Term 3 Week 3 2025 Newsletter
Principal's Message
School Transition
Moving to Year Seven is a big step for all students. During the final year in Year Six we support the students in a number of ways. Representatives, including past students from St Finbarr’s, come from Xavier College and St John’s Woodlawn to speak to the students and share advice about starting High School. All local High Schools hold meetings or evening sessions where families can visit the school and meet the Principal and staff. The schools also contact us to gather information and feedback from teachers regarding strengths and needs of our students.
Primary schools are designed for students from ages 5-12 and cater for the specific needs of this group. The children build trusting relationships with staff and fellow students and continue to grow and develop through a safe and nurturing culture. By Year Six they are more aware and accepting that some of their peers will head to different schools. There are also challenging conversations as parents negotiate with their children as to who makes that final big decision for the school of choice. Another phenomenon we are seeing is that more and more students are seeking to change High Schools in either Year Seven or Year Eight.
Some of our feedback in this space involves students perceiving schools as being ‘too strict’ or students having friendship issues in these formative years. Something that we are seeing more of in these past few years is students being guaranteed early High School placements from schools but only if they agree to starting at their new school early, sometimes in Year Four or Five. Whilst this is a family decision, this can have a negative impact on the wellbeing of children and we are seeing more evidence of this this year. We have seen students struggling with the notion of leaving the safety net of their primary school and their friends before they are developmentally ready. Some are facing long bus trips to their new school and lose connection to their local community through sport and after school activities. Our three closest Catholic High schools Xavier College Ballina, St John’s College Woodlawn and Trinity Catholic College as well as Byron High School all follow an enrolment policy where students are judged on merit and the process begins during their final year of primary school.
Feel free to speak with your child’s teacher or with me should you have any questions regarding High School destinations or preparing students for change. I believe great schools focus on building strong relationships, engaging students in meaningful learning experiences, and promote a life-long love of learning that extends beyond the classroom.
Mission School Review
Last week we welcomed Jenny Triglone, Ryan O’Connor and Naomi Loader to our school. The team from the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Office headed a review of the Catholic Mission of our school. They spoke to students, staff and parents and were able to provide positive feedback and suggestions for continuing our important work of promoting our mission work at St Finbarr’s.
School Review
The second aspect of our school review commences next week. We welcome three experienced educators who will be involved in a whole school review here at school. Parents are welcome to be involved in a discussion group to speak with the panel. Thank you to those parents who have made themselves available already and please contact me if you would like to be involved. Times available are:
Monday 11th August 9am and 3pm
Tuesday 12th August 9am
Wednesday 13th 8.45 am
Parking
I have been in discussions with the Principal from Byron High regarding school parking. Unfortunately there are no designated parking spaces solely for St Finbarr’s families. All spaces on Arakwal Crt are for public use whether attending St Finbarr’s, the High School or accessing the beach or National Park. Thank you for your patience and understanding when using the after school oval drop off which works effectively and ensures that the safety of our students remains a top priority. Please remember that parking or stopping in bus bays is prohibited.
Peace Run
In 2025, for only the third time, the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run is circumnavigating the entire continent of Australia. It started in Canberra on 24 April, running clockwise to visit all capital cities, with millions of footsteps through forests, across deserts, along beaches, highways and byways, visiting hundreds of schools, community groups, civic leaders and events, returning to Canberra on 13 August. We were privileged to have the Peace Run visit St Finbarr’s last Friday just in time for our school assembly. Year Five students shared their thoughts on ‘Peace’ and Kinders displayed their beautiful artwork. This was such a special gathering as the visitors spoke of their journey, sang a beautiful song to the children then led them all onto the school oval as they passed the torch flame from student to student. Alaska from Kinder was selected from the audience to hold the torch and accept the certificate and plaque. The event had an obvious positive impact on our students who have vowed to continue to spread the message of peace through living our school vision of Loving like Jesus, Growing together as Friends and Learning for Life.
Kirra Pendergast : Save the Date
This may be the most valuable professional learning for parents that has been made available at St Finbarr’s. Kirra Pendergast is an international expert in online safety, with a career spanning over three decades. Her extensive experience includes groundbreaking projects such as whole-of-QLD government cybersecurity initiatives and post-9/11 counter-terrorism strategies. Kirra's pioneering work in cybersecurity since 1994, social media risk management since 2009, and her development of industry-first policies and training programs highlight her deep expertise and innovative approach.
