28th March - Year 5 Surf Education 

31st March - Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival

3rd April - School Tour 9.30am - 10.30am

7th April - Pupil Free Day

11th April - End of Term 12:30pm finish

Dear Parents and Community Members,

This week as a Catholic community we celebrate 2 important saints: St Patrick and St Joseph.

St Patrick’s Day (17 March) is the patron saint of Ireland. The importance of St Patrick’s is not only worldwide but here in Australia we have so many descendants of Irish heritage and our Catholic Church in Australia was put upon this heritage.

St Joseph’s Day (19 March) is also an important saint. Important day for our Church and for our school. On this day 159 years ago Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop wore a black dress for the first time as a symbol of her commitment to God and her commitment to educate children in the Catholic faith. This led to establishing a religious order called the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart the following year.

As a school we often talk about being a Catholic School in the Josephite Tradition. What does this mean? How does this affect you for you and your child?

The word ‘Tradition’ is often misunderstood as something from the past. Tradition is actual the lived expression of the values that inspired St Mary MacKillop and the sisters in the past and now expressed in today’s world.

Where do these values come from? The values come from the Gospel. They are Gospel values as Mary MacKillop interpreted the stories of Jesus in the Gospel and applied them in her life, in her words and actions. Her determination to do, at her own detriment, is today one of the most amazing Australian stories; a story born in South Australia and a story that has been told over and over and will continue to be a story that will influence generations to come.

Whitefriars Catholic School community is fortunate to be part of this story and, therefore we are part of the Mary MacKillop’s legacy, and the Josephite Tradition is alive in us.

So what is the Josephite Tradition?

Being part of a Josephite Tradition means to be a welcoming, inclusive, compassionate community. Mary MacKillop believed that the compassionate love of God was available to all she met. Mary Mackillop had a compassionate heart, big enough to enclose all humanity. No one was excluded.

Today in our school community we do the same. We include and welcome of all cultures and all religious background, of all socio-economic backgrounds and, support children with special needs who are considered to have special rights. We promote compassion and empathy amongst our children through the ‘Mary MacKillop Spirit Award’. This award recognizes children who do extraordinary acts in any ordinary day. Children who show compassion towards others. Help a child with a disability, welcome a new student, spends time helping another person.

Being part of a Josephite Tradition means that as a community everyone is treated with dignity. Mary Mackillop believed that God, in Jesus, called her and her sisters to show reverence for the dignity of all people. Mary MacKillop’s reverence for all people meant she was incapable of ’giving up’ on anyone.

Today is our school community, we support families by reducing fees if required, help with uniforms whenever possible, for children whose families may be experiencing financial difficulties.

Being part of a Josephite Tradition means that as a community we most support the people who are poor and marginalized. For Mary MacKillop those who were the most ‘Needy’ on our world come first. Mary Mackillop and the Sisters established “bush schools” and later as needs arose, orphanages, refuges, and other services for those most vulnerable in the society of their time. Mary MacKillop was an extraordinary woman of action and her response and by the sister was a practical one. Small acts upon small acts

Today in our school community, we teach children to have empathy for the people who are poor. To grow into people who have a sense of the common good in our society. We teach them that we use our gifts and talents to raise money to support those less fortunate than us. We do this through Project Compassion, St Vincent De Paul, Just Is Crew and Mission Day to name a few.

Being part of a Josephite Tradition is about serving others. Mary MacKillop interpreted the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples as an act of service. Consequently, Mary MacKillop and the Sisters were the first order of Sisters who did not live behind the walls of a convent. Instead, they lived in groups of 3 or 4 in small houses and lived amongst their community, establishing schools, and moving to communities that needed support. Everything that Mary MacKillop did was to benefit others.

Today as a Principal and with our staff, who are all leaders within our school community, we serve the Whitefriars Catholic School Community. We use our skills and knowledge, together with a caring heart, to provide the greatest care possible for all our children, our parents and for each another. Everything we do, educationally, financially, coordinating school events, improving classrooms is to benefit our children who are at the centre of all that we do.

Being part of a Josephite Tradition is about having strength, courage and perseverance. Although Mary MacKillop was a woman full of faith and remarkably determined to maintain her core values regardless of the circumstances, it still meant that some people were not pleased with her actions. In fact, at one stage, she was excommunicated from the Church. During many moments of conflict, she never deviated from her core values and never spoke ill of others, even if they were great cause of grief.

