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- Principal Message
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- Assistant Principal
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- R U Ok Day
- What's happening in Year 4!
- Gardening in Kindergarten
- Environmental News
- Book Week
- National Walk Safely to School Day
- Fruit & Veg Month
- Cancelled
- Canteen
- Clothing Pool
- Student Attendance Expectations
- Community Notices
Dear Parents and Carers
In the gospel, last Sunday, Jesus teaches us that those who do not love their neighbour as they should are to be treated with dignity and respect and offered every opportunity to seek forgiveness.
The challenge and hallmark of the Christian life is the way in which we live out God’s love and forgiveness. The love and forgiveness of God does not mean that ‘anything goes’. It is a love that calls for constant conversion. We can witness to it only to the degree that we have experienced it, from God, from others, and in the way we love and forgive ourselves.
(Excerpts taken from Fr Richard Leonard Reflections - Matthew 18:15-20).
It can sometimes be very difficult when we feel that someone has hurt us to go and speak to them about how we are feeling. It is so much easier to revel in our hurt or seek payback. We feel that we might ruin a friendship. But a hurt that goes unaddressed will continue and will probably be repeated. This week’s gospel reminds us of the need to challenge others when they hurt us, but it also reminds us that when we have hurt others, we need to be challenged about it and called to account for our actions.
On Sunday we celebrated Father's Day. There was a great deal of excitement at the Father's Day stall on Thursday. Thank you to the P&F for ordering the gifts and to the School Support Officers for manning the stall.
We hope our fathers, grandfathers and father figures had a great day and enjoyed the Father's Day Liturgy.
Principal
National Child Protection Week
This week is Child Protection Week. Child Protection Week provides the opportunity to recognise and affirm each and every member of our school community who offers care and concern to our students; and the many people who make extraordinary efforts in the pastoral care and support of our students, their safety and well-being.
It is also an opportunity to recognise all that is done to ensure that our communities are places of respect and safety for all children and young people. Pope Francis reminds us: ‘how, dear children … with open, generous hearts can change the world.’
PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests)
Each year our students from Year 1 to 6 engage in online assessments. This week is our scheduled assessment time here at St Francis of Assisi. During this time, our students will be supported in accessing these assessments online in the areas of Mathematics, Reading, and Grammar & Punctuation.
ACER’s Progressive Achievement approach is used in thousands of schools in Australia and around the world. The approach focuses on assessing and monitoring student growth over time and is underpinned by an understanding that students of the same age and in the same year of school can be at very different points in their learning and development.
Why do schools use PAT tests?
- They provide a measure of student achievement in each learning area
- There is a common achievement scale for all tests within a learning area (PAT scale scores allow teachers to compare achievement on the tests within each learning area regardless of year level and the specific test completed and to monitor progress over time)
- They provide overall descriptions of the types of skills mastered and those still to be developed based on test performance
- Individual and group reports have automatically calculated scores and sorting functions that allow comparison of scores across students, strands, etc.
- They can be used to inform teaching and learning and to assist in planning effective and targeted learning programs.
PB4L News
This week, Mrs Davidson and I met with our school captains and sports captains. During this meeting, we revised our behaviour expectations for non-classroom spaces. The students had an opportunity to critique and provide feedback on these expectations. It was wonderful to have 'student voice' during this review process. Next week our staff will review these expectations before they are presented to all students and our parent community.
Parking Rangers
The Council Rangers make regular visits to our school drop off and pick up zones. A few tips for keeping children and others safe, and for avoiding infringements notices and fines when parking around the school:
Be aware of parking signage around the school
The most common parking signs in school zones are 'No Stopping' and 'No Parking' signs.
A 'No Stopping' sign means that the driver of a vehicle must not stop at any time on a length of road or in an area to which the 'No Stopping' sign applies - not for a minute, not for a second. 'No Stopping' signs are installed in areas where clear sight is required for safety reasons, such as on the approach or departure to crossings or at intersections, line of sight around schools is critical to both motorists and pedestrians alike. When vehicles obstruct that line of sight, tragedies occur, particularly with small children who are so difficult to see.
