Dear members of the St Cecilia’s School community,

🎄 Carols on the Court – A Family Christmas Twilight Event! 🎶

Wednesday, 11th December 2024 | 5:30–7:00 PM

Get ready to kick off the festive season with a heartwarming evening of music, fun, and typical St. Cecilia's community spirit at Carols on the Court! Join us on Wednesday, 11th December from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM for an enchanting twilight celebration that’s fun for all!

🎶 What to Expect:

Live Christmas Carols: Sing along with your favourite carols performed by all Grade Levels with some special guests
Family Fun: A wonderful event for all ages, with BYO picnic and a visit from Santa himself
A Magical Atmosphere: This is the perfect way to soak in the Christmas spirit with our school community

Mark your calendars, bring your family,

and let’s make this Christmas season one to remember!

See you there! ✨

Event Details:

🗓 Date: Wednesday, 11th December 2024

⏰ Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

📍 Location: Top Playground at St. Cecilia's (The MCG)

🎅 Free entry!

Stay tuned for more event details and special announcements!

School Fair Success and Charitable Donation Announcement

We are excited to share that this year’s School Fair was a tremendous success, raising a total of $54,000—an impressive increase of approximately $20,000 compared to last year! This significant growth is largely due to the outstanding efforts of our sponsors and the strong support of our community.

As we reflect on this achievement, we are pleased to announce that the major portion of the proceeds will go towards our Landscape Masterplan. With Phase 2 of the project now complete, the newly developed landscape area has already made a remarkable impact, greatly enhancing the playspace for our students. The vibrant, expanded outdoor area offers more opportunities for play, exploration, and learning, and we are excited to see it being enjoyed by all.

In addition to the development of our school’s grounds, a portion of the funds raised will also support the School of St Jude in Tanzania, a pioneering institution that provides free, quality education to children in need. Founded by Melbourne’s own Gemma Sisia, the school has grown to serve over 1,800 students, offering tuition, materials, and boarding at no cost to families. In a country where educational access is limited, the School of St Jude’s work is transformative and we are honoured to contribute to their mission.

The amount we are planning to donate is equal to the cost of a scholarship for one year for one student, being $3240AUD.

For more information about the School of St Jude and the incredible impact they are having in Tanzania, we encourage you to visit their website at https://australia.schoolofstjude.org/

Thank you once again to everyone who helped make the School Fair a success. Your generosity is creating positive change both at our school and for children in Tanzania. We look forward to seeing the continued benefits of your support.

St Cecilia's Fair Raffle 2024 – Winners Announcement

We are excited to share the results from the 2024 St Cecilia's Fair Raffle! Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the raffle, as well as the Fair itself. Your involvement helps us continue to enrich the learning experience for all our students.

Congratulations to our lucky winners:

1st Prize: $1,500 Chadstone Voucher Ticket No. 101445 – G. Bland

2nd Prize: Nintendo Switch Console Ticket No. 106587 – I. Leslie

3rd Prize: Globe/Impala Skateboard and Shoes Package Ticket No. 105461 – Stojanovski Family

4th Prize: Amora Hotel Riverwalk Package Ticket No. 102822 – N. Tyson

5th Prize: 12 x Superleague Netball TicketsTicket No. 104256 – M. Mazza

6th Prize: Running Postman Voucher Ticket No. 102943 – A. O’Connell

A special thank you goes to Sarah Styring, who has generously coordinated the raffle for many years. Sarah, your dedication and hard work have made a lasting impact on our school community, and we are deeply grateful for all you’ve done.

Once again, thank you to everyone for your ongoing support. We look forward to more exciting events ahead!

Staffing and Class Structure for Next Year (repeat)

We are pleased to announce that St. Cecilia’s will continue with the same class structure as this year. We will have two classes in each of Foundation, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, and Year 4, as well as two composite classes for Year 5/6 students. This consistent structure allows us to deliver quality support and balanced class sizes across all year levels, creating a strong learning environment for all students.

Later this term, we will be in a position to announce the teaching staff associated with each level. In the meantime, we are thoughtfully arranging classes for the upcoming school year. This is a process we take very seriously, using several criteria to ensure a well-considered learning environment for each child. We remind parents that we generally do not take requests regarding specific placements, except in cases where there is a highly significant reason that we need to be aware of. Any requests of this nature must be directed to the principal at principal@scgleniris.catholic.edu.au , not classroom teachers, and should clearly outline the reasons for the request.

