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- SCHOOL TRANSPORT ASSISTANCE SCHEME
- TUCKSHOP NEWS
- INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NEWS
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- ST MICHAEL'S PLAYGROUP
- ST MICHAEL'S PARISH
- COMMUNITY & SPORT NOTICES
- LOOKING FORWARD
- PRAYER & REFLECTION
Dear parents and carers
Welcome back to Term 4 at St Michael’s!
We hope all our families enjoyed a restful and joyful September break, filled with special moments spent together and plenty of time outdoors enjoying the beautiful North Queensland sunshine. I was lucky enough to get away to Victoria to enjoy a few days hiking along the Great Ocean Walk.
As we step into Term 4, we’re gearing up for a busy and exciting few weeks ahead. This final term is packed with wonderful end-of-year activities, celebrations, and opportunities for families to join us in recognising the achievements and growth of our students throughout 2025. We look forward to sharing this vibrant and memorable time with you all!
St Michael’s Feast Day – A Celebration to Remember!
We kicked off Term 4 with a bang, celebrating our much-loved St Michael’s Feast Day! This special event honours Michaelmas – a Christian festival celebrating the mighty Archangel Michael, our school’s patron saint and protector.
Our incredible Year 6 student leaders spent weeks planning a jam-packed day of fun and games for everyone to enjoy. From laughter-filled activities to friendly competitions, the energy was electric! Best of all, every dollar raised went to the Sisters of Mercy, helping bring life-changing resources like clean water and sanitation to vulnerable communities around the world.
The smiles said it all – it was a day full of joy, spirit, and community. A huge congratulations to everyone involved, and a special shout-out to our Year 6 legends and their amazing teachers, Mr Coad and Mr Hubbard, for pulling off such a well-organised and meaningful event. We raised $586.70 – what a fantastic effort!
NAIDOC Celebrations – Culture, Colour and Connection!
Our Feast Day celebrations were made even more special thanks to a vibrant morning of NAIDOC activities, brilliantly organised by our amazing Indigenous Liaison Officer, Miss Cassie! The school came alive with colour, music, and movement as we honoured the history, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Students dived into a rich cultural experience through painting, dancing, cooking and storytelling. Uncle Clive shared the meaning behind Aboriginal art symbols, while the Dulabed Malanbarra Rangers whipped up damper, taught us local language, showcased natural artefacts, and wowed us with didgeridoo tunes! We even had high school helpers from Gordonvale State School joining in the fun with face painting.
A huge shout-out to everyone who made the morning unforgettable – the Dulabed Malanbarra Rangers, Uncle Clive, our Gordonvale State School volunteers, and of course Miss Cassie and her superstar son Blake, who had everyone engaged and guessing what animal he was mimicking with his ‘shake a leg’ dance moves and a fantastic language session later. What a brilliant way to celebrate culture, community and connection!
Parent Workshop – Week 8
Get ready for an insightful and empowering evening! Our next parent workshop is happening in Week 8, and it’s one you won’t want to miss.
Our fabulous School Counsellor, Sophie, will be diving into the topic of anxiety – sharing practical tips and strategies to help support your child through common triggers like big changes, sleep struggles, social challenges, and those tricky school drop-offs.
Join us on Wednesday 26th November at 5:30pm in the school staff room. It’ll be a relaxed and welcoming space, with light refreshments on offer and plenty of time for questions and conversation. Let’s work together to support our kids and build their resilience!
Prep Transition – Off to a Great Start!
Our weekly Prep Transition sessions are back, and it’s been wonderful seeing those bright, smiling faces reconnecting with friends and growing in confidence. Our 2026 Preppies are already settling beautifully into the Prep space and showing they’re well on their way to being school-ready!
If you haven’t collected your child’s show bag yet, pop into the office to grab their t-shirt and activity pack.
Next week’s theme is Faith Life at St Michael’s – parents will tour our church and meet Acting APRE Mrs Hitchings to learn about our Religious Education and sacramental program.
Feedback Surveys – You Spoke, We’re Listening!
Last term, parents, students and staff had their say through our Feedback Surveys – and wow, what a response! These surveys gave our school community a powerful voice to share thoughts, ideas and experiences across all areas of school life. Your feedback is pure gold, helping us understand what’s working, what needs tweaking, and how we can keep growing together.
We’ve crunched the numbers and compared them with previous years to see how we’re tracking. Here’s a snapshot of what students and parents had to say about school leadership, expectations, student support, and the learning environment. Your insights are shaping real change – thank you for being part of it!
