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- Principal & Value Awards
- Stage 1 Pirate Day
- Year 3 News
- Sports News
- P&F News
- Premier's Reading Challenge 2021
- Canteen News
- Birthday's to Celebrate
- Kindergarten 2023 - Enrol NOW
- Information for Parents & Carers
- School Fees
- After School Care Available
- CatholicCare
- COVID-19 Information Link
- Safety Around Schools Parent Reminders
- Community Notices
We know that the Catholic faith experiences a full range of emotions as we commemorate this most special of weeks in our Liturgical year. Palm Sunday emits joy, triumph and homage, yet Good Friday is the reminder of total opposite feelings. Easter Sunday brings us back to joy, trust, triumph, amazement and faith.
This Lenten season, the Pope challenged us to open our hearts to God’s word, seek forgiveness of God and others we have wronged, speak words of comfort, consolation, strength and encouragement, and be hopeful. He also encouraged us all to follow in the footsteps of Christ by showing love for all. After all, ‘love is the highest expression of our faith and hope’. These certainly are words for contemplation and reflection!
May the blessing of the risen Lord accompany all of us on our journey towards the light of Easter. Thank you once again for your continued support. Have a happy and Holy Easter with your family and friends.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
Principal
Enrol now for 2022.
Applications available online; please visit our website. www.sfawdow.catholic.edu.au Email: info@sfawdow.catholic.edu.au or collect an application form from the school office. Interviews will be held next term.
Winter School Uniform - Changeover
Thank you to parents and carers for the high standards you expect of your children regarding the school uniform. The uniform is an important part of our identity as a school and each student's sense of belonging.
Students will begin wearing the winter uniform from Monday 10 May (after Mother's Day). Parents may use discretion prior to the change over date should the weather be too cold.
School Uniform – Haircuts
Appropriate haircuts are a part of the school expectation, along with the school uniform. Many thanks to those parents who ensure their children have haircuts that meet the expectations for students at St Francis of Assisi. Students are required to wear their hair in a neat and tidy manner.
- Haircuts should be of an even cut.
- Hair should be brushed and combed.
- Hair should not be in a condition as to invite comment.
- Long hair is to be tied back or plaited off the face and should not extend to cover the eyes.
- Only navy, blue or yellow headbands, ribbons or scrunchies are to be worn in the hair.
- Extreme styles, colouring or dyeing of hair is not permitted.
Special thank you to Mrs Agius and Mrs Grey for supporting our Kindergarten and
Year 1 students.
SAVE THE DATE!
Friday 25 June - Staff Spirituality Day
Pupil Free Day - No school for students!
As we come to the end of Term 1, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support as we transitioned to a new school year with some COVID-19 restrictions in place. As some of our restrictions are being lifted it is wonderful to see you back at our school events.
This week we shared some exciting news with the students.
Last week we were notified that our proposed renovations and building works will go ahead at the start of Term 2.
What does this mean for our school community?
| The school office will move to the hall for the period of the project. Parents will now enter the hall if they need to visit the office or pick up students during school time. |
| The school executive (Principal, Assistant Principal and Middle leaders) will have their work spaces in the hall on their release days. |
| The staffroom will be located in the room beside the sports room. |
| A builders fence will be erected on a small part of the playground and around the building works. |
| Students will be explicitly taught about the out of bounds areas and this will be reinforced each day. |
| Any work around the installation of the lift will be done during vacation times. |
| Extra care and vigilance during drop off and pick up times. |
| Upgrade of school facilities creating disability access. |
What will change during the building project?
| Movement around the school which includes entry and exit gates/doors. |
| Play spaces for recess and lunch will be adjusted. |
| New venue and structure for assemblies and liturgies. |
What will stay the same?
| The canteen and OOSH after school care won’t be affected. |
| All classroom spaces will remain the same. |
| Classroom, sport and extracurricular activities will not change. |
| Our mission will not change. While we engage in this building project one thing will never change. We remain committed to creating a vibrant Catholic school community where students find meaning and purpose in their life through experiencing continual growth in faith and improvement in learning. |
We will continue to communicate with our students and parent community throughout this project.
A letter and flyer were sent home to each family last week with an opportunity to provide feedback on your school experience and to let us know what you think we can best support your child's faith, learning and wellbeing, and the sense of community at our school.
Thank you to those families who have filled in the survey. There is still time to complete the survey. The survey closes on Friday 9 April.
Please click on the link to access the survey.
Please find below a copy of the letter with the QR code to scan to access the survey.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Project Compassion Reflection for Holy Week
HOLY WEEK (School week beginning 29March)
As we enter Holy Week, we continue to reflect on the lives of people vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice and how we can respond through supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion appeal.
Let us take time to remember the life and teachings of Saint Oscar Romero. His many lessons include: live a simple life, commit to bringing peace to the world, speak the truth and of course aspire not to have more, but to be more. Some words from what has become known as the Oscar Romero prayer; “We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.”
