From the Principal's Desk
ABC Music Concert
It was wonderful to see our ABC Music students display their talents this afternoon. They have all done such an amazing job and we are proud of them all.
We will add some videos to our socials in the coming days.
Timetable Changes
With the end of the year fast approaching, timetables for the next few weeks will be adjusted to allow for 2024 Year Level Planning, PSG meetings, Transition Days and the many other events synonymous with Term 4.
Therefore we ask that you pay close attention to the timetables and communications that will be published in the Newsletter, circulated via Class Dojo and communicated by teachers.
The main thing for students is that they wear their sports uniform on days when they are scheduled for Sport/PE.
Next Week's Timetable (Week 9) is detailed below.
Fees and Levies 2023
Thank you to all families who are up-to-date with Fee and Levy payments for 2023. Unless you have organised a payment plan, all fees and levies should have been settled by the end of Term 3.
As of today, we still have $40,324 owing.
Families still in arrears will be sent an up-to-date Fee and Levy Statement today and, in fairness to all, we would appreciate accounts to be settled immediately.
Library Bags
The final Library classes for 2023 will take place next week. Please ensure that your children return all library books along with their washed library bags by Friday 1st December. All library bags will be kept in the Library over the holidays and returned to the children in 2024.
We also need some assistance with making library bags for next year's Prep children. If you are able to assist please see Miss Wilkinson.
Farewell
It is always a time of mixed emotions as we have to say goodbye to staff near the end of the year. It's sad to see them leave but also exciting as new chapters begin.
Today we say goodbye to our ACU Students, Miss Emily Fredricks, Miss Alyssia Chillemi and Miss Kira Burns. We thank them for the learning and teaching they have provided our children and hope we have had a positive impact on their development as educators.
At the end of this week, we will also say goodbye to Chrissie Marakis as she and her husband Theo prepare for the birth of their first child. It is a most exciting time for all and we can't wait to meet their new little addition! We look forward to catching up with Chrissie and the baby in the new year when they visit for 'Show and Tell'.
At the end of this year, we bid farewell to Miss Sarah Bruce, Ms Katrina Scolaro and Mr Rhys O'Loughlin.
Sarah has been working with us since 2018 mainly in the Year 3/4 area, and moved into Year 1/2 this year. She has accepted a position a little closer to home at St Domenic's. Sarah's kind and gentle nature will be missed by all and we wish her well as she begins a new chapter in life.
Katrina commenced with us as a graduate teacher in 2021 and has developed her craft in the Year 3/4 area making deep connections with our children. With her youngest child moving into Year Prep next year Katrina has secured a position at the same school, Scared Heart, to assist with the logistics of the working mother.
Rhys has only been here two years but has had a profound impact on the children who have been in his care. Rhys will take a period of leave before embarking on a career change and applying his skills in the wider world.
We wish our departing staff well and thank them for the time invested in our school and for the love and support they have given each and every student in their care.
Welcome
Next year we welcome Mrs Candice Rogers,
Mrs Nerissa Viegas, Mr Jacob Lloyd, Miss Kaitlin Ferris and Miss Katie McLaren to our school. You may see them around in the next couple of weeks as they begin their induction so feel free to extend the welcome. Mrs Chantel Simon and Ms Aphrodite Loizou will also be re-joining us from maternity leave which is exciting.
I hope to have an indicative staffing plan for 2024 in the last Newsletter of the year.
2024 Start Dates
Next year our governing body MACS (Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools) requires all Catholic schools to administer a series of Literacy and Numeracy assessments across the school at the beginning of the year.
Children in the middle/senior years will be capable of completing these assessments independently during regular classes however our junior children will need to do them with their teacher.
To facilitate this testing we have arranged for a staggered start to the 2024 school year as follows:
Monday 29th January:
Staff commence - NO children
Tuesday 30th January:
Staff only. NO children
Wednesday 31st January:
Years 3-6 Commence School
Testing Day for Years P-2
Thursday 1st February:
Normal classes for Years 3-6
Testing Day for Years P-2
Friday 2nd February:
Normal classes for Years 3-6
Testing Day for Years P-2
Monday 5th February:
All children at school
On Testing Days children in Years P-2 will be required to be booked in for a one-on-one assessment with their teacher. These children only come to school for their testing time which should take 45-60 minutes. Bookings will be made through our School Interviews portal and will be open once classes for 2024 are determined.
Giving Thanks Can be the Greatest Gift of All
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) is excited to be launching a Christmas campaign in December. The focus of the campaign will be on giving the biggest thanks possible to our amazing teachers.
To make the campaign more special, students have the chance to be part of it. MACS has created an online form at www.macsbiggestthanks.com, where students can write a message of thanks to the teacher who has helped them to flourish, whether by igniting their passion in a certain subject or by inspiring them to believe in themselves.
Not only will the messages of thanks be shared with teachers, but some of the students’ messages will appear on billboards around Melbourne and in future communications. We need parent/carer/guardian consent in the online form to give students the chance of having their message used in this way.
The form will be open until Friday 1 December. We look forward to seeing the messages of joy and positivity from students as we celebrate our wonderful teachers this Christmas.
Year Prep 2024 Transition
Next Wednesday, 29th November we will host our final Prep 2024 Transition session from 2:00pm to 3:15pm.
This will be a most exciting time for families as their classes and teachers for 2024 are confirmed.
Christmas Concert
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Our Christmas concert is back and is scheduled for Tuesday 12th December (with a back-up date of Thursday 14th December).
Gates will open at 5:00 pm for families to set up
their picnic rug, join in some Christmas cheer and enjoy some time together before the formalities begin. Feel free to BYO a picnic dinner, or bring your own 'take-away'. Alternatively, our PFA will be running a sausage sizzle for you to enjoy.
In consideration to all, we ask that families sitting on deck chairs and the like set up toward the back or around the perimeter.
Formalities will commence around 6:00 pm with our Christmas concert: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas! A fitting title for this time of the year.
And you never know... there might even be a visit from a man in red!
Christmas Raffle
This week each family will receive a set of ten (10) raffle tickets for our end-of-year Christmas Raffle.
There are some fantastic prizes to be won including
the main prize of Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter (or similar)
And Tickets are only $1.00 each!
Tickets (and money) are to be returned to the school office by next Friday 8th December (don't forget to write your name on them) and more tickets can also be purchased from the school office. Good luck!
We hope this proves a wonderful opportunity to finish off the year on a high.
Have a wonderful week.
God Bless
Anthony Hyde
(Principal)