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Dear Parents and Carers
Last Sunday, we celebrated Trinity Sunday. This feast, observed each year on the Sunday after Pentecost, invites us to reflect on the profound mystery of our faith—the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God.
In the Gospel reading from John 16:12-15, Jesus reminds us that the Spirit of Truth will guide us into all truth, revealing the depth of God’s love and wisdom. This passage is filled with deep relationship, trust, and unity—a reflection of the very heart of the Trinity—and invites us to trust in the Spirit’s presence in our lives.
Through our Baptism, we are drawn into this divine relationship. We are called into communion, not just with God, but with one another. Trinity Sunday reminds us that living as Christians means living in relationship, with compassion, patience, and generosity.
At school, in our families, parishes, and workplaces, we are called to mirror the loving relationship of the Trinity. Every time we make the sign of the cross—in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit—we are not simply going through a motion. It is a powerful declaration: I am loved, I belong, and I am sent. It reminds us of who we are and what we are called to do.
Let us take time in the coming weeks to reflect on the quality of our relationships—to nurture community, forgive, listen, and support one another. As a school community, we are called to live in unity, inspired by the Spirit to love and support each other, just as the Trinity exists in perfect communion. May we continue to be co-creators, healers, and people of action who embody the Spirit’s gifts in all we do.
Have a great week.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
Thank you to our school community for all your support with our Athletics Carnival today. The weather was testing, but we managed to get most of our events completed. We thank you for all your efforts and patience.
We also appreciate the hard work of Mr Murphy and our dedicated staff, as well as the invaluable support from parents and families who participated in various capacities. Congratulations to all our students for your participation, sportsmanship and positive attitude. Well done!
Semester 1 - Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
Thank you to our families who have booked their meeting times. These meetings will run until the end of the term. Below is the current breakdown of our bookings. It would be wonderful if we could reach 100% by the end of the term.
If you cannot attend a meeting this term, the teachers are happy to reschedule these meetings for early next term or conduct an interview over the phone. If you are having a problem creating a booking, please see your child's class teacher or contact the office. Thank you.
May perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
On behalf of our school community, we would like to thank the CEDoW and neighbouring schools for their support last Thursday.
World Refugee Day 2025 – Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community
Each year on 20 June, the world celebrates World Refugee Day (WRD). This day is designated by the United Nations to honour refugees who have been forced to flee their homes and to promote solidarity with them for a “world where refugees are welcomed.” The Catholic Church encourages us to welcome, promote, accompany, and integrate those who knock on our doors.
Thank you to our P&F and Parent Community
A huge thank you to our wonderful P&F and parent community for your generous donation of Maths equipment, classrooms and subsidising our Representative Sports entry fees in Semester 1. Your support is greatly appreciated and will make a big difference to our school community. We are so grateful for their continued support and appreciate your commitment to our school.
St Francis of Assisi acknowledges and pays respect to the Dharawal people, past and present, the traditional custodians on whose land we educate our students.
2025 Celebration of Learning Timetable - Assembly starts 2:10 pm
| Term/Week | Date | Class |
| Term 2 Week 9 | Friday 27 June | 1 Gold |
| Term 3 Week 4 |
Friday 15 August | 2 Blue |
| Term 3 Week 8 | Friday 12 September | K Blue |
| Term 4 Week 5 |
Friday 14 November | 6 Blue |
| Term 4 Week 9 | Friday 12 December |
Principal and Value Awards Only |
Please see the table below for the Assembly Dates and times. These can also be found on the calendar available on Compass. Parents/Carers of students receiving awards will be notified if their child is receiving an award each week.
| Week | Date | Time |
| 8 | Friday 20 June | 8:45am |
| 9 | Friday 27 June - 1 Gold Celebration of Learning | 2:10pm |
| 10 | Friday 4 July | 8:45am |
Stage Leaders 2025
For any issues regarding your child that cannot be handled by contacting the class teacher, please contact the relevant stage leaders below.
Early Stage 1 / Stage 1 (K-2) - Ms Maloney
Stage 2 (Year 3 and 4) - Mr Murphy
Stage 3 (Year 5 and 6) - Mr Smith
Student Workbooks - Term 2
Your child will be bringing home their Maths and Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) Workbooks at the end of Week 9 - Friday 27 June. We encourage you to take the time to look at the learning your child has been doing, and complete the reflection slip in their workbooks. Books will need to be returned on Monday 30 June (Week 10). Please speak to your child's teacher if you have any questions.
