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- From the Principal's Desk
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- Reconciliation Week 2021
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- Principal & Value Awards
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- P&F News
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A celebration to mark the bicentenary of Catholic Education in Australia was held on Monday, 24 May, with students from 45 Catholic schools across the Diocese of Wollongong—from the Macarthur, Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands—gathering as one community of faith.
St John Vianney Co-Cathedral in Fairy Meadow played host to Monday's Mass, with Bishop Brian Mascord presiding. Representatives from Catholic Church agencies, religious orders, former directors, and Catholic school principals and staff also gathered to celebrate the monumental occasion. This National Mass was being celebrated simultaneously across Australia on the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians.
Congratulations to Mr Gilmore for being selected to play the music at this Mass.
“We gather to remember and honour our beginnings, acknowledge with pride the journey, be grateful for today and look forward with faith, courage and hope to the future" — Jo Kenny, CEDoW Head of Service.
The Mass began with an entrance procession of schools in order of their foundation year, acknowledging the leadership, commitment and exceptional contribution made by both lay and religious educators to Catholic education in Australia over the past 200 years.
A special thank you to Grace and Nicholas for being wonderful ambassadors and representing our school.
"As we reflect on the important work of Catholic education, we
remember the intergenerational contributions that preceded us
and that we continue to build upon."
Peter Hill, Director of Schools
Mrs Vicky Davidson
Principal
How do we capture 60 years? Below are some photos from the past 60 years.
What a wonderful day of celebrations on Monday 24 May. We recognised the significant milestones of 200 years of Catholic Education and our school's 60 (+1) year anniversary. Even the weather couldn't dampen our spirits; with Mass, open classrooms, morning tea, BBQ lunch and games from the past, the students, staff and families had a very enjoyable day.
Thanks to everyone who made the day as special as it was. It was fantastic to see our parents and families back in our classrooms!
Thank you also to our staff and students for their preparation for and participation in the day.
Teacher, Parent & Students Conferences 7 June - 24 June
In conjunction with Semester One reports, we will be holding 3-way conferences with students, teachers and parents invited to discuss their learning so far.
These will take place in Weeks 8, 9 and 10 of this term. Bookings can be made through the Compass portal. If you are having issues creating a booking, please see your child's class teacher or Mr Murphy 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.
Celebration of Learning Assembly
Congratulations to our Year 2 students and their teachers on a wonderful "Celebration of Learning Assembly" on Friday. Thank you for sharing your learning with us.
Covid Update - Illnesses
Thank you to our families for continuing to be vigilant around unwell students. As we continue to live, work and learn with COVID-19, the precautions and testing are still in place. If your child is unwell with Covid like symptoms, we still require a negative Covid test before returning to school. This also applies to staff. We have had a number of students and staff who have recently been off due to colds; please continue to practise good hygiene.
- wash your hands often with soap and water. This includes before and after eating and after going to the toilet.
- use alcohol-based hand sanitisers when you can’t use soap and water.
- avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- clean and disinfect surfaces, such as benchtops, desks and doorknobs.
PB4L News
PB4L is the evidenced-based, organisational framework used across the Wollongong Diocese for behaviour support to enhance respectful relationships and engagement of students in their learning. It encompasses a broad range of systemic and individualised strategies and agreed practices for achieving important social and academic outcomes for all students. This week some of the teachers will meet to review the classroom procedures that we have in place to ensure they are relevant to our students’ needs.
Winter Uniform
Thank you for presenting your children so well in their winter uniform. Please ensure:
- Ties are worn,
- Winter shirts are tucked in for the boys.
Shoes
Students are reminded to check that they are wearing the correct black leather school shoes and predominately white school joggers for sport, thereby adhering to the School Uniform Policy. This also applies to school excursions. Thank you for your continued support.
NAPLAN Online Testing
This year’s NAPLAN Online tests for students in Years 3 and 5 have now been completed. We look forward to the results being returned to us later this year.
| Bronze Level Citizenship Award | This is given to students who have received 20 playground tokens (20 tokens for being responsible, respectful and safe in the playground) |
| Silver Level Citizenship Award |
as above, students receive 40 playground tokens |
| Gold Level Citizenship Award |
as above, students receive 60 playground tokens |
Mr Green
Assistant Principal
Confirmation
This week the students from our school who are making their Confirmation will attend commitment Masses. On the weekend, these students will receive their stoles and then wear these stoles each Sunday at Mass so that our parishioners can pray for them. The lessons begin the week commencing 31 May. The students and a parent will attend one lesson per week for 4 weeks. Bishop Brian will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday 20 July, at St Francis of Assisi Warrawong.
Mass for the Visitation Sisters
Next Monday 31 May, is the Feast of the Visitation, the patron of our Sisters. Years 3 and 4 will attend Mass at 9.00 am to celebrate this special feast. All are invited to join the Sisters for this Mass.
200 Years of Catholic Education, 60th Anniversary of the school and Mary Help of Christians- Patroness of Australia.
What a wonderful celebration we had to celebrate all these milestones. For the first time in a long time, all the primary classes attended Mass. It certainly was a beautiful celebration. The students sang and responded well. The readers, dancers, and offertory procession students added a special touch. Thank you to Fr Damien and all the parents, grandparents, and friends who joined us for this special occasion.
Mass for the Sacred Heart of Jesus
On Friday 11 June, Years 5 and 6 will be organising a Mass to celebrate the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This feast is special to our school as our founding sisters were Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus. Students from Years 3 - 6 will attend, and everyone is most welcome to join us for this parish Mass.
