Term 3, Week 2, 2025

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Term 3! We hope the break brought time for your children to recharge and be ready for the new term. As we step into the second half of the school year, we look forward to the rich learning, joyful events, and community spirit that continue to make our school a place of growth and belonging.  Some key information for this term:

Catholic Education Week — Week 3 In Week 3, we celebrate Catholic Education Week, a time to reflect on the values, traditions, and mission that guide our learning community. Through prayer, activities, and service, our students will explore and deepen their understanding of what it means to be part of a Catholic school. We encourage families to get involved and celebrate alongside us and attend events as mentioned in Mrs Ward's article.

Parent Engagement Meeting — Week 4 We're excited to invite all families to our Parent Engagement Meeting on Thursday August 7 in Week 4. This is a valuable opportunity to hear about what’s happening in the school, share your thoughts, and strengthen the partnership between school and home. Your voice matters, and we can’t wait to welcome you.  Please register via this link:  https://forms.office.com/r/fkmpnKX0JB https://forms.office.com/r/fkmpnKX0JB

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) - All Term

As part of our MTSS Project, we are looking at implementing good Tier 1 strategies across the school. 

Tier 1 strategies are the foundational supports provided to all students in a school setting. They aim to create a safe, inclusive, and effective learning environment.

What Are Tier 1 Strategies?

Tier 1 strategies are universal interventions that:

• Are delivered to every student, across all classrooms and settings;

• Focus on preventing problems before they arise;

• Promote academic success, positive behaviour, and wellbeing;

• Are evidence-based and aligned with curriculum standards.

These strategies form the critical foundation for higher tiers (Tier 2 and Tier 3), which provide more targeted or intensive support.

A crucial Tier 1 strategy at SSPS is making our expectations and consequences for behaviour known across the school.  We did begin this last term with expectations for before school and moving around the school.  This term, we are starting with after school and eating and play times, before moving into the classroom spaces.

Further information will continue to be sent home as we progress with our Tier 1 or universal interventions this term.

Thanks and have a great weekend.

Sam Hannant

….experiencing FAITH in the Mercy Tradition

Dear families

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope you had a chance to recharge the batteries over the break. It’s been great to see the students again and those I’ve spoken to are happy to be back which is wonderful. Routine does set us up for meeting expectations and getting us into a positive mindset to achieve our goals.

Week 3 is Catholic Education Week (27th July – 2^nd August)

Celebrating Catholic Education Week is a joyful reminder of the values that unite our school community—Compassion, Service & Excellence. It’s a time to reflect on the rich Mercy tradition of SSP Catholic education and the unique opportunities it offers our children to grow not only academically, but spiritually and morally. Through special events, prayer, and shared experiences, we celebrate the commitment of our teachers, students, and families to nurturing a culture of our Mercy values. Being part of these celebrations strengthens our sense of belonging and reminds us of the powerful role faith plays in shaping young hearts and minds.

During this week, we combine a number of celebrations,  Grandparent’s Day and Mercy Day. Grandparent's Day (Wednesday 30th) – is a special day in our calendar where we acknowledge the very important role Grandparents have in our lives.  We also celebrate Mercy day, a time for us to acknowledge our foundress, Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy, whose lives reflected their commitment to compassion and service stemming from the Gospel.

Please join us for our whole school Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral which begins at 9.30am on Wednesday 30^th July - all welcome! Following Mass in the Cathedral, Morning Tea for Grandparents will be held back over in school grounds in the Mercy Centre, followed by open classrooms (focussing on STEM) from 11.30am, finishing at 12.45pm.

Whole school/community Service activities

Profession Schindler Primary School in PNG book donations:

To continue this whole school Service activity to our friends in PNG, we are accepting donations of reading books for the school – all types of reading books are gratefully accepted (fiction and non-fiction books for all ages, from toddler to young adult). They are in need of quality texts. If you’ve ANY readers at home that are no longer being used, please drop them into the Primary school office at any time. This will be an ongoing need and the donations will be transported to PNG in September. Thank you for your support.

Winter Shelter:

For the past two years, St Theresa’s Parish and St Thomas More’s Parish have been participating in the Toowoomba Winter Shelter program. Last year, they opened their doors, providing up to 10 guests an opportunity for a meal, a hot shower and a warm place to sleep for the night. 

This year, they will be hosting guests every Friday night for 13 weeks, alternating between the two locations. This is an opportunity for adults only in the wider Catholic community to participate and provide support. Listed below are the various roles and times required for volunteering. Please consider offering your support by contacting Brendan Doherty directly on Bedoherty14@gmail.com

At this time these are the particular areas of need are: 

*Set up for the night (2.30pm-3.30pm)

*Catering to be dropped at Church before 5pm (preparing the food and dropping to church)

*Serving food (5pm-7pm)

*Companionship (5pm-10pm) - socialising with guests, meals, games, chats

*Night duty (1st shift 10pm-2am, 2nd shift 2am - 6am) - staying awake through the night to provide help should guests need it. 

*Breakfast (6am-8am)

*Clean up (7am-9am)

Thank you in advance for considering these opportunities.

