Principal's News
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to Term 4! I hope you had a safe and restful school holiday and found some time to recharge. As always, this term is particularly busy, with key events like reports, Kinder Orientation, meeting new teachers, Christmas celebrations, School Captain selection, and graduation, among others.
Given that Term 4 effectively spans only nine weeks, with Week 10 consisting of just one day, we’ve had to adjust our calendar, moving all events forward by a week. This has resulted in a more condensed schedule.
Boorowa Touch and Netball
Next week, around 160 of our students will participate in the Boorowa Touch and Netball Carnival. I’d like to sincerely thank Ms. Nikki Arcidiacono for her efforts in organising the event, which was aptly supported by Ms Warren, Mr. Hosie, and Mrs. Lehmensich. A special thank you as well to the dedicated teachers and support staff who have volunteered to attend. Without their support, this carnival simply wouldn’t be possible.
I’d also like to acknowledge the parents who have volunteered to manage and coach on the day. Their role, while sometimes overlooked, is crucial to the success of our teams. I wish all our teams the very best as they compete and proudly represent our school.
ROSTRUM
Last term, one of our Year 6 students, Khya, represented our school at the ACT Rostrum public speaking competition held at Canberra College. Khya represented the school amazingly well and spoke beautifully. She won or placed highly in 3 regional and school events to qualify for the ACT competition, which is an outstanding achievement. A link to her speech is here: https://youtu.be/HD49wfbFDws?si=0f1P_lIL4J8PDUA6.
Catholic Leaders Day
Next week, I will be away from school on Thursday and Friday to attend the Annual Catholic Leaders Day for Principals and CE staff. The day's focus will be on embedding Catalyst and will promote reflection on what we can, will, and have already done in schools to prioritise the structures, processes, and systems that enable the conditions for improvement in Teaching and Learning. This will help inform our Annual Improvement Planning process, which the Leadership Team will be working on this term.
Archdiocesan Assembly
This weekend, the Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn is holding an Archdiocesan Assembly as part of the Synodal journey that the Catholic Church is undertaking. All Catholic school principals have been invited to attend, and I will be participating in the assembly. A link to the Assembly webpage can be found here, which includes information about the nature and purpose of the Assembly. https://www.cgevangelisation.org.au/assembly/
Classes for 2025
We will shortly begin forming classes for 2025; as you can imagine, it is a complex task. I want to share with you some of the key factors our teachers carefully consider when determining student placements:
- Additional Needs
- Work Habits
- Cognitive ability
- Friendships
- Behaviour
- Gender
- Health considerations
- Religion (to assist in achieving a balance between classes, especially in Sacramental years)
- Common names
Ideally, we aim for a balanced and equal spread of both positive and challenging characteristics. Where practical, parental requests based on genuine educational concerns will be considered.
If you have specific considerations about your child’s placement that you need to share, please provide them in writing via email no later than COB Friday, November 8th, Week 4.
Parental concerns with genuine educational considerations will be examined and seriously considered during the process. However, it must be clearly understood that there is no guarantee that these can be honoured.
Peaceful Relationships Workshop
New date, on 29 October from 6:30-7:30 pm, the Community Council will host a parent engagement workshop facilitated by Connections Counselling Canberra, which takes an evidence-based approach to parenting, offering parents the chance to learn about the emotional needs of both their children and themselves while also enhancing their understanding of children's brain development. This event is free for our families, and BASCA will provide care for anyone who requires it. Please use the link below to sign up.
https://forms.office.com/r/qTsktGzG03
Open Community Council Meeting
A reminder that our next Open community council meeting will be on 28th October at 5:30 pm. All school community members are invited to attend. If you intend to attend, please register so we can select the correct venue for the meeting. One of the topics at the meeting will seek feedback on a new podcasting series we are looking to begin as another community communication tool. Your presence is always appreciated. https://forms.office.com/r/ywZ627hcRd
Leaving in 2025
If you will not be at SFA in 2025, can you please email the front office to notify them of your intentions. This will help us with planning and preparation for 2025. As part of legislative requirements, we need to list the school you have enrolled in on our exit register.
Parking in Carpark
Please be mindful of parking in the car park around 3 pm. It can get congested, particularly in the back row closest to our neighbour's fencing. Please ensure you leave enough room for cars to get out and exit the gate. If you find it congested, please consider using our carline from 3:15 pm or parking at Calwell Oval and walking across to school.
Blessings and best wishes
Sean Rutledge
Principal