St Kieran Newsletter Term 2, Week 3 - 15th May 2025

Principal's Message

'True contentment is not having everything, but in being satisfied with everything you have' - Oscar Wilde 

It seems like every time we turn the tv on or open the paper or the computer that we are faced with another natural disasters. Just when we thought that the greatest disaster had unfolded before us, there comes an even greater one. Those who were not directly affected could not but feel great compassion towards those who were. Probably, we had moments when we thought how fortunate we were to be spared the personal experience of such great catastrophe. When compared to those who suffered so much loss and emotional trauma, our own problems began to seem quite manageable. Often it takes these unimageable events of others for us to reflect on our own lives and the experiences that we then compare these to - while they really shouldn't be, we do. 

Our minds are somewhat geared to make comparisons and whether we are content or dissatisfied, will depend on what we are comparing our life to. Unfortunately, we are taken advantaged of the way our minds work and constantly give us perfect images to compare ourselves with: perfect houses in which to live, perfect cars to drive, perfect partners and children, perfect body images. We are seduced into believing that whatever is advertised is what we need to be happy and content. However, William Shakespeare has a cautionary word or two to offer us: “Oh, how bitter a thing it is, to look into happiness through another man’s eyes.”  

Curtin University School of Psychology has just completed a study that verifies grandma’s advice that, “money can’t buy happiness.” “It has been studied and shown that a fairly small percentage of your happiness is about material things, such as your wealth or your situation in life. At the most it’s responsible for about 10 percent and even questions are being asked about how long-lasting this bit is. The rest of the happiness formula is split between the two big players: 50 percent genetic – generally how you are wired from birth to worry and be neurotic – and the remaining 40 percent is intentional activity – the choices you make and what you do. Taking responsibility for your own happiness, that’s what is proving to be important in the long run. Certainly, not hoping the new tv or shoes or game, new house or new ca is going to make it all suddenly better.” Associate Professor Clare Rees. West Australian  

It would seem from the findings of the Curtin Study that we would do well to heed the advice in the following words: “I pray daily; not for more riches, but for more wisdom with which to recognise, embrace and enjoy the great abundance of riches I already possess.” Author Unknown.  

Wisdom and thankfulness seem to be the rich soil in which true happiness and contentment take root. But happiness and contentment will only take effect when the “different parts” of ourselves make friends with each other. When there is discord between what we want and what we have, there is little chance that we will advance in happiness and contentment. When our children were in their early years, we could observe them playing contentedly with whatever we gave to them - you know the box that the toy came is was often better than the toy itself! It was only when we gave them the opportunity to compare their things with others, for example options that come up in front of the T.V. or on the internet that they had comparisons to make and so wanted what they saw, instead of what they had. Like everyone else we all start looking over the back fence. 

As parents, it is an act of love on our part to limit the exposure of our children to what will harm rather than nourish their sense of personal contentment. It is an act of love if we do the same for ourselves. St Paul, on occasion, had a companion called Timothy and as he went about his missionary work. In the first of the two letters Paul wrote to Timothy he said: “Now there is great gain in godliness through contentment, for we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” 1Tim 6:6-8.  

I hope your week has been a great one and that you all are keeping 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 conclude Term 2 for students on Thursday 3rd July. We also have professional development days and public holiday on the 30th May and 2nd June. 

Kindy 2026 Enrolments

We are accepting Kindy Enrolments for 2026,  interviews have already started for students to start at St Kieran next year. All parents need to submit an application to make sure your child is enrolled at St Kieran Catholic Primary School for 2026. 

 If you have any questions or would like clarification, please ring or contact the School Administration

Unwell Students

As we are moving into 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. 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. 

Servite College - After School Pick Up

St Kieran students who need to meet their older siblings from Servite College, must wait at St Kieran Catholic Primary School's undercover area.  They can then be collected by their Servite College sibling, who can walk through either gates or the St Kieran school office if they are late. With parental permission, a St Kieran student can walk over to meet their older sibling at Servite College, but only after the St Kieran duty has ended at 3:20 pm. St Kieran students are not to be on the Servite College site until lessons have concluded and the bell has gone at 3.15pm to end the Servite teaching day.  

