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Dear Parents and carers,
Scripture Reflection
In the recent scripture passage John 7:40-52, we encounter a story of division and debate among the people about Jesus' true identity. Even the guards and Pharisees are caught in a moment of uncertainty and disagreement. This passage challenges us to think about the importance of understanding and unity in the face of differing opinions. Just as the Pharisees debated Jesus' teachings, we, too, encounter diverse perspectives daily. It's an opportunity for us to practise patience, empathy, and open-mindedness, qualities that Jesus himself exemplified in his life. Let's encourage one another to listen actively and engage respectfully, continuing to create a school environment where all feel welcomed and valued.
Open Days
Last week our school hosted our inaugural open day for prospective families eager to join our school community. We were very proud of our Year 6 student leaders, who led families on a tour and shared their thoughts and feelings about being a part of St. Francis of Assisi with the prospective families. They were certainly impressed by our articulate and enthusiastic leaders. Well done, Year 6 and thank you to our staff and the CEDoW for all your support.
To accommodate the schedules of working families, we will be holding a Twilight Open Day on Wednesday, 10 April, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. On our open day, the children will embark on a school tour with their very own student passports, meet our students and staff, and engage in activities in our classrooms. We look forward to welcoming new families to our school.
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.
Annual Improvement Plan 2024
Goal: Students will demonstrate growth in their reading skills.
On Tuesday 4 April, the staff will engage in professional learning around our Annual Improvement Goal which focuses on Reading. Over a number of years, our school has had a continuous focus on teacher professional learning. Teachers regularly collaborate in teams to ensure that every student's learning needs are met, fostering a culture of collaboration and dedication to improve the learning growth of every student.
Research tells us that the quality of the teacher is the greatest in-school influence on student achievement. Therefore, high-quality professional learning for teachers must be a priority to ensure improved teacher practice that leads to improved student learning growth.
Year 3-6 Curriculum Reform
At present, we are fully engaged in implementing the new curriculum for our Year 3-6 students in Mathematics and English. Our teachers are working incredibly hard supported by the Leadership team, Mrs Burrows, Mrs Johannesen and curriculum support teachers. Together, they are working hard to deliver this high-quality curriculum with rigour and fidelity. Already, we are witnessing robust engagement from our students with these new units, largely attributable to the diligent efforts of our teachers.
Congratulations - Sacrament of Penance Program
We extend our congratulations to the children in our school and the wider parish community who will celebrate their first confession this evening. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you and your families tonight!
Winter School Uniform - Changeover
Thank you to parents and carers for the high standards you expect of your children regarding the school uniform. Our school uniform is an integral part of our identity as a school and each student's sense of belonging. Students will begin wearing their winter uniform when the students return for Term 2, Monday 29 April.
NAPLAN 2024
Congratulations to all of our students in Years 3 and 5, who completed their NAPLAN assessments in Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language, and Numeracy in the last week. Thanks to their teachers for preparing them and providing encouragement along the way.
PB4L
The PB4L focus for this week has been 'Be Safe'. Students are learning how to be safe by keeping their hands to themselves. We are encouraging safe games at play times, to avoid students becoming rough with one another and having accidental injuries occur. Please speak to your child about being safe by keeping their hands to themselves.
Our Social and Emotional Learning Focus has been managing emotions. When students are feeling angry or upset, they need to think about what they can do to handle these emotions. We encourage students to ask the person who has made them feel this way to stop what they are doing. They are also encouraged need to walk away and keep their hands off others. It is also important that students find a teacher to help them and report any concerns as soon as they can, so teachers can support them in resolving any issues they have with others.
This term, our PB4L team has been working hard on updating our policies and procedures. We aim to have consistent procedures in place to support positive behaviour in our school. Watch this space next term when we will share updated procedures and policies, including our awards structure.
