St Francis of Assisi School Newsletter Term 1 Week 10 3.04.2024
Dear Parents,
Behind the Curtain - Article No.1
At the Launch night at the beginning of the year I promised as a principal to offer as much transparency as possible. That teaching, learning and the curriculum were no longer ‘secret teacher business’ – but everyone’s business.
My hope is that by discussing the ins and outs of what we are working on as a staff it will allow continued respectful dialogue between teachers, parents and leadership. I can't tell you how important this is - that we work as a team for each child in our school - not in opposition.
The 'Behind the Curtain' article each term will take you inside what's happening behind the walls of the classroom, as our staff work as hard as any staff I've been involved in to create a culture of high expectations for our students.
Culture
If you’ve been to an assembly or community prayer recently you would have seen a distinct effort by our staff to ensure the children are quiet, reverent and engaged when in the MPF for these events. This involves practising walking in quietly, exiting quietly and positioning students where they are not tempted to talk to each other. This sometimes means separating students from others who they may be tempted to talk to, seating students in close proximity to a teacher or adult or asking some of our Year 6 leaders to sit with our younger students to assist.
It's meant for our younger students instead of one long line, they sit in two small lines to allow us a smaller area for our students to sit inside.
Some of this may sound archaic. Over the top. But it allows our children up the front to shine, to be heard, and to have opportunities to develop their oral language by talking on the microphone without distractions. It allows our students to listen and hear what their peers are saying - to be entertained, inspired and moved. If you were in the room for the Stations of the Cross last week delivered by our Year Six's you were all those things.
This development of a culture of high expectations extends to recently teaching our students explicitly how to thank guest presenters, how to accept certificates or gifts, and for our Year Six students how to greet adults on school tours. This is achived through modelling and explicit instruction to make it clear what we want to see, and what are the cultural norms and expectations.
All of this helps to develop a key aspect in a child’s education – a sense of school pride.
Teaching and Learning
The biggest part of my role as Principal is being the leader of learning at the school. Principals are of course teachers, so understanding contemporary practice in education is key to my role. Ensuring consistency across our site is of vital importance to our students’ growth.
We want our learners to make at minimum a year’s growth in all aspects of their education – we know that consistency of practice across our site will allow that to occur.
Our teachers meet once a week in a group staff meeting that predominantly is centred around professional development. They also meet fortnightly in their professional learning teams.
Essentially this time is a time where we aim to be better. To teach better. To work more collaboratively.
This term alone we have:
- Met to ensure consistency in developing our Personalised Plans for Learning – Our plans we have for the 1 in 4 of our learners who require adjustments to the curriculum to support a disability.
- Attended professional development around Mathematics Instruction specifically on how we can use a set lesson structure to ensure our students retain what has previously been taught.
- Met to discuss contemporary research in teaching and learning – looking at how children learn best and how we can best teach to allow that to occur.
- Had professional development from KESAB in regard to waste management at our school.
Next term we will:
- Receive whole staff professional development to retrain our staff in PLD – Our phonics and spelling program from Year 1-6, allowing us to have consistency across the school in this space.
- Spend time in our Professional Learning Teams moderating and levelling writing samples.
- Receive professional development in Explicit Direct Instruction – a teaching pedagogy (style) that has shown to be most effective in helping students transfer knowledge from their working memory to their long-term memory.
What else is happening?
I've been stuck in my office more than I ever will in my time here. Next term I'll be able to be inside the classrooms more and engaging in the teaching and learning process.
This term for me has been a lot of meetings, a lot of learnings and a lot of things on the go. Here are just a few of them.
Exciting community partnership to be announced at the beginning of Term 2.
Deliberate increased presence on Facebook/Instagram to help communicate with our own parent community, the wider community in the Eastern Suburbs and also begin to connect with our old scholars.
Year Six Service groups established and working within our school to give ‘back’ to our community. School leadership is involved in leading these groups once a week.
SFOA Playgroup has been incredibly well attended with most sessions being attended by 15 families per week and up to 25 children.
School Band, Festival Choir and SFOA Singing Groups established as extra curricula offerings for our students.
School Basketball teams ongoing, School Soccer and Netball teams being established. Swim team in action this Thursday.
Many new students have joined our school since January, with school tours being well attended and enrolments strong for 2025 and beyond.
SFOA is growing again.
Scott March
Principal
Alleluia! Jesus is Risen! Happy Easter! I hope that the Easter long weekend offered a chance to be with family and friends as we rejoiced in the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus’ rising from the dead is our hope of resurrection. This amazing love of God gives us everything and never abandons us. Out of the darkness, Christ shows his light to the world. His resurrection changes the history of salvation and gives our suffering purpose. We have the freedom to live our lives as God intended and experience real joy and happiness. Even when we are buried in our sorrows, we can hold onto the hope that eternal joy is coming and God shall comfort us in our sufferings.
