St Francis School is a Catholic Systemic School and is part of the Townsville Diocese. It is situated in the township of Ayr, an hour to the south of Townsville, nestled in the heart of the Burdekin Valley. It commenced in 1912 with just a handful of children and three Sisters of the Good Samaritan. Since then, St Francis has been serving the sons and daughters of farmers, mill workers and service providers in a diverse Catholic community. Responsibility for the school was assumed by the Marist Brothers in 1974. The community continues to maintain a close association with the brothers since their final departure in 2000. In its history the school has served the Burdekin district in many ways. Today, it is the Parish School for the Burdekin district north of the river, with children enrolled in classes from Prep to Year 7. Our ideals are based on the Gospel Values of Christ. Through these ideals, we try to influence the children positively with concern for others, co-operation, obedience, tolerance, respect and honesty. Education is a partnership between child, school, family and Church, where we see your child becoming a thinking, believing member of society. The St Francis School Community is committed to working together to provide opportunities for every child to fully develop their academic, spiritual, physical, social and emotional potential. “Our mission founded on the experience of being profoundly loved by Jesus is to make him known and loved.”* *“Water from the Rock” Br. AMEstaún, Institute of the Marist Brothers, General House – Rome, June 2007 St Francis maintains an enviable reputation for scholarship and sporting prowess with students and graduates regularly featuring in district and North Queensland teams and events. We believe that: Young children are eager to discover more about themselves, their families, their God and their environment; that each child develops at a different rate physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually; that young children learn in a holistic fashion;..