St Kieran Newsletter Term 2, Week 9 - 13th June 2024

Principal's Message

God, our Father, 
May Your Spirit guide us away from poor choices, 
of word or action that dull our ability for happiness.  
We ask for a positive inner attitude of mind and heart  
that will give expression to true happiness 
in the words and actions of our lives.
Amen.  

Remember when happiness was a picnic lunch down at the park or even at the beach or fish and chips or even just playing cricket on an oval with mates or even just going for a walk. We now are looking for many ways outside of these simple ways to enjoy or even find elements of happiness. Maybe we can still rely on things like:  

“Finding fun in simple ways, makes the happiest days”.  

Or:  

“I’m going to be happy today, though the skies may be cloudy and grey, no matter what might come my way I’m going to be happy today.” Ella Wilcox.  

This is almost very much like our Year 3 Assembly last week, they did a great job by the way! But a very quick recap of their performance which was based on a positive growth mindset and encouraging each other, one of the best quotes I learnt from their assembly was instead of saying 'I can't do that' we replace it with 'I can't do that - yet'.  

What’s more, positive thoughts and emotions protect you from negative emotions or anxiety. If you have slipped into the habit of negative emotions, then there is the need for a good clean out. You will need to pay attention to what makes you feel unhappy. Talk less and dwell less on your difficulties. Leave gossip alone along with complaining and envying others. If your thoughts make you unhappy, then don’t stay with them, move onto more positive ones - growth mindset. If your habits are bad for you, single them out and rid yourself of them one by one. You have within you the power to recreate your life and reclaim happiness.  

Equally important is the need to forgive, to get rid of all those petty grudges and all those negative thoughts about incidents and relationships or even mistreatment. Lighten your life of all that unnecessary “baggage” that sits heavily upon your heart, fuelled by anger and resentment, and that prevents the mind from moving on to more fulfilling and creative acts of life.  

We all need to give ourselves permission to be human. Setbacks are part of life, but happy people roll with the punches. If we can accept emotions such as fear, sadness, anxiety, disappointment as natural parts of our life and allow them to have their say at appropriate times, we are more likely to be able to say 'enough' and move on to more positive emotions.  

Happiness and how to live it has many forms of expression such as, happiness is the natural state of a loving heart; happiness is a grateful spirit, an optimistic attitude and a heart full of love; the best way to have happy thoughts is to count your blessings and not your money. Of course, Jesus had a contribution to make when He said that the greatest commandment or guideline for life was, “To love God, love your neighbour and love yourself”. How positive is that!  

So, how do we teach our children to be happy? Well firstly, make sure they know about our way, then be good models to your children; let them see in your life that the secret of happiness is not always doing what you like to do, but liking what you have to do.  

Have a great week and look after everyone. 

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 conclude Term 2 for students on Thursday 27th June (Friday 28th June is a Staff Development Day) and return for students to start Term 3 on Tuesday 16th July (Monday 15th July is a Staff Development Day). 

Term 3 will also see the school closed on Friday the 23rd August (Catholic Day) and Term 3 conclude for students on Thursday 19th September (Friday 20th September is a Staff Development Day).

Seesaw

Can all parents make sure you have access to your child's Seesaw. Teachers constantly post assessment results and pieces during the term. This is a great way to keep you updated on the progress of your child. 

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.

Reports - UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD’S REPORT

Parents will receive 2 formal academic reports this year: 

June/July – Mid Year Report 
December – End of Year Report 

 MID YEAR REPORT - July 

This report provides parents with a ‘snapshot in time’ of how their child is progressing in relation to the end of year achievement standard for each learning area for their year level. The grade provided is taking into account the curriculum which has been taught and assessed to that point in time. 

 END OF YEAR REPORT - December 

This report provides parents with an overview of how their child has progressed, across the entire year, in relation to the end of year Achievement Standard for each learning area for their year level. The grade provided is taking into account the curriculum which has been taught and assessed across the entire year, not just Semester 2. 

  Understanding the Grading System 

Is a ‘C’ grade good? Yes, you should celebrate C grades as this indicates that your child has progressed to the desired level of understanding for his/her year level. 

Is a ‘C’ grade just a pass like it used to be? No, a C grade today, is the expected Achievement Standard for each year level and each Learning Area. 

Does an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade mean my child is working a year or two above their current grade? No, an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade means that your child is responding to the content taught to a deeper level. They may be thinking more critically about the content, which is a wonderful skill to demonstrate. 

