END OF TERM AND REPORTS

As Term Two concludes, I would like to thank the entire community for your support and your efforts over the past 10 weeks.

With Semester One Reports now released I encourage families to talk through these reports with your children with a Growth Mindset approach. While there will be many areas which are worthy of praise and recognition, so too there may be areas which can be focused upon and enhanced. If parents/carers have any particular queries, as always, we encourage you to speak to or communicate with your child’s teacher. Such communication can occur in the new term.

I wish all of our students a very restful break. May students return rejuvenated and ready for many future successes and learning opportunities in the back half of 2023. To our Year 11 and Year 12 students in particular I encourage them, as they respectively prepare for End of Preliminary HSC Course exams and Trial HSC exams, that they get the balance right between study, revision, summary-making as well as ensuring regular sleep, a healthy diet and time for physical activity and socialising.

I especially thank all of our staff for their efforts across the first half of this year. Term Two is one of the busiest terms and yet our staff continue to turn up enthused, motivated and dedicated to provide the best possible education and learning for our young people. 

  PARENT/CARER FORUM

I would like to thank the parents and carers who attended Wednesday night’s Initial Parent/Carer Forum.

115 families were represented on the night as key staff spoke about recent surveys and data regarding the College as well as important issues relating to wellbeing, Pastoral Care, Catholicity, learning, extra-curricular activities and parent/carer engagement.

The night proved to be a valuable opportunity to connect, collaborate, and share insights on how we can further enhance our students' educational experience.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude to all the parents/carers who attended on the night. Your active participation and enthusiastic engagement made the event a resounding success.

As I mentioned on the evening, with St Francis Catholic College only being in our seventh year, as we continue to grow and become a ‘mature organisation’, we need to embrace opportunities to genuinely receive feedback and explore ways in which we can reflect upon and refine what we do.

At times, it becomes clear that sometimes we are meeting a possible area of concern - but that perhaps our communication hasn’t been as clear as it could be. Other times we can have a genuine opportunity to explore a blindspot.  While it is not possible to have a perfect school, nor is it possible to satisfy the wishes of all families, we can at least explore the commentary and explore if what we are providing is meeting our educational goals and/or the needs of the many.

An example of this is that in the recent Tell Them From Me survey, 11 parents/carers commented in the open comment section that the College does not provide enough homework for students, whilst 14 parents/carers indicated that the College expects too much homework. Homework therefore can become a topic of investigation at the College and we can explore what is happening across K-12. 

Regardless, an opportunity like Wednesday night now allows the College to collate even more detailed information about what is working well and what the College can either cull, continue, explore and/or be confidently satisfied that we are meeting the needs of our various stakeholders.

I am very appreciative of the work of the 20 plus staff who attended on the night, either presenting information, leading a table group or involving themselves across the evening. Indeed, a special thanks goes to the Senior Leadership Team for embracing the occasion right from when I raised earlier in the year that it was my intention to run such a night to the lead up to and in the execution of the event. Thank you.

Once again I thank the parents/carers in attendance for your presence and thoughtful contrubutions - contributions which demonstrated your commitment to your child's education and your dedication to being active partners in your child’s learning journey.

A further questionnaire will be sent to those who attended on the evening regarding ways in which attendees would like to see parent/carer engagement develop moving forward. Your input will undoubtedly help shape our future endeavours and ensure that we continue to provide the best possible education for our students.

I look forward to future opportunities where the voice of our community can be heard and do note that further updates about feedback and parent/carer involvement will be provided in the new term.

Parent/Carer volunteers

Yes, we do listen. 

Whilst it was always in the planning, the Tell Them From Me surveys made it abundantly clear that opportunities for parent/carer volunteering were much sought after in our community and needed to commence sooner rather than later. I would like to thank our Deputy Principal Mrs Vella for running 4 Zooms thus far to inform and train future parent/carer volunteers who are looking to assist in various predetermined ways.

I’m pleased to inform you that 58 parents/carers have already been trained and are now ready to volunteer in Term 3. Great news and thank you!

BUILDING UPDATE!!!

As mentioned at Wednesday’s parent/carer forum we have good news that the building of our Junior Years, Diverse Learning and Administration Block/s will recommence in early Term Three. 

FAL (the Company that built our Middle Year Building) will be commissioned in the coming weeks and that will enable us to have new buildings come on line mid 2024!

BUS UPDATE

Thank you to parents/carers who have communicated with the College or myself directly about the current bus overcrowding issue.

As mentioned at Wednesday’s parent/carer forum, there has been no change to our existing College Bus Services. I will be speaking with the Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong MP (State member for Macquarie Fields) in the coming term to try and expedite our requests for additional bus services.  

