Dear Parents and Friends of St Kevin's,

This week has been very exciting for everyone watching the excavator at work, preparing the ground for our new administration building. We have waited a long time for this work to commence and we are all engaged in daily “Oohs and aahs” as the skilled construction workers display their understandings of physics and mathematics in practical ways. These are great learning opportunities for all our students.

Learning is such an important aspect of our everyday lives. We learn about how to be friends and how to engage in a variety of social situations appropriately, how to master the art and science of reading and mathematics. We learn about the love of our God and how that love is found in our families and friends. Learning is a lifelong journey and one that is always rewarding and fun.

Have a great week of learning with and from your beautiful children.

Mary-Anne Jennings

Principal

Upcoming School Events

We have a lot of fun activities planned for the final 2 weeks of this term. Get ready and enjoy the ride! Dates and activities below.

1. School X-country -Thursday March 27
2. Out of Uniform day – bring donations of Easter Eggs for our raffle – Friday March 28
3. School Led Parish Mass - Sunday 30 March 9.30am - 10.30am
4. Open afternoon Kindergarten 2026 enrolments – Monday March 31st 1:45pm
5. ANZAC Combined Schools Service – Years 5 & 6- Tuesday April 1^st
6. Soccer Gala Day – Years 3-6 Wednesday April 2
7. Visit St Paul’s High School – Years 4,5,6 – Friday April 4
8. Palm Sunday Liturgy – K,1,2- 2:15pm Monday April 7
9. Easter Hat Parade – Tuesday April 8 - 9am
10. Easter Egg raffle – Tuesday April 8- 2:15pm
11. Holy Week prayer services – April 9
12. Athletics Carnival at Macquarie Hills Little Athletics Field – Thursday April 10
13. Pupil Free Day – April 11

Facebook Posts

We are aware that many classes have a parent Facebook Page. These are great to answer questions about birthday parties, out of uniform days, upcoming calendar events for school. However as parents, you signed an agreement to follow the Diocesan School Comunity Code of Conduct. This code of conduct states "Respect themselves and other members of the school community both personally and through the use of all social media technologies at all times."

The whole document is attached for you to read. When posting on a class Facebook page, please ensure no students are named and that comments are only positive and are not aggressive or defammatory in nature. Agreesive, disrespectful language or naming individuals in a negative manner is breaking this code of conduct. 

P&F update from Diocese 

Our school communities are strengthened when staff, parents and carers work in partnership to support the learning, wellbeing and formation of our students. 

All schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle will operate a family engagement forum (whether that be FACE Forum or a P&F or PEG for the remainder of 2025). An important aspect of this family engagement forum is the Federation Representative. These representatives are members of the parent community. Ideally each school should have 2 Federation Representatives.  

We are calling for parents to nominate as Federation Representatives as per the letter below. These representatives will be elected at the next P&F meeting here at St Kevin’s on Wednesday April 9 at 6pm.

It has been a busy term, but like life, we always seem to be busy. I am writing this from the Senior Leader’s Retreat in Kincumber. This is Phase Three of our journey, and I have cherished the opportunity for introspection and deep reflection. Whilst the quiet, reflective part of the retreat has been important, equally significant has been the community sharing and the chance to make faith and spiritual connections with my colleagues.

Today, we have the Cross Country event, and I extend a huge thanks to the staff, ably led by Mr. Jeremy Smith. Will Blue House snatch a victory? There’s a lot happening in the last couple of weeks, including an excursion for Stage 3 next week and a soccer gala day for Stages 2 and 3. Together with Mr. Smith and Mr. Vaughan, I am focusing on our upcoming Athletics Carnival to finish out the term.

