Dear Parents,

It was great to have our Prep students finally join us on Monday morning. There were some nerves, which is understandable, but the children have settled in and are becoming more comfortable by the day with their classrooms and teachers. The Preps have already ticked off some St Finbar's firsts including their first specialist lessons, and venturing out to the "big" playground. With my own daughter starting 3-year-old kinder this week, I can relate to the mixed emotions that come with our children's transition into a new environment and new routines. Please reach out if you are worried about how your children are settling or need clarification about any aspect of school life; we are here to support you as much as your children during these early days.

This Friday we will have our assembly at 8:50am and all parents are then welcome to join us in the classrooms for an Open Morning. The students are looking forward to showing you what they have been up to so far, and give you a guided tour of their classrooms. It's also a great opportunity to have another informal chat with the teachers.

In last week's newsletter, I gave a brief summary of our drop-off and pick-up procedures. This week there is a whole page dedicated to School Safety, I ask that you do have a read of this, even if you are an "experienced" St Finbar's parent.

School Advisory Council

The first meeting for the School Advisory Council is scheduled for Tuesday 13th February at 6:30pm in the Staffroom. Our Council Members for 2024 are:

Fr. Ian Ranson - Parish Priest (Custodian of Mission)
Michelle Hill - Acting Principal (Ex-Officio)
Kate Blake (P & F President)
James Davies (2022 - 2024) - President
Ashlea Diamond (2022 - 2024) - Secretary
Laura Salim (2023 - 2025)
Paul Clarke (2023 - 2025)
Rich Maloney (2024 - 2026)
Jane Wendland (2024 - 2026)

eLearning Parent Evening

We are excited to provide an outstanding Digital Safety & Wellbeing parent information event at St Finbar’s.

Session: Raising Kids in a Digital World

Delivery: Onsite Presentation - Schol Hall

Presenter: Martin McGauran & Carley McGauran

Date: Thursday 14 March, 2024

Time: 7pm (90 mins)

Martin McGauran & Carley McGauran will deliver content on topics such as; the impact of screen time, cyber bullying, gaming, social media etc.

We would love as many parents as possible to attend, free of charge.

Please book via the link here - bit.ly/stfinbars2024

Year 6 camp

We wish our Year 6 students well as they head off to Canberra next week. This trip is always a highlight of the Year 6 year, with a jam packed schedule. The students learn so much from this experience through their visits to such sites of national significance such as Parliament House and the National War Memorial, but there is also plenty of fun to be had at sites such as Questacon and a swim at the AIS.

I would like to express my appreciation in advance to the staff who are attending this camp. Five days away from family is a big commitment but these experiences couldn't happen without the support of our staff. Thank you to Mrs Howell, Mr Tyndall, Mrs McDonald, Mrs Fraser, Mr Mills and Andrea.

Student Classroom Leadership 2023

Our Student Classroom Leaders will be presented with their badges tomorrow morning at Assembly. We look forward to working with them in Semester 1.

SRC

Sustainability

Social Justice

PB

Max L

Billie M

Harrison S

Kosha C

Callie C

PP

Leonardo C

Isadora T

Liam P

Emily T

Oliver S

Lucy C

1C

Harvey K

Yvie T

Poppy R

Emma F

Emma N

Jessica E

1J

Ella G

Daniel R

Georgia G

Miles H

Zoe P

Joshua S

2F

Hunter T

Angelea G

Georgia M

Hugh C

Willow W

Amelia C

2Z

Bevia S

Ayaan A

Lachie C

Diego M

Maxim K

John S

3G

Margot D

Timmy D

Isla May O

Xavier E

Harrison P

Lily Y

3K

Emmett H

Mima A

Adriana B

Milo M

Victoria P

Cooper V

4A

Jordan T

Evelyn N

Sam J

Astrid P

Max D

Maddie F

4M

Harper L

Ryder B

Layan M

Christopher K

Sadie H

Kai M

5B

Frankie M

Lachie H

Alana

Jason D

Mimi M

Samuel

5H

Jordan K

Elsie M

Emily L

Max A

Claire K

Max D

Prep Sibling Enrolments 2025

I know it's early to be talking 2025 already, but I ask that parents who have a child commencing in Prep 2025 to please enrol their child by Friday 1st March so we can see how many places will be available to new families for 2025. All siblings are a guaranteed enrolment at St. Finbar's, however we do require completed paperwork to make it official.

We expect that our 52 Prep places will fill up quite quickly. Enrolment forms can be downloaded from the following link: St Finbar's Enrolment Information

Sibling enrolment interviews will happen this term via appointment.

Year 6 Teacher Buddy Afternoon Tea

The staff and Year 6 students enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea together on Wednesday afternoon. This has become a biannual tradition at St Finbar's, as part of our Year 6 Teacher Buddy program. The weather cooperated so we were able to gather in the John Ashe and get to know each other a bit better over some delicious food.

Extra Curricular Activities

Please note below the many extra curricular activities that St. Finbar's has to offer listed below. Please contact the providers directly if you wish to access their program and services.