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Dear Parents and carers,
Thank you for the lovely welcome back. It has been another great week!
During Weeks 3 and 4, I had the privilege of joining the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong delegation at the 2024 Religious Education Congress in Anaheim, Los Angeles. The Congress proved to be a spiritually enriching and transformative experience. The Masses, liturgies, keynote addresses, and workshops featuring inspiring speakers reinforced my commitment to both personal and communal spiritual growth.
This year’s Congress theme was “Be Loved!” At the opening ceremony, Sister Rosalia Meza, VDMF, director of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Office of Religious Education, invited us to reflect on the obstacles hindering our acceptance of God’s love. She emphasized, “It is not enough to perceive God’s love only once. The invitation and challenge are to choose this incredible truth of being a beloved child of God every day.”
During the closing Mass, Archbishop Gomez reflected on God’s love in the context of the Sunday Mass reading, which spoke of Christ’s call to repent and believe in the Gospel. He reminded us, “Jesus loves us for who we are, and he meets us where he finds us. But he never leaves us there." He encouraged us to renew our commitment to the vocation of discipleship, asking for new creativity and courage in serving the Church’s mission of bringing our world to Jesus.
The LA experience, which included educational, religious, and tourist highlights (Yes, Disneyland), contributed to the richness of our journey. Memorable school tours to St. Finbar’s, Burbank (P to Year 8) and St. Genevieve’s Panorama City, Los Angeles (P to Year 12) on Ash Wednesday provided valuable insights and connections with students and staff. Exploring Homeboy Industries, founded by Father Greg Boyle, and hearing stories of resilience, hope, and determination left an indelible impression. Homeboy Industries, the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program globally, offers hope and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated individuals.
Bonding with teachers and leaders from the Wollongong Diocese deepened our camaraderie and enriched our faith experiences. Throughout the journey, the connections we cultivated through shared stories, experiences, and discussions filled me with hope for the Catholic community and reinforced my sense of 'being loved', echoing the theme of the Congress.
Thank you to Mr Sykes, Mr Murphy, the leadership team and staff for all their work and support during my leave. I have enjoyed catching up with everyone.
BELOVED
Blessed are we, in every moment
Blessed are we, chosen and sent
Blessed are we loved beyond measure
Blessed are we!
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
St Francis of Assisi acknowledges and pays respect to the Dharawal people, past and present, the traditional custodians of the land in which we educate our students.
Like professionals in other fields, all teachers are required to keep up to date with current thinking on best practices and new developments in areas such as curriculum and technology. From time to time, teachers are required to attend professional development opportunities to learn about changes to the curriculum, new teaching and learning methods, and other ways of integrating technology. These sessions sometimes occur during the day, after school, or during school holidays.
At times, staff may need to take long service leave, maternity leave, family leave, sick leave, bereavement leave, etc. As a result, there will be times when your child’s teacher is absent from the classroom. The teacher’s program and lesson day plans are taught on these days. Teachers will collaborate and communicate with the casual teacher so that teaching and learning continue and routines are maintained. At all times, student needs and school timetables are considered. We thank you for your support.
If you know another family who may be interested, we’d love for you to extend this invitation.
NAPLAN 2024
Year 3 and Year 5 will be completing the NAPLAN assessments this term. Please see below for dates of assessments for Year 3 and Year 5.
- Wednesday 13 March - Writing
- Thursday 14 March - Reading
- Monday 18 March - Conventions of Language
- Tuesday 19 March - Numeracy
On these days, please ensure that your child's device is fully charged when they arrive at school. It is also important they have a good night's rest so they can be given the best opportunity to give their full attention to the assessments. Please also ensure that students have their headphones on each of these days.
Please see below for more detailed information about NAPLAN.
PIVOT
This year, St Francis of Assisi will be participating in the PIVOT program to support student wellbeing. Please see below for further details on this program. Parents are required to go on to Compass Insights to indicate if they would not like their child involved in this program.
Personalised Plan Parent/Carer Collaborative Planning Meetings
From Week 7-10 this term, class teachers will be meeting with all parents and carers of students with a Personalised Plan. The purpose of this meeting is to review how students are progressing with their current goals, and work together to plan and implement new goals for the 2024 year. Our teachers greatly value this time to meet with our parents, carers and students where appropriate, to ensure that everyone can work together to best support the students and their individual needs. If your child has a personalised plan, their class teacher will be in contact with you to arrange a suitable time to meet.