St Clare of Assisi Awards
Please be reminded that these awards started in 2024. Any Merit, RE or PB4L awards achieved from this time on will count towards the St Clare of Assisi merit awards (but can only be used once).
Process:
5 x Class Awards (Merit, RE or PB4L) = St Clare of Assisi Award - please bring the 5 awards to school. These will be recorded, and a St Clare of Assisi Merit Award will be presented at the next assembly.
3 x St Clare of Assisi Awards = 1 St Francis Medallion
Please let me know if you have any questions about the awards system.
Semester One Reports and Parent Teacher Conferences
As you may be aware, the NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA) have undertaken a comprehensive review of the NSW Curriculum, leading to curriculum reform and subsequent implementation of a reformed curriculum which commenced in 2023. In response to the curriculum changes, Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong has made significant modifications to student semester reports for Primary schools to better reflect your child's academic progress at key points throughout the year and provide parents and carers with a clear picture of their child’s strengths and areas for improvement in specific subject areas.
The following changes will be evident in your child’s semester report:
- A ‘new look’ report format released via Compass reflecting the outcomes of the new K-10 English and Mathematics syllabuses providing a descriptor for each of the focus areas found in the respective syllabuses
- All Kindergarten students will now receive a written report in Semester 1 and Semester 2 with a three-point grade scale used to report student achievement using the following performance descriptors:
- Thorough
- Sound
- Basic
- Students in Year 1 - Year 6 will continue to receive semester reports twice a year with a five-point grade scale used to report student achievement using the following performance descriptors:
- Extensive
- Thorough
- Sound
- Basic
- Elementary
Report formats are also available for students who are working towards outcomes by which a graded report will not accurately represent their learning progress. As an alternative to a graded report, a comment is provided for each Key Learning Area in line with the student’s goals identified in their Personalised Plan. These reports are only used following consultation between school and parents/carers.
We look forward to this positive shift in our reporting system and appreciate your continued support in your child's educational journey.
Reports will be made available via Compass on Friday 27 June - Week 9.
Parent/Teacher/Student Learning Conferences
In conjunction with Semester One reports, we will hold 3-way conferences with students, teachers, and parents invited to discuss their learning during Semester 1. These began this week, and will continue in Weeks 9 and 10 of this term. Bookings will be made through the Compass portal. Please see the notification sent out with details on creating a booking or further information attached. If you are having issues creating a booking, please see your child's class teacher or myself for support. Your child is encouraged to attend these meetings with you to have an input into their learning so far and be a part of planning learning goals for Semester Two. Our continued commitment to working in partnership with families and students to support faith, learning, and wellbeing.
PB4L Term 2 Overview
Each week in our school, we have a schoolwide focus on an aspect of PB4L (Being Respectful, Responsible or Safe) and an aspect of SEL (Social and Emotional Learning).
Please see the table below for the overview of the focus for Term 2.
| Week | PB4L Focus | SEL Focus |
| 8 | Be Responsible - Learning | Self-confidence |
| 9 | Be Safe - Safe people | Asking for help |
| 10 | Be Respectful - Honesty | Empathy |
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.
ICAS
This year, we are again offering the option for students to participate in the ICAS assessments. This is completely optional and more information can be found below.
Please see the attached information letter below if you are interested in purchasing any of the ICAS Assessments for your child. Let me know if you have any questions.
Mr Brett Murphy
Assistant Principal
2025 Sacramental Preparation
2025 Confirmation Program
We extend our congratulations to the children from our school and parish who were confirmed last Tuesday night. Special thanks to Bishop Brian Mascord, Father Damien, Deacon Mick and Deacon Lawrie for being present for the celebration of this special sacrament. Thank you also to Elise Burns and the parish choir for using your gifts to enhance the liturgy.
St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal
On Wednesday, 2 July (Week 10), our school community will celebrate Pyjama Day as a way of supporting the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. In exchange for the luxury and comfort of being able to stay in pyjamas all day, students are invited to bring in donations to help support those affected by poverty in our local area. Please see the Compass notification for items to bring to school on Wednesday, 2 July. Thank you in advance for supporting our Mini Vinnies initiative so we can bring the love of God to those in need this Winter.
