Principal’s Report

Christmas Prayer for Families

Loving God,

During this holy season of Christmas, we ask for your blessings on all families.

Let Mary’s openness to your wondrous ways be an inspiration to place all trust in you.

Let Joseph’s courage provide hope during times of anxiety and uncertainty.

Let Jesus’ life ignite all families with a spirit of light and love.

May the grace that encircled the Holy Family widen to embrace all families.

For this we pray.

Amen

St Kilian’s School Christmas Appeal

Thank you, students, staff & families for all your kind donations to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal via our ‘Angel Tree’.

End of Year Mass and Graduation

Last Thursday the school community came together to celebrate the final Mass for the school year. It was a wonderful celebration where the students had a chance to reflect on the year gone by and to also acknowledge those staff, students and families who are leaving the school at the end of the year. Thank you to Fr Junray for celebrating and Mrs Maher for her preparation of the mass. I also thank the grade 6 teachers and Mrs Bourke for their assistance in the mass.

Awards

During the Graduation ceremony, some of our students were acknowledged and received some special awards.

Knights of the Southern Cross Award - Congratulations to Kingston Clark and Esme Mennen. This award is sponsored by the Knights of the Southern Cross. The criteria of this award require the recipients to have upheld the school’s values and ethos and be continuing their secondary education in a catholic school.

Amy Castles Music Award - Congratulations to Sophia Mallari. Amy Castles was born in 1880 and went to St Kilian's Primary School and St Mary's College in Bendigo. The Castles family were highly musical and all the children were involved with singing in one form or another. Amy is well known as a soprano, performing in many countries and was well received by royalty, particularly the Queen of the Netherlands. Amy died peacefully in 1951. The criteria for this award include an active participant in the school choir and an eagerness to learn in the performing arts program.

Christine Alderton Reading Award - Congratulations to Delilah Mertens and Sebastian Spinelli. Our reading award, which is sponsored by the Alderton family, is named the Chris Alderton Award, for the love and development of reading. Our senior staff shortlisted from the grade 6 cohort to select students who represent the love and reading development over the years.

School Reports

Student school reports will be uploaded to PAM on Wednesday and can be accessed via the website: www.pam.skbendigo.catholic.edu.au The reports are a summary of the progress your child has made throughout the year. I encourage you to sit with your child and discuss and celebrate the progress made and to set goals for the new year. I sincerely thank the staff for all the work they have put into writing the students’ reports.

Thanks to the St Kilian’s Staff

We would like to acknowledge the staff for their wonderful efforts throughout the 2024 school year. Nothing was impossible for every one of you and I thank each one.

Farewell and Thank You

Farewell and thank you to our staff who have cared for our students during their time at St Kilian’s School Natahsha Turpie, Ashlee Polinelli and Jackson Barnett.

Thank you to Kevin Gerber, our crossing supervisor. We appreciate you caring for our students as they cross McCrae Street each day.

Farewell and thank you for entrusting your children to our care to the Bayliss, Bush-McCarron, Chapman(Sam), Clark, Colt, Connolly, Evans (Aidan), Evans (Kirra), Everton, Francis, Gahan, Heley, Kelly, Kon, Mansfield, McConvill, McGregor, Micallef, Nguyen, Nithin, Passalick, Petersen, Reade, Roberts, Rodriguez, Rothacker, Ryan, Stanton, Thomas, Walsh (Archie), Walsh (Violet & Ivy) & White families.

2024 Grade 6 Graduating Class

Congratulations and best wishes to our grade 6 students on completing their 7 year journey of primary school.

6SH:

Mila Chapman

Sam Chapman

Kingston Clark

Aidan Evans

William Everton

James Fitt

Harry Francis

Lara Gahan

Alexys Higgins

Polly Keane

Natalie Kon

Sophia Mallari

Eddie Mansfield

Nate McGregor

Delilah Mertens

Harper Ryan

Sebastian Spinelli

Georgie White

6RM:

Ruby Bush-McCarron

Abby Colt

Henry Connolly

Archer Heley

Evie Kelly

Isaac Manley

Vander Martin

Blake McConvill

Esme Mennen

Tiarna Micallef

Miranda Nguyễn

Lucie Passalick

Thomas Quin

Georgia Rankin

Jim Roberts

Spencer Thomas

Archie Walsh

Ivy Walsh

Violet Walsh

Final Newsletter for 2024

As this is the final newsletter for the year, on behalf of all the staff and myself, I wish all families of the school a very safe, blessed and merry Christmas and a happy new year.

I would like to thank all families for the great support you have given to the staff, children and myself throughout the 2024 school year. I would also like to wish those families who are leaving the school in 2025 every success for the future. I hope you hold and treasure your time spent at St Kilian’s School.

God Bless

Kimberley McSweeney

Principal

Pastoral Wellbeing