Principal's News

21/11/22

Dear Parents,

Major Fundraiser for 2022

WE RAISED

$7,900 

THANK YOU EVERYONE

Last week the financial results were calculated and it is so exciting to announce that we made $7,900.  We are purchasing a New PA system,  getting quotes for a 3D printer and purchasing phones with safe switches in each individual learning space.  I have also been reviewing the wish list from all stakeholders and hope to ensure some of these are included in the purchase items.

Staff News

Maria Buttifant (Performing Arts Specialist) has decided not to return to St Kevin's next year. We wish Maria the best for her future endeavours and thank her for her work at St Kevin’s.

Welcome to New Staff

Eva and I have been extremely busy employing new staff for 2023. It has been a real treat interviewing and learning about different professionals.  These keen individuals will flourish at our school along with the rest of our dedicated staff.  It is a real pleasure to introduce each of them.

We have employed a Performing Arts Specialist Sun Pezzimenti.  She is an expert in the area of Performing Arts and she is excited to commence sharing her craft at St Kevin’s.   She has media and film experience as well as performance and production skills.  Sun is returning to teaching after recently  working in Public Libraries and leading different initiatives involving wellbeing. 

Our new Health and Physical Education teacher Peter Scarfo is incredibly experienced and talented in this area of work.  His motivation, passion and zest for Health and PE is simply captivating!  The students are going to enjoy learning and working with Peter!  Peter will continue to teach at ‘Whitehorse Primary’ while working with us at St Kevin’s part time.

We also have employed a Numeracy Leader and Part time Teacher. Her name is Jo Moloney.  She is extremely keen and interested in all areas of learning especially mathematics and prides herself on personalising learning to ensure student improvement.  Jo has been teaching at St Martin of Tours in Rosanna and I even taught her many years ago. She is an avid learner!

Angela Scarcella will also join our team in a part time capacity next year.  Angela has completed many days of CRT work at St Kevin’s and has also generously volunteered her time to support our students.  Angela is an experienced dedicated individual who collaborates well and shares her expertise with all. She has been teaching at St Francis Xavier Montmorency.

Aurelia Zardo is joining our LSO team working three days a week! Another experienced LSO whose children attended and loved St Kevin’s.  Aurelia is such a friendly, beautiful person and I am sure will fit in perfectly with our star LSO team and staff.  

I welcome each of these educators to our school and parish community.  I look forward to learning and working together with them to give our students the best educational experiences and possibilities.

In the near future we will be interviewing for a language assistant and an experienced classroom teacher  undertaking the Teaching and Learning Leadership role.  

So much wonderful news and such genuine interest in our school. Everyone we interviewed talked about how keen they were to join us and what a fantastic reputation St Kevin’s holds in the community.  I will photograph new staff members and share these in the next newsletter.

Captains NEWS

The School Captains have a section allocated to Student Leadership on the School Website. Each fortnight the School captains write a report for the community.

Shade Sails

The government allocated a special school’s grant during Remote Learning last year to ensure schools had safe outdoor learning spaces. 

The posts have been erected and soon the sails will be installed outside the 5/6 learning areas.  In the not so distant future Students and Staff will be about to work outside using this well shaded area.

KINDNESS AWARD

A raffle ticket system where staff and students recognise kindness in our school has commenced. This is a positive behaviour strategy and already in one week we have noticed an improvement in attitude and behaviour.

Each time kindness is witnessed or observed the students receive a raffle ticket and at the end of the week students from each level are randomly selected and receive a special reward.  There is an outstanding Achievement Award which will be shared once all classes submit their suggestions to Mrs Leone.

PBL

I received such EXCITING News last week that St Kevin’s has been selected to participate in a PBL Framework next year.  Staff will receive professional learning and continue to develop learning strategies to promote respectful behaviour.   This Positive Behaviour for Learning Framework is facilitated by the MACS team and you will hear more about how we set goals to achieve super learning with positive behaviour in 2023.

Special Visitors At Assembly on Friday

Assembly went well on Friday and the students were great. Thank you to everyone who prepared the students prior to the event.  It was very special for Rebecca, Pam, Roland and Ms Costa.  We thanked all our visits and I spoke about their dedication and hard work.  It has not gone unnoticed! They are incredible pillars in our community and we appreciated all their efforts.

Matthew’s Baptism and Middle C Mass 

Congratulations to Matthew Tan!  Matthew was Baptised on Saturday during the Middle C Mass.  It was a reverent occasion filled with joy.  May God bless you Matthew!

Special Visitors Assembly - All Welcome to Join

On Thursday 24th of November we are excited to welcome special visitors from our LOYO Sister school in the Philippines at a Whole School Assembly. This will be held in the Senior building at 9.10am - 10.10am. There will be different announcements and performances from our students followed by an Australiana Morning Tea.

 ALL WELCOME! I look forward to seeing you there! 

Please don’t forget to sign in at the office.

Student Attendance

Class teachers complete the roll twice a day before 9:10am and 2:30pm.  Any time there is unexplained absence, that warrants an SMS (direct message) to Parents / Carers.  Parents and Carers are legally required to contact the school each time they receive an unexplained absence SMS. It is a legal requirement and part of the CHILDSAFE REQUIREMENT that we ensure the child is safe.  When parents do not contact the school the next of kin will be contacted.  If there is no communication to the school by Parents or Carers we are required to call the local police station and report the child as missing.

Parent / Grandparents helpers 

Just a short reminder that you are all welcome to join us for a short session or longer snippet of time during the week.  After talking to teachers it was noted that we do not have many parent or grandparent helpers at St Kevin’s  and we would love to have you help us with the learning.  There are a wide variety of activities that might interest you from listening to students read to playing numeracy and literacy games. Please contact Eva via the office or email her -  etomazos@sktemplestowelr.catholic.edu.au if you can help.

Processes to dismiss the students safely

1. Junior Students sit on the deck approx 3:25pm (Please ensure every child is there with you)
2. Middle and senior walk  down to the deck promptly.
3. All students are sitting and looking out for their parents.  This does assist teachers and CRTs. 
4. Teacher to begin escorting student to the cars (promptly) as soon as parents arrive
5. Teachers, please do not have a conversation about learning at this time instead schedule a time for a phone call or ask the parent to park the car and then continue.
6. Teachers need to move the cars right to the yellow line so as many cars as possible are in the school grounds
7. This process works well when we work together and support each other.

GRADUATION Support  13/12/22   7pm - 9pm

Thank you supportive Year 5 parents! Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to support this very important event.  I will need to have a brief check in with you all to ensure all parents have Working with Children documentation and to discuss jobs for the evening.  I am so grateful to you all!

It is going to be a wonderful event.

Transition 2022 to 2023

This year we will have a few transition sessions for students in November and December. There will also be a HEAD START program where children will spend 2 ½ days in their new 2023 classroom. 

Many high schools implement this practice and over the past few years primary schools have also taken on this practice.  It is a wonderful way for students to settle into their new class and get to know their teacher and class members.  It helps alleviate stress and anxiety.

Who is reading the newsletter?

Thank you to all parents who do complete the survey. 

AGAIN Well done to Year 3/4  parents!

Which level will be the champions for Term 4?    

DATA COLLECTION  -  LINK I have read the newsletter 21/11/22 

All God’s blessings,

Gabee Leone