Newsletter-Term 1-Week 6-Friday 14th March 2025

Principal's News...

Our School Newsletter

We want to keep everyone in the loop! Our fortnightly newsletter is here to update you on school activities and important information. By reading it each fortnight, you can better support your child and help them stay prepared for events like excursions or special dress days. The newsletter is sent out every fortnight on a Friday during term time and can be referred to anytime, as past newsletters are archived on our website and available through your Compass notifications.

Our Term 1 calendar was sent home with students in the first week of this term. Just remember to check the newsletter each week, as changes can happen throughout the term. It provides current and vital information for parents, caregivers, and students. We know life gets busy, but taking a moment each week to read the newsletter will make a big difference for your child. Thanks for staying connected with us!

From Our Principal

I want to begin by sincerely thanking you for your patience and support during the school this past week. We recognise that these disruptions can be challenging, and we truly appreciate your cooperation as we navigated the evolving situation.

Thank you for your understanding of the late shift to supervision on Wednesday and for the call to collect your children if you were able. The situation changed rapidly, requiring us to pivot quickly. Thanks for your patience while we called children down to be picked up. 

I would also like to acknowledge our school leaders, teachers and staff. Their calming presence helped ensure the students remained calm and knew that they were safe. We are lucky to have such an amazing team of people at St Francis Xavier!

I would like to thank Dave Christie, our groundsman and Nic Batson and his team from Inspiration Trees who quickly cleaned up and disposed of fallen trees and limbs from the playground last Monday. Your valuable support ensured the school was ready to be opened again on the very next day.

We are very fortunate that the storm dissipated without the forecast destruction and that we are able to return to school with minimal issues.

NAPLAN: Yesterday, all families of students in Year 3 & 5 received a Compass message about the date change to NAPLAN due to the school closures from the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. We will commence NAPLAN testing on Monday, 17th March. This delay allows us to focus on ensuring our students are ready and supported. We wish our Year 3 and 5 students every success with completing NAPLAN this year.

NAPLAN is just one part of our school’s learning assessment program. The tests assess literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school.

In preparation for NAPLAN, our school will undertake activities to help students become familiar with the format and functionality of the online tests. These activities are not an assessment of student ability and will not be marked. Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not required nor recommended.  

The public demonstration site https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/publicdemonstration-site is available to see the format of the online tests.

Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/naplan and the NAP website https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact your child’s teacher. Just a reminder that if a student is absent due to illness, they will be required to make up the test they missed before they can sit any future ones as ACARA stipulates the testing sequence. Mrs Conte will be managing the make-up testing schedule and will communicate with those students when the make-ups will take place.
  
We encourage you to help your child(ren) to stay calm and remind them that NAPLAN is just a snapshot of their learning and only ONE measure of their achievement. Please refer to the attached advice regarding children’s wellbeing during NAPLAN. 

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEW: For parents and teachers to truly be partners in education, effective communication is key. Our Three Way Conversations are just one way parents, teachers and students can come together to listen, celebrate and support each other.

These will be held in Week 7 from Monday 17th to Thursday 20th. Please follow the link on the Compass app to book in your appointment for you and your child
to meet with your child's class teacher.

The meetings for Years 3 to 6 will be held in the Hall whilst K-2 meetings will take place in the Library.

THE START OF LENT: Lent is a season of reflection, prayer, and renewal in the lead-up to Easter. It lasts for 40 days, beginning on Ash Wednesday, and is a time when Christians focus on growing closer to God through prayer, fasting, and acts of kindness. It invites us to pause, reflect on our lives, and prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter.

We prepared for the fast with a feast on Tuesday with Shrove Tuesday pancakes. Thanks so much to Mrs Pettit and Miss Miles for organising and for our wonderful cooks, Erica Suffolk and Joe Knott. Our students really enjoyed this wonderful treat!

Unfortunately, with the change of situation on Wednesday, we were unable to move ahead with our Ash Wednesday service and distribution of the ashes. While we were not able to mark the beginning of Lent in the usual way, we remain committed to observing this sacred season through prayer, reflection, and acts of kindness. We encourage our students and families to embrace the Lenten journey as a time of renewal and preparation for Easter.

Wishing you all an excellent week.
Tony

School Calendar...

Assistant Principal Mission News...

The Second Sunday of Lent - Year C

This coming weekend's reading is from Luke 9:28b-36 - Jesus is transfigured in the presence of Peter, John, and James.

