Dear Parents and Friends of St Kevin’s,

As we approach the end of another remarkable school year, I take a moment to reflect on the journey we've travelled together. The 2023 academic year has been filled with significant achievements and memorable milestones, and I am incredibly proud of what we've accomplished as a school community.

Academic Excellence: Our students have exhibited exceptional dedication to their studies, showcasing impressive academic achievements across various subjects. From outstanding performances in standardized tests to innovative projects that demonstrate critical thinking skills, our students continue to inspire us with their thirst for knowledge and commitment to excellence.

Extracurricular Triumphs: Our school has seen remarkable success beyond the classroom. Whether it's on the sports field, in the arts, or through community service initiatives, our students have shone brightly, embodying the spirit of well-roundedness and contributing to the vibrant tapestry of our school community.

Cultivating Resilience: This year has presented its challenges, but it is in overcoming these obstacles that we have witnessed the true resilience of our students. Their ability to adapt, persevere, and maintain a positive attitude in the face of adversity is a testament to their character and the supportive environment we've fostered together.

Building Meaningful Relationships: A cornerstone of our success lies in the relationships we've built. The strong bond between students, teachers, staff, and parents has created a nurturing and positive atmosphere within our school. These relationships are the foundation upon which our achievements stand, and I am grateful for the collaborative spirit that defines our community.

Expressing Gratitude: I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our students for their hard work and enthusiasm, our dedicated staff for their unwavering commitment to education, and our supportive parents for entrusting us with the privilege of shaping their children's futures. Together, we have created an environment where every individual can thrive and succeed.

As we approach the final weeks of the school year, let us continue to celebrate these achievements and foster the spirit of unity that defines our community. I am confident that the lessons learned, friendships formed, and accomplishments achieved will resonate with our students for years to come.

Thank you for being an integral part of the St Kevin’s family. Here's to a strong finish and a well-deserved break ahead!

Warm regards,

Principal

This message was brought to you courtesy of ChatGPT!!!!

Upcoming events:

November

Friday 17th -Prayer Service and Assembly 2.15pm in the church

Monday 20^th – Year 3 to 6 sport incursion with Motiv8

Tuesday 21^st – Children's University Graduation 4pm

Wednesday 23^rd – Year 1 and 2 Oz Tag Competition at Swansea

Friday 24^th – Kinder 2024 Transition morning 9-10am

Monday 27^th – 2 weeks of intensive swimming starts for K-6.

December

Wednesday 6^th – Year 6 orientation day St Paul’s

Friday 8^th – P&F Disco

Friday 8^th – Last day for financial transactions etc through school office.

Sunday 10^th – Year 6 Graduation Mass 9:30am with cake to follow

Monday 11^th – 2024 Captains speeches school hall 9am and Christmas Clothing Day for St Vinnie's Christmas appeal.

Tuesday 12^th – Infants Nativity at 2pm, Choir performance, P&F Christmas bake stall

Wednesday 13^th – End of Year Liturgy and Awards Ceremony from 1pm and guitar group performance 12:30pm

Thursday 14^th – P&F dinner 6pm at Cardiff Bowling Club

Friday 15^th – Last day for students. Year 6 luncheon and clap out 2:45pm

Now from the real Mrs Jennings!

Yes so, this week I thought I’d ask ChatGPT to create the newsletter. I asked it to regenerate 3 times in order to provide a more improved version. It is interesting to read in regard to style and how it can make general statements into something that appears more personal. Technology is great and we are always learning how to work with the new software, platforms and programmes, to ensure we are up to date and abreast of current trends and developments. I look forward to becoming more au fait with this platform in 2024.

Congratulations to our Year 5 students who are working with the ASPIRE programme. We have 5 very talented students who are engaging in this opportunity to enrich and develop and showcase their talents in Creative and Dramatic Arts.

Tessa, Elliana and Zara are part of the ASPIRE Young Scriptwriters Program. Tessa, Elliana and Zara have been working on their scripts and they will be performed this coming Thursday 16 November 2023 at the Warners Bay Theatre in Warners Bay.  Good luck girls!!!

Ziva and Matilda have been selected to perform in the 2024 ASPIRE production. Ziva for drama and Matilda for dancing. Congratulations girls.

For such a small school, we really do bat above our weight, and achieve great results. Our academic results also reflect this success in both NAPLAN and PAT assessments. This doesn’t just happen – it's  a team effort involving students, parents and staff, all working together to achieve the very best results. Well done team, and in the words of the immortal Jack Gibson …...” You played strong, done good!”  

