Term 3: Week 2
Learning Conversations Monday 29th of July. Students finish at 12:00pm
Principal’s Message….
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to Term 3! I hope that everyone enjoyed a relaxing break and got out and about as much as they could with the cold weather. Happy Feast Day to St James Parish and School as celebrations occurred today for the Feast of St James. Myself, Andrea and some student leaders attended mass in the parish to celebrate the occasion.
An exciting few weeks ahead for our Year 4 students as they undertake final preparations to receive the Sacrament of Eucharist. We wish them well and keep them in our prayers as they journey together towards this important faith milestone. We look forward to seeing our year 4 students and their families at our Eucharist Family Workshop next Wednesday evening.
Our Preps have been working hard all year and are on the final countdown to '100 Days of Prep'. They will be celebrating with their teachers on Tuesday August 6th. We are eager to see what activities are planned and the fun to be had to celebrate this occasion.
Enjoy the next fortnight and I look forward to seeing many faces during Learning Conversations for all students and families on Monday.
Warm regards,
Michelle
Grandparent’s Day
On Friday the 26th of July the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast Day of Jesus' Grandparents, St Joachim and St Anne. On this special day we thank God for the gift of Grandparents and their unconditional love. We ask that you share this special prayer with your children and your wonderful Grandparents.
Interschool Soccer
We’re very proud of our Girls Soccer Team who competed again this week and made it to the Regional Soccer Finals. We wish them all the best when they play again on Thursday 8th August!
Building Knowledge
Background knowledge is essential for students when learning in all areas, particularly reading. At the start of this term, on the school closure day, teachers worked on techniques to strengthen and enhance students' background knowledge. We are focusing on building students' comprehension and vocabulary, carefully selecting texts, and creating writing tasks that offer students the opportunity to use the knowledge they have gained. Research suggests that both reading comprehension and writing skills improve when students have background knowledge.
You might hear this approach called “Knowledge Rich” in the news and other sources. Some of the knowledge-based topics that have already commenced at different year levels are World War 1, Dreamtime Stories, World Rivers, Space, Natural Disasters, Fables, World Mountains, The Middle Ages, and Kings and Queens.
As the year goes on, we'll be building student knowledge through these and other topics. Our goal is for students to leave SFA with expansive knowledge and skills.
Morning and afternoon drop-offs at SFA are smooth and efficient, and we would like to thank all parents who drive slowly, park safely, and patiently wait at these times.
To ensure the safety of everyone, please remember:
Only park in designated parking bays
Only allow your child to exit the car from a parking bay
Keep driveways and roundabouts clear
Cross at the pedestrian crossing
Save the date in your diary for our upcoming Parish Fete
