2021 Term 3 Week 8 Newsletter

Prayer Focus

From the Principal

I have always been fascinated by numbers and data sets. Numbers and data sets are always good conversation starters, but more importantly they cause you to think more deeply or to inquire about a problem. For example:

What are these numbers and this simple data set telling us, as a school community that is committed to ensuring everyone remains safe throughout the pandemic, as well as following the State government’s Stay at Home Order?

I am thinking:

• Families need to be commended on their determined effort to make Blended Learning at home work. I fully get how challenging this can be for families, but I also recognise how incredibly resilient many of our families are when faced with challenges.
• The school can support families by adapting Blended Learning at Home to make it less stressful and more fun! For example, the school’s Fun Friday initiative (see the infographic below.)
• There is some confusion around terms such as “vulnerable” and “essential worker”. The general rule of thumb is that a student should engage in Blended Learning at home if there is an adult present in the household.
• The continual increase in students attending on-site is problematic from an operational perspective. To mitigate risk of exposure the school staff has been divided into two teams working on-site week on, week off. In effect, this has significantly impacted on the number of staff able to supervise Blended Learning at school. 

These are just a few thoughts. In short, having had to work from home this week has not been my preferred option either as there has been a sense of disconnection with our amazing staff. However, the overall benefits far outweigh any personal disadvantages if it means keeping our wonderful school community safe.

Yours in Faith,
Warren Niethe
Principal

All Things Learning & Teaching

Blended Learning - Week 8

The Blended Learning model continued this week and St Francis Xavier students continue to submit amazing samples of their learning. Our students have been busy designing, creating and constructing various responses based on  ‘Care of Our Common Home’. Take a look at the snapshot of what is being shared. Amazing!

Kindergarten

Care of Our Common Home Activity Grid

Task 19 - Create a poster about Recycling or Reducing Waste. By Eshaan.

Task 8 - What plants do you have growing in your garden that you can eat? Go and look in your garden and see if you can find some. By Rory.

Task 17 - God asks us to care for plants and animals. List ways you can do this. By Emily.

Stage 1

Care of Our Common Home Activity Grid Task 24 - Design your own vegie/flower garden.
By Daniel - Daniel has created a very intentional garden complete with signposts. 

Stage 2

Care of Our Common Home Activity Grid Task 12 - Create something using discarded textiles.
By Ava - Ava has upcycled an old dress into a useful trendy shoulder bag.

Stage 3

Care of Our Common Home Activity Grid Task 39 - Upcycle something from home, giving it a new use. Create an advertisement for the new product. By Ben - Take a look at Ben’s amazing upcycling plan, product  and advertisement.

As we move forward into Week 9 and another week of Blended Learning our focus will shift to examine Unique Places and Connections. We can't wait to see what accompanies this new learning.

Faith & Mission

Season of Creation

September is the Season of Creation, an opportunity to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation. It is a time when the Christian family unites in prayer and action for our common home to renew the Oikos of God. 

But what is Oikos? In Ancient Greek, it means ‘house’ or ‘family’. By framing the theme for this year’s Season of Creation around oikos, we celebrate the integral web of relationships that sustain the well-being of the earth. We see that our well-being is interwoven with the earth’s. 

We celebrated World Day of Prayer for Creation with a prayer at school and in our zooms. Some students created some amazing creation-inspired artwork.

Happy Father's Day

We wish all our Dads, Uncles, Grandpas and other amazing blokes, a wonderful Father's Day. We celebrate you!

Wellbeing Wednesday and Lockdown Letters

On Wednesday, students at home and at school wrote letters and made cards for neighbours and friends to cheer them up during the lockdown.

Sunday Mass Online

Bishop Greg Homeming’s Sunday Masses are available online at Lismore Diocese YouTube Channel. To access please click the link below.

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

Keeping Your Child Motivated

Following on from last week's 'Family Wellbeing during Blended Learning at Home', please have a look at 'Tips for Keeping Your Child Motivated During Blended Learning' and 'Learning from Home for Families' by clicking on the links below.

Anxiety in your Child - Free Seminar

St Francis Xavier Primary School and the Parent Assembly have purchased a whole school licence for the "Anxiety in your Child" Seminar with Dr Justin Coulson. All staff and parents have FREE access to this event being held on Wednesday, 8 September at 7.30pm.

If you're unable to make it on the night, please still register as you'll be able to access the recording from the same link for 7 days afterwards.

Click on the link below for further information and to register for the event.

Helping Our Kids to be Great Learners

A free webinar funded by the Parent Assembly for all Catholic school parents in the Diocese of Lismore, presented by psychologist Andrew Fuller.

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