St Francis of Assisi News

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

Almost two weeks down already and only nine to go! It has been a wonderful start to the term with children and teachers returning to school with renewed energy and enthusiasm. There's already been lots of wonderful learning taking place with many highlights to mention.

NEW DRINKING FOUNTAINS

Over the school holidays, our Groundsman, Mr Hughes, was busy helping to install several new drink fountains in various locations around the school. These aren't just any drink fountains; these are the bees' knees of drinking fountains and water bottle fillers. The units supply chilled and filtered water to our students in all year levels. The installations allow for drink bottles to be filled easily and hygienically with push-button access for easy operation. One of them has a tailor-made St. Francis Artwork printed on it too. The students are loving using them already!

We would like to thank our wonderful P & F, who contributed a sizeable donation towards the supply and installation of these water fountains. We are so lucky to have such a dedicated P & F committee who continue to support us every year. We would like to also acknowledge Camp Australia who have also kindly made a significant contribution to this project. Camp Australia have always been a great supporter of our school, and we look forward to working together with them and our school community for years to come. Thanks also to Mr Baker for getting this project over the line before he left for Padbury Catholic Primary School.

INTERSCHOOL SWIMMING CARNIVAL YEAR 4-6

Last Thursday, our Interschool Swimming Team took to the pool at PERTH HPC in Claremont. Our swimmers did us proud as they competed against five other local Catholic schools over the course of the day. Whether our students touched the wall first or just did their best, it was the smiles on their faces and the individual pride in themselves that was the most pleasing aspect to see. We are proud of every single member of our team, as they represented our school with respect and a 'can-do' attitude.

Thanks to Mr Rebeiro. Mrs Nanovich and Mrs Bowden for facilitating and helping to organise the students on the day. It was great to see so many SFOA parents in attendance as well, showing their support, not only for their own child, but for the school as well. Well done, team!

ANZAC DAY LITURGY

ANZAC Day is one of the most important occasions on the Australian calendar, and it was marked with great respect at our school last Friday, the 24th of April. Our Year Six students led the school in a meaningful liturgy and reflection on why ANZAC Day is such an important tradition to honour and continue. It was wonderful to see our whole school be so reverent and respectful during the Ode, Last Post and minutes' silence. You could hear a pin drop. A new addition to our ceremony was that of a wreath from each class, made up of individual poppies coloured by students, being placed at the altar as a sign of remembrance.

A huge thank you to Mr Gorman, Mrs Bond and Mr Cunniffe for their role in preparing and facilitating the ceremony. It was truly the best the school-based ANZAC service that I have attended in many years.

MOTHER'S DAY BREAKFAST - FRIDAY 8th MAY @7:45AM - 8:15AM

Our annual Mother's Day Breakfast will take place on the aforementioned date. We would like to invite all those mothers, grandmothers and special female figures to come along and celebrate Mother's Day with our school community. There will be some light refreshments served, and the P & F raffle will also take place. Thanks to the Year Five and Six staff who have made the preparations in advance. Please feel free to stay and watch the Year Two Performance Assembly, which will follow shortly after the conclusion of the breakfast at about 8:40am.

IMCC PANTHERS SWIMMING PROGRAM

Irene McCormack Catholic College is pleased to announce the introduction of the Panthers Swimming Program, the full program will be commencing in Term 3 of 2026 with applications open now. This new program will provide students with the opportunity to further develop their swimming through a before-school training program designed to support young swimmers already involved in the community.

The program is also open to trial for Year 5 and Year 6 students for future placement in Year 7. Trials for Year 5 and Year 6 students will be arranged on an individual basis. Please feel free to forward this information to anyone who may be interested. Families can find further information about the program, including application details, by visiting the link below:

https://imcc.wa.edu.au/education/panthers-swimming-program/

STUDENT ABSENTEEISM

We kindly remind parents and caregivers that if your child is going to be absent from school, the process to notify us is either one of two ways: firstly, you can ring the school number and choose the absentee line or secondly, use the link on the website to send an absentee form via email. Notifying the classroom teacher is not the protocol, and you will be directed to go through the formal process explained above. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

Best wishes,

Geoff Clarke

Acting Principal

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LIVE CALENDAR

May Flower Mass- Free Dress Opportunity

Join us for the upcoming Mayflower Mass on Sunday 3rd May at 10am. This is a special event organised by the St Andrew's Parish. After the mass, there will be a free sausage sizzle provided by the SFOA leadership team for everyone to enjoy. There's an exciting treat for the children: those who attend the mass will get to wear free dress on Monday the 4th May! We look forward to seeing you there.

