St Francis of Assisi News

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

Welcome to Week Four. Oh, how time flies! As usual, the students have been fully engaged in their learning, and the staff have had nothing but positive feedback regarding their commitment to our school and their studies.

Pupil Free Days Reminder

A friendly reminder to families that Friday, 21st August and Monday, 24th August are designated Pupil Free Days. There will not be any classes for students on these days as staff engage in professional learning and school improvement initiatives that support the ongoing growth and success of our students. We encourage families to make the necessary arrangements and thank you for your support as we continue to invest in high-quality teaching and learning across our school. Students will return to school on Tuesday, 25th August.

Acting Assistant Principal Appointment

I am pleased to share with our school community that Mrs Liz Ward has been appointed as Acting Assistant Principal. Mrs Ward is a highly respected and valued member of our staff whose dedication to Catholic education, commitment to student wellbeing, and passion for learning have made a significant impact on our school community. Throughout her time at St Francis of Assisi, Mrs Ward has consistently demonstrated strong leadership, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to fostering positive relationships with students, staff, and families. Her deep understanding of our school culture and values makes her exceptionally well placed to support the ongoing leadership of our school. I know our community will join me in congratulating Mrs Ward on her appointment and supporting her as she undertakes this important role. We look forward to the leadership, care, and expertise she will bring to the position as we continue working together to ensure the best outcomes for every child entrusted to our care.

Sacrament of Confirmation

As we continue our journey of faith at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, we congratulate many of our Year 6 students who celebrated receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation earlier this week. This significant milestone marks an important step in their faith formation as they received the gifts of the Holy Spirit and strengthened their commitment to living as disciples of Christ. We thank our parish community, families, sponsors, and staff who supported the children in their preparation for this sacred occasion. The reverence, maturity, and enthusiasm displayed by our candidates were a wonderful reflection of the strong partnership between home, school, and parish. We pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide and inspire these young people as they grow in faith, courage, wisdom, and service to others.

"Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit."

May our newly confirmed students continue to be living witnesses of God's love within our school, parish, and wider community.

Visit from Bishop Donald Sproxton

We were recently honoured to welcome Bishop Don Sproxton to SFOA. His visit provided a wonderful opportunity for our Year Six students and staff to deepen their understanding of the Church and to reflect on the important role each of us plays in living out our Catholic faith. Bishop Don spent time with our students, sharing messages of hope, service, and discipleship. His warmth and genuine interest in our school community made a lasting impression, particularly as our Year 6 students continued their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. His presence helped reinforce the significance of this important sacramental journey and reminded our students that they are called to be active witnesses of Christ in the world. We are grateful to Bishop Don for taking the time to visit our school and for his ongoing support of Catholic education. We pray that his ministry continues to inspire faith and strengthen communities throughout the Archdiocese of Perth.

Saint Mary Mackillop Liturgy

Last week, our school community gathered in prayer and celebration to honour St Mary MacKillop, Australia's first saint and a remarkable model of faith, courage, and service. Through our liturgy, students reflected on her enduring message to "Never see a need without doing something about it" and considered how they can live this call in their own lives. Several Year Four students reverently led the prayers, readings, and reflections, helping us recognise the many ways we can show compassion, kindness, and generosity to those around us. The liturgy provided a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the contributions of St Mary MacKillop to Catholic education and to reflect on the importance of trusting in God's providence, even during challenging times. We thank all students and staff, especially Mr Haydon, who contributed to the preparation of this special celebration. May the example of St Mary MacKillop continue to inspire our community to live with faith, hope, and a commitment to serving others, just as she did throughout her life.

Book Week 2026

We are excited to celebrate Book Week at St Francis of Assisi, commencing on Tuesday, 25 August. Book Week is a wonderful opportunity to foster a love of reading, celebrate the power of storytelling, and encourage our students to immerse themselves in the joy of books and literature. A highlight of the week will be our annual Book Week Parade, which will take place on Friday, 28 August. Students are invited to come dressed as their favourite book character and join in this colourful celebration of reading and imagination. We encourage families to start planning costumes and look forward to seeing the creativity and enthusiasm of our students on display. Book Week is always a much-anticipated event on our school calendar, and we thank our staff, students, and families for helping make it such a special celebration of literacy and learning. We look forward to sharing in the magic of books together.

Best wishes,

Geoff Clarke

Short-Term Principal

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ASSESSMENT (REA)

During Week Three, children in Years Three and Five completed the online Religious Education Assessment. The purpose of the REA is to measure the students' learning of the mandated content in the Religious Education Curriculum. The test items consist of multiple-choice, short and extended responses. Please note that the students' faith does not form part of the assessment.

