No20. Term 4, Week 9, 1st December 2021

Principal's News

We have been involved in and have been planning many extra special events over the past fortnight, which are a lovely reminder of how our community celebrate so well together. Several of our students led our school through a Remembrance Day Commemorative Service on Thursday 11th November.  Our 2022 Preps have spent some time in their soon-to-be-classrooms and the juniors have undertaken and completed an intensive swimming program. Our year 4 and 5 students celebrated their very first Eucharist in our Church with Fr Des, Fr Anil and their families and the year 6’s continue preparing for Confirmation and we breathed life back into the playground as we opened the gates to our families who we have missed coming onsite for so long.

In every way, we stand together as a community and now that we can do so in a physical sense again and it feels so good!

In coming to the end of my second year as Principal of St. Kevin's, I continue to be overwhelmed with the generosity of spirit and the giving nature of our staff and families. Staff go out of their way to engage and inspire and there is a sense of fun and relationship with each new celebration and event. We are very blessed that every staff member embraces celebrations and opportunities for our students and families. 

We are now well and truly within the busy time of the school year where the end is in sight. There are still a few more celebrations and opportunities to come including our own end of year Liturgy and farewells to some of our loved staff members including Mrs Thwaites, Miss DeVisser, Miss Spears, Mrs Robinson and a 'see you soon' to Mrs Murray who will be back at St. Kevin's in 2023. Please stay tuned so that you can be part of the journey to Christmas and join in the celebrations remotely. 

Please also remember that we are all still transitioning back after so long away from school routines, social norms, daily interactions with friends and even from disagreements and squabbles and so many are out of practice! Hang in there. We are all working together to get back to understanding what our right to respect, safety and learning looks and feels like in a very busy lead up to Christmas. How we guide and model for our children through this time is how we enable them to be their best selves, mistakes and all! We must all act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God through good times and hard times.

I would like to take this opportunity to announce that we will be welcoming a few new members of staff to our team in 2022. Jade Hazlett whom some of you will have already met joins our fabulous Prep team. Sarah Burren, who will be a part of our wonderful junior team and Lauren Rullo who aims to complete our dynamic senior team. I can tell you that I am very excited about how our complete 2022 team is coming together and cannot wait to unveil it to you in the next edition of our newsletter.

In the meantime, go gently and look after your families with the greatest of care. Be immersed in the season of Advent and enjoy this opportunity for preparation, patience, love and joy.

God bless,

Jason Micallef,
Principal

Covid-19 Update

Since the beginning of term, St. Kevin's has experienced 5 confirmed positive cases attending school during their infectious period. To date, there does not appear to be any evidence of transmission of the virus within the school. This is an enormous credit to us all and speaks of the amazing teamwork of our parents who have informed us as soon as they knew of a positive diagnosis, of families getting close contacts tested and informing us of results and of staff and students implementing the wide range of protective strategies that make transmission less likely. We have much to be proud of, but there is still work to be done.

What happens if a positive case is identified in the school?

Since our last newsletter, advice from the Department of Health has indicated that we are to follow this new process once a positive case is confirmed within the school:

1. Identify those who are close contacts
2. Inform the contacts of the need to test, quarantine, and await a negative result from a PCR test, after which they can then return to their normal activities.
3. Strongly recommend that contacts complete five days of rapid antigen testing each morning before attending school – if they attend a state-run testing facility they will be able to collect the testing kits if they inform the staff there that they have been identified as a close contact in a school
4. Send the completed contacts details to Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (who pass the information on to the Department of Health).
5. Arrange for cleaning of relevant areas 
6. Send communications to staff and school community if appropriate in the circumstances.

If a contact tests positive to a rapid antigen test, they are to continue isolating and get a PCR test immediately to confirm the result. As long as all other contacts continue to receive negative rapid test results, they can continue to engage in normal activities.

This new process aims to be the least disruptive to families need to attend school and / or work and maintain a high degree of transmission minimisation. 

As always, families are encouraged to make contact with us if they have any questions. 

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

PFA Fundraiser

Self Care for Families

First Holy Eucharist Celebrations

Congratulations to our Year 4 and 5 students who received the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist for the first time over the last two weeks. Each of the four Masses were blessed occasions where our children demonstrated their reverence and commitment to their faith proudly. Congratulations to them all and an enormous thanks to the families and staff involved to ensure the students were well prepared and ready for this important milestone in their lives.

Prep Advent Liturgy Week 1

5/6 Advent Liturgy Week 2

Prep Swimming

What is Critical & Creative Thinking?

At St. Kevin's our students participate in a range of learning areas that we refer to as Specialists. The subject areas taught as part of the Specialist program are taught by expert teachers in their subject area. The Specialist Program at St. Kevin's includes: Physical Education, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Indonesian and Critical and Creative Thinking (Yr1-6).

But what is Critical and Creative Thinking? Critical and creative thinking involves students thinking broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school. 

This capability combines two types of thinking: critical thinking and creative thinking. Though the two are not interchangeable, they are strongly linked, bringing complementary dimensions to thinking and learning.

If you would like more information about what your child is learning in this interesting learning area. You can contact the following teachers:

• Year 1/2 - Mrs Galway galwayl@skhamptonpark.catholic.edu.au
• Year 3/4 - Mrs Langdon blangdon@skhamptonpark.catholic.edu.au
• Year 5/6 - Mrs Cid bcid@skhamptonpark.catholic.edu.au

St Kevin's Parish Christmas Party

Beleza 20% OFF Sale

December Birthays to Celebrate

1st   Efe 1/2 LO, James 1/2 RO

3rd   Mia 3/4 FO, Xu len 3/4 TI

4th   Nicholas PDE, Amanda 1/2 LO, Abie 3/4 FO, Tiana PDE

6th   Tsharna 3/4 MG, Joshua 1/2 FE

8th   Isabella 3/4 TI, Anaya 3/4 BB

9th   Aren 1/2 AL, Emma 1/2 AL

11th   Alana 3/4 MG

12th Samuel 3/4 DM, Joanne 5/6 MB

13th   Sheryl 5/9 MB, <ia 1/2 LO

14th   Ricky 1/2 FE, Diyana 1/2 FE

16th   Mia 1/2 FE

17th   Marquise 5/6 LN

18th   Zachary 1/2 HE, Kevin 1/2 HE, Steve 3/4 MG

21st   Benjamin 3/4 TI

22nd   Sanithu 5/6 LN, Liyara PDE

24th   Scarlett PKK, Rafael 5/6 LN

25th   Emmanuel 5/6 SP, Jaden 5/6 ME

26th   Ruvimbo 3/4 BB

27th   Holly 1/2 FE, Olivia 1/2 LO, Akein 5/6 SP, Arianna 3/4 TI, Israh 1/2 FE, Solomona 1/2 FE

28th   Orlando 3/4 FO

29th   Celia 3/4 DM

30th   Joshua 3/4 BB, Rithmi PCA

Community News