Term 4 Week 6 2023

From the Principal

Dear Families,

It is hard to believe that we have just 3 weeks to go until the end of the school year.  I don’t know about you but the days just seem to pass by and before I know it another week is over. This time of year is always hectic but it is also one where we see many important events in our school community take place. We have Life Education visiting next week, CWL Christmas Luncheon,  Webber Shield, Year 6 Transition to BCHS, our Whole School Thanksgiving Mass, Volunteer Lunch, Step Up Morning, Year 6 Graduation where we will farewell our school leaders, Awards Morning, Christmas Concert and our Rite of Passage and Farewell all to happen in the next 3 weeks.  Please make sure you have saved the date for all of these important events.

Remembrance Day

On 11 November 1918, German leaders signed an Armistice, and the guns of the Western Front fell silent.  Remembrance Day is a day to honor and remember those who have served and sacrificed for their country. It is commemorated on November 11th, the date the First World War ended in 1918.  For the four years of the war, from 1914 to 1918, more than 330,000 Australians had served overseas. More than 60,000 Australians had died while in this service. In 1918 alone, there were 48,000 casualties, which included 12,000 dead.

Remembrance Day is a day of commemoration. Each year at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, we observe a minute of silence to remember those lost in war.  We not only remember the dead and those who served.  It is a time to reflect on the importance of peace and to pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of those who have fought and continue to fight for their country.  

In early 19th Century literature, poppies symbolised sleep or a state of oblivion. In the battlefields of northern France and Belgium, red poppies were among the first plants to arise from the ground. On Remembrance Day, the red Flanders poppy symbolises the sacrifice of bloodshed.

On Remembrance Day we celebrate life, the gift of life, and the important work towards reconciliation of nations, unity, and peace and justice.  We remember not only Australians but ALL who were involved in this particular armed conflict.

Thank you to 5/6B who led us in a very moving Remembrance Day Liturgy this morning.

House Captains

Monday saw our Year 5 students present their House Captain leadership speeches.  The students delivered high quality speeches again this week and they all should be incredibly proud of themselves. It was wonderful to hear so many of the students emphasise the importance of having a go even if you are not the best at something. A number of students spoke passionately about having the opportunity to lead and inspire a team where they can help make everyone feel valued, supported and motivated to participate in sporting endeavors. Congratulations to all students who put themselves forward for House Captain.

I am happy to announce our 2024 House Captains are:

Samaritan - Alison Ypinazar and Bailey Lovell

Champagnat - Cara Stockham and Reeve Scuderi 

Xavier - Charlotte Drain and Will Pappalardo

Swimming Carnival

Yesterday we held our 2023 St Francis Swimming Carnival. A massive thank you to Cate Eathorne and the Sports Committee of Anna Lynch, Janette Pattinson, Emily Fiamingo and Kaylaha Malaponte who organised the day. Thank you also to Kylie and her wonderful helpers in the Tuckshop. It is no small task to organise an event such as this and these ladies have put in many hours of work to ensure the day runs smoothly. 

Thank you also to all of the families who volunteered their time to be timekeepers. Without your help and support the carnival wouldn't have gone ahead.

Volunteers

At St Francis we are incredibly grateful for all of our wonderful volunteers who have helped us throughout the year.  These people are worth their weight in gold as they share their time and talents with us. Without these people there are many events in our school that would not happen. To say thank you we are holding a volunteer luncheon to say thank you to all who have gifted us with their time this year.  We hope that all of our volunteers can join us on Friday 24th November at 12:30pm so we can say thank you.

Logo and Motto

Earlier today I shared with you some draft mottos for your feedback. I would like to thank those families who have taken the time to provide feedback so far. As I mentioned in last week's newsletter, the revitalisation of our mission statement, logo and motto has come from the recommendations presented during the school renewal process we have been through over the past two years. Please find below both the logo as well as some draft mottos for feedback. Should you wish to provide feedback on either of these, please email me at ajones16@sfatsv.catholic.edu.au. Feedback on the logo will close on Monday 13th November and the mottos on Wednesday 22nd November. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Last Day of 2023

Just a reminder that school finishes Friday 1st December at 12pm.  Semester 2 reports will be available on the Compass platform after 12pm on this day. If you have forgotten your Compass details, please contact the Office so that they can be reset.

Have a wonderful week.

Take care and God Bless

Amanda

Religious Life of the School

We are at the end of Week 6, over half way through the term. It is hard to believe we are on the home stretch. We have many events coming up on the calendar, a very busy time for us all. Please during this time be sure to read any correspondence sent out to help you stay on top of what is going on, we would hate for you to miss out. Many of the upcoming events involve Year 6, we really want you to be able to enjoy all the festivities to the full so make sure you take note of dates, times and requirements. As a parent last year, I really enjoyed the end of my daughter’s primary school journey, a busy but rewarding few weeks. We look forward to enjoying the end of the year with you all.

