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- 2025 School Term Dates
- World Environment Day
- Celebration of Learning Assembly
- Canteen | CLOSED Week 9 & 10
- Birthdays to Celebrate
- Enrolment Applications Kindergarten 2026
- The 2nd Annual Corpus Christi Event
- Term 2 Dates
- Compulsory School Attendance
- Why do we sleep?
- Before & After School Care - Available
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Dear Parents and Carers
As we reflect on last Sunday's celebration of the Ascension of the Lord, we are reminded of the profound hope and peace that Jesus offers to us. In the Gospel Luke 24:46-53, Jesus' final words to His disciples are a promise: “Peace be with you.” These words, echoed by Pope Leo XIV, remind us that even in His ascension, Jesus remains with us, offering peace and guiding us toward unity in His love.
The Ascension marks a moment of transition for the disciples, one that calls them to embrace their mission of being witnesses to the Gospel. This mission, entrusted to us all, is not one we face alone. Jesus, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, ensures His ongoing presence in our lives and within the Church.
We are reminded that Jesus' life and ministry includes us. As members of His body, we are called to reflect His love and presence in the world. Life is always a journey toward new beginnings, and through Christ, we are invited into the same glory. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are encouraged to look beyond ourselves and to be a source of hope and light for others, knowing that the Spirit continues to guide us.
May the peace and hope of the Ascension fill our hearts as we continue our journey in this Jubilee year, ever faithful to the call to be witnesses of the Gospel.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
Principal and Value Awards
Congratulations to those students who received Principal and Value Awards at the Celebration of Learning assembly last Friday. We are very proud of you all!
Staff Development Day - Friday 6 JuneEach year, the staff participate in professional development to support them in their roles as educators. This week's Staff Development Day focus aligns with our annual improvement plan, "Growth in learning for all students through the use of quality assessment practices." It is a pupil-free day. Thank you to our parents and carers for organising care for their children on this day.
Welcome to St Francis of Assisi
This week, we welcomed the Mills and Commins families into our school community. Welcome, Oliver (K Blue) and Karter (2 Blue). The staff and students have enjoyed meeting you, and we look forward to working in partnership with you and your families.Thank you to our class teachers and all the staff for making Oliver and Karter feel so welcome.
We have noticed quite a few students arriving late for school. Starting the day on time, being organised, and following a routine are part of the formula for a successful day. Being on time for school is not just a matter of minutes on the clock; it is a fundamental aspect of personal and academic development. Students arriving late to school miss engaging with others before school, key announcements that are given out during the morning assembly, and preparing for the day ahead. It is important that parents and carers set an example for their children by ensuring they are on time for school. Please reach out if you need any support.
2025 Celebration of Learning Timetable - Assembly starts 2:10 pm
| Term/Week | Date | Class |
| 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 |
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 |
| 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
Student Workbooks - Term 2
Your child will be bringing home their Maths and Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) Workbooks at the end of Week 9 - Friday 27 June. We encourage you to take the time to look at the learning your child has been doing, and complete the reflection slip in their workbooks. Books will need to be returned on Monday 30 June (Week 10). Please speak to your child's teacher if you have any questions.
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.
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/Teacher/Student Learning Conferences
In conjunction with Semester One reports, we will hold 3-way conferences with students, teachers, and parents invited to discuss their learning during Semester 1. These will occur in Weeks 8, 9, and 10 of this term. Bookings will be made through the Compass portal. Conferences will be open for parents to book from Tuesday 10 June. Please see the notification sent out with details on creating a booking or further information attached. If you are having issues creating a booking after this time, please see your child's class teacher or myself for support. Your child is encouraged to attend these meetings with you to have an input into their learning so far and be a part of planning learning goals for Semester Two. Our continued commitment to working in partnership with families and students to support faith, learning, and wellbeing.
PB4L Term 2 Overview
Each week in our school, we have a schoolwide focus on an aspect of PB4L (Being Respectful, Responsible or Safe) and an aspect of SEL (Social and Emotional Learning).
