At St Francis of Assisi, we have an ongoing commitment to the professional development of staff. Throughout the school year staff engage in professional learning aimed to further develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in providing quality learning experiences to support the needs of students in their class and the school. This year I have been fortunate enough to be part of the Lamplighters program run by the Catholic Education Office Wollongong with Mr Murphy, Mrs Brisoce and Mrs Agius. This program focuses on the importance of personal and professional development in the area of spiritual formation as a means of supporting the mission, formation and service that is at the core of what happens in Catholic schools. 
The first day of this program explored the Formation Capacity of 'Presence'. "Being present" or “being in the moment” can remind us to be more mindful of wherever we happen to be. When emotions, thoughts, or desires are arising within, we can notice them, be gentle with them, and allow them to be just as they are. We’ve all had times like this: Our child comes up to us, asks a question. We’re not paying attention, but out of parental guilt and/or irritation we say, “Yes,”  Next minute they are off doing something you didn't agree to. When you are present, you are tuned in to the four dimensions of your body, your mind, your heart, and your soul, all at once.
In the busyness of the coming weeks and in the lead up to Christmas, allow yourself to take time to let go a little of the past, not worry too much about the future and take a moment to bring yourself into the present. We are called to be present to God, self, others and the world. Take care of yourself.

Annual School Report - Parent Survey
Each year we are required to prepare an Annual School Report. This report highlights what is happening in our school. Part of the process includes asking parents, students and staff to reflect on how they feel our school is going. You may remember the survey sent out last year to collect this information which allows the strengths of our school to be identified and celebrated, and also highlight areas that require further development. Each family will receive on Monday, a link via Compass to a survey containing five questions. Your responses to these questions will be summarised and included in the annual report. Please complete the survey by Friday 30 November. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. 

Thank you Morning Tea
An invitation is extended to all our parent volunteers and helpers to attend a special ‘Thank you Morning Tea’, on Tuesday 10 December, at 10.00am in the hall. We would love to see you all come along as the success of our school requires us all working together. We value your contribution and want to show our appreciation.

P&F Annual General Meeting
A reminder to all our parents and carers that our P&F Annual General Meeting will be held Friday 6 December at 3.30pm. Everyone is welcome and we encourage you all to join us, to hear about our achievements for the last year and to plan for 2020. If you would like to nominate for a position please contact the office via email: info@sfawdow.catholic.edu.au or complete the form attached.

Thank you 
Thank you to the P&F and parent helpers who organised a successful Pizza and Popper fundraiser on Tuesday. Thank you again for your organisation and time, we know the students enjoyed their pizzas.

School Uniform 
Thank you for adhering to our school uniform policy. Please note students hair, uniform and appearance should be in such a condition so as to invite only positive comment. Hair cuts must be neat and tidy. Long hair is to be tied back in ribbons or bands in school colours. Extreme hair cuts and coloured hair are not permitted. The emphasis is on evenly cut hair. Coloured hair should be kept for the school holiday period. 

Get well wishes
Please continue to keep Sienna Farrugia (1 Gold) and her family in your thoughts and prayers. Sienna is doing well and it was nice to hear that she has had the chance to spend some time at home, we even had the opportunity to wave to her during the car pick up. Our school community continues to send all its love and best wishes to you Sienna. 

Retirement Of CEDOW Director Of Schools, Peter Turner
At the end of 2019, Mr Peter Turner will retire as Director of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Wollongong. We are both deeply grateful to Peter for his personal and professional support of our school throughout his time in the diocese. As Bishop Brian mentioned in his announcement, "Peter has made a difference to the lives of thousands of students, their families and staff and through his leadership, he has directly advanced the mission of evangelisation of the Church here in the Diocese of Wollongong and throughout the Church in Australia." The staff, students and the school community of St Francis of Assisi will have an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate Peter’s contribution to Catholic education in the Diocese of Wollongong in the coming weeks.

As a parent, you can help your child be a whiz at Mathematics, even if it wasn’t your best subject.  Here are tips for parents on how:

• Let them measure when you bake/cook.
• Ask them to figure out what length of hose you need to reach from the tap on the side of the house to the garden.
• Let your child figure out how many kilometres you’ll be driving on your next trip by using the information on a map.
• Sort silverware by knives, forks, and spoons.  Sort cards by suit or numbers.

Make maths a game.  Maths games are fun and inexpensive.  They are a wonderful way to get your kids to enjoy working with numbers, as well as improve their number skills.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Many games that we take for granted are excellent maths lessons. “Go Fish” teaches counting and grouping in sets.  Games that use play money teach how to make change. Board games that use dice teach addition and counting.  Backgammon teaches addition, subtraction, and strategy.
• Beans, stones, or marbles can be used to play number games.  Let your child develop his or her own games by sorting beans into different sizes or types, setting up the rules for a counting game, or using different types of pasta to make a picture.
• Give your children a geometry lesson by letting them create a collage of circles, squares, and triangles.  Challenge them to come up with as many different shapes as they can using only triangles.
• Play shop with the items in your cupboard.
• A pan of water and some jars or cups of different sizes will amuse a child for hours while teaching capacity and volume.
  
