Principal's Report

Dear Parents,

The St Finbar's community came together once again for another wonderful Mother's Day breakfast last Friday morning. Thanks to dads Pablo, Gerrit, Nick and Ben who provided the delicious breakfast offerings. This was followed by a busy assembly with many mums attending to watch Prep P present their first ever assembly item. Each Prep P student had the opportunity to explain why they love their mums.  I love the cover photo in this week's newsletter of our Year 6 Mums who attended the lunch this year; for many of them this will be their final St Finbar's Mother's Day lunch. There are a couple of other photos on the P & F page as well. 

Just a reminder that we have a School Closure Day coming up on Friday 7th June, with our staff undertaking a day of professional development. We will all be undertaking the Seven Steps of Writing course. 

Please also pray for our Year 4 students who will receive the Sacrament of Eucharist next week. We look forward to sharing this event with them and their families. Finally, this Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, a significant date in our liturgical calendar. Mr Anderson explains more about Pentecost in his Religious Education page. 

Advance Notice-change in Staff Conference Date

For the past few years our Staff Conference has been attached to the Labour Day weekend in March, giving students a 5 day weekend which some families may use for a family getaway.  Next year our conference will be a week earlier on the 27th and 28th February. This is because we will working with Glenn Pearsall, a highly sought after educational consultant and we have planned our conference around his availability. These dates have been added to our School Calendar for 2025.

Australian Early Development Census (AEDC)

Over the coming weeks we will be participating in the AEDC. This is a nationwide initiative aimed at gauging the developmental progress of children as they enter their first year of full-time school. It provides a comprehensive overview of early childhood development across five critical domains: physical health and wellbeing, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, and communication skills and general knowledge.

At St Finbar's our Prep staff will be involved in completing the census. All data is de-identified and parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census.

You can find out more by visiting www.aedc.gov.au, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. 

Social Emotional Learning at St. Finbar’s 

(by our Wellbeing (Curriculum) Leader  Miss Zeeng)

This week our students from Prep to Year 6 finished the third topic from the Resilience Rights and Respectful Relationships. This topic was all about positive coping. During weekly Social Emotional lessons every Monday this term, students from Prep-Two have been discussing how they can take responsibility for their actions, express their emotions and practise different techniques to deal with feelings of anger, fear and frustration. 

Throughout Grades 3 and 4, students investigated how emotional responses can vary in depth and strength and explored different self calming techniques that support them in controlling their emotions. To finish off the unit, they focused on the impact their actions can have on themselves and others and how to apologise in a meaningful way. 

Our Year 5/6 students explored how positive and negative self talk can influence their actions and emotions. After rich discussions and role play scenarios, students identified a range of positive coping styles and strategies they can use in their everyday lives. 

This topic will be built upon further in all classrooms as we begin Topic 4: Problem Solving for the remainder of Term 2. 

Tag-On 

Our Tag-On System has been serviced and is up and running again. As I've mentioned in a previous newsletter, it will now only be used by those families who would like to receive a notification that their children have arrived safely at school. Prep families and new families may request a tag from the office if this is something that you think you will use regularly. 

Fitness @ Finbar’s 

(organised by a Prep/Year 2 Dad)

We understand that taking the first step towards joining a gym or a new group can sometimes feel daunting, especially if you're juggling the demands of parenthood. That's why we've arrange two special offers for St Finbar’s parents and staff.

Exclusive Offer for St. Finbar's Staff & Parents   We've arranged a special discount at Fitness First and at Anytime Fitness, exclusively for St Finbar's staff/ parents.  Please use the information on the attached flyers to access, and you'll enjoy reduced membership rates. It's our way of saying thank you for being part of the St. Finbar’s community.

Dads Can Stay Connected Through the “3 1 Dads” WhatsApp Group   If you’re a St Finbar’s Dad looking for a gym buddy and want to connect with other fathers, improve your fitness, and have some fun along the way, you can join the "31 Dad's" Gym Exercise Group - designed for Dads of all ages and abilities by scanning the QR code to join the WhatsApp group.

Remember, this group is about more than just exercise. It's a chance to make new friends, share experiences, and be part of a supportive community of Dads who understand the ups and downs of fatherhood. No matter your fitness level or experience, everyone is welcome. 

Take care and God bless. 

Michelle Hill,

Principal