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- Principal's Message
- From the Principal's Desk
- Assistant Principal
- Religion Education News
- Parish News
- Sports News
- Pupil Free Day | Tomorrow
- Learning in Action - 2 Blue
- Kindergarten Excursion
- Canteen | Week 9 - Change of Days
- Year 3 & 4 Excursion
- P&F School Disco
- Icecream Day
- Year 6 Night of the Notables
- Year 2 iPad Program 2025
- Kindergarten 2025
- Birthdays to Celebrate
- Aspire Vacation Care
- Student Leave Applications
- Summer Uniform
- Enrolments for 2025 now open
- NDIS Info Hubs - Illawarra & Shoalhaven
- School Fees | Check payments
- School Hours
- Reminders ....
- Screen time affects childrens sleep
- ASPIRE | Before & After School Care
- Community News
Dear Parents and Carers,
Catholic Mission Launch
Today, it was a pleasure to accompany our school vice captains, Isabella and Aidan, to the annual launch of Catholic Mission Month, led by Bishop Brian Mascord and the students at St Michael’s, Thirroul. Catholic Mission Month begins in October, focusing on continuing the Church’s mission to spread the Gospel with compassion, joy, and an emphasis on closeness and respect for all people. Pope Francis highlights the theme of inviting everyone to partake in God’s divine banquet, symbolising the fullness of life offered through Christ. “Go and invite everyone to the banquet” (Mt 22:9).
Bishop Brian reminded us that we have the power to create change and build a more just world for all people. He shared an inspiring story about his visit to Mongolia and encouraged everyone present to go out and make Jesus known and loved, not just through words but through actions that reflect His everlasting love.
Safeguarding Sunday.
Last Sunday was a time to reflect on our responsibility to create a safe and nurturing environment for all, especially the most vulnerable. Safeguarding is at the heart of our mission as a community of faith to ensure that our school remains a place of welcome, safety, and dignity for everyone. This year's theme was "Every Conversation Matters". Safeguarding is not only about protecting people from harm but also about fostering trust and supporting those who have been affected by abuse. We are called to listen with compassion, act with integrity, and walk alongside those seeking healing and justice. We extend our gratitude to all those involved in creating safe spaces within our school and parish community. Your commitment is vital to ensure that we continue to uphold the highest standards of care and protection. Let us continue to pray for the courage and wisdom to face the challenges of safeguarding with honesty and openness, and may we always be guided by the teachings of Christ in our efforts to protect and support one another. Together, let us build a future where every person is valued, respected, and safe.
"Every Conversation Matters"
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
St Francis of Assisi acknowledges and respects the Dharawal people, past and present, the traditional custodians on whose land we educate our students.
R U OK DAY - 12 Septemeber 2024Ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day. A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week. Whether it's a colleague, student, friend or family member, the people you care about go through life's ups and downs. By having regular, meaningful conversations, you build trust and normalise talking about what's going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you're someone they can talk to. So, while R U OK? Day is a National Day of Action; everyone is encouraged to Ask, "R U OK?" any day of the year because a conversation could change a life.
Congratulations to Marcus, who has made it through to the state and Territory finals of the Prime Minister's Spelling Bee. Well done to all the students who competed in this competition. Good luck in the State finals, Marcus.
If we are to be “Bearers of Christ’s love”, it stands to reason that we must see through his eyes, love with his heart, and be driven by his mission. Bishop Brian Mascord.
Our PB4L focus for Week 8 is Be Safe - Movement around the school. In the last few weeks, we have unfortunately had some accidents in our school. Students are learning this week to focus on moving safely around our school. This means walking, moving slowly and carefully, not touching others as we move around, and being aware of what is around us when we are moving. We want our school to be a safe place for everyone.
Assembly Dates Term 3
Thank you for your support as we have been flexible in our assembly times this term. We will continue to attempt to schedule our assemblies on Friday mornings at 8:45 am, however, this may not always be possible due to other calendar events. Please see below for the full details of Term 3 assembly dates and times.
| Week | Type | Date / Time |
| 9 | Awards Assembly | Thursday 19 September 8:45 am |
| 10 | Celebration of Learning - Year 6 | Friday 27 September 2:10 pm |
School Assemblies are communicated in the weekly overview, newsletter, school calendar and Compass. Please check the date and time for the weekly assemblies.
