2025 Term 1, Week 2 Newsletter

Principals Report - Mrs Janine Butlin

Principal’s Message

Welcome back to a new school year! We were excited to have welcomed 200 returning and many new students on Day 1. A warm welcome to our new staff members: Tanya Hearne, our new Year 4 teacher; Amber Bingham, one of our Year 6 teachers; and Nina Raggett, our music teacher for Term 1. We invite you to join us this Friday night to meet our staff for 2025, enjoy a BBQ, and dance the night away with the Band o’Coots Bush Band. 

This year, the Holy Father has announced that 2025 will be a Jubilee Year, an event that occurs every 25 years. The theme for Jubilee 2025 is “Pilgrims of Hope,” symbolizing a year of hope for a world grappling with the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis. 

In other news, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently announced that Neale Daniher has been named the Australian of the Year. Daniher, a talented sportsman, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2013. Despite his diagnosis, he co-founded FightMND, a charity that has raised and invested over $100 million in medical research to find a cure for the disease. Daniher's determination to fight for those affected by MND is truly inspirational. In a pre-recorded message played during the ceremony, he said: 

“I hope to leave a legacy that says this: no matter the odds, no matter the diagnosis, we all have the power to choose to fight, to choose our attitude, to choose to smile and to choose to do something because the mark of a person isn’t what they say, it’s what they do.” 

Neale Daniher's story is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit. During this Jubilee Year of Hope, let us be inspired by his example and strive to make a positive impact in our own lives and communities. 

As we embark on this new school year, let us remember the words of Desmond Tutu:  

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” 

 May we all carry this hope with us throughout the year. 

Looking forward to a wonderful year ahead! 

God Bless 

Janine 

APMI Report - Mrs Fiona Drew

Welcome back to school! It was wonderful to see everyone’s smiling faces and visit the classrooms and see the children back into routine! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and you were able to create some great family memories over the holidays.

Year 6 Senior Shirts

We began our first term with a celebration to present our Year 6 leaders with their senior shirts. For 2025, our Year 6 leadership theme is "Shine our Light, Lead the Way." As we start the new year, we ask our leaders to commit themselves to act as servant leaders.  To be a servant leader is to lead by example and be willing to put others first. The students spent a Just Leadership Day with Mrs Drew last week to begin their leadership journey for the year. They will continue this with an excursion to Emu Gully in Week 4.

MacKillop Club

This year our Mary MacKillop quote is ‘There where you are, there you will find God’. Students will have this quote in their classrooms, and this will be referred to often. The charism of Mary MacKillop and St Stephen are important within our school community and our students are encouraged to live out these values in a variety of ways. Our MacKillop Club has started again for the year and students are invited to join this important group. We will meet in the library on Monday at second break.   While the Sisters of St Joseph are no longer present in our school, the spirit of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop continues to motivate us in all that we do at St Stephen’s. We reflect the diversity of the Josephite charism to serve God’s mission in the world through prayer and by social justice action.  

Celebrations

All parents are welcome to attend our celebrations. They will be held in MacKillop Hall from 2.15pm. For each Celebration, there is a theme for Student of the Week, and students from each class, who have been following this theme are selected to receive a ribbon to acknowledge their wonderful behaviour and learning!

The following classes will lead Celebrations for Term One

Year 5 – Wednesday 19^th February

Year 3 – Wednesday 26^th February

Year 1/2 – Wednesday 12^th March

Opening Mass

Parents are invited to join us for our Opening Mass which will be held at St Stephen’s Church at 9am on Wednesday 12^th February. During this mass, we will commission our Year Six Leaders for 2025 and present them with their badges.

Morning Tea will be held in MacKillop Hall afterwards. Year 6 parents are asked to bring a plate to share.

Project Compassion Mass

Each year, a Project Compassion Mass is held at St Patrick's Cathedral, Toowoomba to recognise the beginning of Lent. This year, the mass will be held on Sunday 9^th March at 9am. Students from schools in the Toowoomba Diocese are invited to represent their school for this mass led by Bishop Howell.

All Year 6 students are invited to attend this launch with their parents. Siblings are also welcome. I will be in attendance at the mass as well. If you would like to attend the mass, please email me by Monday 17^th February so I can RSVP for catering purposes. Students are asked to wear full formal uniform and to assemble on the lawn beside the Cathedral at 8.30am. 

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Toss)

On Tuesday 4^th March, after lunch, the MacKillop Club leaders will be running a pancake toss competition. This is open to all year 6 students. All Year 6 students wishing to participate are to bring along their own frypan (non-stick work best) and some premade pancakes (larger pancakes work better). We look forward to a fun game to mark the preparation for the time of Lent.

