Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the end of week five. We have crossed the halfway point of the term. The next 5 weeks are a significant few weeks with many events and tasks that need to take place. From the Fete next week, graduations to leadership handovers, orientations, reports, and excursions, to name a few, we will all certainly be busy. With a sense of business also comes fatigue and tiredness. This is true for all in the community. Please look after yourselves and each other during this busy period. If you have any concerns or you need support during this time, please don't hesitate to contact the school.

Setting goals with your children and talking to them about how they respond to tiredness is important. Knowing an extended break is not far away is an excellent goal to have. Please also encourage your child to let teachers know if they are tired or run down so they can be supported. We can only support the things we know about.

Fete

We are in the final stages of planning for the Fete next week. We thank all families for their contributions to make this fete a success. All money raised is returned to the school community, and this year, it is being returned in the form of a new sports shed and updated sporting equipment. Please see the survey in last fortnight's newsletter collecting feedback about fundraising. I thank you for your support of our students.

We have asked if families can collect students from 12 pm next Friday so we can set up for the Fete after school. We recognise this will not be possible for all families and will continue to offer supervision during this time as needed. This will allow for rides and stalls to be set up in anticipation of the Fete, which starts at 4 pm.

Staffing

We are close to finalising our staffing for 2024. Ms Laura Hay will leave us at the end of the school year and has accepted a teaching position back in Sydney. We thank Ms Hay for her work as Sports Coordinator and our Gifted High Potential Teacher over the last two years and wish her all the best with her move closer to home.  

Class Lists – 2024

The students have submitted their requests for 'Friendship Five' to the teachers who are compiling the class lists for 2024. Multiple factors are taken into account, including, of course, the friendship choices of the students. The school can only guarantee one friend from the students' lists.

Working dynamics, even split of gender and ability, and teacher knowledge need to be factored into the final lists. We use a program, Class Creator, to help create our lists by entering a range of data fields, including the friendship five responses. Once this is completed, we review the lists using our professional knowledge and judgment to make considered adjustments.

Thank you to those parents who have written to me with considerations for their child in 2024. These have now closed. These considerations will be reviewed in line with the professional knowledge of staff and cannot always be entertained for a variety of reasons. Please rest assured that we will closely consider these parent recommendations and try to honour as many as possible where appropriate. A final note, general teacher requests cannot be entertained. The final decision regarding class and teacher placements rests with me.

Renovation

The final joinery units have been delivered over the last two days and will be installed over the next four days. We anticipate a move by Yr. 3 back into classrooms on Tuesday afternoon and Library/ STEM on Wednesday.

Ring Road Before and After School

Can I remind parents and carers that the drop off for students in the morning via the ring road is outside the hall after 8:30 am. We have had an increasing number of parents pulling up outside the BASCA gate to drop off students. This causes disruptions to traffic on Casey Crescent, frustration to other road users and ultimately, complaints from the general public and Action because the road is blocked.  This is similar in the afternoon when parents pull up and block traffic before the cones are removed from the ring road. I will spend some time next week speaking with people to remind them of this request.

Blessings and best wishes.

Sean Rutledge

Principal

Sunday Gospel Reflection: Matthew 25:1-13

Look, the bridegroom comes. Go out to meet him.

The early Christians thought that all their questions about death had been answered with the resurrection of Jesus. Therefore, when loyal Christians began to die, not only did their old questions come back, but also they were plagued with new and difficult ones. Was it possible that those loyal Christians had not been loyal after all? Or worse, were the promises made by Jesus empty promises? No! Paul assures us. It is all true. Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again, and all the faithful will be joined with him. How it will happen, we do not know. When it will happen, we do not know. That it will happen, we are sure.

The wisdom that we have culled from life becomes the treasury from which we draw the prudence and insight needed to negotiate life’s paradoxes. It throws light on our strengths and on our weaknesses; it enables us to discern what is important and what is not; it directs us to bring extra oil in our lamps. Life and the wisdom that we have acquired through it, have taught us that we can indeed trust the promises of God. They have been fulfilled in the past, and wisdom assures us that they will be fulfilled in the future. It is wisdom that cautions us to be vigilant, to be ready to adjust our plans. It is wisdom that prepares us for the night watches of life. It is wisdom that instructs us to be ready at all times.

Gospel Reflection by Dianne Bergant

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

We continue to pray for our Year 4 students as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. A reminder that students need to submit their home learning to their classroom teacher each week. 

Today, parents of Year 4 will have received a permission note and information via Compass for the Year 4 retreat day which will be held on Wednesday 22nd November at Holy Family Church in Gowrie. ALL students in Year 4 will travel to the Church on a bus where they will participate in a day of reflection and learning. There will be pizza for lunch so please fill out the question at the end of the form. Children may wear casual clothes that are appropriate (shoulders covered, no midriff tops) and closed in footwear. If you have any questions regarding the Sacrament or retreat day, please do not hesitate to contact me here at school or via email.

Have a great week!

Sharee Thomas

Last Book Club of 2023!

Earlier this week students were given a copy of Issue 8 - Scholastic Book Club. LOOP  and cash orders are due back by 9am on Monday 27^th November. This will be the last opportunity to order Book Club this year and might be the perfect time to buy some books as Christmas presents. Thank you for your ongoing support of this important program that allows us to buy books and resources for the school. Scholastic gives us 15% back as reward points. This means that on average the library receives about $150 worth of books each Book Club issue. 

 

St Francis of Assisi Primary School 

Teacher Librarian