Dear Parents and Community Members,

Mid-Year Reports

Next week, families will be receiving their children’s Mid-Year Reports electronically for the second time on SEQTA Engage. This new way of distributing reports is now consistent across Catholic Schools. As time progresses SEQTA Engage will increasingly be a method of communication with parents and if you need any support with setting it up please do not hesitate to speak with your child’s teacher or our SEQTA Leader Flavia Luppino who works outside the classroom Thursdays and Fridays.

At Whitefriars Catholic School, we are increasingly supporting children to work hard to bump their grades through assessment rubrics identifying what an ‘A’ looks like, what a ‘B’ looks like and what a ‘C’ looks like etc. These assessment rubrics will increasingly be placed on SEQTA Engage so parents can support their child in identifying how to bump up their grades forming that important partnership between home and school.

At Whitefriars Catholic School, we also recognise children’s ‘Approach to Learning’ which in the past was called’ Effort’. This is important because many children are working very hard and keep trying their best and may not always get the ‘A’ or ‘B’ grades but their commitment and dedication to their learning should also be recognised. After each distribution of the reports, we recognise children who receive 7 or more excellent in their ‘Approach to Learning’ with a certificate and in Term 3 we will organise a special assembly to hand out these certificates. We will keep you informed to when we will be having this additional assembly.

End of Term 2

As Andrea Mackereth will be on Long Service Leave next week, we have decided to prepare our newsletter this week instead of next week.

I take this opportunity to thank all our school community for your genuine care for our school community. We have many parents and grandparents who dedicate many hours each year to support this school community, helping to provide many opportunities for our children and fostering a sense of harmony.

Having been in several different Catholic schools over my 34-year career, I want to acknowledge that as a school community many of you bring a daily sense of happy, positive disposition to our school community. Together with the caring and happy staff at our school, our children are surrounded with this beautiful caring and fun environment that helps them to feel safe and sense of positive hope.

I hope that you can take the time over the July Term Break to do fun activities with your children. Read, cook, play and spend time with them because that is the greatest present you can give them. Your presence is the greatest present for them.

Kind Regards

Frank Congedi

We congratulate Hanna receiving a Mary MacKillop award for extraordinary and prompt reaction to support Madeline when injured.

Dear Families,

We are currently conducting Term 3, 2026 student enrolment interviews.

Term 1, 2027 interviews will be scheduled in Term 1, 2025.

All interviews are usually scheduled 2 years before commencement date.

PLEASE ENSURE ALL SIBLINGS ARE ENROLLED FOR ALL FUTURE YEARS.

Thank you 

How is Whitefriars school’s Connecting Space supporting our Catholic Ethos – In all Things Kindness?

Simply put it is not punitive it is restorative. Failure in any given moment is not the enemy in fact it’s an opportunity to grow.  Failure to try again is the problem.  Our Connecting Space time supports children to be seen, heard and that they matter and creates space for discussions, further investigation and naming ways to build trust again.  It is a ‘follow up’ time to educate, build strategies to support future challenges, develop empathy and self-reflection. Owning our behaviours, being open to restore and repair and try again are truly gifts.  Without creating time to put these gifts into practice we may hold on to resent, view others in unforgiving ways (put them in a box) or sit in unhealed shame or hurt.

Parents, as the primary caregivers of the students, are encouraged to work in partnership with us and share the responsibility in upskilling children through having respectful conversations.  The paperwork that goes home after a child has had connecting space time not only informs you, but it opens the door for communication at home.  When a conversation happens at home the partnership from school to home is highlighted to the student and is hopefully felt as support towards moving forward.

You may like to use some of these restorative questions:

Who has been affected by what you did? How?

What would you do differently if you had the chance?

What can you say or do to make things better?

How can we make sure this doesn’t happen again?

What can I do to help you?

Our children need more models, less judges.  Solutions require a reset, less control and criticism, more empathic exploring, and empowering positive growth mindset.

The Christian approach aims to be respectful to everyone and is aimed at achieving repair between all involved and maintaining personal safety. Saint Teresa of Calcutta names this perfectly for both the offender and victim of poor choices, " Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." 

You’re invited to a Discipleship Retreat.

Following Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life.

Saturday 6th July 9:15am - 3:30pm

At Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church 420 Seaview Road Henley Beach. Speaker:   Fr Manu Kumbidiyamackal MSFSPlease bring your own lunch tea/coffee provided.

Enquiries and bookings phone Pauline 0403002240 by 3rd July

Cost by Donation

All Welcome Thank you,

God bless

Pauline Cotton 0403002240

It has been a busy Semester in 3L packed with lots of different learning experiences! However, these are two of our highlights that we would like to share.

Firstly, in our English, Science and Design and Technologies unit, we have been exploring what sustainability means in terms of producing different foods and fibres.

Through using Minecraft Education, the students were able to be reporters and interview a variety of different farmers to understand the production process of foods and how they go from the farm to our plates. One way we showcased our learning was creating our own sustainable farm to feed patients and staff in a hospital.