As in previous years, while friendship groups are not the main component in class selection, we understand their importance and will continue to consider them as part of the overall placement criteria. We kindly ask families to trust in this decision-making process as we strive to make the best choices for all students.

Thank you for your continued support as we prepare for another successful year at St. Cecilia’s!

Celebrating Anna Clarkson's Role as Australian Captain at ITF Masters 45+ World Team Championships

We have some exciting news to share about one of our beloved long-time staff members and gardener teacher, Anna Clarkson. We are thrilled to announce that Anna has been selected to represent Australia as the Team Captain for the ITF Masters 45+ World Team Championships in Tokyo, Japan this coming November!

From November 17-22, Anna will lead the Australian team at this prestigious international event, which will take place at the stunning Ariake Tennis Centre, the very venue that hosted the tennis events for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This year, the tournament will see 47 teams from across the globe competing for the coveted title of World Champions.

As many of you know, Anna has been a dedicated member of our team for many years, inspiring others not only through her passion for gardening and teaching but also through her incredible athleticism and leadership. Her commitment to both her craft and her community has made her an invaluable part of our family, and we could not be more proud of her achievement.

Anna’s role as Team Captain is a well-deserved recognition of her years of hard work, dedication, and exceptional skills. She has not only been an outstanding ambassador for Australian tennis but has also inspired many of us with her determination and sportsmanship both on and off the court. We are excited to watch her lead her team with the same grace, poise, and resilience that she brings to everything she does.

We wish Anna and the Australian team the best of luck as they take on the world’s best in Tokyo. We know that no matter the outcome, Anna will make us all proud as she represents our country with pride and passion!

Please join us in congratulating Anna on this incredible achievement, and let’s send her our best wishes as she heads to Japan!

Exciting Updates for Our Incoming Foundation Families

We want to extend a warm thank you to all of our new families who joined us for the wonderful Foundation Information Session. It was fantastic to meet so many of you and share important details about the year ahead. Your participation and enthusiasm are greatly appreciated as we work together to create a welcoming and supportive environment for your child.

In addition, we’ve had a great start to our Foundation transition program, with two successful transition mornings already completed! These sessions have been a wonderful opportunity for our incoming students to get a feel for their new school environment, meet their future classmates, and become familiar with our staff.

Looking ahead to our third and final transition session, here are the details:

TRANSITION SESSION THREE: For Foundation Students

Date: Thursday 21st November

Venue: Foundation Classrooms at St. Cecilia’s

Time: 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

During this session, students will have the chance to explore the playground, spend time with their peers, and enjoy some outdoor play. Please remember to pack a small snack for your child to enjoy.

At this final transition morning, we will also provide a list showing which class each student will be in and who their teacher will be for the upcoming school year. We’re excited to share this information with you and to take the next step in preparing your child for their Foundation year!

A big thank you once again to those who attended our second transition session with our guest presenter, psychologist Carley McGauran, where we explored helpful strategies for families navigating the exciting change of starting school.

For those who missed the session, we’ve got you covered with our upcoming community webinar, which is open to all families who have a Foundation student starting at St. Cecilia’s in 2025. This 'Starting School' webinar will provide helpful advice and strategies to ensure your family thrives during this transition.

Upcoming Webinar: 'Starting School: How Your Family Can Thrive and Not Just Survive'

Presenter: Carley McGauran
Date: Wednesday 27th November 2024
Time: 7:30 PM (75 minutes)
Delivery: Community Webinar (no additional cost for your school)
Registration Link: Here is the link for Foundation parents to register for the webinar (you will also receive access to the replay): www.bit.ly/27nov2024

Please note, this information will be shared with all families who have a Foundation student starting at St. Cecilia’s in 2025. We encourage all Foundation families to join the session to gain valuable insights and tips that will help everyone feel confident and excited for the big year ahead.

Additionally, don’t forget that the Starting School Parent Toolkit is available and includes key resources from Carley’s presentation.

You can access it here: Starting School Parent Toolkit.

Thank you once again for your participation and support, and we look forward to seeing you at the webinar!

Have a great weekend with your families everyone!

Marty McKenna

Principal

St Cecilia’s Primary School

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