Dear Parents and Carers,

“I often think God might be too quiet for the noise of the world, just like the elm trees and my parish church. Pope Francis writes that we find God in those little things. We find him when we say thank you, please and sorry. In a world of bad manners and bad speech, those words are the “the keys that open the way to a well-lived life, to a life of peace”. In that peace we might find forgiveness, asked and given.”

— Stan Grant, Praying for Pope Francis

In last weekend's Paper, Stan Grant reflects on Pope Francis’ illness and recent time in hospital. He draws from the Pope’s newly published biography, Hope, using it as a lens through which to consider the passage of time and the changing seasons. Pope Francis' current health challenges remind us of the deep value of relationships and the things that truly matter. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for Pope Francis.

Executive Director Appointment

Last week, the Archdiocese received the very pleasing news that David de Carvalho has been appointed as the next Executive Director of Catholic Education, Archdiocese of Canberra/Goulburn. David has been the Chair of ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) and more recently has been working at Notre Dame University, Sydney. David brings a wealth of experience and insight into education and will bring many gifts to the role. Please see the announcement in this newsletter from Catholic Education and the Archbishop.

Canteen Manager

Kathie Crosbie has decided to step down from her role as Canteen Manager from the beginning of Term 2. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Kathie for her dedicated and effective management of the canteen over the years. Her hard work and commitment have played an integral role in ensuring the smooth operation of this vital service, and we are grateful for all she has contributed to the school. We currently have a Canteen Manager role advertised on the Catholic Education Employment page. If you know of anyone who may be interested, please make sure you let them know about this opportunity.

Leave

Annie McArthur will be taking LSL in Weeks 7 & 8. After EOI processes, I am pleased to announce Mrs Sharee Thomas will be Acting Assistant Principal and Mrs Amanda Ducker will be Acting REC during this time. I congratulate Sharee and Amanda and look forward to them undertaking their important roles later this term.

Swimming Carnival

On Monday, we had a very successful Swimming Carnival at Queanbeyan Pool. I thank Sharee Thomas and the Swimming Carnival Team for running such a successful day. Congratulations to all our swimmers who participated on the day and to Polding House, who won the carnival. To celebrate, we will host a wear blue uniform-free day on 19/3.

I would like to thank the large number of parent volunteers and senior students from St Mary MacKillop College who were instrumental in successfully running our carnival. Without their support, our carnivals could not take place.

Communication Between School and Home – School Calendar

The digital school calendar is the most up-to-date representation of what is happening in the school and is our one source of truth. There are a couple of ways to access this quickly:

• Through the Compass app or desktop webpage, by selecting the school calendar.
• Download a public .ical file to overlay the school calendar on your personal or work calendar. https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/saintfrancis.calwell%40gmail.com/public/basic.ics
• Directly visit the School Calendar browser public link https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=saintfrancis.calwell%40gmail.com&ctz=Australia%2FSydney

Blessings and best wishes

Sean Rutledge

The Season of Lent Begins

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent. As we enter the sacred season of Lent, we are invited to reflect, pray, and renew our hearts in preparation for Easter. This 40-day journey is a time for spiritual growth, self-discipline, and acts of kindness. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we deepen our relationship with God and open our hearts to His grace.

As a school community, we encourage our students to embrace this season with a spirit of compassion and generosity. Let us walk together in faith, seeking to grow in love and service to others.

Project Compassion 

This Lent, our school  is proud to support Project Compassion 2025, Caritas Australia's annual initiative to help vulnerable communities create brighter futures. Through generosity, prayer, and action, we can make a real difference in the lives of those in need.

Students will learn about inspiring stories of resilience and hope while participating in fundraising activities to support this vital cause. Each class will have a Project Compassion Box in their classroom for students to bring in their donations to help support communities in need. We kindly ask that you help us work together to support this great cause. Every donation, big or small, helps transform lives.

Let’s work together to bring compassion to life this Lent! 

Help us help children like Toefuata’iga.

First Sunday in Lent, Year C  Luke 4:1-13 Jesus is Tested in the Wilderness 

The Gospel for the first Sunday in Lent recounts Jesus alone in a stark desert landscape. He personifies the journey of his own people, the Israelites, who were tested in the desert yet, in context, all relate to compromising his mission. There is an inherent subtlety at play as each lure has a certain attraction. Satan, the tempter, proposes seemingly good alternative choices to Jesus. 

