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Dear Parents and Carers
Welcome back to Term 2! I hope each of you had a wonderful Easter and a restful break with loved ones.
As we begin this term, let us reflect on Sunday's Gospel from John 21:1-19, where Jesus appears to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee. In the Gospel, we encounter Jesus' powerful restoration of Peter, who had denied Him three times. Jesus doesn't dwell on Peter's guilt; instead, He focuses on Peter's future and calls him to feed His sheep. This moment reminds us not to hold onto guilt but to look to the present and trust in Jesus' love and forgiveness. Just as Jesus nourished His disciples, both spiritually and physically, we too are called to share our gifts generously with others. We are asked to care for one another in God’s love, offering support and hope for the journey ahead.
As we embark on this new term together, let us carry these reflections in our hearts and strive to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us.
Remembering Pope Francis
It was with deep sorrow that we heard the news of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, who passed away peacefully on Monday 21 April 2025, at the age of 88.
A leader known for his humility, deep compassion, and unwavering commitment to the marginalised, Pope Francis brought hope to the Catholic Church and the broader community.
Pope Francis led by example, consistently demonstrating a profound concern for human dignity. He reached out to prisoners, the poor, the disabled, and those suffering from the conflicts that plague our world. His life and actions embodied the values of mercy and inclusion, showing us what it means to live with compassion and care.
Pope Francis’s teachings in Laudato Si on the environment and Fratelli Tutti on brotherhood touched hearts far beyond the Church, calling all people to live in harmony with creation and one another. His leadership encouraged us to be a place of mercy, love, and acceptance, bringing together both believers and non-believers through his message of universal solidarity.
In this Jubilee year, we are reminded of his calls for hope, care for creation, and the dignity of all people. Through his simple actions and powerful words, Pope Francis inspired us to live with compassion and faith every day.
We give thanks for his life, leadership, and enduring legacy. Let us keep Pope Francis in our prayers, and pray also for the Church during this time of mourning and transition.
Happy Mother's Day
On Sunday, we celebrate Mother’s Day, a day dedicated to honouring mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures who play such vital roles in our lives. While Mother’s Day may be observed on different dates across the world, the essence of celebrating the love, sacrifice, and dedication of these remarkable women is universal.
This morning, our school community came together to mark this special occasion. A sincere thank you to our P&F and parent helpers for preparing the lovely morning tea and organising the Mother’s Day stall. Your ongoing support is deeply appreciated by everyone in our school community.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our mothers for the unwavering love and care you provide to our staff, students, and families. We are truly grateful for all that you do.
On behalf of the staff, students, school and parish community, we wish the mothers, grandmothers and mother figures in our community a Happy Mother’s Day.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
Lest We Forget.
Thank you to parents and carers who continue to support the expectations within our school uniform policy. Our school uniform is an integral part of our identity as a school and each student's sense of belonging. Students will change over to their Winter uniform on Monday 12 May (Next week after the Mother's Day weekend). 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.
2026 Kindergarten InterviewsTerm 2 is the time we commence Kindergarten enrolment interviews for 2026. This enrolment period is an exciting time for these children, their families and our school community. We ask that you continue to keep them in your prayers.
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:
* Survey closes Friday 30 May 4:30 pm *
2025 Celebration of Learning Timetable
Assembly starts 2:10 pm
| Term/Week | Date | Class |
| Term 2 Week 5 |
Friday 30 May | 3 Gold |
| Term 2 Week 9 | Friday 27 June | 1 Gold |
| Term 3 Week 4 |
Friday 15 August | 2 Blue |
| Term 3 Week 8 | Friday 12 September | K Blue |
| Term 4 Week 5 |
Friday 14 November | 6 Blue |
| Term 4 Week 9 | Friday 12 December |
Principal and Value Awards Only |
Term 2 Assembly Dates and Times
Please see the table below for the Assembly Dates and times. These can also be found on the calendar available on Compass. Parents/Carers of students receiving awards will be notified if their child is receiving an award each week.
| Week | Date | Time |
| 1 | Friday 2 May | 8:45am |
| 2 | Thursday 8 May | 8:45am |
| 3 | Friday 16 May | 8:45am |
| 4 | Friday 23 May | 8:45am |
| 5 | Friday 30 May - 3 Gold Celebration of Learning | 2:10pm |
| 6 | Thursday 5 June | 8:45am |
| 7 | Thursday 12 June | 8:45am |
| 8 | Friday 20 June | 8:45am |
| 9 | Friday 27 June - 1 Gold Celebration of Learning | 2:10pm |
| 10 | Friday 4 July | 8:45am |
Stage Leaders 2025
For any issues regarding your child that cannot be handled by contacting the class teacher, please contact the relevant stage leaders below.
