No 9. Term 2, Week 7, 2nd June 2021
Principal News
Here we are yet again, navigating the uncertainty that is characteristic of this pandemic. Throughout this time, let us remember that it is as a community that we can find strength and that we are well positioned to ensure everyone stays connected and that all students continue to access our high quality Remote Learning Program.
My thoughts are with parents who are unable to continue to work at this time. We are here to support you in any way we can.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful team for preparing for the return to remote learning. I am so proud of all that the staff have done over the past week to ensure our students' learning will not be interrupted.
With today's news of the current lockdown being extended for a further seven days from 11:59pm on Thursday, I know that many families will be dissappointed and possibly feeling somewhat stressed. If you're having difficulty with the added pressure of being a teacher for your children, please remember:
You don't need to replicate the school experience. Don't try to be your child's classroom teacher. Just keep being the teacher you ALREADY are. We trained for years to teach the way we do, just as you trained to teach the way you do. We couldn't take over your job overnight, you won't be able to do ours.
If you need to step away from Remote Learning temporarily because it's all too much, then so be it. Go and read with your child. Cook with your child. Garden with your child. Enjoy nature with your child. Make and create things with your child. Sing and dance with your child. PLAY with your child. Above all, keep being the kind, calm role model your child needs through this challenging time. They need this more than anything else.
This is how you teach. Keep doing you. Your child is learning from you every day.
God bless you all and happy St. Kevin's Day for tomorrow!
Jason Micallef,
Principal
On-site Supervision during Lockdown
Families need to check their email for an important form which needs to be filled out if onsite supervision is required during the remainder of the lockdown period. Parents are asked to please keep in mind that if there is an adult at home, even if they are working, children should NOT come to school. It is imperative that we keep numbers at school as low as possible to ensure teachers can run the Remote Learning Program. It is just too difficult to do both. Please help us to help you, by only registering for onsite supervision if there is no other option.
The Feast of St. Kevin
Thursday June 3rd is the feast day of our patron saint, St. Kevin.
The original St Kevin is a somewhat mysterious figure. Bearing in mind that he not only lived in the sixth century, you might excuse us for not knowing precisely where the facts about him end and the myths begin. It is said that Kevin was born in 498 and died in 618, giving him a respectable innings of 120 years
St Kevin lived as a hermit in a cave in a place called Glendalough in Ireland. A hermit might seem like an unusual patron for a busy school, but there was something about Kevin’s personality that attracted people and created community. Before long, his cave became the hub of a monastery.
Many of the stories about St Kevin suggest that he had a deep relationship with the natural world. For example, one legend is that the loneliness of a hermit’s life was alleviated when ‘the branches and leaves of the trees sometimes sang sweet songs to him.’
Another is the celebrated tale of St Kevin and the blackbird. One day, Kevin was praying with his arms outstretched in his cell in the monastery. The cell was so small that his right arm had to poke out through the window. There was no such luxury as glass in those days. As he was praying, a blackbird came and nestled in his hand. Then the blackbird started to build a nest. When the nest was complete, the blackbird laid an egg. It seems that Kevin was a man who, when talking with the Lord, was not easily distracted.
Once Kevin realised that the nest and egg were in his hand, he decided not to move until the egg had hatched and the fledgling had flown away. He didn’t want to risk breaking the egg.
One of the great things about legends is that simple stories are never that simple. This one works on several levels. A good deal of Celtic spirituality is about finding love in hard places; it is about both blood and stone. So here we have St Kevin, in his austere cell, undertaking something which is both painful and difficult. But the real focus of the story is a small chick, a fragile creature for which the saint feels great tenderness. The story is not really about endurance; it is about nurture and the pain that may involve.
St Kevin is a good patron for a school. Any Christian community needs to stand with its arms wide open, accepting with reverence whatever God brings its way, holding firm to protect its vulnerable members. St Kevin’s holds the lives of our children until they are ready to make their way to secondary school and life beyond.
Feast Day Community Prayer
To celebrate the Feast of St. Kevin as a community, we will be hosting a community prayer via Zoom on Thursday June 3 at 2:30pm. We invite all members of the St. Kevin's community to join us as we honour our patron saint.
AFL Gala Day Victory!
Another amazing achievement by St Kevin’s students last week. St. Kevin's was crowned the District champions at the AFL Gala day! All students showed great sportsmanship and represented St Kevin’s with pride and passion. Congratulations!!
Looking after yourself during lockdown
Hi families, COVID-19 continues to test us in many ways. We are finding that during these snap lockdowns, it can greatly impact us and our families’ wellbeing. We have put together a few tips to help support and encourage you and your children to stay the course when they’ve been denied access to the classroom, their peers and community activities.
