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Term 2 Newsletter 21st June, 2024

Principal's Message

DID YOU SURVIVE?

Well, how did you go? Did you manage to survive the last 10 weeks reasonably unscathed from the pressures of illness, tiredness, homework battles, relationships between friends, deadlines, sporting events and just getting up on these recent cold mornings? If you can still manage a smile and have enough motivation to get out and get things done, you have done very well.

From my experience, generally I have found that Term 2, due to the above-mentioned reasons, is the hardest quarter of the year to manage, especially for parents. Schools are about people and when people, especially our children, start to wear down at the halfway mark of the year and tolerance levels fall and what classmates say or do can seem far worse than if they were said at the beginning of the year.

It is also the time of the year when school and schoolwork can seem to become a bit of a drag for some young people. At times like these, as important adults in their lives, we need to spend time explaining to our children that there will always be ups and downs and homework won’t go on forever. There will be times when things don’t go as well as we would like and other times when things are great. It is important that we train our minds and those of our children to focus on the positives. Too much time spent on the negative aspects of life will drag everyone down. But let us not forget that most progress occurs when we work out something is not going as well as it could, and we change it. Those changes, I hope, will keep occurring.

Working together is the key. I really do appreciate the support our teachers receive from parents. Once children know that there is a common message from both school and home, they soon get the idea that characteristics like respect, resilience, care for others etc. are important traits in life.

One of the things I have admired about St Francis is the level of support I have found from parents. Almost without fail, parents want the best for their children and realize that the staff do as well and are highly supportive of the efforts the staff make on behalf of their children. As this is the last newsletter item for the term, I would like to take this opportunity to thank both the staff, parents and students for your efforts during this very busy and demanding term. I wish the school continued success and a massive thank you to Mrs. Allison Busiko, as she will take on the Acting Principal position in my absence. In the next few days, I will announce her replacement in the Year 4/5/6 classroom. Have a great term 2 break and see you all very soon.

FAREWELL MRS. AUGER

Gina, your tireless efforts have made a difference in the lives of our students, staff and community, and for that, we are truly grateful. May your next adventure be as fulfilling as the one you’ve shared with us. May you find joy, growth, and new opportunities. And remember, once a part of our school family, always a part of it. Thank you for being more than a teacher aide—you’ve been a friend, a mentor, and an inspiration. Farewell, and may your path be filled with sunshine and success.

PREP ENROLMENTS FOR 2025 AND ENROLMENTS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL

Our numbers are beginning to take shape for next year. If you know of families with Prep aged children, please encourage them to call in to the office to or visit our website https://www.clifton.catholic.edu.au/ We are also accepting enrolments throughout the school as well.

REPORT CARDS

Report cards are now available through the Parent Portal. Please email Allison Busiko if you are unable to access it. As our practice here, please contact your child’s teacher if you have any concerns about your child’s education.

SPORTING NEWS

Congratulations to our winning house for 2023, McKenna. The athletics carnival was a great day. All the students represented their houses with great pride and respect. Many people don’t realise the time and effort that goes into organising such a huge undertaking. It truly is a team effort, and both staff at St Patrick’s and St Francis really deserve a big thank you for the time and effort they put into working on the day. In particular, I would like to send a VERY big thank you to Mr. Blaikie and Mrs. Heit for their efforts behind the scenes and Mrs. Nash for the endless hours of line marking and ground preparation. Also, a big thank you to the families for making the trip and helping at Allora, your support and efforts were amazing. We look forward to hosting this carnival at Clifton next year.

Term 3

Week 1

Mon 8 July – Pupil Free Day

Wed 10 July – Assumption College Visit to St Francis de Sales – 1pm

Week 2

Wed 17 July – Track and Field – Central Downs Day 1 – Allora

Fri 19 July – Track and Field – Central Downs – Day 2 – Allora

Week 3

Mon 22 July – Catholic Education Week Mass – 9:00am

Fri 26 July – Pupil Free Day – Bishop’s Inservice Day

Sun 28 July – Family Sunday Mass – 9:30am

Week 4

Tues 30 July – 1500m event – Scot’s Warwick

Week 5

Fri 9 Aug – Grandparent's Day and liturgy- 9am to 11am.

Sat 10 Aug – Bush Dance Celebration – 5:00pm

Week 6

Tues 13 Aug – Bike Safety Yr4-6

Wed 14 Aug – Track and Field – Southern Downs – Allora; Bike Safety Yr. 4-6

Thurs 15 Aug – Assumption of Mary

Week 7

Tues 20 Aug – Book Week Celebrations; Track and Field DD – Twmba.

Week 8

Thurs 29 Aug – Father’s Day BBQ and Liturgy 8:00am; Empire Theatre Excursion 11:00am

Friday 30 Aug – Pupil Free Day – CTJ day

Sun 1 Sept – Father’s Day

Week 9

Mon 2 – Fri 6 Sept Family Life Week / Daniel Morcombe Curriculum

Fri 6 Sept – Clifton Ball Games Carnival

Week 10

Fri 13 Sept – Last day of school

A very big thank you for your ongoing support.

Thanks for reading…

Regards,

Mr. Red

Middle Leader

Subject: Semester One Report Cards Now Available on the Parent Portal

We are pleased to inform you that the Semester One report cards have been published and are now accessible through the Parent Portal. This marks an important milestone in our academic year, offering you a comprehensive overview of your child's progress and achievements over the past months.