It was wonderful to see so many families join us over Holy Week as we journeyed through the events that led to Jesus` death and resurrection. 1/2V led Palm Sunday, 3/4Z led The Last Supper and 6V led the Stations of the Cross.
Project Compassion
Please return Project Compassion boxes before the end of Term 1. In Week 11 some students will be holding stalls to raise money for Project Compassion. On Friday of Week 11, the Mini-Vinnies are holding a casual day where everyone is asked to bring a gold coin donation for Project Compassion. Thankyou in anticipation of your support.
Melissa Canil
APRIM
The church car park is NOT a drop off zone for children. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times in this area.
If you are choosing to park in the Church car park it is important to follow the arrows indicating the correct direction. Please park between the authorised park lines and walk children to and from your car. Please DO NOT just drop them off here.
The only supervised school Kiss & Drop, is the basketball courts (off Graves St) and is available each morning from 8:30am to 8:55am and from 3:00pm to 3:20pm. It is always supervised by a staff member during these times.
If you wish to park your car, limited car parking is available in the staff car park. Priority parking is on the basketball courts for up to 10 minutes and there is ample street parking.
Use of car parking outside school boundaries, including the church car park remains your responsibility and you are legally expected to use the same caution that you would in any public car park, e.g. managing hazards including ACTIVELY supervising any children in your care.
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Please see below for opening days and times for the Campbelltown Uniform Shop during the April School Holidays.
School Holiday Opening Hours
BY APPOINTMENT - Book a fitting
Week 1
- Monday 15/4 8am -4pm
- Tuesday 16/4 10am -5.30pm
- Wednesday 17/4 8am -4pm
- Thursday 18/04 10am -5.30pm
- Friday 19/4 Closed
- Saturday 20/4 9am -12noon
Week 2
- Monday 22/4 8am – 4pm
- Tuesday 23/4 10am - 5.30pm
- Wednesday 24/4 8am -4pm
- Thursday 25/4 Closed Anzac Day
- Friday 26/4 Closed
- Saturday 27/4 9am -12noon
Please see the attached for all the information including program and booking for the St Francis of Assisi School YMCA Vacation Care program that will be running during the April School Holidays.
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Please use the link for some free and paid classes through the Campbelltown Library for the School Holidays.
https://ticketing.humanitix.com/tours/school-holiday-programs
The School Holiday Program is jamed packed full of activites for children and families, with many of them (see below) being suitable for CHILDREN'S UNIVERSITY VALIDATION.
Sew a card -Begin to Sew { 8-12 year olds}
The Joy of Slime; {8-12 year olds}
Soap Donuts Workshops {12 - 16 year olds}
Flower canes workshop {10-13 year olds}
Dragon Mobiles Sculpture {9-13 year olds}
Cold rolls & Rocky Road Cooking class {7-9 year olds}
![](/files/22396/Instrument_Music_Programme_2024_.2.png)
Please find attached the St Francis of Assisi School calender for Term 1 2024
![Screenshot 2024-07-31 110507](/files/23063/421x600/Screenshot_2024-07-31_110507.png)
![](/files/22942/428x600/Aus_kick_Holiday_program.png)
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![Screenshot 2024-08-14 100319](/files/23136/472x600/Screenshot_2024-08-14_100319.png)
Important Dates
Swimming Carnival - SA Aquatic Centre Oaklands Park
Carnevale Day
Family Mass _5pm
CASUAL DAY - Gold coin donation for project Compassion
Term 1 concludes - 3pm finish
TERM 2 BEGINS
FUTURE DATES
TERM 2
PUPIL FREE DAY - Friday 7th June - OSHC available
PUBLIC HOLIDAY - Monday 10th June 2024
TERM 3
PUPIL FREE DAY- Monday 22nd July and 27th September - OSHC available
TERM 4
PUPIL FREE DAY Friday 14th December - OSHC available
Is your child due to start school?
![](/files/21893/2024_Enrol_Now.jpg)
SFOA Merchandise
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SFOA Umbrellas are now available on the QKR! app. Get your orders in quick - limited stock available!
OSHC
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CLICK HERE to enrol online!
Available before / after school hours with Vacation Care during school holidays.
The Southern Cross Newsletter
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Uniform Shop
Opening Hours & Uniform Prices
By Appointment Only: BOOK HERE
10 Newton Road, Campbelltown
Phone: 8336 2602
Parish Bulletin
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Latest Parish bulletin available here
Catholic Schools Magazine
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