From the Principal's Desk
Christmas Concert
With extreme weather still forecast for Monday, we will be moving our Christmas Picnic/Concert to the backup date of Tuesday 17th December.
Gates will open at 5:00 pm for families to set up
their picnic rug, join in some Christmas cheer and enjoy some time together before the formalities begin. Feel free to BYO picnic dinner, or bring your own 'take-away'. Alternatively, our PFA will be running a sausage sizzle for you to enjoy.
In consideration to all, we ask that families sitting on deck chairs and the like set up toward the back or around the perimeter.
Formalities will commence at 6:00 pm with our Christmas concert: Dance Machine. Our concert will showcase the skills our children have acquired throughout our Term 4 Dance Program so 'be there or be square!'
We hope the weather is perfect so that we can finish off the year on a high.
Christmas Raffle
This week each child will bring home a booklet of 10 tickets for our end-of-year Christmas Raffle which will be drawn at the Christmas Concert.
There are some fantastic prizes to be won including the main prize of the Elektra Hoverboard, valued at $600
Other prizes include:
Family voucher to A Maze N Things in Phillip Island
Lego Packs
a $150 and a $50 Bunnings Vouchers
Tickets are only $1.00 each!
Tickets (and money) should be returned to the school office by TODAY (but if you are nice to us, we will still accept tickets next week). More tickets can also be purchased from the school office. Good luck!
Assemblies
Thank you to the Year 1/2L community who prepared and presented our second Advent Paraliturgy on Monday. Assemblies will continue to be conducted in the Hall to incorporate Advent Paraliturgies.
This coming Monday, our Year 1/2V children will lead us in celebrating the second week of Advent.
Please see below for a summary of our remaining paraliturgies:
- Monday 16th December @ 9:00am:
- Year 1/2V to lead
- Wednesday 18th December @ 12:15pm
- Year 1/2K to lead
All families are welcome to attend. Our usual Assembly items will follow the liturgy.
Graduation
Last night our Year 6 children celebrated their Graduation in style!
Thank you to Miss Khanh Ly, Mrs Candice Rogers and Miss Libby Napier for their organisation of the evening, to our wonderful parents who set up, packed up and served the children, and to all families for providing the smorgasbord of food for our shared meal.
2025 Start Dates
As was the case last year, to facilitate Literacy and Numeracy assessments across the school at the beginning of the year (especially for our Year Prep-2 children), there will be a staggered start for children as follows -
Tuesday 28th January:
Staff commence - NO children
Wednesday 29th January:
Years 3-6 commence school
Testing Day for Years P-2
Thursday 30th January:
Normal classes for Years 3-6
Testing Day for Years P-2
Friday 31st January:
Normal classes for Years 3-6
Testing Day for Years P-2
Monday 3rd February:
All children at school
On Testing Days children in Years Prep-2 will be required to be booked in for a one-on-one assessment with their teacher. These children only come to school for their testing time which should take 45 minutes.
Bookings are to be made through our School Interviews portal.
To make a booking, simply click on the link below or scan the QR Code.
https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/hd8vv
Children in the middle/senior years will be capable of completing these assessments independently during regular classes.
Christmas Mass Times
Please see the details below for Christmas Mass times for the Parishes of Kingsville and Yarraville.
Please note that the 5.00pm Mass at St Augustine’s is a family mass and we are inviting all children to come dressed as Shepherds and Angels.
Finalised Staffing for 2025
Last week we appointed Mrs Stephanie Stedman as our new Learning Diversity Leader (LDL). Stephanie brings a wealth of experience to the Wellbeing/Learning Diversity space and we look forward to having her as part of the team.
