St Kieran Newsletter Term 4, Week 9 - 11th December 2025

Principal's Message

It has come to that time of the year where we not only say goodbye to our Year 6 class as they graduate but to all the families at St Kieran as we conclude 2025. In particular to the Year 6 class, you have been a great group of students and I know that you will do the best you can do and look back on your time at St Kieran as a wonderful time you will never forget. Take care and I do wish you all the very best. 

To the families and staff members that will also conclude their time with us at St Kieran, we thank you all for being part of this wonderful community -  The St Kieran Family, and we wish you all the very best as you journey into the future and we hope that you leave us with fond memories and with the best of luck. 

This is a year, like many others has flown by, when we take time to reflect on this year and the events that unfolded, I am extremely proud of the community, staff, students and parents and what we have been able to achieve. 

I wish to take this opportunity to thank everyone for another wonderful year at St Kieran Catholic Primary School. We are truly blessed to be involved in such an authentically faith driven community.  

Best wishes and may God bless you in all you do. 

Take care and stay safe. 

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

Thank you and Best Wishes

I just wanted to thank you all - the St Kieran community for welcoming me into the school and parish during my time here. It started in a very unusual way in the middle of the pandemic where it was difficult to get to know many of you and even meet the students for some period of time. But over the journey I would like to think that we have made some really strong inroads into this and the relationships between school and home have become a real strength of ours at St Kieran.  

As I reflect over my time at St Kieran there is a great sense of achievement and fondness. From the changes in school programs Berry Street, MultiLit, STEM, Library and the evangelisation of staff and students. I also see the physical changes to our playgrounds, gardens and landscaping and the building environments that have added a new dimension to our learning. To see the growth of our students and staff has been the most fulfilling for me - for them to be the best they can be is a true reward. 

I have truly loved being part of the community and I am very proud of all that we have achieved as a community and I do thank you for letting me be part of this journey. I wish you all the very best and know that St Kieran will continue to go from strength to strength. Take care and thank you all. 

School Term and Professional Development Dates 2026

The school administration office will re-open on Thursday 22nd January 2026 at 8am. 

All staff will return to school on Thursday the 29 January. Students will return for the first day of school for 2026 on Monday 2nd February. 

Term Dates 2026 

Term 1 - Monday 2 February (Thursday 29 January for staff) to Thursday 2 April. 
Term 2 - Monday 20 April to Friday 3 July. 
Term 3 - Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September. 
Term 4 - Monday 12 October to Friday 11 December (Friday 18 December for staff). 

Staff Professional Development Days 
Please note while these dates been set aside for 2026, there maybe circumstances that require us to adjust these during the year to cater for system and educational initiatives. The dates for 2026 are: 

Contact Details - Parents

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

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. 

The End of Year reports will go live after school on Friday 12th December. 

Tyler Street Trial Closure

As you know we have been advocating for several years to trial the closure of Tyler Street for the sake of our students, staff and the wider community's safety. This has been very well supported by the staff, parents and the wider community at St Kieran.
I am pleased to announce through the proactive approach of the whole school community and the support of the City of Stirling, in particular, Councillor Teresa Olow this has now been formally approved. 
On 25th November 2025, the City of Stirling unanimously supported the trial road closure of Tyler Street for a minimum of three months. The City of Stirling have indicated that this will be installed before the beginning of Term 1 2026, and the trial will go for the minimum amount of time. Once this trial has ended, the school community will need to be very proactive in their advocacy and support

Please refer to the minutes below from page 398 for further information.
https://www.stirling.wa.gov.au/getmedia/cc656613-1711-42a4-aeae-3910948366d5/25-November-2025-CNL-Minutes-with-Attachments-Version-2_1.pdf

I would sincerely like to acknowledge Councillor Olow who has been a driving force behind this process, supporting our school community for the safety of all our children and families. I would also like to thank you all for your ongoing support and ability to work together for the safety of our community.

Thank you all.

Traffic Crossing - Crosswalk Attendant

If any of our families or community members would like to explore the possibility of becoming a Cross Walk Attendant please make contact with the school office and we can direct you down the correct path for training and further information. We would strongly encourage you to think about this role and who in your family or wider social group could undertake this role. 

Secondary School - 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 your child is in the middle years of primary school as it may be too late. Families need to ensure these are submitted to the college separately, as St Kieran CPS and Servite College are separate schools. 

This applies to all Catholic secondary schools and enrolments - please ensure you don’t leave your decision making until the last minute. 

School Fees

Please make sure you are addressing any outstanding school fees for 2025. Please don’t leave this until the festive season. If there are any concerns please see the principal to discuss this further. 