Please see the table below for the overview of the focus for Term 2.
| Week | PB4L Focus | SEL Focus |
| 6 | Be Safe - Looking after one another | Being an upstander |
| 7 | Be Respectful - Talking and listening | Showing initiative |
| 8 | Be Responsible - Learning | Self-confidence |
| 9 | Be Safe - Safe people | Asking for help |
| 10 | Be Respectful - Honesty | Empathy |
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.
ICAS
This year, we are again offering the option for students to participate in the ICAS assessments. This is completely optional and more information can be found below.
Please see the attached information letter below if you are interested in purchasing any of the ICAS Assessments for your child. Let me know if you have any questions.
Mr Brett Murphy
Assistant Principal
We are excited to announce that we have arranged a free 2 hour workshop run by Catholiccare for any parents, carers or family members to attend.
Please see the attached flyer for details, and please speak to Mr Murphy if you have any questions.
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Friday 13 June | School Athletics Carnival | K-6 | Myimbarr Oval, Shellharbour |
Congratulations, Sr Anna!
Last Saturday, 31 May, on the feast of the Visitation, we received news from Vietnam that Sr Anna has been elected Superior General of The Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Visitation. Just as Mary carried Jesus inside her as she travelled to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, the sisters of this religious order strive to carry Jesus with them to everyone they meet. For those who have had anything to do with Sr Anna, you will know first-hand how beautifully she lives out this charism and how deserving she is of this appointment. She has asked everyone to please keep her and her congregation in your prayers.
Ascension Sunday
Last weekend, our Church celebrated the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven, which is commemorated 40 days after Jesus’ resurrection (Easter). We state our belief in the Ascension in both creeds used at Mass when we say, ‘He ascended into heaven’. Whilst the 40 day mark would technically be on a Thursday, the celebration of the Ascension is often observed on the seventh Sunday of Easter.
Each year, when we celebrate the Ascension, we are reminded that Jesus’ final words contained a promise and a directive. ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth’. May we continue to ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen us so we can carry out the mission Jesus entrusted to us - to be witnesses of his love and truth in our homes, our school and indeed the world around us.
Our School Values
The values focus for the remainder of this term will be stewardship. At St Francis of Assisi, we value stewardship because we are guided by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and are called to “care for our common home”.
At St Francis of Assisi, we show that we are a community that values stewardship by:
- treating others with care, respect and kindness
- re-using and recycling to reduce waste
- considering how our actions affect others
- acting in ways that are good for us, each other and our common home
- being grateful for all of creation
World Environment Day - 5 June
Today, we celebrated World Environment Day which is a day for everyone around the world to take ownership of their environment and to actively engage in the protection of our earth. Thank you to everyone who came to school dressed as a farmer or gardener and brought a gold coin donation to go towards our environmental initiatives in the school.
During today’s liturgy, a representative from each class received a pot with soil and a packet of seeds. Classes then planted the seeds back in their classrooms and have been tasked with caring for these until they have sprouted and they are able to be planted into our gardens.
This year’s theme for World Environment Day is "Ending Plastic Pollution". Over the next few weeks, our student WEN (Wollongong Environmental Network) team will make time to visit each class to talk about our waste management bins and how we can reduce our use of plastics.
Pentecost Sunday
At Pentecost, we recall the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem: a critical event that marked the beginning of the Church, as it was the moment when the disciples gained clarity of purpose and felt empowered by the gift of the Holy Spirit to continue the mission Jesus had left them when he ascended to heaven: to be his witnesses throughout the world.
The same Holy Spirit that transformed the apostles is still with us today. Just as Jesus instructed his disciples to go out and make his love known throughout the world, so too are we sent out with the same mission. Through Baptism, we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us with the task of being disciples of Jesus. The challenge after Baptism is for us to continue to nurture our faith and attune our hearts to how the Holy Spirit is calling us to live in relationship with others.
2025 Sacramental Preparation
Please keep our Parish and School Reconciliation/Eucharist candidates in your prayers as they continue their preparation.
