St Francis Catholic School - Hughenden eNewsletter

From the Principal

Good Morning Parents, Carers and Community members,

As we approach the end of Term 1, I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the wonderful support that has been shown to our school community over the past 10 weeks. The school community at St Francis Hughenden has truly been a welcoming and pleasant environment to be a part of.

I am grateful for the warm welcome that my wife and I have received since joining the St Francis community. It has been a pleasure to get to know so many of you over the past term. I believe that the success of this term can be attributed to the school's ability to rally around our School. We have been able to create a safe, nurturing and progressive environment for our students, and it is wonderful to see the progress that they have made.

I want to express my sincere thanks to the parents, carers, parish, and wider community for the support that you have shown to our school. Without your help and support, the term would not have been the same. Your commitment to our school and to the education of our students is truly appreciated.

Over the upcoming Easter holidays, we are excited to announce that our old spider web playground will be removed, and a brand new playground will be added in its place. During this time, there will be construction and plant equipment on site, and I would like to remind everyone to stay away from this area for safety reasons.

We are thrilled about the new playground and the opportunities it will provide for our students to engage in fun, outdoor activities. We are confident that it will be a wonderful addition to our school community, and we look forward to seeing our students enjoy it when they return for the new term.

As we approach Holy Week and prepare for Easter, I would like to wish all of our families a safe and happy Easter. This is a time to reflect on the blessings that we have received and to spend time with friends, family, and loved ones.

I look forward to seeing you all in the new term, and I am excited about the progress that we will continue to make together as a school community.

God bless and have a wonderful break,

Scott Murray,

A/Principal

https://www.sfsh.catholic.edu.au/enrolments/enrolment-enquiries/

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As we approach the end of the term, we are reminded of the importance of our faith and the upcoming holy days that hold great significance for Catholics around the world. This Sunday, 2nd April 2023, marks Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, which is a day when we commemorate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week.

As St Francis Catholic School, Hughenden, it is important for us to understand the significance of these holy days and to reflect on their meaning. Palm Sunday reminds us of Jesus' love and sacrifice for us, as He humbly rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, knowing that He would soon face suffering and death on the cross. As we continue into Holy Week, we reflect on Jesus' final days and the sacrifices He made for us. On Good Friday, we commemorate Jesus' crucifixion and death, while on Easter Sunday, we celebrate His resurrection and victory over sin and death.

As we approach Easter, it is important for us to remember the significance of this holy day and to reflect on what it means for us as Catholics. It is a time of renewal and hope, a time to remember the sacrifices that Jesus made for us, and a time to celebrate His resurrection and the promise of eternal life.

Additionally, as we reflect on Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection, we are reminded of the importance of community and the power of coming together in faith. Let us make the most of this time to connect with family, friends, and loved ones, whether it be in person or virtually, and share in the joy and hope that Easter brings.

In a world where we often feel disconnected, let us use this opportunity to reach out to those who may be feeling lonely or isolated. Let us extend a hand of friendship and offer comfort to those who may be struggling. Let us continue to foster a sense of community and belonging, and let us come together to celebrate the joy and hope that Easter brings.

May we all find comfort and strength in our faith, and may we continue to support one another as we navigate the challenges of this world.

God Bless to you all and have a safe and wonderful time over the Easter break.

End of Term Mass

Monday, St. Francis Catholic School in Hughenden celebrated their end of term mass. The end of term mass was a joyful occasion where everyone came together to give thanks and praise.

The mass was presided over by Father Emmanuel, who led the service with great reverence and enthusiasm. The school students, staff, parents, parish members, and community members all participated in the celebration, creating an atmosphere of unity and togetherness.

It was heartwarming to see the children actively involved in the mass, singing, reading and assisting the offertory procession. Their involvement added an element of innocence and purity to the service that brought smiles to the faces of all who were present.

As the mass continued, Father Emmanuel reminded us of the importance of coming together as a community to celebrate our faith and to give thanks for all the blessings we have received. He encouraged us to continue to work together to build a strong and vibrant Catholic community in Hughenden.

The end of term mass was not only a celebration of our faith but also a celebration of the end of another successful term at St. Francis Catholic School. The staff and students have worked tirelessly throughout the term to ensure that the children receive the best education possible, and we are grateful for their dedication and hard work.

We would like to extend our thanks to Father Emmanuel, the school staff, parents, parish members, and community members for making the end of term mass a truly memorable occasion. We look forward to more such celebrations in the future as we continue to strengthen our faith and our community.

Assembly

Friday 8:30 AM - All are welcome!

Year 2/3/4 will be on Spotlight this week. Please come along and see what the children have been up to.

Happy Birthday

30/03 - Lily Thompson

13/04 - Elsie Eriksen

Student Of The Week

P/1 - Alex Sharma

2/3/4 - Reuben Joseph

5/6 - Bryce Collings

Prep/1 Happenings

This term in Science P/1 focused on materials and their physical properties. We completed our science assessment this week. The students had to design and create something out of plasticine, they then had to describe how they used stretching, squashing, twisting, rolling and bending to make their creations. As you can see we had some fantastic creations!

Miss Brown,

ebrown17@sfsh.catholic.edu.au

2/3/4 were very excited to visit Church for our End of Term Mass. They all should be commended on their excellent behaviour and participation in our Mass. This was a beautiful way to start our last week of Term 1.

Miss Allison,

sallison1@sfsh.catholic.edu.au

This week we enjoyed using plasticine and other materials to make our own animals. These animals have a range of adaptations to help them survive. Some of these adaptations include: an extra organ to turn sand into food, spikes to protect them from predators, long snouts to help them dig into the cool sand and gills to breathe underwater.

Miss Eriksen,

leriksen5@sfsh.catholic.edu.au

How We Can Act Early and Support a Positive Body Image for Our Kids

Children’s mental health and body image, is an area many of us recognise as being important and one in which we have a very vital role to play.

The home and family environment, and more specifically the messages received around body image, healthy eating and physical activity, is one of the most significant influences on a child’s developing self-esteem and body image.

How the adults around a child talk about their own bodies, or other bodies and the value they place on appearance, weight, shape and size, can transfer onto our young people. Healthy relationships with our own bodies, influence family dynamics to help buffer some of the really strong socio-cultural influence on body image our kids are receiving from social media and peers.

Body dissatisfaction is a significant risk factor for the development of disordered eating and eating disorders. Over a third of our young people report they are extremely concerned or concerned about body image (Mission Australia Youth Survey 2021), and only 9.5% of girls and 25% of boys say their weight is not important to the way they feel about themselves (Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, AIFS, 2018).

It is critical the adults around children learn how to create a home environment that fosters positive body image, and healthy eating and exercise behaviours. It is also important to be aware of the warning signs and to intervene early if concerned, so that body image issues do not develop into ongoing mental health issues.

For more information visit the SchoolTV website to learn more

https://sfsh.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/body-image

Tuckshop

No Tuckshop this week!

Please remember to have your My School Connect accounts up and running, ready for Term 2.
We are phasing out cash and will not accept cash orders by Week 3.