Early Stage 1 / Stage 1 (K-2) - Ms Maloney
Stage 2 (Year 3 and 4) - Mr Murphy
Stage 3 (Year 5 and 6) - Mr Smith
St Clare of Assisi Awards
Please be reminded that these awards started in 2024. Any Merit, RE or PB4L awards achieved from this time on will count towards the St Clare of Assisi merit awards (but can only be used once).
Process:
5 x Class Awards (Merit, RE or PB4L) = St Clare of Assisi Award - please bring the 5 awards into the school office. These will be recorded and a St Clare of Assisi Merit Award will be presented at the next assembly.
3 x St Clare of Assisi Awards = 1 St Francis Medallion
Please let me know if you have any questions about the awards system.
Commitment to Child Safety Statement
At St Francis of Assisi, we are committed to child safety as a top priority. Please see the comprehensive statement below, which also includes helpful resources for supporting your child.
Communication Policy
Please see below for our revised communication policy. Any feedback or questions are welcomed.
Homework Policy Update
This is now finalised and in place. It was shared via Compass and can also be found below. Your child's class teacher will share further details about expectations for their class. Please contact your child's class teacher in the first instance if you have any questions about homework.
Grade Newsletters
Grade newsletters were shared via Compass last Friday. Please take the time to read over these - they provide key information for each grade for the term, including significant dates and key learning content to be covered.
Walk Safely to School Day
St Francis of Assisi will be participating in National Walk Safely to School Day this year, on Friday 16 May. This nationwide initiative encourages students to walk to school to promote road safety, regular physical activity, and healthy eating habits.
This initiative aligns strongly with key outcomes of the PDHPE syllabus across all stages at our school including:
“Recognises that personal health decisions can influence health and wellbeing”.
“Describes strategies to make healthy lifestyle choices”.
All students will have the opportunity to walk around the local area with their stage group, exploring road signs, learning about safely crossing roads, identifying potential hazards whilst walking, and more. The educational walk will be led by staff and all students will complete learning relevant to their stage level whilst walking.
We are excited to be partnering with Country Grocer Warrawong who will be providing free apples for every student on the day, as we recognise the important link between physical activity and healthy eating habits.
Thank you to Country Grocer for their generous donation and support of our school!
Semester One Reports and Parent Teacher Conferences
As you may be aware, the NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA) have undertaken a comprehensive review of the NSW Curriculum, leading to curriculum reform and subsequent implementation of a reformed curriculum which commenced in 2023. In response to the curriculum changes, Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong has made significant modifications to student semester reports for Primary schools to better reflect your child's academic progress at key points throughout the year and provide parents and carers with a clear picture of their child’s strengths and areas for improvement in specific subject areas.
The following changes will be evident in your child’s semester report:
- A ‘new look’ report format released via Compass reflecting the outcomes of the new K-10 English and Mathematics syllabuses providing a descriptor for each of the focus areas found in the respective syllabuses
- All Kindergarten students will now receive a written report in Semester 1 and Semester 2 with a three-point grade scale used to report student achievement using the following performance descriptors:
- Thorough
- Sound
- Basic
- Students in Year 1 - Year 6 will continue to receive semester reports twice a year with a five-point grade scale used to report student achievement using the following performance descriptors:
- Extensive
- Thorough
- Sound
- Basic
- Elementary
Report formats are also available for students who are working towards outcomes by which a graded report will not accurately represent their learning progress. As an alternative to a graded report, a comment is provided for each Key Learning Area in line with the student’s goals identified in their Personalised Plan. These reports are only used following consultation between school and parents/carers.
We look forward to this positive shift in our reporting system and appreciate your continued support in your child's educational journey.
Reports will be made available via Compass on Friday 27 June - Week 9. Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences (K-6) will be held from Week 8-10. More information will be shared via Compass when these are available to book in times.
Mr Brett Murphy
Assistant Principal
Holy Week Assembly
On the final day of Term 1, our school community gathered for a special assembly to reflect on the events of Holy Week. Each class presented what they had been learning about the events of Holy Week in their Religious Education lessons and Year Five shared insights into how the Church commemorates these events today.
Palm Sunday - Year 2
Holy Thursday - Jesus Washed the Disciples' Feet - Kindergarten
Holy Thursday - Last Supper / Institution of the Eucharist - Year 3
Holy Thursday - Garden of Gethsemane - Year 1
Good Friday - The Crucifixion of Jesus - Year 4 & Year 6
How the Church Commemorates Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday
and Good Friday Today - Year 5
2025 Sacramental Preparation
Please keep our Parish and School Reconciliation/Eucharist and Confirmation candidates in your prayers as they begin their preparation.