Ash Wednesday – 5^th March   

Prep to Year 2 students will participate in an Ash Wednesday liturgy in MacKillop Hall at 9am and Year 3 – 6 students will attend Mass at 12pm in St Stephen’s church on Wednesday 5^th March. Parents are welcome to join us.

Date Claimers -

Family Mass – Sunday 16^th March 8.30am – St Stephen’s Church

St Joseph Feast Day Mass – 19^th  March 9am – St Stephen’s Church

Easter Liturgy – 4^th April

Middle Leader Report - Mrs Rachel Harlen

Welcome to the new 2025 school year! I am excited to be supporting the teachers and students at St Stephen’s for Term One in my role as Middle (Curriculum) Leader.

At St Stephen’s we are committed to creating a nurturing, engaging, and inclusive learning environment where every child can thrive. This year, our focus will be on fostering strong foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, through the continued Diocesan Approach to Reading, while also nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving through rich, real-world learning experiences.  We are continuing to deliver the Australian Curriculum Version 9 across all learning areas, ensuring our teaching and learning is dynamic and relevant to our 21st century learners.

Partnerships between home and school are vital to student success. We encourage you to stay involved, ask questions, and celebrate your child’s achievements along the way. Whether it’s through our Masses and Liturgies, Celebrations, school events like our upcoming Bush Dance, or regular communication, your support makes a real difference.

The Year Six students recently reflected on what they want their final year of primary school to be like and came up with “One Word for 2025.” These were linked to their personal and academic goals for 2025 and included words like dedication, determination, joy, fun, service, and learner.  What’s your word for 2025?

Here’s to a fantastic 2025 filled with learning, discovery, joy, and success!

NAPLAN 2025

If your child is in Year 3 or Year 5 this year they will be sitting the NAPLAN assessments from Wednesday the 12th to Friday the 21st of March.  Teachers have already begun revising content and will be preparing students for these assessments in the next few weeks.  Some hints and tips for students include:

• Make sure you have a good sleep and a full breakfast before the test.  
• Try your best with every question.  
• Read the whole question before deciding on an answer. 
• There will be questions that are tricky. Rather than worrying about this, try and step through them, remember your strategies, and do your best. 
• Complete all questions you can do first, flag the questions you are unsure of, and then go back and work on the others - the test does not have to be done in order.  

Specific year-level details and dates will be communicated to parents regarding NAPLAN via the Sentral Parent Portal app closer to Week 7 & 8.

Learning Support News - Mrs Kristy Cameron

Healthy Hearing 

Good hearing health is essential for children to reach their full potential in all areas of life, especially when it comes to school performance.   

Quite often, hearing loss has a profoundly negative effect on academic performance and social and emotional well-being. Commonly the signs of poor hearing can be overlooked and mistaken for other behaviours or conditions.  An estimated 1 in 10 children suffer from hearing loss which left undetected can lead to speech, learning, and behavioural problems. 

Children with a history of ear infections, grommets, or other poor hearing health are recommended to check their hearing. Other concerns may include:   

• Inattentiveness  

• Inappropriate/irrelevant responses to questions  

• Ringing in ears  

• Exposure to loud recreational activities on a regular basis  

• Daydreaming  

• Trouble following directions  

• Speech concerns and language concerns   

• Phonological awareness delays   

• Ongoing illnesses such as regular colds and runny noses  

The World Health Organisation recommends that all children should have their hearing screened around the time they start school.  We are fortunate to have Sound Scouts screening again in 2025 for our new Prep students.  The Sound Scouts hearing test is an interactive game where player's results are compared with the results of players of the same age with normal hearing. Consent forms will be emailed out to Prep parents in week 4 and I will begin hearing screening in week 5. 

Happy learning,  

Kristy Cameron (Learning Support Teacher - LST) 

Contact email:  Kristy.cameron@twb.catholic.edu.au 

Sport News - Mrs Jodie Ferguson

Sports News 2025 

Inner Downs Trials 

There will be Inner Downs Trials held throughout the year. If you are born 2015, 2014 or 2013 and interested in attending any of the trials, please fill in the Representative Sports Nomination form 2025 which was emailed out to all eligible students. You can either return this form or email Mrs Ferguson at jodie.ferguson@twb.catholic.edu.au. When the nominations become available closer to the trial, Mrs Ferguson will send home the necessary paperwork. Please keep your eye out in the school calendar newsletter and the calendar on the parent portal for nomination, trial dates and further information. 

Note: These dates are subject to change. 

Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival – Thursday 13th February 

The students who were selected to represent St. Stephen’s School Swim Team for the Catholic Schools Swimming carnival have been notified via email. Spectators are welcome to attend. The preferred method of travel is by bus, as a team, which has been booked. We will be selling Zooper Doopers for $1 on Wednesdays at second break on the 5th & 12th February to help cover bus costs. $5 will also be added to your accounts to help with bus costs. Students need to meet Mr Minnikin – team manager, at the bus shelter no later than 7:40am. It is recommended that students bring their own food and drinks. All students swimming at this carnival must wear their school swimming caps. These are available to purchase from the office at a cost of $10. Students attending need to have returned 2025 Medical Information and Consent Form for Local Excursions within the Toowoomba Regional Council prior to this day. 

Inner Downs Swimming Carnival – Monday 24th February (Milne Bay, Toowoomba) 

Students who have met qualifying times to attend the Inner Downs trials have been notified. It is the responsibility of the parent to look after and supply transport to and from this event. Mrs Ferguson will be attending as a team official on the day and will also take as a group the forms that require to be handed in. Please return asap the following notes: 

#8 2025 DDSS Regional Trial Permission Form IZ 

#9 2025 QRSS Student Consent Form 

If you don’t wish your child to attend, please let me know. 

Polocrosse Qld

Congratulations to one of our Year 3 students, Jason Wacker who was recently chosen in the Polocrosse Qld 2025 Junior Classic Team to compete in Albury NSW, in April.  We wish him all the best.

Student Sporting Achievements 

Please feel free to send through any photos of students and their sporting achievements if you wish for them to be included in the school newsletter, attention to Mrs Ferguson. Jodie.ferguson@twb.catholic.edu.au 

Library News - Mrs Kellie Craft

Welcome back to another year of wonderful learning.

During Term One, we will commence our Library lessons on a Tuesday.

During these lessons, ALL students will do their browse and borrow. This is a great time for students to browse the wonderful books in our library…we have so many!  They will have time to locate books of interest and borrow.

There will also be some changes with the day of returning books. Students will need to return their library books on a Monday, this will alleviate the number of books being returned on a Tuesday and the processing and re-shelving of the books. 

For the remainder of this lesson time, students will participate in lessons related to the library, caring for books, using the library and also responding to a variety of texts, and addressing learning within the English curriculum.

Looking forward to a wonderful term!

Mrs Craft 😊

Library Return Monday ~ Borrow Tuesday

Our School Day

School Contact Information

Bus News

Tuckshop News

This year, Tuckshop will again operate on a Thursday.  Ordering for Morning Tea & Lunch is completed through the Flexischools App. Orders close at 8am sharp on a Thursday morning.  If you are interested in volunteering your time whether it be for 1 or 4 hours, please let the front office know. Unfortunately, due to Health & Safety Regulations no children are able to be present in the tuckshop during these hours.

This week we are offering a normal Morning Tea menu and a Hot Dog Special for Lunch!!  

School Dental Van

Piano Lessons with Mrs Ruth Shepherd

If you are interested in your child learning piano from a fully qualified teacher with 30 years of experience, contact Mrs Ruth Shepherd on 0427 910 303 for more information. 

It is essential that students have a piano/keyboard at home on which to do their practice.  Music is fun!

PEN (Parent Engagement Network) News

A reminder that our PEN Annual General Meeting is being held at St Stephen's School this Wednesday 12th February at 7pm in the Staff Room.  Entry will be via the Weale St Bus Shelter Entrance. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend.

Outside Hours School Care News

Sentral Parent Portal

Reminder to all parents to access the Parent Portal.

The Parent Portal is used for absentees, newsletters, parent teacher interview bookings, report cards, NAPLAN results, calendar of events, notices and letters to parents.

If you are having difficulty with the Parent Portal please contact the School Office for assistance. The Parent Portal is the communication method used for the day to day running of the school.

Flexischools - Online Ordering System

Flexischools is an online ordering system that the school uses for the ordering of Tuckshop, Event Catering and Special Fundraising Food Days.

Tuckshop is open one day a week on a Thursday. Special Canteen days are also held sometimes throughout the year. This makes it easier for families and school staff.

Community News

Pittsworth Debutante Ball

A meeting will be held on Tuesday, 11th February 2025 at 7pm at Mckillop Hall, St Stephens School, Pittsworth to ascertain interest in a Catholic Debutante Ball on Friday, 9th May 2025.  Intending debutantes and a parent must be present or ring Leah Moore on 0428931586 beforehand.  

All parishioners interested in helping with this fundraiser for the church are welcome to attend.