Principal's News

02/08/22

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had an eventful Term Three so far with Grandparents Day, Eucharist Retreat Day, Eucharist Evening by Pia Pagotto, Super Hero Day presented by Juniors, 100 Days of Prep and Sausage Sizzle Lunch.  The rest of this term promises to be quite eventful with Cyber Safety Night connected with Movie Night, Book Week, an author visit by Susan Beran, a visit from Federal Member for Menzies Keith Wolahan on 16/08 at 2pm, students shopping for Father’s Day gifts and Eucharist Celebrations. Hopefully then ending with Collingwood in the Grand Finale. 

I am so excited to introduce our new Performing Arts Teacher Maria Buttifant. She is passionate about Performing Arts and is looking forward to working with our students and staff.  Maria is a very experienced Performing Arts teacher and will also be working in 5/6C with Ms. Costa and the Year 5/6 students.  She will meet the students on Thursday.

Robyn James will also return in Week 5 and has been overseas visiting her family in the USA.

Languages at St Kevin’s

This week Eva and I are visiting St Bede’s in Balwyn as part of the Reimagining Languages Professional Development that we are currently undertaking. St Bede’s have been incorporating Languages using the Co-Teacher approach which means that the teachers learn the language along with the students with a mentor language assistant or teacher. They are using the gesture and functional language model which ensures everyone practices the language every day. There are 80 MACS schools that are using this approach and the language gains have been phenomenal. Kathy MacPhalane from Monash University has been at the centre of all this research and has worked very closely with the Languages team at MACS and leading schools in Victoria. Eva and I will report back our learning in the next newsletter.  At the moment our students have been language mapping and recalling words and phrases they know in different languages. This week they will be investigating what gestures are and how they are used when learning.  I am trying to organise an online or live parent session later in the term 3.

Here is some data from the language surveys so far. I will close the Parent survey at the end of this week. It would be wonderful if more parents could complete the survey.

Book Week 2022

Children’s Book Week at St Kevin’s will be on Tuesday August 16th this year.  Hope you all got to read the letter from Mrs Tomazos via the St Kevin’s App.  I'm keen to get the children excited about our Book Week. My costume is not ready but I have been trying to decide which Character I am going to bring to life this year!

CYBER SAFETY REMINDER

Raising Kids in a Digital World and Movie Night Wednesday 3rd of August at 7pm - 8:30pm in the Library Learning Space. It may be too late to book but bring $10 and we will find a seat for you.  Students will be watching a movie in the Junior and Middle area supervised by staff.

All Students participate in an interactive webinar during the term, Staff benefit from professional development and parents have an information evening.  This way we are all on the same page and supporting our young people to be safe online.

HELPERS IN THE CLASSROOM

Parents have been invited to join us in the classroom and support students with learning.  If you are available to assist in the classroom please email Eva Tomazos and she will communicate your request with the classroom teacher and keep you well informed throughout the process. 

Traditionally Parent Helpers have been most popular in the Junior Level but I believe that all teachers could benefit from some support, so please think about this invitation.  

It is essential that all helpers meet with Eva and complete a Child safe session and present their Working With Children Check before attending any classrooms.  

Also, it is important that anyone coming into the school is well and undergoes a RAT test if any symptoms of COVID are evident.  Reminder - All helpers need to sign in at the School Office.

RUN DOWN OF NEW CHILD SAFE STANDARDS

Child Safe Standards Ministerial Order 1359 

Ministerial Order 1359 requires all registered schools and schools seeking registration in Victoria to comply with various requirements to keep children safe. All policies and practices have been updated to reflect the new Ministerial order. The related policies are available on the school website. 

What are the new Child Safe Standards? Schools previously had to comply with 7 child safe standards, now schools must comply with 11 new standards:

1. Culturally Safe Environments
2. Child Safety and Wellbeing is Embedded in Leadership, Governance and Culture
3. Child and Student Empowerment
4. Family Engagement
5. Diversity and Equity
6. Suitable Staff and Volunteers
7. Complaints Processes
8. Child Safety Knowledge, Skills and Awareness
9. Child Safety in Physical and Online Environment
10. Review of Child Safety Practices
11.    Implementation of Child Safety Practices

SAUSAGE SIZZLE

Thank you Suzanne and the "A" team Gina Z, Jo H, Jane M, Charlene C & Penny who generously assisted with the Sausage Sizzle last Wednesday.  Roland from Baker’s Delight Bulleen generously donated the bread and this is greatly appreciated. The event ran smoothly and was meticulously organised!  It is a pleasure to watch how well everyone works together and collaborates to make these events a success.  I was also impressed to see new helpers and thank each and every person who enthusiastically supported this event.  A massive thank you also to parents who supported by purchasing the sausages.  The students enjoyed having a special lunch and staff even got to have a sausage in bread!

PREP INTERVIEWS

Eva and I are in the middle of Prep 2023 Interviews and it is delightful to meet with new and existing Families and learn more about their child/children.  Eva has been working with the children to do a preliminary screener in Literacy and Numeracy, while I gather information about health, wellbeing and school readiness.

MELBOURNE CONFERENCE

In early September there will be a National Catholic Education Conference and we were asked to send a photo including our school and community.  On Grandparent's and Special Person’s Day we gathered in the playground in the formation of a heart. Thank you to all the visitors for being so accommodating to our needs!   Super effort!

SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL

I have not had any nominations for the School Advisory Council and I do require two more members please. Let me know if you can support the school in this area.

SAC Meetings for 2022 - 13th September, 11th October, 8th November, 29th November - SAC/PFA Thank-you dinner

How can we grow this number?  By suggesting to fellow parents to complete the survey. 

Thank you to all parents who do complete the survey. 

Well done Year 5 & 6  thank you! 

Which level will be the champions for Term 3?    Try beat 5&6 Parents!

Click on the LINK -      I have read the newsletter 02/08/22 

CONGRATULATIONS Ruby F and Sophia Z on being casted in the Annie Jnr Production. 

Congratulations Jo M and Hubby (Library Technician) on the birth of their first grandchild, Levi Jack M.  God bless you all!

Important Dates

12/08/22 St Kevins’ Mens’ Social Group - The Parish is starting up a Men’s Social Group open to men of all ages - parishioners and non-parishioners alike.   Contact Tiziana D’Costa at St Kevin's Parish for details

16/08/22   Special Assembly -  9am Book Week Parade and 2:00pm Keith Wolahan (Fe will be a special guest speaker)

31/08/22    Father’s Day Stall 

04/09/22      Father's Day 

01/09/22    Confirmation Bookings OPEN 9am using School Interviews  Contact Fulvia Gerosolimo (Details will be sent out next week)

09/09/22    School Closure Day

16/09/22   End of Term 3 1:30pm