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- Kindergarten jump into learning in Term 3!
- Year 4 Learning
- Year 2 - Fairy Bread Fractions
- School Counsellor
- P&F News
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- Birthdays to Celebrate
- Before & After School Care ~ Available
- Enrolling in 2023
- Student Leave Applications
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- CatholicCare Courses
- Community News
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to Term 3. I hope the mid-year break enabled all families the time to relax and prepare for the second half of the school year. The students have enjoyed a tremendous first week meeting up with their friends and teachers, sharing their holiday news and establishing their learning routines for the term ahead. Congratulations to our students who celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation last Wednesday night and to our Year 5 and 6 students and staff for a wonderful overnight excursion to Canberra at the end of last week.
This term, our school calendar is filled with many exciting learning opportunities for the students. Please keep an eye on Compass, the Parent Calendar and other communication platforms for information on these events.
On Tuesday, we celebrated Grandparents’ Day on the Feast of Sts Joachim and Anne. This is one of my favourite days in the school year. It is amazing to realise how important these days can be for everyone. There were many excited children on Tuesday waiting to show off their work and school to their grandparents.
Grandparents are often strong witnesses to the faith and are key in passing on the faith to their grandchildren. The relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild is unique.
A grandparent is always able to see past the cheeky behaviour to the inner beauty within. Grandchildren are always able to see the inner beauty of their grandparents and freely let them know how much they love them.
Grandparents' Day is a chance for the students and the community to thank grandparents for their love and support. We recognise the significant contribution that grandparents make to their families and communities. We are forever grateful for everything you do to support the families of St Francis of Assisi.
Grandparents are a family’s greatest treasure,
The founders of a loving legacy, the greatest storytellers,
The keepers of traditions that linger on in cherished memory.
Grandparents are the family’s strong foundation.
Their very special love sets them apart.
Through happiness and sorrow,
through their special love and caring,
Grandparents keep a family close at heart.
Please see the link in the Facebook tab for photos from our Grandparents' day.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
You can help! We can help!
The Parents and Friends Association (P&F)
The P&F supports the school staff in their mission to educate our students. They demonstrate this support by raising funds to spend on school resourcing and facilities, providing a forum for the school to communicate to the parent body, giving parents the opportunity to be kept informed on educational issues and coordinating parental involvement in the school.
The P&F is run by parent volunteers and seeks to engage the school community through its activities. How Can You Help? The P&F’s success is built on the commitment and efforts of parental involvement. You can be part of that effort in many ways, including:
- Joining the committee
- Participating in regular P&F meetings
- Volunteering for P&F events
- Contacting the P&F to see if you can help in any way.
As you are aware, the P&F has been managing the canteen. With the support of parent volunteers, we were able to provide this service for the students and families. Due to work, travel and family commitments, we were unable to fill our canteen rosters for Term 3. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our P&F committee and wonderful parent volunteers for all the work they put into running the canteen during this time. Our P&F look forward to continuing to support our school community, and we look forward to catching up with our volunteers at the next P&F event.
Thank you for all you do for our school community!
Your time and support has been greatly appreciated.
On Monday, we welcomed Ben and Peggy, who have kindly offered to come on board as our new Canteen Managers. We look forward to working with you!
End of Year Dates
Students will finish the school year on Friday 16 December. Staff will engage in professional learning on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 December.
This term sees the return of our Celebration of Learning Class Assemblies. These assemblies provide an opportunity for different classes to lead the Friday Afternoon Assembly while also sharing some of the things which they have been learning about in class. The first Celebration of Learning Class Assembly will be led by 5 Blue. All parents all welcome to join us.
WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY - WEEK 3
Celebration of Learning Assembly - Year 5B
Thursday 4 August 2022
(Please note the change in date for
assembly this week)
Resilience
If you search the internet for ‘resilience’, you will find many definitions and explanations as to what it is. When we talk about resilience in children at its most elementary level, we are essentially talking about the way in which they handle ‘day-to-day’ living. At a deeper level, it involves how they respond to life’s challenges, how they cope with difficulties, and how they ‘bounce back. Such challenges might be ongoing or a once-off. As adults, we all cope in different ways, drawing on our inner strengths and life experiences to assist us in coping when things don’t go to plan. Children are no different, but of course, they don’t have the same depth of life experience to draw on.
There are many and varied ways in which to build resilience in children. Some of the most common ways include:
- listening carefully to others
- encouraging positive and respectful relationships with peers
- establishing and maintaining routines
- teaching and encouraging self-care
- setting achievable goals
- encouraging independence
- reflecting on events and issues
- assisting in managing emotions
- building confidence through praise
- explaining that change is inevitable at home, school, and the workplace
Two excellent websites that outline how to develop resilience in children are Kidshelpline and Beyondblue where families can find a range of resources to assist them.
Maths - Why Math Word Problems are Important?
Math Word Problems are regarded as a vital part of the Australian Mathematics curriculum as it enhances the student’s mental skill, develops logical analysis, and boosts creative thinking. Problem-solving is one of the basic skills that students must take along with them throughout their lives and use long after they have left school. Problem-solving involves a range of processes, including analyzing, interpreting, reasoning, predicting, evaluating, and reflecting. Below is a mathematics word problem that your child can complete. Please feel free to change the numbers on the target below.
Lucy Likes Darts
Lucy throws darts at this target. She never misses the target. Her darts always score 1, 3, 5, and 7.
She throws 2 darts. She adds the 2 numbers together. Her score is 8.
- What could her numbers have been? Is there another way she could have scored?
- After her third throw, her total score was 13. Where did her third dart hit?
- Lucy throws a fourth dart. Explain why her total score is now even.
- Lucy threw 17 darts for a total of 80. Explain why she must have made a mistake in her adding up.
We extend our congratulations to the children from our school and parish who gathered at St Francis of Assisi church last week to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. We pray that they will use the gifts they have received from the Holy Spirit to make a positive difference in the lives of those around them.
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Special thanks to Bishop Brian who administered the sacrament, and to Fr Damien for celebrating with us
Reconciliation Program for 2022
Please keep in your prayers the children in our school and parish who are preparing
to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. On Tuesday night, the students who indicated earlier in the year that they wanted to complete the Sacrament of Reconciliation program attended the information night regarding this program. This weekend, they will attend a Commitment Mass in preparation for their lessons which begin next week.
- Commitment Mass at St Mary of the Rosary, Berkeley:
- Saturday 30th July @ 4pm
- Commitment Masses at St Francis of Assisi, Warrawong:
- Sunday 31st July @ 8:30am or 10am
Morning Prayer - The Act of Contrition
For the month of August - to coincide with the children preparing for Reconciliation - we are going to be praying the Act of Contrition for morning prayer
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O my God, I am very sorry |
Year Six Mass with Bishop Brian
Each year, Bishop Brian invites Year Six students from the various schools in our diocese to join him for a special celebration of the Eucharist. Next Wednesday, 3 August, our Year Six students will join with Year Six students from St Columbkille’s (Corrimal), St Joseph’s (Bulli), St Michael’s (Thirroul), Holy Cross (Helensburgh) and St Patrick’s (Port Kembla) for Mass at St Joseph’s, Bulli. We trust this will be a spiritually enriching experience for all involved.
Upcoming Feast - Solemnity of Mary of the Cross MacKillop
PARISH CHURCH OFFICE - Relocated
The Parish Church Office has relocated to Berkeley. The front office door is located at the rear of St Mary of the Rosary Church on the main car park side at 211 Northcliffe Drive, Berkeley. The phone number has not changed and is 4276 3565. The new email address is berkeleywarrawong@dow.org.auand new office hours are Tuesday to Friday 10.00 am to 1.30 pm.
