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Dear Parents and Carers
Yesterday we celebrated Ash Wednesday, this is the first day of Lent which is an important season in the Church’s liturgical year.
Lent is a season of simole living. As the entire Church prepares for the great celebration of Christ's Paschal Mystery in the Easter Triduum. Catholics make special efforts to pray, abstaining or offering up something and helping others through service. We understand these acts to be Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving. The forty-day Lenten season is an opportunity to live simply and prepare for Easter.
As we continue to support, work and be with each other, let us remember that we are, in fact, praying with each other.
Loving God,
We thank you for the gift of our lives and for the life of every person,
both near to us and far away.
We thank you for the wonder of your creation.
Through fasting, almsgiving and prayer
may this Lent draw us deeper into the warmth and light of God’s love.
May we see the world more clearly,
Especially those who are often overlooked.
May we come closer to your heart, which you showed through the cross of Jesus.
May we be full of hope for future generations.
We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen
Thank you so much for your wonderful support as we ensure the safety of students and staff by continuing to adopt COVID Smart Measures. The ongoing support of parents and carers is most appreciated as we continue to navigate and support each other through this time.
Building Update
All families would have received the Compass notification advising the office has now moved back to the admin block. The office is no longer located in the hall. The interior work within the office space is almost complete. A few minor touch-ups will be completed in the next few days. As communicated in our first newsletter the building projection timelines have been delayed due to circumstances beyond our control. Over the past few weeks, the weather has impacted the completion of some tasks. Projected installation work still to be completed:
- repaint of the exterior fence
- extra exterior signage to be installed (school name)
- installation of new front gates at the entrance of the school
- exterior painting of the second storey above the admin block
- completion of concrete painting at the front of the admin block
- installation of the lift and replacement of the roof above the admin block.
Over the next few days, the students will have a chance to visit the new office space. It was lovely to hear the excitement in their voices when they noticed some of the signage being installed. We look forward to sharing this refurbished space with our parents and carers. Thank you for your ongoing patience and support.
Mrs Davidson
PRINCIPAL
We are now taking enrolments for Kindergarten 2023.
Spaces available in Years 1 to 6.
ENROL NOW FOR 2023
Applications 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. Interviews will be held next term.
Catholic Schools Week
Catholic Schools Week (28 February - 6 March 2022). This annual event acknowledges the outstanding contribution that Catholic schools continue to make to the education of young Australians. In celebrating, we aim to strengthen the relationships between all who are involved in our schools by giving thanks for the outstanding learning that takes place in our classrooms every day. Catholic schools are places of hope, inspired by the person of Jesus. While the present climate has dictated a change in how we would normally be celebrating Catholic Schools Week, as a school we are acknowledging CSW in class through prayer and during learning experiences. Thank you to our students, staff and families for all you do to support our community.
Teacher Professional Development and Leave
Like professionals in other fields, all teachers are required to keep up to date with current thinking on best practices and new developments in areas such as curriculum and technology. From time to time, teachers are required to attend professional development opportunities to learn about changes to the curriculum, new teaching and learning methods, and other ways of integrating technology. These sessions sometimes occur during the day, after school, or during school holidays.
At times staff may need to take long service leave, maternity leave, family leave, sick leave, bereavement leave, etc. As a result, there will be times when your child’s teacher is absent from the classroom. The teacher’s program and lesson day plans are taught on these days. Teachers will collaborate and communicate with the casual teacher so that teaching and learning continues and routines are maintained. At all times, student needs and school timetables are considered. We thank you for your support.
Challenging Maths
Next week, our teaching staff will continue their professional development course: Exploring the Potential of Using Challenging Mathematical Tasks. The structure of this professional learining provides teachers with a particular planning sequence that enhances the learning of the students. The sequence to be explored is:
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Identifying an idea central to the learning of mathematics
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Posing appropriately challenging tasks that are effectively differentiated
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Consolidating the learning through task variations
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Practice to fluency through games and related activities
The tasks will allow for the possibility of sustained thinking, decision making, and some risk-taking by the students and teachers.
