Dear Parents and Community Members,

As we approached Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Lenten season, it is a time for reflection, prayer, and preparation. This sacred period in our calendar offers us a chance to come together as a community, to reflect on our values, and to commit ourselves to acts of kindness, compassion, and service.

Ash Wednesday serves as a reminder of our shared humanity and the importance of humility. It invites us to look inward, to contemplate our actions, and to seek ways in which we can contribute positively to the world around us. As we enter this season of Lent, let us embrace the opportunity to grow spiritually, to strengthen our bonds with one another, and to renew our commitment to the values we hold dear.

As we embrace the vibrant spirit of our school community, I find it imperative to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the unwavering support and dedication that each of you, alongside our remarkable volunteers, continuously bring to our community. Your contributions, big or small, play a pivotal role in enriching the educational journey of our students, fostering an environment where they can thrive, learn, and grow.

As we continue to navigate the journey of education and personal growth for our students, the importance of community and collective support has never been more evident. It is in this spirit of unity and collaboration that I reach out to you today with a special request.

Our Learning Assistance Program (LAP) has been a cornerstone of our commitment to cater to the diverse learning needs of our students. By providing support, we aim to ensure that every child can succeed and reach their full potential. However, the heart of this program's success lies in the strength of our volunteer team. This is where we need your help.

Whether you have a few hours a week or can commit more time, your involvement can make a significant difference in the lives of our students. We are looking for volunteers to support our LAP in various capacities, including:

One-on-One Tutoring: Work individually with students to provide support in specific subject areas where they may need extra help.

If you are interested in volunteering and have all your updated WWC Clearances, please email Our Deputy Principal Catia Frasca on cfrasca@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au.

Our school is a testament to the power of community. The countless hours our volunteers dedicate, whether it be through assisting in classroom activities, organising events, or supporting our various programs, have not only enhanced the quality of our school's offerings but have also strengthened the bond within our community. It is this spirit of volunteerism that sets our school apart, creating a nurturing and inclusive environment for all our students.

In closing, I would like to reiterate my profound appreciation for all that you do. Together, we have created a community that not only values academic excellence but also cherishes the importance of spiritual growth and social responsibility. Let us continue to work hand in hand, supporting each other and our students, as we strive to make a positive impact in the world.

Kind regards,

Frank Congedi

Mayoral Make –A –Book Literacy Challenge

The Mayoral Make -A- Book Literacy Challenge is a popular book making community program for budding young authors and illustrators. It runs each year from February to May and is open to any pre-school or primary school aged child who lives or studies in the City Charles Sturt council area. This competition has been running since 1979!

The Challenge's purpose is to give children a taste of what it is like to create their own book, and it's also a fun, creative way of practicing study skills and processes that they'll eventually be doing at higher levels in school.

This challenge is open to all students in Years Reception-6.

Your book entry can be:

· a story, graphic novel, informational, poetry – on any topic

· English or multilingual

· a physical book, eBook or audio book

· created by yourself, with friends or even your whole class

· up to 1000 words in length

Judges look for:

· original ideas and themes, creative use of language, sound spelling and grammar (drafting and proofreading are important!)

· a balance between beginning, middle and end

· appealing design, layout and format

· illustrations that complement the text (if applicable)

· presentation and neatness

* Binding style is not judged but make sure your book is strong enough to be handled.

All participants are recognised for their efforts. Prize vouchers are rewarded for the most outstanding entries.

Once your book entry is complete, please ensure to download a copy of the entry form and attach it to the back page of your book entry. Entries can be sent to the Charles Sturt Library or delivered to Phuong-Chi Twigden prior to the due date.

Entries close before Friday 31st May.

Last year, seven students at Whitefriars won this Literacy Challenge and received their prize voucher at the Woodville Town Hall. We hope to see more Whitefriars students sharing their stories this year.

In 2024, the NAPLAN tests will be administered in Week 7 of this term for our Year 3 and 5 students. The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 and its aim is to test the skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life, such as reading, writing, spelling and numeracy.  

NAPLAN test results provide information on how students are performing in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy and support improvements in teaching and learning. The data from NAPLAN test results gives schools and systems the ability to measure their students’ achievements against National Minimum Standards and student performance in other states and territories.  

Testing will take place from Wednesday 13th – Friday 15th March, with catch up sessions offered between Monday 18th - Monday 25th March. 

Outlined below is the schedule for testing. Each test is approximately 40-50 minutes in duration. 

Wednesday 13th - Writing + Conventions of Language  

Thursday 14th - Reading 

Friday 15th – Numeracy 

NAPLAN Preparation  

  Students will have opportunities as a whole class to work through questions on the public demonstration site www.nap.edu.au to familiarise themselves with the types of questions and answering procedures.  On Tuesday 27th February (Week 5) our Years 3 and 5 students will be participating in a practice test to familiarise themselves with the online platform.    

