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Dear Families,
Welcome back to Term 4. I hope you and your families had a chance to relax and take advantage of daylight savings. It is great to see all our students return in their summer uniforms and be ready to start an action packed term. We have so much happening: swimming lessons, Kinder orientation, reports, fete, Boorowa Carnival, Catholic Schools Netball Carnival, Carols Night, Kindergarten nativity, graduation etc etc. Busy term ahead!
It is most important that the children are settled and happy at school for their learning to be most successful in a supportive and caring environment. Please assist us in ensuring that frequent communication between home and school takes place and please do not hesitate to contact me should you have concerns about your child’s safety or well-being.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI FEAST DAY
What a wonderful celebration we had. Last term, 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 Father Praveen leading us in mass. It was a wonderful, prayerful liturgy and the children were so reverent in their participation.
After recess, the children participated in a mini-fair FUNdraiser where the children were able to donate money to Catholic mission and be involved in many fun activities. The children then had a lovely feast of pasta napolitana, followed by an ice block treat.
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 and to the Year 6 teachers for ensuring the FUNdraiser was a brilliant success.
A big thank you must go to all our parents and canteen staff who managed to cook enough pasta and sauce to feed 460 children (no mean feat). With three different kitchens being utilised (BASCA, the old and new canteens) the chefs worked with boiling pots of water from 10am. There was plenty of food to go around, with the children coming back for seconds.
Thanks to all the other helpers who came in and helped serve and clean up. What a fabulous community we have here at St Francis.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS NETBALL CARNIVAL
This Saturday sees children from our school compete in the Catholic Schools Netball Carnival. We have 6 teams competing at this event and I am very grateful to Michelle Aiken and Rachel Southwell for organising the teams and to those who are assisting on the day. Please see the article in this newsletter or the separate SZAPP notification for further information including teams and draws for the day. Go St Francis!
SHOWCASE
Thank you to the many parents and children who attended the Showcases and Learning Journeys in Week 10 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.
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 ‘Leadership Shirt’ as their sport shirt on sport days only. Our full uniform policy is available under our school website. Click on ‘our school’, then ‘uniform’. Thanks for your understanding and support.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI PRIMARY SCHOOL FETE – FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2019
Our major fundraising event of the year is our School Fete. Our School Fete is just 5 weeks away and is gaining momentum. Thanks for your support with our major community and fundraising event of the year. Please consider assisting in any way you can as the time approaches. We will need lots of assistance for this to be a community and financial success.
I understand it is difficult as a parent to find time to help at school. We all lead very busy lives and often it is difficult to make time to assist. Working parents can find it difficult to assist at the school during the week, however, one way you can be of help and actively involved in your children’s school is assisting in events such as Working Bees and Fetes. For busy parents, helping out on events like this gives you a great opportunity to contribute to our community and meet new people. Please assist! We need you!
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, 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.
BOOROWA TOUCH AND NETBALL CARNIVAL
Next Friday 25 October, 130 students will represent St Francis of Assisi at the Boorowa Touch and Netball Carnival.
We have supported this carnival for many years and it’s always a great day. It not only supports two small schools in the bush, but gives our students an opportunity to play against other schools in a setting very different to our own.
Students are required to wear correct sports uniform – which includes their St Francis of Assisi School hat.
We wish our teams all the best next week and look forward to hearing reports of how they went.
A big thank you to Miss Kate Foley and Miss Sam Ryan for coordinating this event and to the many parents who are volunteering their time to coach, manage and support our teams. Please see the article in this newsletter or the separate SZAPP notification for further information including teams and draws for the day.
Peace and Best Wishes
Kate Markcrow
Principal
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:21
First Reconciliation
PARENT FORMATION EVENING: Thursday 31 October at 7:30pm, Holy Family Church.
COMMITMENT SUNDAYS:
6pm Saturday 19 October or 10am Sunday 20 October,
or 6pm Saturday 26 October or 10am Sunday 27 October.