I do remind students and families to ensure that students have and use their Opal Cards on every single trip. By doing so, accurate figures can be recorded and then recognised by the Government. This stated, I encourage you to share your concerns with Interline Buses directly: enquiries@interlinebus.com.au 

Further complaints can be sent directly to NSW transport where the following form can be located and filled in: https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/feedback/bus-feedback 

The Voice referendum is happening - Be Informed!

Given the enormity of this subject matter, I have included the following article and links from Catholic Education Office Wollongong regarding the Voice Referendum:

Legislation setting up a referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament passed the Senate last week, meaning a referendum has to be held before the end of the year.

It's a big step forward in what has already been a long process and competing campaigns will soon become much more visible. This is why it is important now, more than ever, to be informed regarding what the referendum will be asking each of us to decide.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC), the peak advisory body to the Australian Catholic Bishops, has recently released a statement expressing its support for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Read NATSICC’s full statement here, and access other resources that have been specifically created to guide Catholics through this important decision process at the NATSICC - One Journey Together website. 

Provided here also is an ABC update on the referendum journey and practicalities. 

PRAYER

As we gather at the end of another school term, we come before You with hearts filled with gratitude and praise. 

We thank You Lord for the countless blessings You have bestowed upon us, for the opportunities to learn, grow, and serve one another. We seek Your guidance and ask for Your presence to be with us, embracing parents/carers, staff, and students alike.

Inspired by the beliefs of Blessed Edmund Rice and Saint Francis of Assisi, we strive to cultivate a spirit of compassion, humility, and a deep respect for all creation. Grant us the wisdom to recognise the inherent dignity in every person we encounter, and the strength to be instruments of Your peace in our St Francis Catholic College community and beyond.

May parents/carers find solace in knowing their children continue to be nurtured and guided with love and care. May staff members be rewarded for their dedication and tireless efforts in shaping young minds. And may students find joy in their achievements, as they are encouraged to continue to discover their unique gifts and talents.

As we embark on this holiday break, renew our spirits, strengthen our bonds, and grant us the grace to continue on this path of education and enlightenment. Bless our time apart, so that we may return refreshed, ready to face new challenges and embrace new opportunities in the spirit of love and unity.

We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

Semester 1 Reports and Transition to a Four-Point Reporting Scale for Attitudes to Learning

Semester 1 Academic Reports for your child were distributed electronically via our school's Compass platform. By now, you should have received your child's report, and we encourage you to review it in detail.  Please note students in Kindergarten you do not receive their first academic report until Term 4 and Years 11 & 12 students received their reports earlier this term.

At St Francis, we place great importance on open and transparent communication between school and home. The academic report serves as a valuable tool to keep you informed about your child's progress, strengths, and areas for improvement. It provides a comprehensive overview of their academic achievements and highlights their effort and attitude towards learning.

If you have not yet accessed your child's Semester 1 Academic Report on Compass, please log in to your account.  If you encounter any issues with accessing the report, please contact College reception for assistance.

We urge you to take the time to carefully review the report and discuss it with your child. This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments, identify areas where they have excelled, and discuss strategies to support their continued growth. It also provides insight into their overall academic progress and helps identify any specific areas that may require additional attention or improvement.

When compiling the report, teachers weigh up the assessment information they have collected for each student up to this point in time. This information on the report will come from both formal and informal assessments and observations, and will be built up over time and in different situations. 

Teachers then compare their students' achievements with the standards represented by each grade, and make an on-balance professional judgement about the grade that is most appropriate to summarise each student's achievement. 

Making a judgement about the grade that best matches each student's achievements requires teachers to make an on-balance judgement in relation to standards. The NSW syllabuses state what students at each stage are expected to learn. A to E grade scales describe how well students have achieved the knowledge, understanding and skills covered up until the point of reporting. 

This year, there has been a minor change to the reporting of Attitudes to Learning. We have made the decision to transition from a three-point reporting scale to a four-point reporting scale for assessing attitudes to learning.  We believe that this change will provide a more comprehensive and accurate assessment of your child's engagement, effort, and approach to learning. With four distinct levels of achievement, we can offer a greater level of detail and better differentiate between various levels of attitudes to learning. This will help us provide more specific feedback and support to each student.

We firmly believe that this revised reporting scale for attitudes to learning will provide a more accurate representation of your child's commitment to their education. It will allow us to acknowledge and reward exceptional effort while also identifying areas where additional support may be needed. By providing clearer feedback, we can work together to foster a positive learning environment and help your child reach their full potential.

Mrs Rita Agostino
Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

Student portrait photos can still be ordered up until the 6th July via the www.advancedlife.com.au with our school code: EBQ QLX 2H1 or via phone 1300 728 972.

