St Kieran Newsletter Term 3, Week 8 - 5th August 2024

Principal's Message

Lord, 
Let us not forget that taking part in sporting activities is meant to improve our physical well being, 
develop our self-esteem,  
teach us respect for ourselves and for the abilities of those with whom we play.  
May our contribution as adults, 
be to focus on these areas of development in a positive manner.  
Amen. 

Last Friday I had the typical Mr Burnett conversation around my swimming ability at the assembly. This seems to be a pretty familiar story for the children and have also now given me the feedback that I need to move on from this and find a new story - maybe they have heard it a few times. For those parents that are not aware swimming probably wasn’t my strongest activity at school, I could swim, but the speed in which this was done was not that fast at all, sometimes looking like it was going backwards. The point that I make with the children is that I went into every race even in Year 12 knowing that I was coming last or pretty close to last but my points helped the team and our final result as a faction. While swimming wasn’t my go to I had many other chances in different activities to do well - this was then my turn to possibly do well.  

Often I talk to the students about being good sports and what it looks like. Now I am a pretty competitive person, there is no question about this and have grown up with a life in sport. The one thing that I have always been told is try your hardest, give your best effort, it is not about the results just how hard you try. This is something I talk to my own children about - I never care about the result just how hard your try and of you are giving your best effort! This coupled with being a good sport - makes sport fun! 

Being a good sport is the responsibility, not only of the players and their coaches or teachers, but also of those who come to watch and support. The players or participants should be encouraged to engage in friendly rivalry that is marked by fair play. The activities should offer the opportunity for positive learning experiences that are associated with the values of dignity, equality, fairness and respect. This is one thing I love about athletics carnivals and the children at St Kieran as often you will see the cheering and supportive behaviour encouraging the students no matter how well they are doing or where they are finishing. 

We should be encouraging our children to take to the field to play with other children, to have fun and enjoy doing what they can do best in the best possible way. If the other team is better than our team, we should congratulate them for being so; and if our team comes out on top, we should thank the other team for bringing out the best in us. And don’t forget, good sportsmanship starts with us all. 

Have a great week and look after everyone. 

Best wishes and take care. 

Mr Daine Burnett 
Principal 
daine.burnett@cewa.edu.au 

School Calendar

Term 3 will see the school closed and conclude for students on Thursday 19th September (Friday 20th September is a Staff Development Day). We return to St Kieran for Term 4 on Monday 7th October.

School Faction Carnival

This Friday is the School Faction Carnival. Students are to arrive at school at the usual time and they will walk down to Grenville Oval together with their Faction. The event will begin around 9am and conclude at 2.15pm. Please note these are only estimates of times.  

Parents must stay in the designated spectator area for the duration of the carnival. Students will not be allowed to leave their faction bay to visit the spectator area, so please ensure your child has everything they need in their school bag. There is no lunch orders on the day.  

After the presentations, students will line up on the track with their class teacher. It is at this point that students may be signed out to leave.  

Contact Details - Parents

It is imperative that parents and families update the school when your personal details change during the year. If you change you email address or mobile phone please ensure that the school administration is contacted so we can update these details for communication purposes.

Kieran Connect

Thank you so much to our Kieran Connect team and the parent volunteers who helped out at the Fathers Day Breakfast. The positive feedback we received from the community was amazing and true credit to the great people we had coordinating this event or us! Thank you.

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.

Dogs on School Grounds

Can I please remind all parents and family members that dogs are not permitted on the school site or at any school functions - including Athletics or Sporting Carnivals. We would respectfully ask that this followed as requested.

Students Leaving St Kieran

Can you please let the school know as soon as possible if your children are moving on from St Kieran in 2024. We currently have families on our wait lists and would like to accommodate as many people as possible. Please note a terms notice should be given in order to not be charged any subsequent fees. 

Open Night

St Kieran will be having its Open Night for existing families to come in and see their children's work and classroom from 4pm until 6pm on Thursday 12th September. 

Make A Move Concerts

Reminder that the Make A Move Concerts will be taking place on Thursday 12th September for all the Blue classes and Friday 13th September for all the White classes. Both concerts will start at 2pm sharp and will take place in the undercover area. 

Mercy Day

Mercy Day will take place on the last day of Term 3, Thursday 19th September. Each class will run their own stall for the Mercy Fete with all money raised going directly to Mercy Works.

Established in 2000, Mercy Works is the development arm of the Sisters of Mercy in Australia and Papua New Guinea. We work in partnership with vulnerable communities and local organisations domestically and in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. We work with the people of these communities and organisations to build capacity and self-reliance.

All parents are welcome to attend and walk around with their child during the Fete, including Kindy parents. Clean up will commence at 12:30pm at which this time ALL PARENTS are to leave the school grounds.

Please see the timetable below.

Students will be able to purchase tokens to purchase food/ drinks/ activities in the undercover area before and after school.

Purchase the tokens online here - https://stkieran.cdfpay.org.au/MonitorOnline/app/#!/shops

Sustainability Competition Winners

We received many wonderful entries for the 'Let’s Keep Our St Kieran School Clean' Slogan Competition and St Kieran’s Sustainability Drawing Competition.

Thank you to everyone who entered. We were overwhelmed by the knowledge and understandings the children demonstrated regarding many vital areas of Sustainability.

The St Kieran Sustainability Drawing Competition winners were Zoe from Year 2 for the Junior Years and Mila from Year 4 for the Senior Years. 

Let’s Keep Our St Kieran School Clean Slogan Competition winner was Preston from Year 5.  Preston’s winning slogan is, “Go Green and keep St Kieran Clean”. Next week, you will see Preston’s slogan up and around the school.

Congratulations winners to all our winners!

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