From the Principal

Welcome Back

A warm welcome back to all our students, staff and families as we commence Term 4. We hope you had some lovely family time with your children over the past two weeks. Our staff have had a chance to rest and are ready for an exciting final term  to complete the 2022 school year. There is lots to look forward to and lots of great learning to engage in. 

An event back on the calendar after three years is our Twilight Market. This year the Twilight Market also includes our Art Show. This is an evening not to miss, so put it into your diaries now. Thursday 3rd November is our Twilight Market and Art Show. The children have put a lot of effort into their art pieces that will be on display around the learning spaces. This is a great chance to gather as a community and take a wander around the school. There will be food trucks and stalls to enjoy. This year the food trucks will be parked in the staff car-park. So enjoy some delicious food and take a stroll to check out the art and other FUN activities and stalls at our 2022 Twilight Market and Art Show.

We look forward to really coming together and celebrating 2023 at this special school event.

Step Into SFS

On Wednesday morning we were very excited to welcome our Foundation 2023 students to St Francis de Sales. The children gathered with their parents for our Step into SFS 2023 Party. They came with their parents and some with their grandparents in their party best for a morning of FUN. We were delighted to celebrate that they are on their way to being BIG school children in 2023, important members of our St Francis de Sales family. There were many new families to our school as well as some very familiar faces with big brothers or sisters already at our school. We sang songs, danced and joined in lots of exciting activities. The night before on Tuesday evening our Foundation 2023 parents gathered at St Franc is de Sales for a Parent Information Night. So we have taken a BIG step forward as we get ready to commence school. Our celebration morning concluded with party food and a play on the playground. There were lots of happy faces who took a goodie bag and balloon home. We look forward to catching up again really soon for our orientation program.  Big thanks to Jo our party planner with help from Ange. Thanks also to our party helpers Lorenza, Taryn, Rachel and Daniella as well. We all had a great time.

Magpies are on the Move!

It is footy trading time and Spring. Magpies of the feather kind are on the move too!!  Please  beware that magpie swooping season has commenced and they are active around the underpass at Lynbrook train station. A parent was injured this week.

The Brickman is Here!!

Well really the brick men are at SFS!! We are so delighted that our building is now at the stage of  getting bricks laid. Internally the framing is complete, plaster board is going up and electrical work is well underway. Council permission has been granted for a new storm water drain. This drain will connect to the storm water line across the road from our school on Paterson Drive. At some point in Term 4 this new connection will interrupt traffic flow for a couple of days. I will provide as much warning, so you can consider alternative pathways to the school or factor in time delays if you travel down Paterson Drive to or from from the school on the Cranbourne Wetlands Nature Reserve direction.

Despicable Act

To say we are disappointed and outraged is an understatement!! 

It is very regrettable and sad to let our school families know that our Music Portable was attacked on the inside by a senseless act of vandalism. While the damage could have been far worse it is none the less very upsetting that this has occurred at all. 

What we know is that three people, wearing sneakers with feet size bigger than a Primary student entered the portable on the last day of Term 3 or on the first week of the holidays. We have photos of the prints left. They were in and out very quickly. Nothing was stolen!! The music room was targeted as we believe it had all the blinds down. The Wellbeing room with costumes, back drops and the uniform shop was not touched. Neither was the P&F store room. Nothing was up turned or moved which is unusual. However a fire hydrant was discharged in the music room. Three bottles of blue paint were also squirted over property. 

Kristy is devastated, so am I and our staff. 

We have not had any vandalism like this since the school opened. This occurred while people were at the school on Friday or during the first days of the holiday program.  A police report has been made. Music classes have had to be re-located as a result. A few minutes of three peoples despicable behavior will cost the school in rectifying the damage, replacing property and music instruments damaged by paint and chemicals released. 

Kristy gives above and beyond to our school and this has hurt her deeply. 

She did not deserve to come back to school to face this mess. Please help us by sharing anything unusual you observed on Friday the last day of Term 3 or Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of the first week of the holidays. If you know anything about this, please contact me.

We are planning to sell this portable and hope to complete negotiations with prospective buyers in coming weeks. 

We will now fast track our move out of the portable in anticipation for a purchase this Term. Music lessons will move to the Community room as we wait for the completion of the new music room in our new building.

Swimming in Term 4 2022

As announced in last Term's newsletter, there is a shortage of swimming teachers currently available for swimming lessons. Thus for this year we have a reduced program that Casey Race can offer us. Initially the program offered for 2022 was eight session only for senior students from Year 3 to 6. However we have now also negotiated three water safety sessions for Junior students Year F to 2. Please see the following details. Further information will be provided via Operoo.

Seniors

The Senior Program will now run on Mondays and Tuesdays in Week 6, 7, 8 and 10 at Casey Race. There are eight sessions altogether.

Juniors

Casey Race are able to provide three water safety lessons for our Juniors. 

The Junior Water Safety Lessons will be held on Monday 7/11, 21/11 and 5/12. 

We have also been able to organise a water safety incursion for the Juniors run by Lifesaving Victoria.

School Uniform

In Term 4, we move to wearing our summer uniform. Children are reminded to wear a hat when playing out side and add sun cream to protect them from harmful UV rays. The P&F have a second hand uniform shop that is available at school and open on Friday mornings or afternoons. All items are $5 and support the P&F fundraising for the school. Alternatively new items of uniform can be purchased from Beleza in Hallam.

Regards

Christine White

Principal