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Dear Parents and Carers,
In last Sunday’s Gospel (Mark 12:28-34), Jesus is asked, “Which is the greatest commandment?” His response is both simple and profound: to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself. Jesus teaches that these two commandments are more than just rules to follow; they are a way of life. He shows us that true faith is about relationships—our relationship with God and with one another. When we love God deeply, this love naturally extends to how we treat others, with kindness, patience, and understanding.
I encourage our school community to embody these values in their interactions with others, especially during times of challenge.
As students grow, natural changes in friendships may occur, and sometimes these shifts bring about behaviours that are unacceptable at school. We have been discussing with students the importance of being respectful, safe, and responsible, even when relationships change. Behaviours such as physical contact, name-calling, inappropriate facial expressions, spreading rumours, yelling, or exclusion are not acceptable. Amid challenges, we can be strategic in how we respond, using these moments as opportunities to learn, grow, and show kindness. At our school, we are empowering students to grow in their faith, learning, and well-being, and with this comes the responsibility to learn how to be compassionate and thoughtful members of our community.
As adults, the behaviours we model are powerful; children often mirror what they observe in us, especially in the later part of the year when things become busy, and children may require additional support and guidance. Please continue to speak with your child about behaviour expectations and encourage them to ask for help from their teacher or stage leader if they need support. Together, we can help them navigate challenging social situations with respect and kindness. Let love in action be our guide, as Jesus has loved us.
Stage leaders
K-2 - Mrs Burrows, Years 3 and 4 - Ms Maloney and Years 5 and 6 - Mr Murphy.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
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.
Remembrance Day - 11 November
End of Year Events
As we all know, the end of the year is fast approaching. Please find below a list of some important end-of-year school events. Individual communication will be shared before these events. Please remember to check your Compass notifications over the coming weeks.
PB4L
Our focus areas for the last week have been:
PB4L - Being Responsible - Following your teacher’s instructions is the key to great learning and play experiences! When your teacher gives directions, listen carefully and try your best to follow them. If you’re ever unsure about something, it’s okay to ask questions.
SEL - Building Resilience - Building resilience means learning how to stay strong and keep going, even when things get tricky. When you face challenges or make mistakes, it's okay to feel upset. What’s important is to try again, ask for help if you need it, and keep a positive attitude. Each time you overcome a problem, you become stronger and more confident.
Assembly Dates Term 4
Thank you for your support as we have been flexible in our assembly times this term. Please see below for the full details of Term 4 assembly dates and times.
| Week | Type | Date / Time |
| 4 | Celebration of Learning - Year 5 | Friday 8 November 2:10 pm |
| 5 | Awards Assembly | Friday 15 November 2:20 pm |
| 6 | Awards Assembly | Friday 22 November 8:45 am |
| 7 | Awards Assembly | Friday 29 November 2:20 pm |
| 8 | Celebration of Learning - Year 3 | Friday 6 December 2:10 pm |
| 9 | Christmas Assembly (No awards) | Friday 13 December 2:00 pm |
School Assemblies are communicated in the weekly overview, newsletter, school calendar, and Compass. Please check the date and time for the weekly assemblies.
Assistant Principal
First Holy Communion Program
Please continue to keep in your prayers the children and families in our school and parish who are nearing the end of their preparation period.
All Saints Day
Last Friday our whole school community joined the parish for Mass to commemorate the Solemnity of All Saints Day. Thank you to the students and their families for their efforts in coming dressed as saints.
Our saints and saints to be:
Kinder: Noah - Blessed Carlo Acutis, Mason - St Francis of Assisi, and Lorrayne - St Joan of Ark.
Yr 1 saints: Jezebel - St Mary, Zaynab - Our Lady of Fatima and Roukaya - St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
Yr 3 saints: Gus and Liz - St Patrick, Ali - Imam Ali and Batoul - St Bernadette.
Yr 4 saints: Alivia - Archangel Raphael, Azalea - St Peter, Marcus - St Luigi, Mason - St Maximilian Kolbe, Max - St Pope John Paul II, Fatima A - Our Lady of Fatima, Aya - St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Isla - Archangel Gabriel, Zeinab - Archangel Michael.
Yr 6 saint and saint to be: Joshua - St Pope John Paul II and Ronan - Blessed Carlo Acutis
Father Damien was particularly pleased to see many Saints in his parish church and gave them all a special individual welcome to begin the mass. We are thankful to Father Damien, Deacon Mick, and Deacon Lawrie for their leadership of a thoughtful and meaningful liturgical celebration. Father Damien spoke about Carlos Acutis, who is likely to be canonised as the first millennial Saint in 2025. His homily was timely and thought-provoking - encouraging all of us to take up the challenge to be saints in our place in the world. The example of Carlos Acutis was of particular relevance to the young people in our school. Father Damien urged all of us to be like the Saints before us, to be people of peace, kindness and compassion. Congratulations to the students who were reverent participants in the celebration today. Thank you to the parents and families who were able to join us on this significant day.
The month of November for All Souls
As noted in our last newsletter, throughout November, our Church encourages us to pray for those who have died. As you remember your loved ones in prayer this November, you may like to use the following prayer from our Tradition:
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
Mini Vinnies Food Drive - Christmas Hampers for St Vincent de Paul
For many, Christmas is about spending time with family and friends, sharing a meal, and creating meaningful memories. For families experiencing financial difficulties, Christmas can be a particularly challenging time.
