Filter Content
- Principal's Message
- From the Principal Desk
- From the Acting Assistant Principal
- Religious Education News
- Parish News
- Change of Sports Uniform Next Week
- Sports News
- Principal & Value Awards
- Celebration of Learning Assembly
- School Assemblies
- National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week
- National Simultaneous Storytime 2023
- Walk Safely to School Day
- Birthdays to Celebrate
- Too sick for School
- Student Absences
- Family Holiday requirements
- Pre-Loved Uniforms
- Lost Property
- Canteen News
- Vacation Care is Available
- Enrol Kindergarten 2024
- School Zone Road Safety
- Parenting Insights | Snapchat & Facebook 13+
- Community News
Dear Parents and Carers
As we celebrate the joyous occasion of Pentecost, I am filled with a sense of awe and gratitude for the abundant blessings bestowed upon us. This holy season marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, empowering them to share the message of God's love and salvation with the world. It serves as a powerful reminder of the vibrant and transformative presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Pentecost invites us to reflect upon the many gifts that the Holy Spirit brings to our school community. Just as the apostles were encouraged to proclaim the Good News, we, too, are called to be witnesses to our Catholic faith in everything we do.
In our classrooms, we strive to instil the values of respect, forgiveness, stewardship, honesty and acceptance, which are deeply rooted in our Catholic identity. May we continue to foster an atmosphere where our students can flourish and develop their unique talents so that they may become compassionate leaders of tomorrow.
During this Pentecost season, let us renew our commitment to living out the message of love and service that Jesus entrusted to his disciples. As a school community, may we be a shining light that brings hope and inspiration to those around us. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, words, and actions so that we may continue to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
May the blessings of Pentecost be upon you and your loved ones. May the Holy Spirit ignite the fire of faith within us and empower us to be courageous witnesses of God's love.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
Parents and Friends Catch Up
Thank you to the parents and carers who attended our informal chat on Tuesday afternoon. Your presence was greatly appreciated. During the meeting, I shared some information about our Annual Improvement Plan, discussed some upcoming events and shared our thoughts and ideas about how parents can be engaged in the life of our school. Some of the key messages were around how we manage this with work and family commitments. Parents and carers suggested gathering data from the school community to assist with preplanning. We are keen to look at creative and resourceful ways to support each other. Next week, a short three-question link to gather this information will be shared on your child's SeeSaw page. Thank you.
Celebration of Learning Assembly
Congratulations to our Year 1 students and their teachers on Friday's wonderful "Celebration of Learning Assembly". Thank you for sharing your learning with us.
Holy Spirit College Bellambi - 40th Anniversary
Congratulations, Holy Spirit College Bellambi, on your 40th Anniversary. It was wonderful to be there to celebrate this special occasion. Thank you to Marco and Charlie for representing our school.
Thank you, Aspire OOSH
Thank you to Chloe and the team from Aspire for accommodating the set-up of the hall for the celebration on Wednesday night. The school and parish community value the support and flexibility you provide. Thank you again.
It's a Boy!
Congratulations to the Bereket-Teklemichael family on the birth of your baby boy Kidus. A new brother for Rahwa (Year 5) and Elem (Year 1). Wishing you many joyful days ahead.
Staff Leave
Mrs Grey will be on Long Service from Friday, 16 June, until Tuesday, 25 July. Ms Maitland will teach Year 1 (5 days) in her absence. Thank you, Ms Maitland.
Mrs Agius will also be taking Long Service Leave in the last three weeks of Term Two. We wish Mrs Grey and Mrs Agius all the best as they travel overseas with their family.
PB4L - Positive Behaviours for Learning
Our PB4L focus for Week 7 and 8 is Respect for Learning and Teaching.
When we are showing Respect for Learning and Teaching, we can:
- Follow directions
- Listen attentively and sit still during class lessons
- Speak courteously to all
- Listen to other people's comments and questions
- Raise our hand to ask a question
- Stay on task
- Working to the best of our ability
- Calling out
- Talking over the top of others
- Distracting self or others
- Fidgeting
- Speaking discourteously to others
- Not trying our best
Semester One Reports for Years 1-6 will be released via Compass on Friday 23 June (Week 9). Instructions on how to access your child's report on Compass will be shared in the Week 8 newsletter.
