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- Principal's Message
- St Francis of Assisi Annual Improvement Plan
- Assistant Principal
- Religious Education News
- Parish News
- Sports News
- Harmony Day
- Principal and Value Awards
- Learning in Year 4
- Enviromental Team
- P&F News
- Free webinar: Dr Justin Coulson PhD on Anxiety and Resilience
- Term Dates
- Enrol Kindergarten 2024
- School Photo Day
- Vacation Care
- Canteen News
- Before & After School Care ~ Available
- Student Leave Applications
- School Fees | Explained
- Parenting Insights
- High School Enrolments Open
- Community News
Dear Parents and Carers
Early this month, the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) community gathered for our annual Education Mass at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral, Fairy Meadow. It was wonderful to celebrate Mass with many of our friends and colleagues from across the Diocese. This inspiring occasion also marked the official launch of the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong new strategic plan Lighting the Way 2023+, which was presented to the Bishop of Wollongong, Most Rev. Brian Mascord DD, during the Mass.
Each focus area of LTW2023+ is the result of deep listening to students, teachers, families, clergy and other partners — a true result of many heads, hearts and hands working together towards a common purpose.
“The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason to hope.
Our hope is in the life and the promise of Jesus Christ,
and this is what we invite our students to encounter.”
Peter Hill, CEDoW Director of Schools.
Mrs Vicky Davidson
PRINCIPAL
St Francis of Assisi acknowledges and pays respect to the Dharawal people, past and present, the traditional custodians on whose land we educate our students.
As mentioned in my Principal’s message, this year marks the launch of the CEDoW new strategic plan - Lighting the Way 2023+. This plan will be implemented through a focus on Continuous Catholic School Improvement (CCSI). This improvement process has been designed to focus on growth and improvement in faith, learning and well-being outcomes for all students.
This year will see the staff at St Francis of Assisi focus on a number of Annual Improvement Goals which are outlined below.
- Students in K-2 will have opportunities to understand and use grammatical devices and higher level vocabulary, to increase the complexity of their writing.
- Students in Years 3-6 will have had the opportunity to use and apply the language and reasoning skills of mathematics when solving problems.
- Students will have the opportunity to learn the skills required to build resilience and effectively manage their emotions, behaviour and relationships with others.
Throughout the year, we aim to further engage the parent community to share and celebrate our improvement journey. Please continue to review our communication platforms for opportunities for parents to have an insight into the impact of our improvement priorities.
NAPLAN | Year 3 & 5 Students
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) continue next week, with Conventions of Language on Wednesday 22 March and Numeracy on Thursday 23 March.
PB4L News
Our whole school focus for the next two weeks will be on our church. The expectations listed below will be shared and practised in each class. Teachers on duty will be reinforcing these expectations by acknowledging children who are demonstrating safe, responsible, and respectful behaviours.
| Be Safe | Be Respectful | Be Responsible | |
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CHURCH
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Get ready for The Big Vegie Crunch!
On Thursday 30 March at 10 am, our school will be joining schools across NSW to break the record for the most students crunching vegetables simultaneously.
Please pack a container of vegetables (not fruit this time) for your child to crunch on.
Some vegie ideas?
- carrot, celery, cucumber – cut into sticks or left whole
- capsicum – cut into sticks or wedges
- corn – raw baby corn spears or a cooked corn cob
- broccoli or cauliflower florets - raw or lightly cooked to keep their crunch
- tomatoes – small cherry tomatoes or a large tomato that can be eaten like an apple
- beans or snow peas - raw or lightly cooked to keep their crunch
- mushrooms – sliced or left whole
- if fresh veg isn’t possible, try canned or frozen vegetables instead
For more information on The Big Vegie Crunch, please contact Mr Green.
