Term 2: Week 8 2024

Don’t forget school closure on 10th of June for the King’s Birthday.

School Photos are on 19th of June

Principal Message….

Dear Parents/Carers,

Congratulations to the Yr 6 students who were confirmed last weekend. It was a joyous celebration for the students and their families as they committed to their faith as young adults.

It is exciting to see our urban farm works coming along nicely. Students from Yr 4 worked with Urban Discovery staff to begin building the perimeter fence of the farm. Some plants have been placed into the gardens and the veggie patches are under construction. We are eager to see the end product over the next few months as some of our dads build the outdoor kitchen and benches that form part of the works.

Our Preps have been working hard to learn all about animals and habitats on the lead up to their excursion to the Werribee Zoo next week. Quite a few year levels have been engaging with incursions and excursions to enhance their learning this term. We have received wonderful feedback from staff running these programs about the beautiful manners and positive attitudes of the SFA students.

I’m looking forward to dusting off my dancing shoes in preparation for the School Disco next week. Thank you to all the parents who are volunteering to make this event a successful one for our students.  This would not be possible either without the dedication and co-ordination that Andrea, our Community Partnerships Leader also provides. Thanks Andrea for all you do for our students and families!

Enjoy the long weekend for the King’s Birthday. We will see you back at school again next Tuesday!

Michelle

🅿️ We kindly remind all parents and carers to not block the roundabout at Fairview Parade and Daintree Blvd. Blocking this area creates significant safety hazards for our students, pedestrians, and other drivers. Ensuring the roundabout remains clear helps maintain smooth traffic flow and prevents accidents. Please be mindful of road safety and consider the wellbeing of our entire school community when dropping off or picking up your children.

🚨Also, please DO NOT park over driveways, it is illegal and blocks residents from being able to leave. We have been notified that the council is sending parking inspectors on random mornings and afternoons to book drivers, as they have received many complaints from the residents around our school.

Let's work together to keep our roads safe and accessible for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Introducing our Newly Confirmed

Congratulations to all of our Year 6 students who received or participated in the Sacrament of Confirmation last Saturday,1st June with Bishop Martin at St James the Apostle Catholic Church. It was a wonderful celebration and both Bishop Martin and Fr Jude were very impressed with the reverence of our students and their families.

We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide the children throughout their lives, as they draw on the Gifts and Fruits of the Spirit which they have received. 

Watch our Budding Landscapers in Action

Some of our Year 4 students recently participated in an exciting incursion with Urban Discovery, where they learned to make a wooden woven stick fence. For many, this was their first experience using hand saws and secateurs.

The students' enthusiasm was palpable as they eagerly embraced the hands-on activity, demonstrating remarkable teamwork and creativity. The final product, part of what will be ourbeautiful woven stick fence, stands as a testament to their hard work and newfound skills.

We are incredibly proud of our Year 4 students and their amazing effort and enthusiasm for this project. This project not only taught them practical skills but also fostered a sense of accomplishment and pride. Great job, Year 4!

Here’s how You Can Participate!

You can be a part of this exciting initiative by purchasing plants to donate to the project. Please click on this link to see the list of designated plants. By contributing plants, you are directly supporting our new landscape design and promoting native flora. If you purchase plants please bring it into the front office in the next two weeks to be part of the planting process.

Children whose families donate plants will have the special opportunity to plant them at the school, making it a truly hands-on and memorable experience.

Let's work together to create a vibrant and green space for everyone to enjoy! Thank you for your support.

SCHOOL DISCO

We are looking forward to dancing the afternoon away at our School Disco next Thursday, 13th June. Please note:

All children are able to wear their Neon/Bright coloured clothes to school on Thursday. 

We have recently trained our senior teachers in The Writing Revolution (TWR) approach to improve student writing skills. TWR provides clear, step-by-step instructions for writing. This explicit teaching method helps all students to become better writers.

By using TWR, our students learn to write clearly and effectively. They better understand sentence structure, grammar, and how to organize their thoughts.

This training has already made a big difference in our school. Students are more confident in their writing, which helps them in all subjects. Our commitment to implementing TWR approach ensures that every student has the tools they need to succeed.

Homework in Primary School

Across Australia, many primary schools have introduced no- or low-homework policies according to Professor John Hattie from the University of Melbourne. Professor Hattie explained that homework benefits high-school students, but is unnecessary for primary school students.

He noted, "The evidence is pretty clear that homework in primary school has a very low to zero effect."

At SFA, we have been following Hattie's advice for years. Our homework policy helps families balance work commitments, after-school activities, and family time.

To read the article click here

Yesterday the grade sixes attended the Winter Gala, a day of inter-school sports with 7 other schools from the Tarneit DIstrict.

All of our students represented our school in such a positive, enthusiastic way and displayed great sports-manship. We are so proud of all their behaviour, efforts and achievements which lead to a fantastic day for both students and staff. 

A special shout out to the Girls Soccer team who won the day and will be competing at the next level on the 24th July. We wish them all the best and encourage them to continue showing support for each other and great sportsmanship towards everyone involved in the day.  

Also, Congratulations to Mia D who came 7th place in her age group at the Division level Cross Country run last Tuesday. 

Great effort Mia! We are so proud of you and wish you all the best at the next level!!

Sally Ivanciv.

Senior Physical Education Teacher.

Joyful June 2024: Action for Happiness Calendar

This June, we invite our school community to embrace the Joyful June 2024 calendar, provided by Action for Happiness. Each day features a simple, joyful activity designed to boost happiness and foster kindness. From savouring your favourite foods to sharing happy memories and expressing gratitude, these daily prompts encourage positivity and connection.

Join us in celebrating Joyful June by incorporating these activities into your daily routine. Let's work together to create a happier, kinder, and more connected community. Keep this calendar handy and see how small actions can make a big difference!

For the safety and wellbeing of all students, we remind parents and guardians to send any necessary student medication directly to the front office. Students are not permitted to keep medication in their bags.

This policy ensures that all medications are stored securely and administered safely by our school nurse. Please label all medications with your child's name and provide clear instructions for its use.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and healthy environment for our students.

A reminder to log into Operoo by 9.15am, to report your child/ren as absent if they are unwell.

Social Media Age Limits

There has been calls in the news recently for governments to act on limiting exposure for young people to social media. The South Australian government have proposed prohibiting Social Media accounts for all children under the age of 14 in their state.

This recent article cites these recommendations from social psychologist Jonathan Haidt:

Parents should not give their children smartphones before high school. Children should not be on social media before 16.

Schools should be phone-free.

Children should have more unsupervised play and childhood independence.

While Governments and tech companies debate the feasibility of banning underage users, we can take steps to help prepare our children to be safe and happy online. Families who have joined an Inform & Empower parent meeting will have heard Marty and Carly discussing ways we can support our children. Two strategies they encourage are modelling safe and balanced use of social media to our children and building children’s communication skills through safe communication platforms like Messenger Kids.