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- Principal Message
- From the Principal Desk
- Announcement regarding Mrs Madaschi
- Assistant Principal
- Religious Education & Parish News
- Update Contact Details
- School Fees
- Year 2 Art
- Year 3 Poetry
- Year 4 Visual Arts
- Year 5 Learning
- R U OK? Day
- Summer Uniform
- School Photo Day
- Building Update
- Book Club
- Helpful Learning Tips @ Home
- Community Notices
Dear Parents and Carers,
I am indebted to our staff, who have been working tirelessly planning and organising all of the work for the students and providing feedback and support every day. They have continued to collaborate professionally, providing the best possible learning for the students. Finally, on behalf of the St Francis of Assisi staff, thank you to the students for your engagement and the way you have approached your learning this term.
I'm hopeful that the holidays will provide a much needed break from the demands of remote learning and that all our families can find quality time to spend together. Please stay safe and well until we meet again (remotely) in Term 4.
Take care, keep safe.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
Principal
School Roadmap Back to School
The NSW Premier has revealed the state’s return to school roadmap, which outlines when students will be able to safely return to school for face-to-face learning in a COVID-safe way.
The most important details of the roadmap are:
- All schools in NSW will follow the same roadmap.
- The return to face-to-face learning will be staggered, with different years returning at different times from 25 October 2021 (see timeline below). The start of the staggered return to face-to-face learning depends upon at least 70% of the state’s eligible adult population being fully vaccinated.
- If stay-at-home orders are lifted in an LGA or region before 25 October 2021, all students living or learning in that area will return to face-to-face learning at that time with a level of COVID-safe restrictions in place.
|
Present |
All schools in NSW at Level 4 restrictions (remote learning). |
|
5 October 2021 |
All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will continue remote learning at home. |
|
25 October 2021 |
Kindergarten and Year 1 will return to face-to-face learning with Level 3 COVID restrictions on school sites. |
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1 November 2021 |
Years 2, 6 and 11 will return to face-to-face learning with Level 3 COVID restrictions on school sites. |
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8 November 2021 |
Years 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 will return to face-to-face learning with Level 3 COVID restrictions on school sites. |
NAPLAN assesses aspects of literacy, including reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation, writing, and numeracy.
NAPLAN tests are designed to provide you, your child and their teachers with information about how your child’s learning is progressing and if they need support to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
NAPLAN results provide information to teachers and parents on what students know and can do. NAPLAN is a point in time diagnostic test. Teachers are best placed to provide insight into students’ educational progress.
The students NAPLAN results were mailed to all parents on Tuesday 14 September.
For information to assist in understanding your child’s test results visit http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/naplan
Dear Parent and Carers
On behalf of Fr Father Damien and the staff, I would like to let you know that Mrs Mandy Madaschi will be retiring from her leadership position at the conclusion of this school year.
Mandy has worked for Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong since 1980. Mandy began her teaching career at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Warrawong, where she has been teaching and leading for the past 42 years. Mandy held various leadership roles from 1986 and obtained the leadership position of Religious Education Coordinator at St Francis of Assisi in 2006. She has been an integral leader at the school and has taught many generations of students.
Mandy is a faith-filled educator, committed to Catholic Education and is an active member of St Francis of Assisi Parish, where she has contributed significantly over the years. The school community will come together later in the year to celebrate Mandy’s accomplishments.
We take this opportunity to sincerely thank Mandy for her contribution to our school. She will be a great loss to our community as a classroom teacher and school leader. I know that you will join me in congratulating Mandy and wishing her every success in the journey ahead.
The recruitment process for the substantive Religious Education Coordinator position has been advertised.
Mrs Davidson
Principal
Growth Mindset in Math
In general, a growth mindset is a belief that intelligence and ‘smartness’ can also be learned and that the brain grows from experience and effort. The opposite, a fixed mindset, is the idea that you are smart, or you are not. In math, that translates into “some people are good at math, and some are not.” Did you know that praising efforts rather than intelligence or results can impact your child’s ability to persevere in challenges?! The goal is to have children thrive on challenges and see failures, not as a sign of low intelligence, but as a learning opportunity. Brain research tells us that making mistakes actually wires more connections into the brain! When a person has a growth mindset, they accept challenges, see their efforts as worthwhile, and are open to learning from mistakes. Students with a growth mindset achieve at higher levels than those with fixed mindsets. How can you help? Some simple ways:
- Adding “yet” when they claim they are “not good at this” (Respond: “You are not good at this yet”).