Assembly Dates Term 1
| Week 8 - Thursday 21 March 2:15 pm | Harmony Day Awards |
| Week 9 - Wednesday 27 March 2.15 pm | Easter Raffle Drawn |
| Week 10 - Friday 5 April 2:10 pm |
Year 4 Celebration of Learning Assembly Principal and Value (Honesty) Awards Cross Country Ribbons and Medallions |
| Week 11 - Friday 12 April 2:20 pm | Merit, RE and PB4L Awards |
Personalised Planning Collaborative Meetings
Over the next few weeks, if your child has a personalised plan, you will be invited to attend a meeting with your child's teacher to review and update their personalised plan. This is a critical aspect of the collaboration process, to ensure we are all working together to support individual student learning needs. Thank you for taking the time to attend these meetings and be a part of planning for your child.
The Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) recognises that families of children with differing abilities require targeted advocacy and support.
The CCSP Diverse Learning Working Party developed this valuable resource to assist parents of children with diverse learning needs. This second edition includes updates and advice following a period of consultation and gathering of feedback from parents and schools, including additional information for parents of secondary students, government support and post-school success.
It is our hope that this information will be a source of encouragement and comfort to parents and carers who have children with diverse learning needs.
Sr Lucy - Thanks
We give thanks to Sr Lucy, who has completed Work Experience in our school during Term 4 2023, and Term 1 2024. Sr Lucy is studying to become a school support officer and has greatly valued her time working in our school. She has been a great asset and support for our students and staff, and we wish her all the best for her future studies. Whilst we will miss her presence, Sr Lucy has assured me that she will continue to visit our school regularly!
Mr Brett Murphy
Acting Assistant Principal
Our School Values
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
Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance
We extend our congratulations to the children in our school and the wider parish community who will celebrate their first confession this evening. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you and your families tonight!
Whilst this brings to conclusion the Parish’s Sacrament of Penance program, it is hoped that people will continue to access this Sacrament of Healing over and over again as part of a life-long commitment to developing a relationship with our loving and merciful God, who longs to fill us with grace, healing and peace.
Mini Vinnies Fundraising for Project Compassion - Zooper Dooper Days
A huge thank you to our Year 4 Mini Vinnies children who have been busy selling zooper doopers for $1 to raise money for Project Compassion. The hot weather has been perfect for generating lots of business! The final zooper dooper day will be Tuesday 26 March.
Project Compassion
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Fifth Week of Lent |
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Partnership in Action  Caritas Australia partners with the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi through the A+ program. Since 2016, the A+ program has helped 7,397 families across Malawi improve their food security, access to basic water and sanitation, boost women’s income generation, and strengthen child protection. Photo: Richard Wainwright / Caritas Australia |
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Holy Week This year, we shared with you the story of three inspiring women from across the globe, who overcame challenges to complete their education, access water and find secure employment. With the support of compassionate people like you, they are now forging a path to a better future for their families and their communities. Please donate to Project Compassion  Photo: Richard Wainwright / Caritas Australia |
Holy Week at School
Holy Week Ceremonies in our Parishes
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Sat 23 or Sun 24 March |
Tues 26 March |
Thurs 28 March |
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4 pm Berkeley |
7 pm St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Wollongong |
7 pm Warrawong |
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Fri 29 March |
Sat 30 March |
Sun 31 March |
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10 am Berkeley |
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Contacting the Parish
As noted in our last newsletter, 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 are daily Masses (Tues - Fri) at St Francis of Assisi Church at 9 am. (Please Note: Morning Mass is not celebrated on Holy Thursday or Good Friday). Weekend Mass times are 4 pm Saturday @ St Mary’s, Berkeley, and 10:30 am Sunday @ St Francis of Assisi, Warrawong.
Ms Marita Maloney
Religious Coordinator
We are looking forward to our Annual Cross Country Carnival, to be held tomorrow, 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.
| 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 |
Today marked a special occasion at our school as we gathered for our annual Harmony Day. It was a joyful celebration of unity and diversity, a day when we embraced and cherished the cultural richness that every one of us brings to our community.