Over the next few weeks, our local St Vincent de Paul conference is seeking donations of festive food to add to the Christmas hampers they provide for those in need. If your family is able to support this food drive, it would be greatly appreciated. We would love your help with these donations:
| Kindergarten | chocolates and pancake mix |
| Year 1 | sweet and savoury biscuits |
| Year 2 | family packs of chips and lollies |
| Year 3 | soft drink and cordial |
| Year 4 | plum puddings and Christmas cake |
| Year 5 | tinned ham and long-life milk |
| Year 6 | tinned fruit and long-life custard or cream |
|
Open to All Age Groups |
New toys for children aged 1 - 12 or gift vouchers. (Gifts do not need to be wrapped.) |
Donations are due to school by Thursday 5 December
Ms Marita Maloney
Religion Coordinator
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Friday 21 February 2025 | Swimming Carnival | Years 2 - 6 | Berkeley Pool |
| Friday 28 March 2025 | Cross Country Carnival | K-6 | Integral Energy Park, Kembla Grange |
| Friday 13 June 2025 | Athletics Carnival | K-6 | Myimbarr Oval, Shellharbour |
Olympian Visit
This term in Kindergarten our integrated unit introduces students to the concept of history as a story. It establishes student familiarity with documents and concepts of change and continuity between now and the past. By telling their stories through pictures, maps, toys, and various other articles from their lives, students will see history as fun and personally relevant.
This unit provides an opportunity for the students to explore their family’s history. They explore how the roles of family members change over time and recognise that families everywhere have varied traditions, rituals, and celebrations. As a way of sharing personal stories, Kindergarten has done some research and gathering to collect items, images, and artefacts to create a 'Memory box' to share with the class.
We look forward to learning more about each other and our families, as well as stories over time, throughout the rest of the term.
Thank you to our families for supporting the students with their Memory box project.
Ms Beckhaus
Pevan and Sarah Concert - Tuesday 12 November
Kindergarten students will be attending the Pevan and Sarah Live show. Pevan and Sarah are children entertainers and educators who create videos and resources that can be used in Kindergarten classrooms. The students love their music, which has been incorporated into many key learning areas. Please complete the online permission on Compass to be completed for your child to attend. Wellbeing Funding has funded this opportunity. Thank you.
Dear Parents
It is by law that when your children are absent from school an explanation is provided. Please respond to the text notification or log in to your Parent Compass and submit the absence. Many absences are unexplained and we require parents to check Compass and complete. Please see the attached instructions for your information. Thank you.
P&F Term 4 Events
End of Year DiscoThe P&F is holding an end-of-year Disco on Friday 29 November. More information will be sent home later this term
Christmas Raffle
The P&F will have a Christmas Raffle, more information and tickets will be handed out to students later in the term.
Thank you to NAB Shellharbour for supporting our raffle as our major sponsor this year.
Get involved - Help our school
All parents, carers, and grandparents are welcome to join our P&F, at meetings and to volunteer at events. Your support is greatly appreciated and needed. If you would like to join the P&F committee and/or help at events please do not hesitate to contact the school. There will be more information during this term about meetings, events, and the AGM.
AGM 2025 Invitation - Thursday 27 February, 3.00 pm
Parents, grandparents, and carers are invited to attend the P&F AGM on Thursday 27 February at 3.00 pm. All positions will be made vacant. Please find enclosed the Nomination form for your information. We look forward to continuing our parent support for 2025. We hope to see you at the meeting.
Plan your 2025 Fee Instalment Payments
In preparation for the 2025 School Fee account, it is recommended that families budget and complete a fee instalment form to set up instalment arrangements for next year's fees. Please complete and return the form below. This form notifies the Catholic Education Office regarding payment of your account and this will assist your family budget and plan payments for 2025 school fees. The instalment amounts and due dates are listed on page 2 of the fee statements emailed each month. If you already have instalments in place this does not need to be completed unless you wish to change the instalment payments. (Please note this form does not set the payments up, you will need to set this up via Bpay or Compass). Please contact the School Office if we can be of any assistance.
Dear Parents,
We are excited to announce the implementation of a new Visitor Management System designed to streamline and enhance the safety and efficiency of signing in at our schools. This system will change how parents and visitors sign in, ensuring a smoother and more secure process.
Important Steps for All Parents:
-
Token for Onboarding Process: If you previously provided the school with your Working With Children’s Check number, you will receive an email with your token shortly. If you would like to start volunteering, please click on the link provided below to complete the new onboarding process.
https://apps.dow.catholic.edu.au/vms/onboarding/new -
Clearance for Volunteering: Once you have completed the onboarding process, you will receive clearance from the Child Protection team from the Catholic Education Office, allowing you to volunteer in our schools.
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Quick Sign-In App: To make the sign-in process even simpler, we have introduced a quick sign-in app available for download from both the App Store and Google Play Store. This app will allow you to sign in quickly and efficiently whenever you visit the school. Please add the "Token number" you receive on your email when you have completed the onboarding registration process.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we transition to this new system. Our goal is to ensure the safety and security of all students, staff, and visitors. Should you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the school office. Thank you for your continued support.
2025 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.
| TERM 4 | |
| Wednesday 18 December | Last day for Students |
| Thursday 19 & Friday 20 December | PUPIL FREE DAYS |
| 2025 | |
| Tuesday 4 February | Students Year 1-6 Return to School |
| Wednesday 5 February | Kindergarten 2025 First Day of School |
| Monday 14 April - Friday 25 April | Term 1 School Holidays |