How are final grades determined? Teachers collect numerous samples of work and assessments to determine the final grade. The grade is determined with the use of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s (SCSA) Judging Standards. For more information on this go to https://parent.scsa.wa.edu.au/ 

 We hope this information assists you to understand the reporting process at St Kieran Catholic Primary School. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask your child’s teacher

Servite College

Just a reminder to all of our St Kieran families you must get your children's applications into Servite College nice and early. Please don’t wait until Year 5 or 6 as it will be too late. The earlier you submit these enrolment applications the better. 

Parking - Servite Friars

Just again, another reminder about parking, to ensure that St Kieran families only park in the appropriate areas. Please don’t park at the Servite Friars and on their lawn - this is marked as No Parking. Last week during the Year 3 Assembly we actually had a parent park on the Servite footpath - please consider others around a school and our very supportive residents. 

Morgans Street Kiss and Drive

We know the morning and afternoon drive through can be a very busy place, which relies on all families doing the right thing to ensure it runs smoothly. In order to keep it flowing, we ask that parents stay in their car at these times. If you need to get out of the car to assist your child with their seatbelt, then please park your car in an appropriate place and walk into school. Students are encouraged to independently get themselves in and out of the car, put their bags in and do up their own seatbelt.  

There are signs asking parents to continue to Drive Forward so we can get as many children out of the cars as quickly as possible in the morning. When a parent stops at the Morgans Street gate it stops all the other cars behind them, which then creates issues on Morgans Street for our local residents. 

Procedure to Deal with Incidents

Unfortunately at times during the school day there are incidents that may arise that require intervention or follow up by either the staff or by parents. To assist with this process the procedure is located on the website, it may give you some strategies to work through during these times of heightening emotions. The one element to remember is that mistakes can be made and as a catholic school we forgive and reconcile and move forward together. 

https://stkierancps.schoolzineplus.com/_file/media/1351/dispute_complaint_resolution_procedure.pdf 

School Rules

The St Kieran School rules are listed below and as members of the community we are always expected to follow these. Can we ask that all parents talk to their children about these rules and if you like feel free to implement these at home. 

• Be Safe - Always use your body and equipment in ways that will keep you and others safe. 
• Be Respectful - Consider others and the environment, allowing people to treat others as they wish to be treated.  
• Be Responsible - Take ownership of your actions, choices, learning and belongings. 

e-Safety online - Parental Controls

As parents, ensuring your child's safety and well-being in the digital world is a top priority. Parental controls are powerful tools that help you monitor, manage, and guide your child's online activities. Please have a look at the latest article from the eSafety Commissioner on how to access Parental Controls of a variety of devices and platforms- https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/issues-and-advice/parental-controls?utm_campaign=2406_gen_news_edu_and_parents_campaign&utm_id=47b72480e0b2de41fababc576df46104&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eSafety_edm  

Year 6 Winter Carnival

On Thursday the 13^th of June our Year 6 students competed against 7 other schools in Soccer and Netball. A special thanks to Mrs Lanyi, Mrs Doherty and Mrs Evans who coached and assisted with the netball carnival, the girls all had a great time, and the games were played with great skill and determination. Thank you to Mr Crowden and Mr Peletier who were the coaches of the St Kieran soccer teams, the boys were absolutely exhausted by the end showing just how much effort they put in all throughout the carnival. It was also great to see the sportsmanship shown towards each other and the other schools, with all games culminating in three cheers and shaking of hands. 

Mr Matt Taylor

Kindy Firetruck Incursion

On Friday 14th June, the Kindy students were treated to a visit from a Firetruck. All the students were super excited to see the Firetruck, spray the water hose, go for a ride in the back of the truck, listen to a story by Fireman Kevin and spot shapes and colours on the truck.

School Holiday 3-Day Soccer Training Program

This year Servite College has partnered with a professional Italian soccer club called Atalanta BC.

As part of the affiliation, we are running a 3-day training ‘camp’ and are pleased to offer this opportunity to your Year 5 and Year 6 students.

Participation will see students being trained by international coaches to learn new skills and game play, alongside Servite students.

Further details and a link for parents to register is available at: https://www.servite.wa.edu.au/atalanta-primary-schools/

FROZEN JR with The Production Academy

Directed by the talented Dixie Johnstone and featuring a cast made up of The Production Academy students and friends, Frozen Jr is sure to melt your heart.

Join us for an icy adventure with some of Perth’s finest young performers and be transported into a winter wonderland, filled with your favourite songs - “Love Is an Open Door,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Let It Go,” as well as wonderful new songs from the Broadway production.

Tickets are selling fast and with standard ticketing, 2 special Coronation Shows (including buffet dining) and a Relaxed Show, The Production Academy’s Frozen Jr is sure to be a memorable experience for young and old.