Principal's Report 

Principal’s Report

Supervision of Students

The school grounds will open at 8:30 am and classes begin at 9.00 am (music begins at 8:57 am to alert our community to move to their classrooms).  Students are supervised in the yard from 8:30 am.  Classrooms will open at 8:50 am (unless inclement weather).  Our first break will occur from 11:00 am-11:40 am and the second break is from 1:50 pm-2:30 pm with dismissal at 3:30 pm.  

Swimming Trials

Swimming trials are on Monday 12th of February for those students in Grades 3 to 6 who wish to participate.  This year the students are required to swim 50 metres for the trials, with no 25 metre events being held.  Please ensure your child can swim the full 50 metres, unassisted, before signing the permission note to participate as these are not swimming lessons.

Lunch Orders

Lunch orders will commence this Friday the 9th of February. Families place orders for their children from the menu each Thursday for Friday lunch via QKR.

Marong Cup

The Marong Cup occurring on Saturday 17 February, is a great opportunity for the parents and students of the school to engage in a fun social event. Our school is responsible for hosting the Lawn BBQ and requires volunteers to make this a success.  (See further information later in the newsletter). 

3 Way Conversations - Meet and Greet Sessions

On 13th, 20th and 21st February, parents/caregivers, (along with their child) will have the opportunity to meet their classroom teacher. During each 20 minute meeting, parents/caregivers, along with the child, will provide information to the teacher that they may not already know.

As the meeting is early in the year, it is important to know that the teacher will not have any up-to-date Assessment data at this point in time.

Please make an appointment with your child’s teacher, via PAM.  If you are unable to attend, please email your child’s classroom teacher so alternative arrangements can be made.  

Opening Mass

The St Kilian's Primary School Opening Mass will be held on Tuesday 27th February at 6 pm in the St Kilian’s Church.  The school community will gather together for the first time to celebrate the 2024 school year with Mass at St Kilian’s Church. The Mass will begin at 6.00 pm, followed by a BYO picnic for all families in the school grounds. All families are encouraged to attend and to join in and celebrate the beginning of the school year and to welcome new students and families to the school. During the Mass, new Preps will be accompanied by their Grade 6 buddies as well as the Grade 6 students being presented with their Leadership badges. A reminder that students wear neat casual clothes and sit with their families during the Mass.

Grade 6 Camp

Grade 6 Camp is a valuable experience that provides students with an opportunity to further their learning and social skills development in a non-school setting. The Canberra camp focuses on the Civics and Citizenship curriculum area incorporating an understanding of how we’re governed and our Australian identity. Students develop independence, social skills and deeper conceptual understandings through the direct experience of appropriate camps.  Dates: Tuesday 12th March (arrive at school at 7:00 am for a 7:15 am departure) - Friday 15th March (approx 5:30 pm). 

School Uniform

It has been great to see all of the students return to school taking pride in their uniform. I please ask for your continuous support, ensuring your child/children leave home each day wearing the correct uniform. Students have been informed of their sports and specialists days where they are to wear their sports uniform on these days only. I also ask that the school black sports shorts are adhered to, with no brand names or stripes appearing on them. The sports shorts are available for purchase from the uniform shop

at a very reasonable price.

Please contact me at school if you have any questions or concerns regarding the school uniform. I do thank you in advance for assisting us with this.

Upcoming events

Week 3

• 12th February Swimming Trials
• 13th February Shrove Tuesday (Project Compassion Launch)
• 13th February 3 Way Conversations- Meet and Greet Sessions
• 14th February Ash Wednesday (Mass 9 am)
• 14th February Prep Rest Day
• 14th February District Tennis
• 17th February Marong Cup

Week 4

• 20th February Catholic Swimming Sports
• 20th February 3 Way Conversations- Meet and Greet Sessions
• 21st February  3 Way Conversations- Meet and Greet Sessions
• 21st February Prep Rest Day

NSIT Review Feedback

During 2023 our school undertook the National School Improvement Tool (NSIT Review).  This will support our School Improvement Planning and Annual Action Plans for the coming years.  In Term 2 we will partake in the Catholic Identity review section of our full school review and will be seeking feedback from families at this time.  When the leadership presented this information to the School Advisory Council they suggested we acknowledge the great work we are undertaking at St Kilian’s School.

St Kilian’s Primary School is commended for (NSIT Review Panel):

• The strong shared understanding by stakeholders of the Catholic identity, values and charisms which are part of the fabric of the school.

• The close relationship with Father Junray who conducts Sacramental Programs, prayer and parish mass.

• The dedication and hard work of staff and leaders, who are highly respected by parents and students.

• The intent of leaders to embed approaches and programs to achieve consistency foundation to year 6.

• The clearly articulated consistent school-wide planning documents, protocols, expectations and agreed instructional practices to deliver a guaranteed curriculum.

• The development of scope and sequence documents for teachers to plan against ensuring the vertical alignment of curriculum and reporting requirements for literacy, numeracy, knowledge areas and the Victorian Curriculum capabilities.

• The school’s Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Framework which is designed to effectively support consistency in the delivery of high-quality evidence-based curriculum.

• Curriculum outcomes expressed as ‘I Can’ statements to ensure the close alignment between planning, practice and assessment including in the specialist subject areas of The Arts, Indonesian and Physical Education.

• The weekly email to parents outlining curriculum ‘I Can’ statements by teachers, which enable parents to engage with their child’s learning at home.

• The role of leadership in identifying the preferred pedagogy for the school and the way that this has been articulated throughout the whole school in practice and in documentation.  This drives all decisions in the school, including resourcing, budgets, staffing and programs.

• The explicit drive by leaders and engagement by teachers to improve student literacy and numeracy learning outcomes.

• The use of research-based and evidence-informed practice to inform teaching, including the relationships formed with other schools.

• Living out the embedded PBIS expectations for the whole school community to be: Safe, Respectful and Responsible.

• The development and implementation of a wellbeing framework including response to intervention systems, which facilitate student support and resource management.

• The welcoming inclusive culture and positive community feel of the school, based on strong, caring relationships and trust.

God Bless 

Kimberley McSweeney  

Principal