Student Workbooks
Your child will bring home their Science and Technology and Personal Development/Health Workbooks at the end of Week 9 (next week). We encourage you to take the time to look at the learning your child has been learning and complete the reflection slip in their workbooks. Books will need to be returned by no later than Wednesday 25 September (Week 10). Please let me know if we have any questions.
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.
Congratulations to the five (5) students who received the St Clare of Assisi Awards. These awards are presented to students who have received five (5) merit awards. Keep up the great work in your learning!
Mr Brett Murphy
Assistant Principal
Last week we gathered to acknowledge the beginning of the Season of Creation, which runs from 1 September until 4 October, the feast of St Francis of Assisi. Throughout September, our student leaders will lead our morning gatherings, using a special prayer written by our student representatives during their participation in the CEDOW's Wollongong Environment Network Day earlier this year.
Ms Marita Maloney
Religion Coordinator
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Thursday 19 September | Junior Basketball Gala Day | Selected Year 3-4 students | Illawarra Sports Stadium Berkeley |
| Friday 20 September | Senior Basketball Gala Day | Selected Year 5-6 students | Illawarra Sports Stadium Berkeley |
Please let Mr Murphy know if you have any questions about this.
Mathematics Fun
Counting by tens makes it easier to count large numbers. In Year 2 we practised turning collections of individual blocks into groups of tens, in order to count the large number of blocks we had collected as part of our number game. Working outdoors was fun too!
Our Environment
We also explored Bruce Park to see what was natural, managed or constructed in that environment. We made a map of the park.
UOW Science Space Excursion - Friday 20 September
Students in Years 3 and 4 will attend an excursion to the University of Wollongong Science Centre as part of their science unit and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) inquiry learning experiences. The Science Space gallery has over 90 hands-on exhibits demonstrating STEM in action. The majority of the exhibits are aligned with the NSW Curriculum and support students to engage in STEM activities through the use of the center's interactive exhibits. In addition, the students will view a live science show and explore the digital planetarium show. More information and permission on Compass is required.
Thursday 24 October, 6.30 pm -8.00 pm.
Each year our Year 6 students put together a Night of the Notables event in the School Hall. This year it will be held in Term 4 Week 2 on Thursday 24 October. The Year 6 students select an eminent individual who has made a notable contribution to their field of expertise. They research their story and present the story to staff, families, and guests. We are looking forward to this annual event and hope that you can join us.
Dear Year 2 Parents
Thank you to the parents who were able to attend the Parent meetings. We advise St Francis of Assisi has been running the 1:1 iPad initiative for several years. Each year the school has recommended that parents purchase an iPad for use at school. This has been called BYODD or Bring Your Own Designated Device. For the last few years, we have implemented the School Managed iPad system, with many great benefits and positive feedback from parents, staff, and students.
St Francis of Assisi takes the responsibility of teaching students to be responsible and respectful users of technology seriously. We need to ensure we can support technology management to support the educational benefits of the iPad.
Please find enclosed the Purchase Agreement form to be signed and returned and Compass Insight to complete your order on the parent portal. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the School Office.
All Kindergarten students will commence their first day of school on Wednesday 5 February 2025.
Student and Staff Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthdays in September:
Ronan, Leo, Taliah.H, Kendall, Mia.F, Mohamad.S, Aidan.O, Omin, Oliver.T, Estelle, Zeinab.K, Levi.B, Lamar.A, Abdul.M, Genevieve, Ms Beckhaus, Mrs Neilsen and Mrs Johannesen.
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.
Term 4 Week 1
The official date for the children to change over to summer uniform is Monday 14 October (Term 4 Week 1). If there is an extra warmer day towards the end of term, parents are advised to use discretion, and summer uniform will be acceptable on these warmer days only; otherwise, winter school uniform is compulsory. Full summer uniform is to be worn by all students from the beginning of Term 4.
Parents, can you please ensure all uniform pieces are relabelled clearly with your child’s name using a permanent marker. Students should know where their name is marked for easy checking. Please encourage your child to place all items straight into their bag rather than leaving them on the playground or in the classroom.
School Uniforms are available for purchase online via Lowes online at the link below. Please order with enough time for the current delivery delays. Lowes uniform price list is below.
Read Less2025 Enrolment applications are open ONLINE. Please submit your application online on our school website, www.sfawdow.catholic.edu.au, and click ENROL NOW. Please do not hesitate to contact the School Office with any questions.