One area of improvement that I have noticed that does need to be addressed as we approach the end of the year is around relationships. The students are tired and have worked hard all year, and they may now be engaged in end-of-year Christmas parties and extra curricula activities, but they must continue to follow the 3 school rules.

1. Be safe
2. Be a Learner
3. Be Respectful

It is the “Being Respectful’ rule that the students struggle with at present. In all grades we are hearing of incidents around name calling, teasing, excluding form games, changing rules when playing games, not listening to teachers, not putting sports or play equipment away, dropping rubbish on the playground. None of these are situations that result in suspension from school, but they do result in unhappy students, tears and time off the playground.

We as teachers know the students are tired – they've worked hard. We acknowledge that the end of the year is near, and they are excited for holidays and Christmas celebrations. We realise this is also a busy social time at weekends. However, these are all excuses which explain the tiredness, but they don’t justify the poor behaviour and lack of respect being demonstrated to peers and teachers. In class we will focus on how to have positive relationships with peers and teachers and what that looks like. We will re-visit the concept of “Words Matter” and explicitly teach the students that what they say impacts on others. We ask that as parents you also reinforce the need for good manners, kind words and respectful language. Together we can ensure our children will always know what is expected of them around respecting others at home or school or in the wider community.  

In my Learning Walks and Talks today I chatted to the students about writing. We had a Christmas provocation that all students viewed before engaging in the task of writing a narrative/imaginative text.

Year 1 could identify why we might need to learn how to write an imaginative text, because we might grow up to become an author just like JK Rowling.

Year 4 students could identify and reflect on their writing skills, by identifying their ability to implement similes and metaphors, and the importance of correct sentence structure. They also identified the need for correct spelling, punctuation and handwriting.

Year 5 students were able to articulate the importance of feedback and where to go for help and how to improve their writing skills.

Well done everyone. When students own their learning, take responsibility for their learning and actively engage in all lessons, wonderful outcomes are achieved and celebrated.

Have a great weekend – is it time to put up the Christmas tree yet?

Mary-Anne Jennings

Principal

Staffing 2024

We are still advertising and interviewing teachers for 2024. We hope to have this all finalized by the end of week 9.  Class teacher allocations will be announced when Semester 2 reports are released Monday Week 10.

SchoolTV Term 4

Raising confident and happy children in a modern world can be hard work! Often one of the biggest challenges can be sourcing relevant and reliable information that you can draw on to support their wellbeing.  

As such, St Kevin’s has recently added an award-winning resource to our school website. The resource, SchoolTV, includes evidenced-based information and practical strategies to build parent, carer and educator knowledge and confidence across a range of mental health and wellbeing topics. 

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle supported St Kevin’s to add SchoolTV to our website in response to feedback received from parents and carers who said they are seeking greater support in understanding the challenges their children are experiencing, as well as practical strategies for ways they can assist them.  

School TV can be accessed via our website under the Parents as Partners tab or by following the link below.

There is a Special Report regarding Respectful Language which may be beneficial in supporting our "Be Respectful" school rule, and a great article about Helping Kids Cope with Cliques.

It seems like we are hurtling towards the end of the school year and Christmas BUT there are still many events on the school calendar.  Please keep a close eye on Compass and the newsletter about the various events (noted above in the Principal’s news).

Next week we have two events.  On Monday, Primary students are involved in a fun Motiv8 sports day here at school.  See the Compass post from last week regarding this event.  Additionally, selected Year 1 students and all of Year 2 students are heading to Swansea to participate in a League Tag Gala Day.  Students are required to be at school no later than 8am.  Please see the Compass Event for more details.

In 2 weeks we commence our Intensive Swimming Program. Just a reminder regarding our Intensive Swimming Program.  All students are expected to attend. Those who have not consented online had a paper consent form sent home yesterday which must be returned to school ASAP.  Infant students will leave the school at 9:30 am for a commencement time in the pool at 10am.  Infants will return at approximately 12noon for afternoon lessons.  Primary student will leave the school at 11am for a commencement time in the pool at 11:30am.  Primary students will return to school by approximately 1pm for afternoon lessons.  Students' swimming competence will be assessed by accredited instructors in our first session.

Your child’s swim bag should include

• Swim shirt – rash shirt is ideal.
• Swim goggles (optional)
• Underwear
• Towel
• Water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Thongs for wearing around the pool and in the change rooms
• Brush or comb

All items (including students’ shoes and school clothes) should be LABELLED.

