No 4. Term 1 Week 7, 15th March 2024
Principal News
This week is Catholic Education Week in the vibrant Archdiocese of Melbourne, which calls on us to be reminded of the profound role we play as educators within the rich tapestry of our diverse community. This week holds special significance as it coincides with the feast day of our Archdiocese's beloved patron saint, St. Patrick, who symbolises the enduring spirit of faith and resilience.
It is no secret that at St. Kevin's, our mission transcends mere academics; it is rooted in the compassionate teachings of Christ, guiding us to foster an environment of inclusivity and acceptance. In an era where secularism is on the rise, our commitment to Catholic education stands unwavering, serving as a beacon of light in a world often shrouded in darkness.
Our school community, reflective of the multicultural fabric of our community, embraces individuals from all walks of life, celebrating the kaleidoscope of ethnic, cultural, and linguistic influences that enrich our collective experience. It is within this diverse tapestry that we find unity, understanding, and the true essence of Catholic education.
As Catholic educators, we are called not only to impart knowledge but also to nurture hearts and minds, instilling in our students a deep sense of compassion, justice, and love. Our approach is one of warmth and hospitality, where every individual is welcomed with open arms, regardless of background or belief.
During this week of celebration, I invite you to take a moment to pause and reflect on the profound impact of Catholic education and the remarkable dedication of educators who tirelessly strive to cultivate a culture of learning, empathy, and faith. Together, we can continue to uphold the timeless values of our Catholic tradition, inspiring future generations to embrace the transformative power of education and the boundless love of Christ.
In the spirit of St. Patrick, may we continue to shine brightly as beacons of hope and compassion, illuminating the path towards a brighter, more inclusive future for all.
God bless.
Jason Micallef,
Principal
School Photos!
Don't forget, it's school photo day next Tuesday, March 19th! We're excited to capture all the smiling faces in our school community.
- Students need to be dressed in full summer uniform, not their sports uniform. Classes with PE can bring their runners to change into. Grade 3 and 4 students can wear their bathers under their uniform. Looking sharp ensures everyone looks their best in the class photos.
- Please remember to send your child's photo envelope with them on the day.
- Sibling photos are available! If you'd like a photo of your children together, a photographer will be set up in the hall from 8am onwards. Order envelopes are available in the office.
- Absent on photo day? No worries! We'll have a catch-up session on Wednesday March 27th for students who are absent.
After school sport
Here is a huge shoutout to all our families who took the time to fill out our after-school sports survey. Your input has made a difference and guess what? It looks like the idea is a big hit! So, we've decided to dive right in and give it a shot for students in Grade Prep to Grade 4 throughout Term 2
From your survey responses, the most popular sport by far is basketball. We're pumped to see where this journey takes us and how it will benefit our awesome students.
See below for details on how to be involved and register for participation.
Education in Faith
Celebrating First Reconciliation: A Milestone in Faith
This week, our Grade 3 students, alongside their peers from St. Francis de Sales, received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. Congratulations to all!
Under the guidance of our teachers and with the support of their families, our students prepared diligently for this sacred moment. This sacrament marks a significant step in their journey of faith, fostering forgiveness, humility, and reconciliation.
We are proud of our students and grateful to our teachers and families for their support. Let's keep our Grade 3 students in our prayers as they continue to grow in their faith.
Weekly Gospel Reflection: John 3:14-21
Sunday’s Gospel passage, John 3:14-21, unveils Jesus' profound response to Nicodemus, shedding light on the essence of faith, salvation, and the limitless love of God. This passage highlights the transformative power of faith. Through belief in Jesus Christ, we are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life. However, it's not merely enough to acknowledge Jesus intellectually; true faith requires a deep, personal relationship with Him. It involves surrendering our lives to His will and allowing His love to permeate every aspect of our being.
Furthermore, this passage emphasises the universality of God's love. Jesus declares that God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, not to condemn the world, but to save it. It is a love that is freely given, requiring nothing in return except our willingness to accept it through the real transformation of ourselves.