Today in our school community we teach children Gospel values of love, justice, respect, compassion, dignity as these will be the values that will be their compass throughout their lives. If these values are embedded in the character of your child, they will act like the strong roots of a tree.  It does not matter what winds or storms will come in their lives, these strong roots will keep them steady and in place. These roots will help them in their conviction of what it means to be a good person and their strength, courage and perseverance will be a light in our world. Characteristics which Mary Mackillop passed onto her Sisters and to those around her. Today we pass them on to our children and within our community and, in turn, these will be passed onto future generations.

On Wednesday the 19th of March, we coincidentally commenced our first School Board Meeting for the year and I wanted to acknowledge and thank the following School Board members for their leadership role in our Josephite School.

The 2025 School Board Members are:

At the School Board Dinner on the 26th of February, we thanked all our School Board members for their leadership in our school. This year we farewelled Samara Bell (Chairperson 2023 & 2024) and Sarah Hutson (Secretariat) and welcomed Bonnie Culshaw. We also took the opportunity to acknowledge Sally Wilson as our new Chairperson of the School Board.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each School Board member for their commitment and dedication to the ‘Common Good’ which is one of our Catholic Social teachings.

Enrolment Information

In 2024 we became a 3-stream school, welcoming 87 children at each year level, therefore each year we begin with just over 600 children in 23 classes and then welcome around 40 Term 3 Reception children in two new Term 3 Reception classes.

We have completed the enrolment meetings for 2026 Reception cohort. These include children commencing Term 3 2025 (Born 1 May 2020 to 30 October 2020) and children commencing Term 1 2026 (Born 1 November 2020 to 30 April 2021).

We are currently finalising enrolment meetings for the 2027 Reception cohort. These include children commencing Term 3 2026 (Born 1 May 2021 to 30 October 2021) and children commencing Term 1 2027 (Born 1 November 2021 to 30 April 2022). We have enrolled or invited for enrolment meetings 85 children with only 2 more places to offer. As siblings are prioritised, I am making a last call for any current families who have a sibling in this age range.

This year, I will begin holding enrolment meetings for the 2028 Reception cohort. In Term 3 this year, I will commence holding meetings for children eligible to commence Term 3, 2027 (Born 1 May 2022 to 30 October 2022) and then in Term 1 next year I will be holding enrolment meetings for children eligible to commence Term 1 2028 (Born 1 November 2022 to 30 April 2023). Once again as siblings are prioritised, if you have a child in this age range, please ensure you have completed an enrolment application as soon as possible.

We do have currently limited places available in Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6. If you know of a family that is considering our school, please let them know.

Kind Regards

Frank Congedi

Our Curriculum ESOs recently participated in a professional development workshop led by Diana Morcom, a Clinical, Educational, and Developmental Psychologist. The session focused on Autistic girls, exploring how to identify key traits, provide effective support, and implement necessary adjustments in educational settings.

Diana specialises in autism and ADHD diagnostic assessments for children, adolescents, and adults, often incorporating adaptive functioning assessments to provide a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s needs. She also offers individual therapy for children, young people, and adults, supporting them in their personal growth and development.

To learn more about Diana’s services or to access valuable resources, visit her website at A Mind of Your Own: Psychology, Education and Support | Diana Morcom | Hindmarsh SA

How quickly the first part of the year has gone and the season of Lent is also passing by!  During the school holidays we will celebrate Palm Sunday on April 13th followed by Holy Week.  The events of Holy Week start with Jesus entering Jerusalem where we learn about Christ’s life of joy and sorrow, hardship, pain, betrayal, attacks, prayer and deep faith.  Our daily lives at times mirror this uncertain journey and present us with hints of resurrection.  We too are Jerusalem people, but we are not moving through a city, our Jerusalem might be an illness, financial stress or any uncertainty.

Holy Week is a great source of comfort and encouragement knowing that Jesus endured the battle before us, without weapons, instead he chose great faith.  We must have courage and confidence in God too.  This is a very strong message.  Jesus shows us how not to enter our own Jerusalem alone and to have trust in doing God’s will.  Fear must never have the last word, instead we must remember to practise bringing our troubles, worries and confusion to the foot of the cross and focus on God’s help in prayer. 