PB4L
Over the coming weeks, our school PB4L team will be reviewing several policies and procedures around Behaviour Management. The aim will be to have these finalised by the end of Term 1, to share with our parents and carers, so we can continue to support our students by creating a safe and supportive environment. Once the revised policies are shared, we would welcome any feedback.
Life Education Visit 2024
Over the last week, every class had the chance to attend the Life Education program and visit Harold. Lots of great learning experiences were shared around respectful relationships, friendships, healthy minds and bodies and much more. Thanks to the team at Life Education for providing our students with this great learning opportunity.
We look forward to Harold visiting again in 2025, hopefully in the van next year!
Have a great fortnight ahead!
Mr Brett Murphy
Acting Assistant Principal
PUPIL FREE DAY
Tuesday 2 April
Staff Development Day
Focus: Continuous Catholic School Improvement - Reading
Please mark this date on your calendar.
Students do not attend school on this day.
This date follows the Easter long weekend.
Sacramental Preparation
We continue to keep in our prayers the children and families currently involved in our parish Reconciliation program.
Our School Values
At St Francis of Assisi, we value respect because we honour the presence of God in those we meet, believing that everyone is created in the image and likeness of God.
At St Francis of Assisi, we show that we are a community that values respect by:
- using good manners
- considering how our actions affect others
- being an active listener
- responding to people’s needs
- treating all people with kindness
- appreciating the diversity of our community
At our Principal and Values Award Assembly last Friday, we recognised one student from each class who has demonstrated the Christian value of respect during the first half of this term.
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Congratulations to the following recipients: Roman (Kinder), Isabelle (Yr 1), Fatima M (Yr 2), Emilio (Yr 3), |
At St Francis of Assisi, we value honesty because it helps us build positive relationships based on the modelling of Jesus.
At St Francis of Assisi, we show that we are a community that values honesty by:
- telling the truth
- owning our actions - positive and negative
- acknowledging when people have been honest with us
- doing the right thing even when no one is watching
- saying what you mean and meaning what you say
Mini Vinnies Fundraising for Project Compassion
The Mini Vinnies student team is excited to run their first fundraising event for the year. While the weather is still warm, they will be raising money for Project Compassion by selling zooper doopers for $1 on Thursday 14 March, Tuesday 19 March, and Tuesday 26 March. The students are very excited to be leading this fundraiser.
Project Compassion Focus Stories
  (Week Beginning Monday 4 March)
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Samoa may be a country surrounded by water, but access to clean drinking water is scarce in some areas, with many families facing extreme hardship as a result. Leaia lives with her five children, husband, brother and sister-in-law on the island of Upolu in Samoa. Not having access to a reliable source of clean water caused Leaia a lot of worry. Their home is not connected to a piped water system, so they had to rely solely on rainwater collected in old fridges. When their water ran out, Leaia had to walk with her young children to collect water in buckets and containers from a neighbour down the street. |
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 Memory is 26 years old and lives in rural Malawi. As the eldest child in a low-income farming family, Memory had to take on many household chores and farming activities to support her parents. They struggled to pay for Memory’s school fees and school supplies, and Memory often had to walk to school barefooted. With the support of Caritas Australia and its partner the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), Memory was able to enrol at a technical college where she learnt technical skills in carpentry. She undertook a three-year carpentry course, with CADECOM supporting part of her tuition and boarding fees. Memory became the first female carpenter from her village. Today, she works as a carpenter at one of Malawi’s largest hydroelectric power stations. With the income from her job, she can provide financial support to her family and inspire other young women in her community so that they may have the opportunity to succeed in a male-dominated industry. |
Please donate to Project Compassion
Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow, for all future generations. You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes, online by visiting caritas.org.au/project-compassion or by calling 1800 024 413.
Wear Green to Highlight St Patrick’s Day
This year, the Solemnity of St Patrick is observed by the Church on Monday 18 March, due to the 17th falling on the 5th Sunday of Lent. There will not be Mass on this day, however, we will acknowledge St Patrick during morning assembly prayer and reflect on some of the focus stories from this year’s Project Compassion appeal. Students are invited to wear a green accessory and make a gold coin donation for Project Compassion.
Upcoming Parish Masses the Whole School is Attending
- Tuesday 19 March - 9am Mass for the Solemnity of St Joseph
- Monday 8 April - 9am Mass for the Solemnity of the Annunciation
Partnering with our Parish - Upcoming Mission and Vision Meeting
I draw your attention to the following notice regarding an upcoming mission and vision meeting that was in our parish bulletin last weekend:
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 All parishioners are warmly invited |
One of the focuses of our School Strategic Improvement Plan is to look at ways we can continue to create opportunities to work in partnership with our school and parish.