Trinity Sunday
Last weekend, our Church celebrated Trinity Sunday. Whilst the concept of a ‘3 in 1’ God is a bit of a ‘mystery’, the doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most fundamental in our Christian faith. Whilst the word ‘Trinity’ may not appear in the Bible, there are references to the 3 persons of the Trinity. In fact, at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, after Jesus’ death and resurrection but before his ascension into heaven, we hear Jesus give his disciples the great commission - To go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
We express our belief in a Trinitarian God every time we make the sign of the cross. It is important to note that we don’t believe in three gods but rather three “persons” of the one God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit. The term ‘consubstantial’, which is used in the Nicene Creed, aims to express that all three originate from the same source or substance.
Perhaps one of the most useful analogies for this otherwise complex teaching could be to consider water, ice and steam. Whilst their forms are different, ultimately, they are composed of the same substance. Regardless of our understanding of the Trinity, what really matters is that we have a God who loves us and desires to be in relationship with us.
Our School Values
As noted in our last newsletter, our current values focus is stewardship. At St Francis of Assisi, we value stewardship because we are guided by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and are called to “care for our common home”.
At St Francis of Assisi, we show that we are a community that values stewardship by:
- treating others with care, respect and kindness
- re-using and recycling to reduce waste
- considering how our actions affect others
- acting in ways that are good for us, each other and our common home
- being grateful for all of creation
Here are a couple of examples of Stage 2’s stewardship pledges and action plans:
Kindergarten's Visit to the Church
On Monday, Kindergarten visited the Church to look at the special items that are in the sanctuary. The sanctuary is the most important part of the Church building. Kindergarten were learning about the ways that people show reverence not only when they are entering a church but when they are entering the sanctuary. They learnt that people bow and genuflect to show respect for God.
NAIDOC Week Assembly
On July 3 (Thursday Week 10), we will gather together as a school community to acknowledge NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC Week actually occurs during the school holidays but we will use this afternoon to share some learning about First Nations’ culture.
Corpus Christi
This weekend, our Church will celebrate Corpus Christi. The Catholic Church teaches that the bread and wine offered on the altar at Mass is transformed and really becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. For those wanting to venture up to the Macarthur this weekend, the Parish of Our Lady Help of Christians, Rosemeadow invites you to join them for the Corpus Christi Event! If you're seeking a deeper understanding of the Eucharist, the origins of the Mass or want to deepen your faith then this day is for you! You will never celebrate Mass again the same way! Join us Sunday 22 June (10am to 3:30pm) at Our Lady Help of Christian's St. Joachim Hall (adjacent to the Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School) (80A Demetrius Rd, Rosemeadow).
Please note: We welcome all adults over 18. Any person under the age of 18 must attend with a parent or legal guardian. Due to content and nature of material the minimum age of attendees is 14 years. For more information on the day and to register please use the QR code provided.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Have you ever seen religious artworks depicting Jesus and Mary where their hearts are visible? If so, these were probably depictions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Next Friday, the first Friday after the feast of Corpus Christi, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which recalls Christ’s love for us. The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us that we are loved deeply by God. We all know what Fr Damien would say:
“Loved by God: All the time!
All the time: Loved by God!
Pope Leo XIV’s Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Lord, I come to your tender heart today,
to you who have words that set my heart ablaze,
to you who pour out compassion on the little ones and the poor,
on those who suffer and on all human miseries.
I desire to know you more, to contemplate you in the Gospel,
to be with you and learn from you
and from the charity with which you allowed yourself
to be touched by all forms of poverty.
You showed us the Father’s love by loving us without measure
with your divine and human heart.
Grant all your children the grace of encountering you.
Change, shape and transform our plans,
so that we seek only you in every circumstance:
in prayer, in work, in encounters and in our daily routine.
From this encounter, send us out on mission,
a mission of compassion for the world
in which you are the source from which all consolation flows.
Amen.
Sacred Heart of Jesus: Have mercy on us.
Following the observance of the Sacred Heart, the Church will celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Saturday. Twice, St Luke’s Gospel mentions that Mary ‘kept all these things in her heart’, pondering the Word of God. Mary shows us not only how to listen to the words the Holy Spirit speaks to us in the depths of our hearts, but how to respond to them in faith. As the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the patronal feast day of the Diocese of Wollongong, this is a particularly good time to pray for our diocese.
Prayer for the Diocesan Feast Day
Mother of the Redeemer,
in this diocese dedicated to your Immaculate Heart,
with great joy we call you blessed.