Important Notice

Due to the significant number of student absences between 26th-28th June, we have organised another student absence catchup day, on Wednesday 19th July 2023.
During period 1, ONLY students who were absent during these days will be able to have their photo taken.
Those parents who ordered sibling photos and their child was absent, will be contacted directly for their children to have their photos taken on the 19th July.

There will be NO NEW sibling photos taken.

On the 20th of June, a group of Year 7s and 8s were selected to attend the MISA Dance Showcase to represent St Francis. Our team competed against other schools and celebrated the art of dance. For the past 12 weeks, we have worked closely with the MISA Dance team to choreograph a piece that they could be proud of and perform confidently. 

We were asked to be the choreographers and ‘captains’ of the team late last term and were more than happy to take on the responsibility, having multiple years of dance experience under our belts. Having 12 school weeks to create and work on a piece was a daunting task. However, we found that everyone in the team was hardworking and consistently showed their commitment by attending rehearsals each week during Tuesday sport and even some break time rehearsals. A positive attitude was always present and great camaraderie was shared between the students.

We are pleased and proud to say that the performance went very well and each student performed strongly on the stage. On the day, the students were able to watch a variety of other performances and the sportsmanship and support given was great to see.

• Keira B and Isabella S, Year 12

On behalf of the College, I would like to thank Keira and Isabella for all their hard work and dedication to the MISA Dance group. They worked tirelessly to ensure that the students learnt and perfected the routine before their big Showcase. I would also like to thank Mrs Jamieson, Mrs Kells, Mrs Bryan and Miss Santucci who were all involved in developing the students dance skills and understanding throughout Terms 1 and 2.

• Daniella Pavlovich, 7-12 Sport Coordinator

On Thursday 22nd of June, a group of students from Years 3 - 6 attended a netball gala day at Minto. Students participated in several games throughout the day. All students showed great enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Well done to all girls. You represented SFCC proudly. A big thank you to Mrs Crescini and Mrs Cox who helped our students on the day. 

Kristine Micallef
K-6 Sports Coordinator

On Friday 16^th June, 6 Year 11 Chemistry students (Abigail A, Joash T, Pakeeza K, Vasanth B, Saurav B and Shyla P) participated in the RACI Titration Competition at Sydney University. The competition is designed for Stage 6 students who enjoy Chemistry, particularly its practical side. It helps to develop their scientific skills and understanding as it is assessable content from the HSC course. Therefore, most teams competing were in Year 12 not Year 11.

Judging for the competition is based on the values each team of 3 students reports for each of their unknown weak acid concentrations. Teams are ranked on how close they get to the actual concentration for each acid within a 90-minute timeframe. The 6 selected students have dedicated 2 hours every week for training since February, remaining at school on Tuesday afternoons when most Year 11 students have gone home. I am very proud of their enthusiasm and commitment throughout training sessions and the way they conducted themselves on the day of the competition. Unfortunately, neither of the teams received a placing on the day, but a huge shoutout to Abigail for getting an almost perfect individual score. Abigail and Pakeeza have received merits from RACI due to their high individual scores.

As a part of the Japanese program, St Francis students are given opportunities to engage in traditional cultural activities. This year the College booked the Tyke-Oh Japanese Drumming group to run workshops with our students studying Japanese during Week 8 of Term 2. 

The one-hour workshops engaged our Year 8 and Year 9 students studying Japanese in understanding the cultural importance of music and the connection it has with language. This hands-on experience was facilitated by a skilled professional who has a deep understanding of Japanese music and culture.

Kiyomi Sensei, our talented instructor for the day, communicated how impressed she was by the effort and behaviour of the St Francis students. The Year 8 and Year 9 students were highly engaged in their drumming and were surprised to learn how much teamwork plays a part in Taiko.

Next term students in Years 3 and 4 will be invited to take part in an exciting Mathematics challenge! The challenge will be completed on the digital platform ‘Prodigy’, which is aligned to the Mathematics curriculum and offers a world of adventures to engage students with their learning. 

The challenge will take place fortnightly and will begin in Week 2 of Term 3. The task will consist of 15-20 questions on a given day of the week, specified by the K-4 Numeracy Coordinator. This challenge is voluntary and will be in addition to the current Prodigy homework students in Years 3 and 4 are required to complete. 

Students who participate in this challenge will be rewarded with house points for their efforts.

A study led by Dr Robyn Pierce (2004, p. 290) defined Mathematics confidence as “a student’s perception of their ability to attain good results and their assurance that they can handle difficulties in Mathematics.”

In and out of the classroom, Mathematics confidence helps students to:

•   Tackle new problems
•   Work independently and collaboratively in groups
•   Connect learning across different concepts

It is important at SFCC that we continue to nourish our students’ learning in Mathematics, in order to deepen their knowledge and understanding and strengthen their problem solving skills.

Mr. Suneil Buck
Junior Years Numeracy Coordinator