No 8. Term 2 Week 5, 17th May 2024

Principal's News

Dear St. Kevin’s Community,

As we wrap up Family Week at St. Kevin’s, I am filled with gratitude and joy for the wonderful participation and the sense of togetherness that has been so evident throughout our school. This week has highlighted the strength and importance of our families and the integral role they play in our children’s lives.

Modern family life presents unique challenges that were less common in past generations. Many families today require both parents to work, leading to an increased reliance on childcare services. This shift has underscored the timeless wisdom of the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." In our rapidly changing society, the support network surrounding our children is more crucial than ever.

Here at St. Kevin’s, we believe in the power of community. Parents and schools share the vital responsibility of nurturing and educating our children. Our school is dedicated to partnering with families to ensure every child reaches their potential in a supportive, inclusive, and loving environment. This week has been a testament to what we can achieve when we come together as a community.

Family Week was filled with activities that brought us all closer. Our Family Activity Bingo was a delightful way for families to engage in fun, meaningful tasks together. The buddy activities in classrooms showcased the strong bonds between our older and younger students, reinforcing the value of mentorship and friendship. Wednesday evening’s Family Movie Night was a heartwarming event where laughter and joy filled the air, reminding us of the simple pleasures of spending time together.

Today, we culminated our celebrations with a beautiful Mass, reflecting on the blessings of family and the love of Christ that binds us. It was a moment to pause, give thanks, and renew our commitment to each other as a faith community.

As we move forward, we can carry the spirit of Family Week with us as we continue to support one another, recognising the shared responsibility we have in raising our children. St. Kevin’s will always strive to be a place where every family feels valued and every child is given the opportunity to thrive.

Thank you for your unwavering support and active participation. Together, we make St. Kevin’s a place where everyone belongs, and where the love of Christ guides our journey.

God bless.

Jason Micallef,
Principal

Leadership & Management

Education Support Day

Yesterday, we celebrated National Education Support Day, a wonderful occasion to honour the incredible people who make a significant impact on our school community. At St. Kevin’s, our Learning Support Officers are the unsung heroes who ensure that our students thrive in a nurturing and inclusive environment. Their dedication, compassion, and tireless efforts truly embody the spirit of our mission. We are immensely grateful for their contributions and the vital role they play in fostering a love of learning and a sense of belonging for all. Thank you Elizabeth, Brianna, Heloise, Parminder, Judie, Sarina, Georgie, Rosie, Marissa, Carol, Cressy, Cathy, Lisa and Maria-Rosa for being the heart of our school!

School Uniforms

As the weather transitions between seasons, we kindly remind everyone of our uniform policy. Students have the flexibility to wear either the summer or winter uniform according to weather conditions, but we ask that they refrain from mixing elements, such as wearing tights with the summer dress. Additionally, sport uniforms should only be worn on designated sport days. Our uniform guidelines are important as they foster a sense of unity and pride within our school community. Thank you for your cooperation in upholding our uniform standards, which contribute to a positive and inclusive environment at St. Kevin's.

Arrival Times at School

In recent weeks, we've noticed an increase in the number of students arriving late to school each morning. Punctuality is essential for our students' learning and wellbeing, as lateness can disrupt the start of their day. If it becomes a habit, this also sends an unhealthy message to students that being on time isn't important.  We understand that with ongoing roadworks in our area affecting traffic patterns, getting to school on time has become more challenging. To assist families, we recommend using live navigation apps like Waze, which provide real-time updates and adaptive routes to help navigate traffic more efficiently and can even tell you what time you need to leave home to arrive on time. Let's work together to ensure all our students have the best possible start to each day, ready and eager to learn and grow.

School Fees 

School fees are important to collect so that we can continue to offer the highest quality education to all children in our care. But we understand that financial challenges can arise from time to time. Please know that we are committed to supporting our families in every way possible. If you have a valid health care card, you may be eligible for significant discounts on school fees. Additionally, if you are experiencing financial hardship, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. There are many ways we can assist to ensure you can have peace of mind. Your family's well-being is important to us, and we are here to help.

Health & Hygiene

As the winter season approaches and the threat of colds, flu, and COVID-19 continues, it is crucial to remind ourselves of the importance of good hygiene and health practices to prevent the spread of these illnesses.