As we reflect on the Gospel reading, it's a beautiful opportunity for parents to engage with their children in deepening their understanding of faith and the message of Jesus. Encouraging children to reflect on the meaning of God's boundless love, as demonstrated in the passage, can be fostered through simple practices such as discussing the importance of love and forgiveness in daily life, praying together as a family, and participating in acts of kindness and compassion towards others. By embodying the values of faith, gratitude, and love, parents can guide their children in embracing the transformative power of the Gospel message and living it out in their own lives.
Catholic Education Week celebrations
Some of our student leaders embarked on a memorable journey to St. Patrick's Cathedral, marking a significant highlight in our Catholic Education Week festivities. Amidst the grandeur of the cathedral, they proudly carried our school's banner alongside representatives from schools from across Melbourne, symbolising unity within our diverse Catholic community. Following the solemnity of Mass, our students immersed themselves in a joyous celebration at the park, where the talents of students from our system shone brightly in a vibrant concert. This experience not only strengthened their faith but also fostered a deep sense of belonging and camaraderie within our wider educational family.
Learning & Teaching
What's new in grade 2!
Visual Arts, P-2
This Term in Visual Arts, the Preps, Grade 1s and Grade 2s have been learning about the element of line. Lines are the first element of art and are very important to all artists.
The Juniors have been learning that a line is the path of a moving dot, like a dot going for a walk! Lines can be thin, thick, straight or curved. They can be dashed and help to make patterns, shapes and textures.
The Juniors have been focusing on the skill of drawing. Through the use of pastels, pencils and textas, the Juniors explored 6 different types of lines in their artwork Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal, Zig Zag, Curvy and Spirals.
The Juniors have also been introduced to the artist Wasilly Kandinsky. He used line, shape and colour to create artwork that represented music.
The Preps have created Crazy lined people using crayons and textas.
The Grade 1s created art pieces called Pathways in the Sky using different lines and smudging pencil shavings.
The Grade 2s have created a Kandinsky inspired artwork by taking a dot for a walk, using classical music to guide their lines. They then used the technique of smudging pencil shavings to represent the colours they could hear in the song Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky.
Just look at their amazing creations! Can you see all 6 lines in their artwork? Can you see any other types of lines?
This week, our amazing grade 3 and 5 students have been sitting some of their NAPLAN tests. We're incredibly proud of their dedication and positive attitude throughout the testing period. From the practice sessions in class to their positive attitudes on test day, they've demonstrated a fantastic spirit of learning and a willingness to challenge themselves.
We're almost there with our final session on Monday for the Numeracy test. Catch-up sessions for students who have been absent will continue to be held throughout the week next week, with the final day to complete these being Monday, March 25th.
Division Swimming
Huge congrats to Evin, Arshpreet, and Phoebe for their amazing performance at the divisional swimming finals! Evin nabbed third twice, Arshpreet once, and Phoebe rocked it with two first-place finishes! Plus, Phoebe's off to Regionals!
Student Wellbeing
Did you know that there are 5 Social and Emotional skills that all young people need to develop throughout their childhood and adolescence for good mental health?
These skills develop and build over time from very early childhood through adolescence and into adulthood. Over the next few newsletters, we will consider each of these skills one at a time and how you can support your children in their ongoing learning and development of these skills. We will begin with SELF AWARENESS.
Self awareness is our ability to recognise and talk about things like our interests, our strengths and the things that challenge us, our emotions and feelings and our thoughts and behaviours.
Ongoing conversations are the best way to help our young people develop this awareness. You can use some of these prompts to help:
- Tell me about the things you enjoy doing.
- Tell me about things that feel hard for you.
- Tell me about how you feel when you are doing things you enjoy.
- Tell me about how you feel when you are doing things that feel hard.
- Tell me about what choices you can make when you are doing things you enjoy
- Tell me about what choices you can make when you are doing things that feel hard.
- Tell me about a time when you experienced success with something that you felt was challenging.
Sometimes kids find it hard to talk. Here are a few strategies that can help to have good conversations with kids:
- Go for a walk and talk as you walk side-by-side
- Have a conversation in the car (if you and your child are able to be alone)
- Lie or sit beside them on the couch or as you say goodnight
- Talk while doing something together (cooking, puzzles, drawing, colouring)
Remember: if your child feels pressured or judged they are unlikely to talk too much so try to remain open-minded, casual and always present in the conversation.
Discussing feelings, interests, thoughts and behaviours as they arise in life will give you plenty of opportunity to maintain this conversation and support their development as they grow!
