PB4L - Positive Behaviours for Learning

• Look at others when they are talking
• Speak courteously and kindly to others
• Be aware of and accept other people's differences
• Listen to other people's opinions
• Encourage positive friendships
• Keep personal space

• Minding someone else's business
• Taking someone else's belongings
• Speaking unkindly to someone or about someone
• Bossing people around
• Physical aggression
• Invading someone's personal space
• Keeping friends to myself

Wollongong City Council will conduct its surf education program as they have in previous years. This program targets students in Years 2, 4 and 6. The program objective is to increase the student's knowledge of the hazards associated with any beach along the coastline and to reduce the rate of incidents on our beaches. The surf sense workshop will be held on Thursday 27 July.

Mr Brett Murphy

Acting Assistant Principal

National Sorry Day ~ 26 May & Reconciliation Week ~ 27 May - 03 June

Each year our country celebrates National Reconciliation Week from 27 May to 3 June. It is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.  The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023 is ‘Be a Voice for Generations’.  It aims to encourage all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise.
Reconciliation Week follows National Sorry Day which is celebrated on the 26th May.  National Sorry Day is a day to pause and remember the Stolen Generations of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples. 
We will highlight National Sorry Day during morning prayer on 26 May and Reconciliation Week before assembly on 02 June.

FRIDAY 19 MAY at 8.20 am
St Francis of Assisi is taking part in National Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 19 May, 2023 Walk Safely to School Day encourages positive environmental action, better use of public transport with reduced car dependency and encourages parents and carers to walk more, reducing dangerous traffic congestion around schools. Being active every day, including walking to school, can help make a difference for many Australians. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or carer - everyone has a role to play in helping children and young people to lead active, healthy lives. Remember, Active Kids are Healthy Kids so start planning your own journey for Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 19 May.

You are encouraged to walk to school on this day or park a distance from school and walk the remainder of the way. For those who are unable to do this, Mrs Briscoe and other staff will lead any students on a local walk around the block at 8:20 am on Friday. All students and families are invited and welcome to join this walk. 

On Tuesday, our school community celebrated World Education Support Personnel Day. This was an opportunity to thank our amazing School Support Officers who work in our administration and classrooms. We thank them for all they do for the teachers, students and families at St Francis of Assisi. The teachers prepared a special morning tea and small gift on behalf of the school community as a token of our appreciation. We hope they enjoyed their special day, and if you see any of our wonderful School Support Officers around the school, please feel free to give them a big thanks for all they do. 

Year Six Art Gallery
This term Year 6 students have been working on the art of sketching, using the half photo half drawing self-portrait technique. Students began with a half photo of an ANZAC soldier and completed the image using detailed sketching. Using this same technique, the next task was to complete a self-portrait. This proved a greater challenge as the need for accurate detail became more obvious as the subject matter was personal. The culmination of the use of this technique came last week when they created a portrait of their mother as a gift for Mother’s Day. As the images below show, all students improved their sketching techniques, and some even astounded teachers and classmates. It was amazing to see the amount of realistic detail that came from using a lead pencil. We hope that this process sets the students up for success when they begin the Christmas Story Art Competition in Term 3.

Last Friday we celebrated our beautiful mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures.  This year we were able to welcome everyone into our classrooms for Mother's Day celebrations with the commissioning of our new lift during the school holidays. Together we enjoyed a Mother's Day Liturgy, Morning Tea, a visit to the classrooms, and recess with the students. We hope you had a lovely day on Sunday.

Mothers Day Stall
The excitement was infectious at our Mother's Day stall last Thursday. The students thoroughly enjoyed shopping for their mothers, grandmothers, and the mother figures in their lives. A special thank you to all our helpers who, without them, we could not have run such a fantastic stall. We hope all our mothers, grandmothers and mother figures loved the gifts the children gave them on Mother's Day.  Thank you to our parent volunteers who made this possible for our students. Thank you.

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centers, family homes, bookshops, and many other places around the country. Now in its 23rd successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

2023's chosen book is The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie; a story about a sloth that loves to run around FAST! He goes on an adventure in the rainforest, challenging other animals to a race. He learns some important lessons along the way. 

This year NSS takes place on Wednesday 24 May 2023 at 11:00 am and our school will be participating.

The 5 symptoms that mean your child should stay home from school...

Over the past two weeks, we have had a number of staff and students quite unwell.

It is a decision every parent faces regularly, whether or not to keep a sick child home from school.

Here are symptoms that mean your child should stay home:

1. Fever - this is a sign of infection and while giving them medicine might bring the fever down, it won't stop them from being contagious.

2. Vomiting or diarrhea - it is unfair all around - to the child and the school - to send a child with vomiting or diarrhea no matter how well they might look to you. Please allow at least 24 hours and check with your doctor for advice.  Some viruses can be contagious for an extra day or so.

3. Bad pain - if your child has any pain that is more than mild, keep them home and check with your doctor.

4. Cough/Flu - this too is a sign of infection and medicine won't stop them from being contagious to others.

5. Illness Medication - If your child has an illness that is being treated with antibiotics, they often need a minimum of at least 24 hours of treatment before  returning to school. Medication should be administered by parents at home. 

While it is important for children not to be absent from school, it is also important for them to be well enough to learn and not share contagious illnesses for others to get sick.  It is best to seek medical advice and allow your child time to rest and recover.  Please always notify the school and where possible provide a medical certificate when they are well enough to return.

Please do not bring your child to school if uncertain and "See how they go. Let the teacher know" as children usually tell the teacher and the school will contact you. As a school we need to consider your child's wellbeing and the wellbeing of others. When it comes to your child's health and the health of students and staff, it is better to be safe than sorry.

An explanation is required on Compass or provide the medical certificate to the class teacher. All absences must be explained and recorded.

Application for Leave 
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.

Term_2_parent_and_carer_webinars_flyer.pdf

Are you concerned about your child gaming online?

 

Getting the most out of gaming is a free 45-minute webinar that provides families with strategies for supporting children and young people to have safe, positive experiences when playing games online. It is designed for parents and carers of children aged 7 to 14.

CCSP thanks the eSafety Commissioner for their continued collaboration to assist parents and carers to support their children.

The webinar on Tuesday 23 May at 7.30pm will cover:   

• when gaming can be beneficial and strategies to promote better in-game experiences
• how to keep children safe online – using safety and privacy settings in games and platforms
• strategies to promote more balanced gaming and how to create smoother transitions from game-play to other activities
• the key online risks and where to find help for things like bullying and harassment in games. 

You can register here

At the end of Term 1, we had a large number of lost property items. These items do not have any names on them. Please check your child/ren's items are all clearly labeled so that we can return these when misplaced ie jackets, jumpers, hats, lunchbox, and drink bottles.

Please feel free to donate your preloved and outgrown school uniforms to the
School Office.  Thank you