PB4L News
Each fortnight the teachers revisit and explicitly teach behaviour expectations in a new location of the school. This decision is informed from classroom and playground data that is collated. Our current fortnightly focus has been how students can be safe, respectful and responsible when lining up and when using the toilets.
The expectations listed below will be shared and practised in each class. Staff on duty will be reinforcing these expectations by acknowledging children who are demonstrating safe, responsible, and respectful behaviours in the school
| Common Area | Be Safe | Be Respectful | Be Responsible |
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Toilets |
• Walk to and from the toilets • Wash hands after going to the toilet • Close the door when using the cubicles • Keep the water in the sink • Keep food, drink and other items out of the toilets |
• Knock if the door is closed |
• Inform staff if there is a problem in the toilets • One student per toilet • Flush toilet when finished • Use toilet paper and soap responsibly • Turn taps off after use • Leave toilet clean for other students. |
Schools Clean-Up Day
Since 1992, schools across Australia have made a real difference to their environment and local communities by participating in a Schools Clean Up.
Over 2,000 preschools and primary schools participated in the 2021 Schools Clean Up Day, and many more have signed up for an Everyday Clean Up this year. Our school will be participating in Schools Clean Up Day on Friday 4 March, in a COVID smart way. This is a fun and engaging way to teach students about the responsible disposal of rubbish, resource recovery and the repercussions of rubbish dumped irresponsibly in the local environment.
All students are asked to bring in a pair of gloves, as we clean up areas in our school. All students will be closely supervised as they participate in this important environmental event. If the rain continues tomorrow, our school clean up day will move to Friday 10 March.
National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence
We are proud to be registered for the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA). It is an important day where we will join other Australian school communities standing together against bullying and violence.
On Friday 18 March 2022 we will continue to help create positive change for students, staff and the school climate. Our school is taking action to empower its students to be part of the solution when addressing any form of bullying.
More information for families is provided on the link below: https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/support-and-advice/for-families
The theme for 2022 is Kindness Culture. By building Kindness Culture together, we can promote inclusion, respect and community belonging for all students in schools across Australia.
Assistant Principal
Opening School Liturgy & Commissioning of Yr 6 Leaders
Last Friday, we held our Opening School Liturgy and Commissioned our Year Six leaders. Due to wet weather, we had to have a last-minute change of venue which meant that unfortunately, only our Stage 3 students were able to attend. We thank Father Damien for joining us for this special liturgy and we continue to pray for our student leaders as they carry out their leadership positions in our school.
Lenten Practices - Almsgiving, Fasting and Prayer
The readings for Ash Wednesday make reference to the practices of almsgiving, fasting and prayer. The following infographics from CatholicLink provide an explanation of these three (3) practices, along with some practical ways we can incorporate them into our daily lives.
Ash Wednesday and Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion Appeal
Yesterday, our Church entered the season of Lent, which also marks the beginning of Caritas Australia’s annual Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.
As highlighted in our last newsletter, the theme for Project Compassion’s 2022 campaign is ‘For All Future Generations’. This theme reminds us that the good we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues.
Yesterday, Years 4-6 attended the parish Mass to commemorate Ash Wednesday and Years K-3 celebrated a liturgy in their classrooms. Project Compassion boxes were delivered to all of the classrooms for their prayer spaces. These boxes serve as both a reminder for us to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world and the work of Caritas and to encourage us to think about what money we can go without in order to support this life-changing work.
Project Compassion Feature Stories
First Week of Lent - Anatercia from Mozambique
We begin our annual Lenten Project Compassion journey by learning about Anatercia, a 12-year-old girl living in a small village in southern Mozambique. She began to take on more and more adult responsibilities as her mother has chronic health issues. She did most of the household chores and had to travel up to five hours every day to collect clean water. Water scarcity also meant that harvests were poor and there was never enough to eat.
