2023 Term 2 Week 1 Newsletter
Prayer Focus
Date Saver for Term 2
From the Principal
Welcome back!
Welcome to our first newsletter for Term 2. I hope you had a very safe and restful break with family and friends. Term 2 is a very important term for learning. Routines and school procedures are now well established and children are also continuing to build on relationships with new and old friends.
ANZAC Day
It was lovely to see so many of our families joining us in the ANZAC Day March and Service on Tuesday commemorating ANZAC Day. Thank you kindly to our School Leaders, Jiri and Maggie who laid a wreath on behalf of our school during the service.
A prayer of Remembrance
Lord God,
Help us this day to remember the sacrifice of the first ANZACs, Australian and New Zealander, and the generations of men, women and children who have died in the cause of liberty and peace.
Help us to remember those who still bear the physical and mental scars and disabilities of their service. Help us to remember the widows, girlfriends, parents and orphans and all those who waited in vain for the return of a loved one. Help us to remember the mateship, agony, courage and compassion of war service, but save us from ever glorifying the horror and tragedy of war.
Lord God, help us to remember.
School Leaders Event
During the term break, our School Leaders attended the Clarence and Coffs Northern Beaches School Leaders Event hosted by Kevin Hogan MP. The students loved listening to guest speaker Cate McQuillen, creator and director of Dirtgirlworld, Compost Rocks, Get Grubby TV and the Get Grubby musical.
Caroline Lewis
Principal
Faith & Mission
Catholic Schools Week
This week our school joined with more than 620 Catholic schools across NSW and the ACT to celebrate the annual Catholic Schools Week (CSW). This year’s theme “Living our Mission’’ highlights the mission of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lismore. The Catholic school community has a co-responsibility in the service of mission through sharing Jesus’ messages of love and forgiveness, peace, hope and joy as revealed in the Gospels. The transforming power of mission ensures our students experience the fullness of life (John 10:10).
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all who contribute to the missionary activity of bringing the ‘Good News' to the world. This week has provided us with the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the missionary activities of our Catholic schools as well as the quality education we offer.
Sacrament of Confirmation
Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation will take place during Term 2. Confirmation is available to baptised students who are in Year 3 or above. Students must complete Confirmation prior to being eligible for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion (which take place the year following Confirmation). Important dates are listed in the enrolment form.
Please complete this enrolment form by Friday, May 5.
Red Cross Choir Performance
Today the Choir performed for the Red Cross Friendship Afternoon Tea. The students enjoyed the opportunity to perform and engage in community service, spreading joy to members of our local community. A great example of our students Living our Mission.
Mother’s Day
To celebrate the Mums and special women in our lives, we will be hosting a Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea and Liturgy on Friday, May 12 at 1.20pm.
Please ensure you RSVP via the link below, by Friday May 5, to assist with catering and planning.
Secret Mother’s Day Business
Classes are working on preparing some top secret gifts. Families are welcome to send a special helper from home to come along and help.
Kinder: Tuesday, May 9 from 2.10pm
Stage 1: Tuesday, May 9 from 1.40pm
Stage 2 and Stage 3: Friday, May 12 from 9.30am
For planning purposes, please email your child’s class teacher if you will be attending.
Tell Them From Me Survey
Information regarding this important survey was sent out to all families this week. Staff, students and parents will complete the survey over the next two weeks. The survey is an opportunity to collect important information about the school experience here at St Francis Xavier for all its members. Parents are strongly encouraged to share their voice via this survey in order to ensure the information collected is a true reflection of all in our school community. Please check your email for details, including how to access the survey from next week.
Katrina Ryan
Assistant Principal Mission
All Things Learning & Teaching
Reading Night - Monday, 1 May
Sharon de Dassel
Assistant Principal Learning & Teaching
A Focus on Inclusion
All Australian education providers have obligations to students with disability and additional learning and support needs.
Under the Disability Standards for Education 2005 all principals and teachers have legal obligations to ensure that every student is able to participate in the curriculum on the same basis as their peers through rigorous, meaningful and dignified learning. The Disability Standards are Australian law under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992.