Parking

We again need to remind parents about parking at St Kieran, unfortunately this seems to be an ongoing concern and while many families do the right thing for everyone it continues to create frustrations for many. The school staff do not have the legal ability to enforce parent driving behaviours, however if you are putting a child at risk by not following our very simple instructions we will follow up with you and address this.  

1. DO NOT turn right into the Kiss and Drive - please wait your turn in the queue. 
2. DO NOT overtake the queue and push in front of the Kiss and Drive line. Be respectful of others. 
3. Keep the Corner of Tyler Street and Morgans Street free from all traffic. 
4. DO NOT pick up or drop your child off on the road outside of the administration - find a parking legal bay or use the Kiss and Drive. 
5. If you DO NOT have an ACROD Permit please don’t use these bays. 
6. Ciaran Centre Families are the only families welcome to use the front administration parking. 
7. DO NOT park at the Servite Friars house of residence and business - this is private property. 
8. DO NOT park on verges that are sign posted. 

Please do not park in the Kieran Connect/VIP parking space (see photos below), thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

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. 

Code of Conduct

The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to describe minimum standards of conduct in all behaviour and decision making to ensure the safety and well-being of students. The Code of Conduct applies to staff, students, volunteers, parents and guardians in our community.  The document is available on our school website and everyone in our community is expected to abide by this. https://www.stkieran.wa.edu.au/st-kieran-code-of-conduct-and-guidelines 

A breach of the Code may constitute a failure to follow a lawful direction from the Principal and therefore the Principal will have the discretion as to what action to take, which may include counselling, professional development or sanctions under any agreement between you and the Principal. If you are a parent, volunteer or visitor, the Principal may take such action as is appropriate in your circumstances to maintain the safety and well-being of students. If at anytime members of our community feel that a person has breached the code the forms for breaching or notification are located here on our school website https://www.stkieran.wa.edu.au/reporting These forms report directly to the principal. 

Uniform

Just another friendly reminder to make sure that you have written your children's names on items, such as jumpers to ensure that they can be returned to the rightful owner. Labels or tags can be cut off as they maybe annoying for the children so please look at other options for putting the children's name on these items. 

A reminder to all parents that for the academic uniform the below shoes are to be worn - black lace up school shoes for both boys and girls. I would ask all parents to refer to the Uniform Policy on our school website from the beginning of 2024 for any further clarification. https://stkierancps.schoolzineplus.com/_file/media/2824/2024_school_uniform_guidelines.pdf 

Packed with Goodness - Tomorrow Morning

Packing children's lunches is like trying to predict the weather—one day they love sandwiches, the next day they act like you’ve packed them you don’t know what they eat. To help out, Mrs Pusey has organised a presentation for parents from the Packed with Goodness team. During this session, parents will be provided with new ideas to make lunchbox packing easier.  

There was so much positive feedback from the session last year, Mrs Pusey has worked hard in getting the team back. 

Date: Friday 16th May  
Time: 9am 
Location: Upper Learning Area

Communication

Our staff are committed to the best interests of your child and value the relationships they have with both students and parents. For any matters, communication should be made directly with the child’s teacher. This may be referred to the Assistant Principal or Principal on a needs basis.  

Staff will respond to parent concerns in a manner that takes into consideration their workload and teaching hours when receiving the communication. Please be aware that there is no expectation for staff to check or respond to electronic communication outside of school hours, over the weekend or during school holidays. 

The staff at St Kieran are very approachable and are very easy to contact - each staff member has their own professional email address that parents can use - firstname.surname@cewa.edu.au for example daine.burnett@cewa.edu.au that you can use or you are also welcome to call the office and leave a message for them to return your call. 

Mobile Phones and Smart Watches

Smart watches can be worn to school; however, we ask parents to turn off any features that allow the watch to be used for anything other than telling the time while at school. If a student is using it for any other reason, then it is exactly like a mobile phone and it MUST be handed in to the front office. If your child is required to bring a mobile phone to school, for instance they walk home or catch the bus, then a mobile phone permission form must be completed and the phone needs to be handed in to the office each morning and collected at the end of the school day. At no time is a phone permitted to be left in a students bag. 

May - Month of Mary

"The world being unworthy to receive the son of God directly from the hands of the Father, he gave his son to Mary for the world to receive him from her." - Saint Augustine 

As we enter the Month of May, a time traditionally dedicated to honouring Mary the mother of Jesus, we should also reflect on the significance of women in our lives.. Mary, as the first disciple, exemplifies strength, compassion, and unwavering faith. Just as she played a pivotal role in the life of Jesus and the early Church, women continue to play vital roles in shaping our families, communities, and faith. 

