St Benedict's Catholic School Shaw eNewsletter

As we reach the end of Term 1, I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all of you for your incredible support throughout the term. This term has certainly presented its share of challenges, not least of which has been the unusual and relentless rainfall that we have experienced. Despite this, your unwavering commitment to your child's education, and our school community has been nothing short of inspiring.

I want to acknowledge the dedication and flexibility of our staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure that teaching and learning continued smoothly, even in the face of adverse weather. Their commitment to your children and to maintaining a safe, nurturing environment is what truly sets our school apart, and we are grateful to have such a passionate and hardworking team.

A special thank you goes to our new school families, particularly those in our new Prep cohort, who have joined us this year. Your involvement and support have made a smooth transition into the St Benedict’s community, and we are excited to have you as part of our school family. We look forward to many more shared experiences in the coming terms.

As we move into the break, I hope you take time to relax and enjoy some quality moments with your families. The staff and I are incredibly grateful for everything you do to make St Benedict's a wonderful place for your children to grow and thrive. We are excited for what Term 2 will bring and look forward to seeing your children continue to flourish in our school environment.

Thank you once again for your incredible support.

As we approach the Easter season, we are reminded of the great sacrifice and love that Christ has shown for us. May this time bring peace, reflection, and joy to you and your family as we celebrate the hope and renewal that Easter brings.

We wish all our parents and carers a safe and restful holiday break. May you find time to recharge and enjoy the company of your loved ones. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in Term 2, ready for another exciting and enriching term ahead.

Our first day of Term 2 is Tuesday 22nd April.

God bless and Happy Easter to all.

God in All of Life

Patrick Dempsey

pdempsey2@stbenedicts.catholic.edu.au

On behalf of the school board, I would like to thank all teaching staff, parents and children for their resilience shown this term regarding the weather we have experienced.

The role of our School Board is to provide broad, comprehensive governance of the school. This is achieved by setting long-term, strategic directions for the school, implementing and reviewing key policies, approving the school budget and providing invaluable support to the leadership team and ensuring it is done through the eyes of God.

At our last meeting held on Monday the 31st March 2025, the board discussed the current direction of the school. APRE - Nicolas Christie discussed the importance of the Enhancing Catholic School Identity - ECSI survey and how that information is used to improve the school's Catholic Identity. If you have a chance to complete the survey please do so as the more surveys completed can only help to improve our school.

The board also reviewed two policies: Student Use of School Owned Digital Technologies as well as the Personal Devices. These can be found on the website under the About Tab.

The School Board is currently looking for new members, If you want to be more involved in the school, send an email to the Principal or APRE expressing your interest.

Have a wonderful Easter and may God bless you.

Simon Sorbello

Chairman of the St Benedicts (Townsville) School Board

Parish_News_Wk_10.pdf

We’ve made it to the end of Term 1 - and although the rain, while glorious at times, I feel may have outstayed its welcome. Hopefully we are in for a drier Term 2!

Over the last few weeks, our students have been presenting assemblies on the Season of Lent. Today our 3 Kookaburras presented the upcoming season of Easter, where we will celebrate new life and hope that Jesus brings. They reminded us that we are all able to share the love of Jesus with others through offering kindness, forgiveness and friendship to others. I wish all of our students a peaceful break, and I look forward to welcoming our students back on April 22, ready for another great term!

Our Parish will be holding a number of services over the Easter period, please see the image below which gives further information on when and where these services will occur.

Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project REPEAT

You may have seen in last week's newsletter information about our school participating in the Catholic School Identity Project. Each school in the Townville Diocese participates in this project every 5 years, with the purpose being to gain meaningful insights into how St Benedict’s views its identity as a Catholic School, and how such identity might be shaped for the future. This is the second opportunity our school has had to participate in the surveys. I have attached this note again to the newsletter, and would encourage ALL families, regardless of their faith background. As a shortcut you can access the surveys the following way:

ECSI_Parent_Note_2025.pdf

Go to the following website: https://www.ecsi.site/au/user/

Enter our schools password: Ghj654

Pax,

Nick

ANZAC_Day_March_2025.pdf

Term 1 Postponed Parent/Teacher Interviews

Parent/Teacher interviews have been rescheduled to Tuesday 29th April from 3:30pm - 8:00pm, and Wednesday 30th March from 3:30pm - 6:30pm in the Hall. Please note that your old appointment has been cancelled, and you will need to book a new appointment. Please use the ‘Compass Parent Portal’ to book a 15-minute time slot to attend an interview.

The booking system will open today and close at midday on Thursday 24th April. You will receive an email when the booking system has been opened.

Year 6 Taipans will reschedule their parent/teacher interviews towards the end of Term 2.

Thank you for understanding the importance of postponing the interviews this year, and we look forward to discussing your child’s progress with you!

Pupil Free Day - Friday Week 2!

A reminder that Friday 2nd May is a Pupil Free Day. On this day, teachers will be taking part in important Professional Development to learn more about the changes to the Mathematics Australian Curriculum (Version 9). The sessions will focus on building teacher knowledge and skills in teaching maths, planning lessons in a clear sequence, and ensuring assessments are fair and consistent. This learning helps us continue to provide high-quality and engaging maths lessons for all students. Please remember to make alternative care arrangements for your children on this day—we appreciate your support!

School Holiday Guide - Keep the Learning Alive!

It has been an incredible first term at school! Our students have had the opportunity to dive into their learning and explore new topics, and students and teachers have had the opportunity to get to know each other and build strong relationships. As we come to the end of term, we hope everyone takes some time to relax and enjoy the upcoming holidays. We look forward to seeing everyone back at school for the start of the new term! If you are looking for something to do on the holidays check out the ‘TSV City Council School Holiday Guide - April Edition.’ Parents play a vital role in children's learning by engaging them in everyday activities like cooking, visiting new places, talking, and creating together, which naturally build language, literacy, mathematics, and oral language skills. These real-life experiences make learning meaningful and help children connect concepts to the world around them. Thank you for your continued support—we can’t wait to see what exciting learning adventures Term 2 will bring!