St Francis of Assisi College - Term 1 Week 4 - 2025

REMEMBER If you are reading this newsletter from your email don't forget to click 'read more' to expand your view and access all of our feature photos!

Lenten Season and Project Compassion – Unite Against Poverty

A Jubilee year only comes around once every quarter of a century, and it brings with it a special invitation for each one of us. That invitation is close to the heart of Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. The theme of Jubilee 2025 is Pilgrims of Hope. It is hope which calls us to come together and Unite Against Poverty.

The idea of a jubilee goes right back to biblical times and is closely linked to our call to a faith that does justice. It stems from the idea of a Sabbath. Once a week, from the beginning of our relationship with God, we stopped work to rest. Every seven years, at least part of the land was allowed to rest and recover, something that modern science happens to appreciate as part of caring for Earth. During a jubilee year, all the land was allowed to lie fallow, and debts were called off. It was seen as a fresh start. The word jubilee shares its origin with our word jubilation.

During Lent, we are called to be good news for the poor. Project Compassion is a wonderful way to do this. Caritas Australia reminds us of our Christian vocation to Unite Against Poverty. Pope Francis has spoken about the culture of indifference.

In 2025, the forty days of Lent will start on March 5, 2025, Ash Wednesday, and conclude on April 17, 2025, Holy Thursday. Easter will be celebrated on April 20, 2025. 

Secondary Athletics and Swimming Carnival Updates

Due to current development to our College oval and athletics facilities, we have re-scheduled our Athletics Carnival. Our College Athletics Carnival is normally scheduled in Term 1 so our College Combined Athletics Team can then be selected for the Combined Catholic School Athletics Carnival and the combined SA Schools Secondary Athletics Championship (C Grade), both fall later in Term 1.

A consideration in shifting our own carnival to later in the year, is to put in place an alternate plan for students to trial and be selected for the two combined carnivals in Adelaide later in Term 1.

Please see the following points that summarise key information.

Key Dates:

• The new date for the St Francis of Assisi College Athletics Carnival is 19th of September, Friday of Week 9, Term 3.
• The Combined Catholic School Athletics Carnival is March 25th, Tuesday of Week 9, Term 1.
• The SA Schools Secondary Athletics Championship (C Grade) is April 8th, Tuesday of Week 11, Term 1.
• The St Francis of Assisi Swimming Carnival will now be held on Friday 14th of March, Term 1, in place of the Athletics Carnival.

The event trialling process is underway, and I would like to thank and acknowledge the organisation and flexibility of our Sport Coordinator, Mr James Goodman, and our HPE Team.

The Rites of Passage Institute

This week, we began our partnership with the Rites of Passage Institute (RPI), with team members from RPI spending a day at the College, running scoping sessions with a range of staff, students, and parents. 

Our partnership with the The Rites of Passage Institute’s is based on three key pillars:

Building strong communities so that students have a genuine sense of belonging.

Creating Healthy Rites of Passage, rather than having students create their own, which can, unfortunately, be potentially disastrous.

Teaching critical key 21st-century-like skills, including Resilience and Relationship Management.

Implementing healthy Rites of Passage at St Francis of Assisi College will help our students to thrive by:

• Creating a sense of belonging in a safe, supportive community.
• Helping them find their gifts and talents.
• Teaching key life skills.
• Facilitating a healthy shift from child to young adult.
• Providing the students with an opportunity to review personal narratives and identify parts that are no longer appropriate.
• Identifying behaviours that no longer serve and committing to letting them go or managing them appropriately.
• Providing safe opportunities for the students to seek help in times of need.

Wellbeing Initiative - Classroom Pulse ‘Check-In’

As in past years, each term during week 5 and 6, every student in a Catholic School in South Australia will participate in a simple online Classroom Pulse Check-In. This Check-In has been developed to ascertain how students are currently feeling about their experience in school. It is tailored to allow your child’s teacher(s) to Check-In and provide immediate feedback and support to them. The Check-In will be carried out during Home Group / Pastoral Care.