Please pray, also, for our Confirmation candidates who have now finished their period of preparation and will be confirmed on Tuesday night by Bishop Brian. We pray that they will use the gifts they receive from the Holy Spirit to make a positive difference in the lives of those around them. Special thanks to Mrs Briscoe for leading the Confirmation workshops this year.
Ms Marita Maloney
REC Coordinator
Monday 16 June - Tuesday 17 June (Term 2 Week 8)
Students will arrive at school by 7.15 am wearing warm, comfortable casual clothes, including wet wet-weather jacket/raincoat. This unique overnight experience allows the students to learn about animals, the environment, and what we can do to help make a difference for wildlife. The excursion includes expenses, including accommodation, coach transport, dinner, breakfast, and zoo entry. Please see the attached excursion note for more information. IMPORTANT PAYMENT: The cost is included in your school fee account. You must pay the fee account to cover these expenses. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the School Office if you have any questions.
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 |
|
World Environment Day 2025 – #BeatPlasticPollution
World Environment Day in 2025 will focus on ending plastic pollution.
For decades, plastic pollution has seeped into every corner of the world, leaching into the water we drink, into the food we eat, and into our bodies. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it is also one of the most fixable of today’s environmental challenges, with some obvious solutions at hand.
World Environment Day joins the UNEP-led #BeatPlasticPollution this year to mobilise communities worldwide to implement and advocate for solutions. World Environment Day will spotlight the growing scientific evidence on the impacts of plastic pollution and drive momentum to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink plastic use. It will also reinforce the global commitment made in 2022 to end plastic pollution through a global plastic pollution treaty.
Last Friday, our Year 3 students had the opportunity to present awards and showcase their learning at the Celebration of Learning assembly. During the assembly, the students reflected on Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week, led prayers, and presented their research on the Age of Exploration and some notable explorers. In Science, the students have been investigating how the Earth's surface changes over time and demonstrated their understanding by designing board games, conducting experiments, and creating informative posters. Year 3 proudly displayed their Visual Arts skills with three captivating pieces of art. A special thank you to all the teachers who organised this assembly and supported our Year 3 students, we thoroughly enjoyed hearing about your learning journey this term.
Staff and Student Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who celebrated their birthdays in June:
Noah, Lesieli, Ellie, Nicholas, Isla, Marcus, Veronica, Maxwell, Tanay, Hussein.S, Aaylani, Aleksander, Miss Ivancevic, Mrs Stewart, and
Mrs Mansbridge.
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.
We invite you to join us for the Corpus Christi Event!
If you're seeking a deeper understanding of the Eucharist, the origins of the Mass or want to deepen your faith then this day is for you! You will never celebrate Mass again the same way!
When: Sunday 22 June (10 am to 3:30 pm)
Where: St. Joachim Hall (adjacent to the Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School) (please see map attached below)
Address: 80A Demetrius Rd, Rosemeadow NSW 2560
Who: We welcome all adults over 18. Any persons under the age of 18 must attend with a parent or legal guardian. Due to the content and nature of material the minimum age of attendees is 14 years.
Food: Morning tea is provided. BYO lunch or the mouth watering Cheeky Burgers Food Truck will be available with their gourmet smash burger menu if you would like to purchase your lunch.
Presenters: Joel and Elise Duval are a married couple with three young children. Both Joel and Elise are Catholic school teachers within the Diocese of Wollongong. Joel has a particular passion for Youth and Young Adult ministry, Sacramental preparation, prayer, praise and worship, and pilgrimages including the Australian Catholic Youth Festival and World Youth Day. Elise has a particular passion for Scripture, Catechesis, Theology of the Body and spiritual writings of the Doctrine of the Church.
Content: Ever wonder where the Mass came from? Why is the Eucharist considered the source and summit of our faith? Through catechesis on the History of Salvation leading to the First Passover Meal, The Last Supper (The First Mass) and Good Friday we will discover how Christ is in fact the fulfilment of the Passover. The second catechesis will include a focus on Carlo Acutis, the first saint of the Third Millennium, Christ’s presence in the Eucharist through exploring Eucharistic Miracles, the origins of the feast of Corpus Christi and preparing everyone for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, procession and Benediction.