TERM 3 DATE CLAIMERS

Week 3 - Catholic Education week including whole school Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral on Wednesday 30^th July, including our Grandparent’s day Morning Tea in the Mercy Centre from 10.30am - 11.15am, then to open classrooms until 12.45pm.

Friday 1^st August – Student free day while staff attend Bishop’s Inservice Day.

I hope you have a great week, find a chance to do something that fills your cup and give yourself some self care.   

Thanks for reading,

Ann-Maree Ward (Assistant Principal – Mission & Identity)

Dear Parents

Welcome back to Term 3.  This is one of my favourite terms of the year, particularly as we get to celebrate Catholic Education and the qualities of our school that make us unique, connected and thriving.  One of the highlights of the year is always Grandparent’s Day and we are looking forward to seeing all of our valued grandparents as they join our celebrations next week.  

Thank you to all parents who were able to attend Parent Teacher interviews last week to discuss student's progress in the first six months of the year.  It was pleasing to see many families take up the opportunity of bringing their child along with them to participate in these conversations.  This practice of including student voice, as well as collaboratively creating goals for the rest of the year, is a powerful strategy for building a strong foundation for learning. Our aim with this approach is to continue to build a supportive and connected school community with student progress at the heart.

At the end of last week all students in Year 3 and 5 will have taken home their Individual Naplan Report for 2025.  This report will describe your child’s performance in each of the four domains and plot where they sit against the proficiency standards in relation to the national average for their year.   Please refer to the following flyer if you would like more information concerning interpreting these reports.  These results help the school shape the teaching and learning priorities for the rest of the year and into early 2026. 

The start of a new term is always a perfect time to re-emphasise the importance of systems for smooth transitions.  Some important reminders for parents using the Stop, Drop and Go:

• When turning into the driveway for Stop, Drop and Go please ensure that when you drive through the zebra crossing, you only do so when there is room to stop your car completely in the driveway – not on the road prior to the entry, or in a way that blocks the footpath. This is not only for the safety of all pedestrians on the footpath and crossing the Zebra, but it is also an illegal practice which unfortunately some parents have discovered via a fine.
• To avoid congestion in the walkway, parents are asked to wait in the Peace Garden if you are collecting students on foot (this is the seating area at the back of the shed with tiered levels) You may also wait in the quad area. Students have been directed to enter the shed via the oval – so you should be able to find your child prior to them entering the shed.
• If you do not have a family name sign for your car please reach out to the office so we can arrange one for you. It is important to try and remember your name sign, as the teacher on duty responsible for texting your child’s name to the teacher in the shed may not always recognise your car and remember your name, and if they can read the sign, it will work to speed up the process.

An important part of the Australian Curriculum is the general capabilities that sit alongside specific curriculum areas.  The Personal and Social Capability learning continuum is ogansied into four elements: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and social management. At St Saviour's we use Positive Education Enhanced Curriculum (PEEC) to teach these areas.  This term students across the school will be focussing on 'Positive Relationships' in particular kindness, connections and forgiveness.  Students  will be considering in an age-appropriate way how to ‘put themselves in someone else’s shoes’ and consider the perspectives of others. Alongside our restorative practices, we strive to not only develop an understanding in students, but make explict how to live out the value of Compassion, walking in the footsteps of Jesus. 

Mrs Katie Hauser

Dear Parents,

At St Saviour’s Primary School we believe that true learning goes beyond the classroom and academic achievements. Learning is about cultivating habits of mind that shape students into confident, curious, and capable individuals. We aim to create life-long learners through our 7 Learner Qualities that support academic growth and personal success:

? Be Determined
Students who are determined show resilience when facing challenges. They keep trying, learn from mistakes, and push through even when things feel tough;

? Be a Thinker
Our students learn to ask meaningful questions, seek out solutions, and make thoughtful decisions. We encourage them to explore “why” and “how” so they build stronger understanding;

? Be Collaborative
Collaboration helps students thrive as team members. Working together teaches them to listen, share ideas, and respect different perspectives;

? Curious
Curious learners are eager to explore, question, and discover. Their natural inquisitiveness leads to new interests, exciting ideas, and a deeper engagement with the world around them;

? Be Creative
Creativity is the spark that brings learning to life. Whether through writing stories, designing experiments or building models, we encourage students to be creative;

?️ Be a Communicator
Students learn to express their ideas and connect with others through writing, conversation, and active listening;

? Be Adventurous
Adventurous learners take risks, try new things, and step into the unknown with courage and curiosity.

By nurturing these Learner Qualities across our classrooms and curriculum, we’re preparing students not just for school, but for life. We encourage you to talk to your child about these learner qualities and support them to embed them at home as well.

ICAS

St Saviour’s Primary will be participating in the world-renowned ICAS competition this year.  

 What is ICAS?  

ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English and Mathematics.

Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.  

We encourage you to consider entering your child into ICAS this year.   

