Welcome to Week 5. We are already at the half way point in the term! In some ways the last few weeks have flown by, yet in other ways it feels like we have only just begun the term. There has been a lot happening in the learning area, but unfortunately not so much in the way of extra curricula events. However, it seems at last that we are starting to move toward a new round of activities for the children to engage with. Today we had our Festival Choir children travel to Loreto for a rehearsal for the Catholic Schools Music Festival in Week 10 of this term. Tomorrow we have 50 participants at the annual Catholic Schools Cross Country Carnival and we wish our runners well. Hopefully they will feel inspired by the great stories of courage and grit shown by our athletes in Tokyo during the Olympics. Next week we will host the Bookweek Parade on Wednesday with the children. Unfortunately, due to current Catholic Education restrictions on adult attendance at school we cannot invite parents to this parade. We will take lots of photos and display them via SeeSaw and Facebook.

The Live, Learn, Lead parent survey was circulated via the Week 3 Newsletter. We are asking that all families take the time to fill in this survey as it will provide a great source of information for future planning for Catholic Education in SA. The survey can be found via the link in this newsletter and will take you approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. It would be great to have a response from every family. Your support in this process would be greatly appreciated.

Live, Learn, Lead Parent survey information

At this time of the year we commence planning for 2022 to ensure we have all our structures in place for the next school year. I ask that every family fill in the return form that will be sent home by email this week to declare your intentions for your child/ren’s return to St Francis of Assisi in 2022. By now most of our families would have this information in place. Confirming numbers for us helps us to set our class structures and processes to ensure a smooth state to the next school year. Could you please return this form by the due date on the letter.

From Monday of next week I will be commencing long service leave until the 8th of November. During my absence Belinda Burford will step into the role of Acting Principal. Ms Emma Begg has been appointed to the role of Acting Deputy during this time. I congratulate both of these people on their appointments and wish them well for the next 9 school weeks. I am feeling very blessed to have the opportunity to take some leave and am looking forward to making the most of this time, (COVID pending) between now and the middle of Term 4. Hopefully some travel to different parts of SA and interstate will still be a possibility during my break. I look forward to seeing you in Term 4. Until then, stay positive, keep safe and be a shining light to all those you cross paths with.

James Meiksans

On Sunday we celebrated the solemn Feast of the Assumption of Mary. 1/2G shared a virtual prayer service for classes to participate in. The Assumption of Mary is an important feast for Catholics to honour. Mary our Mother was so special that she was assumed into Heaven, Body and Soul, to be with her Son Jesus and God. Mary was without sin and said ‘yes’ to being the Mother of Jesus. Classes have spent some time reflecting on how special Mary is and why we honour her at this time.

Unfortunately, due to the current restrictions we have postponed Grandparents day until we are able to host visitors again. We will keep you informed. Community Prayer will continue to be shared in Classrooms as we are unable to host parents for this. We have been sharing Community Prayer virtually on our Facebook page for families.

The Year 3 students will be invited later in the term to attend an information session about beginning the Sacramental Program. This information will be given once we can confirm this event in line with restrictions.

The Year 4 students will conduct the Religious Literacy Assessment this week (ReLAT) along with all CESA schools across the state. Religious Education (RE) is a core Learning Area in all Catholic schools. It is a foundation for all learning and is integrated into the life of the school through prayer, liturgy and social justice programs. The data from the ReLAT assessment will be collated and used by the school to inform whole-of-school professional learning needs and the continuous improvement of teaching in Religious Education.  

Blessings for the week ahead

Melissa Canil

APRIM

Wellbeing News

Our new Chaplain Mr Philip Matthews has begun the Rock and Water Program with our Year 3,4 ad 5 students. The students have responded positively and are already learning new skills and exploring their values. Here is some information about what the Rock and Water Program involves.

Rock and Water

The Rock and Water Program uses psycho-physical teaching methods is physical in nature and it uses games and exercises to stimulate the students abilities to develop wellbeing through strong physical and emotional awareness (mindfulness), mental strength (including practical and effective strategies for developing and maintaining positive mental health, reduction of anxiety, resilience) and social competency (communication skills, assertiveness, dealing with bullying/violence, acceptance of others etc).

A comprehensive scientific evaluation of the Rock and Water Program has consistently found that students (aged 7-14)

· showed decreases in bullying and being bullied,

· increases in self-esteem, self-regulation and social interaction

· decreased feelings of depression.

· show better development on multiple outcomes in both the interpersonal domain (aggression) and the intrapersonal domain (psychological well-being, sexual autonomy, internalizing behaviour) and on secondary outcome measures (self-control and emotion regulation), compared to the students who did not receive the R&W intervention.

Research by Rutgers WPF and the Trimbos Institute (peer reviewed and published in the international Journal of Sexual Aggression, April 2015) has shown that the psychophysical resilience programme Rock and Water helps to boost self-confidence, curb impulsive behaviour and deter sexually transgressive behaviour in boys.

Rock and Water is aimed at the fundamental basic needs of the child (safety, love, social contacts, respect, self-realisation) and the basic skills associated in meeting those needs.

The program focuses on awareness of one’s own strength and capabilities and one’s ability to play together, work together and live together and live together with other people in an ever-changing multicultural society. The program helps makes children socially skilled (water) and resilient (rock) so that together with the whole class, school and school environment, they can create a socially safe environment.

The Program has elements that show children two life components, when to be solid like a rock and when to be flexible like water. The rock stands for the awareness of ones own possibilities and personal path in life and the water is about flexibility and leads to insight and experience. The pursuit of autonomy is characterised as being a Rock quality, and the desire for togetherness and solidarity as a Water quality.

The Program involves the union of action (experiential learning) thinking (self reflection) and verbalising (feelings and emotions).

In this program children play life skill games where they learn life skills to develop positive communication skills and raises awareness. The awareness is of their own feelings and emotions (expressed and felt in the body) and self awareness, self control and self confidence.

Please follow the link to the latest edition of the Southern Cross Newsletter, 17/8/2021

Full Winter Uniform is to be worn on this day.

Payment details remain the same - either via online payment or return envelope provided.

If you have misplaced your original envelope and wish to order online, you will need to contact MSP Photography directly 08 8132 1148

If you wish to pay cash, extra envelopes are available and can be returned prior Photo Day or on Photo day.

If you have already made your cash payment or paid online, those payments are still valid.

If you wish to have a Sibling Photo, envelopes are available for collection at Front Office. Please call and one will be sent home with your children.