I am conscious that life in school has its’ ups and downs, but I am also confident that your child’s teachers want to understand how they are feeling so they are able to support you and your child in meeting any social, emotional, or learning needs that they may have.

To enable this, your child’s teacher and I will have access to their responses to facilitate follow up and support as required. Please be assured that, as your child’s primary caregiver, any support required will be communicated and discussed with you in advance.

There are a range of simple questions about your child’s life at school, their identity as a person and a learner, their sense of belonging, safety, and friendships. A sample of the Check-In can be found here www.cesa.catholic. edu.au/classroompulse.

In addition to supporting your child, de-identified data from all participating schools will be used by Catholic Education SA to identify trends to assist in future planning for the support of the learning and wellbeing for students across South Australia.

Catholic Education SA believes that our role is to help every child to be a thriving person, capable learner and a leader for the world God desires. We believe this Check-In will play an important part in supporting that goal and your child. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further clarification.

Mr Nathan Hayes, Principal 

The College Board Annual General Meeting will be held at 7pm on Monday 17th March 2025 in the Study Hub of the Connection Centre (Year 10 – 12 teaching building).

There are vacant Board positions available for parents/caregivers interested in nominating to be an elected member. If you would like to nominate for a position, please contact Claire Smith (Board Secretary) at the College on 8595 4500 for a Nomination Form. Nominations close on Monday 10th March 2025.  

Elected Board Members hold office for two years.

During the AGM there will be reports from our College Teaching Leadership and our Student Leaders. Once the new Board is formed the new Board members will elect the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Chair of the Finance Committee. 

Looking forward to seeing you there. 

 NAPLAN 2025

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2025 for Years 7 and 9 students will be held this term between 12 and 24 March 2025. NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in writing, reading, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. The results of the test provide information for students, parents, teachers and principals which can be used to improve student achievement.

In preparation for NAPLAN, our school will participate in practice tests on the 25 February. This practice test will be a trial run and is a key preparation activity for NAPLAN in March. It is not an assessment of student ability, and the tests are not marked.

The website www.nap.edu.au has a wealth of information about NAPLAN Online as well as a public demonstration site (NAP - Public demonstration site) where you can see for yourself what kinds of questions will be asked for each year level as well as the format of the tests. There is also a frequently asked questions (NAPLAN - FAQs) section and information regarding tailored testing which is a feature of NAPLAN Online.

Participation by all students is expected. Adjustments are available for students with disability who have diverse functional abilities and needs. In certain circumstances, students may be withdrawn from the testing program by their parent/carer. This is a matter for consideration by parents and carers in consultation with myself, the Leader of Learning. If, after consultation, you decide to withdraw your child, you must sign a withdrawal form.

Later in the year you will receive your child’s personal NAPLAN report. The report will describe your child’s particular skills in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. The report will also show how your child performed in relation to national minimum standards. These describe the minimum acceptable standards for students across Australia.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact the college.

Mrs Natalie Meuret, Leader of Learning

Absenteeism

When a student is absent from school, a parent/guardian is to inform the College by email, phone call or SEQTA Engage. 

Email: absent@assisi.catholic.edu.au

Phone: 8595 4500

SEQTA Engage: Direct message

Students who arrive after 8:45am must report to Student Services (Administration/Wisdom Centre) to sign in. 

Any students who are required to leave throughout the school day before 3:15pm, must report to Student Services to sign out. Parents/Caregivers must inform Administration staff via phone, email or SEQTA Engage before a student can leave school grounds. 

House Formation

Our aim is to ensure Home Group and each House is always a safe, welcoming, micro-community within the College where they are valued, have agency and form leadership skills. All teachers have begun to make strong relationships with their Home Group. Notably, the students have been open to forming friendships across year levels in our morning meetings and are already continuing to show pride and care of their house common areas where their lockers and rooms are located.

A reminder that if you have any concerns or questions or information to share regarding your child’s wellbeing or academics, please contact their home group teacher in the first instance via email or through the College phone number 8595 4500.

