Dear Parents and Carers of St Kevin’s, 

Welcome to 2024! This is the year where we will see and achieve so much more than before! We have big changes here this year with 6 new staff and new students. If you need to contact your child’s teacher, please use the relevant emails listed below. 

Kindergarten: Miss Brownlow ellie.brownlow@mmn.cathoilic.edu.au 

Year 1: Mrs Arthur and Miss Edwards amy.pantalone@mn.catholic.edu.au chelsea.edwards@mn.catholic.edu.au 

Year 2: Mrs Tonks cassie.king@mn.catholic.edu.au 

Year 3: Mr Vaughan martin.vaughan@mn.catholic.edu.au 

Year 4: Miss Wiseman layne.wiseman@mn.catholic.edu.au 

Year 5 : Miss McLean brittany.mclean@mn.catholic.edu.au 

Year 6: Mr Smith jeremy.smith1@mn.catholic.edu.au 

Mrs. Monkley  Teacher Librarian

Mr Taylor Aboriginal Education Teacher 

Mrs Warren Learning Support Teacher 

Mrs Corbett Finance Officer/School Secretary 

Mrs Watson, Mrs Brealey, Ms McInnes, Mrs Ballard support staff 

Mrs Arthur Religious Education Coordinator 

Mrs Hogan Principal Monday and Tuesday 

Mrs Jennings Principal Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 

Our administration email where office staff can be reached is admin@cardiff.catholic.edu.au 

We also welcome many new students and their families, across all grades K-6. 

We are sitting at 136 students here at St Kevin’s and will continue to nurture the minds, hearts and spirt of all students, following the light of Christ. Our 2 goals for 2024 are “Growing Minds” and “Positive Relationships”. You will hear your children talking about these goals and how they are achieving them across all aspects of their school day.  

So much more in 2024!!!  

Go gently and enjoy the weekend with your children. 

Mary-Anne Jennings 

Principal

Car Drop Off and Afternoon Pickup 

The safety of all students is paramount. Car lines both in the morning and in the afternoon are becoming unsafe areas. Please follow these guidelines to ensure the safety of all students and their families. 

1. Do not park in the nominated school zone from 8-9:30am or 2:30-4pm. Council rangers will patrol and fine anyone who parks their car in these zones for longer than the designated 2-minute time limit. 
2. Do not overtake cars when pulling out from the kerb after your children have left your vehicle. Wait for the car in front to move on. Andrew St is busy and has local traffic too. There have been many near misses of cars pulling out and nearly being hit by another car. 
3. Patience, patience, patience .... please be patient as you wait for the car in front to move so you can follow rather than pull out and around. 
4. Students must enter the car from the kerbside – again the council ranger can fine you if they enter from the roadside. 
5. Some students still require assistance putting on their seatbelts – particularly our younger ones. Patience, patience, patience. 
6. Please don’t park your car down the bottom on Andrew St and then leave it and walk up to the Church gate to collect your children. Please park on Main Rd or over in Charles St and use the lights to cross the busy road.  
7. Car lines in the afternoon can take up to 10 minutes for all students to be picked up. Please be patient and stay in your car and please think of our neighbours and don’t park over their driveways or block access in either Hendrick St or Andrew St. 
8. Be aware that in Newcastle St there are clearly signposted bus zones. Don’t be tempted to use these if collecting or dropping students off to OOSH. Again, fines have been issued to people who park in bus zones or too close to the bus zones. 

Mobile Phones 

It has been in the media the DET schools have banned mobile phones in schools. We have not banned them but ask that if your child requires a mobile phone then they must stay in their bag all day whilst at school. Your child is not to access this phone whilst at school. If you need to contact your child, please ring Mrs Corbett directly on 49540036 and messages will be relayed. Misuse of mobile phones at school will result in students having to give them to the office each day and then collect them again before going home.  