With your support, Caritas Australia’s local partner, Caritas Regional Chokwe, was able to help Anatercia’s family to irrigate their farm to improve their food security. They also improved water access for households in the village, delivered sustainable farming training, and provided Anatercia with essential school supplies.
Anatercia’s health, education and quality of life have improved, along with the outlook of her whole community for all future generations.
To watch a short film about Anatercia’s story click here.
Please support Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au
Prayers for Ukraine
Since our last newsletter, we have seen reports of the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine.
Speaking at the end of a General Audience last week, Pope Francis invited everyone to make 2 March, Ash Wednesday, a Day of Fasting for Peace. He said, "I encourage believers in a special way to dedicate themselves intensely to prayer and fasting on that day. May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war”.
St Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Image: Monument to St Volodymyr overlooking the Dnipro river in Kyiv, Ukraine
Gracious God,
we pray for the people of Ukraine suffering from war.
May they be held in your loving care and protection
and given the strength to endure their suffering and hardship.
Transform the hearts and minds of those who perpetuate
the violence and oppression.
Grant wisdom to world leaders in advancing efforts toward peace;
may they not be compromised by self-interest and blind indifference.
We ask all this through the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
and in the name of your Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
Harmony Day
Harmony Day is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values. Held every year on 21 March. The Day coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Details for this day will be communicated in the coming weeks.
Congratulations to those students who received the Principal and Value Awards at our assembly on Friday 25 February, in recognition of their application to learning and for continuing to show respect in all areas of the school.
| CLASS | Principal's Award | Value - Respect |
| Kindy Blue | Luka | Serena |
| Year 1 Gold | Jalal | Harrison |
| Year 2 Blue | Zeinab | Ruby |
| Year 3 Gold | Claudia | Aleksander |
| Year 4 Blue | Mois | Linda |
| Year 4 Gold | Monique | Abbas |
| Year 5 Blue | Mia | Jaeda |
| Year 6 Gold | Razan | Hope |
School Swimming Carnival - Competitors Only
Congratulations to all students who participated in our carnival. We will present ribbons and medallions tomorrow at our assembly.
Unfortunately, the South Coast Carnival has now been cancelled. Due to the cancellation, a selection trial will be held and selected swimmers will be advised. Congratulations to those swimmers that were selcted for the South Coast Carnival: Eva G (Captain), Thomas W, Felicia O, Makedde A, Mia D, Samuel A, Levi B, Angelina D.
Diocesan Sporting Trials ~ Postponed
Diocesan Sporting Trials which were scheduled to be held this Friday 4 March, are now to be held on Wedensday 9 March. The same venues, times and guidelines apply. A number of Year 6 students will be attending Diocesan Sporting Trials. These are trials for individual students in the Wollongong Diocese to select a Wollongong Team to compete at the next level.
Best wishes and good luck to:
Sienna M, Chanel T, Eva G (Yr 6) - Netball
Tevita T (Yr 6) - Rugby League
Julian G (Yr 6) - Football (Soccer)
School Cross Country
Due to the current weather we have made the decision to postpone the School Cross Country.
NEW DATE: 24 March 2022
We are looking forward to our first whole school sporting event for 2022, our Cross Country carnival, 24 March at Integral Energy Park, Kembla Grange. All details are now available through the Parent Portal on Compass.
We do require volunteers - Please fill in the information on the Compass note or contact Mr Murphy if you can help.
Please see attached:
- Lunch Order Form - due by Monday 21 March
- Schedule of events
- Behaviour expectation matrix
Sporting Schools - Basketball
We have been fortunate to secure a Sporting Schools grant for Term 1 this year. Students in Year 1-6 will have the opportunity to participate in skills and games program this term. These will be run by accredited coaches from Basketball Illawarra.
Year 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5G will have 4 sessions over 4 Fridays, starting next Friday 11 March. Year 5B and Year 6 will have 4 sessions on Wednesdays, starting next Wednesday 9 March.