Throughout the day, each class enthusiastically participated in Harmony Day activities within their classrooms. It was great to see students dressed in orange, symbolising the day's theme, "Everyone belongs", and various costumes representing their diverse cultural backgrounds.
Congratulations to the students who received Harmony Day awards. Their commitment to fostering inclusivity and understanding within our school community is to be commended. A special highlight of the assembly was the engaging Q&A session featuring Ms Anna Macek (Poland) and Mrs Suna Vieira (Thailand). Their insights and perspectives enriched our understanding of their culture and traditions, reinforcing the importance of respect and appreciation for diversity.
Thank you to the Stage 3 team and our captains, who led the assembly, and our vice-captains, who played a pivotal role in leading the Q&A.
As we reflect on this special day, let us carry forward the spirit of Harmony Day beyond the confines of our school walls. May we continue to celebrate diversity, promote understanding, and strive towards building a more harmonious and inclusive society where everyone truly belongs.
Please do not hesitate to contact our P&F Committee if you have any enquiries or agenda items for the next meeting, Rosemarie and Daniela are more than willing to assist. Simiply contact the School Office for a message to be passed on.
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Clothing Pool
The Clothing Pool will be open on Friday 5 April at 2pm-3pm. Please bring cash as no Eftpos is available. All donations of pre-loved uniforms can be delivered to the School Office and are appreciated. Thankyou.
Easter Raffle
Thank you for your support with Easter donations and purchasing raffle tickets. Please return all tickets, sold or unsold, to the School Office. The raffle will be drawn on Wednesday 27 March. Good luck!
Recently, Year 1 rolled up their sleeves for Clean Up Our School Day. Whether it is picking up litter, tidying classrooms, or sprucing up our outdoor areas, every little effort counts. Thank you, Year 1, for your fantastic work. Together, we can make a difference.
Caring for Our Common Home A Call to Action!
The Wollongong Environment Network (WEN) initiative of the Catholic Education Office Wollongong aims to support school communities responding to Laudato Si’ and engaging in environmental issues. On Wednesday 20 March, four students from every school in the Diocese were invited to participate in the Primary Student WEN Day. They were provided with information and strategies to build their capacity so that they could be leaders of ecological actions in their schools. From Year 5, Mia, Karem, Claudia, and Roman had a fun day creating their own No Sew T-Shirt Bag, listening to school presentations about what they are doing in their schools and participating in conversation circles, discussing various ideas that they could implement in our school. The day's highlight was an inspirational talk from guest speaker Pip Kiernan from Clean Up Australia. At the end of the day, the students were commissioned as Eco-Ambassadors and presented with their WEN badges.
THURSDAY 2 MAY - Week 1
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 TODAY
Visit: - www.advancedlife.com.au
Enter online order code
CZF PZ6 2FX
Canteen News
OPEN - MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY
Please note with the upcoming public holidays, the Canteen days will be adjusted to continue being open
3 days per week as follows:
Week 8 - 18 March - Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
Week 9 - 25 March - Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
Week 10 - 1 April - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Thank you Ben & Peggy
All school information is available on the Parent Compass Portal. Please regularly visit your portal to keep up to date with your child's education including Parent permissions, Sport carnivals and excurions, school fee account, attendance and absences, school reports, school events and more. Do not hesitate to contact the School Office if you have any questions or require assistance to access your parent portal. Thank you.
School Fee Payments
Check your instalment schedule and adjust your payment amounts as per the due dates.
Attention Parents, 2024 Fee Invoices have been issued and statements are emailed monthly. 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 check the instalment schedule amounts and due dates. You need to check this and make adjustments to your payments as needed.
The Parent Compass Portal has your school fee account information 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. The pay instalment schedule is listed on page 2 of the fee statement. See further details below.
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.
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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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
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 |