The Great House Quiz

During Week 3 Pastoral Care, the College hosted the highly anticipated Great House Quiz, bringing students together for a battle of knowledge and school spirit. With rounds covering general knowledge, school history, and teacher trivia, competition was fierce. In the end, Ignis House emerged victorious, showcasing their courage and intellect!

Student Leadership

The Year 7 cohort are invited to apply for student leadership positions for 2025. There is one position per house to be filled by a Year 7 student. Please use the forms below to submit your application. All applicants will go through a shortlist process and may receive an interview. All students who receive an interview will also be listed as part of a student vote.

Year 7 Leadership Application 2025

Quote of the Week

Mr Luke Cotter, Leader of Wellbeing

At the end of last year we launched a College podcast "Our Common Home". Students worked tirelessly with staff to research, create, record, edit and launch our very own podcast.

We aim to connect our community through personal stories and inform people of current events and achievements. We will discuss topics that are important to our students and to the wider community.

Two episodes have been launched so far that includes interviews with our Principal - Nathan Hayes and our Rowing Program Coordinator - Stephanie Turnbull. 

Make sure to tune in to support Our Common Home by streaming on Spotify at this link.

Riverland & Mallee Vocational Awards

Last Friday evening, our ESO Lachlan attended the Riverland & Mallee Vocational Awards, where he was awarded Runner Up School-Based Trainee of the Year! Lachlan undertook his school-based traineeship in 2024, completing Cert III in Education Support at the Monash Primary School. What a fantastic recognition of your dedication to student support!

Congratulations Lachlan!

A Fantastic Start to 2025 Breakfast Club!

We’re thrilled to report that Breakfast Club is off to an incredible start this year! It’s wonderful to see so many students coming by the canteen every Friday morning to enjoy a healthy breakfast, a cup of Milo or juice, and have a chat with our dedicated educators.

Breakfast Club runs every Friday from 8:15 – 8:40am at the canteen, and we invite all students to join in. It's completely free, with a variety of breakfast options including toast, cereal, fresh fruit, juice, and Milo – all catered to meet different dietary needs.

This is a great opportunity for students to catch up with friends, share some laughs, and enjoy a peaceful start to their day before the bell rings and the music plays. It's the perfect way to get into the right frame of mind for the day ahead!

A huge thank you to Foodbank Riverland for their continued support of the Breakfast Club. Their generosity helps to make this possible, and we couldn't be more grateful for their ongoing partnership.

We encourage all students to stop by and make the most of this fantastic program. Let’s keep the positive vibes going throughout the year!

We would like to give a big welcome to our new exchange student from New Zealand, Zara, who will be joining us in Year 10 until April 2025. 

Zara is from a small town in Auckland, New Zealand and lives there with her family and her dog on a farm.  Zara said that school life here in Australia is slightly different but mostly the same! In New Zealand, Zara plays netball, and has a part time job in a café.

While Zara is in Australia she would like to learn more about the Riverland and also spend some time in Adelaide.

We hope that you enjoy your time with us here at St Francis of Assisi College Zara!

German

In German the students are receiving 'Schüler/in der Woche (Student of the Week)' for Weeks 1, 2 and 3 of learning German. I will be continuing this the whole semester. Each student received this award for different reasons, including academic achievement, effort or positive participation in their language learning.
Mrs Julia Chukwuani, German Teacher

Health and Physical Education

During this term year 9 Lifestyle HPE are covering the topic of Benefits of Physical Activity. Within this time they have been exploring two of the components including yoga and walking. Following this they will explore the benefits of functional training and Pilates!
Miss Haylee Poulish, HPE Teacher

Kitchen Garden

Over the past two weeks, our Year 8 students have been busy getting hands-on in the kitchen, preparing delicious meals filled with flavour, spices, and fresh vegetables! 

One of the highlights was the Lean Mean Curry – a hearty dish featuring chicken, chickpeas, and a variety of vegetables including cauliflower, pumpkin, and beans. The students served it with steamed rice and fluffy homemade flatbread. It was a big hit, showcasing both creativity and teamwork in the kitchen. Students also ventured into the world of Japanese cuisine, crafting their own Okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake packed with delicious ingredients. 

