Dear Parents and Carers,

As we end Week 7, the term is moving quickly, and the end of the year is just around the corner. With Advent approaching, we are reminded of the significance of this holy season as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It’s a time to spiritually refresh ourselves and prepare for the coming holidays, which provide an opportunity for renewal of body, mind, and spirit.

Our teachers are hard at work finalising end-of-semester reports, which will be sent home via the Compass portal on Wednesday, 11th December (Week 9). Please keep our teachers in your thoughts and prayers as they dedicate many hours to this important work. This semester, the reports will include comments highlighting key achievements, areas of challenge, and plans for students’ continued growth.

I want to thank our teachers for their exceptional dedication and the countless hours they invest outside of the school day to prepare these detailed assessments. Their commitment to producing these important documents is greatly appreciated.

Kinder Orientation

On Wednesday, we held our final kindergarten orientation, during which our students were placed in their class with their teacher and peers. The students were amazingly settled and had a great time, leaving with a show bag full of goodies to support their transition into Kinder 2025. I am pleased to announce our Kindergarten team for 2025:

Kinder Ngadyung – Ms Kayla Murray

Kinder Dhaura – Mrs Sara Meins

Kinder Kanbi - Mrs Jess Lewis (Mon-Wed) & Mrs Alice Nordin (Thurs-Fri)

Meet and Greet

All K-5 students will participate in our meet-and-greet on Thursday, December 12th, from 2 to 3 p.m. Students will have the opportunity to meet their teacher and spend time in the classroom with their peers. This is a reminder that considerations for class placements have closed.

Community Council

On Monday next week, we will hold our final Community Council meeting for the year. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the members of our Community Council for their ongoing support of the school and the valuable advice they provide. Their thoughtful input is deeply appreciated, and I rely on their feedback to guide decision-making and ensure we meet the needs of our students, staff, and community. Their dedication and commitment play a crucial role in our school's continued success, and I am truly grateful for the time and effort they invest in helping shape our school’s future.

Bathroom Renovation

The tiling is almost complete. If you look through the windows, you will notice a massive difference. Cubicle construction and the final fit-off will begin next week. It will be amazing to have these toilets back online, hopefully before the end of the term!

No Podcast this week

As this week is Sabbath Week, there is no podcast. The StFA podcast will return next Friday, discussing how we can support our children with the transition to their 2025 classes.

Using the ring road in the afternoon

We've received some complaints from local residents recently regarding unsafe driving around the front of the school. To help address this, please refrain from lining up in the ring road before 3:15 p.m. Due to building works, trucks have been parked at the end of the ring road, which limits our ability to place cones there in the afternoon. Cars pulling up and waiting at the end of the ring road are causing additional traffic congestion on Casey Cres, especially near the bus stop, with cars coming to a standstill.

To help ensure smooth traffic flow, we block off the ring road each afternoon from about 2:30 p.m. If you can, please try to come a little later—around 3:25 p.m.—when traffic is typically clearer and cars can drive right up to the coloured pickup squares. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Blessings and best wishes

Sean Rutledge

Principal