Mrs Madaschi
Religious Education Coordinator
| Tuesday | 15 June 2021 | Netball Gala Day - Berkeley |
| Friday | 18 June 2021 |
Whole School Athletics Carnival - Shellharbour
|
Athletics Carnival
The Whole School Athletics Carnival will be held on Friday 18 June at Myimbarr Oval, Shellharbour. In the next week, parents will receive information on the Compass Portal, and the online permission and nomination form will be required.
Parent helpers will also be required. Please complete the form below if you are able to assist.
A canteen will be available on the day, with pre-orders required. A separate Compass notification will be sent with details on ordering, as well as a paper copy of the order form. A coffee van will also be available at the venue from 8:30 am-11:30 am for parents and families to use if you wish.
I am so pleased to announce that we will be starting up our Mini Vinnies Team again.
I have met with the students in Years 3 and 4 who would like to join the Mini Vinnies team. This took place on Wednesday 19 May at lunchtime. I will meet with the Year 5 and 6 Mini Vinnies team at a later date in the term.
We will be holding our first Winter Appeal for St Vincent de Paul on Friday 28 May. Students have been asked to wear a beanie, scarf and or gloves for the day. We are hoping that students will then make a donation of a new item- socks, beanie, scarf or gloves. The items will be packed and distributed to Mrs Maher, our local Vinnies representative. The items will then be donated to those in need.
Students in Years 3-4 who have decided to become a Mini Vinnies member will receive their badges on Friday 28 May, at the assembly.
Mrs Mansbridge
Each year from 27 May to 3 June, National Reconciliation Week celebrates and builds on the respectful relationships shared by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. We will acknowledge this week on Friday 28th May at our awards assembly. Year 2 will prepare a short liturgy. We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures. The 2021 marks twenty years of Reconciliation Australia and almost three decades of Australia’s formal reconciliation process.
Excursion to Cockatoo Island
The excitement on the children’s faces began very early in the morning as we departed for our excursion to Cockatoo Island. The highlights were going through the tunnel near the airport and the ferry rides to and from Cockatoo Island. We were fortunate to have a Rivercat ferry on the way over and a big old yellow and green one on the way back. The students and staff were lucky enough to be able to sit on the top deck.
On our arrival to Cockatoo Island, the students had an opportunity to have something to eat and were divided into two groups. The first group was led by a guide who took us through all the convict buildings and explained what they were used for and how old they were. The second group walked around the island and looked at all the things to explore. Unfortunately, we had some rainy weather but this did not dampen their enthusiasm. The day went very quickly, it was a great excursion, maybe something you could consider doing as a family.
Thank you to Mrs Matos for all the organisation, and Mr Green and Mrs Adams for assisting us on the day.
Some thoughts from the students:
| 3G - Antonio was amazed at the sandstone silo site viewed from the bridge |
| 3G - Mois enjoyed the ferry and was excited being on Sydney Harbour |
| 3G - Seth liked the convicts' prison and learnt how hard their life was. |
| 3G - Ariel enjoyed the ferry and the dog-leg tunnel. |
| 3G - Mateo loved the ferry ride to Cockatoo Island. |
| 4B - Manuel I had an amazing day on Cockatoo Island. My favourite part was the cave that was used as grain silos. I was really curious how people used it in the olden days. I also enjoyed looking at the old prison. |
| 4B - Jasmin had a really exciting time. I was a little bit scared on the ferry it went so fast. On Cockatoo Island we went into the chapel. In the old days everyone had to go to church no matter what religion they were. We had to go through a really dark dog-leg tunnel. It was so much fun. |
| 4G - Thomas thought it was a great day with the bus trip and a ferry ride. I enjoyed exploring Cockatoo Island. |
| 4G - Tahlia liked going on the ferry. It was bumpy and fun. |
| 4G - Joshua liked the bridge on the island was fun to go across and seeing the silos. |
| 4G - Jaeda enjoyed walking through the dog-leg tunnel which used to be an air raid shelter. |
Mrs Madaschi
Congratulations to those students who received the Principal and Value Awards at our assembly on Friday 21 May.
Please join us for our next Celebration of Learning assembly hosted by Year 1 on Thursday 24 June at 2.15 pm (weather permitting).
| CLASS | Principal's Award | Value - Respect |
| Kindy Blue | Ella.F | Andrea. N |
| Year 1 Gold | Stefan.C | Levi. N |
| Year 2 Blue | Christian.G | Roman.C |
| Year 3 Gold | Olivia.M | Levi. B |
| Year 4 Blue | Claudia.M | Jasmin. H |
| Year 4 Gold | Jaeda.Y | Joshua.M |
| Year 5 Blue | Eva.G | Stefan. B |
| Year 6 Gold | Noah. L | Lamar. J |
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who celebrate their birthdays in May:
Roman, Olivia.B, Seth, Cam Ly, Eva, Fatima.A, Daniel.R, Noah, Christian.G, Batoul, Mrs Briscoe and Ms Maitland.
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.
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.
The next P&F meeting will be held on Thursday 5 August 2021 at 3.30 pm.
All welcome!
Casual or permanent after school care bookings are available. The fee is $25 for a permanent booking or $30 for a casual booking. It does not cost anything to enrol your child. You can enrol your child and if you are running late or have a meeting, call the service and book your child in for casual care.
This service is available in the school hall and operates from 3:00 pm until 6:30 pm Monday to Friday. We also provide afternoon tea daily.
If you are interested in booking after-school care, please feel free to contact Melissa Farrell, St Francis OOSH Coordinator, or book online via the link below.
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.
Feel free to contact us for more info.
Melissa Farrell
OOSH Coordinator
0447 623 580
warrawongoosh@catholiccare.dow.org.au
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.
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.
Thank you to those families who have submitted a Kindergarten Enrolment for 2022.
Kindergarten interviews commenced in Week 3. Places are filling fast!
Enrolments are still open and are 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.
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.