Assembly Dates
Please find below the dates for assemblies for the remainder of the term.
| Date | Time | Assembly |
| Week 8 - Friday 17 March | 2.20 pm |
Normal Assembly |
| Week 9 - Friday 24 March | 2.20 pm |
Assembly awards and presentation |
| Week 10 - Friday 31 March | 2.20 pm |
Celebration of Learning Assembly |
| Week 11 | School finishes on Thursday |
No Assembly |
Mr Green
Vegetable Week School Coordinator
Sacrament of Penance Program
Please continue to keep in your prayers the children in our school and parish who are preparing to experience God’s love and forgiveness through the sacrament of Reconciliation.
During last weekend’s Masses, the candidates presented their reflections on their Baptism. This weekend, they will present their acrostic poems on Forgiveness.
We have a number of significant feast days being celebrated in our Church over the
- 17 March: St Patrick
- 20 March: St Joseph
- 25 March: The Annunciation
One of the most important things that helped St Patrick in spreading the Good News was his belief and faith that the Spirit of Jesus would surround him with love and protection.
The whole school will be attending the 9 am Parish Mass tomorrow morning to celebrate the Solemnity of St Patrick.
Children will be given a green shamrock by the class teachers for the day.
Mass will be celebrated at St Mary of the Rosary, Berkeley at 9am on Saturday for those who would like to attend. Could be a good way to start off election day!
Holy Week Involvement
The parish liturgy team would like to involve children in our Holy Week ceremonies this year. Some of the children in this year’s Sacramental programs have already indicated their willingness to be involved but if you have a child that would like to be involved, please let either Ms Maloney or Mrs Briscoe know ASAP.
| Palm Sunday - 2 April | Holy Thursday - 6 April | Good Friday - 7 April |
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4 pm Berkeley |
7 pm Warrawong |
10 am Berkeley |
Project Compassion Feature Stories
Third Week of Lent
We are now in the third week of Lent with the Project Compassion story of Priscilla, who lives in the Hwange district in Zimbabwe with her husband, Charles, and two of their grandchildren. Climate change continues to bring unprecedented challenges for people living in the most vulnerable and remote communities in Zimbabwe.
During times of intense drought and food shortages, Priscilla had to commute to the town centre and wait in long queues to collect food.
With the support of Caritas Hwange, Priscilla learnt conservation farming skills to grow drought-resistant crops and started poultry farming to support her family during the current food crisis. Priscilla was able to produce a bumper harvest in her first year of practising in conservation farming. Priscilla also used the funds from her harvest to start poultry farming, which enabled her to sell eggs to pay for her grandchildren’s school fees, books and stationery. The poultry farming provides a safety net for Priscilla and her family during times of hardship, like the current drought.
While the situation in Zimbabwe and across eastern Africa remains dire, the work of Caritas Hwange means that Priscilla can learn the techniques, tools and resources she needs to build resilience and support her family during this current food crisis.
To watch a short film about Priscilla’s story, click here.
Living with a disability in rural Vietnam presented many challenges for Thu, who worked mainly as a rice farmer. Thu also took on the role of caring for his wife, Linh, after she suffered a stroke.
For Thu, the greatest impact the program has had is enabling the change in Linh’s physical and mental wellbeing. With the support of a physiotherapist, Linh can now walk short distances with the aid of a walking stick.
To watch a short film about Thu’s story, click here.
Please support Project Compassion: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion
Ms Marita Maloney
Religious Education Coordinator
Mary Kavanagh - Following the Footsteps of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi
Mary Kavanagh has been visiting our parish over the past fortnight and she has been giving a series of talks about St Francis and St Clare of Assisi. As noted in our last newsletter, Mary spent some years as a Poor Clare, in communities in the UK, where she deepened her relationship with these two extraordinary saints.
Her talks focus on:
- The Call to Gospel
- Living Lady Poverty
- Seeing God in all Creation
- Prayer
- Journey’s End
If you have not yet had the opportunity to attend any of her sessions, there are still a couple of opportunities left.
Dates: Thursday 16 March - Saturday 18 March 2023
Session Details:
- Thursday and Friday sessions 9:45 am -10:45 am at Warrawong (followed by morning tea) OR 7:00 pm-8:00 pm at the Parishes House in Berkeley (followed by supper).