Sacrament of Eucharist (First Holy Communion- COMMITMENT MASS REMINDER)

The yellow Sacramental commitment card, is to be filled out and handed in to St Andrew’s parish at the end of commitment masses on the weekend of the 16th and 17th May. If there are any questions in regard to this sacrament, please do not hesitate to contact via email-sarah.kavanagh@cewa.edu.au.

MAY - The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary

MAY is a special month that the church dedicates to the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God and our mother. In this month especially, we are encouraged to renew and deepen our relationship with our Spiritual Mother Mary. We can do this by reflecting on her life, whilst we pray the rosary, or any other prayer devoted to Mary, which expresses our gratitude for her Motherly care.

Upcoming dates:

Mayflower Mass 10am - Sunday 3rd May

First Holy Communion Commitment Masses- Saturday 16th May and Sunday 17th May

First Holy Communion Parent Workshop- 26th May 6pm

800 YEARS OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Did you know… St Francis became known as Il Poverello — “The Little Poor One” — because of his radical embrace of simplicity and poverty?

Sarah Kavanagh

Assistant Principal

The Red Quadrant on the Mood Meter represents emotions that are high in energy and low in pleasantness. These include emotions such as anger, frustration, anxiety, fear and overwhelm. These emotions are normal, human and expected, especially for children who are still developing emotional skills. These emotions are the body’s stress response, they signal “Something doesn’t feel right for me.” Children may move into the Red Quadrant when they:

Feel threatened, unsafe, or out of control
Are overwhelmed by demands or change
Experience conflict or disappointment
Are tired, hungry, or overstimulated
Don’t yet have the language or skills to express strong feelings

At SFOA, staff use RULER strategies to help children name what they are feeling, understand why they feel that way and regulate their emotions safely. Some examples include:

Using the Mood Meter to identify emotions
Teaching breathing and calming strategies
Providing movement or quiet spaces
Modelling calm and respectful responses
Helping students reflect once calm

Working Together

Children can’t think clearly when they’re in the Red Quadrant. Emotional regulation must come before consequences, learning, or problem‑solving. By staying calm ourselves, we teach children how to manage big emotions, that they are safe and supported and that emotions don’t define behaviour or identity. Here are some simple, effective ways to help your child once they are calm:

1. Name the Emotion: Help your child build emotional vocabulary “It looks like you’re feeling really frustrated." “You seem anxious about tomorrow.”

2. Validate First: Let them know their feelings make sense. “Anyone would feel upset in that situation.” “It’s okay to feel angry.”

3. Help the Body Calm: Try strategies such as slow breathing (in for 4, out for 6)a short walk, a drink of water or quiet time.

4. Talk It Through (After Calm): “What happened?" “What might help next time?" “What did your body need?”

Mrs Liz Ward

Leader of Teaching and Learning

Social Worker Tips

Welcome back to Term 2. Do you ever find it’s like pulling teeth to get your child to tell you about their day, or they reply with grunts and mumbles? Try these tips from the Big Life Journal.

After winning our regional (North Metro) Synergy Solar Challenge, our Year 6 HOTS Team headed to Murdoch University to compete in the State Final. Our students performed outstandingly on the day and finished second overall in the Year 6 Competition. This was an awesome achievement, and our team not only displayed expert knowledge regarding constructing the solar car from scratch, but also showed elite teamwork skills, delivering a car that was fast and reliable. In the Grand Final series (consisting of 3 races against 3 other schools) we finished 1st, 2nd and 2nd, narrowly missing out on 1st place overall. I am so proud of the team's attitude and aptitude. Well done Meghna, Brian, Daisy and Ben!

