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

These fortnightly newsletters are primary source of information for our school community. We as a staff and parent body (P&F) try very hard to ensure that all information for upcoming events is available in the newsletters. Please read all information and note on your home calendar dates etc, to assist with the crazy, busy lives we all find ourselves now living.

St Kevin's now has a Pastoral Care Worker – Mr Christian Moulder. Christian will be working in the classrooms and with students to support their well-being and implement initiatives to address any needs that arise. This initiative will further support our 2024 goals of “Positive Relationships” and ‘Growing Minds". We all look forward to working with Mr Moulder and welcome him to our amazing school community.

School assemblies for Term 1 are on odd weeks –3,5,7,9,11

School assemblies in Term 2 are on even weeks – 2,4,6,8,10

Liturgies/Prayer services will be held with some of these assemblies. Please keep an eye out if your child brings home a reading to practice at one of these prayer services, as your help in ensuring they know what they are reading is very helpful.

Enrolments for 2025 open on March 1. There is a new enrolment policy that will be implemented from 2025. Please contact us here at St Kevin’s for Kindergarten 2025 enrolments, or St Paul’s Booragul for Year 7 enrolments if you are hoping for your child to attend either school in 2025.

Upcoming dates for your diary:

February

27^th – Diocesan Swimming Carnival

March

1^st – 2025 enrolments open

5^th- Bishop Michael visiting St Kevin’s

8^th- Out of uniform day – bring Easter Eggs to donate for our Easter Egg raffle

         Diocesan Cricket trials

12^th & 19^th – Personalised Planning Days with Mrs Warren.

13^th – NAPLAN week

21st – Harmony Day. Wear an orange t-shirt that day.

18^th – NAPLAN Week finalisation for students absent for tests.

25^th – Holy Week Liturgy – K,1,2 lead us in prayer for Palm Sunday Liturgy

27^th – Easter Hat parade and easter raffle drawn.

28^th – Holy Thursday Liturgy

Easter holidays March 29 –April 1

April – 2^nd students return after Easter holidays.

April 3 – Student led conferences with parents 3:30pm – 6pm

April 12 – End of Term 1.

Have a great weekend with your amazing children!

Mary-Anne Jennings

Principal

Last week, the students engaged with a writing provocation.  Teachers had staged the remnants of a party, with an invitation left on the gate, music, streamers, balloons, tipped over bins and sports’ equipment.  Teachers took students to the provocation and asked wondering questions “ I wonder what happened here?”  “I wonder who came?” etc. Late last week and early this week, Infant and Primary teachers met to discuss the process of writing and to mark student work irrespective of classes.  At St Kevin’s, we mark against the National Literacy Writing Progressions.  Teachers have used these benchmarks to understand where the children are at, and to plan writing lessons.    

Formerly, we used static images to stimulate children’s writing. At times this was not particularly invigorating for students. Some of our older students are onto us and have worked out the purpose of the scenes that we are constructing.  We are going to reach out to our older students and see if they would like to help create a scene.  But why stop there! We would love to engage you in the children’s learning.  We know that the greater the pool, the greater the possibilities.  We would like to offer you the opportunity to create a writing provocation.  So far, we have had an “out of school hours party” and “a fire originating in the electrical panel”.  Are you interested?  Is this something you and your children want to take on?   If you are keen please let me know.  Our next writing provocation needs to be in place Tuesday 2nd April.  kim.hogan@mn.catholic.edu.au 

How creative are you!!! 

God Bless  

Kim Hogan

Acting Principal/Assistant Principal

Faith Life, Catholic Identity and the Liturgical Season

Last Sunday’s Gospel reading described not only Jesus’s entry into the Wilderness, but true encounter with God. It’s always interesting to share in and listen to students understanding of when they have encountered God. For my children, especially my youngest, his encounter of God or the divine comes in a dream or when he is playing with his favourite toy. For my eldest, it’s often a fleeting moment in nature, when someone – namely a friend or teacher – brought joy to her day. For adults, the idea of true encounter are culmination of times that are personal. Over the Lenten Season, I invite you to ask your child when they encountered God in their day, or take time to consider this yourself.

Last week, we launched Project Compassion, led by student Leaders at the launch day at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. On Shrove Tuesday, Mr Vaughan, Mrs Hogan and myself cooked pancakes for the students. Earlier in the day, students had an opportunity to learn about Shrove Tuesday, understanding the rituals of using up the “treat foods” so they didn’t go to waste over the 6-week Lenten period.  

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

School Fees for 2024 can now be viewed on Compass. The Catholic Schools Office will send a statement via email at the beginning of March. When you have received your statement, please check it and consider how you are going to make your payments i.e. Bpay, Direct Debit or Credit card, and your payment frequency. Regular payments are expected to commence by 30 March 2024 and will need to be finalised by 30 November 2024. If you have elected to pay annually, you are expected to have your fees paid in full by 30 June 2024. Should you need assistance in calculating your weekly, fortnightly or monthly amounts, please contact the school office and Kirrily Corbett (Senior Finance Officer) will be able to assist you. 

The Catholic Schools Office can offer discounts on the Tuition Fee for elibible holders of a Health Care Card or Pension Card. If this applies to you, please complete the attached application forms and return them to the office with a copy of your card (front and back). 

If you receive Centrelink payments for Family Tax Benefit A & B, you may also be able to set up Centrepay payments that come out of your fortnightly allowance to pay for school fees. Once again, please contact the school office on 4954 0036 for more information on how to set this up. 

Should you have any questions or queries regarding fees, do not hesitate to be in touch. 

Aquathlon by Caine (Year 6)

Last year on the 19^th of January I represented the school at the Catholic Schools Aquathlon. An aquathlon is a race where you swim a distance and then run a distance and it is super fun! There were two races for me and my siblings to do on the day, a normal race and then a final. It was an amazing experience going there and meeting so many people like me who got roped into triathlons by our siblings but grew to love it.

I came second in my first race then 2 hours later got third in my next race but because my combined time was good enough, I still got second place and a silver medal. It was a long day, aside from the two races my mum siblings and I had to get up really early to drive to west Sydney. It was for a good cause though, because this was the first event that happened for schools in this state, so we had to support it and I look forward to it next year. The best part about an aquathlon though is anyone from this school who can swim decently, and run can take part and represent the school and I look forward to seeing if anyone else gives it a go.

Netball by Zahli (Year 5)