  All children are required to bring along a set of working headphones, labelled with their name and in a zip lock bag. Please ensure laptops are fully charged.  

Should you have any questions about NAPLAN, please do not hesitate to contact me either by phone 81787700 or email ptwigden@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au 

Phuong-Chi Twigden 

Our Year 1 students begin each day with the InitiaLit-1 program.

They begin with an ‘On the Mat’ session, where skills of reading and writing are explicitly taught to the whole class.

The focus is on phonological awareness, tricky words, oral segmenting and letter and sound knowledge.

Following the ‘On the Mat’ session, students participate in a range of whole class, small group and independent activities which consolidate their learning. 

They couldn't wait to share their work!

We are excited to introduce a new section in our newsletter called ‘Parent Corner’ dedicated to providing valuable information and parenting advice. We understand the challenges and joys that come with raising children, and we want to support you in your journey.

Our school is now subscribed to the Happy Families School Membership! Owned and run by Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia’s leading parenting experts, the membership offers a wealth of parenting education in the form of articles called ‘Insights’. Insights articles are written by Dr Justin and other leading experts and provide parenting advice and support for a wide variety of traditional and contemporary parenting challenges.

In Parent Corner, you can expect to find tips and insights on various parenting topics, including child development, health and wellness, education, and more. We believe that sharing knowledge and experiences can help us all become better parents and create a nurturing environment for our children to thrive.

We hope you find this week’s article about anxiety helpful. Please click on the attachment below to read the article.

For more parenting information, visit the Happy Families website: happyfamilies.com.au

Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing this new resource with you and supporting each other in our parenting endeavours.

Grace Loizos

Wellbeing Leader

School Fees

2024 Annual school fees have been posted to families and should be received by the end of next week.

We encourage all families to set up weekly, fortnightly or monthly direct debit payments. The Direct Debit Form can be downloaded here.

If you have a current direct debit and it continues into 2024, you are not required to do anything unless the number of children attending Whitefriars has changed. If your direct debit was set up to stop at the end of the year, please email to recommence it.

For any other clarification regarding direct debits please see me or the other front office staff.

A reminder that if you are paying your fees per term, the first instalment of one third of the total is due by the 1st March, unless prior arrangement has been made.

A separate invoice, will follow, for all Year 5 and 6 students for the Surf Education Excursion scheduled for Term 1 Week 8.

Payment to be made via the Qkr! App.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties or need clarification, please see either Frank, Catia or me to discuss.

Thank you for your patience and welcome to the 2024 school year.

Pauline Tirimacco

Finance Officer

Email: accounts@whitefriars.education.edu.au

• Week 5
• Monday 26th February - Lily Cameron
• Tuesday 27th February - Help needed
• Wednesday 28th February - No help required
• Thursday 29th February - Tina Bodjo & Helen Burns Clarke
• Friday -  1st March Wendy Forrest

• Week 6
• Monday 4th March - Lily Cameron
• Tuesday 5th March- Help needed
• Wednesday 6th March - No help needed
• Thursday 7th March - Tina Bodjo & Helen Burns Clarke
• Friday -  8th March-  Wendy Forrest

Each year we have over 100 registered volunteers who help our school in so many different ways, contributing to our school and supporting children and staff.  Registered volunteers contribute to the school community in just some of the following ways:

• School Board 
• Parents & Friends events
• After School Sports (Coaches and Team Managers)
• Canteen
• Learning Assistance Program (LAP)
• Reading with children
• Assisting at excursions

All volunteers are required to obtain appropriate clearances, including a Department of Human Services (DHS) Clearance and Catholic Clearance.

Once submitted, clearances may take up to 6 weeks to process.

When you receive your clearance or card please bring this into the office for us to update to the Volunteer Register.

If you would like to volunteer, please see staff in the front office for a Volunteer Information Pack and support in registering as a volunteer.

Please see below for current volunteers wanted in our school.

If you child/children will not be attending school for an extended time (more than 5 days) please complete the above form and return to the Front Office  in advance.

Please note a form must be completed for each child.

Thank you 

Unfortunately due to predicted high winds for Friday night, Adelaide Outdoor Cinemas has made the difficult decision to cancel our screen for Friday night due to safety concerns.

We apologise for the inconvenience & wish we could control the weather!

Hold onto your tickets because our new date will be Friday 5th April.

Also please note, as the sun sets earlier in April, the movie start time will also be earlier at approximately 7.30pm. This may suit the younger families in our community better :)

We acknowledge and pay our respect to the Kaurna people as the traditional owners of the land of Mikawomma on which Whitefriars Catholic School is located.  We come with open hearts and minds to listen and learn from Elders - past, present and emerging.