Term 1 Week 2 2022

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

Today you would have received another notification that we have had a positive case of Covid in our school community.  I understand that people are feeling nervous about the situation and would like to know the classes affected, however due to privacy we are unable to supply you with this information.  We ask that you monitor your child/ren closely and talk to them about practising good hygiene such as washing hands.  We have also been asked if it makes the whole class a close contact.  Under the current definition by the government of a close contact the answer to this is no.  If your family is isolating due to a family member testing positive, please let the Office know.  We have had several parents ask for the online learning program during this time. As we are not in a formal online learning situation, lessons won’t be provided online.  However, teachers can provide you with homework activities and some worksheets that may be being used in class.  Students also have access to all of their online programs such as Matific and Soundwaves.  We also strongly encourage students to read and write everyday.  Have your child retell you the story, ask them some questions about the characters, setting, plot of the story.  Students can also work on their writing skills.  Have them write a narrative using a sizzling start or write a persuasive text.  If you have any questions regarding the current Covid situation please don’t hesitate to give me a call. 

Just a reminder to drive carefully and slowly in the carpark.  The teachers on duty will not allow students to walk through the carpark to reach a parked car.  We ask that families collect their children from the school side of the carpark.  Please remember that the Stop, Drop and Go area is purely that.  The driver and passengers are to remain in the vehicle.  If your child requires help with their seat belt we ask that you park and help them. I thank you for your assistance with these matters as they will help keep our students safe.

When walking around the school and visiting classrooms over the past week I have noticed that we have many hair styles including hair accessories, earrings and sports shoes that do not meet the uniform policy.  This policy was sent to all families before school started.  I will include another copy in the newsletter today.  I ask that you please read this document carefully and ensure your child's uniform is following the guidelines.  

Last week a letter came home calling for Class Parent Representatives.  If you are interested in taking on this role in 2022, please fill in the nomination form and return it to the Office by Friday 18th February.

We are looking for volunteers to help run our Francis’ Friends Playgroup.  If you are interested in becoming part of a team to run the group or even to find out more about what it involves, could you please send me an email at ajones16@sfatsv.catholic.edu.au.  

Have a wonderful week

Take care and God Bless

Amanda

Religious Life of the School

Yesterday we celebrated Valentine’s Day. This day is the Feast of St Valentine who is the patron saint of love, engaged couples, young people and happy marriages. As a Catholic school, St Francis is governed by Gospel Values, the greatest of which is Love. No one showed the depths of true love more than our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. He set the example for believers to show love to each other and to the world by what He did.  He spread love and peace to everyone he met. He gave his life for us. 

At St Francis School we can draw on three significant religious characters who showed a great love of God in the way they lived their lives. St Francis Xavier, a great missionary; Bede Polding, first Bishop of Australia who founded the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and Marcellin Champagnat who founded the Marist Brothers.

How do they relate to our Catholic Identity? Each has been instrumental in influencing the ethos of our school through the priests, religious and lay staff who founded and continued the traditions and love of Jesus that they brought to the school.

St Francis Xavier was regarded in the early days as a patron of the Australian Church and there are many churches around Australia named after him. St Francis Xavier Church was a small wooden building on the site of the current Sacred Heart Church and was moved across the road becoming the first school building when the new church was built. Bishop Bede Polding founded the Sisters of the Good Samaritan who were invited by the first priest, Father Jules Bucas, to teach Catholic Children in the district. They started the Convent school in Brandon and taught at St Francis Church in Ayr. The Marist Brothers came to Ayr in 1953 and began teaching at St Francis in the 1960s. All were significant in the school’s history, followed Jesus’ teachings, and showed unconditional love by working with compassion to help those in need. We encourage all in our school community to keep spreading this love and compassion in their words and actions each and every day.

God Bless

Mary

Bless us with Love, O Merciful God;
That we may Love as you Love!
That we may show patience, tolerance,
Kindness, caring and love to all!
Give me knowledge; O giver of Knowledge,
That I may be one with my Universe and Mother Earth!
O Compassionate One, grant compassion unto us;
That we may help all fellow souls in need!
Bless us with your Love O God.
Bless us with your Love.

- Author Unknown

Aiming for Excellence

Does 100% in a spelling test mean that your child is an excellent speller?

We describe spelling in many ways, but my favourite is: Spelling is the ability to use graphemes (letters of the alphabet ) to represent a language in its written form. It is the method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols. It is the ability to express speech sounds as writing understood by others who read it. 

We determine a child’s spelling ability by examining their daily writing. What are the sounds they are representing correctly?  What are the incorrect spelling choices? A child may have a word misspelled but has correctly represented the sounds. An example would be writing shaid for shade. In this case, they represented the sound accurately, but the choice was incorrect.