Strong leadership that is shared
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||
| Parent Giver Survey | Staff at this school are approachable. | 84.8% | 94.9% | 98.1% |
| Parent Giver Survey | This school asks for my input. | 84.8% | 89.7% | 92.0% |
| Parent Giver Survey | This school looks for ways to improve. | 87.1% | 93.0% | 91.3% |
| Parent Giver Survey | This school takes parents' opinions seriously. | 80.0% | 88.2% | 91.5% |
We’re always working with parents through the St Michael’s Community Group, reviewing how we meet and what we discuss to make sure it’s meaningful and relevant. The great news? Your feedback shows we’re on the right track!
We’d love to hear more from you – your ideas, suggestions, and thoughts help shape our school community. Join us at a meeting or workshop, send a message via email or Seesaw, or simply drop in for a chat. We’re here and ready to listen!
Ensuring an orderly learning environment where students are well known
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||
| Parent Carer Giver Survey | Student behaviour is well managed at this school. | 81.5% | 89.7% | 92.3% |
| Parent Carer Giver Survey | The expectations and rules are clear at this school. | 87.9% | 95.0% | 100.0% |
| Student Survey | I feel safe at my school. | 94.4% | 86.8% | 97.4% |
| Student Survey | The expectations and rules are clear at my school. | 100.0% | 88.4% | 97.4% |
Safe, Welcoming, and Focused – That’s St Michael’s!
Students and parents agree – St Michael’s is a safe, welcoming and well-organised place to learn and grow. Our ongoing work with the W.A.L.K expectations is helping create a clear, fair and supportive environment for everyone. We’ll keep listening and encouraging feedback to make sure this positive culture continues to thrive!
High levels of expectation and efficacy
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||
| Student Survey | I am encouraged to set learning goals. | 88.9% | 82.6% | 92.1% |
| Student Survey | My teachers expect me to do my best. | 100.0% | 95.6% | 98.7% |
| Student Survey | My teachers motivate me to learn. | 100.0% | 94.2% | 97.3% |
Building Independent Learners
Student feedback shows our teachers are helping students become confident, independent learners by setting high expectations and guiding them to set their own goals. One great example is our parent/teacher/student conferences, where students proudly share their progress and learning goals.
We’re continuing to support teachers in helping students understand what success looks like by focusing on clear learning intentions and success criteria for major projects.
…and that’s it from me for now. Keep checking our Facebook page and Seesaw for regular updates and messages. My door is always open, so if you have any questions or just want to chat, please feel free to talk to Chris or Carlie who can make an appointment.
In the meantime, have a wonderful two weeks!
God bless
Jacquie
CLEANER
BUS DRIVER
St Michael’s School is seeking a dedicated and reliable School Bus Driver to join our team in a part-time, term-time capacity. This role plays an important part in supporting student access to education through safe and consistent transport services.
Commencement: As soon as possible, from Monday 20 October 2025
Employment Type: Term Time, Part-Time Permanent – 20 hours per week, with an additional 10-hour contract in 2025 to support MacKillop Catholic College (subject to review)
Salary Range: Services Staff Level 3 – $34.17 to $35.62 gross per hour
Applications Close: 5pm, Thursday 23 October 2025 (unless filled prior)
Scholastic Book Club - last issue for the year!
Overdue Library Books
There are quite a number of ovedue library books.
Thanks
Bianca Stuart | Library
Mary Mill's Netball Carnival
St Michael’s students shine at the State Cheerleading & Dance Competition!
Paige & Willow (Year 2) and Charli (Year 6) all attended the AASCF State Championships on the 5th, 6th, & 7th September, and they absolutely sparkled on that stage.
The event, held on the Gold Coast, brought together teams from across Queensland, with hundreds of competitors showcasing their skills in dance and cheer.
While their teams were faced with tough competition from around the state, their efforts were rewarded with several placings.
Pocket Rockets – Mini Novice Dance – Paige & Willow:
1st Place – Jazz – State Champions
2nd Place – Lyrical
2nd Place – Pom
FireBirds – Youth Intermediate Dance - Charli
1st Place – Lyrical – State Champions
3rd Place – Jazz
3rd Place – Lyrical
Infinity – Senior Level 2 Cheer – Charli
4th Place & Runner Up Grand Champion Level 2 Cheer
All the girls will compete this weekend – Saturday 11th October in Townsville (our only local competition), then Charli will head to Melbourne in November for Nationals.
This experience was about more than the medals – it was a chance for students to make new friends, challenge themselves, and create memories they’ll cherish for years to come.
Congratulations Paige, Willow & Charli, on your beautiful performances and becoming State Champions ⭐
Prep B
Class 1B
Class 2B
Class 3B
Class 4B
![IMG_5138[1]](https://smsgordonvale.schoolzineplus.com/_image/media/13943/img_5138_1_.jpg?ts=1760658987)
Year 5
Grade 5 students have had sessions on “What is a good leader?” and are presently working on their personal applications for leadership positions in 2026 for the interviewing committee in week 4. Currently, students are researching other world and local leaders who have inspired them. The application need only be a paragraph long and need to be completed at home with a parental signature. Application must be in by week 4 with Wednesday being the last acceptance date. Please leave these at the front office.
