St Kieran Newsletter Term 2, Week 2 - 24th April 2024
Principal's Message
In Flanders Fields
BY JOHN MCCRAE
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
As April draws to a close, we prepare to commemorate a significant day in our nation's history: ANZAC Day. This solemn occasion holds a special place in our hearts as we come together to honour the bravery, sacrifice, and camaraderie of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought valiantly in World War I.
ANZAC Day, observed on April 25th each year, marks the anniversary of the landing of ANZAC troops at Gallipoli in 1915. It serves as a poignant reminder of the courage and resilience displayed by our servicemen and women in defence of our freedom and values.
Here within the St Kieran community we hold ANZAC Day in high regard, recognising it not only as a day of remembrance but also as an opportunity to instil in our students the importance of honouring those who have served and continue to serve our country. Through various educational activities and discussions, we aim to deepen our students' understanding of the sacrifices made by ANZAC soldiers and their families.
One of the most touching aspects of ANZAC Day is the dawn service, which symbolises the darkness of war giving way to the light of hope and peace. While our younger students may not attend dawn services, we encourage families to take a moment together to reflect on the significance of this occasion.
Moreover, the tradition of wearing red poppies on ANZAC Day serves as a poignant symbol of remembrance, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields" written during World War I. In classrooms, students may engage in crafting poppies or learning about their symbolism, fostering a sense of connection to our nation's history. (See poem below)
As we commemorate ANZAC Day, let us also extend our gratitude to the men and women of the Australian Defence Force who continue to serve our country with honour and dedication. Their sacrifices remind us of the importance of cherishing and preserving the freedoms we enjoy today.
In closing, let us approach ANZAC Day with reverence and gratitude, honouring the legacy of courage and sacrifice that defines our nation. Together, let us remember and reflect, ensuring that the spirit of ANZAC lives on in our hearts and minds.
Lest we forget.
We look forward to seeing you all during this term and I hope you are all safe and well.
Best wishes and take care.
Mr Daine Burnett
Principal
daine.burnett@cewa.edu.au
School Calendar
A reminder to all families to continue to check the school calendar on our website for dates and events that are coming up during the term. We have a number of days that the school is closed this term Thursday 25th April, Friday 31st May, Monday 3 June
Kindergarten Enrolments 2025
We are accepting Kindy Enrolment's for Kindy 2025 and this term will be conducting interviews. Please don’t leave this until the last minute as we have many people we could not accommodate in 2024. Please submit your application and make sure you have your children enrolled at St Kieran Catholic Primary School.
We do have a small number of spaces across other year levels and if friends or families are wishing to look at enrolling their children at our school.
Final Berry Street Training Day Domain 5: 'Character'
On Monday 15th of April , all staff at St Kieran took part in Berry Street Education Model training with four other neighbouring catholic primary schools. This was the fourth and final day of the training program.
Berry Street Education Model is a cohesive, collective and collaborative action in and by a school community that has been strategically constructed to improve student learning, behaviour and wellbeing, and the conditions that support these. The BSEM offers a whole-school approach to pedagogy and behavioural management that can be used consistently in the classroom and throughout the whole-school. It provides a way to teach the content of any subject area while addressing the social and emotional learning needs of the students in the process.
The BSEM course is the foundation training to bring the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) into classrooms and whole-school.
Educators learn how to help students meet their own learning needs by:
- understanding the benefits of trauma-informed teaching on child development and ability to learn
- creating a supportive and trauma-informed positive education classroom
- bolstering student-teacher relationships
- applying positive relational classroom behaviour management strategies
- instilling strengths-based practices across the school.
The Final Domain the staff investigated was 'Character'. The 5 modules are: BODY, STAMINA, ENGAGEMENT and CHARACTER, all anchored by RELATIONSHIP.
Within the 'Character' Domain students are introduced to and explore character strengths. They explore the strengths that form their character and define what is right for them. Please click to watch this video to learn more about character strengths. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLUOlLRbazA
The strengths based approach in this Character Domain is integral to the Berry Street Education Model. A 'strengths philosophy" describes an approach that focuses on what is right with an individual or group. Our specific aims are for the student to identify areas of talent and to extrapolate and apply the strengths that are developed through that talent to a variety of life's domains, including interpersonal relationships, vocational pathways and further education.
Please click here and take the free VIA Character Strength Survey yourself to find out your character strengths and share with your child and how you use your strengths to https://www.viacharacter.org/
Please take the time to ask you children about the things they are learning regarding BESM and for more information please refer to the video What is Berry Street Education Model? or website https://www.berrystreet.org.au/
Unwell Students
As we are well and truly in the colder months can we please ask that unwell students are not sent to school. Our staff will call parents if a child is unwell or presents unwell - we are not trained medical staff and if a child says they are unwell or looks unwell we will call the families to collect them. Sending an unwell child to school in turn has an impact on the other students as well as the staff and of course the families at St Kieran. Your consideration around this matter is appreciated.
Uniform
We are starting to see the cooler mornings come in and over the next few weeks it will get colder. This is a great time to ensure that you have your child's name written on the uniform. It is very difficult to find the owners of these items we have brand new jumpers with no names on these at all.
Y Safe
ySafe will be running a Parent Workshop on supporting children with screen time and keeping safe online. The session will be on Monday, April 29 from 6pm to 7pm. Check your email for information and the online registration form or click on this form to register.
Aranmore Catholic College Academic, STEM and Leadership Scholarships CLOSING SOON
Scholarships at Aranmore not only provide financial assistance but also offer unique opportunities for personal and academic growth under the guidance and care of highly qualified specialist teachers. Our 2025 Academic, Catherine McAuley Leadership and Br Kelly STEM Scholarships are closing soon (Netball & Rugby Scholarships close at the end of Term 2). Please visit the College website www.aranmore.wa.edu.au for more information and to apply.
Junior Basketball Competition | Players Wanted