Therefore we will begin the year as follows:
Year Prep Community
- Prep N: Mrs Nives Childs
Year 1/2 Community
- Year 1/2 V: Mrs Nerissa Viegas
- Year 1/2 S: Mrs Chantel Simon (4 days) & Mrs Chrissie Marakis (1day)
- Year 1/2 M: Mrs Lauren Molluso (4 days) & Mrs Chrissie Marakis (1 day)
Year 3/4 Community
- Year 3/4 P: Miss Stefanie Poropat (4 days & Mrs Stephanie Stedman 1 day)
- Year 3/4 F: Miss Kaitlin Ferris
- Year 3/4 K Miss Jess Kenny
Year 5/6 Community
- Year 5/6 R: Mrs Candice Rogers
- Year 5/6 L: Miss Khanh Ly
- Year 5/6 N: Miss Libby Napier
Italian: Signora Catrina Anderson
Visual Arts:Mrs Brittney Wohling
Physical Education: Mr Dan Palanca
Library/Reading Recovery: Miss Jane Wilkinson
Reading Intervention:Signora Anderson
Learning Support Officers: Miss Letitia Hyde, Mrs Veronica Tweedly, Mrs Laura Cosentino, Miss Olivia Anderson & Miss Mia Erbsland
Student Wellbeing Leader: Mrs Lauren Molluso
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader: Miss Stefanie Poropat
Learning Diversity Leader: Mrs Stephanie Stedman
Director of Learning and Teaching: Ms Deborah Courtney
Deputy Principal/Religious Education Leader: Miss Jane Wilkinson
Administration Officers: Mrs Debbie Roumbos, Mrs Laura Cosentino, Mrs Deanne Fitzgerald
Principal: Mr Anthony Hyde
Grand Finalists
Congratulations to our Year 5/6 Girls' and Boys' Basketball Teams, who both played off in the Footscray District Summer Sport Grand Final today.
In both games, scores were 'neck and neck' at half-time but both opposition teams proved too big and too strong in the end. Nevertheless, we came away with 2 Runners Up pennants. A great effort by all.
Congratulations to all our children for the manner they played the entire competition!
Step-Up Day
Next Tuesday will be our Step-Up Day for our children and the last of our whole school transition sessions building upon last week's experience where our children experienced a 'snap-shot' of life in their 2025 community.
Next Tuesday our children will meet their teacher for 2025 and work alongside children who will be in their community next year.
There may be some disappointment as the children find out the exact groupings. This is all to be expected yet the beauty of the setup and design of our learning spaces is that children are never far from their closest friends and there is always a familiar face at hand to ease any anxiety that may arise when dealing with change.
We ask families to bear in mind that the organisation of class groupings takes an enormous amount of time and is almost a 'science' as we take into account the social, emotional and learning needs of all children along with the advice of teachers and the particular circumstantial needs of families. It is never as simple as moving one child as this will always have a roll-on effect.
With classes set it would be unfair to others should any changes be requested or made.
Thank You
As the year draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been part of the life of Corpus Christi in 2024:
To Father Werner for his leadership of the parish community of which the school forms an important part.
To my school Executive Leadership Team of Jane Wilkinson and Deborah Courtney who epitomize what it is 'to put the child at the heart of everything we do.' and to our extended Leadership Team of Lauren Borg, Victoria La Fauci and Stefanie Poropat whose specialised support to our students, staff, and families is truly appreciated.
To our wonderful staff, whose efforts often go unrewarded. I am grateful to all of them for their dedicated work and proud of their achievements as they continue to learn and grow in their profession.
To all parents, for the efforts you continue to make in supporting our school through classroom assistance, attendance at school/parish functions, raffles, meetings, and fundraising activities. Thank you for all you do for your children as parents and as first educators of your children.
To the many parents (and grandparents) who assisted with events across the year.
To Danielle Taske and Heidi Laws for co-ordinating Book Club throughout the year which our children eagerly await each term.
To our School Council representatives: Goran Koltovski, Belinda Miller and Miriam Nicholls. Thank you for your insights and unwavering support of the school.
To our PFA office bearers: Mel Daglish, Nathalie Angelone, Mirella Verga and Sophia Garro and all general members of our PFA for bringing our community together through the many events offered and supported.
To all the children of Corpus Christi. Thank you for your hard work, your support for your peers and the cheerful way in which you have joined in school life.
To our Graduating Year Six children. Thank you for your leadership and the way you regularly volunteer to do all those extra jobs around the school. Remember that each of you has something special to offer. Your potential is limitless, and the world is waiting for the unique contributions only you can make.
And finally, thank you to everyone in our beautiful community for the support of our school.
On behalf of our staff, I would like to wish each and every one of you a very safe and happy holiday. May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter and good health.
Have a safe and happy holiday
God Bless
Anthony Hyde
(Principal)