No 19. Term 4 Week 7, 17th November 2023

Principal News

Dear Parents, 

These last two weeks have been filled with excitement at St. Kevin's. Last Wednesday night, we had the pleasure of welcoming our existing and new Prep parents for 2024. It was exciting to meet them and engage in discussions about what their children can expect as students at St. Kevin's. 

Since then, we have had two Friday mornings where our new Prep students' have spent time at school learning about their classrooms and spending time with those who will become their teachers. There have been countless smiles and laughter, setting a positive buzz for the final orientation day to come next Friday. We are eager to build connections with these new faces and make their transition to St. Kevin's as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

On a bittersweet note, this week marked the farewell of Belinda Rowlands, who has been an invaluable part of our school for the past 16 years. Belinda's contributions, both as a classroom teacher and deputy principal, have been greatly appreciated. We extend our best wishes to Belinda as she embarks on her new role as a mother very soon.

Parents are warmly invited to join us for our upcoming Advent Liturgies, enhancing the sense of community and shared celebration.

• Preps - Monday, Nov 20, 2:30 pm
• 5/6 Friday, Nov 24
• 1/2 Monday, Nov 27, 2:30 pm
• 3/4 Friday, Dec 1, 2:30 pm

Advent holds a special place in the liturgical calendar, serving as a period of anticipation and reflection leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth. It's a time when the St. Kevin's community comes together in a spirit of hope and preparation.

The Jesse Tree, as our chosen theme for our liturgies, adds a beautiful layer of symbolism to our Advent observance. Just as a tree grows and branches out, the Jesse Tree represents the lineage of Jesus, tracing his ancestry through key figures from the Old Testament. Each ornament or symbol on the tree tells a story, connecting us to the rich tapestry of our faith and illustrating the unfolding plan of God's salvation.

As we gather for these upcoming liturgies, I invite you to embrace the beauty of Advent, allowing it to inspire a sense of wonder and gratitude in our hearts.

Farewell and good luck!

As a school community, we extend heartfelt wishes to our Deputy Principal, Belinda Rowlands, as she begins her maternity leave. Belinda has been a vital part of our St. Kevin's family, and we're excited for her as she prepares for the joys of motherhood.

Belinda, your dedication has left an indelible mark on our school, and we'll miss you during your leave. May this time be filled with love, joy, and precious moments with your little one. We look forward to welcoming you and your bundle of joy back to St. Kevin's.

Welcome to St. Kevin's!

It is with great excitement that we introduce our new Deputy Principal, Mr. Andrew Butler, who will be joining the St. Kevin's family next year. Andrew comes to us with a wealth of experience and a passion for education, aligning perfectly with our values here at St. Kevin's.

As we eagerly anticipate the start of the new school year, I encourage everyone to extend a warm St. Kevin's welcome to Andrew. 

Welcome to St. Kevin's, Andrew! We look forward to the positive impact you will undoubtedly make on our school community.

Supporting our Friendship School

BALIK BAYAN BOXES TO CEBU, THROUGH KADASIG

As you might know, we have a friendship school called Compagna Elementary School, in Cebu, Philippines. We have a wonderful relationship with this school and community, through the great work of Kadasig Aid and Development. You might have met some of the representatives who visited our school a year ago. 

This year, The Social Justice Leaders and the students worked hard and raised funds through selling fancy fairy bread, gooey chocolate drizzled marshmallows, Prima (drink) and popcorn, and, delicious chocolate and strawberry flavoured milkshakes. Did you know that these items sold out quickly, and the teachers had to purchase more - thank you for supporting this wonderful cause!

We are excited to let you know that we have arranged three boxes to Compagna Elementary School, filled with teacher and student literacy and maths resources, stationery and toys. The fourth box goes out to the community, filled with donations of toothpaste, toothbrushes, souvenirs - that can be resold, little bottles of shampoo, lotions and body wash.

As we ship off these boxes, we wish our sister school, the teachers, students and the community all the very best for the year ahead!