UPCOMING DATES:

15th August: Assumption of Mary

20th August: Year Three Class Mass at 8:40am

800 YEARS OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Did You Know? This year marks 800 years since St Francis of Assisi composed the Canticle of the Creatures, a beautiful prayer praising God for the gifts of creation and reminding us to care for our common home.

Geoff Clarke

Teaching students about the Red Quadrant in the RULER Mood Meter is essential because it helps them recognise, understand and manage strong, unpleasant emotions such as anger, frustration, anxiety, fear, stress and overwhelm. These emotions are a normal part of life, but young children often need explicit teaching to identify what is happening in their bodies and learn healthy ways to respond.

Students cannot regulate emotions they do not recognise. Learning about the Red Quadrant helps children identify when they are experiencing high-energy unpleasant feelings before behaviours escalate. When students notice physical cues, they are more likely to use regulation strategies early.

Different students need different strategies. RULER emphasises helping students choose strategies that work best for them. A richer emotional vocabulary helps students communicate their needs more effectively. Understanding Red Quadrant emotions helps students recognise the connection between their feelings, thoughts and actions, leading to improved self-regulation.

Working Together

Families can support this learning at home through simple everyday activities:

• Emotion Check-Ins: Ask your child, "How are you feeling today?" and encourage them to use specific emotion words rather than simply saying "good" or "bad."

• The Pause and Breathe Strategy: Practise taking three slow, deep breaths together when emotions begin to feel big.

• Feelings Detective: While reading books or watching a movie, discuss how characters might be feeling and what clues helped you identify those emotions.

• Red Quadrant Toolbox: Create a list of calming strategies your child can use when experiencing strong emotions, such as drawing, taking a walk, listening to music, talking to a trusted adult, or using mindful breathing.

• Model Emotional Awareness: Share your own feelings in age-appropriate ways, for example, "I'm feeling frustrated right now, so I'm going to take a few deep breaths before I respond."

• Reflect Together: At the end of the day, discuss a challenging moment and what strategies helped manage those big feelings.

These small conversations and activities help children build emotional awareness, self-regulation, and resilience, strengthening the important RULER skills we are developing at school

Let's talk about sleep!

I hear a lot from children and parents about sleep and sleep routine worries. Over the next few newsletters, I will be providing some info that may be helpful.

For many families, sleep problems begin before their child is in bed. It is not unusual for children to have nighttime worries or fears that stop them from falling asleep easily. Preschool and primary-aged children may use excuses to avoid going to bed, like needing to go to the toilet or wanting to talk about something. Older children and teens may lie awake at night for a range of reasons, such as being uncomfortable in their sleep environment or stressed about school or friendships.

· SSSleep is a key part of healthy growth and development for children and teens.

·TTThere are average ranges for how much sleep children need at different ages, but every child has individual sleep needs.

· Factors like caffeine and screens can lead to poorer quality sleep and delay your child falling asleep.

· Follow a consistent and predictable bedtime routine and be clear with your child about acceptable behaviour.

· Try not to negotiate with your child at bedtime and aim to remain calm and consistent.

· Positive reinforcement is an important part of behaviour change. Praise and reward your child for their healthy bedtime habits when they wake up the next morning.

· If your child has nighttime worries, assure them you are confident in their ability to deal with them and that they are safe. If these worries are ongoing or severe, see a mental health professional for review and support.

Strategies to help bedtime behaviour and habits

· Decide what acceptable bedtime behaviour is and be clear with your child about your expectations.

· Talk with your child about bedtime habits and make plans for any changes during the day – try not to wait until you are getting them into bed.

· Focus on explaining the benefits of sleep to your child, such as growing up to be strong and having energy for exciting activities.

· Expect some resistance. Your child will probably not want to change their habits, so their behaviour may worsen in the short term before it gets better.

Good Luck!!

Miss Julie

Social Worker

Warm up with Milo - The date will be confirmed.

Some important dates to mark in your calender as we celebrate Book Week 2026 !!

• Book Week 24th -28th August

• Book Week Parade - Friday 28 August

• Book Fair - Tuesday 25 August to Friday 28 August

Grand opening Tuesday 25th August afternoon, then opening before and after school, closing Friday morning before the Parade

Year 6 students can come unaccompanied or bring younger sibling otherwise all

students must be accompanied by a parent/ guardian.

• Bookmark Competition - closing Thursday 20th August

With lots of learning, playing, sharing, and exploring happening each day, hand hygiene remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to help stop the spread of germs at school.