Firstly, regular hand washing is essential. Encourage your child to wash their hands frequently, especially before eating and after using the toilet. Hand sanitiser can also be used as an alternative when hand washing facilities are not readily available and we encourage children to bring an appropriate sanitiser to school and keep in their bag for when they need it.

Covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing is also important. Encourage your child to use a tissue or their elbow to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. This can prevent the spread of germs through the air or on their hands.

Lastly, if your child is feeling unwell, it is important to keep them home to prevent the spread of illness to others. If your child is experiencing symptoms, such as a fever, cough, or loss of taste or smell, they should stay home until they are symptom-free. 

By practising good hygiene and health practices, we can all play a role in preventing the spread of illnesses and keeping our school community healthy. Let's all do our part to protect ourselves and each other.

Congratulations Mrs Smith!

We are thrilled to share the joyous news that Jade Smith, our wonderful Prep teacher, and her husband Brenton are expecting a baby! Congratulations to both of you on this exciting journey ahead. Our St. Kevin’s community is delighted for you and wishes you all the best during this special time.

Education in Faith

Gospel Reflection 

The Ascension of the Lord-Mark 16:15-20)

Last Sunday, the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord which is one of the greatest events in Jesus’ life. Every year on this Solemnity of the Lord, we celebrate the ability of the Risen Christ to be present to all people in all places at all times. According to the Gospel, as Jesus commissioned His disciples to preach the Good News we are also called to bring the Gospel to those around us. 

Pentecost Sunday-(Mark 15:26-27)

On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles that marks the beginning of Church. Jesus is telling us that it is the Holy Spirit who is always working within us, guiding us and uplifting us so that we might be comforted and transformed into better likenesses of Jesus. 

As families, take a moment to reflect and contemplate the key understandings of the above Gospel passages.

• What conversion of mind, heart, and life is the Lord asking of me?
• What was challenging about the Gospel?
• How can we continue the mission of Jesus?

Learning & Teaching

Look what we are learning about in Grade 6!

Mathematics

This term in Year 6, we have been engaging deeply in the how and why behind our Mathematics. Students have been exploring the relationship between multiplication and division and applying their fluency skills to help them solve a problem, which was to design a quilt. We focused on the Understanding and Reasoning proficiencies by connecting related concepts, explaining our thinking, and justifying our processes. Have a look at the designs created by some 6BE students and read their detailed review of the challenges they faced and how they overcame them.

Inquiry - Science

As part of our learning about energy, all the Years 5 and 6 students have had the opportunity to test and create circuits. Students had to work together to build and test a battery-powered circuit that was capable of illuminating a lightbulb. Check out some photos below of 5RU and 6BE students creating simple circuits to turn a light globe on and off. 6BE students reflected on their learning:

Josh: I liked how I already had some prior knowledge on creating circuits and was able to use this to help me troubleshoot my circuit.

Drake: I learned more about electricity and batteries and that energy runs through the wires.

Bianca: We had to connect the wires to make light.

Mina: We learned about how electricity is made and how light is produced.

Aldyn: It was fun because we could make our own light bulb turn on. 

Extra-Curricular Activities

Kool Kids Rock!

Places are now available in guitar, keyboard, singing or drum lessons. Kool Kidz Rock offers specialised tuition at school with expert teachers. Enrolments are open online at www.koolkidzrock.com.au or call Belinda for more information 0407 663 272.  Costs apply and places are limited. 

Lunchtime Clubs

Over the last couple of weeks, our lunchtime club program has got up and running and offers a fantastic opportunity for students to explore their interests and connect with like-minded peers. Supported by dedicated mentor teachers, our Grade 6 student leaders plan and run a variety of clubs that cater to diverse interests. These clubs provide a range of activities for students to engage in during lunchtime, fostering a sense of community and encouraging personal growth. Whether it’s exploring new hobbies, developing skills, or simply having fun, our lunchtime clubs enrich the school experience for all involved.

Sports & Activities Highlights

Paul Wade Soccer Tournament

Last Monday, 23 students travelled all the way to St. John’s Regional College, Dandenong to compete in the Paul Wade Cup. Our two teams played 6 rounds against various catholic primary schools from around the area. Our A team made it all the way to the semi finals and fought hard with a finishing place of 3rd. Both of our amazing teams showed great sportsmanship and care for each other. We all had a fun day, showing off our skills and getting to know different people. A special thank you to Miss Rullo and Ms Donald for being our coaches. At St. Kevins, we care for all of the students and show pride in what we do.