In conjunction with Semester One reports, we will be holding 3-way conferences with students, teachers and parents/carers to discuss their learning to date.
These will occur between Weeks 8 - 10 of this term. Bookings will be made through the Compass portal. Details of how to create a booking are attached below. Please contact your child's teacher if you are having difficulty organising a booking.
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.
St Francis of Assisi will participate in the ICAS competition this year. These competitions will be available to Year 3-6 students.
What is ICAS? ICAS is an online academic competition designed to assess students' higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee, and Digital Technologies.
Each assessment celebrates students' accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.
Please note these competitions are completely optional and have a cost associated with them. Please see the attached information sheet and contact Mr Murphy if you have any questions. The closing date to order these assessments is Monday 31 July 2023. The tests will be held at school during August, and further information will be provided to students and families who have opted to take part.
Please continue to keep in your prayers the children in our school and parish who are preparing to be confirmed in the Catholic faith.
Please continue to keep in your prayers the children in our school and parish who are preparing to be confirmed in the Catholic faith.
During the offertory procession at each Mass since their commitment Mass, the candidates have been presenting various items as a sign of their commitment to offering themselves to God. So far, they have brought forward their reflections on why they want to be confirmed and an acrostic poem on the event of Pentecost.
World Environment Day - 5 June
World Environment Day is a United Nations Environment-led global event which takes place each year on 5 June and is celebrated by thousands of communities worldwide. It is a day for everyone around the world to take ownership of their environment and to actively engage in the protection of our earth.
This year’s theme will focus on solutions to plastic pollution under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution.
Loving God and Creator of all,
you have given us this one wonderful world for our home.
We are the ones who can make peace with nature and restore her former glory.
Help us to work together to create a greener, cleaner world by being conscious of the little changes we can make every day.
Teach us how to love our planet and treat it with respect and reverence.
We ask this prayer through Jesus, your Son. Amen.
Year Six Mass with the Bishop
Next Friday, 9 June, our school is hosting the Year Six Mass with Bishop Brian at St Francis of Assisi church. We will be welcoming Year Six students and staff from St Paul’s Albion Park, St Patrick’s Port Kembla, Ss Peter and Paul Kiama, St Michael’s Nowra, St Mary Star of the Sea Milton, Stella Maris Shellharbour, St John’s Dapto and Nazareth Shellharbour. Significant Feasts - Trinity Sunday & Corpus Christi
This weekend, our Church will celebrate 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. 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” or “forms” of the one God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit. The term ‘consubstantial’, which is used in the Nicene Creed, aims to express that all three “forms” come 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, 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.
Next 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.
Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Visitation
Congratulations to our beautiful ‘Sisters’ from the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Visitation. Last night, Bishop Brian, Father Damien and clergy from the Diocese celebrated a special Mass for the sisters on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This Mass coincided with the Opening of the Holy Year to mark the centenary of their Congregation. Thank you, Sister Anna, Lucy, Maria and Elizabeth, for your vocation and service to our school and parish community.
Ms Marita Maloney
Religious Education Coordinator
Due to our Athletics Carnival next week, the students will have a change in days they are required to wear their sports uniform.
Year 4 - Sports Uniform Days - Tuesday and Thursday.
All other grades - Sports Uniform Days - Wednesday and Thursday.
All students will be required to wear their full Winter uniform on Friday. Not sports uniform.
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Thursday 8 June | School Athletics Carnival | K-6 | Myimbarr Oval, Shellharbour |
| Tuesday 20 June | Netball Gala Day | Selected 3-6 students | Fred Finch Park, Berkeley |
| Term 2 | Sporting Schools - Golf | Year 2-6 | School |
Congratulations to our school Cross Country team who represented St Francis of Assisi at the Diocesan Cross Country Carnival. This was held last Tuesday at Willandra Farm, Nowra. Well done to all students who represented our school with pride, and did their absolute best against some tough competition on a challenging course.
Sporting Schools Golf
Well done to our students who received Principal and Value awards at our Celebration of Learning Assembly last week. Congratulations on their application to faith, learning, and well-being, we are proud of you all.
| Friday 2 June 2.00 pm | Reconciliation Week Liturgy & Assembly |
| Friday 9 June | No Assembly |
National Sorry Day ~ 26 May & Reconciliation Week ~ 27 May - 3 June
Each year our country celebrates National Reconciliation Week from 27 May to 3 June. It is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023 is ‘Be a Voice for Generations’. It aims to encourage all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise.
