Dear Parents,

The weather is finally starting to warm up and it is great to see the children enjoying the sunny weather. As we see the temperatures start to get quite warm, please be reminded that the children need a school hat and a water bottle to help keep themselves safe and hydrated during these warmer months.

I hope you are enjoying the weather and making the most of the outside time that we can benefit from in the afternoons and over the weekends.

WORLD TEACHERS DAY

Next week we celebrate, as a staff, World Teacher’s Day. It is a great day that recognises all the hard work that teachers do in nurturing your young children. I am so very blessed to be able to lead such a dedicated group of teachers, assistants and administrative staff who work harder than any other staff that I have known.

The extra work that our staff takes on is above and beyond, with our teachers giving up lunch breaks, weekends, evenings with their family and holiday time to ensure that the children in our school receive every possible opportunity to succeed at school and enjoy the learning environment that we are so fortunate to have.

I am sure you will join me in thanking such a dedicated team. Feel free to drop your child’s teacher an email expressing your ‘vote of thanks’.

RECONCILIATION

Our Year 3 students are very busy in preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Reconciliation is a time when we recognise our shortcomings, say sorry and reconnect with the Church.

Tonight is the Parent Information Session with Fr James for all those who intend on their children participating in the Sacrament this year. All Year 3 children will be involved in the retreat day on Wednesday 13 November.

WORKING BEE - CANCELLED

Our Working Bee that was planned for this Saturday has been cancelled.

PRINCIPAL’S LUNCH

Next week I will host the first of my Principal’s lunches for the year. The children will meet me in the hall and we will watch a movie together and enjoy a yummy Pizza lunch. More information will be provided to those students who have earned their 3 blue wrist bands during the year. I will host another lunch closer to the end of the year for those students who are very close.  

STAFFING

A very big thank you to Mrs Marshall, who has been acting REC whilst Ms Conroy has been on leave. She has been very busy organising the Christmas appeal and preparing our Year 3 children for reconciliation. Thank you Mrs Marshall. 

Congratulations to Sarah Ciuffetelli, Lauren Mewburn, Tim O’Brien and Anna Corkery who have all been reappointed in classroom teaching positions in 2020. We also welcome to our staff Miss Emily Barr, Mr Simon Hargraves and Mrs Shelley Salzke who will join is next year. All are experienced teachers who have worked at other schools within our Canberra Catholic school community. Mrs Karen Western, from St Jude’s Holder, will join Christine as a Learning Support teacher from 2020. She has a wealth of experience and we are very fortunate to have her join our team.

BOOROWA TOUCH AND NETBALL CARNIVAL

What a fantastic day. Last Friday over 120 St Francis students made the trip to Boorowa to compete in Touch football and netball games. The weather was extremely windy which led to a rather unfortunate accident. The parent involved is doing better after being offered medical treatment on the day. Apart from this, the parents and students from our school had a very successful and happy day competing against schools from around our region.

PICKERS

It seems like we are slipping back into old habits.

This term we are having parents and carers queue up behind the cones in the afternoon. Pickers does not open till between 3:15 and 3:20 pm and we ask that if you are here before that, you park your car and collect your child/ren from the hall. 

A simple system ensures that we are not blocking the road and that all children in our school are safe. The new system has worked very well for the majority of the year will all motorists behaving in a way where we put all children in our school first.

The simple rule is – ‘if the cones are still out – please drive around’.

CLASS ALLOCATIONS FOR 2020

During this term, we will be finalising our staffing arrangements for 2020. Below is a copy of the ‘Class Allocation Policy’ (available on our website) which aims to ensure there is a fair and just process in allocating students to classes for the upcoming school year. My firm belief is that teachers are in the best position to decide a child’s placement because they know all the children in their classes and have a view of the ‘big picture’. However, I invite parents to inform me of anything that you feel needs to be considered, for your own child’s well-being or development.

Could you please have a read and be aware of the following policy? As there are usually two or three streams of classes each year at St Francis of Assisi Primary School, Calwell, there are different combinations of children in classes. When forming the class lists the following factors are taken into consideration: gender, special needs, work habits, cognitive ability, friendships, behaviour, health considerations, religion (to assist in achieving balance between classes, especially in Sacramental years) and common names.

Ideally we aim for an equal spread of both positive and challenging characteristics.

Where practical, parental requests based on educational concerns will be considered. At St Francis of Assisi, the staff and parents will follow these principles and guidelines when considering placement of students each year:

• Every care will be taken to ensure that each child is placed in the best situation to enhance learning and social development;
• Parents who wish to discuss particular concerns regarding the placement of their children in particular classes should put the concern in writing and address it to the Principal by Friday of Week 4 (Friday 8 November);
• Parent concerns will be seriously considered during the process. It must be clearly understood, however, that no definite guarantees can be given regarding parent’s requests;
• Where appropriate, advice will be sought from the Learning Support Teacher, School Counsellor, etc during this process;
• Taking into account all of the factors listed above, the current class teachers compile class lists during the last week of November and hand to the Principal for confirmation;
• Children will be informed of their class placement for the following school year in December (usually the last week of school) and the opportunity will be provided where possible for them to spend some time with their new class teacher;
• A class lists will be made available for parents during the last week of the year. No changes are made after this time; and
• Throughout this process the Principal, after appropriate consultation, reserves the right to make final professional decisions regarding the placement of children.

Please be aware that requests for particular teachers or for a particular gender of teacher will NOT be considered. Also, we do not accept friendship requests.

SCHOOL SATISFACTION SURVEY

This year, a ‘Parent Satisfaction Survey’ was distributed to all parents via email from Catholic Education. This information is used to assist the school in parental perceptions and used to assist us for planning for the future.

The parent satisfaction survey was undertaken in August 2019. Invitations containing a link to the on-line survey instrument were sent to all parents. 157of the 610 parents completed the survey (26% completion rate is considered satisfactory).

Below are some results:

The colour indicates the level of satisfaction with green being highly satisfied .It is great to see the level of satisfaction surrounding our school. The teacher work very hard to ensure that all children are happy, safe and learning whilst at school.

Peace and Best Wishes

Kate Markcrow

Principal