Term 4 Newsletter, 22nd November 2024

Principal's Message

Here are some of our successes so far from this year: -

• Year 3 above State Minimum Standard for Reading and Writing
• Year 5 above the National Minimum Standard for NAPLAN in areas
• Continued reading growth for all students
• Diocesan Approach to Reading including the teaching of Decoding
• Development of Learner Qualities
• Increased signage across the school
• Facilities upgrades – tennis wall, sandpit edging, painting of stairs and administration, fruit trees planted
• Student enrolment increase by 11%

Areas we are working on in 2025: -

• Creation of Master Plan for future development – potential classroom refurbishments, front gate installation
• Implementation of 4 School Values – Love of Christ and Neighbour, Justice and Peace, Stewardship and Community
• Good Samaritan Charism through Service Learning – establishment of Meals on Wheels; continued community involvement from St Francis de Sales
• Familiarise our community with version 9 Australian Curriculum
• Creating of Parent and Staff Handbooks – to assist with communication
• Familiarisation with First National Educational Plan

Bunnings BBQ Fundraiser

I am very pleased to announce that this year the St Francis de Sales community raised $1,718 which will go directly towards our projects for 2025. This is a massive achievement from all involved (support on the day or donations of ice, soft drinks or sausages) and we should all be very proud.  Very special mention to Ms. Kylie Hay who was our chief organiser for this wonderful event – thank you Ms. Hay! Well done team and here’s to 2025!

Staffing for 2025

By now, you would have received communication about the 2025 staffing structure for St Francis de Sales. We are very fortunate to have experienced and dedicated staff that share a passion and commitment for excellence in teaching and learning. Their passion, vibrancy and level of curriculum knowledge will assist the students for a smooth transition next year. I am very confident this new model will support your child. Like always, please come in and see me if you have any questions or concerns.           

Swimming Carnival 2024

The school has been able to support and pay for all associated costs for swimming in 2024. We hope this will ease the burden in time for Christmas. A special email will be sent that will highlight our up-and-coming swimming carnival on Thursday 28 November at 9:00am with Individual Medley (selected students who swim 200m – all four strokes) on Tuesday 26 November at 2:00pm.

School Fees for Term 4

A reminder to please finalise school fees before end of term. Also to assist with fees, we have been able to make and assign some small concessions to school fees. Please look out for these in your fee statement make the necessary arrangements for this to be done immediately. Please contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.

Tuckshop Helper/s for Fridays for 2025.

Nelia Moss has kindly offered to organise the ordering, online orders and the administration part of the job. Thank you, Nelia. We are now chasing help/ers for each Friday (if this suits) to assist with food and order prep (around 3 hours in total each Friday)

• If we cannot get a regular person / people to assist by next Friday, a decision will be made on the future of the tuckshop in week 10 with the possibility of it not returning in 2025.
• So, nominate yourself or a person that might be able to assist to Mr. Red as soon as possible.

Upcoming Celebrations

Over the next couple of weeks, St Francis is celebrating several events which include a Swimming Carnival, Awards Night, Graduation Liturgy and End of Year Mass (please see dates below).

Please place these into your calendar and you are most welcome to attend all these events. Please stay tuned to Facebook, as a post will be made about our Awards Night and catering for the night. Please RSVP your attendance so we can prepare for the night.

Joseph Ramsey – National Athletics Competition

A massive shout out to Joseph and his family, as he will compete in Sydney on: -

• Thursday 28th at 5.45pm 4x100m Combined relay
• Friday 29th at 11.15am 200m multi-Class (hopefully the whole school can watch with a live broadcast on the event)

The school has been able to raise $500 with Sno Cone donations (thank you Mrs. Skillington, staff and students for your amazing efforts) and the PEN has also donated $500 to assist with Joseph’s trip. Do us proud young man. You are already a superstar so go out, have fun and enjoy representing your state!