Uniforms 

Thank you to everyone for ensuring your children come to school wearing the correct uniform. We are transitioning to a new supplier and slightly different options, and this will take time, but that is ok. The only items that have not changed are hats, white joggers on a sport day and black polishable shoes with the regular uniform. Please, no brightly coloured joggers and no skate shoes. Notes will be sent home requesting wearing of the correct shoes if students are not wearing the correct footwear or hat. 

Hair 

If your child has long hair, please ensure it is neat and tidy and pulled back into a bun, plait or pony tail. 

Jewelry 

Only one set of pierced earings to be worn by students. Please wear studs or sleepers only. No decorative or hanging earrings as these become safety issues especially on the playground. 

Only 1 plain bangle to be worn. 

Smart watches are to be in school mode only – only to tell the time. 

Necklaces – only 1 simple chain. 

Welcome back to 2024! I find it hard to believe that we have already completed the first week of FEBRUARY. Sadly, I think it is an age thing – too many trips around the sun, my time reference is seriously skewed?. 

DIGITAL 

• On Monday, all students in Kindergarten – Year 3 will be receiving a paper copy of the IT user agreement.  Please take the time to discuss this with your child.  This discussion should be centred around ONLY using the device in the way the teacher has directed. 
• This week I have been busy setting up our BYOD devices for Year 4 and new students.  It seems that Windows S mode was in factory builds for 90% of these devices this year, complicating and delaying the process as taking them out of S mode requires parental permissions.  If your child is experiencing any problems please reach out. 
• Phones and Smart Watches!  As a parent I understand the reason why you might choose to buy your child, who travels to school on a bus or walks to school, their own a device.  I did the same, as my sons were riding their bikes to and from school and torrential rain (living in Cairns) or accidents were a concern.  However, at St Kevin’s only 6% of our students travel independently to school. As a staff, we have discussed this issue and have not been able to reason why your child should need to use a Smart Watch (cellular data) or phone during school time. We want to limit distractions to learning and possible cyber problems. Students who are being collected from school (parent pickup or car lines) should NOT bring a phone to school. All communications between parent and child between 9am and 3pm MUST come through the school office.   Children who use a phone or Smart Watch  on school grounds are breaking their IT user agreement and face the appropriate consequences.  Please have this discussion with your child. 

SPORT 

We had a fabulous day at the Swimming Carnival yesterday and are extremely grateful to our parent/grandparent helpers who helped the carnival run smoothly.  Again, Mr Vaughan prepared us for an efficient, fun, successful sporting event.  Thanks also to our staff who pitched in to help. 

I am unashamedly a Blue House fan!  Sadly, I need to report that the results are in and, it would seem, swimming is not a Blue house strength.   Gold house took the day with an overwhelming result. 

Gold House :  210 points 

Blue House :  116 points. 

Congratulations Gold House on a resounding victory.  

Kim Hogan

Assistant Principal

2024 School Fees billing has commenced and the CSO will email a fee statement to families at the beginning of March. 

It is the commitment of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle that no student will be denied a Catholic education due to financial hardship and that in consultation with the Principal and with supporting documentary evidence, fee adjustments can be applied. 

The Diocese also offers Health Care Card discounts. If this applies to you, please provide a copy of your Health Care Card (front and back) to the school office as soon as possible so that this discount can be applied. 

Please see below a letter from Steve Lemos, Head of Schools that was issued in November 2023 regarding 2024 Fees, levies and family discount.

Faith Life, Catholic Identity and the Liturgical Season

Welcome to 2024! The initial dates in the Liturgical season are very busy and so our Faith Life celebrations are already taking place in the first couple of weeks. Please note for your diaries the following:

Wednesday 14^th February 9:15am
Ash Wednesday Celebrations – Prayer Service – St Kevin’s Church

Thursday 15^th February 9:30am

Whole School Opening Mass – Welcoming Kindergarten 2024 and Commissioning of School Leaders – St Kevin’s Catholic Church

Friday 16^th February 2:15pm

Launch of Project Compassion – St Kevin’s Church. 