This cooking experience has been a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about different cultures, nutrition, and preparing wholesome meals from scratch. We can’t wait to see what other culinary creations our students will cook up next!

Miss Anita Modlinski, Kitchen Garden Teacher

Food Technology

8B students have learning about the global journey of food, specifically focusing on how different cuisines has influenced Australian food. Their hands-on experience for Week 3 was baking delicious American-style double choc chip cookies! The results were nothing short of delicious! As the cookies baked in the oven, the whole food tech kitchen was filled with an amazing aroma that had everyone eagerly anticipating the final product. Once the cookies were cool enough to handle, students had the chance to enjoy their homemade creations.
Miss Mikayla Curtis, Food Technology Teacher

Religious Education

In Year 8A, students are delving into the study of the 3 worlds of the text, applying their understanding to gospel stories. By exploring historical contexts, they are learning to interpret the world behind the text. Through examining the times and periods of first-century Palestine, students are developing essential skills to better understand how life was during that era, helping them make meaningful connections with the scripture and gain a deeper insight into the past.
Ms Anita Modlinski, Year 8 Religious Education Teacher

Science

Year 7B students are gaining a deeper understanding of separating mixtures through their Soluble and Insoluble Substances experiment. They are exploring how the nature of substances affects their ability to dissolve in different solvents. The experiment demonstrates that when a substance dissolves, its particles separate and disperse throughout the solvent, rather than disappearing. Students are testing the solubility of various common substances, observing how different solvents impact the process and enhancing their grasp of the scientific principles behind mixtures.
Ms Anita Modlinski, Year 7 Science Teacher

Year 8 Science - “In Science we have been learning about ‘The Particle Model’, which describes how atoms move differently in solids, liquids and gases. This week we tried to make slime from different recipes to test which recipe produced ideal properties such as: bounce, holds its shape, stretches at least 10cm, and doesn’t leave a mess after holding it in your hands.”
Jack F and Mrs Tahlia Woodgate, Year 8 Science Teacher

Year 9 students demonstrated their knowledge of the human endocrine system using gingerbread. Each group had a gingerbread man that was decorated by placing lollies in the correct positions on the body to show placement of glands.
Mrs Jean Booysen, Year 9 Science Teacher

SEW Creative

SEW Creative is a new lunchtime group run by Mrs Julia Chukwuani and Mrs Lisa Empedocles which allows students (7-11) to pursue their own craft/sewing projects or learn something completely new. So far students have been learning to crochet and sew and we are finding new ideas daily! We are always looking for extra resources too, so if anyone has any wool or fabric they would like to donate, please feel free to drop this at the front office anytime! We are also very accepting in particular of old denim (jeans) which we can upcycle into other items such as bags etc.
SEW Creative is held every Thursday lunch time in the Art room, everyone welcome!
Mrs Julia Chukwuani and Mrs Lisa Empedocles

Stage 1 Outdoor Education Surf Camp

Last week, the Stage 1 Outdoor Education students, along with Mr. Cotter, Mrs. Morath, and Mr. Marks, headed to Middleton for an unforgettable Surf Camp experience! Here’s a quick rundown of what they got up to:

🏄‍♀️Surfing Lessons:
Students took part in surfing lessons where they learned everything from basic techniques (like paddling and popping up) to more advanced moves (like carving and catching bigger waves). The instructors were wonderful — patient, knowledgeable, and super encouraging! Over the course of the camp, everyone went from struggling to catch their first wave to confidently riding some small ones. The feedback from the instructors helped students fine-tune their balance, timing, and board control.

🏝Human Impact on Coastlines:
When not in the water, students spent time learning about the human impact on coastlines. They went on beach walks, explored different coastal areas, and even ventured across to Granite Island. The knowledge gained about environmental conservation added a meaningful layer to the experience.

⛺️Campcraft Skills:
Students also honed their campcraft skills, including preparing and cooking meals, cleaning up, and ensuring they left no trace behind. It was a great opportunity for them to learn important outdoor skills while fostering teamwork.

