From the Principal's Desk
Welcome Back
Welcome back to the 2024 school year. I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday and were able to enjoy some quality time as a family. It’s always wonderful to hear and share stories of our experiences over the long break!
As we begin the new year it has been wonderful to see our children (and parents) arrive to school each day with huge smiles on their faces as they reunite with friends and teachers.
Our Year 3-6 children have transitioned seamlessly into their Learning Communities and their routines and got stuck straight back into learning.
We look forward to welcoming our Year Prep -2 students when they commence next week.
A special welcome to all our new families who have joined us at Corpus Christi School. We hope that your time here is very special and that we can form a wonderful partnership in the education of your children and in building our wonderful school community.
Staffing for 2024
Please see below our final staffing structure for 2024. We welcome back Mrs Chantel Simon and Ms Aphrodite Loizou from maternity leave and a special welcome to Mrs Candice Rogers, Mr Jacob Lloyd, Miss Katie McLaren, Mrs Nerissa Viegas and Miss Kaitlin Ferris who are all new to our teaching staff.
Therefore as we move into 2024 our staff structure will commence as follows:
Year Prep Community
- Prep L: Miss Lauren Borg (4 days) & Mrs Brittney Wohling (1 day)
- Prep N: Mrs Nives Childs
Year 1/2 Community
- Year 1/2 L: Mr Jacob Lloyd
- Year 1/2 K: Miss Jess Kenny
- Year 1/2 V: Mrs Nerissa Viegas
Year 3/4 Community
- Year 3/4 S: Mrs Chantel Simon (4 days) & Ms Aphrodite Loizou (1 day)
- Year 3/4 P: Miss Stefanie Poropat
- Year 3/4 F: Miss Kaitlin Ferris
Year 5/6 Community
- Year 5/6 R: Mrs Candice Rogers
- Year 5/6 L: Miss Khanh Ly
- Year 5/6 M: Miss Katie McLaren
Italian: Signora Catrina Anderson
Visual Arts:Mrs Brittney Wohling
Physical Education: Mr Dan Palanca
Library: Miss Jane Wilkinson
Reading Recovery: Miss Jane Wilkinson
Reading Intervention:Signora Anderson
Learning Support Officers: Miss Letitia Hyde, Mrs Veronica Tweedly, Miss Olivia Bovolato & Mrs Laura Cosentino
Wellbeing Leader: Miss Lauren Borg
e-Learning Leader: Miss Stefanie Poropat
Learning Diversity Leader: Mrs Victoria La Fauci
Admin Officers: Mrs Debbie Roumbos, Mrs Deanne Fitzgerald
Director of Learning and Teaching: Ms Deborah Courtney
Deputy Principal/Religious Education Leader: Miss Jane Wilkinson
Principal: Mr Anthony Hyde
It's a Boy!
While you were away Mrs Chrissie Marakis gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.
So congratulations Chrisse and Theo on the birth of little Aki, born Tuesday 2nd January. A perfect start to the new year!
Newsflash
And... just in case you weren't aware, Ms Debbie will only be with us a short time this year as she prepares for the birth of her new baby, due 9th April.
Judging by the number of times I have heard "Oh my God" in the last two days, she must have hidden it well last year.
Big Brekky
This year's Big Brekky (Welcome Breakfast) will be held on Friday 16th February commencing at 8:00 am.
All families are welcome to join us for breakfast in the central courtyard and feast upon a range of pastries, fruit, sausages, juice, tea and coffee (a Coffee Van will be on-site).
It will be a time to catch up, meet new people and just enjoy the new year.
We hope to see you all there!
Adjustments to Friday Finish Time in 2024
Workload agreements in the newly introduced Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement (CEMEA) stipulate that full-time (primary school) teachers may be allocated a maximum of
- 21.5 hours per week in 2023; and
- 20 hours per week in the 2024 school year and subsequent years.
The implementation of these limits has proven to be a headache for schools as they navigate themselves through the CEMEA. We have been able to accommodate this year's reduction through additional programming but next year and beyond proves a little trickier.
