Newsletter Term 3 Week 2 2025

Principal's Report - Mrs Janine Butlin

Welcome Back to Term 3 

Welcome back to Term 3! As we begin this new chapter in the school year, there’s a renewed sense of energy and purpose across our community. Each week, I meet with members of our leadership team, and early in the term, these meetings are filled with planning, collaboration, and a shared commitment to ensuring a smooth and successful term ahead. 

Already, our calendar is brimming with events, deadlines, and opportunities for learning and connection. School life has a rhythm all of its own—what we often refer to as “seasons.” These seasons bring with them a sense of tradition and predictability. Whether it’s athletics carnivals, parent-teacher interviews, excursions, or assessment periods, many of our key events occur around the same time each year. This rhythm helps us plan with purpose and stay aligned as a community. 

Behind the scenes, there’s a great deal of coordination that goes into making it all happen. Timetables, schedules, and planning documents are essential tools that help us meet our goals and support our students effectively. It’s a balancing act—one that requires flexibility, foresight, and a strong team effort. 

Celebrating Catholic Education Week 

As Catholic schools across Queensland come together to celebrate  Catholic Education Week 2025, we proudly embrace this year’s theme: Communities of Faith, Hope & Love. This theme beautifully reflects the heart of our school community—where faith guides our actions, hope inspires our journey, and love connects us all. 

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated staff, supportive parents, and inspiring students. Your commitment, compassion, and shared belief in the transformative power of education help us live out this theme in meaningful ways. Thank you for being part of a community that truly reflects faith, hope, and love in action. 

God Bless 

Janine 

Catholic Education Week 2025

Assistant Principal Mission Identity - Mrs Fiona Drew

APRE Newsletter – Wk 2 Term 3  

Welcome back to school! We hope all our families had an enjoyable holiday and have started Term Three feeling refreshed and ready to tackle this busy term!  

Term 3 Mary MacKillop Quote 

This term, our MacKillop club will focus on ‘Make room in your heart for all’ and they will be speaking to each of the classes as to how this can be shown in our daily lives at school and home.  

NAIDOC Week 2025 

NAIDOC Week is an Australian observance lasting from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday. The acronym NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. 

NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The week is celebrated not just in the Indigenous Australian communities but also in increasing numbers of government agencies, schools, local councils and workplaces. The theme for 2025 is "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy".  

On Monday 28th July, Year 4 will lead the school in our NAIDOC liturgy in our Indigenous garden. Classes will also participate in Indigenous games during PE lessons and activities in the classroom on this day.   

Catholic Education Week – Week 3 

We will celebrate Catholic Education Week in week 3 and as part of this, we will have our Grandparents Mass on Wednesday 30th July at 9am, St Stephen’s Church. All Grandparents are welcome to join us for this mass, then come back to school for morning tea and classroom visits.  

Families are invited to send a photo of their grandparents to fiona.drew@twb.catholic.edu.au by Friday 25th July.  

Sacramental Program 2025 

We keep our Sacramental Candidates in our prayers at this time as they complete their Sacramental journey this term. Students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Friday 29th August and will celebrate their First Holy Communion on Sunday 31st August.  

Family Mass will also be held on Sunday 31st August, and all members of the St Stephen’s school community are invited to join us for mass at 8:30am at St Stephen’s Church.  

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal  

MacKillop Club will be running a Winter Appeal on Friday 8th August. Students will be asked to donate non-perishable items of food.

Hot chocolate and popcorn will be for sale at lunchtime for $1 each. Money raised will be given to the Pittsworth branch of St Vincent de Paul. Your generosity will make a difference to many families during Winter this year. 

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 Three 

Year 5 – Wednesday 23rd July   

Year 1/2 – Wednesday 6th August 

Prep/One – Wednesday 3rd September 

Date Claimers –  

St Mary MacKillop Feast Day Mass – 8th August 

Father’s Day Liturgy – 4th September  

End of Term Liturgy – 19th September 

ICAS Tests 2025 

The dates for ICAS tests are as follows for Term 3. Students who are registered will complete these tests throughout the day.   

Middle Leader Report - Mrs Danielle Conway

We warmly invite you to attend our upcoming NAPLAN Information Session on Thursday, 24th July from 3.15-3.45pm in MacKillop Hall.

