Welcome to the School Newsletter for Term 2 Week 5

Dear Families

National Reconciliation Week

Each year, National Reconciliation Week celebrates and builds on the respectful relationships shared by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider Australian community. It is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join and positively contribute to the national reconciliation journey. We commenced the week by enjoying a public holiday to help celebrate Reconciliation Week. On Tuesday all students were also lucky enough to enjoy an aboriginal performance which was very engaging. 

NAPLAN Testing 

We finished 2019 NAPLAN Online last week. There were some major hiccups with the electronics losing connection particularly on the first two days of the testing, which was very frustrating. The children were very patient and persevered to complete the tests in less than ideal conditions. After Wednesday things ran much more smoothly. Well done to all our Year 3 and Year 5 students who were champions and worked to complete all these assessments on this new platform with the problems that they experienced.

Enrolment Time 2019

A final reminder to those who have yet to enrol for the 2020 school year. The enrolment period closes tomorrow and all enrolments need to be processed to secure your place for the new year.

Those who think they may not be at St Francis of Assisi Primary School next year (Year 6 exempt) are also asked to let us know your intentions, in writing please. Estimates regarding predicted numbers for St Francis of Assisi in 2020 must be submitted to the Catholic Education Office very soon. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Peace and Best Wishes

Tiffany Reedy

Assistant Principal

Year 4W Anointing Mass Reflections

4 Water were invited to support members of our parish who are unwell at the Anointing Mass.

They placed their right hand on the shoulder of each elder.

When we arrived at Holy Family Church for the Anointing Mass we were very excited and happy. We met a lot of parishioners. Olivia W

We had a lot of fun supporting the elders at the church. The main thing I enjoyed was Father’s homily and meeting the older people. Olivia P

ACT Swimming Carnival - Monday 6 May

Earlier this term, four students from St Francis of Assisi represented our school at the ACT Swimming Championships. Well done to Kaitlyn Arnold, Chloe Smith, Jasmine Macdonald and Lily Young. A special mention must go to Lily, who placed first in two of her events at the championships. 

Tuggeranong Region Cross Country Carnival - Tuesday 28 May

On Tuesday, close to 50 students represented St Francis at the Tuggeranong Region Cross Country Carnival. A big thank you must be extended to Miss Andrea Gatt and Mrs Lauren Macdonald who accompanied the team at the carnival. Well done to all of those students who took part in the event.

Term 2 Fee Statements were issued by email to all families in Week 3.  If you have not received your statement, please let me know so that I can send you another one.

If you are paying by instalments, please check your fee statement to ensure your instalments are enough to cover this year's fees.  If you require any assistance with working out your calculations, please email me susan.rowell@cg.catholic.edu.au or give me a call on 6292 4500.  I'm in the office from Tuesday to Friday each week.

A reminder that Term 2 fees are due for payment by Friday 14 June 2019. Fees may be paid by cash, cheque, credit card, BPay, Direct Debit and QKR.  

A further reminder to Year 6 families that Year 6 camp fees are now overdue and payment as soon as possible would be much appreciated.  Year 5 camp fees are also on QKR and the deposit is due before camp departs in Week 7.

For Year 6 families, Wakakirri tickets and DVDs for the performance on 1 August 2019 are now available for purchase on QKR or please send cash to the front office with your order form no later than Friday 7 June 2019.

Kind regards

Susan Rowell

School Finance Officer

The 2020 Enrolment Period for Catholic schools is closing tomorrow, Friday 31 May 2019.  If you would like to enrol your child for kindergarten at St Francis of Assisi next year, including siblings of current students, please ensure the online enrolment is completed by tomorrow. We are also accepting enrolments across other year levels.

For year 6 students enrolling at Catholic high school for next year, please ensure your online enrolment is completed by tomorrow to avoid missing out on a place.

This year there is a new and exciting 'Twilight Fete' on Friday 22 November from 4.00-8.00pm.

The first meeting for the 2019 fete will be held this Monday 3 June at 6.00pm in the staff room.

We welcome all parents to come along and discuss your ideas for the fete - these events rely on your help and support!  We are looking forward to another successful fundraiser for our school community.

As the days become colder and the nights even worse, our thoughts turn to those members of the community who feel the chill the most. Too many of our fellow Canberrans do not have the means to keep themselves protected from the cold adequately and so our students are launching a short, two week appeal to provide much needed winter clothing to be distributed to those in need by the St Vincent de Paul society. As a whole school we are focussing upon our call to assist others who may be less fortunate than we are and this is a real world application of our Catholic social teaching.