Encouraging children to wash their hands regularly, especially before eating, after using the toilet, and after blowing their nose, helps keep our whole school community healthier. Good hand hygiene can reduce the spread of common illnesses such as colds, flu, and gastro bugs, helping students stay in class and ready to learn.

📌 School Reminder

Please encourage your child to bring a named water bottle to school each day and remind them to wash their hands before eating recess and lunch. These small habits make a big difference to their health and wellbeing.

💡 Did You Know?

Studies show that proper handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds can significantly reduce the spread of many common infections. That's about the same amount of time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice!

🌟 Wellbeing Tip

Turn handwashing into a positive family routine. Young children are more likely to develop healthy habits when they see the adults around them practising them too. Wash hands together before meals and celebrate good hygiene habits at home.

Stay healthy, stay happy, and keep those hands clean!

School Nurses 🩺💙

Dear Parents,

Next week reminder school fee statements will be sent out to families. Families on Direct Debit will not receive a statement.

Families who still haven't commenced any school fee payment for the 2026 year will be contacted next week.

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 ASAP.

Kind regards,

Geneve Bastian

Father’s Day stall

Info regarding our Father’s Day was sent home yesterday. The stall will run on Wednesday 2 September, where children can purchase a gift to celebrate their dad, grandads, and special father figures. Orders by cash and Spriggy School App (click on Father's Day tab) close 9am Monday 31 August.

Disco

Get ready for a fun night of dancing! Our school disco will be held on Friday 11 September. More info to follow soon!

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

Ace Odongo, Mikael Hargrave, Violet Hunt, Noah Le Bechee, Nancy Leach, Angelo Messiha, Bailey Foster, Elijah Dock Malak, Logan Thorp, Mario Martin, Bonnie Da Silva Pola, Simon Sokiri, Cooper Hince-Allpress.

We wish you all a wonderful day!!

Friday 14 August - Merit Assembly (8:45am)

Saturday 15 August - The Assumption of Mary

Tuesday 18 August - Year 3 IMCC Collaboration

Thursday 20 August - Year 3 Mass

Friday 21 August - Pupil Free Day (no school for students)

Monday 24 August - Pupil Free Day (no school for students)

Tuesday 25 August - Year 3 IMCC Collaboration

Tuesday 25 August - Friday 28 August - Book Week / Book Fair

Wednesday 26 August - CPA Performance Junior & Senior choirs

Thursday 27 August - Einstein's Australia Kindy incursion

Friday 28 August - Book Week Parade

Camp Australia will be open for the two upcoming pupil free days, Friday 21st August and Monday 24th August. Be sure to book.

Please see below for the latest news happening at Camp Australia.

Every year Dental Health Services (DHS) offers parents and carers the chance to register their kids for free dental care at the School Dental Service (SDS). The offer is open to every student from the year they turn 5 until their 17th birthday and includes check-ups, fillings, and simple extractions.

Your child will soon bring home an envelope with an enrolment form, Frequently Asked Questions, and reply-paid envelope from DHS. Just fill in the enrolment form, pop it in the reply-paid envelope, and put it in your nearest post box.

Once the form is received at DHS their team will register your child and arrange for you to receive an appointment in the mail. If you would like further information on DHS services and the SDS please visit our website: www.dental.wa.gov.au

Irene McCormack Catholic College has introduced a new Sports Panthers Academy Bursary for students with a passion for sport and a commitment to excellence.

For more information about this bursary and to explore other scholarship and bursary opportunities, please visit:
https://imcc.wa.edu.au/enrolments/scholarships-bursaries/

If you have any questions regarding the bursary, please contact IMCC Head of Sport, Jeremy Carbone, at Jeremy.Carbone@cewa.edu.au.

Uniform Concepts

1 Sarasota Pass, Clarkson

Ph: 08 9270 4656

Open: Monday to Fridays 9:00am - 5:00pm

Saturdays 9:00am - 1:00pm.

Mon-Thur: 8:00am - 4:00pm

Friday: 8:00am - 3:30pm

Email: admin@stfrancisbutler.wa.edu.au
Website: www.stfrancisbutler.wa.edu.au
Location: 1051 Connolly Drive, Butler WA, Australia
Phone: (08) 9562 9500
Facebook: facebook.com/stfrancisbutler

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stfrancisbutler

Please find below St Andrew's Parish Holy Week and Easter Celebrations 2026 schedule.

Email: standrewsclarkson@gmail.com

Website: http://www.standrewsclarkson.com/
Location: 53 Belleville Gardens, Clarkson WA, Australia
Phone: (08) 9407 7512
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/standrewsclarkson/