Ms Marita Maloney
Religious Education Coordinator
Term 3 Sporting Events
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Week 4-8 | Sporting Schools - Touch Football | Year 2-6 | School |
| 02.08.2022 | Sam Bremner Gala Day - Girls Rugby League | Selected Year 5-6 girls | Croome Road Sporting Complex |
| 05.08.2022 | AFL South Coast Finals Day | Selected Year 5-6 Girls | Ulladulla Sporting Complex |
| 09.08.2022 | South Coast Athletics Carnival | Selected students Year 2-6 | Beaton Park |
| 09.08.2022 | NSW Touch Football Carnival | Selected students Year 3-6 | Thomas Dalton Park |
| 08.09.2022 | Junior Basketball Gala Day | Selected students Year 3-4 | Illawarra Sports Stadium, Berkeley |
| 09.09.2022 | Senior Basketball Gala Day | Selected students Year 5-6 | Illawarra Sports Stadium, Berkeley |
We have been fortunate to secure a grant through Sporting Schools Australia to run a program with students in Years 2-6 this term. Students will participate in Touch Football sessions, from Weeks 4-8. These sessions will be one hour a week during normal sports time for each class.
Sport Coordinator
iPad School Managed Program
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Murphy.
Congratulations to those students who received the Principal and Value Awards in Week 10 Term 2, in recognition of their application to learning and for continuing to show respect in all areas of the school.
| CLASS | Principal's Award | Value - Faith |
| Kindy Blue | Liliana.T | Quinten.B |
| Year 1 Gold | Mallek.A | Ali.A |
| Year 2 Blue | Riott.R | Max.S |
| Year 3 Gold | Rocco. M | Soraya.F |
| Year 4 Blue | Lilith Rose. L | Yehia.S |
| Year 5 Gold | Zelia.S | Samuel.A |
| Year 5 Blue | Charlie.M | Joshua.M |
| Year 6 Gold | Sekne.A | Joseph.S |
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Book Week at St Francis of Assisi Each year since 1945, the Children's Book Council of Australia has brought children and books together across Australia through CBCA Book Week. During this time, schools and public libraries spend one glorious week celebrating books and Australian children's authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians and public librarians create colourful displays, develop activities, run competitions and tell stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading. You will often see parades with students dressed as their favourite book character. |
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SAVE THE DATE!
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI BOOK PARADE
Thursday 25 August
In conjunction with Book Week this year, our school is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair from Monday 22 August until Friday 26 August. You and your child/ren will have the opportunity to explore a huge range of affordable books featuring characters and subjects kids love and want to read about. From newly released books and bestsellers to award-winning titles and perennial favourites. Whilst online electronic payments will be preferred, cash will also be accepted. This is also a great way for you to learn and discuss your child's interests. Every book sold benefits our school, adding resources to our library and classrooms. Scholastic Book Fairs help us show students the wonder of reading. After all, when kids choose their own books, they will be more excited to read, and they will naturally read more!
Our Year 5 and 6 students enjoyed the opportunity to attend an overnight excursion to Canberra last week. Thank you to the teachers for their organisation, care and for providing the students with many memorable moments. Thank you to Father Damien for his support and meeting our students to visit Duntroon Chapel together.
"My favourite part was probably going to the War Memorial because it really shows how much effort and pain they went through to save our country and help other countries" By Savannah
For our students to visit Canberra last week and undertake an education tour of the national capital and be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy. The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government contributed funding of $30.00 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. This rebate was put towards reducing the cost of the overnight excursion for families so this opportunity was possible and affordable.
This term Kindergarten is focusing on "living things". The classroom has transformed into a farm with paddocks of animals, fresh produce, a farm kitchen, stalls, a billabong and more! We will be exploring what makes something 'living' and how weather can impact living things. We will look into the impact of floods and drought on living things - particularly farms and how this further impacts our lack of food sources. It is a great unit full of practical hands-on learning experiences and gives the students many opportunities to connect their prior knowledge and make connections to real-world situations. Stay tuned for more updates soon!