During this investigation, students considered elements such as how much produce needs to be grown, the nutritional value of different foods and the sustainable practices to be used.

The students also enjoyed being writing mentors and with different members in the class co-constructed different genres of text. This experience enabled students to solidify their understanding, celebrate the ideas of others and demonstrate their collaboration skills!

                                         Book Week Competitions                                                                                     

Get your costumes ready everyone! Book Week is happening next term.  The theme for Book Week is Reading is Magic. To celebrate, there are some competitions that students may wish to take part in. 

Book Week Competitions

RECEPTION-YR 1: Design a bookmark around the theme Reading is Magic (please see the classroom teacher for the bookmark template in Week 1, Term 3).

Years 2-4: Design a poster in honour of your favourite children’s book.

Years 5-6:  Write a poem or short story based on the theme of Magic.

All entries close on Wednesday 14th August, Week 4 Term 3.  Please write your full name and class at the back of your work and place them in the Book Week competition box in the school library.

Prizes will be presented to winners in each category at our Book Week Parade in Week 5, Wednesday 21st August at 10am in the hall.

Kind regards,

Phuong-Chi Twigden and Olivia Moffett (co-ordinators for Book Week)

Last Friday the students in Year 6 participated in a Roman Banquet to celebrate the completion of a unit of work on Ancient Rome in the Italian room.

Students learnt how the Romans lived, worked, what they ate, and some of the history on Rome, through the story of Romulus and Remus and Julius Caesar. 

On Monday, Mrs Radetti and Miss Ly took 6 of our 7 Indigenous students to Carclew House for the Thriving People Event - ‘We are living, learning and playing on Kaurna Land’.

This was a significant opportunity for Aboriginal students to build relationships, celebrate together and learn about their cultures and identities. Students experienced a range of contemporary and emerging art forms providing all participants with new ways of exploring and expressing culture and to consider new avenues for art making in the 21st-century.

All of our students had a great time spending the day together.

We look forward to immersing our Indigenous students in many more events like this and other opportunities in the future.

Mrs Radetti

 Welcome back to Parent Corner.

This term we have continued a section in our newsletter called ‘Parent Corner’ dedicated to providing valuable information and parenting advice.

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.

During Term 2  we published Insight’s articles in our fortnightly newsletter to support parents in the areas of:

· Parent Wellbeing

· Family Goal Setting

· Technology and our Kids

· The Parent Engagement Evening Guest Speaker: Madhavi Nawana Parker Video links

In case you missed them, we have attached all articles/ links below.

Madhavi Nawana Parker Wednesday 22 May 2024 @ 6.30 PM Video 1

 https://whitefriarscatholiceduau.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/staff/ETL7dyY8ZUFBkUUDVQ_33bcBqUZ755fjokrF1aGh5hRcsg?e=zarDSi

Madhavi Nawana Parker Wednesday 22 May 2024 @ 7.30 PM Video 2 2https://whitefriarscatholiceduau.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/staff/ER7ZwxtneWVJnCcwpETxT5kBFKa_r5ncnR6TPE11QxbJyA?e=PtyG4m

This week’s Insight’s article ‘Managing Fatigue as a Parent’. If you’re a parent, I can almost guarantee you’re tired. Parenthood and fatigue seem inseparable. Infants and toddlers amplify our tiredness, but regardless of their age, raising children is tiring. This article looks closely at ways that can help with parent fatigue.

I hope you enjoy reading this week’s Insight’s article attached below.

I look forward to sharing more parenting advice through Parent Corner in our Term 3 Newsletters. For more parenting information, visit the Happy Families website: https://happyfamilies.com.au./

Thank you.

Grace Loizos Wellbeing Leader gloizos@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au

The Catholic School Parents SA are hosting the Positive Parenting Conference.Take the opportunity to hear from brilliant parenting experts in Maggie Dent , Paul Dillon and Madhavi Nawana Parker on Saturday 31 August! 

Tickets on sale now.  They will sell fast! https://events.humanitix.com/stronger-families-conference Stronger Families: A Positive Parenting Conference presented by Catholic School Parents South Australia | HumanitixGet tickets on Humanitix - Stronger Families: A Positive Parenting Conference presented by Catholic School Parents South Australia hosted by Catholic School Parents South Australia. Adelaide Zoo - The Sanctuary , 1 Plane Tree Dr, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia. Saturday 31st August 2024. Find event information.events.humanitix.com

• Week 9   - TERM 2
• Monday - -24th June -Help needed
• Tuesday - 25th June -Anne Vu
• Wednesday - 26th June  - No help needed
• Thursday -  27th June - Tina Bodjo/Helen Burns-Clarke
• Friday -    - 28th June -Help needed

• Week 10 - TERM 2
• Monday  - 1st July-Help needed
• Tuesday -  2nd July -Anne Vu
• Wednesday  -3rd July - No help needed
• Thursday  - 4th July - Tino Bodjo/ Helen Burns-Clarke
• Friday -  5th July  -  No lunches 

We have over 280 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 

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.