Week 7, Term 1, 10th March 2020, ISSUE 4

Catholic Education South Australia

From the Principal

Welcome To Week 7. I hope you have enjoyed a wonderful extra-long weekend break with your family. As you know today has been a student free day and it has been a wonderful opportunity for all staff from the 5 Eastern Star Project Schools to gather for some quality professional learning. Today’s main facilitator was Louka Parry. Louka is an award-winning educator, speaker, facilitator and consultant with a powerful ability to communicate ideas with clarity. He works across the globe with changemakers, teams, schools and organisations speaking on leadership, wellbeing, innovation and the future of learning and work.

We were very privileged to have Louka share his vision with us for the future of education today. Louka is a change maker and this fits very well with the vision for the Eastern Star Project with the main goals being to improve outcomes for all students in literacy, numeracy and well-being. Louka was motivating, challenging and yet practical in his approach to making continual improvements to the quality of teaching and learning in our schools.

Online Payments and Electronic Forms for School Based Activities

I remind all families that payment and consent for all school excursions, camps and extra-curricular activities must be completed on-line using the QKR and Skoolbag Apps moving forward. There are many reasons for this including; accurate records of consent and payment, support for the environment through less use of paper and more efficient administration processes just to name a few. We are moving to this method of payment for ALL school based events and we encourage you to support us in this process. Failure to use on-line consents through Skoolbag and payment via QKR may cause your child to miss out on a wonderful school experience through no fault of their own. Your support in this change is appreciated.

I Like Traffic Lights!

I note with excitement that we have been advised by the Department of Roads and Transport that the traffic lights on the corner of Newton Rd and Graves street will be officially turned on today. As our staff have been off-site for professional learning I can’t confirm that this has actually happened but let’s hope so! Once the traffic lights are operational it will make access to and from Graves Street much easier and it should make traffic flow in and around the school much smoother at pick -up and drop-off times. It is important to note that the pedestrian lights on Newton Rd will be switched off and no longer in use once these lights are in use.

Moving forward – I strongly encourage all pedestrians, adult and children to use the lights to safely cross the road at the Newton Rd corner as access to and from the school. The crossing on Graves street will no longer be used and there will be no flags to display children crossing in the future. It is your responsibility as a parent to ensure that the children use the lights in order to cross safely.

Enjoy your week.

James Meiksans

 
 
 
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From the Aprim

Harmony Day – Saturday 21 March

The theme for 2020 is ‘Picture a World in Harmony’.

Did you know our school is rich with over 30 diverse cultures: Afghan, African, Albanian, Australian, Chinese, Egyptian, English, Filipino, Greek, Indian, Iran, Italian, Korean, Lebanese, Maltese, Pakistani, Polish, Spanish, Sri Lankan, Sudanese, Taiwanese and Vietnamese.

On Thursday, 19th March our Year Four students will be spending the day with Year Four students from Pinnacle College here at St Francis of Assisi and embrace and engage in the differences and commonalities amongst them. 

The students from Pinnacle College have sent us short introductory videos of themselves talking about their culture and some experiences. Viewing these prior to the visit is a great 'warm up' so the students can make the most of celebrating Harmony Day together.

All Year Four students will prepare questions regarding faith, culture, country of origin, food, clothing and interesting facts they would like to learn about and prepare what they would like to share.  This event and partnership with Pinnacle College is one of many ways we will unite in 2020 to celebrate the positives of living in a culturally diverse country.

Becoming more like Christ -  Second Week of Lent

The focus this week is on transfiguration! When something is transfigured, it simply means that it has changed. Through living perfectly the will of his Father, Jesus’ body took on the full glory of God.  We too are called to follow Jesus and live God’s will for us. 

This week Project Compassion introduces us to Phany, from Cambodia (pronounced Parn-ee) Phany who lives in rural Cambodia, undertook an opportunity that transformed her own perspective. Struggling to earn a living as a rice farmer, her family experienced food scarcity and she was forced to leave her young daughter behind to take up construction work in the city.  Through a Caritas Australia supported program, Phany learnt a range of different farming techniques and small business skills so that she could generate a reliable income for herself and her family. Now Phany is reunited with her daughter because she can make a living in her home village. She now has enough food and income to support her family and send her daughter to school.  These new skills also benefitted Phany’s neighbours through better management of water and the sharing of farming skills which has improved the wellbeing of the whole community.

Do you need to change your perspective so together we can go further, recognising that our responsibility for others goes beyond our immediate community?

What areas of your life do you need to change (transfigure) in order to follow Jesus more closely?

We pray for all those around the world who rely on farming to sustain their families. May we work as one human family to promote ecologically sound agricultural practices.

We pray for grace to overcome our blindness and see with clarity our responsibility for others.

Josie Cochrane

 

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Parent/Teacher Interviews have been scheduled for Week 9, Monday 23rd March – Friday 27th March. To co-ordinate the interviews we will be using the online booking system again to assist parents in securing your preferred interview time with each of your children’s Teachers.

Bookings for Parent /Teacher interviews can only be made online.

Please use the following URL to access the site for making the booking:

https://www.sobs.com.au/pt3/parent.php?schoolid=921

Parents have from Wednesday 11th March at 4pm until Friday 20th March 12pm midday ONLY to make an online booking with their child’s teacher. After this time/date the online booking system closes to allow Teachers preparation time. Parents will no longer be able to book an Interview or change their times but can view their booked times.