A huge thanks to everyone involved for making this camp such a fun and educational experience. We can’t wait to ride more waves next time! 

Mr Luke Cotter, Leader of Wellbeing

9/10 T20 Cricket

On Monday of Week 4, Mr. Sampson & Mrs. van Dyk travelled to Karoonda to play in our first ever Statewide Schools T20 cricket match against River Mallee & Districts. The team consisted of 12 Year 9 & 10 students, with a variety of cricket experience. 

After being sent into bat, our batting innings got off to a very shaky start! Kaleb Moxham fell on the first ball of the day, with fellow opener Harry Leesue being run-out the very next ball. Anant Dhillon and Captain Noah Warner steadied the ship for a few overs, before both being dismissed for 8 and 5 respectively. Armaan Khaira came in and really got the game moving in our favour. With great support from Leeroy Scholz (6) and Campbell Dring (3), Armaan played some very impressive cricket, scoring 67 and getting our teams total up to 124 after our 20 overs. The 34 sundries really helped us!

In reply, our boys started well with Anant Dhillon claiming 2 wickets in his first 2 overs. With RMD at 2/9 after 4 overs, we held the upper hand. Then Boxall (79) and Vandeleur (13) put together a great partnership of 51. Boxall continued to play excellent cricket shots and hit some big sixes! He steered his side to 104 before being dismissed by Louis Brown. RMD went on to make the remaining 20 runs quite comfortably with 3 overs to spare, but Will Lister-White and Seb Coote both pitched in with one wicket each. Our best bowlers we Anant Dhillon (3/8 off 4 overs) and Louis Brown (2/17 off 2 overs). 

Overall, it was a great experience for our boys and well done to Noah Warner who handled the captaincy responsibility with maturity. Go the Saints!

RMD 7/127 (17 overs) def. SFoAC 6/124 (20 overs)

Mr Fraser Sampson, HPE Teacher

Year 7 Outdoor Education Camp - Adventure and Connection

In Week 4, our Year 7 students embarked on an unforgettable camp at Port Hughes and Moonta Bay. They snorkelled, built rafts, fished—catching squid for dinner—competed in mini-Olympics, and put their knowledge to the test in a quiz night. A highlight was Mr. Cotter’s puzzling stick game, where students had to crack the code based on his nose scratches! Beyond the activities, the camp was a chance to form new friendships, step out of comfort zones, and create lasting memories. It was an incredible experience filled with fun, laughter, and adventure!

Mr Luke Cotter, Leader of Wellbeing

Year 10 student Micke recently graduated from the South Australia Cricket Association's Emerging Leaders Program!
At her final session, Micke had the opportunity to learn from Janelle Cuthbertson (Women’s AFL Captain of SA), Jemma Barsby (Women’s SA cricket captain) and Hannah Petty (Thunderbirds captain).
Micke said that she has enjoyed the Emerging Leaders program immensely. Congratulations Micke on your selection and successful completion of this program.

Don't forget we have a Facebook page for parents/caregivers to exchange College uniforms. 

You'll need to be a member of the group to access and can then directly communicate with others wanting to exchange uniforms. 

The College also keeps a small supply of emergency uniforms that are needed from time to time. If you would like to donate pre-loved uniforms please drop them into the College office. Thank you.

Don't hestiate to contact the College office on 8595 4500 if you have any difficulty with the various mediums used by the College to commuicate with families. Or alternatively complete the form below. 

We are championing our Family Business Directory and inviting families to be part of the Directory. 

The Family Business Directory is an opportunity for families who run businesses to promote their business via our College webpage and Facebook page.

The Family Business Directory gives members of the College community a chance to support businesses from the Directory when making their purchasing decisions.

The Family Business Directory is free of charge for current families of the College.

To be included, send the following information to info@assisi.catholic.edu.au

Family Surname (not for publishing):
Business Name: Sample Family Business
Business Phone Number: 1800 SAMPLE
Business Email Address: sample@familybusiness.com.au
Business Website: www.sample.com.au

And your business logo or photo (small file size is fine).
We look forward to seeing many College families' businesses get involved!

