Principal's News Week 1
Dear Families,
Welcome back to Term 4. I hope you and your families had a chance to relax and take advantage of daylight saving. It is great to see all our students return in their summer uniforms and be ready to start an action packed term.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI FEAST DAY
What a wonderful celebration we had. Yesterday, we acknowledged our patron saint’s feast day (which is really the 4th October) with a day packed with fun and frivolity. We started the day as a whole school community, with a liturgy, prepared by Lisa Conroy, praying that we might be more like St Francis. It was a wonderful, prayerful liturgy and the children were so reverent in their participation. It was also great to hear a message recorded by Fr James, who is taking a well-earned break at the moment.
The children participated in class activities relating to St Francis and were also able to attend an Italian Puppet play.
The weather was perfect for a celebration with everyone happy to be out in the sunshine. A big thank you to Ms Lisa Conroy for preparing the day.
SHOWCASE
Thank you to the many parents and children who participated in the Showcases and Learning Journeys last term. Thanks also to the teachers for their amazing work in preparing the students. A Showcase gives students the opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning by sharing the process with a real audience.
SCHOOL PHOTOS
A reminder that school photos will take place on Monday 19th October (next week). Please ensure that your child comes to school in their full school Summer Uniform. Your child would have come home with an order envelope. If you have not yet received one, please contact the Front office.
UNIFORM REMINDERS
A reminder that this term all students are required to wear Summer Uniform. We have had some students return to school wearing incorrect socks, incorrect ear rings and mixing sport and school uniforms. Year 6 students can wear their sport ‘Leadership Shirt’ as their sport shirt on sport days only. Our full policy is available under our school website. Click on ‘our school’, then ‘uniform’. Thanks for your understanding and support. Please remember to remove any nail polish that me be left over from the holidays.
STAFFING NEWS
On the last day of last term, I received the great news that we would be receiving an extra class in our staffing allocation for 2021. This will mean that our current Year 2 students will be split in to 3 classes for 2021.
Our school is a great school, and our enrolments are ever increasing. Our biggest advocate for our school is you. It is great to hear the many positive comments and feedback that our parents have, when recommending our school to other families. Thank you!
BOOK WEEK
Next week is Book Week! The theme this week is “Curious Creatures, Wild Minds”. I am really looking forward to our Book Week Parade next Friday. Although parents are unable to attend, we will be posting our parade on Facebook. Our Book Fair is on again and Mrs Cossettini has spent many hours getting this ready for the children. Order forms have be sent home with the children this week. The school benefits from this Book fair with some of the profits being donated back to our school library. It is wonderful to see how much our students love reading and exploring the new literature that is being written. Big thanks to Mrs Cossettini for all her work in planning ‘Book Week’ – ably supported by Mrs Jolly in the library too.
CLASS ALLOCATIONS FOR 2021
During this term, we will be finalising our staffing arrangements for 2021. 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 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 6 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.
Peace and Best Wishes
Kate Markcrow
Principal