection to the land, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As we honor this flame, we kindle the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving, and sharing the cultural heritage that enriches our nation.

"Blak, Loud and Proud" encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world. This theme calls for a reclamation of narratives, an amplification of voices, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality. It invites all Australians to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue, fostering a society where the wisdom and contributions of Indigenous peoples are fully valued and respected.

Through our collective efforts, we can forge a future where the stories, traditions, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are cherished and celebrated, enriching the fabric of the nation with the oldest living culture in the world.

We are very lucky to have been able to recognise and celebrate NAIDOC week with our school community this week!

Term 3 is another busy one, with many events on the agenda! Please make sure you keep up to date with all the happenings through COMPASS and Facebook!

Student Of The Week

P/1: Hamish Westcott

2/3/4: James Moloney

5/6: Adley Crozier

29th June- Kopelyn

8th July- Cooper

We hope all students have a Happy Birthday!

Prep/1 Happenings

This week in P/1 we delved into Coming of the Light. A special Torres Strait celebration. This day marks the arrival of members of the London Missionary Society, to the Torres Strait Islands, in 1871. The missionaries landed at Erub and introduced Christianity to the region. Prep/1 loved learning all about this special day

Miss Brown,

ebrown17@sfsh.catholic.edu.au

In Maths, we are learning about Data! We had a sneak peak at this process last term, when we voted for the name of our class chicken. Now, we are looking more deeply about the process of collecting data. In today’s lesson, 2/3/4 students are surveying their peers to find out the answer to the question - What is 2/3/4’s favourite animal?

Miss Allison

sallison1@sfsh.catholic.edu.au

Year 5/6 Happenings

The Year 5/6 students have been actively participating in NAIDOC Week celebrations, immersing themselves in activities that honour and recognise the culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

As part of their learning in English this week, the students had the opportunity to write their own Acknowledgement of Country. This activity provided them with a deeper understanding of the significance of Acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and learn.

Miss Rowe,

growe@sfsh.catholic.edu.au

School Captains

As we open a new chapter into term 3, we started off strongly by celebrating NAIDOC Week. For NAIDOC Week we participated in a range of activities which included sand art, dot painting and scratch art. After we had finished our activities we had a zoom meeting with Lucy and her daughter Amanda, they taught us some words and songs in their traditional language. Once we had finished our zoom, we then had a meal cooked by very special traditional owners within our school community. For lunch we had Curried Sausages with rice, Chicken Vermicelli, Spaghetti, Corn meat and Damper. After we had finished our meal our bellies and hearts were so, so full!!

We thank the cooks so much, they had done a brilliant job, some of us even requested the dishes go on the tuckshop menu! We had a great day, join us tomorrow as we conclude NAIDOC week with a liturgy.

From your School Captains

Adley Crozier & Bob Harriman

Specialist Lessons- Miss Eriksen

In our health lessons this term we have been learning about how we are growing. The students discussed their superpowers - skills which they have gotten better at and have developed as they have grown.

Miss Eriksen,

leriksen5@sfsh.catholic.edu.au

In the Library this week we are reading a variety of books about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture to celebrate Nadioc week.

The book I wanted to highlight this week is:

Walking the rock country in Kakadu

This book is illustrated by Emma Long with amazing details in her illustrations. It encourages young and old to see, hear, smell and feel the land and experience it just how aboriginal people have walked the country.

This book uses the Language Kuundjeyhmi which is one of the languages found in Kakadu N.T

Our St Francis Students have enjoyed learning and celebrating our different cultures.

SFSH Chaplain

On Wednesday 17th July we will be starting our “ Whizbang Wednesday $1.00 Treats” fundraiser. Every Wednesday afternoon a treat for $1.00 will be available to purchase from 2:45pm - 3:00pm. The treat will change weekly and be advertised in the newsletter the week before. All funds raised will go to our chosen charity for the term.

NEXT WEEK’S TREAT: ZOOPER DOOPERS