If you are able to attend on Thursday night, we would love to see you there.
Contacting the Parish
From time to time, life presents us with situations that prompt us to reach out for pastoral support. If you would like to make contact with Fr Damien, Deacon Michael, Deacon Lawrie or Sr Anna, you can call the Parishes’ Office by phoning 4276 3565 or emailing berkeleywarrawong@dow.org.au. Office hours: T-F 10 am - 1:30 pm. Alternatively, you can always approach them at Mass. There is daily Mass (T-F) at St Francis of Assisi Church at 9 am. During Lent, there is also a 7 pm Mass on Wednesday nights. Weekend Mass times are: 4 pm Saturday @ St Mary’s, Berkeley and 10:30 am Sunday @ St Francis of Assisi, Warrawong.
Holy Week Ceremonies in our Parishes - Save the Dates!
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Palm Sunday |
Holy Thursday |
Good Friday |
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| 4 pm Berkeley 10:30 am Warrawong |
7 pm Warrawong - Mass of the Lord's Supper |
10 am Berkeley - Stations of the Cross 3 pm - The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ |
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Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday |
Easter Sunday |
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| 6:30 pm | 8 am - Berkeley 10:30 am - Warrawong |
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| In addition to the above ceremonies taking place in our parishes, the Chrism Mass will be held at the Cathedral in Wollongong on Tuesday 26 March, commencing at 7 pm. At this Mass, the priests of the diocese renew their priestly vows and the sacramental oils used in Baptism, Holy Orders, Confirmation and the Anointing of the Sick are blessed by Bishop Brian. |
Ms Marita Maloney
Religious Coordinator
We are looking forward to our Annual Cross Country Carnival, to be held on Friday 22 March at Integral Energy Park for all students in Kinder to Year 6. More information and parent permission is now available on Compass in the Events section. Please provide consent through Compass at your earliest convenience. We will also require parent helpers on the day, please indicate through the Compass event questions if you are able to support us.
2024 Swimming Carnival Award Winners
| Age | Boys | Girls |
| Junior | Oliver | Angelina |
| 11 Years | Rocco | Mia |
| Senior | Levi | Kendall |
Sporting Schools Program
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Friday 22 March | School Cross Country | K-6 | Integral Energy Park |
| Friday 14 June | School Athletics Carnival | K-6 | Myimbarr Oval, Shellharbour |
We are proud of our students who received Principal & Value Awards at the Week 5 Assembly, Congratulations.
We are hoping to have some parents/carers or other members of our communities volunteer to speak about your culture during the assembly. If you know anyone interested (it would just be answering 1-2 questions) please contact Mr Murphy. Students are encouraged and invited to wear their traditional cultural dress, or any orange clothes or accessories. Thanks in advance for participating and celebrating the diversity in our community.
Kindergarten is enjoying our Library!
Going to the Library is a new experience for many of our Kinder Kids. It is something we look forward to every Thursday! The children have loved browsing through the books, enjoying the new comfortable spaces, experiencing books with their friends and listening to stories Ms Beckhaus reads to them. Each week, two lucky students get to help Mrs Adams with Library duties too.
Exploring the sweet side of science! In our Year 1 chemical science lesson, we got hands-on with marshmallows and spaghetti, building towering structures and discovering the delicious side of chemistry! Who knew learning could be this much fun? But let's be real, the best part was definitely indulging in our creations afterward!
Capital Letters In Action in 2B
We have been learning about the role of capital letters in sentences. Students were placed in groups and had to work collaboratively to make the capital letter nominated by the teacher. This activity also tied in with our spelling and handwriting focus for the letters A and B.
God is like a Potter
In Religious Education, Year 2 has been looking at images of God presented in the bible - God is like a shepherd, God is like a parent, God is like a potter. We read this passage (Isaiah 64:8); "Yet, O LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand"; We discussed what this meant and the students recognised that we are like the clay and God is shaping us to be like Him. He will always want us to be growing, changing, and having new purposes. We had a turn at being the potter and molded and shaped a small piece of modelling clay into a new object. Check out some of our creations.
Spaghetti and Marshmallow Towers
Students combined mathematical reasoning with physics to design a tower- only using uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows that would stand independently. The challenge was on to see who could create the sturdiest, tallest tower. Check out 2B’s creative designs.