  Mr Green
  Assistant Principal

First Communion
The preparation for First Communion will be completed this week. The practice for those making their First Communion at Berkeley will be on Monday 18 November at 4.15pm (Berkeley Church). The practice for those making their First Communion at Warrawong will be on Thursday 21 November at 3.30pm in the Church. All First Communicants must attend their respective practices so that all details can be finalised. 

First Communion- St Francis of Assisi Warrawong – 10.00am Saturday 23 November

First Communion- St Mary of the Rosary Berkeley – 8.30am Sunday 24 November

Parish Christmas Pageant
At the Christmas Eve Children’s Mass, we would like to present a Christmas Nativity Pageant. To do this we need approximately 16 boys and girls from Kinder to Year 6. Costumes would be provided and there would be a practice on either Monday or Tuesday 23 or 24 of December about 9.00am to 10.00am. This would only go ahead if we get the numbers. If your family attends the Christmas Eve Children’s Mass and you would like to take part, please let Mrs Madaschi know preferably in writing a note signed by a parent or letting Mrs Madaschi know verbally.

Mission Fundraisers
Thank you to everyone who supported our mission fundraisers this year. The icecream day raised $432.00, which was a great effort. Many thanks to the teachers, SSO's and students who gave up their breaks to organise and supervise this. Over the next week we will continue our lolly jar guessing competition at 20c per guess. This will be organised through the classes.

Remembrance Day
Last Monday, November 11 was Remembrance Day, which marked the end of World War 1 over one hundred years ago. Monday was an opportunity to remember all those who have died in wars and conflicts. We pray that we commit ourselves to creating peace in our world by recognising that peace begins in our own families, classrooms, schools and communities, and it begins with us. Each one of us can make a peaceful world.

We as a school marked the day with a special liturgy, where we prayed for all those who served to keep our country safe. 

Mrs Madaschi
Religious Education Coordinator

Swimming Carnival
Permission notes will be issued to students in Year 3 to Year 6 to compete in the swimming carnival on Thursday 5 December. Students will compete in 50m races and/or 25m races. Please read the note carefully when choosing events. If your child is a non-swimmer they will participate in organised novelty events in the pool. Please return these notes as soon as possible to help with the organisation of the day.

Swimming Program
This is a reminder that the swimming program will continue this Friday 15 November. Every student attending should bring their bags containing a towel, goggles and a change of clothing.

Mrs Briscoe - Sports Coordinator

The annual Consent Form below went home today to EVERY student.  Please complete and return this form to the class teacher by Friday 22 November. Please note EVERY STUDENT is required to have a form returned.  Any assistance required, please do not hesitate to contact the School Office. 

In Kindergarten this term our integrated unit has a History and Geography focus. The unit continues to encompass the age appropriate pedagogies of play and inquiry to engage the students in learning about different places, times and people. We are learning about stories from the past and how to tell our own story. 

Students prepared a 'Memory Box' where they included a special artefact inside that reminded them of a precious memory shared with their family, a family story or a special achievement of their own. Each student confidentally shared their memory box and story with the class. A big thank you parents for your support in preparing your child for this. 

Another task the students prepared was a family tree, as a means of telling their family story and seeing the connections between people over time. They also did a wonderful job with this too.

Within this unit, we will also be exploring special stories from an Aboriginal and Asian perspectives.

Within our play based exploration areas in the classroom we have a museum filled with artefacts and our special memory boxes to explore. In addition to this we have a post office to encourage students to write letters to friends and family to share their personal story with others while learning how a post office works. Finally, we have a travel agent set up so students can explore different places and stories from around the world. They really love booking holidays for their friends too!

We have had such a wonderful year in Kindergarten learning and exploring together. The students have engaged and participated in every learning experience so beautifully and respectfully. We thank all who helped us on our journey this year. 

Mrs Melissa Beckhaus
Kindergarten Teacher

This week marks the halfway point of Term 4. The PB4L classroom focus across the term has reinforced the rules and expectations at St Francis of Assisi that works to embed processes and procedures that ensure a school is a place of welcome and learning.
This newsletter is a review of the key messages of SPB4L for parents.
The three SPB4L key messages are:

Key Message 1: Adults Matter!

FAQ: How do I support Key Message 1 - Adults Matter at St Francis of Assisi?