West Adelaide Bloods Superstars Clinic

St Joseph's School Renmark Family Fete and Wellbeing Expo

Berri Netball Club Trials

Renmark Netball Club Trials

Renmark Blues Hockey Club Come and Try

Renmark Olympic Soccer Club

Move Riverland

MOVE Riverland will enhance the Riverland community’s active lifestyle through a pilot program on the existing 5km trail at Lake Bonney in Barmera, utilising local active/sporting clubs and the Strava app to foster connection and encourage participation.

By leveraging the existing 5km trail at Lake Bonney and collaborating with local clubs, MOVE Riverland aims to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all community members to engage in physical activity, fostering health and connection.

The MOVE Riverland project is working closely with Berri Barmera Council to deliver this project pilot which will eventually be rolled out across the Renmark Paringa and Loxton Waikerie council regions and routes/trails included from those towns.

MOVE Riverland partners - Heart Foundation, Cancer Council SA, Focus One Health and Riverland Community Suicide Prevention Network.

MOVE Riverland Project Objectives

• Leverage places and spaces & existing infrastructure: Utilise the existing 5km trail at Lake Bonney to create an accessible and inclusive space for all community members.
• Integrate local clubs: Collaborate with local run/walk clubs and sporting clubs, as well as Renmark and Waikerie Parkruns to maximise participation and build a supportive community.
• Promote health and well-being: Encourage regular physical activity and community engagement through structured events and informal meet-ups.
• Foster community connection: Use the Strava app to create a digital community where participants can track activities, share experiences, and motivate one another.

Riverland Athletic Training Day

Gamechanger - Building Stronger Sporting Clubs

Welcome to Riverland Youth Theatre

Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT) enriches the lives of young people in the South Australian Riverland and Mallee through creativity, theatre, and play. We make art with and for our community, empower children and young people as artists, makers, storytellers, learners, and doers. We offer professional development for teachers and artists, opportunities for parents/carers to interact creatively with their children, community arts-based projects and, crucially, a safe place for all children and young people to be themselves.

For more information visit the RYT webpage at:  Riverland Youth Theatre

Air Force Cadets 603 Squadron Berri

Are you 13-16 years of age? Looking for some fun and adventure, all while making new friends? 603 Squadron in Berri is recruiting new Air Force Cadet members for 2025.

Some skills you will learn include:
- flying
- camping
- gliding
- survival skills
- weapons training
- navigation
- drill and so much more.

For more information see the flyer below.

ac.care Foster Care information session

Parent webinar series - Elevate Education

Elevate Education delivers high-impact workshops to our students that help to develop their study skills, motivation, and exam preparation. Over the next term, you're invited to join their parent webinar series, where you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they're learning at school!

Register today with Elevate Education.

2025 Youth Environment Council applications open

The Youth Environment Council (YEC) is open to South Australian students in Years 7 to 11 with a passion for a sustainable future.

Do you want to make a difference and develop your leadership skills all while having heaps of fun? Join this year’s intake to:

• share your passion for the environment and sustainability with students across the state.
• develop leadership and public speaking skills at camps, workshops, and forums.
• take actions for the environment and make a difference.
• share your views and actions with governments.

Click here to apply for 2025!

Applications close Thursday 27 February (week 5).

Recharge Youth

Saver Plus

For more information about any of these vacancies, please contact Mrs Burgess or Mrs Van Dyk.

Apprentice Builder/Carpentry

Bennett Builders are seeking applications for an apprentice builder.

Requirements of the role:

• Enjoys and good at maths
• Have a genuine interest in building
• Has a drivers licence 
• Has a good work ethic

For more information or to forward your resume, email admin@bennettbuilders.com.au

Apprentice Cabinet Maker

Want to be a tradie? Riverland Cabinet Makers are looking for someone to join their team as an apprentice cabinet maker.

• Opportunities to work onsite and in the workshop
• Learn to use current machinery and software
• Hands on learning whilst being paid and gaining your qualification

If you are interested please see Mrs van Dyk at our College regarding the application process.