In this weekend’s Gospel, a voice from Heaven speaks to the Disciples saying “Listen to Him”. It was during this time that the Disciples heard God speaking to them and they experienced Jesus in glory. During Lent, we are encouraged to consider our attentiveness to Jesus and to one another. 

As a family, conduct an audit of the technologies in your home. Discuss what it’s like to communicate with one another, especially when there’s background noise such as a radio, TV or music playing. Consider how this might affect your ability to clearly communicate with each other. 

As you conclude your conversations, ask God to help you listen with attention to each other and to Jesus. 

Source: https://www.loyolapress.com 

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Family Session 2

Our second Family Session for the Sacrament of Reconciliation will take place next Tuesday 18 March from 5:30 - 6:30pm. 

Please note: this session will take place in the Year 4 classrooms as the Parent / Teacher / Student Conferences will be in the school Library. 

Student Attendance

The Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools have updated the procedures for monitoring and supporting schools to promote student attendance. Every school day builds upon the previous one, making it essential for students to attend regularly. Regular attendance is crucial as it fosters resilience and enables students to form vital social connections. Across all NSW education systems the expected level of student attendance is above 95%, and we aim to support all of our students to achieve this. 

If your child’s attendance is below 90% you may receive a COMPASS communication in the coming weeks. We acknowledge that there may be many reasons for absences and you may have already provided information to the school about why your child has been away. However, this communication is to ensure all parents are aware that their child’s attendance is currently at or under 90%. 

 We believe that by working together, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. Please ensure you contact the school if you would like any support with your child’s attendance.

Returning to School After a Natural Disaster

As children return to school after a natural disaster, re-establishing daily routines can help them feel a sense of normality and stability. Stress and disruption can impact sleep, eating habits, and overall well-being, so focusing on these basics is essential for their recovery and readiness to learn.

Prioritise Sleep. A good night’s rest is crucial for emotional regulation and concentration. Encourage regular bedtimes and wake-up times to help reset their internal clock.

Healthy food fuels both the body and mind. Regular meals help maintain energy levels and improve mood, making it easier for children to stay engaged in school.

Encourage Physical Activity. Movement is a great stress reliever! Whether it’s a walk, playing outside, or a favourite sport, exercise supports mental and emotional wellbeing.

Get Back Into School Routines. Simple habits like waking up on time, getting dressed, and preparing for the day can help ease the transition back to school life.

By focusing on these small but important steps, we can help children feel more secure, resilient, and ready to learn again. By providing love, patience, and stability, you can help your child feel safe and supported.

Visit the Parent Resource Centre for additional information on caring for your children.

https://lism.catholic.edu.au/support-after-a-natural-disaster 

Light of Jesus Awards

Congratulations to the following students on receiving 10 or 25 Light of Jesus Tickets. They now receive a certificate and a blue, green or yellow armband.

• Harper King - Kindergarten
• Knox Davidson - Year 1
• Conor Mullagh - Year 1
• Myla North - Year 2
• Morgan Pham - Year 2
• Chloe Weir - Year 3
• Josie Davy - Year 5
• Jessica Aslin - Year 6
• Millar McElroy - Year 6 x 25 tickets (green band)
• Isla Parker - Year 6 x 25 tickets (green band)
• Ivy Taylor - Year 6

Kasey Miles

Assistant Principal Mission

Parish News...

Parent Assembly News...

Learning & Teaching News...

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We have a busy and exciting week ahead at St Francis Xavier. Here are some important updates for our school community:

📝 NAPLAN Begins Next Week

Students in Years 3 and 5 will sit their NAPLAN assessments starting next week. These assessments provide valuable insights into student progress in literacy and numeracy. We encourage all students to get plenty of rest, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive on time each day. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child’s teacher. As NAPLAN is conducted online, all students are required to bring their own set of headphones to complete the assessments. Please ensure your child has a working pair of wired headphones (not Bluetooth) for use on the testing days.

The revised NAPLAN timetable is below:

• Monday 17th March - Writing & Reading
• Tuesday 18th March- Conventions of Language
• Wednesday 19th March- Numeracy
• Thursday 20th, Friday 21st, Monday 24th - Catch-up times for students who are absent and miss an assessment. 

Demonstrations of the 4 assessments are available here: for Year 3 https://pages.assessform.edu.au/pages/year-3-demos and 

Year 5 https://pages.assessform.edu.au/pages/year-5-demos

Thank you for your support in ensuring a smooth and successful NAPLAN experience for your child.

