2024 Term 2 Week 3 Newsletter

Prayer Focus

In the Catholic Church, the month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. During this month, our reflections and celebrations focus on the deep spiritual connection that the faithful maintain with Mary and her example of humility, obedience and unwavering faith.

From the Princpal

Tell Them From Me Survey

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance school effectiveness, St Francis Xavier School will once again be participating in the Tell Them From Me online survey for parents, students (Years 4-6), and staff.

Why Your Input Matters:

We strongly encourage all parents to complete the survey. The insights gathered are crucial for informing our school's planning processes. To ensure the feedback we receive accurately reflects the entire school community, it's vital that we hear from as many parents as possible. Rest assured, all responses to the Parent Survey are anonymous. The survey can be viewed in different languages, including Punjabi. 

How to Participate:

Please take a moment to complete the survey by clicking on the link below.
The survey should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. 

Survey Deadline: Kindly note that the survey will close on Friday, May 24, 2024.

Your participation is greatly appreciated as we work together to further enhance the educational experience at St Francis Xavier School.

Student Health and Safety

The safety of all students is paramount. We therefore request that all entry/exit gates to the school (Maldon Place, Bus Bay, Hall and Queen Street) be kept closed at all times.

Maldon Place Parking

We have had a request from our neighbours in Maldon Place for cars not to park on the nature reserve. After the rain, the reserve is now very soft and is being damaged by cars. We would respectfully ask that families park on the road only. 

Attendance Focus - Expect your child to be at school every day 

Setting the expectation for your child to be at school every day is a fundamental aspect of fostering a positive attitude toward education and establishing good attendance habits. 

Clearly communicate to your child that attending school regularly is a top priority. If your child faces challenges related to attendance, such as reluctance or anxiety about going to school, address these issues promptly. Open communication with the school can help identify and resolve any underlying concerns.

You can seek advice free from NSW ParentLine on 1300 1300 52, link below.

Caroline Lewis
Principal

Sacrament of Confirmation - enrolments close Monday 20 May

The Sacrament of Confirmation is available to students who are baptised and in Year 3 or above. Confirmation is administered by the Bishop and as such, this opportunity is only available once each year. Students must complete the Sacrament of Confirmation prior to Reconciliation and First Communion. 

To enrol your child/ren for the Sacrament of Confirmation, please register via the link below by May 20 and make note of the important dates listed below.

Tuesday 4 June at 6pm - compulsory Parent Commitment evening in the Library (at least one parent to attend). Students are not required to attend this meeting.

August 4 or 5 - Sacrament of Confirmation at St Augustines Church, Coffs Harbour (date to be confirmed once enrolments have been received and final numbers confirmed).

Please contact Katrina Ryan katrina.ryan@lism.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation. 

Wildfire 10:10

Students across the school enjoyed the Wildfire 10:10 experience this week.

Wildfire 10:10 is a dynamic, interactive and joyful opportunity for students to build connections with peers and to openly explore their curiosity about God and hear other people share their experiences with God.

The program is a high-quality music experience presented by the Wildfire Worship Team and local Youth Ministers.

Students participated in games, dancing, singing, activities, prayer, talks and small group discussions.

Biggest Morning Tea

Next week we have a number of events planned as part of our contribution to the Biggest Morning Tea.

Monday 20 May - Year 6 students will be making cupcakes which are available for students to purchase for $2. There will be GF, DF and EF cupcakes available. 

Friday 24 May

• Family cake stall following the 9.15am assembly (9.45am-10.15am)
• Community cake stall outside Woolgoolga Central (corner of Queen and Nightingale Sts) 11.00am - 12.30pm
• Any left over items will be available for sale at pick-up in the afternoon

Donations 

Donations of baked goods can be sent in to the Office on Thursday afternoon or Monday morning. We are unable to accept donations of items requiring refrigeration. To assist with organisation, please consider providing donations that are packaged and portioned, ready for sale, in containers that do not need to be returned. 

Thank you in advance for your generous support of this event.

Parent Talk Newsletter 

Check out the latest edition of the Parent Talk Newsletter where our Kinder students are featured in the ‘Around the Dioceses’ section. Parent Talk is released by The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT, the peak representative body for parents and carers of children in NSW Catholic schools.

Katrina Ryan
Assistant Principal Mission

All Things Learning & Teaching

Optional Homework for Stages 2 & 3

The Sandy Beach Action Group (SANDBAG) is assisting local Indigenous elders to establish a bush tucker garden on the Sandy Beach Reserve, with funding from the Coffs Coast Regional Park Trust Board. It is hoped that local school students can be involved in the project. If interested students could design a fauna garden, size 8 metres by 3 metres, on a piece of A3 or A4 paper and send a digital submission to woolp@lism.catholic.edu.au by Friday 24 May.

Michaela O'Shea Miller
Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching

Spotlight on Reading

Early Bird Reading

It is fabulous to see so many students taking up the offer of our Early Bird Reading program. It's heartwarming to see so many young minds eager to dive into the world of stories and knowledge.

One of the most inspiring aspects of Early Bird Reading is the collaboration between students of different age groups. Many young readers are teaming up with older students, creating a supportive and enriching environment for everyone involved. This not only enhances the reading experience but also promotes a sense of community and camaraderie among our students.

We encourage parents to continue supporting their children in this journey toward becoming confident and enthusiastic readers. Your involvement and encouragement of reading each night with your child play a crucial role in nurturing a love for reading.

Thank you for being a part of our Early Bird Reading program. Together, we can inspire a generation of lifelong readers and learners.

Suzie Coster
Leader of Learning 

Parent Forum

School Disco

• Non-school age children are welcome to attend.  Under 2 years old are free, over 2 years old will require a ticket for $5.00. Students must be accompanied by an adult. Adults are not required to purchase a ticket.
• Tickets can be purchased at the door on Friday night.
• Students are encouraged to dress up in the Disney or Marvel theme.
• Wristbands will be handed out at the hall door upon entry to the disco.
• Maldon Place gate will be closed. Queen Street gate will be closed.  Entry will be via the Hall gate ONLY.

Parent Forum Meeting

The next Parent Forum meeting will be held on Monday, 20 May at 6.30pm in the school library.  There is a Zoom link below for those who are unable to attend in person.

Yarrow Wade
President

Gold Token winners

Well done to all token recipients and congratulations to the gold token winners!

Year 7 2025 Enrolment

McAuley Catholic College, Grafton

St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour

Woolgoolga High School