- Saturday 18 March from 10:30 am -11:30 am at the Parishes House (followed by a light lunch).
Congratulations to all students on your participation, energy, and sportsmanship. Some great performances on the track, even better friendships and demonstration of our school values, and most importantly, lots of smiles!
We must give thanks to our amazing parent and family community - The P&F for organising and serving the yummy lunches, the parent volunteers on and around the course and the huge amount of spectators and supporters who were invaluable to encouraging the students. Thank you, one and all.
To our staff, your dedication and commitment to all students is outstanding. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. Thank you.
Integral Energy Park is an amazing venue with wonderful facilities, and we are grateful to be able to use this space for our yearly carnival. Thank you to Kembla Joggers and their volunteers for all of their hard work providing this facility for us.
Cross Country ribbons, medallions and the Champion House Trophy will be presented at our Week 9 Assembly - next Friday 24 March.
| Date | Event | Attending | Venue |
| Thursday 8 June | School Athletics Carnival | K-6 | Myimbarr Oval, Shellharbour |
| Term 1 - Wk 7 - 10 | Sporting Schools Volleyball | Years 3-6 | School |
Tuesday 21 March 2023
Liturgy 2:15 pm
It is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism and the successful integration of migrants into our community.
Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it.
Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core
Australian values.
Students are invited to wear something orange to school to celebrate harmony day ie shirt, socks, ribbon.
Orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and the encouragement of mutual respect. Australians can choose to wear something orange during Harmony Week to show their support for cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia.
Congratulations to our students who received Principal and Value awards at our assembly last week. Well done on your application to faith, learning and well being. We are proud of you all.
One of the aspects of the assessment and instruction framework is building students' capacity to peer and self-assess using the success criteria. Today in Mathematics, Year 4, enjoyed the opportunity to take an active role in learning from each other by listening, analysing and problem-solving. Not only did they help each other with the task, but they deeply reflected on their own work. Great work, Year 4!
The Parents & Friends (P&F) Association is the formal parent forum for St Francis. All parents and families are invited to become involved with the P&F, who work collaboratively with the school about matters that affect your child at school, as well as general issues about school life including social events, fundraising, and community building. All parents are invited and very welcome to attend the P&F meetings, which are held once a term or as required. Details of the meetings will be communicated via the school newsletter. If you can’t attend meetings there will be other opportunities to support the work of the P&F throughout the year.
All P&F positions will be made vacant and an election will be held for new members for the 2023 Parents & Friends Committee. The AGM will be held on Thursday 16 March from 3.30-4.30. Please see below for further information. We hope you can join us.
Run by the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT, Anxiety and Resilience with Dr Justin Coulson PhD is a free, 60 minute webinar for parents, carers and staff in CEDoW schools to assist them in supporting the children in their care.
Dr Coulson is the co-host and parenting expert on Channel 9's Parental Guidance and holds a PhD in positive psychology.
Date: Wednesday 29 March 2023 at 7:00 pm
Register at https://www.ccsp.catholic.edu.au/event/52
| Last day of Term 1 | 6 April |
| Happy Easter | 7 April |
| School Holidays | 6 April - 26 April |
| Pupil Free Day | 24 April |
| Public Holiday | 25 April |
| Term 2 commences | 26 April |
Please let your family and friends know,
limited places are available.
THURSDAY 4 MAY
School photo day will be held in Term 2 Week 2, on Thursday 4 May. 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. Orders are submitted online as per the details below, including family photo orders.
ORDER SCHOOL PHOTOS ONLINE
Visit: - www.advancedlife.com.au
Enter online order code
CZF PZ6 2FX
ASPIRE OSHC
Before & After school care
AVAILABLE at St Francis School
$500 Government Vouchers available to use
Visit Website: www.aspire-oshc.com.au/st-francis-of-assisi-warrawong
Book Now online here
Hello everyone
My name is Chloe and I am the Program Manager at Aspire OSHC St Francis of Assisi. I have been thrilled working at our service here in Warrawong and loving every second of spending time with our kids here at before and after school care. Moving forward we will be providing vacation care combined with our sister service Kemblawarra providing school holiday care from 7 am until 6 pm. I can’t wait to hopefully meet some new faces! Our official program will be coming out in the coming weeks, I can't wait to share it with all of you. Please do not hesitate to contact me on the above-mentioned mobile number or email.