This session has been designed to support parents and carers in understanding the purpose of NAPLAN, how it is administered, how to read results, and how these are used to inform teaching and learning. We’ll also share practical tips on how you can support your child in the lead-up to the assessments.

Whether your child is sitting NAPLAN for the first time or you’re simply looking to learn more, we encourage you to come along, ask questions, and connect with other families.

If you cannot attend but are interested in this information, please see the attached link for a parent information brochure containing helpful NAPLAN information - 2025 NAPLAN individual student report information for parents and carers

We look forward to seeing you there!

Learning Support News - Mrs Kristy Cameron

Shaping our future - share your views

As a community of Catholic schools, we are committed to creating places of work and learning where everyone belongs, feels valued and succeeds.

By taking just 10 minutes to complete the online perception survey, parents and carers can help shape the future direction of our school.

The survey link has been sent via email - please complete it by Wednesday, 6 August 2025 and help make a difference.

Sport News - Mrs Jodie Ferguson

Inner Downs Trials  

There will be Inner Downs Trials held throughout the year. If you are born 2015, 2014 or 2013 and are interested in attending any of the trials, please fill in the Representative Sports Nomination form 2025 which was emailed out to all eligible students. Please email Mrs Ferguson at jodie.ferguson@twb.catholic.edu.au if you are interested in trialing. When the nominations become available closer to the trial, Mrs Ferguson will send home the necessary paperwork. The medical/permission consent form needs to be filled in and returned to the school for principal approved absence. It is then the responsibility of the child to take this paperwork on the day and pay any fee required to trial, prior to the due date. NO PAYMENT = NO TRIAL and NO FORM = NO TRIAL. Please keep your eye out in the school calendar newsletter for nominations, trial dates and further information.   

Catholic School’s Netball and Touch Football – Thursday 31st July  

All Year 5 and 6 Students will be attending this event. They will travel by bus to and from these carnivals in Toowoomba. The Netball will be held at Nell-E-Robinson Park and the Touch Football at Kearney Springs. Please arrive promptly at the Weale Street bus shelter by 7:50am. Students will borrow the school’s sports uniforms and these need to be washed and returned by Monday the 4th August. Sports uniform, hat, water bottle, a packed morning tea and lunch, and some money may be included in case a canteen is available.  

Term 3 upcoming dates: 

Inner Downs Athletics Carnival – Tuesday 19th August 

O'Quinn Street, Toowoomba. Students who have met qualifying standards have been notified. Please make sure your payment fee is made through the QKR app. 

Primary Schools Netball Gala Day – Wednesday 27th August 

St. Stephen’s is nominating two school teams. Best Wishes to our Netball teams and Congratulations on the work and commitment you have put into training for this event. 

Ball Games Carnival – Thursday 11th September 

Whole school event, more information to be sent out later this term. Parents are Welcome to come to show their support. 

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 

Winter Uniforms

Design & Tech - Mrs Kellie Craft

Design Technology 

During Term 2, we worked within the area of Design Technology and had a wonderful time planning, designing, making and creating.

The Prep to year 2 students, were given the scenario of ‘Gnomeland’ where the gnomes had to get their veggies from Gnomevillage to Gnometown, however, there was a big lake to walk around, the students were tasked with the project to build a bridge over the lake. The students loved creating a bridge for their very own gnome. We have some engineers in the making!

In year 3 and 4, students were given the design task of creating a shoe for a refugee. The students created some amazing work and designed them using recyclable materials. The shoes are on display outside the library in the hallway. Check them out if you have a chance.

Year 5 and 6, were tasked the challenge of creating a toy maze using the software Maker’s Empire. The students created some cool designs but unfortunately the 3D printer hasn’t been playing the game, and we will eventually print them for the students.

Thank you to all the students for their hard work and dedication during our design tech lessons. They all learnt lots along the way. Thank you to YOU, the parents for supporting your children by helping gather materials and send them along. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Now for term 3, we are back in the library getting ready for Book Week. The theme this year is “Book an Adventure”. We will be celebrating book week Tuesday, 19th August (week 6) with our book week dress up and parade. Start getting those costumes ready! Once book week is done and dusted, I will be teaching some Health units to the children.

Have a happy and safe term.

Mrs Craft

My New Gallery

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

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.