This fortnight, we introduce Mrs Alex Peers, one of our two School Nurses. Nurse Alex has been getting to know the staff and students, taking care of all their bumps and bruises....adults included!

I'm cooking for someone special, my signature dish would be? Massaman lamb shank curry - comfort food that warms the belly and the soul.
Three people alive or dead I would have around for this meal?Jimmy Carr, Robyn Williams, Miley Cyrus.
My spirit animal would be? Why? A bear- I'm a protective Mum, love adventure and don't mind a good long sleep!
Favourite TV show growing up as a child? The Simpsons - every night after dinner as a family.
Peanut butter - crunchy or smooth? Crunchy - never smooth!

If you see Nurse Alex asleep around school, don't wake her...it's hibernation season.

YOUR MOVE PROGRAM

Walking Wednesday's and Feel Good Friday's are well underway. Be sure to look out and receive a special star charts to record our active travellers.

NATIONAL WALK TO SCHOOL DAY

On Friday, 22nd May 2026, St Francis of Assisi will proudly take part in the National Walk to School Day. There will a healthy breakfast (small piece of fruit) available to all those who arrive and a raffle ticket draw for any child that walks or comes to school in an active way.

GOLD GRANT WINNERS

Last year we were the lucky recipients of a $3500 grant to go towards brand new bikes for the lower primary students. Our order has now been fulfilled and the bikes are to be delivered by the end of May. We are extremely excited to add these new additions to our bike and now have completed sets of bikes for lower and upper primary students to use in conjunction with our bike education program.

Before & After school activities have commenced. If your child is interested in participating, please see the form below to see what activities are on offer.

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Term 2 2026 Before & After School Activities.pdf

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Dear Parents,

There are still families who have not commenced paying their school fees, they will be contacted in the next couple of weeks.

If you wish to discuss your school fees or are experiencing financial difficulty, please feel free to come and see me in the school office from 8:00am-2:45pm. Alternatively you can email me on finance@stfrancisbutler.wa.edu.au

If your Concession Card has expired please send an updated copy to the school.

Kind regards,

Geneve Bastian

We will be commencing our Kindergarten 2027 interviews shortly. If you have not submitted an Enrolment Application please do so asap. If your child is born between 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 they are due to commence Kindergarten in 2027. Enrolment Applications are submitted online and are available on our school website www.stfrancisbutler.wa.edu.au under 'Our School' 'Enrolment'.

We require copies of Birth Certificate, Visa (if applicable), Baptism Certificate (if applicable) and a current up-to-date Australian Immunisation History Statement.

Mother’s Day Stall

The Mother’s Day stall is on Wednesday 6 May, giving students a chance to purchase special gifts for their mums and mother figures. Cash orders can be made using the order forms sent home in Week 1, while online purchases are available through the Spriggy School App under the Mother’s Day Stall event tab. We are asking parents to bring in a paper bag that your child can bring their gift home in. Each gift purchased will receive an entry into the Mother’s Day raffle, which will be drawn at the school Mother’s Day breakfast on Friday 8 May. Wishing all the mums and mother figures in our community a very happy Mother’s Day!

Save the Date! Beats Bingo

Get ready for a fun night out at our “Beats Bingo” event on Saturday 20th June! Doors open at 6:30pm for a 7:30pm start in the school hall. Tickets are $20 each, with a licensed bar available and BYO food. This adults-only evening promises music, games, and great vibes - come dressed as your favourite pop star, singer, or band (optional). Further info to come. Don’t miss it!

Happy Birthday to the following students who are celebrating their birthday over the next two weeks:

Mahli McAllister, Olivia Michalek, Charli Brunton-Lamb, Saskia Flury, Lucas Moore, Amelia Hughes, Isla McAllister, Ally Williams, Kara Dale-Ward, Elsie Andrew, Louis Townsend, Gursamar Singh, Luca Jones, Camdyn De Swardt, Penelope Quiceno, Emma Ryan.

We wish you all a wonderful day!!