Some points to remember:

  • Bookings are to be made online using the above URL. Opens 11/3/20 at 4pm. Closes on 20/3/20 at 12 midday
  • Ensure you have chosen the correct class for your child/children and are not booking them into the wrong class.
  • Grayed out time slots mean that time is no longer available to you.
 

SOCCER - For Years 2 to Year 6

Dear Parents and Caregivers of Students in Years 2 to 6,

Soccer is  being offered to students from Years 2 to Year 6 in Terms 2 & 3 of 2020 through ‘Eastern Zone Primary Schools Soccer Association Inc'.

Please read all the information for Soccer 2020 HERE.

Please also read the Age Qualification rules

The youngest a player can be is 7, turning 8 this year in 2020, to qualify to play in the 8's age group. 

Children turning 8 next year can not play until next year. 

Children can play in a higher age group but can not play in a younger age group.

Please be aware that registration AND payment is via the QKR app and needs to be completed by Wednesday 11th March.

We need a team coach for any team to be registered. Coaches do need to be a registered Volunteer with the school. 

Any questions or queries please contact me.

With Thanks

Angela Abdilla

Ph: 8178 9900

aabdilla@sfoa.catholic.edu.au

 
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Chess Club

The Chess program will be starting again in Week 9 and will be coached by David Koetsier, who has been coaching for over 30 years, including Australian Juniors at many National and International events!

Students can come alone for a trial session in Week 9 or 10 then must registered to join to continue Chess in Term 2. Registration is only online please see the link below.

When: Friday Mornings 11:30am - 12:00am

More information here

Register online here.

 
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Carnivale Day

Carnevale comes to St Francis of Assisi School

This term we will be celebrating the Italian language and culture with a Carnevale Day on Monday 16th March
On the day, students are encouraged to wear casual clothes in the colours of verde, bianco e rosso; I colori della bandiera Italiana (green, white and red; the colours of the Italian flag).

Please down load and read the attachment for all the details of the day

Call for Registered Volunteer Assistance

We require extra volunteers to help out with serving the pasta lunch on Carnevale Day. If you are able to spare a short amount of time on this day, please contact Mrs Rossi or Ms. Burford.

 
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Parents & Friends invite our families and extended community to a dinner and movie night. Please join us as we enjoy a night out together.

The Paradise Hotel's regular adult and children's menu will be available so to make things easy please order and pay for your own meals and drinks at the counter on the night.

Please use Skoolbag to RSVP numbers attending to help The Paradise Hotel cater for our function. Large tables for seating will be set up for us on the night.

Two movies will be shown on the night, details of these will be available closer to the date.

So please save the date, RSVP on Skoolbag and looking forward to seeing you on the night.

Parents & Friends Committee

 
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Uniform Shop

Please be advised that the JS Xpress Uniform shop is  moving to a new premises.

10 Newton Rd, Newton. See Google maps

Above is a map showing the new location and the old location (the new location is closer)

This move is happening soon and they expect to be moved in by early April.  At this stage JS Sport hope there will be little disruption to all  families, however there may be a day or two they won’t be open.

Online uniform shopping is always still available. Please use this link for the Online uniform shop

Phone: 0433 618 496

Email: jsxpress.rostrevor@jssports.com.au 

 
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School Dental Service

Children with poor oral health are more likely to experience pain, to miss days from school and to perform poorly in the classroom.  Untreated tooth decay can lead to problems with speaking, eating and learning.

SA Dental Service sees over 80,000 children for dental care each year, but data shows that 57.5% of eligible children in SA are not using the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule.

There are no out of pocket costs for children covered by the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule   

Help us improve the oral health of children in your school by promoting SA Dental Service. Please include the attached insert in your next newsletter and online.

All children are welcome at SA Dental clinics.

 
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The Southern Cross Newsletter

Please follow the link to the latest edition of the Southern Cross Newsletter 10th March 2020

 
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Calendar dates

TERM 1 2020

Week 7

· Monday 9th March - Adelaide Cup Public Holiday

· Tuesday 10th March - Student Free Day

· Friday 13th March - Community prayer, 8.55am - 1/2LE

· Friday 13th March - Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival

Week 8

· Monday 16th March - Carnevale Day

· Tuesday 17th March - Parents and Friends Meeting, 2.30pm

· Tuesday 17th March - St Francis of Assisi School Board AGM, 7pm

· Wednesday 18th March - Principal’s Tour, 9.15am

· Thursday 19th March to Friday 20th March - Year 5 Camp

· Friday 20th March - Community prayer, 8.55am - 1/2G

Week 9

· Monday 23rd - Friday 27th March - Parent Teacher Interviews

· Monday 23rd March—Assembly 2.30pm

· Wednesday 25th March - Feast of the Assumption Whole School Mass

· Friday 27th March - Community prayer, 8.55am - 1/2CH

Week 10

· Friday 3rd April  - Community prayer, 8.55am - School leaders

FUTURE DATES

· Week 11 - Thursday 9th April End of Term 1, early dismissal at 12.30pm.

 

 
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