Kirra's career is rooted in her personal experience as a victim of relentless online bullying at the age of 43, which inspired her to found Safe on Social in late 2013 from her spare room in Lennox Head, just outside Byron Bay, NSW, Australia. Since then, she has grown the organisation internationally with offices in Sydney, London, and New York. Through Safe on Social and The Online Safety Agency, Kirra has built a diverse client base that includes international brands, police commands, and educational institutions from schools in remote Australia with only nine students through to significant private and international schools, and universities, elite professional sporting teams, public entities, and private enterprises. Based in Florence, Italy, Kirra works internationally and remains dedicated to her Australian roots, spending at least four 6-week blocks each year speaking in schools to students K-12, their parents and educators across Australia. Her first-of-its-kind "eRisk review" of social media presence across three networks of 50+ schools in 2018 - 2020, along with strategic consulting for writing safe use of social media policy and training for multiple government agencies with 4000 to over 12,000 staff, exemplifies her leadership and impact. Kirra's proactive and compassionate approach to online safety education emphasises practical safety without fear-mongering, making her the go-to authority. Her ability to turn personal adversity into a mission to help others, combined with her extensive expertise and global reach, truly sets her apart. Collaborating with Kirra means accessing unparalleled knowledge and a genuine commitment to creating safer online environments.
When: Thursday 28th August 7-00 - 8.30 pm
Where: School Hall
Who: Parents / Carers (not children please)
Spanish Lessons
Hola! Year One students are loving their weekly Spanish lessons with Francisca. After follow up discussions with the Year One teachers regarding the most effective use of the time, we have shortened each class lesson to 30 minutes. This allows for a more vibrant and exciting lesson full of music and fun with Francisca building positive relationships with the students. The upside of this is that we are now able to offer the Spanish lessons to our Year Two students who will begin this week. Gracias.
Spanish Lessons
Reading in Kindergarten to Year 2
In Kindergarten to Year 2, we encourage students to read decodable readers as they are a crucial tool in building foundational reading skills.
What are they? Decodable readers are carefully crafted texts that contain a high percentage of words with letter-sound patterns (grapheme-phoneme correspondences) that your child has been explicitly taught during daily InitiaLit lessons. The vocabulary and phonetic patterns are sequential, building on what your child has already learned. This allows the text to gradually increase in complexity as your child masters more of the alphabetic code.
Why do we use them? By reading decodable texts, your child is encouraged to sound out words using the letter-sound knowledge they have learned, rather than relying on less reliable strategies like memory or guessing from pictures. This practice helps them develop strong reading habits and become more confident, independent readers.
To encourage students to read decodable readers at home, K-2 classes will be monitoring students who borrow and return their readers and we will be celebrating their efforts at the end of this term.
Reading in Years 3 to 6
As students progress and they have developed a strong understanding of the alphabetic code, the focus shifts to reading fluency, which is a vital component of reading comprehension. While strong phonics skills are necessary for efficient word reading, fluency doesn't always develop automatically. Like any other skill, fluency requires intentional and consistent practice.
To help all students become proficient readers, our Years 3 to 6 students engage in weekly, evidence-based fluency instruction. This includes:
- Modelled fluent reading: Teachers or other fluent readers demonstrate how to read a text smoothly and with expression.
- Reading routines: Students participate in activities like repeated reading of texts, choral reading (reading aloud together), echo reading (repeating a phrase after a fluent reader), and paired reading.
- Wide and deep reading: Students are exposed to a broad range of texts to build their vocabulary and background knowledge.
These activities provide opportunities for students to receive and provide feedback from their teachers and peers, further solidifying their reading skills and comprehension of texts.
As always, thank you for your continued support and commitment to reading at home as we work together to develop confident, proficient readers.
Farewell Ms Hurley
Ms Sheryl Hurley informed me recently that she was stepping down from her position at St Finbarr’s. Sheryl has been a member of staff at St Finbarr’s since 1989. During this time Sheryl has held the positions of specialist teacher in the Reading Recovery intervention program as well as Religious Education Coordinator and classroom teacher across all grades. After moving from fulltime work over the past few years, Sheryl has worked in a part time capacity supporting our Year Four classes. We thank Sheryl for her dedication and commitment to Catholic Education at St Finbarr’s and across the Lismore Diocese over her distinguished career.
