Dear Parents and Carer’s of St Kevin’s,

I have been down watching the students learn about and construct their robots at our Tuesday Robotic Club. They are now up to the stage of programming their robots to complete tasks such as making a swing move. It is fascinating to observe, and awesome to hear the conversations around how to problem solve and create an apparatus attached to their robot to complete the challenge. I thank Mr vaughan and Mrs Hogan for volunteering their time to provide this amazing learning opportunity for the students.

This week will see our netball teams prepare to engage in the Lakes Regional Netball Gala Day. Mrs Stokes has volunteered her time to assist with the coaching of these teams. I also thank Mrs Albury and Mrs Keating for giving up their lunch hour to train these teams.

Then we have our amazing P&F, reading helpers and canteen workers. All these activities are conducted by volunteers to ensure that the students of St Kevin’s have the best learning opportunities possible.

Volunteering is such an important part of our school. Volunteering models to our students that life is about not just about receiving, but it is also about giving back. Thank you to everyone who volunteers here at St Kevin’s - we wouldn’t be able to do the things we do without your help.

School uniform update and survey

As many of you are aware, we have experienced supply issues with our school uniform for the past 2-3 years. The P&F have been amazing as they sourced and followed up on uniform orders so that sufficient stock was available to purchase here at school. This has been purely done by the P&F as volunteers, giving up time before and after work, to ensure our students had the correct uniform.
The P&F are now sourcing a new supplier, but before we finalise contracts, we need to survey our parents as there are some changes. One example is that the girls winter tunic will be a different style, and the summer tunic has a small faux tie at the collar.
Sports uniform jacket may change slightly in style as well. This is due to the new supplier and what they can provide. Our previous supplier required us to now order large quantities of all items, and as a small school that was not financially viable or sustainable.
So now we come to a new phase of purchasing school uniforms - and the P&F will no longer be responsible for ordering, maintaining and running the uniform store here at school come 2024.
But first the survey! CSO Policy and guidelines states

Diocesan schools are committed to ensuring school uniform requirements will:
• be developed in consultation with the school community
• be consistent with health and safety considerations
• comply with anti-discrimination legislation
• consider affordability, functionality and durability of uniform items
• provide uniform options, including shorts and pants, in all uniform categories for all students, regardless of gender.
It is an expectation that all students will wear the correct uniform and are supported by their parents/carers to do so.

So with these considerations in mind the survey has been created to get your feedback as we modify slightly the regular uniform to meet the above guidelines. Your thoughts and responses are much appreciated. The survey will close on August 31.
The link can be found below.

Staffing updates

Mrs Denise Sinclair will be leaving us as a Learning Support Assistant to engage with her new career as a classroom teacher. Next time Mrs Sinclair is in your child’s class, she will be employed as a teacher! We thank Mrs Sinclair for all her work as an LSA and wish her all the best as she launches into the world of “Classroom Teacher”. 

Regards

Mary-Anne Jennings

Principal

 Just for laughs!

Superstan the Musical 

The pace is picking up as we draw closer to our first musical performance since 2019.  The pressure is on!  It is remarkable how much our COVID years continue to impact.  Several students in Years 5 & 6 regret that they didn’t have the opportunity to have a smaller role and understand what is required to adequately prepare for the performance, so that they can master a larger role.  Years 3 and 4 students have not been involved in a previous production and so are learning on the fly about what is involved in minor roles.  The children are learning simple things like how to sit quietly in the wings, so that they do not detract from their peer’s performances on stage.  We do need your help! Many students do not know their lines and when to say them.  Scripts were given out in March with an expectation that all students would know their lines by May.  We are now only 3 weeks away.  We have given all students until next Wednesday to go home and practice their lines with family.  Some students know their lines but don’t know when to say them.  Can you help please!  From next Wednesday students who don’t know their lines will have to practice with staff in lunch and recess breaks, we want to avoid this for the sake of both students and staff, so if you are able to rehearse with your child or ask siblings to assist, that would be phenomenal.

One of the joys of our profession is to watch students grow and shine.  You know how much your heart sings when you see your child do something they previously couldn’t master. Well, we get seriously invested in our children and watching them rise to the occasion with this performance is truly magical.  I cannot wait for you to see what the children have been able to do.  We have our IT people that are ensuring that the sound effects are played at just the right time – no mean feat.  We have our chorus ensemble who have been practicing all the songs and dances. Over the last couple of weeks we have used different students to stand out if front of all the other children to lead the way, to have others mirror their almost perfect movements.  We have solo artists, who are just nailing their songs and elicit a clap from all the children every time they sing.  Our principal characters have so many lines to learn and have grown into their roles and are bringing them to life.  The minor characters are intent on delivering their line with aplomb to get the laugh or audience reaction they deserve. Our props people are learning to negotiate the script, stage and the cast to get items into hands or on stage at the right time.  It really is epic, and as a staff we are enormously proud of how all of the students are combining to make this musical memorable.