Let's take this opportunity to recognize and celebrate the remarkable women who nurture, guide, and inspire us every day. Whether it's our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, or teachers, their love, wisdom, and sacrifices enrich our lives in countless ways. Let us s express our gratitude and appreciation for their immeasurable contributions to our families, community and our faith journey. 

Our school is blessed with dedicated educators, administrators, and staff, many of whom the majority are women, who embody the spirit of service and devotion exemplified by Mary. They tirelessly work to educate, mentor, and empower our students, instilling values of compassion, integrity, and justice. Let's honour their commitment and recognize the profound impact they have on shaping the hearts and minds of the next generation. 

Library NEWS!

The St Kieran staff and students are looking forward to National Simultaneous Storytime day next Wednesday The National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is an annual event created by the Australian Library and Information Association. Every year, a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, bookstores and many other places around the country.

"The Truck Cat" by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell is a story about a truck cat named Tinka and his human, Yacoub, who travels the roads of a new country, feeling homesick and yearning for connection. When they are unexpectedly separated, they are determined to find each other, and in doing so, might find something more than they expected. The book explores themes of immigration, identity, and the meaning of home. 

The latest Book Club has been ordered, so it won’t be long before students get some of the brand-new books from the latest issue.

Food Allergy Awareness Week

Food Allergy Awareness Week is an essential annual event, dedicated to raising awareness about food and allergies. Food Allergy Awareness Week runs from 25^th-31^st May 2025.

Australia has one of the highest rates of food allergies in the world. Currently, 1.5 million Australians are living with a food allergy. We also have one of the highest rates of hospital anaphylaxis admissions in the world.

Here at St Kieran, Food Allergies affect both staff and students, with most variety of Nuts being the Allergen. We pride ourselves on being an Allergy Aware School and appreciate your co -operation in not sending any nut related products in your child’s lunch box.

If you would like any more information in regard to Food Allergies, please do not hesitate to contact Sarah, our School Nurse.

sarah.pfaff@cewa.edu.au

Sign of the Week

Learning one Auslan sign a week is a simple but powerful way to increase our awareness and inclusion at St. Kieran. By committing to learning just one sign each week, we break down barriers and build empathy. It reminds us to be more mindful of accessibility and gives us the tools to connect with more people. Over time, these small efforts add up, leading to greater fluency and a more inclusive environment for everyone.

SPORTS CARNIVAL ACCESSORIES ARE BACK FOR 2025!

(And they may even get a glow up )
In order to ensure we are prepared and able to accommodate everyone, please take some time to complete this short survey.
All suggestions are welcome and will be considered!
2025 School Sports Carnival Accessories
https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/nAGBCxKe?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR7xooKJmWmnBYxXK_Fwzca91aiAneSdkjl3Bdq_lal5awhGBzXlQ0w0z73tLg_aem_cWgxd4fM_pQtucMvQAgmFQ

Community Safety Expo – A Fun & Free Event for Families!

The City of Stirling is inviting families to a free, family-friendly Community Safety Expo—a fantastic opportunity to learn about safety while having fun together.

📅 Date & Time: Saturday, 31 May 2025 2:00pm – 4:00pm

📍 Location: Stirling Leisure – Dianella 1 Light Street, Dianella

💰 Cost: Free

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who should attend? Families and residents in the City of Stirling and surrounding areas

✨ What to expect:

• Meet the Constable Care mascot
• Enjoy safety-themed face painting
• Get creative at the Kids’ Safety Craft Station
• Spin the Crime Stoppers prize wheel for a chance to win giveaways
• Treat the family to a free sausage sizzle provided by the Salvation Army
• Bring your bike along for a free bike safety check from The Bike Mechanic

This engaging and interactive event will connect families with vital community safety resources, hands-on activities, and service providers.
We encourage schools to share this exciting event with parents to help spread the word and support community safety awareness.

We look forward to seeing families there! 🚲🎨🍽️

Click Here for more information

Kind regards,

Youth Engagement
Community Parnerships
Community Development

1st Amelia Heights Scouts

Keyed Up Music Term 2

Murdoch University After School Program