Dear parents and carers

So winter is definitely here and don’t we know it! The glorious weather it brings has given us opportunities to enjoy our beautiful outdoors again! Although a bit chilly, the mornings have been a joy as students bounce into school clad in their warmest winter woolies. If you are struggling to find maroon woolies for your child, check out our office as we have a few second hand items that may help you out.

As we wind down towards the mid year break, the whole school community is enjoying some of our favourite annual community events. The last few weeks of term are packed with sporting activities, class liturgies and early years fun days. 

Junior Sports Carnival

I just have a few reminders and heartfelt thanks to share - starting with a huge shout out to our incredible Prep School Officer, Adrienne Marino. Adrienne did a wonderful job coordinating our Junior Sports Carnival, and her efforts truly made the day special. A special thank you to our new PE teacher Mrs Jago who came out for the day to assist with the activities. Our Early Years teachers got well into the spirit of the day, dressing up for the occasion. I don’t think I’ve laughed so much in ages! And what a race that was!

The real stars of the day were the students who gave every activity their very best. They cheered on their teammates, encouraged others and generally had a wonderful day. Our senior leaders are also to be commended for their outstanding dedication to helping out on the day, setting up, entertaining the little ones and helping out during the races - we are so very proud of you!

I received so many lovely comments from parents who appreciated the event’s ‘wholesome’, ‘country school’ and ‘family vibe’. A huge thank you also goes out to all the staff, students and volunteer parents who pitched in to help everything run smoothly. It was clear to everyone that our younger students had an absolute blast!

Movie night

One of the absolute highlights at St Michael’s is our Family Movie Night - and the last one was a blast! We screened Despicable Me 4, and it was a hit with kids and grown-ups alike. Some of the little ones even came dressed as their favourite characters - so much fun!

A massive shout out to Jason Misfud, our tech wizard, who made sure everything ran like clockwork. Jason has been a legend at these events and we are so grateful for his ongoing support.

And of course, a huge thank you to the Innisfail PCYC for generously lending us the projector and sound system - your support helps bring the magic to life!

Our ticket sales for the evening raised $277.00 to go towards our Nature Playground.

Senior Sports Carnival

Recently, we gathered once again to celebrate the sporting prowess of our senior students at Johnson Park. The fabulous Deirdre Fedorov and our new PE teacher Kerrie Jago were busy for weeks, meticulously organising the event and it was certainly a wonderful two days!

These days don’t just happen, it takes a whole lot of effort and coordination to make things run smoothly and I would like to sincerely thank our parent volunteers, teachers, school officers for their efforts to make the day such a success.

Our students demonstrated the St Michael’s spirit throughout the event by cheering on their teammates, helping each other and generally showing outstanding sportsmanship. We are so very proud of you all!

Teddy Bears' Picnic

Also last week was the Early Years’ Teddy Bears' Picnic which traditionally happens when they have the school to themselves while the Senior Sports Carnival is on. Our younger students in Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 enjoyed a wonderful morning of stories, activities and plenty of fun.

St Michael’s joins the Sugar Solstice Fun!

For the very first time, St Michael’s jumped into the sweet celebration of the Gordonvale Sugar Solstice last weekend - and what a day it was! The fantastic community event marks the start of the cane crushing season, and the streets of Gordonvale came alive with colour, music and smiles to celebrate.

From Girl Guides to sports clubs, day care centres to local businesses, the whole town joined the parade - an St Michael’s families were out in full force! We marched proudly from our school, around Norman Park and into the heart of the action, led by a lively Scottish marching band.

Once we hit the park, the fun really kicked off with games, food vans, rides and loads of laughter, making it an afternoon to remember.

And what’s more - next year is extra special - it is the 130th anniversary of the Gordonvale Mill and we can’t wait to be part of the celebrations again. Stay tuned for how you can get involved in the fun!

Coffee, Chats and Community at St Michael’s

Got great ideas? Hidden talents? Want to connect with other parents and learn how to support your child’s learning at home?

Then come and join us for Coffee & Catch-Ups in the staff room every Week 2 and Week 8 of each term!

In Week 2, we brainstorm ways to make our amazing school even better - your voice matters! And in Week 8, we host special parent workshops led by our wonderful teaching staff.

This term, our Leader of Learning and Teaching, Kelly Evans, gave us a fantastic look into what Literacy Blocks look like at St Michael’s, and why they are so important for every age group.

So, whether you’re keen to volunteer, share your ideas, or just want to connect over a cuppa - we’d love to see you there!

Want to get involved? Here’s how…

And that’s it from me this week. Keep an eye out for more stories, celebrations and photos of your children learning, playing and enjoying life at St Michael’s on our Facebook page!

God bless

Thank you everyone for making our carnival a great day for our students and thankfully,  the rain stayed away!

It was super close!  The students had fun, so that makes everyone a winner!  The students were super excited to see the staff dressed up as inflatable characters for the staff race, well done!

Thanks to all parents who helped in any way - handing out ribbons and  place cards, setting up and packing up.  The tuckshop staff and helpers who fed everyone, we appreciate your hard work.

Big shout out to our school captains and house captains who were all amazing school leaders.  Special thanks to Mrs Jago, our wonderful sports teacher, who was a fabulous help to make the day run smoothly.

Thank you to Mrs Jackson, who was a great MC for the day,  and the terrific teachers and super school officers for organising the students. Thanks also to our awesome admin staff, who work tirelessly behind the scenes.

Adrienne Marino

Prep School Officer

Upcoming Events

JUN 24 - Choir excursion to Cairns Eisteddfod @ CPAC

JUN 25 - St Michael's Chess Tournament

JUN 26 - Choir, garden club & Yr 6 excursion to Pyramid Residential

JUN 27 - Last day of Term 2

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

JUL 14 - Term 3 commences

JUL 17 - Student Free Day (School & OSHC closed)

JUL 18 - Public Holiday (Cairns Show)

JUL 23 - TCS Track & Field Barlow Park, Cairns

JUL 23 - Parent Engagement Meeting

JUL 25 - Grandparents Day

JUL 28 - Catholic Education Week

AUG 11 - Book Week

AUG 12 - Year 2 Kuranda Scenic Rail Excursion (TBC)

AUG 13 - Book Character Dress Up Parade

AUG 14 - SMCC School Music Camp (music students)

AUG 18 - Gymnastics Years 1, 3, 5 (Mon-Wed)

AUG 19 - Parliamentry Visit Year 6 (Incursion)

AUG 20 - Parliamentry Visit Year 4 (Incursion)

AUG 22 - 2026 Prep Transition program begins

AUG 22 - Premier's Reading Challenge ends

AUG 26 - Prep Circus full dress rehearsal

AUG 27 - Year 5 Camp (Wed-Fri)

AUG 28 - Prep Circus - Main event!

AUG 29 - Family Movie Night

SEP 03 - Parent Engagement Meeting

SEP 03 - Prep Pies in the Playground

SEP 05 - Father's Day Stall

SEP 12 - Under 8s Day

SEP 17 - St Michael's Spelling Bee

SEP 19 - Last day of Term 3

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Check the MyCE app Calendar for all calendar events.