Principal's Report

Saint Francis Xavier - Principal's Report

 

Term 1 - Week 7

 

Dear Parents and Friends of St Francis Xavier,

 

It is remarkable to me how quickly the weeks are flying by and how well our students are settling into their new classes and new routines. The ability to adapt to change is a key strategy that all children need to develop so that they can manage changes in structure and routine throughout their schooling and their later lives. Thank you to everyone who has assisted their children through these changes at the start of the new school year.

 

Student Progress Meetings

Thank you to the families who have already made bookings to meet with your child's teacher next week for a student progress meeting. If you are yet to do so, please use the information below to make your booking. Meeting run for 10 minutes and you can choose as to whether you would like to meet face-to-face or have an online meeting. 

 

This year, student progress meetings will take place in the second half of both Terms One and Three. I strongly encourage families to make a booking so you have the opportunity to discuss with the teacher how your child has adjusted to their new learning environment in 2023.

 

Just a reminder that if you have had a PSG meeting this term, you do not need to make an appointment for a student progress meeting. 

 

Wearing watches at school

It has come to our attention that many of the watches that students are wearing to school can take photos. Some watches also enable students to be texting or sending messages to family members at home. 

Could I please ask that watches which are able to take photos or send messages are not worn to school. iPads are readily available in all classrooms when students are required to take photos during class time. This is always under teacher supervision on only required to occur when it is part of a learning activity. 

There is no need for students to ever message family members from school via their personal devices, whether that be watches, phones or the Grade 5/6 students using their iPad. Should we need to communicate any important information with you, a phone call would be made from the office. 

Could you please have a talk with your children about this and make sure that they are adhering to these rules when here at school. Thank you for your support. 

 

School Advisory Council

The School Advisory Council will be meeting tonight for the first time in 2023. The SAC provides a forum for discussion and discernment, where parent voice and perspective are available to inform and support decisions made by the principal and the parish priest. For all meetings, decisions are made with the primary aims of improving outcomes for students both academically and socially. 

 

Could I say a big thank you to the 2023 SAC who work on behalf of the parent community in this vital space. The members are;

- Emilia D, Claire, B, Meghan T, Shaunie L, Melissa K, Christine W, Miss Marion, Father Chinua and myself. 

 

I will provide feedback to the school community in regard to tonight's meeting in our next newsletter. 

 

Basketball Teams

I have had a couple of parents contact the school over the past week, expressing interest in their children joining out-of-school basketball teams. Hopefully the new basketball towers have something to do with that!

Although St Francis Xavier is too small to be an official 'basketball club', I would be happy to put parents in contact with one another if more students are interested in making up a team. 

If your child (any age) would be interested in taking up basketball in a local competition, please send me an email and I will see if we have enough numbers to make a team/s. 

principal@sfxfrankston.catholic.edu.au

If there are not enough numbers to make a team of S.F.X students, I am sure we could contact the local basketball centre to see if there are spaces on other teams. 

 

Have a fantastic weekend everyone. 

 

Steve Peart

School Principal