Costuming Reminder

All costumes need to be at school in week 8 (that’s 2 weeks away) for our first full dress rehearsal. Several students have asked me what they are supposed to wear!  I have copied information distributed over the last several weeks for your attention.

Kindergarten – dress as a superhero 

Year 1 & Year 2 –  school sports’ shorts, white T-shirt, long /crew white socks & thongs, glasses 

Year 3 –  citizens :children dressed to go to a park 

Year 4 – citizens children dressed as shopkeepers , hospitality workers, tradies 

Year 5 /6 - citizens children dressed as professionals – doctors, lawyers, nurses, judges, teachers etc 

Faith Life, Catholic Identity and the Liturgical Season

Recently in the Liturgical Calendar, we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption. The Feast of the Assumption celebrates Mother Mary’s Assumption to Heaven both body and soul. For Catholics, this is one of the two decreed Holy Days of Obligation.

Holy Days of Obligation

Catholics in Australia observe two special days of Holy Obligation. As set out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a Holy Day of Obligation is a day of which the faithful should refrain from activities or work that hinders worship of God. Historically, this was also a time where Catholics observed an obligation to attend Mass.

Prior to the 2001 Australian Bishop Conference, there were 36 days of Holy Obligation. At this conference, it was decided and has remained to this point that the two days of Holy Obligation would be:

Christmas Day (The Nativity of Jesus Christ) and The Feast of the Assumption.

Religious Education

In my recent newsletter, I outlined the changes to the Year 2 and 3 curriculum documents that will be implemented in 2024. One of the core goals of the RE Curriculum in Maitland Newcastle Catholic Schools is to develop students’ capacity to integrate knowledge, understanding and skills in RE. Attached is an infographic outlining the purpose for enabling quality Religious Education.

Religious Literacy Test

September 4^th is a time where every Year 6 student in the diocese sits the Religious Literacy Test. It is a standardised assessment that collects data and assesses the Religious Literacy of students from Year 6. Students are assessed both in Multiple Choice Form and Short Written responses. The questions are typically set from the Stage 3 curriculum areas but require a developed understanding of concepts that have been taught since they entered Kindergarten. We wish our Year 6 cohort all the best as they undertake this test.

Sacramental Program 2023

Congratulations to our school Sacramental Candidates who were Confirmed on Tuesday 15^th August at St Philips Church by our newly installed Bishop Michael Kennedy. The sacramental program is a very important part of a student’s faith journey as a Catholic. We congratulate and continue to pray for the following St Kevin’s students:

• Amelia Stuart
• Erika Mullen
• Evelyn Bannister
• Lukas Suratos
• Blake Brown
• Rafael Ranches

We pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to fall upon the shoulders of these students as they continue to prepare for their next sacrament of First Eucharist.

School Led Parish Mass

Our next school led Parish Mass will coincide with the celebration of our Sacramental Candidates and their First Eucharist on Sunday 10^th September. We invite you to celebrate with us. Please let Mrs Arthur know if you can assist with a role in the School Mass before this date.

Amy Arthur

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

Book Parade

The Book Week Parade is tomorrow, Thursday 24 August, 9am under the COLA. We hope you have your costumes ready! This year's theme is Read, Grow, Inspire. All are welcome to come and watch the parade. 

Book Fair

The book fair will be open at 8.30am - 9am for those parents that want to come with their children prior to heading off to work. Children will also have the opportunity to visit the book fair with their parents after the parade finishes, until 11am.

Children received a catalogue and wish list last week. To avoid long processing cues, we would encourage you to prepay for your books using the QR code on the brochure. Books will then be ordered by the school and distributed after the book fair when they are delivered. Books can be purchased via credit card/eftpos or cash. If paying by cash, please try to have correct amounts or smaller denominations. The school has only received two copies of each book so most books will need to be ordered and will be delivered in the weeks following the book fair. Below is a list of all books and prices available. 

Father's Day Breakfast

We would like to welcome all father's and father figures to a share a  BBQ breakfast sausage sizzle with their children on Friday 1 September between 8am - 9am. There will also be a game of handball with the dads! Following breakfast will be our Father's Day Prayer Service in the hall.

P&F Father's Day Raffle

School Photos will be taken on Thursday 14 September from 9am. Please ensure that your child arrives to school on time. We would like all children to be in full academic winter uniform where possible. We understand that with the uniform shortages some children do not have a winter uniform. We would therefore ask that they wear their their academic uniform (summer shirts/pants accepted) no sports uniforms.

All photos need to be ordered via Newcastle School Portraits website www.newcastleschoolportraits.com using St Kevin's code of 311440 (see below).