👩‍🏫 Parent-Teacher Conferences (Monday – Thursday)

We look forward to welcoming parents and caregivers for our Parent-Teacher Conferences next week, from Monday, March 17th  to Thursday, 20th March. This is a great opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, celebrate achievements, and set learning goals. Bookings can be made via Compass.

Locations:

• Before School Interviews - in the child’s classroom
• K-2 in the Library
• Years 3-6 in the Hall

➕ Focus on Maths – Our School Annual Improvement Plan

As part of our School Annual Improvement Plan (SAIP), this Term we are working together to strengthen our shared beliefs and understanding of Mathematics teaching and learning. 

Our approach aligns with the NSW K-6 Mathematics Syllabus, which aims to:
✅Learning and applying the language of mathematics to communicate efficiently and effectively.
✅ Developing an increasingly sophisticated understanding of mathematical concepts.
✅Developing fluency with mathematical processes that helps them to interpret and solve problems.
✅ Making connections within mathematics and connecting mathematical concepts with the world around them.

✅ Learn to understand and appreciate how mathematics is a relevant part of their lives.

We encourage families to support this learning at home by engaging in everyday Maths activities, such as cooking, shopping, counting and telling the time. Together, we can help every child succeed in Mathematics!

Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to another great week ahead!

Warm regards,

Lisa Conte

Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Leader of Pedagogy Information

Exciting news about new technology in our classrooms!

Earlier this term our new ViewSonic 4K Interactive ViewBoards were installed in classrooms throughout the school. Teachers have been busy learning and practising the basics of operation for these new teaching tools. Naturally, the students have quickly picked up on the different ways to interact with the boards. Teachers are looking forward to further training later on this term that will ensure we are using the boards to their full potential.

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Hayley Loadsman

Acting Leader of Pedagogy

Canteen News...

We Need Volunteers

for our School Canteen

We are looking for volunteers for the canteen.  If you are able to spare a couple of hours, between 9am and 11:30am - on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, once a month please contact the school office or Kristie on 66863370  and let us know what day suits you.  Volunteers MUST sign into the school via the school office.

Canteen Roster-Term 1

Week 7

Monday 17th March to Friday, 21 March

Canteen Roster-Term 1

Week 8

Monday, 24th March to Friday, 28th March

Thursday Special Day

Sushi Special Day

$3.90

Canteen Online Ordering App

Please click on the link below to view the QKR app instructions. 

Student Awards...

Congratulations to all of our students who received a Learning or Class Award!

Jasmine Lolohea	River Frankl	Alicia Lang
Huey Lindner	Eden Oke	Tommy McDermott
Harli Brandscheid	Poppy Ford	Harley Thompson
Cooper Base	Evie Williams	Jinda Chuangprateep
Oscar McElroy	Ryan Piercy	Annabelle O'Rourke
Max Mitchell	Darcy McDermott	Lilla Morley
Lily Osborne	Patrick Richardson	Lily Hancock
Judd Hogden	Theo Samaradellis	Gurfateh Singh
Mila Laranjeira Miranda	Isabella Briggs	Scott Nguyen
Freddy Pitt	Van Hogden	Monty Zhou-Roberts

We would like to welcome our new student and her family to our school community.

Gursift Sandhu

Happy Birthday...

Wishing all of our students a wonderful birthday!!

Friday, 14th March 2025  to Thursday 27th March 2025

Stella Marboeuf	Stevie Gifford	Eli Bogetti
Olivia O'Brien	Stella McOmish	Tyler Smith
Alejandra Gonzalez	Yindiana Pitt	Ivy Boizard
Jaylene Chenhamo	Darci Murray	Tyler Eggleton
Nixon Stewart

Student Medical Plans...

Please note that Student Medical Health Plans, such as an Asthma Plan, Allergy Plan, Epilepsy Plan or an Anaphylaxis Plan, are now due to be reviewed by your GP and updated at the school office. If you have any questions, please come and see our staff in the school office for more information. 

Medication Administered Forms 2025- We have a new electronic form for any student who requires to have medication administered during school hours. Please click on the link below or follow the directions below to complete the form. Please note this form MUST be completed for all Medical Plans for 2025. 

Instructions on where to find the form on Compass:

1. Open your Compass App
2. Click on the more button on the bottom right hand corner of the screen
3. Click on School Documents
4. Click on Parent Resources
5. Click on School Forms
6. Click on Medication Form and complete
7. This form will then be sent directly to our school email account

K2026 Enrolment Information...

Harmony Day...