These events will be run in accordance with current NSW Health Covid-19 Public Health Orders, and St Francis of Assisi and CEDoW policies.
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
- year of schooling
- category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
- level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
- formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
- consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
- develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities.
If you would like further information on the NCCD please click on the link below or please feel free to contact Mr Murphy our Diverse Learning Teacher or a member of the School Leadership Team.
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School Captain My name is: Lara Favourite Subject: English/Science Favourite Film: Big Fat Liar Favourite Song: The Way You Are by Bruno Mars Leadership aspirations for 2022: To make students and staff feel like they belong in our school community. One thing you might not know about me: I know half of the periodic table and am learning the rest.
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My name is: Joseph Favourite Subject: Maths Favourite Film: Avengers End Game Favourite Song: Someone to you by Banners Leadership aspirations for 2022: To inspire all students at St Francis to reach their full potential. One thing you might not know about me: I like tennis. |
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School Vice-Captain My name is: Sekne Favourite Subject: Mathematics Favourite Film: 101 Dalmations Favourite Song: Unstoppable by The Score Leadership aspirations for 2022: To create a safe and respectful environment for all students. One thing you might not know about me: I can play piano.
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School Vice-Captain My name is: Dominic Favourite Subject: Writing Favourite Film: Little Shop of Horrors Favourite Song: The Mystic by Adam Jensen Leadership aspirations for 2022: I would like to make our school a more exciting and safe place for the students. One thing you might not know about me: My dream is to be an author. |
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Regular school attendance is essential for all children to achieve their educational best. When your child attends school every day, learning becomes easier and your child will build and maintain positive friendships. To ensure students do not miss out on essential learning activities it is important that all children arrive at school prior to the first bell at 8.40 am. Arriving at school prior to the bell helps students learn the importance of punctuality and routine and gives children an opportunity to greet their friends before class. It is essential that if your child is absent from school an explanation for the absence is provided to the school within 7 days. If your child is absent from school for three consecutive days, your child’s class teacher or a member of the school leadership team will contact you to discuss the absence. Education is a sequential process and absences often mean students miss important stages in the development of topics, causing them to find ‘catching up' difficult. Appointments should be scheduled outside of school hours where possible. Below are some very interesting figures regarding the impact of days and minutes lost on learning.
2022 School Photo Day
School photo day will be held this term, on Thursday 31 March ~ Week 10. Students are to wear their full summer school uniform (no sports uniform). Please note, hair must be neat and tidy and the girl's hair tied back. Order information below to order online including family photos.
ORDER SCHOOL PHOTOS ONLINE
Visit: - www.advancedlife.com.au
Enter online order code
CZF PZ6 2FX
IMPORTANT FORMS
Students in Year 1 to Year 6 received the following two (2) annual forms last week to take home to their parents. Thank you for the wonderful response. Please note these forms are required to be signed and returned by Monday 21 February.
1. Consent form for use of student's image
As you are aware, we are very much living in a digital world including email communications, online parent portal, online excursion forms, online absences, school newsletters, website, school Facebook, etc... While we do not add the child's full name, we do like to celebrate photos of students' work, school events, achievements, and learning. This Consent form, therefore, is required to include students in these communication channels.
2. Student Responsible Use of Technology
The effective use of technology relies on the responsible conduct of the users who must be responsible and follow the guidelines. Please discuss this Agreement with your child/ren so that they understand their responsibility. Forms are to be signed and returned to the class teacher to enable your child/ren to continue to use technology at school.
In Year 3G, we are learning about Forces in our Science and Technology unit of work. We have been looking at push and pull forces and how they affect the direction and speed at which an object moves. Year 3 became balloon rocket engineers and experimented with different amounts of air in the balloon to placement above and below the straw on the line to see how this impacted on how far and fast the balloon would travel along the line. There were some major differences discovered. Learning was lots of fun too!
