2021 Term 2 Week 2 Newsletter

Prayer: The Be-Attitudes

From the Principal

Catholic Schools Week 

It has been a big week celebrating 200 years of Catholic education across the Diocese. Relationships modelled on the example of Jesus are the cornerstone of St Francis Xavier and are what makes our school a very special place. As a school, it has been a welcome relief to have the opportunity to celebrate this milestone with the broader community after such a tumultuous 12 months. 

A big thank you must go to Mrs Katrina Ryan who has coordinated most of the events this week and as a community we are truly blessed and grateful. I am so very proud of our school, thankful for the people in it, and wish everyone a very happy Catholic Schools Week. 

NAPLAN

NAPLAN assessments are scheduled for Weeks 4 and 5 for our Year 3 and Year 5 students. These assessments provide the school with invaluable data to inform changes to our practice in the future. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the office at woolp.lism.catholic.edu.au.

Further information and timetables will be available next week. 

Parent Forum “We’re back!”

Every family is invited to our Parent Forum meetings that are now returning in a face-to-face capacity. The focus in these meetings are community building and family connection. The next Forum meeting will be held on Monday, 10 May 2021, 5.30pm-6.30pm and you are invited…

Some topics for discussion will be:

• Annual General Meeting where leadership positions will be voted on
• Investing time in child’s classroom
• Projects (market garden, seed bank)
• Potential social activities for our broader community

I really look forward to seeing lots of you early in May at the Forum meeting.

Pupil Free Day - Wednesday, 5 May

A reminder that we have a pupil free day on Wednesday, 5 May. This day is allocated to the formation of staff and the Proclaim initiative being rolled out across our Diocese. This day is pupil free for all Catholic schools in the Lismore Diocese.

All things Learning & Teaching

WORLD OF MATHS

Wednesday was an amazing day of Maths investigations enjoyed by all from Kindergarten to Year 6. We thank Miss Meghan for sharing her expertise and guidance on the day. All groups were very engaged and certainly left the workshops beaming with the fun they had.

Open Classrooms

Thank you to all those who were able to join us today.  The weather certainly held out for us and the picnic was a lovely way to conclude the morning.

Faith and Mission

Incitare Retreat

Year 6 participated in the Incitare Retreat on Tuesday this week, led by their peers who attended the regional Incitare Retreat day last term. The students enjoyed participating in a range of activities including games, prayer, journaling, reflecting and sharing based on the theme scripture from St Paul’s first letter to the Hebrews. The students were encouraged to think about living courageously as a Christian in the world today. 

Date Saver

Spotlight on HPL

Year 6

Mrs Coster is working with Mrs Speirs in a co-teaching role to support and enhance the learning of Year 6 students during the English block for the first half of this Term. The students have been challenged to increase their stamina during Reading Groups and to have in-depth discussions about their nominated novel with their peers. There has been a clear focus on being able to synthesise information and to present a clear summary of the main events and characters in a novel. 

Mathematics Extension Opportunity

The Catholic Schools Office in Lismore is running a targeted Mathematics extension opportunity for Stage 3 students throughout the Diocese. There are 45 primary schools in the Lismore Diocese and only twelve were accepted into this program. Three of our Year 6 students, Eli Nalder, Cooper Mifsud and Lani Robinsen have been selected to participate in this Maths extension opportunity. It is run by Barry Watson, a specialised Maths teacher and is specifically designed to extend and enrich the learning of mathematics for Stage 3 students and is delivered in an online environment. 

Postive Behaviour Support (PBS)

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) at St Francis Xavier is stronger than ever with our new signage and student involvement in PBS initiatives. Now that we can welcome parents back to our whole school assemblies, you will notice we have a new ‘Respect Tree’ in our Hall. This is one of our many student led initiatives to encourage respectful interactions between students. Leaders from our PBS Team have joined staff in selecting students displaying respectful behaviours to be recognised at Assemblies by handing them a leaf on the tree. Each Term, leaf recipients will go in the draw for one of five canteen vouchers. 

This Term we are focusing on Respect for Others. Our focus skills for Weeks 1 and 2 are showing empathy. Students have been learning explicit skills around empathy including active listening, speaking nicely and generating compassion for others. We use Jesus as a role model for empathy by asking ourselves ‘What would Jesus do?’

Sporting Roundup

Running Club

Running Club was held on Thursday and Friday this week due to the Zone Cross Country being on Wednesday. Keep up the great effort runners. You may even see me on the track this week. Hopefully I can keep up.

Zone Cross Country

Well done to the Zone Cross Country team who represented our school this week in Grafton. We are proud of your efforts. Congratulations to the students progressing to the Diocesan Cross Country being held on Wednesday, 26 May in Grafton. Notes for those students will be sent home next week. Our school placed fourth out of nine schools. Well done St Francis Xavier!

Getting Into Rugby program

The 'Getting into Rugby' program began this week. A big thank you to our local NSW Rugby Union Development Officer, Gary Wilson and other Rugby Union NSW coaches for running this program at our school.  Stage 2 and 3 will complete the program over the next two weeks.  Kinder and Stage 1 will then complete the program in Weeks, 5, 6, and 7.

Family Faith Retreat

Lego required

We are looking for donations of Lego. If anyone has Lego at home they are no longer using, please bring it into the office.We are hoping to set up a quiet play space for students at lunch and recess. Lego is a very popular toy in these play areas. Thank you in advance!