Early Years students are learning that different graphemes can represent the same sound. They are learning the choices available to represent a sound. Years One and Two are studying the ‘f’ sound. The letter ‘f’ does not always make the ‘f’ sound as is in ‘of’, and there are other ways to represent it.  They are being encouraged to notice words through exposure to a wide range of  literature rather than studying isolated spelling list words.

As students progress through the grades, they investigate the origins of words. The history of a word can often explain why a word is written in a particular way. The study of Latin and Greek roots assist a child with the spelling and meaning of a word.

Engaging with Literature will lead children  to a love of reading, writing effectively and becoming ‘Excellent Spellers’

How many books will you read either to or with your child?

How many words will you notice?

 Rita Cranitch

 Leaning and Teaching Adviser.

Inclusive practices Teacher

School Uniform Policy

Uniform Policy

STATEMENT OF POLICY

St Francis is committed to providing a sense of belonging through the wearing of the School uniform.

INTRODUCTION

This policy addresses the need to provide consistent and clear expectations for uniform and appearance.  The St Francis uniform should be worn with pride on all occasions.  It is the collective responsibility of all to ensure the following dress requirements are applied.

 RATIONALE

The uniform identifies students as members and representatives of St Francis School. A consistent uniform dress code promotes a sense of belonging. Students are encouraged to develop important life skills through consideration of issues related to personal appearance including personal hygiene, health and safety issues.  All students have a responsibility to be positive role models within the school and in representing the school in the wider community.  The school uniform can be purchased from Michael’s Menswear.

 POLICY DIRECTIVE

The correct school uniform is to be worn at all times.  If, for some reason, a student is unable to wear the correct uniform on a particular day, a note must be sent to the classroom teacher.  Uniform items must be clearly marked with the child’s name.  All students must wear the school hat to school events including external sports.

Students are expected to ensure that their personal appearance meets school expectations as per the principles below. Students who do not comply with the uniform policy will receive a uniform slip for rectification of uniform.

The final decision on acceptable dress and appearance is that of the Principal.

Hairstyles

Hair should be:

• Neat and clean with no fashion extremes in styling or cut. This includes but is not limited to mullets and tracks.  This will be at the discretion of the Principal or Assistant Principal.
• Off the face and tied back if shoulder length or longer.
• Natural colour.
• Ribbons, bands, headbands and scrunchies should be simple and understated in school dress fabric or in school colours of plain blue or red.

Jewellery

It is preferable that no jewellery be worn to school.  However, if students do wear jewellery, please note that the school accepts no responsibility for lost or damaged items.  Students may only wear:

• Religious symbol on chain
• Watch (no smart watches)
• Plain studs or plain sleepers in the ears only

Makeup and Fingernails

Makeup of any description is not permitted to be worn.  Students are not permitted to wear nail polish or false nails such as acrylic nails.  Fingernails should be clean and neatly trimmed.

Prep students require the sport uniform only.

Formal Uniform - Year 1 - Year 6

• Blue check dress
• Short blue socks
• Black shoes
• School hat

 Sport Uniform - Prep - Year 6

 School sports polo - long or short sleeved

• Royal blue school skort or embossed polyester shorts (no holey shorts)
• Plain white socks (no ankle socks)
• Predominantly black or white sandshoes/joggers
• School hat

Plain navy blue or maroon jumper for winter.  On colder days, students may wear navy blue tights.

Formal Uniform - Year 1 - Year 6

• Blue jack shirt
• Navy blue shorts
• Long school socks
• Black shoes
• School hat

 Sport Uniform - Prep - Year 6

 School sports polo - long or short sleeved

• Embossed polyester shorts (no holey shorts)
• Plain white socks (no ankle socks)
• Predominantly black or white sandshoes/joggers
• School hat

Plain navy blue or maroon jumper for winter.  On colder days, students may wear navy blue tracksuit pants.

Uniforms

Students of the Week

St Francis Run Club

Triple P Tips

HELP FOR PARENTS TO SUPPORT KIDS’ BACK-TO-SCHOOL EMOTIONS IN 2022

Ongoing upheaval from the pandemic continues to impact families, and going back to school adds another layer of stress during a time where there’s already a lot of change. Children and young people may have mixed emotions but being able to cope with uncertainty is a key life skill, and with the right support and strategies, parents can help their children develop ways to tackle change more confidently, manage their emotions, and build resilience in the long term.

Practical Triple P – Positive Parenting Program tips and ideas are FREE, thanks to Queensland Government funding! Do Fear-Less Triple P Online, Triple P Online, or Teen Triple P Online.  For more on free Triple P programs, go to: www.triplep-parenting.net.

With thanks,

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program team

Community