Listening to your feedback from our 2024 Athletics Carnival, we have included a BBQ and more races and activities for the Infants. Thanks to Mrs. Kira Rook, the BBQ is well in hand as she has organized the local Lions Club to bring their BBQ trailer, cook, and serve. Thank you! This way, we lessen the burden on our parent volunteers and ensure compliance with current NSW Food Handling requirements. However, as we have a small staff, we rely on the willingness of our parents and grandparents to make this day a success. With the increased number of events, we require significantly more volunteers for timing, measuring, distributing ribbons, and assisting with various Infant games. Are you able to help?

Please go to this form to indicate how you are able to assist. Click here

God Bless

Kim Hogan

Co-Principal / Assistant Principal

All families should have received 2025 school fee statements.

The Catholic Schools stipulate that regular fee repayments must commence by the end of this month, Monday 31st March 2025. If you have not commenced these regular repayments, it would be appreciated if you could please organise this as soon as possible. Those families who have elected to make payments "annually" are required to have their fees paid in full by the end of the financial year, 30 June 2025. All other fees are due by the 30 November 2025. If you need assistance working out payment amounts, please contact Kirrily Corbett in the school office. 

Any family experiencing genuine financial hardship are encouraged to contact the school on 4954 0036 to arrange a confidential meeting with the Principal to discuss an alternative payment arrangement. If you have agreed to a payment arrangement, it is expected that you uphold this agreement. Your account will be considered in arrears if you fail to uphold the agreement.

The Catholic Schools offer Tuition fee discounts for families that have Health Care Cards or Pension Cards. Please reach out to the school if this applies to you. 

Thank you to all families who have already commenced payments. 

Sacramental Program

This year we have 11 students participating in the sacramental program and tonight the children will participate in Reconciliation at St Philip’s Parish, Kotara. The children participating are; Violet A, Ella B, Amia C, Essie H, George H, Alistair H, Noah R, Noah S, Charlotte S, Evie U and Joseph Z. Please keep them in your prayers as they work through this with their families by praying this prayer;

A Prayer for our Reconciliation Candidates

Loving God

help us to teach our children that you love us totally and unconditionally.

Help us to encourage our children to grow in love and to learn how to say sorry,

knowing that you always forgive.

Give us the courage to pray with our children and to share our faith with them as we journey together.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Easter Celebrations

As we come to celebrate an important season in the Church’s year, Easter, we will be acknowledging Holy week in Week 11 in the church. On Monday 7 April, Infants will be leading us in our Palm Sunday celebration, on Wednesday 9 April each class will have the opportunity to experience the Stations of the Cross around the church then in the afternoon Year 6 will present Jesus’ final days with a Holy Week observance. Students will be in the church while Year 6 reverently reenact this special time. Families are warmly invited to attend this celebration in St Kevin’s Church at 2:30pm. Please note this is not a performance, it a form of prayer and worship so we ask you to refrain from applauding, you can acknowledge the students when you leave the church. At the end of the Holy Week observance everyone in the church will leave in silence after the Year 6 students, leaving Jesus to lie there.

Kaayi (Hello – Awabakal)

Yaama Ngindaay (Hello everyone - Gamilaraay)

Nungamanladi (Hello - Bardi)

The Caritas Reflection in last Sunday’s Church Bulletin presents an image of Jesus as a man of nature. Certainly in His time and place the people were dependent on the land, lakes, rivers and seas for their livelihoods and knew how to farm, fish and hunt sustainably, ensuring that there was enough food for today and for the future. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructs us to ask God to provide for the needs we have today…‘give us this day our daily bread’.

CARITAS REFLECTION (excerpt)

Sometimes you hear Indigenous people refer to Jesus as a ‘person of Country’ What might this mean?

It is hard to imagine the Gospels without the connection of Jesus to the sea, the river, the desert, the fields and the mountain. His teaching often featured seeds and birds and sheep and corn. In today’s Gospel we hear the parable of the fig tree. The impatient person wants to cut it down. A wiser person is prepared to work with nature by putting manure on the tree and looking after it. This is a story of growth. God is creative. God is patient with us. God gives us another chance. He journeys with us on our pilgrimage of hope.

