Week 3 - Term 3

Dear families,

Our second semester has commenced successfully, with staff and students focussed on using semester one data to make adjustments to learning, to allow students to progress and flourish. As I have moved around the school these past 3 weeks, I have been impressed with the commitment and dedication of the staff  and the hard work of the students as they strive to learn and improve.

This term, we have welcomed 37 new Reception students! These wonderful young people are being expertly taught and supported by Mrs Emily Sendy, Miss Kate O’Dea and a new staff member to St Francis, Ms Tina Constantinides. They have really hit the ground running and in addition to their ongoing playful learning, they’ve already had a first taste of Playberry Laser Phonology!

On Friday, our 2025 term 1 Reception children visited for the first time as part of our Little Francis long transition program. It was wonderful to welcome them and their families to St Francis and we very much look forward to them joining us every Friday until late in semester 2. They will enjoy playful learning as well as getting to know the mid year group, in preparation for 2025. My thanks to Leonie Fitzgerald and all of the Reception team for their oversight of the program.

This week, two significant events have taken place. First our year 3-6 Cross Country team competed in the annual SACPSSA Cross Country carnival in the city. The students have been training hard in recent weeks and all students competed positively. Big thanks to James G and James D for their management of the team. Many students achieved great results, including Chanel Maio, who won her age group category for the 3^rd successive year-surely a record!

Thursday night, our Wakakirri dance troupe performed energetically and enthusiastically as part of this year’s competition, with the theme of ‘Belonging.’ The troupe have been rehearsing consistently for many weeks, and their performance was a testament to their dedication and commitment. Huge thanks and congratulations to Emma Gill and Olivia Bozzon for their expert leadership of the program. Their commitment and giving of their own time is greatly appreciated.

Our year 5 team have been working for many months now on a project called ‘Kids in Space.’ The project has involved creating solutions to real world problems associated with humans living and working in space. These solutions formed group design project along with presentations, as well as some very engaging excursions to the Space School at Hamilton Secondary College, where there is a ‘live’ experience of visiting Mars! Last week, two of our project teams took part in the CESA Stem Mad workshops. STEM MAD is a showcase of the amazing STEM learning that is happening within CESA schools, and it is the aim to ensure all schools have an opportunity to have at least one team represented at the STEM MAD Showcase. We had two teams selected to participate and both teams were awarded prizes for their efforts! This was in addition to our teams who also were awarded prizes as part of the Kids in Space projects recently. My sincere congratulations to Corrinne McKenzie, Chloe Auger, Fiona MacDonald, Christina Maresca, David Giannotti and Ros Stevens for their tireless efforts and commitment to the positive learning outcomes for all of the year 5 students. It was an enormous effort and I am very grateful.

Last week, we held the first ever year 3 camp, at AFL Max. It was a brilliant experience for all the children and a great way to begin their camp journey at St Francis. Sincere thanks to the year 3 staff for their efforts in supporting the camp experience. They too had a night away from families and I am very grateful for their efforts. Next week, our year 5 classes will journey down to Wirraway for their annual camp experience!

Finally, after what has seemed like an eternity, the building fences are gone, and the new Playground area will be fully accessible from next week! The new swing sets and climbing equipment are the result of a huge amount of time and effort by our P&F in raising funds to contribute to the overall cost. We are very grateful for everyone who volunteers to support the myriad of community events in our school!

As a school we are working purposefully towards our inaugural Arts Exhibition, on Friday 23d August. This promises to be a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the visual Arts and to come together as a school community. It is also a great way of raising some funds for the school.  I strongly encourage families to come along, enjoy a drink and something to eat with other families, and to engage with the wonderful art work produced by the children.

Welcome to the start of a new term. I hope you were able to enjoy the break with your family.

Wednesday, July 24th, six outstanding groups from our Year 5 cohort represented our school at the Kids in Space Showcase held at the Adelaide Convention Centre. These talented students were selected from among all our Year 5s, who had worked tirelessly on space-themed projects throughout Term 1 and 2.

Our young scientists competed against other schools, showcasing their innovative projects ranging from food delivery systems to International Space Station exercise, rubbish and wellbeing solutions! They had the chance to win various prizes while demonstrating their impressive knowledge and creativity.

The event was truly an out-of-this-world experience, filled with learning, inspiration, and fun. Our students shone as they presented their projects to visitors, impressing judges and spectators alike with their depth of knowledge and imaginative ideas.

Joel, Stephen, Harrison, and Flynn won the prestigious Peer Vote award for their Space Tray System and Bastian, Zara, Leo and Sofia received a special mention for their Button Wall Solution! 

We're incredibly proud of all our Year 5 students for their hard work, and we're thrilled with how well our six groups represented us at the showcase. Their enthusiasm and dedication were evident throughout the day, reflecting the effort put in by every Year 5 student during the project phase the last two terms.

Congratulations to our budding astronauts and space explorers on a job well done! The Kids in Space Showcase was a fantastic opportunity for our students to share their passion for science and space exploration with the wider community.

Friday 26^th of July, our intrepid 5MB class embarked on an extraordinary journey to the Red Planet without ever leaving Earth! The budding astronauts and scientists participated in the thrilling "Mission to Mars" program at Hamilton Secondary College, immersing themselves in a day filled with cosmic challenges and stellar learning experiences.

Donning real NASA spacesuits, our young explorers were thrust into a simulated Martian environment where teamwork and quick thinking were essential for survival. The students faced a series of complex problems that tested their problem-solving skills and ability to work together under pressure.

One of the highlights of the day was the critical communication exercise between the mission control room and the astronauts on the Martian crater. Students had to relay vital information clearly and concisely, mirroring the high-stakes communication that occurs in real space missions. This activity not only enhanced their communication skills but also emphasized the importance of clear instructions in potentially life-threatening situations.

Throughout the day, our 5MB astronauts encountered various scenarios designed to simulate potential catastrophic failures. From oxygen supply issues to equipment malfunctions, the students had to think on their feet and work collaboratively to find solutions. These challenges not only made the experience more exciting but also drove home the real dangers and complexities of space exploration.

The day wasn't all about avoiding disasters, though. Our young scientists also conducted a series of fascinating experiments designed to mimic the kind of research real astronauts might perform on Mars. These hands-on activities provided valuable insights into the scientific aspects of space missions and sparked curiosity about the possibilities of future Mars exploration.

By the end of the day, all of our 5MB astronauts had successfully "survived" their mission to Mars, returning to Earth (and the classroom) with a wealth of new knowledge, unforgettable experiences, and a renewed appreciation for the wonders of space exploration.

We're incredibly proud of how our students rose to each challenge, demonstrating remarkable teamwork, creativity, and resilience. This Mission to Mars experience has undoubtedly inspired some future NASA scientists and engineers among our ranks!

Corinne McKenzie

SA Police visited our school Tuesday 30/7/2024 to conduct crossing training for our Year 5 students. This training prepares them for the important role of managing our Emu Crossing, a responsibility shared by our Year 5 and 6 students throughout the year.

Emu Crossing monitors help ensure the safe movement of pedestrians and traffic near our school. They use flags, stop signs, and give directions to keep everyone safe. This role is for year 5/6 students aged 10 and above who complete the official SAPOL training.

Our school takes the safety of our crossing monitors seriously, providing supervision and necessary equipment like flags, stop signs, whistles, and high-visibility vests.

We're proud of our students taking on this responsibility and contributing to our school community's safety.