School Newsletter - Issue 18 - Friday 17th November 2023
Principal’s News
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to the end of Week 6 of our final school term for 2023. This week was a huge week for the students at SJF. Kindy-Year 2 have enjoyed their first week of swimming lessons (I’m sure they are sleeping well), Year 5 led a beautiful Remembrance Day liturgy, Year 6 successfully debated on Monday, Years 3-6 had a visit from our local police liaison officer and Years 5 & 6 enjoyed an action-packed Surf Safety day at Toowoon Bay.
Class Lists for 2024
The first, second, and third drafts of class lists for 2024 are currently being worked on by teachers who will also meet with the leadership and Learning Support Team with the final combinations being finalised in the coming weeks. All the requests from parents are considered with great time and thought going into attempting to create the best combinations for learning. It needs to be pointed out that there are many factors at play for the placement of students, some of which parents will, for privacy reasons, not be aware of. Please be assured, that all requests have been read and considered before class placements were completed. Some parents were asking for up to 5 friends and as you will appreciate, not all of these requests can be accommodated. Thank you for understanding that we take a lot of time to complete this process with the students at the forefront of any decision-making.
Passive Play Area – Looking For Donations (Games, Puzzles, Lego etc)
We are in the process of putting together a passive play area for students who might not feel like playing on the field or other activities of the sort. If you have any type of board games, puzzles, legos, or items of the sort that you no longer use, we’d love to take them off your hands. We are finding that some students would just prefer to play quietly, especially as the term wears on and they are becoming tired (or hot) Please send them to the office and I’ll happily take them off your hands, all for a good cause.
School Leadership Day
On Wednesday 29th November the school leadership team will meet offsite. We will be spending the day analysing aspects of student and school data and formulating a strategic plan for 2024. This is an exciting time as we prepare for 2024. A leadership team member from OLR will be at SJF for the day.
If Leaving Our SJF Community
Just a reminder that if you are intending on leaving SJF for any reason, can you please notify the office at sjf@dbb.catholic.edu.au. We do have families on a waitlist and if we are able to offer a position to join our amazing community we will do so as positions become available.
Police Liaison Visit
On the 14th of November 2023, a Youth Police Officer named Marie, came to teach us about Cyber Security. We learnt lots of things like not to talk to strangers online and not accepting friend requests from people we don’t know.
It was a good learning experience for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. We would like them to come back and teach us more.
Daniel M Year 4
At St John Fisher on 14.11.23 Police Officer Marie came to talk to us about Cyber Safety. She explained how to keep it safe online and to prevent hackers and scams. We were able to ask lots of questions and learn more about the online world and how we can keep safe overall. We had fun and we can use the information we learnt in the future.
Ella S Year 4
At St John Fisher on 14.11.23 we gathered around and talked to Police Officer Marie. We talked about safety on the computers and that you can always trust a Police Officer. We learnt so much. Even the teachers learnt stuff too! We got to ask questions and even provide some answers too. Police Officer Marie also talked about the law and how we should all follow the law. You should trust Police Officers!
Isla Year 4
On Tuesday, all of Years 3 & 4 as well as 5 & 6 had a visit from the Youth Police Officer Kleeman. She came to our school to talk to everyone about online safety, physical safety, and our health. She talked to the older kids more about choices and decisions about things that may happen in high school and some potential dangers. It was a great discussion, and everyone had great questions to ask.
Darcy C Year 5
Year 5 and 6 Surf Safety Day
On Wednesday the 15th of November, Years 5 and 6 attended 
a Beach Safety Day at Toowoon Bay.
We learned about Beach Safety and had lots of fun doing a number of activities, such as beach volleyball, and using the surf lifesaving boards and the rescue tubes.
If you are in trouble in the water, you hold one hand up and swim between the red and yellow flags because that’s the area that is patrolled and has no rips.
It was an exciting day of learning and fun and we enjoyed doing all the activities together.
We even got a photo with the Central Coast Mariners, who were training on the beach that day.
Thank you to the Toowoon Bay lifesavers for their guidance and laughter. It was a blast.
Written by Mackenzie F and Ella M
On Wednesday 15th of November Yr 5 and 6 had a beach day at Toowoon Bay. Both grades were split into 3 teams yellow, green, and red. We did 2 activities and 2 games. One of the activities was Nipper boards with huge foam boards that we would catch waves in. The next activity was saving people. Each person had a partner, and one of the partners had a strap with a foam strip attached. The other partner had pretended they were drowning on the sand then they moved into the water. After that yellow played some obstacle course games. All the teams came together, and we all played a game against the instructors. We also saw the Mariners training. We got to take a photo with them and had lots of fun. Thank you, teachers, for planning the surf day and making it a fun day for Years 5 and 6.