As we move into the Liturgical Season of Lent, from Sunday 18^th February, we are reminded of the mission of the Paschal People. This year’s theme for the Maitland Newcastle Catholic Schools is Follow Me! Supported by the mission of Jesus, Catholics are called to follow in his footsteps, creating disciples, sharing in spirit and good news. Students in Catholic Schools are invited into discipleship from very early ages, called to share in the great joy it is to be part of a Catholic Community. The teachers of the students, both parents and school staff support this in so many ways. Over Lent, I invite you to consider the ways in which our school community supports the mission to be Paschal People. Following Christ’s call to discipleship is something that looks different in many people, in many actions and in many circumstances.

School and Church sacred spaces will move to purple in the season of Lent and will remain this way until Holy Week begins.

Religious Education

As part of the roll-out for Pedagogy of Encounter, grades Kindergarten to Year 3 operate under the new Curriculum. I will share within this section the learning of these grades through student conferences on Learning Walks and Talks. Is there something you’d like to see in RE learning? Your feedback is most welcome.

Mini Vinnies

Mini Vinnies will run again this year led by Mrs Arthur and Miss Brownlow. We are excited to offer this to all students as part of their faith formation and in many ways faith leadership. Please keep an eye on Compass alerts for registration.

Mrs Amy Arthur

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

Kaayi (Hello – Awabakal)

Yaama Ngindaay (Hello everyone - Gamilaraay)

Nungamanladi (Hello - Bardi)

Te bandola nginak (Hello, how are you? – Yorta Yorta)

Welcome to the 2024 school year. This year we have 14 Aboriginal students at St Kevin’s, 10% of our total school enrolment.

I look forward to working with all parents, staff and students in the important area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education. This is a cross-curriculum priority in the Australian Curriculum which is designed for all students to engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures.

I’m at school every Wednesday and Thursday working in classrooms to help students and teachers. I assist our Aboriginal students with their learning and I also help teachers with their planning and teaching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. Throughout the year we acknowledge, commemorate or celebrate special days and weeks such as Harmony Day, NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week, Indigenous Literacy Day, Children’s Day, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday to name a few.

At St Kevin’s we have a very supportive community where we respect all cultures and celebrate diversity. I look forward to working with our staff, students and families again this year. Please contact me at school if you would like any assistance.

Anniversary of the National Apology to Stolen Generations Survivors – 13 February

13 February marks the anniversary of the National Apology to Stolen Generations Survivors in 2008. It is important to acknowledge this anniversary each year as Australians continue working towards reconciliation with our First Nations peoples. Some of our Aboriginal families at St Kevin’s have been impacted by past government policies of forced removal.

Here is a statement from the Healing Foundation about the anniversary of the National Apology:

February 13 each year marks the anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations, who suffered trauma because of past government policies of forced child removal.

Many of these removals occurred as the result of laws and policies aimed at assimilating the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population into the predominately white community.

Stolen Generations survivors are some of Australia’s most vulnerable people and many have kept their stories and experiences secret for many years, even decades.

Through hearing the resilient stories of Stolen Generations survivors there is now a willingness for Australians to join in on the healing journey. To be part of solutions into the future. This is the spirit of the anniversary.

We commemorate the apology to keep the spirit of its words and their meaning alive. The commemoration is a very real part of the healing journey. One that encourages us to keep looking for new ways to work together for genuine change in the lives of our survivors and their descendants.

(Fiona Petersen CEO, The Healing Foundation,)

…………………………………………………………………..

And here is a short video about the Stolen Generations and The Apology from the ABC Program for school students -BTN (Behind the News)

St Kevin’s Catholic Primary School acknowledges the land upon which we work as traditional Awabakal Country. We pay our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

Nginowa (Goodbye, see you later – in Awabakal)

Yaluu (Goodbye, see you later – in Gamilaraay)

Phil Taylor

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Teacher

A fun year ahead at St Kevin’s Primary School Library!

Welcome to a new school year in St Kevin’s Primary School Library. Lots of reading adventures are on the horizon, with the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) commencing at the end of February and the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Notables List being released at the end of the month.  The CBCA has already announced its theme for Book Week 2024: ‘Reading is Magic’ (and we agree!).