21 days in the Year 6 classroom…
Welcome to our first newsletter article for 2022. We hope that these class updates will give you an insight into the learning experiences within the classroom and leadership roles undertaken by our student leaders. The return to school was filled with excitement, and we definitely hit the ground running.
Writing
We’ve started the year looking at Narrative texts, which links well with our power writing on a Friday. Power writing is a short, highly focused writing activity that has a visual stimulus to support the writing. Some excerpts of student writing so far:
“…Questions were invading my head. Should I walk any closer? Will this be the end?
I decided to dip my feet into the water. The water felt as if it were about to boil, like my feet were being dragged down into another dimension…” Dominic
“…I felt the vibration going through the mountains, and where I was sitting. Fire and lava splashing through the sky, something I had never felt before was about to happen, was I going to make it?...” Jessica
“…Silence, until light after light they switched off, the darkness coming towards me with a gust of wind spreading around the building picking up all the dust around it…” Sekne
“…It was an evening like no other, animals came to rest, the trees started to sleep…” Savannah
Visual Arts
The highlight of our art thus far in Term 1 has been an abstract self-portrait. The task asked of students was to show their ‘outer-self’ on the left side of the face, the right side being the ‘inner-self’…hobbies, emotions, thoughts and feelings. Last week we looked at the optical illusion that is created through the use of various types of line. Some examples of student work are shown below.
Science and Technology
In Science and Technology, we have been looking at and researching the solar system. One of the biggest learning points has been coming to realise how amazingly huge our universe is, and how Earth is just a small piece of a gigantic puzzle. This week students will complete their first at-home task which looked at how the Earth was formed.
Safer Internet Day 2022
As part of Safer Internet Day, Year 6 participated in a webinar run by the eSafety Commissioner called ‘Be an eSafe Kid: Your voice counts’. Our students participated in a live stream event with over 100 other schools Australia wide, and had the opportunity to interact with the presenter via the online platform. The webinar gave us the opportunity to consider how we can make good choices online.
Year 6 Badge Presentation and Commissioning Liturgy
Last week, students finally had their opportunity to be acknowledged in their various leadership roles. We also had the opportunity to share this with some Year 6 parents and Year 5 students. Thank you to Fr Damien for your ever-insiprational presence, and for Ms Maloney for organising the liturgy. See photos below.
We look forward to sharing our learning with you.
Mr Gilmore
Year 6 Class Teacher
Dear Parents/Carers
Please be advised the morning and afternoon drop-off/pick-up zones are a 'No Parking' area. Therefore; you can stop for less than 2 minutes, if you stay within 3 meters of your vehicle, if you are dropping off or picking up passengers.
If you need to help your child put on their seat belt:
1) leave pick-up to a later time when parking is available, or
2) find alternative parking and collect students from front gate.
Also, please be mindful when parking or stopping to not block resident driveways as they may want to enter or exit their premises.
Thanking you for your support.
Staff and Student Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthdays in March:
Claudia.M, Sara.H, Youssef.E, Jaad.H, Lucas.P, Luka.B, Emilio. M, Rahwa.B, Linda.S, Jasmin.H, Youssef.H, Lucas.O, Jalal.Y, Lara.D, Alira.S, Mason.W, Aaliyah.S, Amelia.S and Mrs Burrows.
Canteen Lunch Orders only Term 1
Wednesdays & Fridays
Parent Helpers are Needed
For this service to the children to be successful, we need help from parents. If you can help in any way, please return the Volunteer form below or email the school with your contact details and availability - info@sfawdow.catholic.edu.au.
* Weekly BPay Payments are Required ~ please set up your payments *
Schools fees for 2022 have now been invoiced and statements will be issued by the end of Week 2 with annual or first installment payment due on 28 February 2022. You may view school fees in the Compass Parent Portal. Please find below information from the Catholic Education Office regarding the management of school fee accounts.