The desert encounter testifies to the humanity of Jesus. It is an inevitable part of being human to struggle with the spirits of both light and darkness. The human heart is not neutral territory but instead a space that is frequently contested with our choices between good and evil. St Ignatius of Loyola clearly identified this in his spiritual practice of discernment of spirits. He noted that the devil comes to us especially in our good deeds, cloaked as an angel of light. We enter these six weeks of Lent within the backdrop of this desert scene. It is in this context that we experience a heightened sensitivity in discerning the subtle ways in which spirits of light and darkness compete for the holy ground of our hearts. We ask that we may have the clarity and strength of Jesus to remain faithful to choosing all that is anchored in and springs forth from the source of the true light. 

(From God’s Word, Daily Reflections, 2025)

St Vincent de Paul Thank You

A big thank you and shout out to the local Calwell St Vincent de Paul Conference. As a school we support Vinnes through the Winter and Christmas appeals, but it also needs to be acknowledged that our local Conference gives back to our school in support of our families in need through assisting with uniforms, camp payments, sacrament registration, food hampers and in lots of other ways.  We are so grateful of their partnership.  

Sacrament Registrations

A reminder that if your wish for your child in Year 4 (Reconciliation), Year 5 (Eucharist) or Year 6 (Confirmation) to receive a Sacrament this year, you must regsiter them via the Parish QkR! Account. Registrations close on April 4th.

Have a great week. 

Cyber Safety Information Session for Parents

Thursday 13th March @ 6pm in the School Hall

Free child minding in BASCA

https://forms.office.com/r/5b2WVfANxK 

Protecting children in their digital worlds is an ever-evolving task for Australian families. Now more than ever, parents are looking for guidance in managing screen time and navigating the world of games and social media.

We are therefore pleased to help our parent community by offering a crucial and engaging education session with ySafe, Australia’s leading provider of online safety education. This session will be packed with practical, strategy-rich content that covers the most important points all families need to know about online safety. It will include key information about social media and gaming, screen time recommendations, and step-by-step instructions on how to set up a cyber safe home for children of all ages.

If you’ve ever struggled to get your children off their games and into bed, worried about the content of the games they play, or felt concerned that your child was spending too much time in the digital world, this workshop is for you!

Dear Parents & Carers,

RE: ySafe and St Francis of Assisi Partnership

ySafe, Australia’s leading provider of cyber safety education, is a team of deeply experienced certified child wellbeing experts, former police officers, and teachers. They specialise in student digital safety and equip thousands of school communities each year with the knowledge and understanding to thrive in the online world.

We will be hosting a ySafe Cyber Safety Day on: Thursday 13th March 6pm in the school hall.

 ySafe's online safety experts deliver online safety education to students and the broader school community via the following:

• Expert-led cyber safety discussion sessions for students that utilise case studies, scenarios and activities to explore ways to navigate the online environment.
• Parent educational sessions and access to the Online Safety Hub resource.
• Evidence-based staff professional development, examining the nexus between online safety and student social and emotional wellbeing.

 Parent Resources

The Online Safety Hub provides a rich source of information for you to help you manage cyber safety in the home, including engaging blogs, articles, guides and resources.  The Online Safety Hub can be accessed using the link below.

 https://stfa.onlinesafetyhub.com.au/ 

We encourage all parents to have a look through the Online Safety Hub and the resources available.

Should you have any questions regarding this, please contact Mrs Annie McArthur.

We’re in good hands.

We are delighted to invite you to two upcoming parent engagement sessions, hosted by the school in partnership with the Community Council.

We understand that your time is precious, so these sessions have been thoughtfully designed to provide you with valuable, practical strategies to support your parenting journey.

Session 1: Online Safety

Thursday, March 13th | ⏰ 6:00 PM |  School Hall

Navigating the digital world as a parent can be challenging. ySafe delivers practical, evidence-based cyber safety education to equip parents with the knowledge and tools needed to guide their children’s online experiences. This session will offer actionable strategies that you can implement right away to create a safer online environment at home.

Session 2: Building Resilience at Home

Tuesday, March 25th | ⏰ 6:00 PM |  School Hall

Presented by The Resilience Project, this session will explore ways to nurture resilience and wellbeing in your family. Learn about the TRP program, discover strategies for supporting your child’s wellbeing using the GEM principles (Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness), and gain practical tips for enhancing your own personal wellbeing. Enjoy the webinar, connect with fellow parents, and relax with some light refreshments.

To register your interest, please scan the QR code on the attached flyer.

We hope to see many of you there!

The StFA Team / SfFA Community Council