A 'No Parking' sign means that you can only stop on a length of road or in an area to which the 'No Parking' sign applies to drop off or pick up passengers.
Around schools, these are commonly called ‘kiss and drop zones’. You cannot stay in the zone longer than two (2) minutes and the driver has to be within three metres of the vehicle at all times.
Thank you to those parents who continually exercise the utmost care when accessing the school. Every child’s safety is everyone’s concern.
Mr Rodney Green
Assistant Principal
Missions
Each year our school collects mission money that we send to Catholic Mission to help those who are less fortunate than we are. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we have had a slight shift with the focus being on the well-being of staff, students, and our school community. As we move forward, we need to think about those who still need our help.
In our upcoming newsletters, we will announce the classes who have collected the most money each week. These classes will receive the mission award to display on their sacred space for the week. Please encourage your children to help by donating some of their pocket money, or giving money they might have had to buy treats at the canteen.
The winners of the mission awards last week:
K-2: Year 1 Blue
Years 3-6: Year 4 Gold.
Thank you again for your generosity.
Reconciliation
On Tuesday 22 September fifteen students from our school and a number of other students from the parish will make their Reconciliation. We are very fortunate that this can still take place and we hope these students and their parents will have a prayerful experience. Preparation this year was done by the parents at home with guidance by the Year 3 teachers at school. The Sacrament will be at 7pm in St Francis of Assisi Church at Warrawong. Numbers are strictly limited as we adhere to COVID-19 regulations.
St Francis of Assisi Feast Day
This year we will celebrate our school feast day with an in-school celebration on Friday 25 September. The morning will be celebrated by each class within their classroom. Between recess and lunch each stage will have a rotation of 3 activities, and in the afternoon we will have a liturgy zoomed to each class followed by 2 Franciscan Spirit Awards for each class.
Parish Sacraments
At this stage, please see the new dates for the 2020 Sacraments. Please be advised that these dates will also be dependent on COVID-19 restrictions and may be cancelled at any time.
The new dates for the sacraments are as follows:
| Sacrament | Date | Time | Church |
| Reconciliation | Tuesday 22 September | 7 pm | Warrawong |
| Confirmation | Wednesday 4 November | 7 pm | Warrawong |
| First Communion | Saturday 28 November | 10 am | Warrawong |
Feast Days
During the term, we will be celebrating some important feast days.
| 4 October | St Francis of Assisi |
Mrs Madaschi
Religious Education Coordinator
National eSmart Week - 6-12 September 2020
Our school has registered to take part in National eSmart Week. eSmart is an initiative of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation and is all about building supportive and connected social environments both on and offline.
This is our chance to shine and show all the wonderful work we have done as a school community this year via #eSmartWeek. At the start of this year, who would have thought that some schools would be in remote learning, and spending more time online than ever before? Our school community has done an amazing job at adapting throughout this year.
This year’s National eSmart Week theme is Connecting Safely. The week from 6-12 September celebrates the work schools have done to connect safely.
Our classes will have the opportunity to participate in some lessons this week to learn more about being responsible and safe digital citizens.
In the meantime, we’d like to thank you for all that you have done to ensure that our school has kept Connecting Safely in 2020!
Today we celebrated R U OK? Day. It is a day of action focused on encouraging us to take time and connect with friends, family, and colleagues. This year's theme reminds us that there is more to say after R U OK? It's about LISTENING, ENCOURAGING ACTION, and then STAYING CONNECTED because research indicates that genuine care and concern can make a real difference. 2020 has been and continues to be a challenging year for everyone and circumstances have made it even more important for us all to stay connected and, for those who are able, be willing to support those around us.
If you feel like something’s not quite the same with someone you know – there’s something going on in their life or you notice a change in what they’re saying or doing - trust that gut instinct and take the time to ask them “Are you OK?” If someone says they’re not OK, make time to listen, encourage action, and check-in.
For more information, go to - https://www.ruok.org.au/join-r-u-ok-day
Term 3 Science and Technology STEM Unit - Up, Up, and Away!