Thank you for supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion Campaign. Your generosity will work for the freedom of those living in poverty, challenge unjust structures, and empower people to work for a sustainable way of life.
Please return all Project Compassion boxes and envelopes to the school office by Friday 28 May or donate online via the Caritas website at lent.caritas.org.au
Holy Week Timetable
| Holy Thursday | 1 April - 7 pm | Mass of Lord’s Supper - St Francis of Assisi Church Warrawong |
| Good Friday | 2 April - 10 am | Stations of the Cross- St Mary of the Rosary, Berkeley (Outside on the lawn) |
| 2 April - 11.30 am | Soup Kitchen Lunch- St Mary of the Rosary, Berkeley | |
| 2 April - 3 pm | The Lord’s Passion - St Francis of Assisi Church, Warrawong | |
| Holy Saturday | 3 April - 7 pm | Easter Vigil- St Francis of Assisi Church, Warrawong |
| Easter Sunday | 4 April - 8.30 am | Sunday Mass- St Mary of the Rosary, Berkeley |
| 4 April - 10 am | Sunday Mass - St Francis of Assisi Church, Warrawong |
Term 2
Due to the easing of many COVID19 restrictions the school will once again be joining the parish for Friday Masses and Special Feast Days. The dates will be sent to parents via the school calendar. Please join us for any of these celebrations.
Sacraments
A reminder that all sacrament enrolment notes should have been returned. If you have forgotten about this please return them Week 1, Term 2.
ANZAC Day
A remembrance liturgy for ANZAC Day will be celebrated on Friday 23April in the school playground. Times and further details will be sent via Compass in Week 1, Term 2.
Bullying, No Way Day
The St Francis students and school community joined a record 6276 schools across Australia for the 2021 National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA) last Friday 19 March. As a school, we are committed to the "Bullying, No Way!" message. Over the last 11 years, many schools have driven positive action on the National Day of Action, and all year round. We support our students to foster values of kindness and respect, which is integral to safe and supportive school environments.
The Big Vegie Crunch
Last Thursday, 18 March, our school joined an amazing 126,220 students registered across 514 schools. Of these, 44,296 students crunched together at 10 am and a further 12,687 students crunched over Vegetable Week. Although that was an awful lot of vegetable eating, it wasn’t enough to break the event’s previous records but we were very close! Thank you for your support and peas join us in 2022 and lettuce try again!
Thank you for all your support this term. Wishing you all a safe, happy and Holy Easter break.
A Call to Action! Primary Student WEN Day
On Friday 26 March, four Year 5 students, Max, Savannah, Phillip and Jessica attended the Caring for our Comm
With teachers and students from other schools, we listened to an inspirational speaker, recycled old T-Shirts and created bags without sewing, shared a video on the practices our school has initiated to help sustain the environment, and as a school group discussed new ideas for the future.
Max: I gained information about the environment and Pope Francis’ message about ‘Laudato Si’. We must be of service to the Lord and take care of our environment. I was also very proud to receive my badge and represent my school as a WEN member.
Jessica: The activities we engaged in were exciting and fun. We reused old T-Shirts and transformed them into bags. We met students from other schools and we were even interviewed by the ABC and photographed by the Illawarra Mercury. It was more than I had expected.
Phillip: It was cool because we listened to schools who created different projects to improve sustainability in their school environment. There were some great ideas that we hope to bring to our school. We also had the opportunity of presenting our school video on our school initiatives with composting, waste management, and our school garden.
Savannah: Everyone in the room was inspired by the exceptional guest speaker Jack B. He began fundraising from the age of ten starting the Fiver for a Farmer campaign. His motto ‘You’re never too young to make a difference, was the drive that helped this 14-year-old raise $1.8million. WOW!
At the end of the day, students participated in a Commissioning Ritual and were presented with their WEN Badges.
Congratulations to those students who received the Principal and Value Awards at our assembly on Friday 26 March.
| CLASS | Principal's Award | Value - Faith |
| Kindy Blue | Oliver. T | Nevaeh. G |
| Year 1 Gold | Azalea. O | Sara. H |
| Year 2 Blue | Melek. C | Abigail. R |
| Year 3 Gold | Yehia. S | Sienna. F |
| Year 4 Blue | Samuel. A | Hadassah. C |
| Year 4 Gold | Rocco. B | Brock. F |
| Year 5 Blue | Felicia. O | Lauren. C |
| Year 6 Gold | Michael. S | Sofia. F |
Arrrrr and Ahoy! Pirate Captains Grey & Mansbridge surprised their Stage 1 crew on Wednesday, turning them into pirates and taking them all aboard for a day of swashbuckling pirate adventures! Welcome aboard me hearties...