Seth F- (Sport Leader)

AFL Footy Gala

We are excited to share that our students participated in the AFL Footy Gala Day and secured an impressive... wait for it... third place! Their teamwork, dedication, and passion for the game were evident throughout the competition. A big congratulations to our players and coaches for their outstanding effort and for making St. Kevin’s proud with their performance. Well done, team!

Zonal Chess

On the 7th of May, some of our Grade 6 students left for Hampton Park to compete in the Zonal Chess Tournament. They showed great sportsmanship whether they won or lost throughout the tournament and represented our school values with their best effort. 

They played 7 rounds and emerged in 3rd place. They all supported each other during the games and gave it all they had. We thank Mr Crozier and Mrs Gage for transporting us to Hampton Park and we thank everyone who gave us this opportunity.

Student Wellbeing

Positive Choices: Positive Outcomes Behaviour Matrix

At St. Kevin’s, wellbeing is the cornerstone of a thriving school community. We employ Restorative Practices to foster positive interactions and support students in making pro-social choices. Our initiatives include establishing clear values and procedures to create a safe environment for everyone. Recently, we developed St. Kevin’s Positive Choices: Positive Outcomes Behaviour matrix, which outlines our core rules and context-specific expectations. This matrix helps guide and support positive behaviour consistently across the school.

For a more detailed overview of our Restorative Practices and to learn more about the matrix, please view the full article at the link below:

Family Week

This week (May 13th- 17th) is National Families Week. It is an opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the wonderful variety of families in our community.. Each and every family is unique and this diversity contributes to the distinctiveness of the communities to which we belong.  At St Kevin’s, all families are welcome and equal. We recognise and show gratitude for the knowledge and opportunities which we benefit from as a result of the experiences and perspectives we can bring together.

Research demonstrates the positive effect that family and family-like structures have for the wellbeing of growing children. Having adults who show interest in, support and care for our young people ensures that they have opportunities to access support as they grow. It also protects them from adverse outcomes when they make mistakes in life, which all children ultimately do. These mistakes and the opportunities we have to support our children help them to learn about what they value and how to deal with life’s challenges. 

Last week we shared our ‘Family Week bingo’ card, we would love to hear about what activities you and your family participated in together. 

On Tuesday, the students met in their 2024 buddy groups to celebrate and learn about one another’s families. Together they shared a book about families and then completed a drawing activity about their families. It was wonderful to celebrate the diversity of our families at St Kevin’s.

Here are some photos of our time together: 

Community

Mother's Day Prayers

We were truly blessed to have so many wonderful mums, grandmas, and cherished ladies join us in our 1/2 classrooms last Friday morning for a deeply heartfelt Mother's Day prayer. It was a beautiful moment of love and gratitude.

School Advisory Committee

Our School Advisory Committee met last week. At the meeting, we discussed strategies for encouraging more parents to take part in our annual MACSSIS surveys. The committee were also introduced to our Positive Choices Behaviour Matrix which supports our students to know and understand expected ways of behaving in different circumstances. Lastly, we had a rich and meaningful conversation about what core values we should focus on as a school.

The School Advisory Committee is an important group whose intention is to support the principal with advice about school operations, from a parent's perspective. We meet one to two times per team after hours at the school. Currently, we have two openings for parent representatives. If you would like to know more about the SAC and how you can be involved, please contact Mr. Micallef.

The next SAC meeting is Wednesday, June 12. If you have any questions for the committee or would like to offer suggestions for discussion, please email sac@skhamptonpark.catholic.edu.au 

Neighbourhood News

Dino Safari roars into Wilson Botanic Park

Wilson Botanic Park is set to undergo a prehistoric transformation as Dino Safari stomps into town, inviting families to journey back in time to the breathtaking wonders of the Mesozoic era.  

Visitors will encounter a diverse array of interactive experiences such as roving dinosaurs, animatronic displays, and fossil-dig sandpits as this immersive experience ignites the imagination of all ages during the upcoming winter school holidays. 

The event will span from 28 June to 7 July 2024, with daily sessions between 9:30 am and 4:00 pm. There will also be two special evening events: the Twilight Dino Walk on June 29, and Sunset Cinema on Saturday 6 July. 

Register your interest now and be the first to know when tickets go on sale.

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