God Bless

Dear Families,

As we approach the end of the school year, I wish to thank you for your ongoing commitment to the Faith Life of St Kevin’s. Fortnightly, I see many families front up to liturgies to support their child’s expression of faith in community prayer services. Many of you have attended Feast celebrations to support our school Catholic Culture. Often this is irrespective of whether your child has a part or if their class is leading it. The success of authentic Catholic Education is outlined in Church documents as being principled by mutual cooperation and your ongoing commitment to this does not go unnoticed.

I have a couple more dates to add to your calendar, of which I will issue a few reminders in the lead up:

Sunday 10^th December 2023 at 9:30am -Year 6 Graduation Mass: Please join our St Kevin’s School Community for the final School Led mass of 2023 as we send off our Year 6 Students. Graduation Mass will be held at St Kevin's Catholic Church. I would love some helpers for the Ministries including the offertory and bulletins, as well as some other roles.

Monday 11^th December 2023 – Christmas Clothing Day for St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal.

Tuesday 12^th December 2023 at 2pm – Infants Nativity Play

Wednesday 13^th December from 1pm – End of Year Liturgy and Awards Ceremony

Nativity and End of Year Liturgy to be held in the hall. All welcome for our final week of celebrations – it truly is a spectacular time to be a teacher during these festivities!

Social Justice News:

A Compass notification was issued last week explaining that we have commenced donations for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. We are working with local community businesses and your donations to give families the luxuries we are so privileged to have at Christmas. So far, Blackbutt Butchers have been ever so generous to donate 2x $25 vouchers to our Christmas Appeal. Are there any other food businesses or butchers that would be able to do something similar? Please let us know!

Religious Education

Year 3 are enjoying their experiences through piloting the Year 3 Module of the Pedagogy of Encounter. I will be going into the classroom over the next week to do a Learning Walk and Talk and ask students the five questions for learning:

1. What are you learning?
2. How are you doing?
3. How do you know?
4. How can you improve?
5. Where do you go for help?

With student permission, I will record some of their responses and share them with you in the next newsletter.

The Liturgical Season

As we reach the final weeks of the Church Year, we move from Year A into Year B. Unlike a calendar year, the Church year moves into a new liturgical year on the First Sunday of Advent.

In Year A, we read from the Gospel of Matthew. Year B at the Lectionary is read from the Gospel of Mark and some of John, chapter 6.

From the First Sunday of Advent (Sunday 3^rd December) our sacred spaces will move into purple to mark the period of Advent.

The season of Advent marks one of great Christian importance, one of preparation, one of hope. Catholics around the world mark this season with great patience and diligence. I invite you and your families to reflect upon this important season for Catholic Education.

Even though patience in the Christmas period may be as rare as hens’ teeth for anyone raising overtired, extra-curricular loaded children under a certain age, I challenge you all to find something worth preparing for and invite it into your life.

May the blessings of the upcoming Advent Season be with you and your families.

Amy Arthur

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

2023 School Fees

Thank you to all of those families who have finalised their fees and have been making regular contributions throughout the year. Your commitment is very appreciated! 

All 2023 School fees are due by 30 November 2023, unless you have contacted the Principal and have made an alternative payment arrangement.

If you are yet to finalise your fees, please make arrangements to do so by the due date. Any families experiencing genuine financial hardship, are encouraged to contact the school on 4954 0036 to meet with the Principal to discuss how we can support you. 

2024 School Fees

2024 fee information from Steve Lemos, Head of Schools was published to all families via Compass this week. Please see the information below if you missed this.

Stationery Requirements 2024

St Kevin's have been working with Stuart & Dunn to have your 2024 Back to School stationery items, required for the start of 2024, to be available to purchase online. These book packs are available to order now via the link below.

Simply select the year your child will be in in 2024 to see the stationery requirements. Any orders placed before Monday 4 December 2023, will be delivered to school on 7 December 2023 and sent home with your child in the last week. If you miss this cut off date, orders can continue to be placed until the 24 January 2024 and will be delivered to the school on 30 January 2024. Once the book packs are sent home, please LABEL ALL ITEMS ready for your child to bring with them on their first day of school in 2024.
Instructions regarding ordering is attached. 
Ordering via Stuart and Dunn is optional. Attached is the list of School Requirements for each year in 2024 should you wish to purchase these elsewhere.