In History, this term Year 3 have been studying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture. The students made their own shelters with a little help from some willing parents. The results were outstanding and I am sure a lot of fun was had in the making.
| Tuesday | 27.04. 21 | Diocesan Cross Country - Nowra |
| Friday | 30.04.21 | Rugby League / League Tag Gala Day - Albion Park |
| Friday | 07.05. 21 | Paul Kelly Cup AFL - Fairy Meadow |
| Tuesday | 15.06.21 | Netball Gala Day - Berkeley |
| Friday | 18.06.21 |
Whole School Athletics Carnival - Shellharbour
|
AFL – Paul Kelly Cup - POSTPONED
A Senior Boys and Senior Girls team from Years 5 and 6 will compete in the Paul Kelly Cup at Thomas Dalton Park, Fairy Meadow on Friday 7 May. For selected students, detailed information is available on Compass in the events section. Mr Gilmore and Mrs Adams will accompany the students on the day.
Rugby League and League Tag - POSTPONED
This year we are entering a senior team of boys (Rugby League) and girls (Dragon Tag) to compete in these competitions. Teams from Years 5 and 6 will compete at Croome Road Sporting Complex on Friday 30 April. Staff will attend with the teams.
Mr Murphy
Parents are invited and very welcome to attend the P&F meetings, which are held during the term. Details of the meetings will be advertised via Compass or the school newsletter.
All parents are warmly invited to attend the next P&F Meeting scheduled for Thursday 6 May from 3.30 pm - 4.30 pm. We hope you can join us.
Thank you to our Sponsors
We appreciate the support and kind donations from the following businesses.
Air Climate Control - 1st Major Easter Raffle Prize 10kg Cadbury Chocolate
East Coasts Fire & Safety - donated large Easter Arts & Crafts hamper
Go Kids Play - 4 passes donated by Bajrami family
Country Grocer Warrawong - Harmony Day BBQ donations
Coles Warrawong - voucher for Harmony Day BBQ
Dear Parents,
The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) 2021 has begun. Here is some information that will help you and your family get reading. If you go to the following website you will see the rules, book lists and parent tips on the left-hand tabs: https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html
The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge commenced on the 1st March. Students are challenged to read a number of books by the 20 August, depending on their grade (see below) with most books from a reading list and some personal choice books.
Happy Reading!
TERM 2 CANTEEN
OPEN 3 Days
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
New Menu Available
Please see below the Canteen Roster for your information. We are always seeking parent helpers for the Canteen. It is as simple as 2 hours when you are available. Please complete and return the attached form or email your details to info@sfawdow.catholic.edu.au.
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who celebrate their birthdays in April:
Nicholas.G, Chanel.T, Isabella.A, Charlie.M, Yehia.S, Liz.K, Stefan.B, Marco.C, Ella.F, Hussain.H and Mrs Staffiero.
Kindergarten 2023 Enrolment Interviews will be
held next term. Please ensure you have submitted
your child's enrolment form if they are to commence
school in 2022.
The Catholic Education Office Wollongong manages the school fee accounts. Monthly fee statements are issued via email. Your school fee account can be viewed by logging into your Compass Parent Portal via the web browser, not App. Please do not hesitate to contact the School Office if we can be of any assistance.
IMPORTANT SCHOOL FEES NOTICE
WEEKLY BPAY PAYMENTS MUST HAVE COMMENCED
and a Fee Instalment Request form has been submitted.
Please ensure you have completed this form and that you have set up your payments of approximately $75.00 - $100.00 per week. The Bpay biller details are at the bottom of the fee statement sent in your email.
Casual or permanent after school care bookings are available. This service is available in the school hall.
CatholicCare OSHC - St Francis of Assisi is staffed by a dedicated team of education professionals who are university trained early childhood teachers or TAFE trained Diploma educators who support and respect the uniqueness and individuality of children and their families. Our goal is to ensure that educators support and facilitate children’s social skills and self-confidence.
Our educators collaborate with children to provide play and leisure opportunities that are meaningful to them and that support their wellbeing, learning and personal development. Children in school-age care settings are challenged to be curious about what is of interest to them while at the same time developing self-identity and social competencies (taken from MY TIME, OUR PLACE Framework for School Age Care in Australia).
The day to day operations of St Francis of Assisi OSHC is managed by a Coordinator and supported by CatholicCare OSHC Leadership Team.
Melissa Farrell
OOSH Coordinator
0447 623 580
warrawongoosh@catholiccare.dow.org.au
Our counsellors provide a professional service that is responsive to the needs of people from diverse background.
Parents and Caregivers may be interested in our Family & Relationship Education which offer a practical 'hands-on' approach to parenting, assisting parents and caregivers to feel more confident and secure about their own parenting skills. These workshops include specialist courses, such as parenting after separation, parenting toddlers, raising resilient kids, making blended families work, plus many more.
If you are interested in these workshops, please see our calendar which can tell you what courses are running near you this term.
Please call CatholicCare on (02) 4227 1122 for more information.
We thank you for your support in keeping our school community safe. If you have any concerns, please email the school:info@sfawdow.catholic.edu.au.