As parent/carer you model the behaviour you expect from the children. Do not underestimate the importance of:

• Role modelling appropriate behaviour
• Supporting, by following, the systems, procedures and processes of the school eg: arriving at school on time, supporting your child to be ready for learning, following personalised plans (academic and behavioural)
• Following the appropriate communication channels of the school 
• Appropriate reactions to behaviour particularly when your child might ‘get it wrong’
• Promoting a ‘growth’ mindset in your child – mistakes are an opportunity to grow and learn 

Key Message 2: Behaviour is Learnt

FAQ: How do I support Key Message 2 - Behaviour is Learnt at St Francis of Assisi?

As parent/carer you create the conditions for appropriate behaviour. Do not underestimate the importance of:

• Asking your child questions that will elicit a positive response regarding their day at school 
• Being familiar with the expectations of the school and classroom
• Teaching your child your own expectations at home eg: appropriate manners, greetings etc

Key Message 3: We Cannot Make Students Behave

FAQ: How do I support Key Message 3 - We Cannot Make Students Behave?

As parent/carer your modelling of adhering to systems and environmental expectations enables your child to interact positively within the school and classroom context. Do not underestimate the importance of:

• Following school procedures eg: adhering to parent/school communication procedure, regular reading of the school newsletter
• Not becoming involved in playground incidents (approaching other students or parents) but rather alerting a staff member to your concern.
  Mrs Matos

Last Friday, students from Year 6 visited the University of Wollongong for the day. They were involved in a program that was designed to raise awareness of the university and introduce them to the idea of study beyond school. The Kids In2Uni campus day complemented this by allowing students to build a positive connection with the university and experience what it’s like to be a university student. Throughout the day an In2Uni mentor accompanied the group navigating the students through the campus and facilitated various activities. Students were introduced to the university subject area of robotics and law and participated in interactive activities relevant to that field.

Zane:  It was an enjoyable day because we moved around the university campus, observing university students listening to lecturers. I was surprised by the size of the campus, the greenery that surrounds it and the playful ducks.

Rayhana: One of our subject areas on the day was law. We debated the events of Jack and Jill and I played the role of Jill. I had to persuade the jury that I was innocent of pushing Jack down the hill. I was acquitted by the jury who believed my testimony.

Gabriella: In small groups we participated in Robotic activities. We created simple robots made from the head of a toothbrush, a vibrating battery and blutac. When we assembled them, we tried to race them but they all reacted differently. It was fun because we could customise them with googly eyes and pipe cleaners.

Khalil: Our final activity involved a computer tablet and sphero balls. In pairs we could change the colour of the balls and coded them to move over and under ramps and around the room. With practise, everyone had fun chasing the other balls and doing tricks.

Thank you to Mrs El Chaer and Mrs Georges, for their support and assistance with the activities.

Mrs Briscoe & Year 6 

We are excited about our new classroom furniture in Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4.

Year 3 use the huddle table during reading groups, literature centres, and group activities.  The students especially love the wobble stools! 

St Francis of Assisi are lucky to welcome two University of Wollongong students. Kindergarten are excited to have Miss Doyle joining them, and Miss Kellam is working with Year 1, for 3 weeks this term. Both Miss Doyle and Miss Kellam have settled in really well over the last 2 weeks. The students in Kindergarten and Year 1 have already enjoyed the lessons prepared by the pre-service teachers so far and look forward to more to come. We welcome Miss Doyle and Miss Kellam to our school community and are excited that they will learn from all the wonderful things that we do at St Francis of Assisi Warrawong.  

Mrs Beckhaus and Mr Murphy
Kindergarten and Year 1 Teachers

This term we have welcomed our new students who will be starting Kindergarten in 2020. They have been attending a weekly playgroup session where they have been learning through play and getting to know each other. Many have already made wonderful friends and are more comfortable in their new environment. 

This very successful program aims to support the transition from prior to school settings to Kindergarten in a way that doesn't overwhelm the children. The children are introduced to the school environments, routines, teachers and other students to help familiarise themselves with their new school. We also provide parents and carers with information to help prepare for the new school year. 

So far we have seen all the students enjoying the different play centres and outdoor spaces and the parents interacting with each other as well. 

We look forward to our future playgroup sessions to come during the term and can't wait for our new Kindergarten class to begin at St Francis of Assisi Warrawong in 2020!

Mrs Melissa Beckhaus
Kindergarten Teacher

Ice Cream Day - Tuesday 26 November 

The weather is hot and everybody loves ice cream.

On Tuesday 26 November, Year 6 will be selling ice creams at recess. This fundraiser will assist with graduation costs and ensure that our students have a memorable night.

Thank you for your support.

Education in New South Wales is compulsory.  This means all children are legally required to attend school from 8.30 am - 3.00 pm.

If your child has to be absent from school, it is a requirement that you provide a reason for your child's absence.  To explain the absence parents enter this in their Compass Parent Portal. 
All absences must be explained.

Please make appointments outside school hours, where possible.  If your child needs to be collected early for an appointment, a note explaining this is required to be given to the teacher by the student.

School reports record all absences, explained and unexplained. Please check and ensure all absences have been explained on the Compass Parent Portal.