Sadly our excursion last term was cancelled but we happily confirm that Camp Patterson for Grade 5 will be in week 6 of this term. All arrangements that were made in term 3 will apply to this term.
Students are working hard in studying the events and conditions of the Colonising of Australia in HASS and English. Assessments are being made weekly in all subject areas as this academic year draws closer to the end. Please continue to send your children to school regularly to ensure all assessments are completed.
Remember, if you have any concerns please contact teachers through email or phone directly to school. We are happy to help!
Grade 5 teachers.
Class 6B
6B students have made a busy start to the term. In science we are learning about the 3 states of matter and reversible and irreversible changes. We began by looking at rust. Here are some examples of what students learnt about rust. In maths we are currently looking at chance and probability while our HASS topic is helping us understand the ethical choices we can make as consumers. We have begun by looking at the various types of egg production. Our English work this term will see students complete a range of activities to expand their vocabular and enhance their understanding of grammar, which will assist them in becoming more articulate writers and confident, fluent readers.
CLASS AWARDS
Week 10 Term 3
Student birthdays 18th October to 31st October 2025
| Month | Student Name |
| Oct | Tyler Riley |
| Jack Campbell | |
| Lena Fourmile | |
| Brooklyn Bailey | |
| Nidhi Jyotish Nair | |
| Yuma Devogel | |
| Lola Marino | |
| Imogen Murgha | |
| Marlena Creed |
An expression of interest slip has gone home this week, please check your emails.
A minimum of 20 family bookings is required to proceed.
Tentatviely booked:
Saturday 1st November 2025 - Classic Studio Theme
Sunday 2nd November 2025 - Christmas Theme
STAS applications for 2026 are now open
Only the following guardians/parents need to reapply:
- New families who have not previously applied for STAS
- Families with students going from Yr6 to Yr7 (Yr 6 students get dated of the Translink system the day after school finishes for the year)
- Families who are changing their childrens schools for 2026
If families are already approved for STAS and any of the above criteria does not apply – THEY DO NOT NEED TO REAPPLY as the students automatically roll over to the new year.
Student who currently have smartcards for all year levels, keep the cards for use again next year. New cards are no longer issued each year. Any changes to the students details on the cards are amended automatically on the cards.
Join Our Tuckshop Fun!Hi everyone! I’m Chandell, Tuckshop Convenor. I’m all about making our tuckshop a lively, fun-filled place, and I’d love for you to be part of it!
How You Can Get Involved:
VOLUNTEERWhether you’ve got an hour or two to spare, or just want to pop in for a quick hello, your help is gold to us! No need to let us know in advance—just swing by and join the fun. Don't forget to complete your volunteer induction first!
BAKE FOR US If volunteering isn’t your thing, we’d love your support through baked goodies. Sweet or savory, your treats make our tuckshop extra special!
Come for the laughs, stay for the community, and help us keep our tuckshop the heart of the school. We can’t wait to see you there!
Volunteers always welcome in the tuckshop! Interested? Drop in and see us today :)
TUCKSHOP OPENING HOURS
| MONDAY | Second Break only |
| TUESDAY | Second Break only |
| WEDNESDAY | Breakfast from 8:00am, First Break, Second Break |
| THURSDAY | Breakfast from 8:00am, First Break, Second Break |
| FRIDAY | Breakfast from 8:00am, First Break, Second Break |
BREAK TIMES
| FIRST BREAK | 10:50am - 11:30pm (20 mins play / 20 mins eating) - Longest break of the day. Main food orders should be placed during this time. |
| SECOND BREAK | 1:30pm - 1:50pm - Shorter break. Smaller food orders preferred. Best for snacks or light bites. |
Parents can see all of our current Tuckshop items in the Flexischools app.
Instrumental Music Information 2025
We are pleased to announce that an Instrument Trial for Semester 1, 2025 will be offered through the St. Mary’s Instrumental Program.
Grade 2s and 3s will be offered the violin, and grades 4, 5 & 6 will be offered brass, woodwind, percussion, and string instruments.
Please see the office or email kjepson@cns.catholic.
Our St Michael's Community Playgroup is a free, welcoming and inclusive space for families of 0-5 year olds.
Affiliated with Play Matters and facilitated by Chandell van Rees.
When: Monday and Tuesday each week during school term time.
Time: 9am - 11am
Where: St Michael's School Hall, 4 Muir Street, Gordonvale.
Can you help? Are you able to offer your talents?
Commentator, Reader, Choir, Musician, PowerPoint Operator, Altar Server, Church Cleaning, Trimming Hedge, Helping with Sacramental Program, Hospitality -helping with morning teas after Anointing Mass, Setting up for coffee/tea after Sunday 8am Mass, Assist on Wednesdays with Free coffee/tea Norman Park 3.30-5.30pm.