Cybersafe Conversations

Grade 1 Indonesian

This term, the Grade 1s have been learning shapes in Indonesian. They have used different shapes to create pictures and discuss with other students the Indonesian shapes they have used.

For most of the Indonesian shapes, if you know your numbers, you will also know the shapes because it tells you how many sides the shape has in its name:

segitiga - triangle (tiga means 3)

segi empat - square (empat means 4)

segi empat panjang - rectangle (panjang means long)

segi lima - pentagon (lima means 5)

segi enam - hexagon (enam means 6)

Segi delapan - octagon (delapan means 8)

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Critical & Creative Thinking

In Critical and Creative Thinking, our Grade 1 and 2 students have had fun observing the motion of various toys. That is, how toys move. Through exploration, students have identified that moving toys require a type of force, such as a push or pull. They also learnt that some objects may be difficult to move due to friction. Our Grade 1s and 2s have classified toys according to the force they require to move. They have been busy working collaboratively in groups to design a toy to construct, which must use a type of force to make it move. Students have had to use some reasoning skills to explain how their idea/s for construction will meet the criteria to move with the application of a force, to their group. Each group also had to think about which materials were best to use and why. Along the way, through discussion, it has been wonderful hearing students evaluate how they can improve their toy further or changing the materials they use, due to observations they have made. Each group will present their toy to  their class in the coming weeks.

Level 3/4 Bike Education

In Term 4 the 3/4 students had our Bide Education Lessons. We were so excited and eagerly looked forward to every lesson. Although we were allowed to bring our helmets from home, our school provided each student with a bike. 

Before riding our bikes it is important to ensure safety. We must carry out the ABCD check. 

It is also important to check that our helmets are securely fitted and fastened.

Here are some of our reflections about Bike Ed….

“Bike Ed was my most favourite activity this year.” - Kuch

“I got ready to ride my bike by using the power stance.’ - Dylan

“ At first I couldn’t ride my bike, but I never gave up trying. On the second day I gained my balance. “ - Darlice

“We stopped at traffic lights and stop signs. We also learnt to use hand signals.” - Hannah

“I learnt to keep a safe distance between my bike and the bike ahead.: - Blessica

“What I liked most was riding my bike around the oval.” - Tyler

“I pedalled my bike and did slow turns. I felt happy.” - Solomona

“I learnt that I had to ride on the left side of the road.” - Irie  

St Vincent de Paul

Dear Families,

This year, the Social Justice Leaders will be collecting toys to donate to        St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. Your gifts will be distributed to the children from the families who are in need of support. Please see the flyer for further information.

Thank you for your generous contribution.

Social Justice Leaders 2023

St Kevin's Parish Christmas Schedule

Melbourne Stars Family Day

Casey's cricket fans are invited to come along to the Melbourne Stars Family Day!   Sunday 10th December, 10am to 2pm at Casey Fields

This event will be packed with fun and free activities for all ages including the opportunity for a meet and greet with the Melbourne Stars playing squad.   

Other activities planned include: 

• A signing and selfie session 
• An open training 
• Food trucks 
• Performance stage 
• Roaming entertainment 

Community News

Christmas market and tree lighting

Everyone's invited to Bunjil Place this December to enjoy live music, food trucks, workshops, performers, market stalls, plus the lighting of our artist-designed Christmas tree

Saturday 2 December 2023
3.00 pm - 9.00 pm 
Lighting of the Tree 8.00 pm

With over 70 stalls, The Little Folk from The Little Folk Market has everything covered from fashion, jewellery, accessories, homewares, ceramics, textiles, art prints, stationary, kids, lifestyle products and food from local artisans, creatives and makers. 

To ensure everyone is well-fed and entertained there will also be food trucks, a bar, live tunes, workshops and activities.  

The evening will include the lighting up of our very famous Bunjil Place Christmas Tree at 8.00 pm.
We can’t wait to see what our artists have come up with for this year's design!

Free Entry. Stalls and Food at vendor prices.

Parking and access: Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren will be closed from 12.00 pm to 10.00 pm from Magid Drive and the Casey Arch entry path.