What a great start to the term! Year 4 have been focused and engaged in all their classroom activities and were responsible leaders while Stage 3 were on their excursion. So far in Maths, we have been learning about measuring the Mass of an object. Students have compared masses by hefting, measuring mass using a variety of scales, converting grams into kilograms, and writing them as decimals. In Writing, the students are identifying and analysing the purpose and features of an informative text. Students began by writing reports about themselves. Under headings, they wrote about their backgrounds, appearance, favourite foods, personalities, and hobbies. This information was then transferred into paragraphs. The students are in the process of becoming more effective writers as they learn to edit and improve their written work.
Mrs Briscoe
4 Blue Class Teacher
Last week, Year 2 were highly engaged in their Maths lesson where they made fairy bread to learn about fractions.
My name is Catriona Neilsen, and I am the new School Counsellor at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School. I have a background in Education, Youth Ministry, and Pastoral Support. I have worked at CatholicCare for the past 9 ½ years in the Chaplaincy program as a Pastoral Support Worker in various schools in the Diocese. This year I have gradually transitioned to CatholicCare's School, Student and Family Program, where I have been employed to work as a School Counsellor.
As a school counsellor, I provide support to students who are experiencing issues with anxiety, friendship, low self-esteem, behaviour management, grief, and loss. I am also able to run social skills programs for small groups or an entire class, as well providing information on CatholicCare's other services to support parents.
I enjoy music, craft, Lego, and playing card and board games. I often use these elements to help form a connection with the students I am working with. That way, they know they are in a safe and welcoming space to learn, journey, and grow as individuals.
My counselling days at St Francis of Assisi will be on Wednesday and Thursday (fortnightly). Please do not hesitate to contact the School Office if you wish to speak to me.
Warm regards
Catriona Neilsen
Welcome, Catriona, to the St Francis of Assisi school community,
we look forward to working with you!
You're Invited for a Catch-Up!
Please join us for a friendly parent catch-up on Tuesday evening,16 August at 6.30pm. We look forward to seeing you there.
St Francis School has an active and supportive group of parents and school community members, known as Parents and Friends (P&F). The P&F seeks to create a community that is warm and welcoming and actively supports the school. The P&F undertakes a number of fundraising events during the year, including Mother's and Father's Day Stalls, Canteen, and BBQs for various school and sports events. For more information, please contact the School Office, info@sfawdow.catholic.edu.au.
Staff and Student Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthdays in August: Zuzanna, Isaac.H, Thomas.W, Gizel, Ali.H, Mia.C, Lachlan.W, Claudia.C, Nevaeh, Gus, Rocco.M, Jack.B, Ruby.O, Liliana, Lilith-Rose.L, Olivia.M and Mrs Jimenez.
ASPIRE OSHC
Before & After school care
AVAILABLE
$500 Government Vouchers available to use
Visit Website: www.aspire-oshc.com.au/st-francis-of-assisi-warrawong
Book Now online here
Don't miss out! Places are filling fast.
When families are taking holidays during the school term for 10 days or more, an Application for Leave must be completed, with notice, and submitted at the School Office. This application is required to be approved by the School Principal prior to the leave commencing and a Certificate of Extended Leave will be issued for the parents to have with them during their travels. Please see the attached form for further information.
Upcoming School Events are available for Parents to view
Parents are able to check school events and dates on the school calendar by visiting any of the following: -
- Parent Compass Home page
- View the dates on the lefthand side of the School Newsletter
- Click the link on the School Newsletter at the top right corner and or the left-hand column
- Visit the school website www.sfawdow.catholic.edu.au, News & Events top tab, go to the bottom of the page and view Upcoming Events and click on "view more upcoming events" to view the whole calendar.
- Visit the school website from the newsletter by clicking on "Visit our Website" in left-hand column.
Please see the images below for your information.
