Week 4, 2020

Dear Parents and carers,

It is hard to believe that we are already in Week Four. Lots has been happening at St Fidelis and the best way to keep informed is to download the Skoolbag App, the fortnightly Newsletter and Facebook.

Congratulations to our School Leaders

Congratulations to all the student leaders who were presented with the school badges at our assembly on Friday 7th of February. Thanks to all the parents who attended the assembly to make this a very special moment for our School leaders. Well done to Mary Di Natale and Luca Ciaverella our School Captains on such inspirational speeches. We look forward to our leaders representing St Fidelis at school events and in the wider community in 2020.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Michele Hedley and the choir of 2019. They are featured in a recent edition of the "Catholic Education Today 2020'. Click on the link below and scroll down the page to hear the children sing a beautiful remembrance song written by Michele.

https://www.cem.edu.au/

Parent Teacher Conversations:

A special thank you to all who attended the parent teacher conversations last week. It is always nice to put a face to a name for those parents or carers who may find it difficult to see the teacher during school hours. The teachers appreciate your attendance and your insights about your child further assists the teacher with understanding your child as a learner. Thank you again for this time. If you have not seen your child’s teacher please ensure you make an appointment this week.

Whole School Mass

Last Friday the students and many families joined us to celebrate the Opening of Whole School Mass for 2020. Thank you to Father Cartwright for such a lovely celebration and for his message to us all about “Listening”. Thank you to the parents who attended this Mass celebration your presence is a great example to your children about the importance of coming together to pray as a faith community.

Commissioning Mass

This Sunday February 23rd at 11:00am all the St Fidelis staff will come together to celebrate a Commissioning Mass at St Fidelis church. At this Mass Father Cartwright will give the teachers a special blessing. Please come and support us teachers as we embark on another year as educators but more importantly educators of our Catholic tradition.

Year 6 and Foundation Buddy Mass-March 1st 11:00

As part of our Buddy Program and to mark the end of the Foundation transition to school program, which begun last October we are celebrating with a Year 6 and Foundation Buddy Mass. After Mass all the Year 6 Buddies and the Foundation students are invited to the school hall for Morning Tea and a special presentation and pledge to the new Foundation students and their families. After the presentation, there will be tea and coffee and a small treat for everyone. A flyer went home last week informing everyone of this. Can you please return the form this week with your acceptance and the number of people attending from your family. Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday March 1st.

Facilities Update: What’s left to do!!!

If you have been into school, or followed us on Skoolbag or Facebook you will have noticed that we are progressing nicely with the refurbishment of the new Library/STEM Innovation Space. There are a few things left to do before we can use this space.

The library books. (they will be relocated to the library by professional removalists on Monday beginning at 9:30am)
Design of the feature wall (hexagon shapes). This will happen sometime this week.
Moving of some tables from SLA to library space
Finish laying all the carpet this week in the office area an server room, hanging of framed author Illustrations

When all the above is done that will be the end of Stage One as our budget cannot stretch any further. There are many more things required to completely finish the Library/STEM Space and I hope to be able complete these in 2021. At least the main refurbishing is done and with the Parent and Friends' fundraising effort of last year we were able to buy the robotics equipment to begin our STEM program later this term. Things planned for 2021 are:

New Library shelves
Soft Library furnishings
New Library circulation desk
New Library Books
New cupboards in the library office area and server room
New cabinets for the server
3D printers
And other technology that the children may require as this STEM space evolves

These are exciting times for the students of St Fidelis and I am looking forward to seeing our students grow and learn in this Space.

We are grateful to the helpers who were able to give of their time to assist Joe Frazzetto to sort and label some of our LEGO sets.

Playground Update

Next Saturday and Sunday, the gardeners will refresh our two playground areas by laying fresh soft-fall mulch, replacing the old sand with new sand in the sandpits and filling up our garden pods with topsoil to enable our children to begin growing some plants/ herbs.

School Fees –Term 1

Accounts for Term One fees were distributed last week. Please note our new fee paying structure for 2020.

Payment Schedule
Divide your Amount Owing by THREE (3) Instalments due by:
Instalment 1	Friday 20th March 2020
Instalment 2	Friday 19th June 2020
Instalment 3	Friday 11th September 2020 ALL FEE payments to be completed

School fee payments can be made via credit card, cheque or cash. A direct debit arrangement can also be organized please see Jane or Ann at the office. Outstanding fees from 2019 must be paid immediately. Contact Mrs Watson if you need to discuss this further.

Our school does rely on school fees for many recurrent costs so prompt payment is appreciated.

Enrolments Existing Families

Existing Families Foundation enrolments 2021. If you are an existing family and have a child starting school in 2021. Please see Ann and Jane at the office for an enrolment form. Please let you friends know if they are thinking of sending their child to St fdielis to come for a school tour. See flyer below…

Friday's Assembly

Please join us in the Hall for our Whole School Assembly. This week Mrs Clarke's Year 1/2VC class will lead us in our Whole School Prayer, they will also share some of their learning. Mr Peter Khalil (Member for Wills ) will also join us at assembly to present us with the $20,000 Local School Grant we received at the end of last year. All Welcome.

Happy News

Congratulation to Maria and Anthony Pasceri on the birth of Joshua (brother for Tiana (5/6MM) and Jacob (1/2VC).

Have a great week,

Manuela

Community News

Penola Catholic College

Mercy College Open Days

Simonds' Catholic College

St Aloysius Girls College