Learning about Zones of Regulation in Grade 5/6
As part of our Social Emotional Learning program (SEL), the grade 5/6 students have continued to build upon their understanding of the Zones of Regulation, a program that teaches children self-regulation and emotional control. The green zone is where we want to be, feeling happy, calm, focused and relaxed.
Some of our activities included identifying triggers that take us out of the green zone, building Calm Down Sandwiches and understanding how our bodies react when faced with strong emotions, such as anger.
Ride to School Day
What a blast we had at our Ride to School Day activity! 🚴♀️🛴🚶♂️
We all gathered bright and early at the Hampton Park Library, ready to roll, scoot, or stroll our way to school. The energy was infectious, and the excitement was palpable as students and families geared up for the journey ahead.
Thanks to the generous support of Woolworths, we were treated to some delicious refreshments to fuel our adventure. From fresh fruit to tasty snacks, their contribution added an extra sprinkle of joy to the day.
Not only was it a fun-filled event, but it also highlighted the importance of active transportation and the benefits of getting moving in the great outdoors. Plus, it was a fantastic opportunity for our school community to come together and share some laughs along the way.
A huge thank you to everyone who participated and helped make Ride to School Day such a success. Let's keep the momentum going and continue to embrace healthy habits and active lifestyles!
Community
Gratitude for our Wonderful Community: Working Bee Success!
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the incredible families who generously volunteered their time and effort at our recent working bee. Your dedication and hard work in tending to the school grounds and gardens have made a significant difference to our learning environment.
We are deeply grateful for your contributions, which not only enhance the physical beauty of our school but also instil a sense of pride and ownership among our students. Your selfless actions truly embody the spirit of stewardship and collaboration that defines our school community.
School Advisory Committee
The St. Kevin's School Advisory Committee (SAC) is an important group made up of representatives from the school, parish and parent community. The SAC meets up to twice per term in the evening to discuss key aspects of school life and provide advice to the Principal. Being a SAC member is also a great way for parents to learn more about how our school operates and how decisions are made.
We currently have an opening for another parent to join this important team. If you are interested or would like to know more, please contact Mr. Micallef principal@skhamptonpark.catholic.edu.au.
Parents & Friends Association Update
Easter Raffle
Many thanks to all the families who've generously donated prizes for our upcoming Easter Raffle! It's not too late to still bring in Easter Eggs, please bring them into the classrooms. The hopping deadline to return your raffle tickets is approaching! Please make sure your child brings their sold tickets back to school by Monday 25th March.
Want to help make our Easter Raffle a cracking success? We're looking for some egg-celent volunteers to help us sort tickets and collate prizes on Monday 25th March at 11:30 in the Welcome Centre. If you're interested in volunteering, please email Andrew at abutler@skhamptonpark.catholic.edu.au.
Hot Cross Bun Drive
A huge thank you to our community for supporting our Hot Cross Bun Drive. The order has now been placed and delivery to the school will be on Monday 25th March. If you can help with the packing and distribution from 12:30 on this day, please email Andrew at abutler@skhamptonpark.catholic.edu.au.
2025 Enrolments
If you've got a child (or sibling) ready to take the leap into school life, make sure to pick up an enrolment pack from the office and submit your completed forms to the office.
Don't forget! Spread the word far and wide! Let your neighbours, friends, and anyone else with a little one itching to dive into the school scene know that we're offering tours every Wednesday morning at 9:30 am. They won't want to miss it!
And it gets better!... if your referral leads to a successful enrolment of a new family at St. Kevin's anytime in 2024, you benefit from a 5% discount on your 2025 school fees!
Let's keep the excitement building, folks – together, we're shaping the future, one bright young mind at a time!
School Uniform
Trading hours for the upcoming school holidays
Our school uniform stockists, Beleza wish to communicate to families that all Beleza stores will be closed from Friday March 28 to Sunday April 7. Normal trading days and hours will resume for all stores from Monday April 8.
As normal trading hours can differ from store to store please check online by searching for Beleza Cranbourne or Beleza Hallam to find out specific times.
QKR Android Update
The Android Phone issue has now been resolved, parents/users can now download the App from the Google Play Store.
Apologies for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.