All students who participated in the Paper Plane Challenge will receive a certificate in Week 10 that will also have their distance thrown recorded. Well done!
Mr Gilmore
Year 4 Class Teacher.
Mrs Beckhaus
Kindergarten teacher
Recycling
Soft plastics, the kind that can be scrunched into a ball, is the biggest collection in the school recycling system. Every week up to two full bags, as shown in the picture, are collected. At St. Francis of Assisi, we would like to reduce the amount of soft plastic packaging students are bringing to school. As a school community, we will endeavour to educate the students about the types of soft plastics they can dispose of into the bin.
Parents can you please support us by taking off the soft plastic from their treats and placing them into reusable containers in their lunchboxes.
Some of the plastics are difficult for our younger students to open and often the contents are found all around their lunch area. The good news is that these plastics can be recycled at many supermarkets. But the supermarket system is not designed to accept large deposits of soft plastics from schools, as such deliveries could result in the system being overwhelmed and the whole program could be jeopardised.
Book Week
will be taking place in
Week 2 of Term 4 – Friday 23rd October.
We invite our wonderful students to come to school dressed as their favourite book character,
or under the theme of “Curious Creatures, Wild Minds”. Some ideas are below.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions currently in place, more information regarding the day will be made
available as the time approaches.
Mrs Burrows
National Walk Safely to School Day is on Friday 11 September 2020. It is a community initiative that aims to raise awareness of the health, road safety, transport and environmental benefits that regular walking can provide for the long term well-being of our children. Apart from the physical benefits, regular walking also has a favourable impact on their cognitive and academic performance. It also promotes improved diets, positive environmental action, better use of public transport with reduced car-dependency and the vitally important road safety message: “Until they are 10, children must always hold the hand of an adult when crossing the road.”
While walking to school may not be an option for some, the opportunity to get children out and moving is more important than ever. The mental and physical health impacts of COVID-19 are intertwined, so no matter where they are learning, our children need to be physically fit to be mentally fit.
Remember, active kids are smarter kids!
Our school will be participating in Fruit & Veg Month 2020. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Planet Fruit & Veg!’
We need to take better care of ourselves and the planet, so let’s teach our kids to eat more fruit and vegetables, to choose local and in-season produce and not to waste fresh food. This year’s Fruit & Veg Month is all about looking at fruit and vegetables through the lens of sustainability.
Fruit & Veg Month 2020 runs for the last four weeks of Term 3 – from Monday 31 August to Friday 25 September.
Mrs Lyons
Class Teacher
PUPIL FREE DAY
CANCELLED
Friday 25 September 2020
Due to the updated COVID-19 restrictions, this will now be a normal school day for all staff and students.
We will be celebrating St Francis of Assisi Feast Day.
Please note the Canteen will be CLOSED.
OPEN Thursdays & Fridays
Please note on the last day of term Friday 25 September,
the canteen will swap to the Wednesday 23 September,
as we will be celebrating our Feast Day on the last day.
- Write your child's name, class, and order clearly on the lunch bag and amount of money that is enclosed.
- Online ordering is preferred
- Breakfast items cannot be ordered, purchased from the canteen at 8.15 am-8.30 am only.
- The following lunch order items are to be collected directly from the canteen: Noodle cups, Ice blocks and recess orders.
Thank you.
Fresh Start Canteens
Please donate pre-loved school uniform items to the School Office. These are in need for the school Clothing Pool. Thank you.
All students are required to attend school unless they are unwell. Students should arrive by 8.30 am and finish at 3.00 pm.
Daily attendance recording in the Compass Parent Portal notifies parents of their child being absent. Parents are required to record their explanation in Compass by completing the link they receive via text or by logging into the Compass parent portal.
All absences must be reported by parents with an explanation and or a medical certificate if required.
COVID-19
Please remember not to send your child to school if they are unwell and to seek medical advice from your doctor. Please keep the school informed and add explanations to your child's absence in Compass. This is important to keep our school community safe.
Appointments
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 class teacher by the student on the morning of the appointment.
If your child is sick, stay home, visit the doctor
and notify the school.
