Principal's Report

Saint Francis Xavier - Principal's Report

Term 4 - Week 7

Dear Parents and Friends of St Francis Xavier,

At this moment in time, our hearts are heavy with empathy and compassion for the innocent victims of war, particularly in Ukraine, Gaza, and Israel. As members of the Catholic faith, we turn to prayer as a source of solace and strength for those who are enduring unimaginable hardships. We implore God to extend His merciful hand over the afflicted regions, embracing the innocent people caught in the crossfire of conflict. In this tumultuous time, we pray for a swift end to hostilities and the hope of reconciliation, echoing the teachings of Christ, who proclaimed, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9).

As parents and carers navigating the complexities of a world marred by conflict, it is crucial to approach discussions about war with sensitivity and care, especially when young children are exposed to news and social media. If they are asking questions, always aim to;

create a safe space for open dialogue, encouraging questions and expressions of emotion
tailor the information to their age, shielding them from graphic details while providing a basic understanding of the situation
reinforce feelings of security by emphasising the love and protection within the family, as well as how lucky we are to live where we live
monitor their media consumption, guiding them towards age-appropriate content and limiting exposure to distressing images
encourage empathy by discussing the importance of compassion and understanding
foster a sense of empowerment by discussing positive actions, such as supporting humanitarian efforts or engaging in acts of kindness

Grade 5/6 in 2024

After entering 2023 with straight Grade Five and Grade Six classes, we have made the difficult decision to revert back to mixed Grade 5/6 classes from next year. Today I met with our current Grade Four and Five students to explain the reasoning behind the decision.

Primarily, the change has been made due to the significant differences in student numbers across various year levels throughout the school. These gaps have widened throughout this year after a sudden influx of enrolments. If we were to continue with straight classes in the senior school next year, the Grade Six class would have 21 students and the Grade Five class would have 28. We expect that similar inconsistencies would have been forthcoming in future years.

Multi-age classes give us the advantage of being able to even out the number of students in our classes. They also give us flexibilty to build classes that have a combination of students that we believe will best be able to achieve together. This decision has been made in inconsulation with the school leadership team, staff and the School Advisory Council.

In 2024, we will have the following class structure.

1 x Prep

2 x Grade 1/2

2 x Grade 3/4

2 x Grade 5/6

I am hopeful that we will be in a position to confirm our staffing structure in the next newsletter.

Prep Kindness Project

Please have a read through the Prep newsletter page for more details, but I just wanted to mention how proud I am of our amazing Prep class and the work they are doing in preparation for their Kindness Project. Yesterday I saw so many of the Preps visiting other classes to explain how they will be collecting christmas decorations, special treats and non-perishable food items which will be donated to St Vincent de Paul this christmas. They spoke so confidently and it amazing to see how far they have all come after nearly a whole year of schooling. Please get behind this fantastic initiative.

Have a great weekend.

Steve Peart

School Principal