RETREAT DAY: Wednesday 13 November at Holy Family Church, Gowrie.
CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT: First Reconciliation will be celebrated at Holy Family Church, Castleton Crescent, Gowrie, at 6:30pm Thursday 28 November or 6:30pm
Masses
Year 3
Next week, on 23 October, 3 Earth will be attending the Wednesday morning Parish Mass at our Sacred Heart Church at 9:30am.
In week 3, on 30 October, 3 Fire will be participating in this Mass.
You are always very welcome to join them.
Year 6
Year 6 are excitedly looking forward to their Year Level Mass Tuesday 29th October at 2.00 pm in the Peace Garden! Please come along to share in their celebration of thanksgiving.
Dates to Remember Term 4:
Carol by Candlelight and Thanksgiving BBQ Monday 9th December
With best wishes
Michelle Marshall
Religious Education Coordinator
Thank you for entering your child in the final Catholic Schools Netball Carnival this Saturday, 19th October 2019. Attached you will find the team lists, draw, rules of play including code of behaviour and a site map. We are fortunate that the carnival is held at our local netball courts on Were Street, Calwell.
Please note that there will be no show bags or plastic drink bottles given out this year. Manager packs will be distributed on the morning at the briefing session for coaches and managers. The coaches/managers briefing will take place at 8:00am in front of the information desk.
All other participants are asked to please meet at our school's designated area (8) as shown on the site map, 30 minutes prior to your first game. This varies from team to team so please check the draw carefully.
Students are to wear their normal summer sports uniform or regular netball uniform. Please ensure no jewellery is worn (earrings, bracelets, necklaces etc), except a medical alert bracelet which must be taped.
Ensure fingernails are short and smooth (when looking from the palm of the hand, fingernails cannot be seen over the fingers).
The weather for Saturday is currently predicted to be 22, so please ensure your child brings plenty of water, sunscreen and their school hat (or netball visor).
Updates will be available on the CSNC Facebook page.
We are looking forward to a fun-filled day on Saturday!
A reminder to all year 6 students that the 2019 graduation photo will be taken this coming Tuesday 22 October at 10.00am.
Year 6 students are asked to wear sports uniform with leadership shirts on Tuesday for the graduation photo.
Attached is important information and the team lists for the Boorowa Touch and Netball carninval being held tomorrow - Friday 25 October.
If you are unsure of anything, please email kate.foley@cg.catholic.edu.au or you can visit the St Joseph’s website for more information:
http://stjboorowa.nsw.edu.au/touchnetballcarnival/Pages/default.aspx
Boorowa_Information_Team_List.pdf
We are looking forward to a great day at Boorowa!
Term 4 fee statements were emailed to all families yesterday. These are the last fee statements for the year. Please take the time to check your statement to ensure your instalment amounts will cover the fees up to the end of Term 4.
Term 4 fees are due for payment by Friday 29 November (end week 7) unless paying by regular instalments. If you need help calculating instalments please send me an email to susan.rowell@cg.catholic.edu.au and I will get back to you. I am in the office from Tuesday to Friday.
Kind regards
Susan Rowell
Statements for Term 3 Weeks 9 and 10 Before and After School Care have been issued, with any outstanding payments now overdue.
Statements for Term 3 Vacation Care will be issued this Friday, with payments due by next Friday 25 October.
Kind regards
Kurt Munro
The first issue of Scholastic Book Club for this term went home with the students yesterday.
All orders - online and cash - must be received by next Friday 25 October 2019.
No late orders will be accepted. Thank you for your support!
Thank you to those families who have returned their fete raffle tickets already!
A reminder that all fete raffle tickets, sold or unsold, must be returned to school by Friday 1 November 2019. Payment must accompany the raffle tickets to be included in the draw.
Payment may be made by cash in a marked envelope brought to the front office or online through the QKR! app.
Thank you for your support!