In order to carry out his providential plan of salvation,
God the Father chose you before the creation of the world.
You believed in his love and obeyed his word.
The Son of God desired you for his mother
when he became man to save the human race.
You received him with ready obedience and undivided heart.
The Holy Spirit loved you as his mystical spouse and he filled you with singular gifts.
You allowed yourself to be led by his hidden and powerful action.
On this feast we entrust to you the diocese which acknowledges you
and invokes you under the title of your Immaculate Heart.
On earth you preceded the Church in the pilgrimage of faith:
guide us as we walk in your footsteps,
comfort us in our difficulties and trials,
help us to reach God.
To you, Mother of the Church, we confidently entrust our bishop,
our priests and religious, our families, ourselves.
Give us the light of true wisdom,
a wisdom to be found only in your Son as you told us at Cana:
“Do whatever he tells us.”
Enable us all to meet him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Sustain us, O Virgin Mary, on our journey of faith,
and obtain for us the grace of eternal salvation.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Mother of God and our mother, Mary!
To be followed by three Hail Marys and the invocation:
Immaculate Heart of Mary: pray for us.
Prayer adapted from Pope John Paul II’s Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe (1979)
by Monsignor Graham Schmitzer.
Upcoming Youth Event
Once again, the Sisters are organising a Youth Event for our parish. All youth from Year 6 upwards and their parents are warmly invited to the Parish/School Hall on Sunday 29 June for a Youth Gathering. For catering purposes, please let Ms Maloney or one of the sisters know if you would like to attend. Details for the night are as follows:
Arrival Time / Welcome: 4:45 pm
Dinner & Movie: 5:00 pm
Taize Prayer: 6:45 pm
Finish: 7:15 pm
Canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis - the date has been set!
You may recall that at the end of last term, the date of Carlo’s canonisation was noted as April 27, however with the passing of Pope Francis this was postponed. The Vatican has now announced that the teenager known as “God’s Influencer” due to his digital talents will be canonised on September 7.
Ms Marita Maloney
REC Coordinator
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Tuesday 24 June | South Coast Netball Gala Day | Selected Year 3-6 students | Fred Finch Park, Berkeley |
| Tuesday 12 August | South Coast Athletics | Selected Year 2-6 students | Beaton Park, Wollongong |
| Friday 29 August | Soccer Gala Day | Selected Year 3-6 students | Unanderra Park, Unanderra |
| Thursday 18 September | Junior Basketball Gala Day | Selected Year 3-4 students | Illawarra Sports Stadium, Berkeley |
| Friday 19 September | Senior Basketball Gala Day | Selected Year 5-6 students | Illawarra Sports Stadium, Berkeley |
Despite a bit of wet weather cutting the day short, our Athletics Carnival was filled with energy, excitement, and incredible sportsmanship!
A HUGE thank you to our amazing teachers for keeping everything running smoothly, our wonderful parent volunteers for their invaluable help, and of course, the parents and carers who cheered our students on from the sidelines. Your support makes such a difference!
A special shout-out to Lake Illawarra Little Athletics Club for hosting us and providing a fantastic venue for the day. Your partnership is truly appreciated!
Well done to all our students for their enthusiasm and effort—you’ve made us so proud!
St Francis of Assisi embraced the spirit of World Environment Day by dressing as gardeners or farmers. Under the theme "A Future in Our Hands" our school community reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing a greener, cleaner, and healthier Earth for future generations. During our assembly, each class received seeds and pots. Our students are excited to watch their plants grow, destined for our school gardens. A special thank you to Mrs Briscoe and our Year 5 and 6 WED team for leading the prayer and presenting these important messages. Every action counts.
Advancedlife Photography
School photo day was held earlier this term. Orders are being processed and will be sent home with students when they arrive before the end of the term. If you have not ordered the 2025 school photos, this is available follow the information below.
www.advancedlife.com.au
Enter code CZF PZR 2FX
Punctuality Matters
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TERM 1 |
Friday 31 Jan -Friday 11 April |
TERM 2 |
Monday 28 April - Friday 4 July |
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TERM 3 |
Monday 21 July - Friday 26 Sept |
TERM 4 |
Monday 13 October - Friday 19 Dec |
2025 PUPIL-FREE DAYS
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TERM 1 PFD |
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TERM 2 PFD |
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TERM 3 PFD |
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TERM 4 PFD |
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