How to participate in ICAS  

If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please:  

1. read about ICAS subjects and prices here: (com/products-icas/) 
2. read the Privacy Collection Statement below.
3. read the terms and conditions here:(com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-ICAS-Assessments-Schools-TsCs_S2023.V6-1.pdf) 
4. go to Parent Portal to purchase tests here: (icasassessments.com/pages/pps) 
5. enter our school’s access code – DRS657
6. enter your child’s details, select the tests you would like to purchase, then proceed to payment. 

Registrations close Monday 28^th July.

Kind regards,

Bec Thomas

Middle Leader

Darling Downs Rugby League 

We are proud to celebrate the achievements of George Gainey and Darcy Phillips, who recently represented Darling Downs at the State Rugby League Carnival. Both boys demonstrated exceptional skill, sportsmanship, and leadership throughout the tournament. George was honoured with the role of Vice Captain and received the prestigious Jim Stevens Medallion for Defensive Player of the Carnival, recognising his outstanding performance and commitment on the field. Darcy was named Player of the Match in the team’s impressive victory over South Coast, contributing significantly to the team’s success. Darling Downs finished 6th out of 12 regions, the best result the region has achieved at this carnival in 15 years. George and Darcy represented St Saviour’s Primary School with pride and distinction, and we commend them for their dedication and excellence. Congratulations to both boys on this remarkable accomplishment.

Zone and Darling Downs Trials 

All information regarding Zone and Darling Downs trials will be posted on the Parent Portal. To ensure your child is eligible to trial for these sporting teams, please check the Parent Portal regularly or set up notifications on your phone. You will need to obtain the necessary paperwork from myself. Please be aware that I am unable to nominate students after the closing date, so it is crucial to monitor the Parent Portal. If you have any questions, please contact me at brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au. 

Upcoming Events (Term Three) 

• South West Futsal Training - 28th July (12:45-1:30) 

• Auskick/Superkick - 28th July – 1st September (3pm – 4pm) 

• U10 Wayne Beeston Rugby Leage Gala Day Trial - 29th July (12:45 - 1:30)  

• Touch/Netball Gala Day (Year 5 & 6) – 31st July (9am – 2pm) 

• South West Futsal Gala Day (Year 5 & 6) 4th August (8am – 2pm) 

• Central Zone 1500m – 6th August (3pm – 4pm) 

• Wayne Beeston Rugby Leage Gala Day Training - 7th August (12:45-1:30) U12 

• Wayne Beeston Rugby Leage Gala Day Training - 8th August (12:45-1:30) U10  

• Central Zone Athletics Carnival – 11th August (9am – 2pm) 

• Wayne Beeston Rugby Leage Gala Day Training - 14th August (12:45-1:30) U12  

• Wayne Beeston Rugby Leage Gala Day Training Friday 15th August (12:45-1:30) U10  

• Wayne Beeston Rugby Leage Gala Day - 20th August (8:30-3pm) 

• South West Qld Touch Football Trial - 27th August (3pm-4:30pm) 

• Darling Downs Athletics Carnival – 1st and 2nd of September (9am – 2pm) 

• South West Qld Touch Football Training – 3rd September – 22nd October (3pm-4:30pm) 

• Touch Football Gala Day (Year 4) 16th September (9am – 2pm)  

Cheers 

Brendan Luck 

HPE Teacher 

brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au 

Book Week 2025 - “Book an Adventure” 

We will celebrate adventures through books this term! Our Book Week dress-up parade will take place on Friday 22nd August, all are welcome to attend as audience members. 

The library will host a treasure hunt during lunch-time activities and staff will share some real-life adventures during eating times across Book Week. 

 Author, Illustrator and Performer Gregg Dreise  

Gregg Dreise Gregg Dreise | Author, Artist, Song Writer will present to all year levels on Wednesday 13th August. Look at his books and read about Gregg on his website. 

Family Book Club

We are reading a short-listed, historical fiction title by Jackie French, 'Tigg and the Bandicoot Bushranger" this term.

– Tigg and the Bandicoot Bushranger | jackie-french

Please share this story at home and join us for a chat about it over afternoon tea in the library around 3.20pm on Monday 18th August (Week 6 - Book Week).

Happy Reading Everyone!

Anne Anderson

Teacher Librarian

Dear Parents & Caregivers

Welcome to Term 3, 2025. 

A friendly reminder that SSPS does not issue fee invoices in Term 4, so we kindly ask that all fees and levies be paid in full by Week 5, Term 3 – Friday, 15th August 2025.

✅ If your account is:

• Paid in full
• In credit
• Paid via ADF direct debit
• Covered by an agreed payment plan

…then no further action is required at this time.

Please note: If you are paying via ADF direct debit, all payments must be finalised by 10th October 2025, unless an alternative arrangement has been agreed upon with the Finance team.

If you have any questions or need assistance regarding your account, please contact our Accounts team:
? Phone: 4637 1700
? Email: accounts@sspstwb.catholic.edu.au

Thank you for your continued support.

Alyce Webster

Finance Officer

accounts@sspstwb.catholic.edu.au

x

CHESS CHAMPIONS

Following their participation in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Interschool Chess Tournament last term, Jaishan, Elijah and Randuli received their place awards at the years 3-6 assembly on Monday morning. Congratulations to all three of you and to all the students who took part!