The school library is open Tuesday and Wednesday during school hours. A versatile hub for students during break times, the space often also transforms into a classroom space to enrich student learning. As we recommence regular library book borrowing on Thursdays, please ensure your child has a labelled library bag to keep their favourite stories safe and dry.

Mrs Anita Monkley

Teacher Librarian

Uniform Shop Update

The uniform shop operates on Fridays only between 8.30am - 9.30am. 

Uniforms can be ordered online via QKR during the week. Any orders placed prior to 9am on the Friday morning, will be filled by our volunteers and sent home that day with your child. Orders made after this time, will be issued the following Friday. 

P & F Meeting

P&F Meeting - the first for 2024!

When: Wednesday 14^th February

Time: 6pm

Where: School staff room or resource room

Agenda

• P&F Federation representative Lizzie Watkins will be available to discuss the new FACE (Family and Community Engagement) which will replace P&F/PEG model.
• Reports: Principle, Treasurer, Canteen and Uniform 
• Fundraising for 2024
• Requests from Parent Community

At next week’s P&F meeting, you will be asked to provide feedback regarding schools’ family engagement forums (including P&F Associations).

Your feedback will inform the development of the FACE (Family and Community Engagement) model currently being developed by the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and comes on the back of the 2023 announcement that all P&F Associations will cease operations on 31 December 2025. Leading the discussion will be the Federation of P & F Associations President, Fiona Provost and the Catholic Schools’ Family Engagement Officer, Lizzie Watkin.

Our school has a thriving P&F and so it would be wonderful to have as many parents and carers in attendance as possible, to ensure our views are well represented and can hopefully influence how family engagement can be maximised across all schools.

All are welcome and we would love to see you there! If unable to attend please send through any agenda items or ideas you would like raised to stkevinspandf@outlook.com

Donation Thank you!

Congratulations to the Winners of the Christmas Raffle.

1. Beach Pack (valued $100) - Anna Battaglini
2. Grow Active voucher (valued $50) - Lucas Veneziano
3. Tupperware pack (valued $150) - Natasha Rawle
4. Cardiff Meats Voucher (valued $50)- Natasha Rawle
5. Hot tackle pack (valued $200) - Jessica Pritchard
6. Door 34 voucher (valued $50) - Gemma Ryan
7. Beauty Plus on Main voucher  (valued $115)- Kirrily Corbett
8. Amethyst Bottle (valued $70) - Josh Howgate
9. Only Pure Hamper (valued $150)- Josh Howgate
10. BWS voucher (valued $50)- Lucas Veneziano
11. Bunnings Voucher (valued $50)- Helena Goczol
12. Lucky Dip (valued $50) - Brodie Nies

Volunteers for Canteen

We are desperately seeking moew volunteers for our school canteen. If you are able to assist one day per term or one day per week, all volunteers are welcome. To be eligible to volunteer, you must register online via the following link:

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Volunteers

As part of this process, you will be required to undertake a Police Check and will receive an email from a company called VerifyNow. Please make sure this part is completed too!

New food handling regulations and guidelines for all school canteens come into play from December 8 2023. As a result all volunteers who work in our canteen are now mandated to complete a basic food handling course which the school must have an electronic copy of on their school files. This is a NSW State Government requirement, and our canteen will not be permitted to operate if volunteers are not trained. We ask that all volunteers complete this training by the end of January 2024 and email their certificate to  admin@cardiff.catholic.edu.au .Your cooperation and understanding in this matter is very much appreciated. The training is free and takes approximately 1 hour to complete.

This is the link Food Handler Basics training | NSW Food Authority

Good afternoon everyone,

Please find below the parish bulletin for this Sunday.

We've also attached information flyers for a Conversation with Monsignor Tomas Halik and the Sisters of Faith Dinner.

God bless!

Parish Team

ALL SAINTS PARISH BLACKBUTT SOUTH