25 June 2025

From the Desk of the Acting Principal

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we conclude Term 2, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you—our parents, carers, and families—for your continued support and partnership in your children's education. This term has been both meaningful and rewarding, marked by growth, learning, and shared experiences within our faith-filled community.

Over the past ten weeks, our students have demonstrated wholehearted engagement in their learning, developing academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Classrooms have been vibrant with curiosity and enthusiasm, and it has been gratifying to observe their resilience and perseverance as they embraced new challenges.

Throughout the term, we celebrated several significant events as a school community. Our Mother’s Day liturgy and breakfast served as special occasions to honour the important women in our students’ lives, and it was encouraging to see such strong participation. Some of our students received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion—an important milestone in their faith journey. We are grateful to the families and staff who supported and prepared our students during this sacred time. Additionally, our traditional Big Mob Breakfast provided a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate community support and connection.

Learning extended beyond the classroom environment this term. Students participated in sports days, excursions, and various enrichment activities, exemplifying respect, inclusivity, and teamwork. Highlights include achieving second place in the Townsville Catholic Schools Speechmakers Competition for Year Six, fourth place for Year Four, and coming second in the Readers Cup Competition—our first time placing in this event. We also competed in the Esports Competition, securing second place in the Primary Just Dance section, with two students advancing to the semifinals of Mario Kart.

Our dedicated staff deserve special recognition for their ongoing commitment to nurturing each child and fostering a love of learning. Their professionalism and dedication are foundational to our school community. We have also observed positive student responses to the new traffic light behaviour management system, and we appreciate families’ cooperation in supporting this initiative through prompt communication about incidents involving their children.

Next term, we will be implementing a revised Tuckshop menu. Due to increasing costs, prices have been adjusted accordingly. The full menu will be available for orders during both breaks, except for ice blocks. Tuckshop orders can be collected at the start of each break—10:30 am and 1:00 pm. All students, whether they have ordered or not, are welcome to eat at their earliest opportunity—there is no need to wait until mid-break. We rely on parent volunteers to prepare and pack orders promptly; any assistance on Wednesday–Friday mornings would be greatly appreciated. Additionally, Flexischools will close at 8:00 am to facilitate timely processing of orders, and no late orders will be accepted via phone.

As a reminder, Reports will be sent on Friday 27th June at 3.00pm through the Parent Compass Portal. Parent and Teacher interviews will take place in Week Two next term on Tuesday 22nd July and Wednesday 23rd July 3.15 - 5.45pm. These interview bookings will be made through the Parent Compass Portal. You will receive an invitation to make your booking on Monday 30th June - the first Monday of the holiday. If you are having difficulty, please contact the office in the first week of Term Three and the office ladies will be able to assist you.

As we approach the upcoming school holiday break, I encourage families to take this time to rest, reconnect, and rejuvenate. Holidays provide a valuable opportunity to slow down and appreciate the simple joys of life, which can be difficult during busy school terms.

Term 3 begins on Monday, 14 July. We look forward to welcoming students back recharged and ready for another fulfilling term of learning, growth, and community engagement.

Wishing you and your family a safe, peaceful, and enjoyable holiday.

Warm Regards, 
Annette Poulsen
Acting Principal 

apoulsen2@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

Library

Story Dogs

Sports

Athletics Carnival Wrap-Up

What an exciting couple of weeks it's been for our students during the annual Athletics Carnival! Congratulations to Bohle House for taking out the overall win and to Stuart House, who brought incredible energy and earned the Spirit Award for their enthusiasm and teamwork.

Students showcased their speed and stamina across the 100m, 200m, and 800m sprint events, while our juniors enjoyed a fun-filled rotation of activities, including the parachute, tug of war, and ball games.

In more exciting news, two long-standing records were broken at last week’s Field Events Day!

• Beau Sutton smashed the 12-year-old boys' long jump record with a leap of 3.92m, surpassing Jacob Doyle’s 2016 record of 3.68m.

• Kyle Jefferies set a new benchmark in the 9-year-old boys' shot put, throwing an impressive 6.49m to beat Noah Dawson’s previous mark of 5.85m.

Well done to all students for their sportsmanship, effort, and house pride!

A Message from our Finance Secretary

Reminder: School Fees Due

As we approach the end of Term 2, we kindly remind all families that school fees should be up to date, in accordance with the school’s financial agreement. Please note that fees for Term 2 were due on 17 May, and any outstanding amounts are now overdue.

We sincerely thank the many parents and caregivers who have already made arrangements, set up regular payments via direct debit, or contacted me directly to discuss payment plans. Your commitment and support are greatly appreciated.

If your family is currently experiencing financial difficulty, I encourage you to reach out to me in confidence. I am here to assist in any way I can and to work with you to find a suitable solution.

As a school community grounded in faith, we are called to support one another with compassion and understanding. Together, in Christ, we continue to grow in partnership and grace.

Thank you for being part of our school community.

Kind Regards

Danielle Jacobson

djacobson1@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

Breakfast Club and Running Club

Enrol for 2026

Tuckshop

Dates to Remember

Lost and Found

Teacher Contacts

The Parent Portal allows you to:

View your child’s timetable and the school calendar
View up to date attendance information for your child
Enter details of upcoming absences or explain past absences or late arrivals for your son or daughter
Access your child’s Semester reports
Make bookings for Parent Teacher Interviews
View a news feed of school announcements, alerts and updates
Provide consent for school events/excursions
Communicate by email with your child’s teachers
Update your contact details (email and mobile phone number).

The parent portal is a web-based system that can be accessed by clicking this link:

Community News