Requiescat in Pace (RIP), Pope Francis
On Easter Monday, less than 24 hours after we saw footage of him blessing the crowds that had gathered at St Peter's Square on Easter Sunday, we learnt of the passing of Pope Francis, the 266th Successor of St Peter Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words:
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
We pray for the repose of his soul, and entrust him to the mercy of God whom he served so faithfully:
O God, who in your wondrous providence
chose your servant Pope Francis to preside over your Church,
grant, we pray, that, having served as the Vicar of your Son on earth,
he may be welcomed by him into eternal glory.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
(The Roman Missal (2011), Prayers for the Dead – For A Pope (p. 1402))
For those interested in reading the homily that was given at Pope Francis’ funeral, it can be found below.
Conclave Begins! - Who will be our next Pope?
With the papal conclave beginning yesterday, our Bishop, Brian Mascord has encouraged all of us to pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the cardinal electors with wisdom, unity, and discernment.
A Prayer for the Conclave
Heavenly Father, as the Church prepares
to choose the next successor of St Peter,
we lift up to you the cardinals who will gather in conclave.
Send forth your Holy Spirit upon them -
the spirit of wisdom, understanding and right judgement.
Guide their hearts and minds,
that they may discern not with human preference, but with divine inspiration.
May they seek a shepherd after your own heart -
a man of faith and courage, of humility and mercy,
who will lead the Church in truth, unity and holiness.
Grant peace and protection to the Church during this sacred time.
Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede for us.
St Peter, pray for us.
Amen.
To learn more about how a new Pope is elected, the following infographic may be helpful:
Busted Halo also has a video that explains the process:
How Do They Choose the Pope?
Our School Values
This term, we have been revisiting the value ‘faith’. At St Francis of Assisi, we value faith because the ethos of a Catholic school is centred on the person of Jesus and we want others to know Him.
At St Francis of Assisi, we show that we are a community that values faith by:
- welcoming others to share in our faith story
- listening and responding to the scriptures
- being Easter people - people of hope
- being prayerful people
- celebrating the liturgical life of our Church
- honouring our faith traditions and the traditions of others
The value award for faith will be presented at the Principal and Values Award Assembly in Week 5.
Celebrating the Month of Mary
The Church has long had a devotion to Mary, Mother of God. In fact, this devotion would be considered a hallmark of our Catholic identity. Whilst we hold Mary in high esteem all year round, traditionally, the Church dedicates the months of May and October to Mary. These months, along with the many other ways we honour her during the liturgical year, remind us to look to her as a model of faith and to reflect on her role in our salvation history.
As I have highlighted before, it is important to note that Catholics don’t worship Mary. Rather, we honour her. The Church honours Mary in many ways – through specific feast days, prayers, devotions, hymns, art and even recognising her as the Mother of the Church. As our spiritual mother, she is an example of faith and commitment to the will of God and therefore is an excellent example of discipleship for the rest of us.
A well-known devotion in our Catholic Tradition is the biblically-inspired prayer devotion, the Rosary, which invites us to draw closer to Jesus and Mary by reflecting on key moments in their lives. You may like to reflect on the mysteries of the Rosary at home. If you don’t have time to say a whole Rosary every day, you might like to focus on one set of Mysteries per week; reflecting on one story per day and praying the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be.
If you’d like to know more about the Rosary, Busted Halo has a 2 minute summary that you might find useful: The Rosary Explained
Ms Marita Maloney
REC Coordinator
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Friday 13 June | School Athletics Carnival | K-6 | Myimbarr Oval, Shellharbour |
Hello! My name is Alana Sullivan. I am the new Student Wellbeing Officer at St Francis of Assisi, Warrawong. I have been in this role for the past 5 years across the Illawarra.
Previously, I was a Primary teacher, specialising in Diverse Learning Needs, EAL/D and Reading Recovery. I have recently completed a Diploma in Art Therapy and am now studying Counselling. I like learning and helping our precious kids. I have four adult children who have all flown the nest! I am available on Thursdays and Fridays. Feel free to see me any time on those days!
The Student Wellbeing Officer plays a crucial role in supporting the emotional, physical, and mental health of students within an educational setting including developing wellbeing programs, collaboration for student needs, one one-on-one support to students experiencing personal or academic challenges, and a point of contact for wellbeing support.
Kiera Coote
Hi, my name is Kiera Coote, I am studying primary education at the University of Wollongong. I am looking forward to doing my upcoming teaching placement at your school.
