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- School Uniform
- Mother's Day Stall & Invitation
- Parent Survey | Year 4-6
- Birthdays to Celebrate
- Save the Date!
- Canteen Open
- Parent Compass
- Kindergarten 2025 Applications DUE
- Holiday Vacation Care Available
- School Fees
- Before & After School Care
- CatholicCare | Term 2 Courses
- Enrolments | Online Application
- Parenting Insights
- 2024 Term Dates & Pupil Free Days
- Digital Child Safety Handbook
- Community News
Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope your Easter break last weekend provided an opportunity for your family to relax and enjoy one another’s company as we remember Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. The Easter Triduum gave us a chance to think these significant events and reflect on what Jesus went through and what it means for us. Just as Jesus showed compassion to society's outcasts and those who suffered oppression and discrimination, it is also relevant for each of us to consider how we can meet these same challenges in our daily lives. How do I relate to others? Am I forgiving? Do I exclude others? Do I show compassion and kindness to others?
It is also a time to give back to our community and to show kindness and compassion to those around us. Let us continue to work together to make our school a place of inclusivity and respect. Let us extend a hand of kindness to those in need, offer words of encouragement to those facing hardship, and share the light of Christ's love with all whom we encounter.
As we approach the end of Term 1, I would also like to take a moment to reflect on the term and express my gratitude to each and every one of you for your hard work, dedication, and commitment to our school community. We have had a very successful term, filled with academic achievements, extra-curricular activities, and a strong sense of community spirit. Our students should be proud of the hard work they have put into achieving such success. I would also like to commend our staff for their tireless efforts in supporting our students' faith, learning and well-being and their ongoing professionalism and dedication to planning high-quality learning experiences for our students.
I hope the coming week and the holiday break is a special time with your family.
Thank you once again for your support and hard work during Term 1.
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.
Anzac Day Dawn Service - Port Kembla
All students are invited to attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service on Thursday, 25 April 2024, in Port Kembla. (Week 2 of the holidays). The Dawn service will be held at the War Memorial, Allan Street, Port Kembla, beginning at 6 am. Our school leaders will lay a wreath on behalf of our school community and read a prayer of thanksgiving. If your child would like to attend, please accept the invitation on the Compass event. Please ensure that your child wears their full school uniform to the ceremony.
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. We encourage parents and carers to support their children during this transition by ensuring they have the appropriate winter uniform items ready. Additionally, please take this opportunity to review the uniform guidelines outlined on our school website to ensure compliance with our uniform policy. Thank you.
Enrolments for 2025
Enrolments for Kindergarten 2025 are currently open. If you have a child attending Kindergarten next year or you know of anyone who is thinking of enrolling their child, please encourage them to contact the school or commence an application. Enrolment is now online and can be accessed via our school website.
https://www.sfawdow.catholic.edu.au/enrol/
PB4L
The PB4L focus for Weeks 10 and 11 is 'Being Safe'. To be safe, the students are encouraged to keep their hands and feet to themselves. We have noticed an increase in the number of unintentional and deliberate incidents this term where students have used physical contact. We encourage parents to have conversations with their child/ren about this issue, emphasising the importance of promptly reporting any instances of unsafe behaviour. We value the safety and well-being of our students as a top priority. Please reach out if you have any concerns or require support in this area for your child/ren.
Assembly Dates Term 1
| 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 |
AEDC
Term 1
Thank you to all of our parents, students, and families for your support in Term 1. We enjoy working together to enhance the faith, learning, and well-being of all students in our school. Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable holiday break with your families and friends, and we look forward to seeing you all back in Term 2.
Mr Brett Murphy
Acting Assistant Principal
Happy Easter
It was wonderful to see some of our families at the parish Holy Week and Easter celebrations. It was especially wonderful to have some children from our school volunteering to take an active role in these services, whether it was by serving at the altar, reading the crowd’s parts during the Passion narrative on Palm Sunday or having their feet washed on Holy Thursday.
Fr Damien commented that on Palm Sunday he found it particularly inspiring when the children who had been shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” during the Passion narrative suddenly had a change of heart and welcomed Jesus’ presence on the altar with palm branches during the singing of the Holy Holy.
The Easter Season is celebrated in our church for seven weeks - Let’s see if your Easter egg supply lasts until Pentecost!
Holy Week at School
As part of our observance of Holy Week at school, classes visited the Church to reflect on the final moments of Jesus’ life through praying the Stations of the Cross.
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
The value award for honesty will be presented at tomorrow afternoon’s assembly. This assembly will also be an opportunity for Year 4 to showcase their learning with the school community and for the Cross Country awards to be presented.