Reversible or Irreversible???
In Science, we have been looking at changes to materials caused by physical or chemical changes. The students are learning that scientists make hypotheses and then test them to verify their theories. Some changes are reversible, whilst others are irreversible. Students conducted an experiment to see whether heating chocolate was a reversible or irreversible change. The chocolate was heated by rubbing hands over the chocolate block in a sealed plastic bag. It was then placed in the fridge to cool. Whilst we decided that this change was reversible, it didn’t quite look like the original chocolate block as we didn’t have the mold to put it in. Either way- melted or cooled- it was DELICIOUS!!!
Year 4 has been exploring forces in Science. The students conducted an experiment called "Balloon Rocket". According to Newton's Third Law of Motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, as the gas is released from the balloon, it pushes against the outside air, and the outside air pushes back. As a result, the rocket is propelled forward by the opposing force. Have a look their our findings.
This week in Science, Year 5 further investigated volcanoes. We conducted an experiment to demonstrate what happens under the earth’s surface to cause a volcano. The reaction of the baking soda and vinegar creates Carbon Dioxide which is the same gas found under the earth that causes a volcano to erupt.
THURSDAY 2 MAY - Week 1 Term 2
School photo day will be held in Week 1 next term on Thursday 2 May. Students are to wear their full winter school uniform (no sports uniform). Please note, hair must be neat and tidy and the girl's hair tied back. Orders are submitted online as per the details below, including family photo orders.
ORDER SCHOOL PHOTOS ONLINE
Visit: - www.advancedlife.com.au
Enter online order code
CZF PZ6 2FX
- President - Mrs Rosemarie Molter
- Vice President/Treasurer - Mrs Daniela Moreira
P&F General Meeting
Easter Raffle
The children enjoy the annual Easter Raffle and we are funning it again this year. There are major prizes to win and also prizes for each class. Raffle tickets are issued to each student for the opportunity to go in the draw for their class prize. Please return any unsold tickets. More books are available from the School Office. The raffle be drawn on Thursday 28 March before the Easter weekend. A Mufti Day will be held of Friday 15 March for children to donate to the Easter Raffle. Please see flyer for more details. Thank you for your supporting this fundraiser.
Cross Country Sausage Sizzle
The P&F will be organising a Sausage sizzle for the school cross-country carnival. Order forms have been sent home. Parent helpers are required. Please see Rosemarie or Daniela if you are able to help. Thank you.
Clothing Pool
Information for parents and families
Parent Talk newsletter aims to provide parents and carers with relevant and timely information about parenting, education, wellbeing, upcoming Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) events and webinars for parents, and significant Catholic news and events.
The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT represents all parents and carers of students in our Catholic schools. We value and promote the critical role that parents play in the education of their children, and provide leadership, advocacy and support for parents and carers of children in almost 600 Catholic schools. Parents and carers are invited to subscribe to CCSP’s Parent Talk newsletter to receive future editions keep up to date with how our Council supports Catholic school parents to support their children’s wellbeing, faith journey and academic outcomes. Click here to subscribe.
The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT is conducting a survey to gauge parental involvement in their child's school including their learning. They are looking to receive feedback on areas that are really important to parents. Participants have the option to receive a 2024 Faith Diary as a token of appreciation by providing their name, address, and mobile phone number at the end of the survey.
The survey link is provided: CCSP Survey.
Student and Staff Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthdays in March:
Sara.H, Jaad, Luka.B, Emilio, Rahwa, Linda, Youssef, Jalal, Lucas.O, Michael, Mason.W, Aaliyah, Amelia, Mr Smith and Mrs Burrows.
School Fee Payments
Attention Parents, 2024 Fee Statements have been emailed. This is an Annual amount for 2024, if you have nominated to pay by instalments this payment schedule will be on the second page of the statement.
Please log in to your Parent Compass Portal to view your school fee account by clicking the Payments Centre green box above "My News". Payments can be paid online by clicking "School Fees Action Required". Full payment is due by 28 February unless the below instalment form has been submitted and you have set up these payments on your Compass portal or Bpay using the details on the Fee Statement emailed. Fee instalments set up last year will roll over and continue automatically this year. See further details below.
School fees for 20243 have now been invoiced and statements have been emailed with annual or firstinstalment payment due on 28 February 2023. You may also view your school fee account in the Compass Parent Portal. Further information available below from the Catholic Education Office.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
▪ The invoicing of school fees and the distribution of school fee statements each month, is now a function carried out by the Catholic Education Office.