Harmony Day is a significant occasion celebrated annually in Australia, dedicated to promoting cultural diversity and fostering inclusivity within society. In 2025, the theme for Harmony Day will focus on "Everyone Belongs", emphasising the importance of creating a welcoming environment for all individuals, regardless of their background. This day serves as a reminder of the value of unity and respect for one another, encouraging communities to embrace their differences and work together towards a harmonious society.

St Francis Xavier Primary School will celebrate Harmony Day in a variety of ways.

1. Mufti Day Friday 21 March 2025 - Free activity.  While the colour orange is often worn on Harmony Day (to show warmth, positivity, and enthusiasm, embodying the spirit of community and togetherness) for this day if your child does not own any orange coloured clothes we encourage wearing the colours of the rainbow (or any bright colours) to celebrate Harmony Day. Just like the colours we are all different but together in Harmony we all belong.
2. Colouring In Competition - all class teachers have a copy of the colouring in competition.  Extra copies are available from Mrs Newton or Mrs Bagraith. Please return entries before 14/3/2025.
3. Harmony Day Poster - Children create a poster to promote Harmony Day. This can be done at home using low tech - like pencils, textas and cardboard/paper - A4 - A3 size or using technology like Canva, Powerpoint, Slides etc and printing the end product.  A prize will be awarded to each year group and all posters will be shown around the school for Harmony Week.  The overall winner will be advertised in the school newsletter.
4. Whole school display - All students will decorate a paper doll to represent themselves here at school.  These dolls will be used to create a whole school display for Harmony Week.

Help us celebrate cultural diversity and promote unity to create a harmonious society. All children are encouraged to join in the festivities and foster an environment of respect and understanding. Together, let us work towards a future where everyone belongs, and where the beauty of our differences is celebrated.

May Our Lady, Mary guide and inspire all to embrace the spirit of harmony and inclusivity in their lives.

Library News...

Student Travel...

Bus - Children are to sit in bus lines and wait for teachers’ instructions to board their bus.  Bus pass forms are available online.

Bike - Students are to move quickly to their bikes or scooters and walk these to the gate at the front of the school.  They must not ride these on school premises and they should take the shortest and safest route home.

Walking - These children should leave through the front school gate without delay.  Any child needing to cross Swift Street should wait at the crossing and be directed by the Crossing Supervisor.

Pick up - Children being picked up should wait in the School Hall with the supervising teacher until collected and then leave with their parent or guardian. Students should be collected no later than 3:20pm. 

Parents are reminded not to ask their child/ren to wait outside the school fence or in an unsupervised area. This is for the safety of the child/ren. All students MUST be collected from the School Hall or Martin Street Gate.  

Road Safety Around the School

In order to keep our students safe, please adhere to the road safety rules around St Francis Xavier when dropping off or collecting your child.

All roads surrounding and adjoining our school are signed and subject to School Zone Road Restrictions from 8am to 9:30am in the morning and 2:30pm to 4pm in the afternoon on all school days. Ballina Shire Council enforces these road rules and does issue penalties, particularly for double-parking.

NSW Transport Information

Parent Reminders...

• Q-When should a parent/visitor sign into the school?
• A-All parents/visitors when entering the school grounds, for what ever the reason, MUST sign into the school via the iPad in the front office or via the QR codes at our gates.  There are no exceptions.  This is to ensure we are keeping our students safe whilst at school.

• Q-Where do I find my School Fee Account details?
• A-Parents are emailed a statement from Catholic Schools Office at the end of each month with all account details.  Or alternatively you can access your Compass account to check your fees. 

• Q-When does the School Newsletter come out?
• A-We publish our School Newsletter on a fortnightly basis.  The newsletter is published in Week Two, Four, Six, Eight and Ten of each Term.  All important notices and events will be communicated via Compass on a regular basis.  Our school Facebook page will be updated regularly with exciting events that have happened at school.

• Q-What are the School Bell Times?

Please note- Supervision of students begins at 8:30am and finishes at 3:30pm.  Please do not drop your child earlier than this and remember that after school care arrangements need to be made if your child cannot be picked up before 3:30pm.

• Q-What do I need to do if my child is late to school?
• A-Parents MUST come into the school office to drop their child off. This gives the parent the opportunity to provide the reason for the late arrival at that time.  Your child needs to collect a late slip from the office. Parents are reminded not to enter a late note in Compass for their child.  To be compliant with the attendance SOP, we need to ensure that child safety is maintained as far as possible. 

Xavier Catholic College News...

Community News...