Chloe Newman
Program Manager
ASPIRE OSHC
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.
Dear Parents
School fee accounts are invoiced per family annually including Tuition and SEDSO fees. This fee of $2968 per annum is only charged once per family (even if there are one or five children in the family). This is not charged per student and equates to only $57 per week per family. This family fee covers the education provided to the students including expenses for teaching staff, equipment, school operations, facilities, curriculum resources, materials, building, and capital maintenance costs of school facilities.
Student Resource fees are for opportunities for the students and are expenses the school incurs to provide including school books, classroom equipment, arts and crafts, sports equipment, bus transport to carnivals, iPad programs, school camps, school excursions, incursions, and activities. This cost varies between grades and is an opportunity for the students. Prior to the new digital finance system, these student activity expenses were paid by cash with a permission note throughout various times of the year. As the system is now cashless these are added to the fee account and there are no longer additional expenses throughout the year. This system supports families to budget in advance. Please do not hesitate to contact the School Office if you have any questions or if we can be of any assistance.
School Fee Payments
Fee Statements have been emailed. Please log in to your Parent Compass Portal to view your school fee account by clicking the Payments Centre green box above "My News". Payments can be paid online by clicking "School Fees Action Required". Full payment is due by 28 February unless the below instalment form has been submitted and you have set up these payments on your Compass portal or Bpay using the details on the Fee Statement emailed. Fee instalments set up last year will roll over and continue automatically this year. See further details below.
▪ The invoicing of school fees and the distribution of school fee statements each month, is now a function carried out by the Catholic Education Office.
▪ Payment of fees, whether as an annual payment or payment by instalments is due on the date/s provided on your school fee statement.
▪ If an amendment is made to your school fee account eg your child changes subjects in a secondary school, etc. you will be emailed a statement which will provide a new schedule of payments and due dates. Please review this schedule to make any changes to your payments that are necessary.
Reminders for Late Payments
SMS and email reminders are automatically generated by our accounting software based on the number of days a payment is overdue and are distributed by the Catholic Education Office. For those families that may have difficulty in paying their school fees, these reminders may cause some distress. This is not our intention. Our intention is to support the collection of school fee accounts centrally and in so doing,
alleviate some of the administrative work of our schools.
School Fee Account Enquiries
Please note, despite the centralisation of various functions, your school/s will always be your point of contact for matters pertaining to fees. If you wish to discuss your school fee account, please contact your school office. The role of the Catholic Education Office is to action centralised tasks on behalf of schools.
If you wish to Pay by Instalments
Many families have already elected to pay their school fees by instalments. If you wish to avail yourself of this option please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on your school’s website or at your school’s office. On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at your school’s office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your account and a schedule of payments and due dates will be provided on your next school fee statement. Please note it is only necessary to complete this form once during the period of child/children’s enrolment unless you wish to amend your payment frequency.
Difficulty with Payment
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, we encourage you to contact the school in which your child/children are enrolled to discuss an arrangement that will assist you meet your commitments. This may include the completion of a Diocesan Application for Fee Concession which is available from the administration office of each school. Be reassured that your situation will be treated with strict confidentiality and respect for your circumstances. If you wish to submit an application, please do so at your child’s school. Please note, if you have children in more than one school, it will only be necessary to submit one application. For those families that received a Fee Concession in 2022, you will receive an email prior to your annual review date attaching a further Application for Fee Concession. You may also initiate an earlier review if you wish to do so by contacting your school office. For further information regarding school fees, please access the Diocesan School Fee Management
Policy and Frequently Asked Questions which is available on your school’s website.