- Ask questions that focus on their effort and choices and get them to reflect on
the satisfaction of that effort (e.g. What did you learn today? What mistake did you make that taught you something? What did you try hard at today?). - Model this yourself as you share about your day.
Congratulations on the Term
I have been very pleased with the wonderful learning of our students and their creativity, adaptability and resilience over this term. Congratulations on all of your hard work. I thank the school community for the positive feedback about the learning activities, online platforms and Zoom meetings. I look forward to seeing everyone when they return to school mid-Term 4
Mr Green
Assistant Principal
Feast of St Francis of Assisi
This year the feast of St Francis of Assisi falls on Monday 4 October, which is a public holiday and the day before we return to school (remotely) for Term 4. We will be celebrating our Feast day virtually this year due to the current restrictions. Please see your Compass notifications and email for further information.
Safeguarding Sunday
Last weekend, the Catholic Church in Australia marked Safeguarding Sunday, on which we pray for those who have been abused, their families and supporters. We recognise and apologise for the harm done by priests, religious and laypeople in Church settings. We recommit to practices that support survivors and make the Catholic Church and its ministries the safest possible place for children and people at risk. Please see below the Safeguarding Prayer for this week.
Refugee Sunday
Migrant and Refugee Sunday is celebrated in Australia on the last Sunday in September. We will pray for all refugees on Sunday 26 September. This brings the practice of the Church in Australia into line with the practice of the Church around the world.
“Towards an ever wider WE”: A we as wide as humanity.
Prayer
Holy, beloved Father,
your Son Jesus taught us
that there is great rejoicing in heaven
whenever someone lost is found,
whenever someone excluded, rejected or discarded
is gathered into our “we”,
which thus becomes ever wider.
We ask you to grant the followers of Jesus,
and all people of good will,
the grace to do your will on earth.
Bless each act of welcome and outreach
that draws those in exile
into the “we” of community and of the Church,
so that our earth may truly become
what you yourself created it to be:
the common home of all our brothers and sisters. Amen.
Rome, Saint John Lateran, 3 May 2021
Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostle
Diocese of Wollongong - Sacraments Survey
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.
Mrs Madaschi
Religious Education Coordinator
Attention Parents and Carers
Please check your Compass Parent Portal that your contact details are up to date ie email and mobile phone number. If you have moved this year, please email the school with your new address info@sfawdow.catholic.edu.au
Click on the cogwheel in the top right corner and go down to Update my details in your parent Compass Portal website.
Please check your account to see that your payments are being made. All school fee accounts are due by 30 November.
We advise the Catholic Education Office is currently in the process of crediting school fee accounts for activities the students have not been able to participate in due to COVID. The credits applicable will be shown on your account next term in the Compass Parent Portal. Please do not hesitate to contact the School Office if you have any questions.
Support for Families
We are conscious of the significant financial impact many of our families may be experiencing as a result of the continuing COVID-19 restrictions. Please find below detailed information regarding support for families through COVID-19 restrictions and school fee payments. As always, please do not hesitate to contact the school about any matters you wish to discuss, especially those related to financial hardship.
The students in 2 Blue have been very busy during remote learning working on their creative skills. They have learned some interesting facts about the famous French artist Claude Monet. Did you know...
- Claude Monet was born in Paris, France on November 14, 1840.
- When Monet was young he liked to draw funny cartoon pictures.
- Claude Monet was the first person to paint outdoors.
- His mum died when he was sixteen.
- Monet lived happily but in 1861 Claude Monet had to go to the French army.
- When he was in the army he got sick and got sent home.
- He died on December 5, 1926. He was 86 years old.
Here are some of our interpretations of his artwork 'Water lilies'.
Mrs Zaffonato and Mrs Mansbridge
Year 3 has been learning about Poetry and writing poems. Here are some examples of our Colour Poems. Well done!
Mrs Madaschi
In Term 3, Year 4 has been enthusiastically engaged in Visual Arts. We have followed the Olympics creating medals, Olympic torches, alfoil sculptures, and designed posters to support our athletes. During Book Week, we drew our characters from the text “The Anemone is not the Enemy”. For our artist study, we focussed on Vincent Van Gogh, creating portraits, sunflowers, and his famous piece - Starry Starry Night. This is a showcase of the artistic work that Year 4 has been producing this term. Well done everyone on what you have achieved and the talent you are displaying. Mrs Briscoe and Mrs Matos are very proud of your creative work.
Mrs Briscoe and Mrs Matos
Year 5 have been working hard during remote learning and we are very proud of their efforts to continue their faith and learning in these challenging times.