Jesus shows that the cross, whatever forms it takes in our life can lead to salvation and new life. Easter Sunday offers an opportunity to celebrate all our small, personal “resurrections” and unite them with Jesus’ Resurrection.  It offers us renewal to be people of faith, hope and love in our home and community. 

Please Join us for our Holy Week Celebrations

‘The Greatest Celebration of the Church.’ 

What: Celebrate the high point of Christ’s saving work on earth – His Passion, Death and Resurrection. The three days of the Easter Triduum - the great mysteries of our Redemption, beginning with the Last Supper, followed by the Paschal Mystery, the fullness of life which flows from the death and Resurrection of Christ and is made present in every Eucharist. 

How: Prayer Services each morning

When: Tuesday 8th, Wednesday 9th, Thursday 10th and Friday 11th 

Where: Tues – Thursday in the Mary MacKillop Centre and Friday on the oval 

Next week we celebrate Harmony Week. On Monday morning our students are invited to celebrate the vibrant cultures in our community by listening to instrumental students share their talent in the courtyard between 8.25am – 8.45am followed by Community Prayer in the Mary MacKillop Centre. 

At Whitefriars Catholic School we recognise Harmony Day as a way to celebrate the positives of living in a culturally diverse country. Our school is rich with approximately 40 diverse cultures.  Some include, Albanian, Australian, Bosnian, Chilean, Chinese, Colombian, Croatian, Egyptian, English, Ethiopian, Filipino, French, Greek, Indian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Kenyan, Malaysian, Maltese, Nepalese, Pakistani, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, South African, Swiss, Syrian, Ukrainian and Vietnamese. I encourage you to embrace and engage the differences and commonalities amongst us and to inspire or be inspired by others.

I Answered an Unknown Number During Filming

Emotion Coaching: The Science Behind the Approach

Our children’s big emotions create ripple effects throughout their lives. For our child, these emotions can leave them feeling disconnected from us and others. They derail interest in school, learning, hobbies, and engagement in life itself.

For us as parents, big emotions (either in our child or ourselves) cloud judgement and decision-making. They hijack our effectiveness, making it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

In short, high emotions = low intelligence.

In this week’s Insights article, ‘I Answered an Unknown Number During Filming,’ Justin explains about the Pioneering research by Dr John Gottman that has revealed that children whose parents practice “emotion coaching” develop stronger emotional intelligence and resilience. Gottman found that emotion-coached children experience fewer behavioural problems, higher academic achievement, better social relationships, and improved physical health compared to their peers. 

Please click on the attachment below to read the article. 

For more parenting information, click here to visit the Happy Families website:

Thank you.

Grace Loizos Wellbeing Leader

gloizos@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au

Carnevale is celebration held all over the world and this year at Whitefriars Catholic School we will be celebrating this traditional Italian even on Friday 4th of April (Week 10).  

As part of these celebrations, students will have the opportunity to order a cocktail sized cannoli, supplied by Avanti Pasticceria, for $2.00 each.  Gluten free cannoli will be available at $5.00 each (large size only).  The cannoli will be filled with chocolate and vanilla Italian custard.

All orders and payments can be made via the QKR app then select School Events.

Please note that there will be a limit of 2 cannoli per child as they must be eaten when delivered as they contain fresh custard.

Please complete all orders no later than Thurs 27th of March at 1pm. 

NO LATER ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Keep an eye out in Audiri next week for further information about the day!

Week 9 - TERM 1

• Monday - 24th March - Help needed
• Tuesday - 25th March - Help needed
• Wednesday - 26th March - No Help needed
• Thursday - 27th March -Tina Bodjo/Helen Burns-Clarke
• Friday - 28th March - Linda Light/Wendy Forrest

Week 10 - TERM 1

• Monday - 31st March - Help needed
• Tuesday - 1st April - Help needed
• Wednesday - 2nd April - No help needed
• Thursday - 3rd April - Tina Bodjo/Helen Burns-Clarke
• Friday - 4th April - Linda Light/Wendy Forrrest

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.

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 

If you child/children will not be attending school for an extended time (more than 5 days) please complete the below form and email back to us at info@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au in advance.

This form is now also available to be completed in the Audiri app - via the Forms tab and select the Extended Leave Form and submit.

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.