Welcome back
Welcome back to the start of Term 2. I hope that you all had a restful and enjoyable break with your family and friends. We are looking forward to continuing to work together with you in Term 2 to support your child/ren in their faith, learning and wellbeing. 
As always, please don't hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can do to support your family. 

PB4L
This fortnight, our focus has been:

Be Respectful - Following teacher instructions. Students have been reminded that it is important to listen to and follow instructions from teachers in our school. Teachers will give students instructions to help and ensure the students are safe. By listening to teachers, students can show respect for themselves and others. 

Our Social and Emotional Learning focus has been effective communication. It is an important part of our learning that we are able to communicate effectively. This means we can tell others clearly what we are thinking, and how we are feeling. Asking questions if you don’t understand is also an important part of communication.

Interest Groups
This term, we are trialling a variety of lunchtime interest groups for the students to have the opportunity to engage in some experiences that are of interest to them. These include choir, boxing/fitness, dance, gymnastics, craft and weaving, drawing and sketching, and Makerspace (Lego and robotics). I thank our staff who have volunteered their time and expertise to provide these opportunities for the students.
Below is one of the students proudly displaying her weaving as a result of attending this interest group.

Playground Equipment - Request for donations
As part of our review of playground areas, we are kindly asking for any donations of pre-loved play equipment from your homes if your children no longer use it. 
Some of the donation items could include:
- Matchbox cars, mini monster trucks, car mats, etc.
- Puzzles, board games, card games for wet weather
- Buckets, spades, sand toys for the sand area
- Lego or blocks
- Basketballs, soccer balls, handballs
- Marbles, marble run equipment
- Wool, craft items
Thank you in advance for your support. If you have an item and are unsure if it could be used please contact Mr Murphy to check. 

Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Survey
Over the next couple of weeks, we are inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.
We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student faith, learning and wellbeing at St Francis of Assisi.
The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You are able to access the parent survey on your computer or mobile device by using the URL below:

 www.tellthemfromme.com/sfaw24

* Survey closes Friday 24 May 4:30 pm *

Assembly Dates Term 2
As you may have noticed, we have moved many of our Friday assemblies to the mornings. We are trialling this in Term 2 as we received feedback from staff, students, and parents indicating it was a more positive experience in the morning. Please let us know if you have any feedback about how we can improve our award assemblies. 
There are some clashes on the calendar and other events that have been previously booked. Please see below for the assembly dates and times for Term 2.

Reminder about special achievements for assemblies
A reminder that this form is available if you would like us to recognise your child's achievement at our Friday assembly. This could be a sporting achievement, dancing, singing, performing achievement, martial arts, etc. Anything that your child has achieved outside of school. We would love to share the good news stories of our students. 

AEDC 

Mr Brett Murphy
Acting Assistant Principal

Exciting News: Introducing Our New Library Reward System!

Attention all bookworms and knowledge seekers! We're thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new reward system at the library. Say hello to the "Best Borrowing Class" title and trophy!

Here's how it works: Throughout the term, we'll be keeping a keen eye on the borrowing habits of each class. The class with the highest percentage of students actively borrowing books will earn the prestigious title of "Best Borrowing Class" along with a shiny trophy to display in your classroom.

Why participate? Not only will you be promoting a culture of reading and learning within your class, but you'll also have the chance to showcase your class's commitment to knowledge exploration and academic curiosity.

So, rally your classmates, dive into our extensive collection, and let the borrowing begin! Who will emerge as the ultimate champions of the library? The race is on!

Happy borrowing,

Ms. Martins and Mrs Burrows

Enrolment applications for Kindergarten 2025 are open ONLINE and are now due.  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.

Click here to Enrol Online

Over the course of Term 2, we welcome Miss Stephanie Ellenis to our school. She is a student studying a Bachelor of Education at the University of Wollongong. Please see below for an introduction from Stephanie, as well as her picture so you can put a face to the name. Stephanie is very excited to be working in our school, and with our Kindergarten class. I trust that you will make her feel welcome as you see her around the school in Term 2. 

Hello parents and carers, 
My name is Stephanie Ellenis, and I am thrilled to be joining the St Francis of Assisi community as a preservice teacher. I am currently in my third year at the University of Wollongong studying a Bachelor of Primary Education and will be completing my third Professional Experience Placement over the upcoming weeks, with Ms Beckhaus in Kindergarten Blue. I will begin my placement by attending every Thursday of May and go on to complete a three-week block in June. During this time, I will observe the dynamic of the classroom and teaching approaches and assist within the class, to further enhance my professional development. I will be provided opportunities to create and teach lessons with the guidance of Ms Beckhaus and better my strategies and self as an educator. I am beyond excited to start my placement and have been welcomed by the lovely staff and school culture. I am ready to immerse myself and get to know the students and form relationships to help them become better learners and for them to help me in becoming a better teacher.

WE’RE TAKING IT IN OUR STRIDE ON FRIDAY 10 MAY 2024 - 8.20AM
Well it’s that time of year again when our school seriously starts talking about walking! Walk Safely to School Day asks that we all consider our transport habits and try to incorporate more walking as part of a healthy, active way to get around. And although walking all the way to school isn’t realistic for many of us, it’s quite easy to figure out how you can build a walk into your family’s daily routine.
You can teach your child the healthy habit of walking more by:
• Walking with them the whole way to school
• If you have to drive, park the car a few blocks away from the school and walk the rest of the way.
After your child/ren walk to school, they will receive a sticker. Teachers will also gather at the school gate at 8.20 am for a walk around the block.  You are more thank welcome to join us.
Regular exercise, like walking with your child helps them and you, beat chronic problems like obesity, heart disease, behavioural and mental health issues and diabetes. It also gives you a great opportunity to teach your child safe ways to behave around roads and traffic. Remember, Active Kids are Healthy Kids so get planning your own Walk Safely to School Day journey for Friday 10 May 2024!

For more information, visit www.walk.com.au

School photo day was held last week.  Online ordering will be closing soon.  If you have not ordered your child/ren's 2024 school photos, this is available following the information below. 

Visit: - www.advancedlife.com.au
Enter online order code
CZF PZ6 2FX

Click here to order

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