Staffing 2026

Please see below the staffing for 2026 at St Kieran Catholic Primary School. We warmly welcome those new staff joining us for 2026 and hope that your journey here at St Kieran Catholic Primary School will be rewarding and enjoyable. We look forward to working with you all at St Kieran in 2026. 

We would also like to congratulate Miss Kieralee Davis (Term 1) and Mr Ethan Bakic (Term 2) who have been appointed to the roles of Assistant Principals while Mr Davis and Mrs Doepel assume the Principal role. Congratulations to you both. Mrs Rachel Johnson is returning to us and will be stepping into their classes on a Thursday and Friday to cover their release time. 

BASC 2026 - A Club for Kids

We are pleased to inform you that ‘A Club for Kids’ will be joining us in 2026 as our Before and After School provider, with Vacation Care to be added during 2026. We are excited to have 'A Club for Kids' continue their relationships with Catholic schools in Western Australia and look forward to the relationship developing at St Kieran Catholic Primary School. Parents and families are welcome to contact 'A Club for Kids' through the details below: 
Contact Us - Courtney or Chantelle 

 📞 0401 739 629 or 📧 acfkstk@gmail.com 

Students Leaving St Kieran

Can you please let the school know as soon as possible if your child/children are moving on from St Kieran in 2026. 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. This only applies to students who are leaving St Kieran. 

Overdue Library Books

Any students with overdue library books were notified at the end of last term. Thank you to those who have returned the books.  

eRideables in School 2026

Our school is committed to ensuring that our students are empowered to travel to and from school safely. We recognise that eRideable devices such as eScooters and eBikes are a popular mode of transport accessible to many within our school community. Equally, our School/College recognises that eRideables are subject to legislation that prohibit a child under the age of 16 from utilising these devices.  

Therefore, from Monday 2 February 2026, students who are under 16 years of age will not be permitted to use or store an eRideable device on school premises. Examples of eRideables include but are not limited to:  

• eScooters 
• eSkateboards 
• hoverboards 
• eSkates 
• eUnicycles 

The Road Safety Commission has developed a webpage with information about the Road Traffic Code (legislation) which can assist individuals in understanding their personal obligations where eRideables are concerned. For more information about eRideables please click here https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/road-safety-commission/erideables. We thank you in advance for your support of this initiative which will ensure the ongoing safety of our students and broader school community.

Update on Social Media Age Restrictions

To help the online industry and the public to prepare for the Social Media Minimum Age obligation, eSafety has considered whether certain services are likely to be ‘age-restricted social media platforms’ and are therefore required to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from having social media accounts from 10 December 2025. Earlier this week, they announced an update to the list of services that, in eSafety’s view, they consider will be age-restricted social media platforms. These platforms include: 

• Facebook  
• Instagram  
• Kick  
• Reddit  
• Snapchat 
• Threads  
• TikTok  
• X  
• YouTube.  

They also announced an update to the list of services that, in eSafety’s view, they considered will not be age-restricted social media platforms on the basis they do not currently meet the criteria for ‘age-restricted social media platform’. These platforms include: 

• Discord  
• GitHub  
• Google Classroom  
• LEGO Play  
• Messenger  
• Roblox  
• Steam and Steam Chat  
• WhatsApp  
• YouTube Kids.  

From 10 December, eSafety expects all age-restricted platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent Australian children under the age of 16 from having accounts. Any age restricted platforms which fail to do so may face enforcement action, including civil penalties of up to $49.5 million.  

You can always check the eSafety guide which is regularly updated with information and guidance on social media, games, apps and sites. 

Uniform 2026

Just a reminder to all parents to not leave purchasing new uniforms until late in January as JFE get very busy. The JFE showroom JFE - Unit 1/85 Guthrie Street - Osborne Park is open: 

• Monday 8-4pm 
• Tuesday 8-4pm 
• Wednesday 8-4pm 
• Thursday 8-4pm 
• Friday 8-1.30pm 

Parents of children going in to Pre-Primary 2026 need to ensure that their children are in sports uniform. 

Parents of children going in to Year 1 2026 need to ensure that their children are in full academic uniform. 

Shoes, while we have been tolerant of these with the cost of living and pressures on families the correct shoes must be worn in 2026.  We ask all parents to refer to the Uniform Policy on our school website.

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.

Piano Lessons 2026

Piano Tuition is being offered by a registered teacher to students from years 1-6. Lessons are on a one-to-one basis only and are conducted during school hours. Places unfortunately are limited, so, book early to avoid disappointment. To enquire or enrol please contact Priscilla Smith on 0414418568.  It is vital that you have either a piano or keyboard to practice on.

St Kieran Parish - Christmas Nativity Play