Upcoming Dates

Term 4 Dates (please refer to our online calendar for our most up to date list of events for the year) https://sfdssclifton.schoolzineplus.com/calendar

Upcoming dates for term 4

Week 8

Sun 24 Nov – Family Sunday Mass – 9:30am 

Week 9 

Mon 25 Nov – Swimming Lessons

Tues 26 Nov – Swimming Lessons, Individual Medley 200IM 2:00pm

Wed 27 Nov – Swimming Lessons,

Thurs 28 Nov – Swimming carnival – 9:00-11:00am

Fri 29 Nov – End of Year Awards / Carols – 5:30pm

Week 10

Mon 2 Dec – Report Cards published to the Parent Portal

Tues 3 Dec – Year 6 Transition to Clifton High School

Wed 4 Dec – Graduation Liturgy 5:30pm and Dinner for Year 6

Thurs 5 Dec – End of Year Mass 9:00am; Shared Morning Tea, Year 6 Fun afternoon at I-Play (Twmba)

Fri 6 Dec – Christmas Disco – 9am to 11am (Last Day of School)

Looking forward to what will be an exciting and rewarding next couple of weeks. God bless and thanks for reading…

Cheers,

Brendan

Middle Leader News

As we approach the end of the term, we would like to inform you about the upcoming release of student report cards. These will be published to the parent portal in Week 10. On Monday, parents of students who will receive a D or E on their report card will be sent an email alerting you to this. This early notification allows parents the opportunity to meet with teachers if they would like further clarification around the marks given. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to discuss your child's progress and any concerns you may have. 

In addition to the report cards, parents will soon receive emails detailing their child's Performance Assessment Test (PAT) scores from the recent Maths and English standardised assessments. These tests provide valuable insights into your child's academic performance and allow teachers to triangulate their data using a national, standardized test. This comprehensive approach helps ensure that our assessments are accurate and reflective of each student's abilities. 

We understand that receiving report cards and assessment results can be a time of mixed emotions. Please know that our teachers are here to support you and your child. If you have any questions or need further clarification, do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher. We are committed to working together to support your child's learning journey. 

Mrs. Busiko

Prep/1/2/3 News

In our recent math lessons, we've been diving into the world of mapping. We've explored how to follow directions and use positional language to navigate and understand spaces better. It's been an exciting journey, learning how to read maps and describe locations accurately.

Alongside our math adventures, we've been reading "Runt" by Craig Silvey. This heartwarming story follows Annie Shearer and her loyal dog, Runt, as they tackle various problems. Annie and Runt's determination to fix issues, whether big or small, teaches us valuable lessons about perseverance and creativity.

However, some problems, like drought, overdraft, and broken bones, remind us that not everything can be easily fixed. These challenges require resilience and sometimes, a bit of help from others.

We've also been enjoying our swimming lessons, where we've been practicing persistence and resilience. Whether it's learning a new stroke or building up our stamina, swimming has shown us the importance of not giving up, even when things get tough.

As the holiday season approaches, we've been revisiting the story of the Birth of Jesus, engaging in festive Christmas crafts, and practicing for our end-of-year Christmas carols. These activities are filling our days with joy and creativity, and we're excited to share our holiday spirit with everyone.

Mrs. Skillington

Yr 4/5/6 News

The students have completed their detailed reports on various Asian countries. The presentations were impressive, showcasing the students' hard work and research skills.  

To celebrate our learning about Asia, we held an Asian Feast Day where students brought a plate of food to share. The variety of dishes was astounding, and it was a fantastic opportunity for the children to taste and appreciate different cuisines.  

In Religion, the students have been learning about Mary and the significance of Marian prayers and the Rosary. This has been a meaningful journey, deepening their understanding of faith and the importance of prayer in their lives. The students have shown great interest and reverence in their learning, and we are pleased with their spiritual growth. 

Our science curriculum has been buzzing with excitement as the students near the end of their study on the survival of bees. They learned about the crucial role bees play in our ecosystem and the challenges they face. To support local bee populations, the students created a bee hotel to encourage more native bees to thrive in our area. This hands-on project was both educational and impactful, teaching the children about environmental stewardship and the importance of protecting our natural world. 

Mrs. Busiko

P.E. with Mr. Red & Mrs. Malbon

Our term sports of Pickleball, Rip Tag and Cricket have wrapped up for 2024 with students demonstrating a high interest and engagement with these activities. Swimming lessons have begun with much enthusiasm, even in the colder weather. Please look out for a swimming carnival email. Please email me (Mr. Red) with any swimming nominations that you may have for the carnival (if not already).

Yours in all things sporty,

Mrs. Malbon and Mr. Red