St Francis of Assisi College - Term 3 Week 6

From the Principal

The Season of Creation

The Season of Creation runs for September 1^st until October 4^th, and with our College ethos of Laudato Si’, this period in the Liturgical Season of the Catholic Church has particular importance to our school community.

The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers in the ecumenical family in prayer and action for our common home.

In recent years, statements from religious leaders around the world have also encouraged the faithful to take time to care for creation during the month-long celebration.

Listen, Learn, Love –

A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

In 1967, Australians gave overwhelming support to a referendum that recognised Australia’s First Peoples as citizens. In 2023, we will be given a chance to vote in another referendum to constitutionally recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples through a Voice to Parliament.

Australia’s Bishops see it as an opportunity for all Australians to renew our engagement with the First Peoples of Australia. They have come to this view through much listening to the First Peoples and they encourage us all to listen to them in a spirit of love and humility.

The Bishops invite the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) to speak directly about their experiences of injustice and about their hopes for the future.

NATSICC addresses the many injustices their people have faced since colonisation until now. They speak of many concerns including high suicide rates and incarceration, shorter life expectancy and poorer outcomes in employment, education, and housing. They also identify racism as an on-going challenge. The information they use includes the Closing the Gap Report and the witness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who spoke about their concerns during visits to many communities during the preparation of this statement.

The Bishops invite us, as Catholics, to begin a new engagement with the First Peoples to overcome injustice, an engagement grounded in love. This love is at the heart of Jesus’ message. This love is characterised by a commitment to encounter and dialogue, reciprocity, mutual accompaniment, and a desire to put the other at the centre of our attention.

The Bishops offer us some simple actions which could help us to begin this new engagement. The Bishops do not tell us how to vote in the referendum, but they encourage us to inform ourselves about the issues through respectful dialogue, especially with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

ESO Week

Last week we celebrated 'Support Staff Week of Action'. This was an opportunity for us to recognise the significant contribution that our wonderful Education Support Officers make to our school community. Their work is wide and varied across our school. It ranges from supporting children in classes with their learning and wellbeing to ensuring that our wide range of administration services run day to day. Without them our College would not function. With grateful hearts, may we all give thanks for our fantastic support staff.

“Where we start matters”

National Child Protection Week – 3-9 September

The theme for this year continues to promote a safe and supported life for every child, now and into the future, being “Where we start matters”.

PROTECTING CHILDREN IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY ADULT

THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT ALL ADULTS CAN DO TO PLAY OUR PART IN VALUING AND CARING FOR CHILDREN TO HELP THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

COMMITTING TO THE FOLLOWING IS A GREAT WAY TO START PLAYING YOUR PART.

I believe that caring for children is a universal responsibility and privilege.

I will….

1. care for children in my community according to their needs. I will not discriminate due to culture, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion or disability

2. respect that there are many different positive ways to raise children

3. seek to keep children connected to family, community, language, and culture

4. never knowingly harm a child or allow them to be harmed

5. speak up and seek advice about the safety and wellbeing of children (including talking to caregivers, other professionals, an appropriate supervisor, or legal authority)

6. provide an environment for children where they feel safe, thrive, and can develop positive relationships with adults and peers

7. be a good role model for children; be polite and respectful around children

8. listen to, and value, what children and young people have to say, and include their voices in decision making

9. be a leader who stands up for the rights of children, advocates for their best interests, and constructively challenges practices

10. support families and encourage them to ask for help, rather than judging

Wellbeing Initiative - Classroom Pulse ‘Check-In’

As in past years, each term this year 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 the school day.

Welcome to Mr John Neate:

Chair, South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS)

Last Wednesday we welcomed Mrs Nichii Mardon, Diocesan Director Catholic Education, Diocese of Port Pirie, and Mr John Neate, the newly appointed Chair of SACCS.

It was terrific to welcome Mr Neate to the Riverland for the first time, where he spent the week visiting all the Riverland Catholic Schools.

The South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS) has oversight of education in all Catholic schools and sets directions, allocates resources, and develops policies for Catholic schools in South Australia.

The Commission and its four Standing Committees are supported by a number of permanent committees and working parties. Catholic Education SA through its schools, colleges, and centres, implements SACCS’ decisions and policies.

Mr Neate has a long association with Catholic education in the State, having commenced his teaching at Thomas More College and worked in Catholic schools over the past three decades, which includes serving as the principal of Kildare College and Cabra Dominican College and other senior roles within Catholic Education SA. For 5 years John worked in Prague in various leadership roles at Riverside International School.

He has served as a SACCS member since 2016 and was chair of the Commission’s Learning Wellbeing and Inclusion Standing Committee prior to his appointment as Chair of the Commission. John is also on the Board of Trustees of Dominican Education Australia.

Nathan Hayes, Principal

Leader of Learning

Book Week

The theme for this year’s book week was, READ, GROW, INSPIRE. We celebrated this by travelling to the Riverland Catholic Primary Schools. Year 7 and Year 8 St Francis of Assisi students read to the younger primary school students and worked alongside the students during a range of activities. There were so many smiling faces and everybody had fun. Thank you to our amazing Riverland Catholic Primary schools, St. Joseph's School Renmark, St Joseph's School Barmera, Our Lady of the River Berri.

Term 3 Student Progress Update Reports:

Student progress update reports will be released through SEQTA on Friday 8 September. To access these reports, click on assessments and the relevant subject.

The aim of this report is to provide parents/carers feedback about their child’s progress before a formal grade is given in the end of semester report. Feedback enables a student to monitor their learning and focus on areas of improvement. It also provides a starting point, for parent/carers to discuss their child’s attitude to learning, to ask about your child’s strengths and how they can be enhanced, to ask which subjects are most challenging for your child and why, and to focus on your child’s learning growth and progression rather than the grade. We hope you find these progress reports valuable.

Student /Parent/ Home Group Teacher Conversations:

Student/Parent/Home Group Teacher conversations will occur Tuesday 19 September and Wednesday 20 September from 4pm-6pm at the College. These meetings will involve subject teacher, parent and child. Your child is an important part of this conversation as they reflect on their strengths and needs as they become a capable learner.

Further details will be provided on how to make a booking with your child’s subject teacher.

Showcase of Learning

On Monday 25 September, from 5-7pm, the College will be holding our annual Showcase of Learning evening. Following last year’s great success, we have combined our Showcase of Learning, $20 Boss Expo and Limitless Possibilities Business Expo into one evening of community fun. This night will showcase students learning and their achievements across all year levels, with Year 8 $20 boss business products available to purchase. Also, thanks to our amazing Industry and Community engagement sub-committee, BBQ, salads and drinks will be provided. Please join us and celebrate in our students’ successes.