Congratulations to those students who received the Principal and Value Awards in Week 10 Term 3, in recognition of their application to learning and for continuing to show respect in all areas of the school.

Congratulations!

As part of our PB4L rewards systems, students are awarded Happy Cards, for following our rules of Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Safe while playing in our play areas. When a student has received 10 Happy Cards, they receive a Playground Award and a small treat. After they have received 20 Happy Cards, they receive a Citizenship Award and a Bronze Medallion. Congratulations to the following students who received their awards at the Week 1 Assembly:

Playground Award: Isla.B, Olivia.B, Aya.H, Fatima.H, Mason.W, Rahwa.B, Natinee. P, Aleksander.C, Alira.S, Tyrese.B, Ronan.B, Sienna.F, Lilith-Rose.L, Mateo.N, Mia.D, Monique.D, Jaxen.G, Jasmin.H, Hassan.H, Joshua.M, Kylar.L, Ace.T and Ryan.O

Citizenship Award (Bronze): Yehia.S, Abbas.H, and Rocco.B

Public Speaking
During Week 1 we conducted our school Public Speaking Competition for all students in Years 5 and 6. The students wrote and delivered their speeches on the topics assigned to their grades. From this, students were chosen to deliver their speech at the school final on Friday, 14 October.

The finalists chosen were:
Year 5: Zelia.S, Samuel.A, Marco.C, Zaynab.R, Jaeda.Y, Thomas.W, Makedde.A and Charlie.M
Year 6: Lara.D, Savannah.G, Dominic.G, Sekne.A, Sara.E, Chanel.T, Eva.G and Celina.Y

Congratulations to all students, especially Marco.C and Lara.D, who now progress to the Southern Region Final on Wednesday 26 October.

Appropriate Television Viewing
Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behaviour. Television programming can contain some violence. Studies on the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers have found that children may:

• become "immune" or numb to the horror of violence
• begin to accept violence as a way to solve problems
• imitate the violence they observe on television; and
• identify with certain characters, victims, and/or victimizers
• become aggressive
• be easily influenced
• show immediately changes in behaviour either immediately or surface years later 

Parents can protect children from excessive TV violence in the following ways:

• pay attention to the programs their children are watching and watch some with them
• set limits on the amount of time they spend with the television; consider removing the TV set from the child's bedroom
• point out that although the actor has not actually been hurt or killed, such violence in real life results in pain or death
• change the channel or turn off the TV set when offensive material comes on, with an explanation of what is wrong with the program
• disapprove of the violent episodes in front of the children, stressing the belief that such behaviour is not the best way to handle a problem
• help with peer pressure among friends and classmates by contacting other parents and agreeing to enforce similar rules about the length of time and type of program the children may watch

Parents can also use these measures to prevent harmful effects from television in other areas such as racial or sexual stereotyping. The number of times children watch TV, regardless of content, should be moderated because it decreases time spent on more beneficial activities such as reading, playing with friends, and developing hobbies. 

Reminder About Wearing Hats

Now that the weather is getting warmer, we are reminding the students of the importance of wearing a hat during break times. Even on cloudy days, the sun's UV rays can have a detrimental effect on the skin of children, so children without a hat will be directed to use the shade during their break. If you could also label your child's hat and ensure they have their own hat.

Bring A Drink Bottle to School
A reminder to bring a drink bottle to school every day. A filling station is available for the children to refill drink bottles during the day. 

Term 4 Sporting Events

Bicentennial Park on Friday 28 October, 7.00am - 4.30 pm
The students in Years 3 and 4 will participate in an excursion to Bicentennial Park at Sydney Olympic Park on Friday 28 October.  The students will travel by Coach leaving at 7.00am and returning at approximately 4.30pm.   During the excursion, the students will compare features and characteristics of living things as part of their Science Unit - The Circle of Life, and investigate how people, places, and environments interact as part of their Geography unit. The students will need to wear their sports uniform including their school hat and bring a small bag with their recess, lunch, water bottle, sunscreen and raincoat if rain is expected.

Last week the Christmas Story Art Exhibition and awards night was held at the Wollongong City Art Gallery.  The top forty-one artworks were judged to best respond to the criteria and designed to celebrate and explore children's creative and artistic ability in illustrating the Christmas story.

Congratulations to Savannah on reaching the final stages of this competition.  Her artwork 'All paths lead to Him' will hang in the Wollongong Art Gallery for the duration of the exhibition.  We are very proud of you Savannah!

The shortlisted works will be on public display at the Wollongong Art Gallery in the Community Access Gallery (Level 4) until 30 October.

Congratulations to our Year 5 and 6 students who were selected to represent our school at the Diocese of Wollongong Christmas Art Competition.  We are very proud of all our Stage 3 students.  The artworks presented this year were of a very high standard.  Well done!

On the last day of term 3, we celebrated the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of our school and the Catholic Church's patron saint of ecologists - a title honouring his boundless love for animals and all of creation.

The students enjoyed a beautiful liturgy, participated in fun activities and loved their sausage sizzle, drink, and ice cream. Thank you to Deacon Mick and our K-2 staff and students for leading our special liturgy.

May St Francis of Assisi continue to inspire us to show reverence for all people and be stewards of God's creation.

St Francis of Assisi pray for us
Amen

Our school was buzzing with excitement as we welcomed our 2023 Kindergarten students to their Transition to School Playgroup.  Everyone had lots of fun is enjoying being a part of the St Francis school community.

The Mini Vinnies team did a wonderful job at the St Francis of Assisi Feast day selling ice creams to raise money for the St Vincent de Paul appeal.  Thank you for your support.

* Reminder texts are automatically be issued *
* Weekly BPay Payments are Required *

PAYMENT OF SCHOOL FEES BY INSTALMENT 2023
If you are currently paying by instalments there is no need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment as your request carries over from year to year unless you wish to amend the frequency of your payments eg Weekly to Fortnightly.  Please check that you have setup your payments to continue for 2023.

FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL WITHOUT INSTALMENTS
Fee accounts are due by 28 February annually unless a Payment Instalment form is completed and weekly payments setup. If you would like to pay school fees by instalments in 2023 and have previously not taken up this option for payment, please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form below.  On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit to the school office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your school fee account during the process of invoicing 2023 school fees. Your school fee statement will provide a list of scheduled payments and their due date depending on the frequency you have chosen eg Fortnightly, Monthly, etc.

Students are required to be present at school every day. Please make appointments outside school hours, where possible.  If your child needs to be collected early for an appointment, a note explaining this is required to be given to the class teacher by the student on the morning of the appointment.  As a matter of courtesy, this communication assists in the organising of the day for the class and teacher.  Telephone messages during class time interrupt class learning and we avoid this unless urgent. This explanation is documented in your child's attendance records. 

All students are required to attend school unless they are unwell. Students should arrive by 8.30 am and finish at 3.00 pm.  Daily attendance recording in the Compass Parent Portal notifies parents of their child being absent. Parents are required to record their explanation in Compass by completing the link they receive via text or by logging into the Compass parent portal.

All absences including early leave and late arrival must be reported by parents with an explanation and or a medical certificate if required.  Please teach your children the importance of punctuality and arriving at school on time.