Following is a list of items that St VdP will be coming to our school to collect in a few weeks time:

• Thick adult or children's socks
• Children's shoes
• Blankets
• Jackets and coats - any sizes from children to adult

We are asking all members of the St Francis community to check through our wardrobes to find any of these items that may no longer be in use i.e. wrong sizes, unused etc. in your household and that would be suitable quality for donation.

If you find any of these items that are in good condition and that might be of benefit to others in need then we are asking students to bring them to school over the next two weeks. These items will be stored in classrooms until our School Assembly on Friday 7th June at 2.00pm. Students will then bring those items with them to the Assembly and will then take them up onto the stage for donation to St VdP.

We will be encouraging all of our students to hopefully find an item or two in each household that could help those members of the Canberra community who really need it.

Our thanks go to everyone for their generosity with this initiative. Any questions about this initiative can be directed to the Year 3 teachers or students.

We would like to thank the parents, staff and ex-student who helped with the disco - your help was much appreciated.

There have been a couple of changes to a few items on Qkr, being the chicken burger, nemo burger and mini nemo burger all now come with lettuce and mayonnaise and the only option is to add cheese and the hamburger now comes with lettuce and tomato sauce with the only option again is to add cheese.

Sue and Jo. Canteen Managers. PH: 6292 7477

Helpers roster Week 6 and 7

Monday 3 June

AM Help required

PM Help required

Wednesday 5 June 

AM Help required

PM Help required

Thursday 6 June

AM Help required

PM Help required

Friday 7 June

AM Maz S-Gaffney

      Help required  

PM Rachel de Mamiel

      Help required

Monday 10 June

Queen's birthday Holiday

Wednesday 12 June

AM Help required

PM Help required

Thursday 13 June

AM Help required

PM Help required

Friday 14 June

AM Maz S-Gaffney

      Help required

PM Alex Wilson

      Help required

We have had concerned motorists call the school this week, having witnessed unsafe actions by some of our students when crossing the road outside our school.

Please have a chat with your children about road safety.  We have a supervised crossing on Casey Crescent from 8.15-9.00am and 3.00-3.45pm each day.  Please ensure your children know to cross with the supervisor.

Thank you for your support.

In June and July, hats go away!

Cancer Council ACT recommends school students and teacher’s leave their hats at home or replace it with a beanie during the June and July winter months. As we enter into a period where the UV levels are (under 3) sun protection behaviour (i.e. hat wearing and sunscreen application) is discouraged due to the low risk of potential UV skin damage and the need for students to be exposed to Vitamin D.  

Hats will go back on from 1 August 2019.

6287 3833

Being a parent is the hardest job we’ll ever have.  All parents at some time experience difficulties and stress.

Parentline ACT

is a confidential and free telephone and face-to-face counselling and information service.

  Phone Parentline if you would you like:

• To talk with someone about those parenting issues.
• Help with some ideas on raising children.
• Support in the important job you are doing.
• To know what is available for parents, teenagers and children.
• To build better relationships in your family.
• Help to understand your child or teenager’s behaviour.
• Make an appointment for a counselling session.

Parentline ACT

Monday to Friday (except on public holidays), 9am to 5pm.

Phone: 6287 3833

During this weather with cool mornings and warmer afternoons, we are finding many jumpers and jackets are being left around the school. 

Please ensure all items of school uniform are clearly labelled with your child's name so that they can be returned to them quickly and easily if misplaced.  

Any items not labelled will be donated to the clothing pool.

A reminder that school banking is every Wednesday.  Please bring your bank book to school for processing.  All books will be returned by Thursday of the same week.

St Francis of Assisi Primary School is now using the SZAPP app for all communication with parents.  We are no longer using SkoolBag.

It is important that you register for SZAPP so that you get notifications applicable to your students - please ensure your settings are up to date for the appropriate year groups as not all notifications are sent to all users.

If you are having trouble downloading the app, please give us a call on 6292 4500 or pop into the front office so we can help you get it sorted out.

Thank you for your support

St Francis of Assisi Primary School is again participating in the Woolworths Earn and Learn promotion this year.

All completed sticker sheets can be dropped off at Woollies or we have a collection point here at the school library.

Spare sticker sheets are available at the front office or the library.

Thank you for your support!

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