Hello!

Welcome to Term 4

Welcome back to Term 4! It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the final 11 weeks of the school year. We look forward to an exciting and joy-filled term ahead, with many wonderful events including Year 4 Camp, Prayers in Pyjamas, our annual Christmas Carols, and a range of sporting events. Students will continue to engage in rich and meaningful learning experiences across the school. Let’s make this final term a memorable one for our whole community!

Term 4 Assessments

Looking ahead, our Literacy Leader Nonie Kay and Maths Leader Jo Fraser would like to highlight that in Weeks 4, 5 and 6 of Term 4, students will be undertaking several important assessments. We ask for your support in maintaining strong attendance during this period, and if you are aware of any planned absences, please email your childs classroom teacher in advance.

Social Emotional Learning - Respectful Relationship

Every Monday at 2:30pm, all students take part in explicit social and emotional learning using the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships program. This program, which is mandated across all Victorian government schools, helps students build essential skills for wellbeing, relationships, and community life through eight key topics explored at age-appropriate levels.

This term, we are focusing on the final two topics: Gender Norms and Stereotypes and Positive Gender Relationships. These lessons support students to recognise fairness, challenge stereotypes, and understand the importance of forming positive, respectful relationships with family, friends, and others in their future. By explicitly teaching these skills, we are helping students develop empathy, confidence, and respect for themselves and others; essential foundations for life and learning.

Below is an image shared by Respectful Relationships that outlines the key life lessons each topic teaches in a broad way.

Although not mandated in Catholic schools, many Catholic school throughout Victoria have also adopted it as part of their social emotional learning. In 2024, the St Finbar’s School Advisory Council formally approved this curriculum, and has no concerns for the content being covered. As the primary educators of your children, we acknowledge that each family may approach these concepts differently and be at different stages of discussion with your children. You may choose to begin these conversations at home ahead of the content being covered in class. All families recieved an Operoo at the end of Term 3 and if you have chosen for your child to opt out of this content, they will still engage in alternative Social Emotional Learning activities.

Celebration of Excellence – Lachie H

At St. Finbar’s, we love to celebrate all kinds of excellence, both inside and outside the classroom. Over the holidays, one of our talented Year 6 students, Lachie, represented our school community at the Swimming State Champion Aged Short Course, an incredible achievement that reflects dedication, perseverance, and a passion for sport. We are so proud of him and this achievement.

When discussing these achievements with Lachie, he mentioned the following:

Tell us about the day and the competition

This happened at the end of term 3 and into the first Term 4 school holidays. I had to qualify prior to this to participate as a Victorian Swimmer.

Tell us about the competition days:

The first day was on Friday. I arrived at around 6:30am and met with my coach for a debrief about the upcoming events. On Friday, I competed in the 200m freestyle. I swam in the 100m breaststroke and 100m freestyle on Saturday and on Sunday, I finished the competition with the 50m freestyle.

How did you go in the competition?

I made the finals for the 200m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, and 50m freestyle.
Depending on the stroke, there were around 150-250 competitors in each event.
I placed 6th overall in the 200m freestyle.
I placed 5th overall in the 100m breaststroke.
I placed 5th overall in the 50m freestyle.

Is there anything else about the day you'd like to share?

The finals ran from 8pm to 11pm most evenings, so each day was really long. The crowds were hectic and loud, especially while swimming, which was fun.

What’s your favourite part of swimming and competing?

My favourite part of swimming is the friends I’ve made. I've definitely made l ifelong friendships. When racing, I love the feeling of doing well, beating my times, and seeing my parents so happy.

What advice would you give someone who wants to get into swimming competitively?

Keep consistent and its the hard days that count when you don’t want to get up and you want to stay in bed, theyre the days that matter most so you just have to get up and go.

Congratulation Lachie, we are so proud of all your hardwork and dedication you have been putting in at Swimming!!

Narelle's Book Recommendation

For the second installment of our Librarian's book recommendations to inspire a joy of reading, Narelle would like to highlight Adrian Beck, a talented author whose stories are full of fun, humour, and adventure.

Brock the Croc - illustrated Junior Fiction

Brock the Croc is the life of every party and he's always been super popular. However, now that he's taking his position as the Swamp Gang leader seriously, Brock's finding it's not always possible to please everyone. Even with a wailing guitar solo! When useful little robots arrive at Saltbush Swamp, Brock is worried they might not be as helpful as they seem. Brock must learn to follow his instinct--and make it snappy--if he is to save Saltbush Swamp.

Derek Dool Supercool - illustrated fiction

Derek is desperate to be cool for a change - maybe if he can win the dance off at the school disco against his super-enemy he’ll be in the cool crowd?

Villain - Grade 5/6 chapter book

Gaming fanatic Jay receives a strange phone call on a school trip to Titanium Tower. The voice on the other end calls himself Z. And he has trapped Jay’s classmates in the elevator at the very top of the skyscraper. Jay must solve Z’s riddles to save his classmates - but what is Z and what do they ultimately want?

A fast-paced thriller that will leave readers wanting more!

Have a great week - May God Bless

Laura and Callum

Deputy Principals

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