Project Compassion Appeal - Thank You
This year, we were introduced to the story of three inspiring women - Ronita, Leaia, and Memory - whose lives have been transformed thanks to the generous support of others. Today, they are creating a better world for their families, their communities and for all future generations.
Click here to watch the Project Compassion Thank You film.
This Sunday, an additional Mass is being held at St Francis of Assisi church at 3 pm. This Mass will include a blessing of the newly established Divine Mercy shrine which contains a first-class relic of St Faustina which has been gifted to Warrawong Parish.
As a reminder of the mercy of Jesus, the shrine is situated inside our church, opposite the confessional where people experience first-hand the mercy of God through the Sacrament of Penance.
2024 Confirmation Program
For those who have enrolled in this year’s parish preparation program for the Sacrament of Confirmation, please note that the parent information night is in Week 2, Term 2.
- Date: 7 May
- Time: 6:30pm
- Venue: St Francis of Assisi Church, Warrawong
Please be mindful that enrolments for this year’s program will close this weekend. For those who have misplaced their original forms, additional forms can be found in the foyer of St Francis of Assisi church. Enrolment forms need to be returned to the parish via Fr Damien, Deacon Mick, or Deacon Lawrie.
Commemorating ANZAC Day
During the school holidays, our nation will commemorate ANZAC Day. We will have some representatives from our school community attending the service at Port Kembla and all are welcome to join us. Once we return to school, we will also gather as a school community to acknowledge the significance of this day.
Ms Marita Maloney
Religious Coordinator
| Age/Gender | 2024 Boys Champion | 2024 Girls Champion |
| 8/9 Years | Oliver. T | Sara. H |
| 10 Years | Ali. H | Olivia. B |
| 11 Years | Zuzanna. K | Aleksander. C |
| 12 Years | Isabella. A | Nicholas. G |
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Friday 14 June | School Athletics Carnival | K-6 | Myimbarr Oval, Shellharbour |
Clothing Pool
The Clothing Pool will be open on Friday 5 April at 2 pm-3 pm.
Please bring cash as no Eftpos is available. All donations of pre-loved uniforms can be delivered to the School Office and are appreciated. Thank you.
Easter Raffle
Thank you for supporting the P&F Easter Raffle. Congratulations to all the winners, we hope you enjoyed your prizes. A special thank you to our major sponsor MM Kembla, their support once again ensured we had wonderful major prizes. Thanks also to Inflatable Play Centre and Betty Boop Coffee for your prize donations. A big thank you to the P&F for organising this fun Easter raffle! We hope everyone had a lovely Easter.
Dear Parents,
We're excited to share our focus on nurturing a love of reading among our St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School students. Our annual improvement plan (AIP) is dedicated to enhancing reading skills and creating a culture where reading is cherished. We're encouraging all students to participate in the Premier's Reading Challenge to further this goal. This challenge invites students to set reading goals and explore a variety of books, fostering a lifelong love for reading.
All Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students will be registered and books recorded at school- parents do not need to do anything. Students in Years 3-6 will need to accept the invitation via events on Compass. Let's inspire our students to embrace the joy of reading and participate in the Premier's Reading Challenge.
Thank you for your support.
Mrs Burrows
Kinder rolled up their sleeves recently to help keep our playground at St Francis of Assisi.
Dear Parents and Carers,
The CEDoW Mental Health Support Services Review is an important initiative, aiming to enhance the well-being services we provide. With the collaboration of Altum Counselling and Consulting Pty Ltd, we are conducting a thorough evaluation of our current services and support systems. This short survey, which takes only 8-15 minutes to complete, will be conducted with the utmost respect for your time and privacy. Your anonymous contributions will play a crucial role in improving the support systems within our schools, which will have lasting benefits for both students and staff. We thank you for your active participation. Together, we will strengthen the foundations of support and well-being within the CEDoW community. Survey completion date: 16 April. Thank you for your assistance.
Student and Staff Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthdays in April:
Nicholas.G, Malak, Kemin, Tupou, Roukaya, Isabella, Ella, Hussein.S, Liz, Yehia, Ella.F, Ali.A, Andrea.N, Poppy, Dikran, Natinee, Kendall, Angelina.D and
Mrs Staffiero
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.
Enrolment applications for Kindergarten 2025 are open ONLINE and are due by Monday 29 April. Interviews will take place next term. Please submit your application online following the details below or visit our school website. Please do not hesitate to contact the School Office if you have any questions.
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.
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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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 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 | |
| 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 |
The NSW Police Legacy Child Safety Handbook is a comprehensive and free resource to assist parents and carers on a range of topics essential to child safety. The updated digital edition (link below) includes important content updates from Fire and Rescue NSW (home fire safety), Transport NSW (school bus and seat belt safety), NSW Department of Communities and Justice (keeping children safe), eSafety Commissioner and NSW Rural Fire.