Remembrance Day

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day, we took time today to acknowledge those that have fallen in service. Class 5/6B led our liturgy and we thank them for a lovely service. They reminded us why Remembrance Day is acknowledged at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and how we owe our way of life to those that have fought. May our world remember the heartache of war and strive towards peace for all.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

We will again be supporting the St Vincent de Paul Christmas appeal this year. There will be baskets placed in each class for collection. We please ask that donations are non-perishable, undamaged and made by Wednesday, November 29 as this is when the donations will be collected. St Vincent de Paul have requested that no chocolates be donated as they don't fare well in our climate. They thank you for your generous donations.

With more and more vulnerable people experiencing poverty and on the brink of homelessness this Christmas, help can provide the emergency assistance families, and many others, desperately need to survive, and the long-term support they need to build better futures.

The Catholic Church has a strong tradition of social teaching that emphasises the importance of helping the poor and vulnerable. Donating to St. Vincent de Paul aligns with these teachings and Christmas is a time that focuses attention on these values.

Thank you in advance for your generosity in supporting this cause.

Youth Mass

Thank you to all the families who joined us for our Youth Mass on the weekend and an extra big thank you to our readers.

CWL Luncheon

We have the CWL Christmas Luncheon coming up on 15 November.  Remember to reply with permission and let the office know if you are able to assist during the morning. 

The Year 6 students will be creating a gift next week and they look forward to showing their ‘love of neighbour’. This luncheon is a tradition the school and parish enjoy every year. The money raised will be donated to the local St Vincent de Paul, to help families during the Christmas season and beyond.

Save The Date

15th November, CWL Luncheon

24th November, Thanksgiving Mass, 9am

27th November, Yr 6 Graduation, 6:30pm

29th November, Awards Morning, 9am

30th November, Christmas Concert 6:30pm

1st December, Final Farewell Liturgy, 11am

God bless

Nicole

Learning Corner

Writing Project Showcase

This year Years 1 /2 and 3 /4 joined the TCE 2 year Writing Project. The aim was to improve the quality of writing across the Diocese and to promote an enjoyment of writing.

At our school level the participating classes have seen a greater student awareness of the different types and purposes of writing accompanied by an improved quality of writing.

Students are enjoying feedback and respond positively to it to improve the quality of their writing. They are becoming aware of and using a broader range of vocabulary.

Today we are sharing our successes and challenges with fellow writing project participants from schools across the diocese.

Our participation in the project will continue next year and we look forward to the growth in student literacy growth that will result.

CONGRATULATIONS

Raquel who was awarded a medal for her drawing in a NAIDOC Day drawing competition.   Well done Raquel!

Enjoy the week ahead.

Rita Cranitch,                                                                                  

Learning and Teaching Adviser

Inclusive Practices Teacher

Guidance Counsellor

A SPECIAL REPORT: Parenting Styles

There are so many different opinions offered on how best to parent. New parents will often have firm beliefs about how they wish to balance love and discipline, but this ideal often goes out the window when a toddler throws their first tantrum in the supermarket!

Raising children can bring parents and caregivers great joy despite many learning ‘on the job’ and growing into the role through experience and understanding. Children will always flourish in a warm and loving environment, supported by clear guidance.

In this Special Report, parents and caregivers can gain a greater understanding of the four defined parenting styles by taking part in the quiz. It can guide parents towards deciding which style they wish to adopt and the effects it may have on their children.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school guidance counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help. Here is the link to your special report:

https://sfatsv.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-parenting-styles

Class in the Spotlight -2A

• Mathematics rotations with a focus on place value, ordering three digit numbers, multiplication and division. 
• We rolled dice and made the biggest number and the smallest number we could. We challenged ourselves to 4 digit numbers as well. 
• We have been learning about Moses and the 10 Plagues in Religion and completed a worksheet to consolidate our learning. 
• In Science our focus has been on ‘mixing’ so we thought it would be a great idea to conduct an experiment to see what happens when we mix different ingredients together.

2A

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P.A.T.H.

Library

Premier's Reading Challenge News

6A read 72 books in the Premier’s Reading Challenge, with 21 books read by Angelica Rush.

5/6B, who read a whopping 728 books in the Premier’s Reading Challenge and to Popi Loizou, who read 59!

5A read 108 books during the challenge, with Lara Di Lullo reading 34!

4A read 281 books and Arden Mitchell read 60 of them. Xavier Minuzzo read 100!

3/4B read 21 books, with 20 of them being read by Aalia Vallbadass.

3A read 137 books, with Eva Roncato reading the most with 27 books.

2A read 164 books. Harper Anderson read 110!  Pia Mauro and Ayden Truong read 20.

1/2B read 163 books.  Reece Di Lullo read 80 books.  Shaela Reilly read 40 books.

1A read a total of 63 books.Kaleb Pucciarmati and Noah Tanner each read 20.

Prep B read 344 books in the Challenge, with Mila Bunyan reading 42 books.

Prep A read 10 books and 5 of them were read by Penelope Donald, some at Let’s Read Together.

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