There is an URGENT NEED for volunteers to help with the PANTRY for the Needy on Monday and Tuesday mornings, some lifting required.
Contact Rita in the Parish Office 4046 5215 / 4046 5216 / 0409 054 401.
MASS TIMES
| Saturday | Vigil Mass 6.00 pm, St Michael's Church |
| Sunday |
Mass 8.00 am, St Michael's Church Mass 10.00 am, St Therese's Church Mass 5.00pm, St Therese's Church |
| Tuesday |
7.00 am St Anthony Devotion & Rosary, St Michael's Church 8.00 am Mass & Exposition of Blessed Sacrament, Holy hour, Benediction, St Therese's Church |
| Wednesday |
8.00 am Mass, St Michael's Church (except for the 1st Wednesday of the month: 9.30am Mass with the Sacrament of Anointing, followed by morning tea in the hall) 3.30 - 5.30 pm Cuppa in Park, Norman Park |
| Thursday |
8.00 am Mass, St Therese's Church 10.00 am Cenacle (Rosary) Norman Park, 40 Sheppard St, Gordonvale |
| Friday |
8.00 am Mass & Exposition of Blessed Sacrament, Holy hour, Benediction, St Michael's Church 5.00 pm Stations of the Cross & Rosary, St Michael's Church |
GORDONVALE GIRL GUIDES ANNUAL CENT SALE
CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION
It’s that time of year again! The Cairns Regional Council’s annual Christmas eCard Challenge is officially open for 2025, and we’re inviting schools across the region to get involved.
This is a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and festive spirit. The winning design will become Council’s official 2025 Christmas eCard – shared across the region and beyond!
In addition to having their artwork featured, the winner will also be invited to switch on the Cairns Christmas Tree lights alongside the Mayor at the official tree lighting event on Sunday 30 November 2025 at the Esplanade Lagoon.
Competition Details:
- Who can enter: Children aged up to 13 years who live in the Cairns Regional Council local government area
(Excludes immediate family of the Marketing & Communications Branch, Cairns Regional Council) - Theme: Create a Christmas eCard that includes your own version of a Cairns Christmas beetle
- Size: Maximum size A4
- Multiple entries are welcome!
Entries close:
5.30pm, Friday 14 November 2025
How to submit:
Entries can be submitted:
- At any Cairns Libraries branch
- At Council’s Customer Service Centres
- Emailed to: rsvp@cairns.qld.gov.au
- Posted to:
Cairns Regional Council
Marketing & Communications Christmas eCard Competition
PO Box 359, Cairns QLD 4870
Prizes:
- Winning design featured as Council’s official Christmas eCard
- Category winners will meet Dusty the Christmas Beetle and Friends
- Help light up the Esplanade Lagoon’s Christmas tree with the Mayor!
Attachments included:
- Christmas eCard Poster (for display or digital sharing)
- Terms and Conditions
- Colour Competition Entry Form
CAIRNS BMX COME & TRY DAY
BREAST SCREENING QUEENSLAND
CAIRNS WATER SECURITY PROJECT
PYRAMID VIEWS
Upcoming Events
OCT 22 - Year 6 Camp - Tinaroo (Wed-Fri)
OCT 31 - Day for Daniel
OCT 31 - World Teachers Day
OCT 31 - Sockball Shootout
NOV 11 - Remembrance Day Liturgy
NOV 12 - Year 5 Camp - Camp Paterson (Wed-Fri)
NOV 20 - Bump Up Day
NOV 25 - St Mary's Primary School Concert from 5.30pm
NOV 26 - SMG Chess Tournament
NOV 26 - Prep Wet Day
NOV 27 - Prep Nativity 9:00 am
NOV 28 - Christmas Concert 5:00pm
DEC 02 - Year 6 End of Year Awards 9:00am
DEC 03 - Year 6 Liturgy & Celebrations (evening)
DEC 04 - Year 6 Excursion
DEC 05 - Last Day of School (12pm finish)
Check the MyCE app Calendar for all calendar events.
2025 Term Dates
| Term 4 | Tuesday 7th October - Friday 5th December |
Catholic School Prayer
Loving God,
We thank You for the gift of our school,
A place where we learn, grow, and share in Your love.
Bless our teachers, staff, and families,
That they may guide us with wisdom and kindness.
Help us to live like Jesus—
With compassion, courage, and faith.
May our hearts be open to Your Word,
And our actions reflect Your grace.
Fill our classrooms with peace,
Our playgrounds with joy,
And our community with unity and hope.
Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us.
St. Joseph, protector of families,
Guide us.
And may we always walk in the light of Christ.
Amen.