Uniting has launched all-day Info Hubs in its Illawarra and Shoalhaven offices to ensure community members can easily access information about the NDIS and other resources. No bookings are required!
Potential NDIS participants will:
- Learn more about the NDIS and how to apply
- Understand your options if you do not meet NDIS eligibility criteria
- Discover how to use your NDIS plan to its full potential
- Speak with an industry expert about your NDIS or Disability-related questions
Here’s when and where to find the Info Hubs in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven:
- Where? 1/1 Burra Place, Shellharbour City Centre
- When? Every first Tuesday of the month
- What time? From 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
- Where? 35 Kenny Street, Wollongong
- When? Every third Wednesday of the month
- What time? From 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
- Where? Level 2b, 57 Graham Steet, Nowra
- When? Every second Tuesday of the month
- What time? From 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
Uniting has also produced several practical resources, see these here.
Read LessSchool Fee Payments
Check your instalment schedule and adjust your payment amounts as per the due dates.
School fee 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.
Dont' forget your HAT, DRINK BOTTLE and put your NAME on your property.
Your child needs enough good-quality sleep so they can play, learn, and concentrate during the day. Screen time and digital technology use can affect how quickly your child falls asleep and how long your child sleeps. This happens for several reasons:
- Screen time in the hour before bed can stimulate your child.
- Light from televisions, computer screens, phones, and iPads might suppress melatonin levels and delay sleepiness.
- Your child might be tempted to stay up late to chat with friends or play online.
- Your child might be disturbed in the night by notifications, messages, or calls.
- Avoid digital technology use in the hour before bedtime. This includes mobile phones, iPads, and computer screens. Encourage reading or quiet play instead.
- Limit and monitor violent content at any time. This can affect sleep regardless of the time and length of use.
- Encourage your child to connect with friends during the day rather than late in the evening.
- Encourage your child to replace daytime screen time with outdoor physical activity or play. This can improve sleep at night.
- Have a family rule that mobile phones and other devices are left in a family room overnight
How much sleep do children need?
If you're concerned about how much sleep your child is getting, it can help to know that children need less sleep as they get older, but teenagers still need more sleep than adults:
- Preschooler 2 needs: children aged 3-5 years need 10-13 hours of sleep a night.
- School-age children aged 5-11 years need 9-11 hours of sleep every night.
Why sleep is important for children aged 5-11 years
When your child sleeps well, your child will be settled, happy, and ready for school the next day. That’s because good-quality sleep helps your child concentrate, remember things, manage emotions, and behave well. This all helps your child learn well. Getting enough sleep is also important for your child's health. That's because it strengthens your child's immune system and reduces the risk of infection and illness.
Sleep: what to expect at 5-11 years
At 5-11 years, children need 9-11 hours of sleep a night. For example, if your child wakes up for school at 7 a.m. and needs approximately 10 hours of sleep per night, your child should be in bed before 9 p.m. Some children fall deeply asleep very quickly when they go to bed. Others sleep lightly, fidgeting and muttering for up to 20 minutes, before getting into deep sleep. Children have different kinds of sleep during the night. The first few hours of sleep are usually the deepest. Most dreams happen in the second half of the night.
How to help children sleep well
A good night’s sleep is about getting to sleep, staying asleep, and getting enough good-quality sleep. Here are ideas that can help your child get the sleep they need.
Bedtime routine
A bedtime routine is very important at this age. It helps your child wind down from the day. For example, a child who normally goes to bed at 7.30 might have a bedtime routine that looks like this:
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6.45 pm: Put on pyjamas, brush teeth, go to the toilet
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7.15 pm: quiet time in the bedroom with a book and a bedtime story or quiet chat.
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7.30 pm: Goodnight and lights out.
After a big day at school, your child might still be thinking about the day's events and worries. If your child's mind is still busy at bedtime, it can cause a restless night or bad dreams. You can help your child by making time for calm, quiet activities in your child’s bedtime routine. For example, you could play music, read a story together, or encourage your child to have a bath before bed.
Good daytime and night-time habits for better sleep
These habits might help your child sleep better:-
Keep regular sleep and wake times, even on the weekend.
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Turn computers, iPads, and TV off an hour before bedtime
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Have a quiet and dimly lit place to sleep.
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Get plenty of natural light during the day, especially in the morning
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Avoid caffeine in tea, coffee, sports drinks, and chocolate, especially in the late afternoon and evening.