Kai D and Charlotte M Year 5
Kind regards
Marcel Arendse
Principal
Assistant Principal News
Term 1 2024 Start Dates
These are the start dates for students for Term 1 2024.
There will be NO MAI interviews for students years 1-6 2024.
Staff return -Tuesday 30th January 2024
Students Years 1 - 6 - Wednesday 31st January 2024
Kindergarten Wednesday 31st January & Thursday 1st February - Best Start Interviews
Kindergarten - Staggered start Friday 2nd February
SJF Spelling Bee
The finals of the SJF Spelling Bee will be held on Tuesday 21st November
Date: 21st November
Time: Yrs 3-6 12.30-1.30, Kinder-Yr2 2.10-3.00pm
Parents and friends are welcome to come and watch.
Happy Spelling!!!
Swimming Carnival
Our whole school swimming carnival will be held on Friday, 1st of December at Mingara Aquatics Centre. Prior to the carnival, you will receive a permission note for your child via Compass which will provide you with more details regarding the event.
K-2 Swimming Program
Every morning we go to Mingara to swim. We have learned how to kick properly under the water, how to do breaststroke, and how to change the stroke we are doing in the water. We love to dolphin dive into the pool. The instructors are so so so nice! It is so fun to swim and it is so fun on the bus! At the end of the lesson, we play lots of noodle and kickboard races. We love swimming very much.
By Maeve K, Evie S, and Isla S
Remembrance Day
Every year on the eleventh month, of the eleventh day, at the eleventh hour, we pause and have one minute of silence for all those who died for us in World War I. We also stop and remember all that have fought and died in all wars. At school on Monday year 5 led a ceremony in the hall. A guest speaker Luke Hill who was a peacekeeper in East Timor spoke. I quoted the poem Flanders Fields by John McCrae. There were also prayers and stories to thank the soldiers who died for us. After recess, Luke came and spoke to year 5 in the classroom. He was very interesting, he has represented Australia in the Invictus games and is involved in legacy. He was a paratrooper and helped with peacekeeping in East Timor.
We will remember them.
Lest We Forget.
Maddie O Year 5
Stephen Lynch
Assistant Principal
Class Merit Awards
Growing in Faith and Knowledge Awards
Religious Education Co-ordinator News
Remembrance Day
We give thanks to Year 5 who led us in a beautiful Remembrance Day Liturgy on Monday.
At 11 am on the 11th day of the 11th month each year we remember the moment in 1918 when World War I came to an end. On Remembrance Day, we remember Australian men and women who have served in war and peacekeeping activities. Remembrance Day does not glorify war – it honors the memory of all those who laid down their lives for Australia. As a mark of respect to those who have served, we stop to observe one minute’s silence.
Behavioural Expectations
To Make SJF a Safe and Happy Place:
We problem-solve to find solutions
(recognise the size of the problem and the responding appropriately, Dobbing V Telling)
Problem-solving is a critical skill all children need. Alongside problem solving it is important to evaluate possible solutions to find the best one that suits the situation, this involves weighing up the possible consequences for every solution. In order to support this skill at home, here are some excellent resources:
Teaching problem-solving to children and pre-teens
From the Parish
Dear Parents and Carers,
This is Clint Warren-Davey, a Religious Education teacher at St. Peter's Catholic College. With the support of Fr Raul, Fr Alex, Fr Teody, and Jo Helm (Parent Engagement Coordinator), I will be running RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) through Wyong Parish in 2023-24. This is for people who are curious about becoming Catholic or lapsed Catholics who want to re-examine their Faith. I will be explaining the core doctrines of Catholicism along with rational arguments for why we believe them. If you have any questions about the Faith, this is the place to ask them!
The program will run from November 2023 to March 2024, with a one-hour session every second Saturday at 3 pm at St. Cecilia's Church, Wyong. The first session will be 3 pm, Saturday 25th November.
If anyone is curious about this, please contact me or Joanne Helm:
Clint: clint.warrendavey@dbb.catholic.edu.au
Joanne: joanne.helm@dbb.catholic.edu.au
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20).
Jo Helm
Parent Engagement Coordinator
St Cecilia’s Primary School and
St Peter’s Catholic College
0424 763 734
Luisa Lawicki
Religious Education Co-ordinator
Library News
Library Books
Thank you to all the families that have encouraged reading this year and have ensured Library books are read at home and make it safely back to school. Borrowing has finished for the year so it's a good time to check bookshelves and other places for any stray library books. Lists will be sent home over the next week to help you with this with the aim of getting all books back before the end of term. Children will still be able to read in Library lessons and lunchtimes.
