Term 1 Week 2 Newsletter 2022

Principal Message

Welcome to the 2022 school year, I love how quickly the children get back into the rhythm of school life. Over the next few weeks teachers will be concentrating on getting to know each child and building class routines. There will be an emphasis on students having a voice in articulating the class expectations to build a positive learning environment. Our theme for the beginning of the year is ‘connection before curriculum’. This highlights the importance of the students building a connection with their teacher, their peers and the classroom environment rather than a focus on content, assessments and learning tasks. Teachers already have begun this with fun ‘getting to know you’ activities. We’ve even started our own today, as we welcome our new Assistant Principal Lauren Magnus.

Meet The Teacher - Mrs Lauren Magnus

Name: Mrs Lauren Magnus

Role: Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching 

Favourite hobbies/ interests: I love all things interiors and design. I am a very creative person and love being crafty and getting my DIY on. I also love going to the gym and try to move my body each day. If I am not at the gym I love a good beach / nature walk. On weekends I love chasing waterfalls, going to the beach or hanging by my pool. 

Favourite meal: I believe food tastes better in a bowl and love all things bowl related (poke bowls, burrito bowls and acai bowls to name a few). 

Pets: No current pets, we did have a beautiful German Shepherd by the name of Jax but he now lives with my aunty. 

Where else I've been: I have worked all over the state. I was previously the Leader of Pedagogy at St Anthony’s in Kingscliff and prior to that I was the Assistant Principal at St Ignatius Parish school in Bourke. Before that we were based in Sydney and I worked at a number of schools in and around “The Shire”.

Favourite holiday destination: I absolutely love to travel and it's very hard to pick a fave but Italy is definitely up there (other than bowl food - I have a weakness for pizza and pasta). I also won't say no to any tropical holiday destination - I love the sun, sand and surf. 

Favourite quote: Be the change you want to see in the world.

Welcome Back to School Prayer

Dear Jesus

Thank you for keeping us safe and well during the holiday season. We pray for those affected by the Covid pandemic and especially those who have been unable to travel and visit loved ones. We pray for our new students and families. Help them settle into our beautiful region and find a friendly and supportive community. Bless our new staff and help their stay at St Finbarr’s be a time of growth, personal satisfaction and sharing of their special gifts. We also pray for our staff and students from last year who have moved on to exciting new journeys. Help us to Grow as Friends, Love like Jesus and Learn for Life.

We ask this through your name

Amen

COVID News

RAT Distribution: Thank you for your full and ongoing support with what is essentially an ‘honour system’ here. When we all work together, we keep our St Finbarr's community safe (and OPEN) for everyone.

Weeks 3 and 4 RAT tests have been delivered to the school, please call into the school office to collect your Children's packs. RAT tests are not able to be sent home with students. If you require your Child's tests to be collected by another family, please notify the school office via email bbp@lism.catholic.edu.au.

School Calendar Information

We are regularily updating the school calendar. Please note that dates are subject to change, especially with the ever changing Covid restrictions. We will do our best to communcate any changes as they come about.

Student Medication

If your children need to take medication (be it regular, or for a specific ailment) all medications need to be given to the office and a parent needs to complete a medication form. No student should have medication in their bag to be self administered, this is for the safety of all students.

Please also update the office and your child/rens class teacher/s should there be any changes or updates to your childs medical information and/or changes to regular medication . 

School Communication

Our new Compass App is proving very efficient thus far. We ask all parent communication to staff to go via email or through the compass application. Seesaw is now only used for student learning and will not have capabilities for parent messaging. For all concerns regarding your child please contact the classroom teacher. To speak to the Principal or request a meeting please contact Buffy or Alison in the office on 0266856342

The following links may assist when needing clarification regarding an issue. A growing trend from some parents has been to contact the Catholic Schools Office. These enquiries are usually referred back to the school.

Road Safety

Thank you for the caution and care taken around the oval and school zone with parking and pick up in the first week back at school. Below are some general safety reminders as we prioritise the safety of each and every student at St Finbarr’s in 2022.

• Sticking to the speed limit and following the road rules in school zones
• Slowing down to 40km/h when bus lights are flashing
• Looking out for children crossing the road near bus stops, in school zones or along bus routes
• Giving way to buses when they merge back into traffic.
• Never drop off or meet children on the opposite side of the road to the bus stop or call them across the road. Always drop them off or meet them on the same side of the road as the bus stop.
• Encouraging their children to be distraction-free around buses - put down their phone and take off their headphones.

Absentees

Please submit an attendance note via the Compass App, email bbp@lism.catholic.edu.au, or call the school office on 6685 6342 if your son/daughter is absent from school. You can also reply to the text message which is sent out in the morning of the absence.

All student absences need to be accounted for, accounting for student absences is a legal requirement for all schools. Your assistance in providing the relevant information to us regarding your child’s absences daily is appreciated.

Parent Social Media Reminder

It is quite common for parents to establish social media groups or pages to share information or connect with other parents in your child’s class and school community. Please be reminded that it is not permitted to establish a social media presence using the school's name or logo without written permission from the Principal. Any permitted social media pages/groups/accounts must adhere to the schools and the Catholic Schools Office Diocesan Social Media Policies.

St Finbarr's Rugby League

We have quite a sporty community here at St Finbarr’s. Many students are involved in weekend team and individual sports which all would agree, have many benefits including health and social connections. Our new staff member Andrew Lollback, an accredited Rugby League coach,  has generously offered to train students in football skills each Thursday at lunchtime. Please contact the school if you would like your child involved in this activity.

St Finbarr's Building Project

An exciting start during the holidays with the removal of the demountables and sheds. The building committee will be meeting shortly as we move to the next exciting stage of the development.

Kind Regards,

Tim Bleakley

Building Project Progress

Week 1 at St Finbarr's School

Evangelisation News

We warmly welcome all new and existing students to the 2022 school year for a year of Loving like Jesus, Growing as Friends and Learning for Life. At St Finbarr’s, we strive to enable our students to experience the fullness of life by accompanying them on their faith and spiritual journey. 

Religious Education is taught in every stage at St Finbarr’s and the Catholic Worldview is permeated throughout other learning areas so that our students can experience life through the lens of our Catholic faith which is revealed to us through Jesus’ teachings, showing us the meaning of life and how to live it. 

Our school prayer and liturgical celebrations contribute to giving our students the opportunity to experience the sacramental life of our school and parish. 

Reconciliation 

If your child is in Year 4 and wishes to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, parents are required to attend the Parent Information night to register their child. This meeting will be held on Wednesday the of 23rd February, 6:30pm at St Finbarr’s Church. 

The Reconciliation lessons will commence for children the following week (at school) and the Sacrament will be celebrated at St Finbarr’s Church over two nights (you choose which one suits you); Tuesday 29th March, 6-7 pm or Wednesday 30th March, 6-7 pm.

Kind regards,

Sonya Piccoli

Assistant Principal- Mission

Flexischools Canteen Ordering

Cyra has noticed that some families are putting the teachers name in the canteen order, rather than the class name. The Class name is required for all Flexischools orders,  please refer to the table below for your child's class name.

CLASS NAMES FOR FLEXISCHOOLS CANTEEN ORDERS

Byron Library Graphic Design Workshop

The Byron Library are holding a series of four free Graphic Design workshops for children in the Library in term one. This is a wonderful opportunity for children who love art to engage in this afterschool program and work on a project. This will run over four sessions with local artist Nina Hurr.

Byron Golf Club Beginners Ladies Clinic

Byron Bay Netball Club

Lenox Head Netball Club