▪ Payment of fees, whether as an annual payment or payment by instalments is due on the date/s provided on your school fee statement.
▪ If an amendment is made to your school fee account eg your child changes subjects in a secondary school, etc. you will be emailed a statement which will provide a new schedule of payments and due dates. Please review this schedule to make any changes to your payments that are necessary.
Primary school families will note on their 2024 school fee statements a change in name in relation to the "SEDSO Levy". This levy has now been renamed and will be known as "Primary Building Levy". This is not an additional fee, merely a name change and funds are still used to provide capital grants to schools for new facilities and to meet loan payments for school buildings. We are currently in the process of amending all documentation and websites to reflect this variation.
REMINDERS FOR LATE PAYMENTS
SMS and email reminders are automatically generated by our accounting software based on the number of days a payment is overdue and are distributed by the Catholic Education Office. For those families that may have difficulty in paying their school fees, these reminders may cause some distress. This is not our intention. Our intention is to support the collection of school fee accounts centrally and in so doing,
alleviate some of the administrative work of our schools.
SCHOOL FEE ACCOUNT ENQUIRIES
Please note, despite the centralisation of various functions, your school/s will always be your point of contact for matters pertaining to fees. If you wish to discuss your school fee account, please contact your school office. The role of the Catholic Education Office is to action centralised tasks on behalf of schools.
IF YOU WISH TO PAY BY INSTALMENTS
Many families have already elected to pay their school fees by instalments. If you wish to avail yourself of this option please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on your school’s website or at your school’s office. On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at your school’s office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your account and a schedule of payments and due dates will be provided on your next school fee statement. Please note it is only necessary to complete this form once during the period of child/children’s enrolment unless you wish to amend your payment frequency.
DIFFICULTY WITH PAYMENT
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, we encourage you to contact the school in which your child/children are enrolled to discuss an arrangement that will assist you meet your commitments. This may include the completion of a Diocesan Application for Fee Concession which is available from the administration office of each school. Be reassured that your situation will be treated with strict confidentiality and respect for your circumstances. If you wish to submit an application, please do so at your child’s school. Please note, if you have children in more than one school, it will only be necessary to submit one application. For those families that received a Fee Concession in 2022, you will receive an email prior to your annual review date attaching a further Application for Fee Concession. You may also initiate an earlier review if you wish to do so by contacting your school office. For further information regarding school fees, please access the Diocesan School Fee Management
Policy and Frequently Asked Questions which is available on your school’s website.
During the school year, staff will engage in staff development training days to increase their professional knowledge and skills so that they can improve the learning of students. The following are proposed Pupil Free Days for staff to attend Staff Development training in 2024. These dates are to be confirmed and are a guide to assist you in planning care for your children on these days.
| Term 1 | 2 April | PUPIL FREE DAY |
| Term 2 | 7 June | PUPIL FREE DAY |
| Term 2 | 5 July | PUPIL FREE DAY |
| Term 3 | 13 September | PUPIL FREE DAY |
| Term 4 | 28 October | PUPIL FREE DAY |
| Term 1 | Tuesday 30 January - Friday 12 April | |
| Tuesday 30 January | PUPIL FREE DAY | |
| Wednesday 31 January | 1st Day of School Years 1 - 6 | |
| Wednesday 7 February | 1st Day for Kindergarten | |
| Wednesday 13 March | NAPLAN begins for Years 3 and 5 | |
| Friday 29 March - Monday 1 April | Easter | |
| Tuesday 2 April | PUPIL FREE DAY | |
| Term 2 | Monday 29 April - Friday 5 July | |
| Friday 7 June | PUPIL FREE DAY | |
| Friday 5 July | PUPIL FREE DAY | |
| Term 3 | Monday 22 July - Friday 27 September | |
| Friday 13 September | PUPIL FREE DAY | |
| Term 4 | Monday 14 October - Friday 20 December | |
| Monday 28 October | PUPIL FREE DAY | |
| Wednesday 18 December | Last day for Students | |
| Thursday 19 & Friday 20 December | PUPIL FREE DAYS |
Before & After school care
AVAILABLE at St Francis School
Visit Website: www.aspire-oshc.com.au/st-francis-of-assisi-warrawong
Book Now online here
Starting from 2024 we will be transitioning to a new online enrolment platform, called Funnel, removing the use of all paper forms. Please take note, particularly for sibling applications. The online application form will be accessible from the home page of our school website www.sfawdow.catholic.edu.au, visit link below.
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