Principal's News

Holy Week Re-enactment 2:30pm beginning at the Deck!

Easter Raffle Draw - WEDNESDAY MARCH 27th at Holy Week Re-enactment 

SHOUT OUTS FOR TERM 1, 2024!

Congratulations to all the Prep students who have nearly completed a term of Prep.  Everyday I hear and see how much you are growing and learning. Well done! 

I have not received any SHOUT OUTS for this newsletter from parents but I want to congratulate all the St Kevin’s Staff and students for their hard work in Term 1, 2024.  The team has been so innovative and resourceful. I hope everyone has an amazing restful break.

Last day of Term 1, 2024

Tomorrow will be the last day of Term 1, 2024 for all students. Teachers have half a day of planning and then attend a follow up session on Spirituality Day 

at St Gregory’s the Great in Doncaster.

Catholic Education Week

Congratulations to the Year 6 students who  represented St Kevin’s at the St Patrick's

annual school mass. These children joined 300+ other Catholic schools across Melbourne

to celebrate Catholic Education Week at St Patrick's Cathedral inMelbourne. Following the

mass the children enjoyed a gathering in the gardens enjoying bands represented by musicians from catholic schools.

                                                                            Reconciliation

We also congratulate all the children who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. We hope these children have many opportunities to reflect on their choices so that they can be the best versions of themselves.

Help with Tuck Shop

Any Parents and Carers who would like to assist in the Tuck Shop - Wednesday, Thursday and / or Friday.  Please complete the survey.  Here is the link - Tuck Shop Helper Survey Term 2, 2024

Thank you to PFA

Thank you to Suzanne and the PFA for Crazy and Baker’s Delight Lunches this term.  You all do an amazing job!  Thank you!

NAPLAN YEAR 3 & 5 

As the NAPLAN testing window draws to a close, we extend a massive congratulations to our Year 3 and Year 5 students for completing all their assessments. Over the past two weeks, our students have exemplified our dispositions of courage andgrit, showcasing their dedication to their learning. We commend both our students and their teachers for the tremendous effort and hard work invested in preparing for these tests. Also to Mr Con for preparing and administering the test. NAPLAN evaluates students across various domains including Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language, and Numeracy providing valuable insights into their academic progress. At St Kevin’s Primary School, we utilise the data gathered from these assessments to inform our Learning and Teaching goals. This is only one form or testing and we triangulate all other forms of assessment to ensure data is valid and up to date. The NAPLAN results guide us in identifying priority areas for improvement and shaping our targets for the upcoming year of 2025.

VACPSP Conference Lorne 

Last week Eva and I had the privilege of attending the biennial VACPSP Conference in Lorne. This was a great opportunity to network with other Catholic school principals from across Victoria and listen to some amazing speakers.

The conference was full of so many highlights for me, but I will just touch on three very special guest speakers that I was blessed to listen to. We were all inspired by Craig Foster, a former Socceroo, who has gone on to become one of Australia's most respected sportspeople as a broadcaster, social justice advocate and human rights campaigner. Foster is a vocal critic of the Australian Government's treatment of asylum seekers. He played a high-profile role in the campaign to free Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi from detention in Thailand from late 2018 to early 2019, later co-writing a book about it, Fighting for Hakeem, which became the working title of a 2023 documentary film (renamed The Defenders). Craig’s resounding message was that by remaining silent, we are allowing a society where people are not treated fairly.

Former world No. 4 tennis player, and now highly respected sports commentator, Jelena Dokic shared her incredible story of resilience and triumph. It is the story of her survival in the face of poverty, bullying and extreme brutality. It is about how she survived as a refugee, twice. How she survived on the tennis court as she ascended to become world No.4. But most importantly, how she survived the unimaginable abuse by Damir Dokic, her violent father and manager. Jelena shared with us that once she found the strength to use her voice to tell her story to the world, that was when she started the healing process that has allowed her to not only survive but to thrive.

Saroo Brierley was born in a small Indian town. In 1986, aged only 5, he lost all contact with his family when he was at a train station waiting for his brother. He never saw his brother again. After living on the streets of Calcutta for 3 weeks by himself, Saroo was placed in a local orphanage and went on to be adopted by an Australian family. He grew up with his new parents in Hobart, Tasmania where he spent the next 25 years. Saroo never gave up hope of finding his birth family and he told us  the incredible story of how he did eventually find that ‘needle in the haystack’ using Google Earth and determination. If you have not watched the movie based on Saroo's miracle story, LION starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman, then I encourage you to do so and if your children are old enough, watch it with them too.

All three speakers provided me with a similar message, that being the power of using our voices implements change. As I said last week the theme for the conference was Leading with Strength, and the strength that all three of these people showed when they were strong enough to ‘speak up’ was truly inspiring.

Thank you to all the St Kevin's Leaders who supported and assisted the staff, students and families while we were away. 

Seesaw

 Well done to 1GS and 2P!

Existing Families with Preps for 2025

If you have a kinder child (4 years old), who will be at school next year, can you please come and collect an enrolment form and let the office know.  I am in the process of making an online enrolment form and I will let you know as soon as it is ready.  We are nearly there!  Enrolments close on May 1st, 2024.

29th of April - Prep 2025 link  Information Evening Please RSVP 

Welcome new student and family to St Kevin's - Charlotte Y to 3/4 F!  Look forward to working and learning with you and your parents Trish and Carl.

PBL  RESPONSIBILITY Term 1 Week 9

Expected Behaviour: I use strategies to regulate my emotions SHOUT OUTS (Highlights) - Please send them to me as you think of them!

School resumes on 

Monday 15th April for Staff Wellbeing PBL Day

&

Tuesday the 16th April for all Students

ANZAC DAY and 

School Closure Day

Please note two relevant dates in Term 2 in case this provides an opportunity for families to organise a long weekend getaway.

Thursday 25th April 2024 - ANZAC DAY Public Holiday

Friday 26th April 2024 - School Closure Day - Day in Lieu for Staff.

I hope all families have a peaceful and joyous Easter and relaxing holiday!  Stay safe!

Warmest regards, Gabee