So to become compliant with the new Award, in 2024 school will finish at 3:15 pm on Fridays. All other days will remain as a 3:30 pm finish. Judging by the number of early pick-ups requested on Fridays, the adjustment should prove favourable to families.
Assemblies
As our Year Prep - 2 Children do not commence school until next week our first school Assembly will be on Monday 12th February in the Gathering Space (undercover area). All families are welcome to attend this weekly event.
ABC Music
ABC Music lessons will commence next Wednesday with Megan and Emma (who is replacing Pez) for students already enrolled.
ABC Music will also visit us in the coming days to give some small demonstrations to classes.
Morning Prayer Routines
Our morning prayer is an important part of each of Learning Community's morning routine and families are more than welcome to attend and participate in the ritual. We just ask that we remember that this is a time of reverence (and not a time for toddlers to play or walk around) and a prayerful silence needs to be maintained.
Uniform
A reminder to all children (and families) that the correct school uniform is to be worn each day. Black school shoes must be worn with the summer and winter uniform.
Timetables will be shared by teachers via Class Dojo but in the meantime, you can refer to the timetable below to see which days your child has Specialist classes. Children are to wear their sports uniforms only on days when they have PE.
A reminder that children should not be wearing things that dangle around their necks or wrists. They are not part of the school uniform and we do not want any mishaps.
The same applies to piercings. Only small studs or sleepers are to be worn.
All hair below shoulder length needs to be tied back with appropriate hair ties in school colours.
Hats
Please remember that as per our SunSmart policy, children are to wear their school hat during outdoor activities, including play and lunch. It would be a good idea to ensure they are clearly labelled with their name.
Lunch Orders
Our Lunch Orders service (through Roberts Street Milkbar) will commence next week running every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
As per tradition, orders are to be written on a paper bag with (preferably) correct money sealed inside.
Children will place these into their class lunch order basket on arrival to school.
An order form/price list can be accessed below-
or via the school website: https://www.cckingsville.catholic.edu.au/news-events/forms/
School Fees
Invoices for Fees and Levies for 2024 will be emailed to all families next week. Money raised from the collection of fees and levies allows us to offer our extracurricular activities such as: Swimming Program, Dance Program, Interschool Sports Program, excursions and so on as well as covering all stationery requirements for students, classroom and program supplies/resources.
Private income raised from levies also assists with the constant upgrading of systems and programs (including our Chromebook Program) funding of capital works, and maintenance of our buildings as well as the school environment.
It is important that all families be prepared to meet this financial commitment.
Our policy, in keeping with that of Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools (MACS), recognises that some families face difficulties or financial hardship. Fee concession may be given to families of students experiencing financial hardship, who would otherwise be impeded from receiving a Catholic education. It acknowledges the need for families to meet their school fee obligations according to their capacity to pay while providing a consistent approach to school fee concessions across all MACS primary schools. Our Concessional Fee application form can be accessed below and is to be completed and forwarded to the office as soon as possible -
As per information sent to all families last year, our Fee and Levy Structure for 2024 is as follows:
Family Fee
$1575
Term 1 Instalment: $525.00 due by 28th March 2024
Term 2 Instalment: $525.00 due by 28th June 2024
Term 3 Instalment: $525.00 due by 20th September 2024
Curriculum Levy
$560 payable before 29th February 2024
Capital Levy
$120 payable by 28th June 2024
Alternatively, you may wish to set up periodical payments through your bank account with the TOTAL payable by 20th September 2024.
Alternatively, you may wish to set up periodical payments through your bank account with the TOTAL payable by 20th September 2024.
Payments can be made to:
BSB: 083 347
Account Number: 488033614
Please reference your family name or ID number with your payment.
Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF)
A reminder that families who hold a valid Health Care Card for the 2024 year can receive a government rebate through the Camp, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF) which is currently set at $150 per primary-aged child.
Applications for the CSEF can be collected from the school office or accessed below. Families MUST submit these to the school office by 28th June.
School App
A reminder to everyone to download our school app!
As well as Absentee Notifications, Communications, Calendar, and general updates, are all available via the app so it's definitely a 'must-have'.
Simply visit Google Play or the App Store and search for our school name.
I think that is enough information for one issue!
God bless
Anthony Hyde
(Principal)