Book Covering Morning Tea
There will be a Book Covering Morning Tea held in the Library on the 5th of December. The aim of this is to grow our group of volunteers who cover new books. We currently have 2 wonderful people in our community who do this, but we need more so that all our new resources from Book Fair and for class learning are protected and ready for student use in 2024. If you would like to help, see the flyer in this newsletter for more information.
World Book Online
Do you have a curious child who likes learning about the world, but you worry about them searching for information on the internet? All our students have access to World Book Online which is a safe site the school has a subscription for. Classroom teachers can provide you with our school login details or you can email me to find out if your child doesn’t know. teresa.okeeffe@dbb.catholic.edu.au
Happy reading!
Teresa O’Keeffe
Teacher Librarian
Canteen News
To all Parents and Carers
Well, the end of the year is fast approaching and the canteen has been a hive of activity. Here's an update on what's happening:
- During Term 3, NSW Health completed a Healthy Menu Check for our canteen. I am pleased to advise, that we have passed and passed well. There have been a couple of tweaks to the menu and some new items added and others removed. The menu looks balanced with lots to choose from. An updated Menu will be available for 2024.
- If a food item is unavailable on QKr, this means it is not in stock, or, at times I have had to turn QKr stock levels off due to not enough Volunteers to assist in getting food out. There is a lot of work that goes into serving the Children quality food in a safe and timely manner, so please know that closing QKr is my last resort.
- Food items will start to reduce from week 7 as I start to run my stock down. Freezers will be emptied for defrosting and cleaning and I will not be reordering until next year.
- The Canteen will be closed from the 13th of December for work to be done with New Food Safety regulations and for my end-of-term Cleaning. The last day of Ordering will be Friday 8th December.
- I would like to give a massive heartfelt thank you, to all my volunteers who have helped me provide tasty food, safely and in a timely manner. Without you, it would not be achievable. On top of that, there has been great comradery and lots of laughs with you all. Your time is valuable so I appreciate you, always. Thank you.
- I would also like to thank all the kids, for their smiles, their manners, their laughs, and their kindness. They are a great bunch of kids and I enjoy seeing them at the canteen.
- I have been advised that Elf on the Shelf and friends will
be coming to visit the canteen on the days that we are open (Weds to Fri), I believe from what I have heard - they will be there before I open, so let your kids know to look out for their antics in the Canteen Window in the mornings on their way into class. I have been given the heads-up, they intend to greet the day with a few surprises!!
Thank you all again, for your continued support this year, it is greatly appreciated.
Helen Taufel
Canteen Co-ordinator
Parent Engagement Co-ordinator (PEC)
Parents Retreat
Last Thursday CSBB invited parents from all over the diocese to 
attend a well-being retreat at St Joseph’s Spirituality Centre Kincumber. I was lucky to be able to present a workshop on mental health wellbeing on the day which I hope to present to all of our parents soon. We enjoyed a beautiful keynote speech from Karen Amos, workshops, and a liturgy. Thank you to the parents from SJF who were able to join me on the day.
SP Leadership Evening
On Thursday I was also able to attend an excellent information evening put on by CSBB. I will be able to summarise the evening via compass soon.
Parish High Tea
On Friday we invited our Wyong Parish parishioners to enjoy High Tea at school. It was a lovely way to show them our beautiful school and strengthen our parish community. Thank you to the amazing bakers among you who so generously donated treats for the day.
Library Book Covering Morning Tea
Our wonderful teacher librarian Mrs O’Keeffe (who you will meet below) is putting on a morning tea on Tuesday, December 5th from 11 am-12 pm for any parents able to attend. We will get together to cover library books and enjoy the wonderful company. Please see the attached flyer and follow the link via the QR code to RSVP.
Teacher of the Week
This week we meet our very own teacher librarian Mrs Teresa O’Keeffe.
Kate Benton
Parent Engagement Co-Ordinator (PEC)
Meet the Teacher
Flyers
Upcoming Events
| Term 4 | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| Week 7 | 20th November K - 2 Swimming Program | 21st November | 22nd November Pre-school Graduation Rehearsal | 23rd November St Edward's Orientation Day | 24th November Little Fishers Playgroup Pre-school Graduation Rehearsal |
| Week 8 | 27th November St Peter's Orientation & Testing Day 9:00 am - 2:00 pm | 28th November | 29th November | 30th November | 1st December Gingerbread House Making Night 6:00 pm |
| Week 9 | 4th December | 5th December | 6th December Pre School Grad 5:00 pm | 7th December | 8th December |
| Week 10 | 11th December Advent Liturgy 9:15 am | 12th December | 13th December | 14th December | 15th December
|
| Term 1 | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| 2024 | 29th January | 30th January Staff Return | 31st January Years 1-6 Kindergarten Best Start Interviews | 1st February
| 2nd February Kindergarten Staggered Starts |