Accessing the Report Cards:

To view your child’s report card, please follow these steps:

Log in to the Parent Portal using your credentials.
Navigate to the Academic Reports section.
Select Semester 1, 2024 to view the document.

If you encounter any issues accessing the Parent Portal, please email allison.busiko@twb.catholic.edu.au

Understanding the Report Cards:

The report card provides detailed feedback on your child’s performance across various subjects, including grades, teacher comments, and attendance records. Here are a few key components to look for:

Academic Grades: Reflecting your child’s understanding and mastery of the subject matter.
Teacher Comments: Offering insights into your child’s strengths, skills and understanding.
Attendance: Highlighting the importance of regular attendance in maintaining academic performance.

Supporting Your Child’s Education:

We encourage you to discuss the report card with your child. Celebrate their achievements and constructively address any areas where they might need additional support. Remember to focus on the positives and acknowledge your child’s hard work and progress.

Parent Teacher Interviews:

To further discuss your child’s progress, we invite you to schedule a parent-teacher meeting. These meetings are an excellent opportunity to gain deeper insights into your child’s academic and social development and to collaborate with teachers on strategies to support their learning journey.

Looking Ahead:

As we move into the second half of the year, we remain committed to providing a supportive and enriching educational environment for your child. Your involvement and engagement play a crucial role in their success, and we are here to partner with you every step of the way.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to your child's education. Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Dear parents of Prep/1 students,

Next term, you will see our older home reading books come home with your child. They will have a blue dot on the cover. These books will have a bookmark in them, letting you know whether your child can read it to you, or it is a book that you can read to them. As St Francis has now begun our journey with decodable books, most of these old readers will be books that you can read to your child (similar to reading them a picture book from the library).

When you have a moment, check out this video from TCS about home reading. This informational video explains the different skills your child learns at school, and how you can support their reading at home. It will also show you the two bookmarks, and how to use the books that are being sent home as 'read to me' books.

https://youtu.be/4NaLMetK0X4?si=Jso96MA6v6XXlOTH

Mrs Busiko

Prep/1/2/3 News

Wow, here we are at the end of semester one. Congratulations to our students who have shown confidence, resilience, persistence and co-operation in their learning this semester. We have noticed so much growth in our students academically, socially and spiritually and now it is time for a rest. Wishing everyone a safe and restful winter break.

To round out the term we have been focusing on telling the time, reviving our quick write process and engaging in creating artworks for upcoming community events. Our "How to" day was a wonderful day of learning and pure joy. It is pleasing to see students share their interests, talents and hobbies with their peers from ice-cream spiders to magnetic tile construction to hatching an egg.

We would like to extend our gratitude to Mrs. Auger for her dedication to our school and wish her all the very best in her next chapter. May God Bless you. You will remain in our hearts at St Francis.

Mrs Skillington

Yr 5/6 News

It has been a busy fortnight in our classroom. The students welcomed Mrs Harrigan into the classroom, and she told us about migrating from Ireland. The students asked wonderful questions and they gained valuable insight into what it was like to move to another country. Thank you, Mrs. Harrigan, for coming to speak with us. The students then created a timeline using Mrs. Harrigan's information and wrote a report.

The students created artwork that connecting their understanding of HASS and Religion. The students chose one of their HASS topics and visually represented how one of the Fruits of the Spirit could be demonstrated in the chosen context. The students also worked with Mrs. Rosetta to discuss multiculturalism in our society and ways in which they could make people from other countries feel welcome. It was a wonderful conversation, as the students discussed bias and stereotypes and how the Internet (particularly social media) can impact our thoughts about others.

In English, the students have been learning about homophones. We had focused lessons on the words: practice, practice, there, their, they're, its, it's, your, you're.

in our class reading - Extract from Bridget: A New Australian by J Moloney, students determined when the text was set and studied some new vocabulary:

headlong: going headfirst; rushing without taking time to think about your actions
hidey-hole: a place for hiding something or someone
Beowulf: the hero of an Old English epic poem who supports kings and slays dragons and monsters

We then found examples of well-crafted sentences, completed comprehension activities. From there, we used the text to learn about cohesive links, learning about pronouns and adverbs, and how they can be used to make our writing flow by replacing one or more words with different words to describe the same thing.

I am pleased to announce that the Year 4/5/6 class has earnt ten class fish, and as a reward for their hard work, a class party will occur in Week 1 of Term 3.

When - The date will be Friday 12 July.

What - The students will choose a movie to watch in the middle session on this day and have a shared lunch. As this movie may be rated PG, I will communicate with families in Week 1 to let you know which movie has been selected. Students can choose to wear appropriate free dress on this day. Closed in shoes, sun safe clothes and a broad brimmed hat will be required.

To bring -

Boys, please bring a savoury plate of lunch food to share
Girls, please bring in a sweet item to share.

If you have two children in the class, please only bring in one plate, for your eldest child.

Have a wonderful winter holiday break!

Mrs Busiko

PE with Mr. Red

PE with Mr. Red

Congratulations and all the best to everyone who was able to help, assist and compete in our combined Athletics Carnival for 2024. For term 3, students will be doing a combination of Basketball and Bush dancing.