Catholic Education Week 2025

The great diversity of Queensland’s 313 Catholic schools will be the focus of this year’s Catholic Education Week which runs from 27 July to 2 August.

The theme for this year’s celebrations is Communities of Faith Hope, and Love.

Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC) Executive Director Mr Allan Blagaich said the theme reflected the broad range of social, economic, religious and cultural backgrounds of the 162 000 students in Catholic schools.

“Catholic Education Week is a wonderful opportunity for us to focus on the achievements of Catholic schools across the state,” Mr Blagaich said.

“It’s a time to celebrate the uniqueness of each of our school communities but to also realise that we are one in faith and drawn together through a common heritage.

“Our Catholic schools come in many shapes and sizes from our small rural schools to large metropolitan colleges, from boarding schools to flexi-schools for disengaged students and as a sector we listen to the voices of all those communities.”

Celebrations around the state will include Masses and other liturgical celebrations, parent and grandparent days, school activities focused on this year’s theme, and visits to community facilities such as aged care homes and childcare centres.

This year’s official launch of Catholic Education Week will take place on Wednesday, 30 July at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Rockhampton.

“We have had wonderful celebrations in regional cities in recent years, and we look forward celebrating with the Catholic school communities within the Diocese of Rockhampton.”

Diocesan Director, Catholic Education – Diocese of Rockhampton, Mr Michael McCusker said schools throughout the Diocese of Rockhampton were looking forward to the celebrations.

“The launch will take place at St Joseph’s Cathedral, commencing at 11.00am with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Mark Coleridge (Apostolic Administrator, Archdiocese of Brisbane) Bishop Michael McCarthy (Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton) and will include hospitality provided by the Rockhampton Catholic Education Office and the Rockhampton Region Catholic schools,” Mr McCusker said.

“Catholic Education Week is a time to celebrate our students and their achievements but also our staff and their outstanding contribution to the ministry of Catholic Education.”

The launch will include the presentation of the 2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Awards, and the Aunty Joan Hendriks Reconciliation Award, presented to staff and volunteers who have made an outstanding contribution to Catholic education from across Queensland.

“The awards recognise people from all walks of school life who have in common a desire to build up the school community and to see our young people achieve their best,” he said.

“It’s always inspiring to hear the stories of the award recipients and know that they are just a few of the thousands of people making positive contributions in Catholic schools.” Mr McCusker said.

Chanel College – A Place to Learn, Grow and Belong

Chanel College is a Catholic co-educational secondary school for students in Years 7 to 12. At Chanel, we strive to integrate faith with a love of learning. Promoting academic excellence, and respect for self and others, our vision is to empower young people to become active citizens who strive to be engaged, responsible and contributing members of their community.

We are committed to building an environment that both challenges and supports students, inspiring them to achieve excellence while feeling safe, included, and connected. At the heart of our approach is a flexible and dynamic learning culture that nurtures intellectual curiosity and personal growth.

Our staff are experienced, passionate, and committed to bringing out the best in every student. With modern facilities, spacious grounds, and a wide range of learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom, students at Chanel have the chance to explore their interests and discover what inspires them. Whether it is through academic subjects, the arts, music, sports, co-curricular or faith-based activities, there is something for everyone.

In 2025, Catholic schools across Queensland are celebrating Catholic Education Week with the theme “Communities of Faith, Hope, and Love.” This reminds us of the important role that Catholic schools play in helping young people grow into thoughtful, kind, and active members of society. At Chanel, we live this every day through our actions and our College motto, “To Live Justly.”

As the only Catholic secondary school in the Gladstone region, Chanel College plays a unique role in the local community. Our students come from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and together we continue the proud tradition of Catholic education in Australia, building a community grounded in unity, respect, and shared purpose.

Welcome to learning community of St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School.

As a school, our aim is to create a sense of belonging that will nurture your child’s growth and help create a healthy self-esteem and lifelong love of learning.

Every child at St John’s has the right to LEARN, a right to feel SAFE, and the responsibility to RESPECT those around them. As educators, our prime responsibility is to ensure your child is safe in order to maximise their learning so that they can display their full potential.

We believe and acknowledge that every child is different and that every child is special, with special needs, special interests and special characteristics. Your child is important to you, and important to us as educators. We need to work together to help them grow, learn and develop, both as an individual and as a member of our school community.

Education is an important partnership between the home and the school. For any partnership to be successful, communication needs to be open and effective. All parents are urged to work closely with their child’s teacher by regularly communicating with them and working together to provide the best educational opportunities possible.

We look forward to welcoming you to our school community.

St Francis Catholic Primary

Saint Francis Catholic Primary School caters for students from Prep to Year 6. Our school sits on 26 acres, bordering the Boyne River and Canoe Point Beach in Tannum Sands. As with all schools under the Catholic Education Office of Rockhampton, we are first and foremost places of quality education and provide lifelong and life-wide learning experiences founded explicitly on the person and teachings of Jesus. We strive to make a difference and encourage every child to be the best version of themselves.

Many students ride to school each day along the safe Turtleway path. Our experienced team of educators has Christ at the centre of their teaching and learning and leads consistently predictable routines, meaning our students are ready to learn. By teaching the Australian Curriculum and the CEDR’s Religion Curriculum, our learners are encouraged to become lifelong learners with inquiring minds.

Specialist lessons in Performing Arts/Music, Physical Education, Digital Technologies and Visual Arts take place each week. Students in Years 3-6 participate in weekly Friday afternoon sport, and the whole school participate in the three whole-school carnivals: Cross Country, Athletics and Swimming. Every morning, all students are welcome to skip before school, and we have brain breaks in the first and middle sessions to move our bodies and reset for more learning.

Our school-created Positive Behaviours and Wellbeing Framework ensure the school expectations are followed. We value partnerships between school and home and promote the transparency and celebration of each child's progress. To ensure the well-being of all staff and students, we follow the Catholic Education of Rockampton’s Wellbeing Framework.

A Before and After School Care team operate throughout the year, including vacation care. Online enrolments are currently available.

Catholic Education Week celebrates all that is great about Star of the Sea and the important role we play in shaping our future generations. Established in 1902, we seek to provide a holistic education, catering for the academic, spiritual, cultural, sporting, and social-emotional needs of our students. We offer quality teaching and learning in a caring, inclusive, and inquiry-based environment. Our school motto "LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE" permeates every aspect of our school life, encouraging us to gratefully acknowledge the gifts God has given us to help us reach our potential.

Our Catholic Education Week celebrations include a whole school prayer celebration with our Grandparents, followed by a chance to tour our classrooms to see the great work our students are doing. We will also be blessing our new Cross, erected near our main school entrance. Its creation is a result of the generosity and talents of some special community members.

All who seek our values are welcome at Star of the Sea. Enrolment enquiries for 2025/2026 are welcome by visiting our website www.staroftheseagladstone.qld.edu.au contacting our School Office on 0749721305 or emailing sosg@rok.catholic.edu.au .