Our daily habits can help support our wellbeing and mental health. We want to help build on positive behaviours and build resilience and resistance to daily challenges, not just COVID challenges.
The following strategies will assist both parents and children to stay the COVID long course:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Getting some daily exercise
- Good morning and rituals to prepare for the day, after school and evening wind down/sleep routines provide good structure for families and children. E.g. waking up at the same time, breakfast and preparing for the day ahead help support students wellbeing.
- Take a moment: In moments of stress, it is very easy to react and snap at someone. If we try practicing deep breathing throughout the day, in particular when you or your child is feeling strong/uncomfortable emotions (i.e. anger, overwhelmed, sad, anxious etc.) try this technique - breathe in for 2 counts (1,2), hold for 2 , and breathe out for 4 (1,2,3,4). (Breathing in through your mouth for 2 counts, holding for a few seconds and breathing out through your mouth for 4 counts – repeat 3 times or as needed) this can help restore calm and energise us when tired or anxious.
- Check in on feelings: tune into emotions – through recognising how you are feeling. When we are in a heightened state of strong/uncomfortable emotions we cannot think clearly and need some space and time to reset. The skill of emotionally checking in helps children and young people to identify how they’re feeling at any given time. To do this, get your child to stand still, close their eyes and take some deep breaths. Identify and give a name to their feeling or even a colour or texture. This may not be able to occur right in the heat of the moment but the more awareness/practice of this skill, the better equipped children will be at recognising how to cope with those strong/uncomfortable feelings. It is a wonderful life skill to have.
- Never lose your sense of humour. Never. Remember it is important to have breaks and have fun with your children.
Adapted from an article: https://www.parentingideas.com.au/parent-resources/
Caitlin McLeod
Wellbeing Leader
Encouraging students to connect with each other
While we are physically apart the children will be missing their friends and the companionship that comes with experiencing shared events. This lockdown is no different and it is important that the children have opportunities to connect and communicate with their friends. We know that some parents are organising online play dates. These are great ways to bring groups of friends together in a video chat room and something the children love to be a part of. Of course like any interaction over the Internet though, we encourage parents to play an active role in supervising these interactions. If you would like some advice on how to do this, speak with your child's classroom teacher.
St. Kevin's Chess Champions!
It seems there is no challenge too small for the kids of St. Kevin's lately. Last week, 38 children from year 3-6 represented our school in the Northern Star Inter-school Chess Tournament and were crowned the tournament champions! Congratulations to all the chess players and especially to the 18 students who will now progress to the state level comp. Yay St. Kevin's!
My New Gallery
Are your details up to date?
Operoo provides a simple way for parents/guardians to sign forms, make payments and safely share emergency and medical data with our school. But the information you put into Operoo is only useful it is reliably up to date and accurate.
If your circumstances or contact details ever change, parents must update their Operoo profiles as soon as possible. When was the last time you checked to make sure yours and yourchild's details were up to date?
Wonderwhite
A reminder to save any brand of bread bags and tags and bring them to school when able to.
Birthdays to be Celebrated
MAY
18th Sean 3/4 PE
19th Chloe 5/6 BU
20th Anya PCA
21st Tiana 1/2HE, Alexis 5/6 SP, Ella 3/4 PE
22nd Miya 3/4 TI, Navkiran 3/4 MG
25th Dinisha 3/4 PE
26th Chenuka 1/2 AL, Chantelle 5/6 MB, Kahlani PCA
27th Elizabeth 5/6 MB, Tanvi 1/2 FE
28th Nicholas 1/2 RO, Jonathon PKK, Ioane 3/4 BB, Ollie 5/6 LN
29th Kevin 3/4 PE, Aiden 1/2 HE
31st Bianca 3/4 DM
JUNE
1st Cara 3/4 MG, Lasuk 3/4 MG
2nd Jaiden 5/6 ME
3rd Olivia 5/6 DA, Carlos 1/2 FE, Keisha 3/4 DM
4th Olivia 3/4 TI, Ramithu 3/4 BB, Hudson PDE
5th Daanveer 1/2 DC, Amarpreet PEA, Phillip 5/6 SP
6th Jaziah 5/6ME
7th Ryan 5/6 DA
9th Mary 5/6 BU
11th Christabel 5/6 BU, Penelope 1/2 DC
12th Jenifer 1/2 DC
13th Phoenix 3/4 PE, Merrin 1/2 HE
14th Rhiannon 3/4 BB, Amillia 1/2 DC
15th Alycia PCA, Emily PKK