With this in mind, next term we will commemorate National Reconciliation Week with the theme of "Bridging Now to Next," encouraging Australians to learn from the past and work towards a more united and respectful nation and celebrate NAIDOC Week with the theme of "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," celebrating First Nations cultures, achievements, and the bright future ahead.

 

School Holiday Workshops 

Wandiyali will be hosting a range of deadly school holiday workshops on Awabakal and Worimi country, during the April school holidays. 

I have included the workshop flyers but get in quick! Spots are filling up.

Waniyali_CULTURE_TEAMapril20251.pdf

Waniyali_CULTURE_TEAMapril20251 _pdf 16.87 MB

Nginowa (Goodbye, see you later – in Awabakal)

Yaluu (Later – in Gamilaraay)

Phil Taylor

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Teacher

School attendance plays a critical role in enhancing the lives of students in schools. Every day of attendance adds to a student's academic and social achievements at school, and conversely every absence, can impact learning and progress. This is true for whole day absences and partial-day absences i.e. arriving late or signing out early. Each week, letters are sent home for unexplained absences. If your child brings one of these home, please return it as soon as possible. Absences can only be "explained" within 7 days of the absence occuring, explanations received after this time are classes as "unjustified" and this becomes permanent on their school record.

On Sunday my family and I did a big walk for Dementia Australia.  This is our 6^th year of raising money for this charity. We do this because of my Grandma and Poppy Hammo. Our team is called Dementia Adventure for Deb. This year I was team captain. We raised a total of $3296. It was the second highest amount in the hunter. I got to go on stage and I’m now a Platinum Dementia Warrior. I like doing this every year because it is really fun to walk the 8km and it feels good to help charity.

Fun fact. This was our 6th time doing the walk. Our family has raised well over $15000 all up. 

Leo and I have always participated. Leo was doing it before he could even walk.   Many people don’t know this but dementia is the 2nd biggest killer in Australia. Sadly in the past 5 months our family has lost both my grandmother and pop, so this year was extra close to our hearts. Leo and I have been on the radio, TV and in the newspaper over the years helping to raise funds and awareness. We are keen to be Dementia Warriors and our Mum and Dad are extremely proud of us. 

We have had other St Kevin’s families get involved and join our team. Issy and Addy have walked with us as well as Sadie and Thea’s mum. 

Maybe you could join us next year!

Hudson

Year 3

Good afternoon everyone,

Please find attached the parish bulletin for this Sunday, along with lots of information flyers for upcoming events.

Also just a reminder to you all that we have sign-up sheets in the churches for those interested to put your name down to help with Easter ministries during Holy Week.

Wishing you all a safe and dry weekend.

God bless!

Parish Team 

ALL SAINTS PARISH BLACKBUTT SOUTH

Parents and carers are the most important educators in their child’s life. As well as partnering directly with our school to support your child’s learning and wellbeing, there are a range of webinars and information sessions provided each month by reputable providers specifically for parents and carers- free of charge. To view a list of upcoming webinars and information sessions that may be of interest to you, click the link below at any time. The list will be updated weekly throughout the school term, so be sure to check the page regularly.

www.mn.catholic.edu.au/our-community/supporting-parents-and-carers/upcoming-parent-and-carer-information-sessions/

Another useful resource for parents and carers to access timely information on a range of topics including cyber safety, mental health, positive parenting, school survival, diversity and inclusion and healthy bodies is via School TV. Our school invested in this online platform so that our parents and carers can conveniently access reliable information from credible sources all in one place - when you need it most - not just at a specified webinar time.  It includes videos, fact sheets and podcasts all delivered by leading psychologists and experts. To access our school’s SchoolTV site visit

Vinnies Hunter is currently on the lookout for Community Leaders to join the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on 19 June 2025. As the need for support rises right across the region, we are asking leaders, no matter their title, to join us to raise much needed funds to support our services, such as the Matthew Talbot Homeless Service and the Newcastle Vinnies Van.