Reconciliation Week follows National Sorry Day which is celebrated on the 26 May. National Sorry Day is a day to pause and remember the Stolen Generations of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples.
We will highlight National Sorry Day during morning prayer on 26 May and Reconciliation Week before assembly on 2 June.
On Wednesday 24 May at 11.00 am our school participated in the National Simultaneous Storytime. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centers, family homes, bookshops, and many other places around the country. 2023's chosen book was The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie; a story about a sloth that loves to run around FAST! He goes on an adventure in the rainforest, challenging other animals to a race. He learns some important lessons along the way. Now in its 23rd successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation Kindergarten to Year 6.
What a perfect day for a walk on Friday 19 May for National Walk Safely to School Day. Thank you to all our students, families, and staff who participated and supported and encourage the initiative to walk and commute safely to school. Sace, active travel is encouraged by the Department of Education to help develop positive attitudes towards health and safety. Walking to and from school helps ease traffic congestion, promotes physical activity, and provides a great opportunity to talk about being a safe road user.
Staff and Student Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthdays in June:
Maxwell. R, Tanay. Y, Nicholas. B, Ellie. K, Hussein. S, Isla. B, Marcus. D, Aleksander. C, Abigail. R, Antonio. F, Lucinda. F, Nicholas. G, Mia. O,
Mia. F, Monique. D, Kylar. L, Mrs Mansbridge and Ms Stewart.
The 5 symptoms that mean your child should stay home from school...
Over the past two weeks, we have had a number of staff and students quite unwell.
It is a decision every parent faces regularly, whether or not to keep a sick child home from school.
Here are symptoms that mean your child should stay home:
1. Fever - this is a sign of infection and while giving them medicine might bring the fever down, it won't stop them from being contagious.
2. Vomiting or diarrhea - it is unfair all around - to the child and the school - to send a child with vomiting or diarrhea no matter how well they might look to you. Please allow at least 24 hours and check with your doctor for advice. Some viruses can be contagious for an extra day or so.
3. Bad pain - if your child has any pain that is more than mild, keep them home and check with your doctor.
4. Cough/Flu - this too is a sign of infection and medicine won't stop them from being contagious to others.
5. Illness Medication - If your child has an illness that is being treated with antibiotics, they often need a minimum of at least 24 hours of treatment before returning to school. Medication should be administered by parents at home.
While it is important for children not to be absent from school, it is also important for them to be well enough to learn and not share contagious illnesses for others to get sick. It is best to seek medical advice and allow your child time to rest and recover. Please always notify the school and where possible provide a medical certificate when they are well enough to return.
Please do not bring your child to school if uncertain and "See how they go. Let the teacher know" as children usually tell the teacher and the school will contact you. As a school we need to consider your child's wellbeing and the wellbeing of others. When it comes to your child's health and the health of students and staff, it is better to be safe than sorry.
An explanation is required on Compass or provide the medical certificate to the class teacher.
All absences must be explained and recorded. Thank you!
Dear Parents/Carers
The NSW Education Act (1990) and the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) require Parents/Carers to ensure that children of compulsory school age attend school on each day. If children are absent from school, Parents/Carers are required to provide the school with an acceptable explanation, within seven (7) days of the absence. Explanations are required to be entered by Parents on the Compass Portal as follows:
Please do not hesitate to contact the school should you require further information or assistance.
Read Less
Application for Leave
When families are taking holidays during the school term for 10 days or more, an Application for Leave must be completed, with notice, and submitted at the School Office. This application is required to be approved by the School Principal prior to the leave commencing and a Certificate of Extended Leave will be issued for the parents to have with them during their travels. Please see the attached form for further information.
Please feel free to donate your preloved and outgrown school uniforms to the
School Office. Thank you
At the end of Term 1, we had a large number of lost property items. These items do not have any names on them. Please check your child/ren's items are all clearly labeled so that we can return these when misplaced ie jackets, jumpers, hats, lunchbox, and drink bottles.
Please let your family and friends know,
limited places are available.
July School Holiday fun at IPAC!