This does not mean every student should have the same experiences.
On the same basis means that students with disability should have the same opportunities and choices in their education as students without disability.
This may be achieved by making reasonable adjustments to suit each individual student's education needs and may include any reasonable adjustments to the learning program or to the school's physical environment – and the provision of additional support – to assist each student fulfill his or her potential.
Information taken from the NSW Government website - Education.
Fiona Jupp
Leader of Inclusion
Counsellor's Corner
Stage 3 Group for Term 2
In Term 2, Seasons for Growth will be run for Stage 3 students. Please see below for the information about Seasons for Growth. If you would like your child to participate please contact the office to receive a permission slip and consent form.
Seasons for Growth: For Stage 3 ONLY
Number of Sessions: 8 (not inclusive of celebratory session)
Facilitated by: “Companions” Alessandra Isgro and Helen Hunt
Seasons for Growth offers children and young people an opportunity to come together and share their experiences of grief and loss. This could include a death in the family, changes in family arrangements including parental separation/ divorce, moving house, the arrival of new siblings or adjusting to other changes that may have impacted their lives. The Seasons for Growth Program uses the seasons of the year as a metaphor that change and loss is a part of life and individuals experience the “seasons” in different ways.
Note: Under the framework of Seasons for Growth through Good Grief, if a referral to the program is in relation to a major change, that a minimum of 6 months has passed before your child is able to participate in the program.
Alessandra Isgro
School Counsellor
Peer Mediator Training
Peer Mediation programs are used in schools to teach students the principles and techniques of conflict resolution so that they can solve their own minor disputes.
In both primary and secondary schools, students are trained under the supervision of a teacher to use a systematic mediation process to resolve disputes.
Peer Mediation will be taught to all Stage 3 students as part of their Personal Development and Health Program for the first four weeks of Term 2.
Peer Mediation invites students (disputants) to take responsibility for their actions by working together to find solutions to conflict. It involves two trained students (mediators) leading the disputants through a structured process. The mediators do not take sides and conflicts mediated remain confidential.
The program aims to: - increase awareness of how conflict affects people’s lives - improve communication between students and between teachers and students - teach students skills such as listening, critical thinking and problem-solving - empower students by having them take greater responsibility for resolving their own disputes.
At the conclusion of the program, students will be able to volunteer to go on a lunchtime roster to deal with minor disputes such as name calling, rumour spreading, friendship problems, property issues, teasing, exclusion. This will be a wonderful support particularly for some of our younger students!
If you have any concerns about the training, please contact the Peer Mediation Coordinator, Helen Hunt via the school office.
We need four brightly coloured vests for our peer mediators to wear, to make them easily identifiable on the playground. If you would like to volunteer to make one (or more) of these vests could you please contact the school office on 66541981.
Free Webinar
Getting the most out of gaming
Presented by the eSafety Commissioner and Council of Catholic School Parents, this 45-minute webinar provides families with strategies for supporting children and young people to have safe and positive experiences when playing games online. It is designed for parents and carers of children aged 7 to 14.
It will cover:
- when gaming can be beneficial and strategies to promote better in-game experiences
- how to keep children safe online – using safety and privacy settings in games and platforms
- strategies to promote more balanced gaming and how to create smoother transitions from game-play to other activities
- the key online risks and where to find help for things like bullying and harassment in games.
Click on the link below to register for this event.
Tuesday, 23 May 7.30pm - 8.15pm
Scholastic Book Club
Issue 3 of Scholastic Book Club will come home this week. Please place orders online using LOOP or return cash orders to school by Friday 5 May. Click on the link below to view the catalogue online.
Gold Token winners
Well done to all token recipents this week and congratulations to the Gold Token winners!
Canteen News
Canteen Roster
If you would like to volunteer in the Canteen on a Wednesday or a Friday from 9am-10.15am or 10.15am-11.30am please contact the school office on 66541981 or click on the link below:
