Principal's Report

Dear St FX Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Week 11! Thank you for a wonderful term and a fantastic start to our school year. We’ve all earned a break and some holiday fun.

Easter Events - Thursday Week 11

1:00pm Lunch on the Lawn

You are invited to enjoy a picnic lunch at 1:00pm on the lawn with your family and children. While there will be some seating provided, you may wish to eat “picnic style” so please feel free to BYO blanket and lunch.

1:45pm Easter Hat Parade  -  We will be celebrating the upcoming Easter season with an Easter Hat Parade under the COLA. Students are permitted to wear mufti clothes (no donation required) along with the Easter Hat they have constructed at home. The Easter Hat Parade will commence at 1:45pm and will include a special assembly for the Living Well Learning Well Principal awards.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Thank you to Sally Foster, Georgie Kahl, Mark Rottger, April Squire and Rhonda McInnes for preparing our Year 2 students for their very first sacrament. Fr Paul was extremely impressed with the reverence of our students and their family support. 

Attendance - Explained, Unexplained and Late to School

Your child’s attendance at school is a factor that directly contributes to their academic progress, wellbeing and social development. As a result of this, attendance rates are heavily monitored both at a school level and system (Armidale diocese) level. In fact, aiming for the Armidale Catholic Schools Office aspirational goal of having a 90% attendance rate 90% of the time is a metric we're using here at St Francis Xavier's. 

Each week, unexplained absence letters are sent home to give families the opportunity to provide reasons for these absences. This is a non-judgmental process that allows us to work with families to keep our records accurate by updating student absences from unexplained to explained. 

Similarly, students who attend school but regularly run late, are missing a huge chunk of learning and the opportunity to develop academically.  For example, arriving at 9:15am each day, results in the equivalent of over an hour of literacy lessons lost each week. Again, when looking across a 10-week-term, your child would have lost over two school days’ worth of literacy development, simply by arriving at 9:15am each day!

It goes without saying, your child’s attendance at school matters. Their attendance at school means they are forming the positive connections with their teachers and peers that they will need in order to develop socially and academically. If you feel there are factors that are hindering your child’s ability to attend school regularly, please feel free to contact me so we can discuss it and look at ways we can support you and your child whilst they’re here at St Francis Xavier’s Primary School.

Supervision before 8:30am

Across this term, we’ve seen students arriving at school earlier and earlier, despite the school not opening for supervision until 8:30am. Some students are arriving before 8am. 

In the last three weeks, we’ve witnessed an increase of restless behaviour from students who have been waiting for the gates to open, resulting in games being played or running up and down the front steps to greet friends as they arrive at school. This poses a significant safety risk to themselves and the other students sitting and waiting. We understand and appreciate the pressure on many working parents who need to get to work, but we cannot emphasise enough how important it is for us that your child’s safety is maintained.  There is no supervision of students from staff until 8:30am, both inside the school grounds or out on the verandahs.

Please keep this in mind when planning your mornings. Your child’s safety whilst at school is paramount.

ANZAC Day

This year, ANZAC Day falls in the second week of the upcoming school holidays. Please keep an eye out for information regarding our school’s involvement that will be distributed to students this week. 

P&F Meeting - Term 2 Week 1

On Wednesday 30th April (Term 2 Week 1), we will be hosting our P and F AGM.  P and F committees are an important part of a school's community as they work in conjunction with the school to provide valuable resources that will assist the teaching and learning for the upcoming years. It would be lovely to see as many parents there as possible! Don’t forget..... we have a zoom link sent out via compass which you are most welcome to access.

Holiday Message

We wish all our families an enjoyable and safe holiday period. For those families travelling away during the break, I hope you experience a safe journey to your holiday destinations. Holidays are a wonderful time for students (and their families) to rest, recharge and enjoy doing things at a slower pace. We look forward to seeing you back at school for Term 2 on Tuesday 29th April. 

 I would especially like to thank our staff for their sustained enthusiasm and energy throughout this term. Their tireless efforts to ensure our students are provided with unique learning opportunities whilst ensuring student well-being is at the forefront, never wanes. We are so blessed to have such dedicated teachers at St Francis Xavier’s.

Happy Easter 

Mrs Michelle O’Connor

Principal