Staff Appraisal
During Term 3 on Monday 1st September, Assistant Principal Sonya Piccoli will be involved in an Assistant Principal appraisal process as part of her contract conditions with the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools.
The appraisal process seeks information from a variety of people associated with the school. The process aims to highlight the positive aspects of the Assistant Principal’s performance and identify areas for further development.
A timeline will be constructed to suit the needs of the school community. A panel consisting of the school Principal as Chair and a Regional Assistant Director from the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools will conduct the appraisal.
The full Assistant Principal appraisal process involves:
- a survey and self-appraisal statement completed by the Assistant Principal
- surveys of school staff and Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools personnel
- Input by the Principal
- input as arranged with the Parish Priest
- interviews with school staff
- interviews with any parents who wish to present
- a formal interview with the Assistant Principal by the panel
Any parents who wish to make contact with the panel are welcome to do so by contacting the Principal before the appraisal date. Please note, not all those that wish to be interviewed may be accommodated.
Thank you for your support of the school’s leadership team.
Xavier Catholic College Parent Invitation
Xavier College is pleased to share a great opportunity coming up in our College community. Hosted in partnership with the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Parent Assembly and Xavier Catholic College, we are delighted to welcome guest presenter Chris Hudson to the College for a session titled: “Communicating Effectively with Teens and Tweens.”
This informative and engaging presentation will be held at the College in the Magis Centre on Wednesday,
3rd September.
Details of the Evening:
- Refreshments from 6:15pm
- Presentation commences at 6:30pm
- Location: Magis Centre, Xavier Catholic College-Skennars Head
- Cost: Free of charge
- Open to all parents from Catholic schools across our region
Chris Hudson is a well-regarded speaker and educator with a deep understanding of adolescent development and parent-teen communication. His practical insights are sure to resonate with all families navigating the tween and teen years.
Mass of the Feast of the Assumption
We warmly invite all members of our Finnies community to join us for a special Whole School Mass in celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Date: Friday, 15th August
Time: 9:30am
Location: St Finbarr's Church, Byron Bay
This will be a beautiful celebration honouring Our Lady, and a meaningful moment for our school to gather in faith and reflection. We look forward to sharing this special occasion with you.
Holy Communion
Just a reminder that the Holy Communion Parent Information Meeting will be held on:
Date: Wednesday, 13th August
Time: 6:00pm
Location: St Finbarr’s Church
This meeting is for parents and carers of students who have completed their First Reconciliation and wish to continue in the Sacramental Program to receive their First Holy Communion.
It is important that at least one parent or carer attends this meeting to register your child/children for the program.
If you are unable to attend, please contact the Holy Spirit Parish by email at stfins@bigpond.com or by phone on (02) 6685 6260.
Thank you for your ongoing support in nurturing your child’s faith journey.
Zone Athletics Carnival – Kingscliff
On Friday 1st August, 42 of our students proudly represented St Finbarr’s at the Tweed Zone Athletics Carnival in Kingscliff. It was a fantastic day of competition, with our students showing excellent sportsmanship, determination, and team spirit throughout.
We are thrilled to announce that 9 students have qualified for the Diocesan Athletics Carnival, which will be held in Coffs Harbour on 26th August. We wish them all the best as they prepare for the next level of competition.
Notable Results:
Age Champions
- Runner-Up 11 Years Boys: Jackson C
- Runner-Up 8 Years Boys: Levi C
2nd Place
- Levi C – 8 Years Boys 100m
- Auguste M – 11 Years Boys 100m
- Wyatt W – Junior Boys 200m
3rd Place
- Hayden C – 11 Years Boys 800m
- Marlo L – 9 Years Boys 100m
- Jackson C – 11 Years Boys 100m
- Jackson C – 11 Years Boys 200m
- Taj L – Junior Boys Long Jump
4th Place
- Libby P – Senior Girls 200m
- Layke C – 8 Years Boys 100m
- Marcus P – 9 Years Boys 100m
Congratulations to all students who competed—you represented our school with pride!
Zone Athletics
SAVE THE DATE - St Finbarr's Book Week Costume Parade!
Yours In Partnership,
Tim Bleakley
Principal