My interests outside of study are music, I play the guitar and drums, and I like going for walks on the beach with my dog Rocky. I look forward to this exciting opportunity and to being a part of the school community.
Daniel Aquilina
Hello! My name is Daniel Aquilina and I’m currently studying my certificate III in School Based Education Support at Shellharbour Tafe so I can become an SSO (Student Support Officer).
I have worked in child-related roles for the last 10 years, when I was an Early Childhood Educator. Through my studies, I am required to complete a work placement component and I will be completing it here at Saint Francis of Assisi in Warrawong. I’m an Alumni of the school, having been a student here from 2001-2007, with the highlight being representing my peers as School Captain in 2007. I look forward to working with your children over the year as I train hard and prepare myself in the best possible way to be an SSO.
Book Club
Scholastic Book Club Issue 3 has been sent home. A reminder that all orders must be paid via a credit card, as we do not accept cash payments.
To place orders online please click here
Orders are due 20 May 2025
A copy of issue 3 can be found below.
Enrolment Applications for Kindergarten 2026 are now due.
Interviews will take place this term.
Applications can be submitted online via our school website, www.sfawdow.catholic.edu.au, and click ENROL NOW. Please do not hesitate to contact the School Office with any questions. Limited vacancies are available in 2025.
School photo day was held last week. Online ordering will be closing soon. If you have not ordered your child/ren's 2025 school photos, this is still available following the information below.
Visit: - www.advancedlife.com.au
Enter online order code
CZF PZ6 2FX
Staff and Student Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who celebrated their birthdays in May:
Zander, Roman, Olivia. B, Noah. L, Eshaal, Max, Lucas. G, Zara, Elem, Jake, Amelia. F, Ethan, Batoul, Christian, Mrs Soukaina, and Mrs Briscoe.
2025 SCHOOL TERMS
|
TERM 1 |
Friday 31 Jan -Friday 11 April |
TERM 2 |
Monday 28 April - Friday 4 July |
|
TERM 3 |
Monday 21 July - Friday 26 Sept |
TERM 4 |
Monday 13 October - Friday 19 Dec |
2025 PUPIL-FREE DAYS
|
TERM 1 PFD |
|
TERM 2 PFD |
|
|
TERM 3 PFD |
|
TERM 4 PFD |
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For any parent who has watched the Netflix drama Adolescence and was left highly disturbed by the harmful impact that social media is having on young men and boys, you are not alone.
It’s hard to think of a show that has captured the world’s attention so fully and shone a much-needed light on the dangerous impact of misogynistic content, algorithms and influencers on the minds of young men and boys.
Shockingly, despite our best efforts as parents to raise great kids, it is not a fair fight when tech companies and algorithms can influence our teenagers within seconds.
As Australia’s national online safety educator, nothing is more important to us than ensuring young people are safe to create, connect and explore the wonders of technology and the internet.
It’s what motivates us in every aspect of our work, whether we’re connecting with educators, parents and young people to develop digital literacy and resilience resources, encouraging the tech industry to take a Safety by Design approach by putting safety at the forefront of the design, or developing guidance to prevent under 16-year-olds from having accounts on certain social media services.
eSafety Resources
eSafety resources to help you and your community navigate the risks facing young people online:
- Register for our free 45-minute parent webinar, exploring the online experiences of boys and young men, to understand the impact of social media, gaming, and influencers on attitudes, behaviours and sense of identity
- Listen to ABC Fran Kelly and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant unpack the themes of Adolescence, including toxic masculinity and the online manosphere
- Listen to ABC Big Ideas! to hear eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant and other experts in their fields discuss how parents can better support young people to navigate the risks and threats online
- Read our blog about how eSafety is shining a light on the dark forces manipulating our teenagers
- Read eSafety's young men online research series which explores young men's experiences and how they can be supported to develop healthy and positive masculinities
- For the young person in your life: explore our resources for young people.
School Fee Payments
Check your monthly fee statement on your email or Compass account to ensure that you have setup the instalment amounts as per the payment schedule and due dates.
The 2025 Fee Statements are emailed monthly, this is an annual amount. If you have nominated to pay by instalments this payment schedule will be on the second page of the statement.
Please log in to your Parent Compass Portal to view your school fee account 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. See further details below.
▪ 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 the 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 previously received a Fee Concession, 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.
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, sports carnivals, school events, excursions, school fee account, attendance, absences, school reports, and more. Do not hesitate to contact the School Office if you have any questions or require assistance accessing your parent portal. Please see the attached Compass Guides to assist in using the platform.Thank you.