We have been enjoying the challenges and fun activities on Wellbeing Wednesday, as well as many other challenges set by the teachers. Class zooms are always fun, and an important way of maintaining connections with our classmates.
In English, we have been learning about reliable sources in the media, fake news, gaming addiction and safe use of digital technology.
Types of angles and decimals have been our content areas for Maths. We have drawn and measured angles, using a protractor, while also looking at the place value of decimals.
In Health, we have explored the effects of smoking and alcohol on our bodies. This will help us to decide if it is a good idea to drink alcohol or smoke when we get older.
In Science, we have been looking at the different forms of light and shadows.
The discovery of gold and the Eureka Stockade continue to be our focus in History, where the students have been exploring the effects of these events on Australian society.
In Creative Arts, there have been some wonderful drama performances and costumes, as well as the creation of some excellent artworks based on the Christmas Art story and Father’s Day.
What we think:
“I love the morning videos that the teachers send to us, they mean a lot” - Joseph
“I love Thursday when we have the time to enjoy doing, and being creative in, art!” - Sekne
“I like that we have zoom meetings every week to know how everybody is going.” - Dominic
“The reason why I love school is because our school may be small but we do have big hearts” - Celina
R U OK? Day (Thursday 9 September 2021) is our national day of action dedicated to reminding everyone that every day is the day to ask, “Are you OK?” and support those struggling with life's ups and downs. R U OK? seeks to create a world where we’re all connected. We’re never too young to look out for one another and meaningfully connect. Children cannot be expected to fix someone’s problems, nor know the best way to help and support. However they can be encouraged to listen to what their friend is saying, let them know they care and tell a teacher, school counsellor or trusted adult if they are worried about their friend.By promoting an environment of positive peer support and accessing support channels via parents and adults, children can learn that asking, ‘Are you OK?’ is a key life skill.
St Francis of Assisi celebrated R U OK day to coincide with our Wellbeing Wednesday activities. Thanks to everyone who dressed in yellow, participated in some wellbeing activities or wrote down different ways we can check in with the people around us and make sure they are OK.
Please see the link to our Facebook page for all the photos of how we celebrated R U OK? Day
CEDoW R U OK? Day Flash Dance
Students, staff and families have connected virtually across CEDoW to create a joyful and vibrant Flash Dance with the intention of creating a virtual connection, a sense of belonging, and a spark of fun!
St Francis of Assisi R U OK? Day Flash Dance
Thank you to Tim Hart for allowing us to use his amazing song 'Walk Each Other Home' ©2020. Thank you also to all of our staff and students who joined in the fun!
We truly hope you remember the message of the day - to check in with those around you and make sure they are OK.
When do the students wear their Summer Uniform?
When students begin their return to school from 25 October, under Covid directives, they can return in their summer school uniform.
With the holidays here this is a wonderful opportunity to renew labels on all pieces of your child’s uniform. Please ensure all uniform pieces are clearly labeled with your child’s name using a permanent marker. Students should know where their name is marked for easy checking. Please encourage your child to place all items straight into their bag rather than leaving them on the playground or in the classroom.
School Uniforms are available for purchase online via Lowes online, link below. Please order with enough time for the current delivery delays.
Due to the current lockdown, the School photo day has again been rescheduled and is booked to be held on Thursday 9 December Term 4 Week 10. Students will wear summer school uniforms (no sports uniforms). Orders will be available to place online next term. This information will be provided closer to the date.
The building project is coming along very nicely and we are looking forward to seeing more updates next term. The builders will continue onsite during the school holidays.
Book Club catalogues are available to view and order online. Please see the attached brochure below to view Issue 6. Orders can be placed online via LOOP. Click on the link below and select home delivery when ordering for this issue.
Unfortunately, our annual Book Fair will not be scheduled this year, due to the ever-changing circumstances. So Book Club will be the perfect way to purchase some books and help support our school.
The Connecting Neighbours Grants are now open click here for more information
We know that connecting with people is difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we're looking for projects that help people connect with their neighbours safely.
We’re looking for ideas which will bring people together and help neighbours get to know each other. We are open to projects that could be online, creative ways of connecting without meeting up, or face-to-face projects for a time in the future.
Individuals and Community Groups are invited to apply.
A neighbourhood could include a street, a few houses, a group, or a place where you socialise.
https://wollongong.nsw.gov.au/book-and-apply/apply-for-a-grant/connecting-neighbours-grants
Applications Close Monday 27th September 2021
Green Connect Care packages to
Illawarra Families in Need
