St Kieran Newsletter Term 3, Week 8 - 9 September 2021
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How to answer the phone like a grown-up..
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Term Dates
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Placement of Students in Classes for 2022
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Peoples Choice Awards - CEWA Awards
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Confirmation
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Kieran Connect News - Save the Dates
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Cape Street Traffic Crossing
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THANK YOU
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Mercy Day 2021
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Working In Partnership With Families
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Faction Carnival - Friday 17 September
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St Kieran Withdrawal
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Kindy Enrolments 2022 - Almost Full
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Waste Free Wednesday
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Containers for Change
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Mobile Phones Usage at School
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Servite Open Day - 10 September 9.30-11am
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Keyed Up Music
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Magpie Swooping Season
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Triple P Positive Parenting Program flyer for term 4 2021
How to answer the phone like a grown-up..
The phone rings for the sixth time in less than an hour. She knows who it is. It’s her mother - again. It’s 8 o’clock on a cold night. It has been a long day: her five-year-old has been a handful since she got up.
Due to a condition that her mother has every call is a challenge: the same conversation again and again, the same reassurance that her mum is not be evicted from her home, the same insisting that she had just been to see her mother just the day before. She held it together for the first five calls, but she doesn’t think she can handle a sixth. But she picks up the phone again. Her patience deserts her and she quickly finds herself yelling at her mother - or the woman who used to be her mother. Worn out, she flops on the couch, frustrated and angry - at herself.
Then her five-year old comes over and asks, “Can I talk to Grandma Ellie?”
She hands over the phone to her daughter. “Hi Grandma!”
She hears her mother exclaim through the phone. “Sweetheart! How are you? Did you go to school today?”
What is this? All she said was “Hi Grandma” and her mother sounds like a person fully alert to the heartbeat of a normal day.
“Yes Grandma, and today was share day and I brought my Wonder Woman bracelets.”
“Can you put it on speaker?” she whispers to her daughter.
She obliges, and out of the phone comes a waterfall of good cheer. Her mother tells her how much she loves her and how lovely her voice sounds. Then
“I hope I’ll see you soon?” Her mother makes her plea for a promise of companionship. She hears her mother’s voice differently now. She softens as she watches her little girl handle her fragile grandmother with such deftness.
“Grandma, we are taking you to the carousel this weekend. I’m going on the frog and you can go on the horse next to me.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful darling!”
“Tell me, did you go to school today?” She already asked that, but her daughter doesn’t miss a beat.
“Yes Grandma, I went to school and we had share day. I brought my Wonder Woman bracelets.”
“You did? How wonderful!”
“Do you want me to sing you a song? I know three songs from ‘Annie.’”
And then the little girl sings. It is an epiphany for Mum: “I listen to my daughter crooning to her grandmother, caring for her with exquisite patience. I spend so much time wishing she had a ‘real’ grandmother, wishing she knew my ‘real’ mother. In this moment, I see that she does have a real grandmother, and she does have a real relationship with her…“When they hang up, after many kissing noises, I tell my daughter it is bath time. She protests, but I draw the bath anyway. I am still Mummy after all, and she is still five. “And yet tonight, she taught me how to answer the phone like a grown-up.”
Jesus’ commandment to love can be most difficult when it comes to those we love most: when our patience is all but gone, when our hurt is most raw, when our frustration and exhaustion make us most susceptible to striking back. Our very identity as disciples of Christ is centered in such persistent and constant love; our faithfulness in imitating the compassion and forgiveness of the Risen One is lived in our openness of heart and spirit to love selflessly, completely and unconditionally, as God has loved us in his Christ.
The above reflection was taken from a Mass I attended recently. While this is not really about the phone, we know situations that we respond like this in our daily lives. Sometimes taking that extra thought or second to process the situation can make all the difference!
Take care and enjoy the week.
Regards
Daine Burnett
Principal
Term Dates
Just a reminder to all families that school concludes on Friday 24th September and we return for Term 4 on Tuesday 12th October. Please mark these dates in your calendar.
Placement of Students in Classes for 2022
An alternative approach to the placement of students in classes for 2022 will be undertaken this year.
Traditionally, students have been given the opportunity to list friends that they would like to be in class with for the following year. Even though this system seems like a good idea, it creates many challenges in other areas. This year students will not be asked to list friends and instead the staff will make the best possible judgement for the child taking in all considerations.
Each year, staff use professional judgement to make fair and informed decisions about where they place students for the following year. These decisions are based on many aspects that consider the whole child. Staff consider academic ability, behavioural concerns, socio-emotional considerations, gender, learning needs, as well as friendships and attempt to even the distribution across both classes when making these decisions.
If you have a significant matter that you wish to discuss with the Principal, please email before Wednesday 22nd September daine.burnett@cewa.edu.au.
Peoples Choice Awards - CEWA Awards
This year St Kieran Catholic Primary School has been nominated for the peoples choice awards, in the CEWA Awards for 2021. The information about the program is listed below as well as the link to the awards. Please take the time to look over this and vote for the great work that is undertaken at St Kieran.
https://awards.cewa.edu.au/nomination/st-kieran-sustainability/
St Kieran Waste Watchers Sustainability Program is a whole school embedded program that encapsulates the many elements of sustainability through the school. This incorporates recycling, worm farms, developing walking and riding to school safe routes, waste audits, vegetable gardens, containers for change, managing disposal items, recycling and students leadership. The program itself has been a passion for the staff as they continue to integrate and expose the community to the benefits of sustainability not only as a school but as a wider community. The students have been empowered to lead the ongoing development of this program. The partnership with the City of Stirling continues to allow the school access to professional development and grants to further develop the programs with the community. St Kieran is truly living the sustainability journey through passionate staff, students and the wider community.
Confirmation
This weekend, the Year Six students begin the sacrament of Confirmation. They have now renewed their Baptismal promises, have received the Holy Spirit and the Gifts that it brings, for the Year Six students, it is really just the beginning of their journey in a Christ filled life. We wish all the families, students and their sponsors all the very best as we celebrate the sacrament over the next 2 weekends please keep these people especially our students in your prayers.
Kieran Connect News - Save the Dates
More information to follow for each event.
- School Disco (PP - Y5) and Kindy Bouncy Castle afternoon Friday 15th of October
- Kieran Connect Parent Quiz Night Friday 22nd of October
- Year 6 Kidz Quiz Night Friday 29th of October
The Kieran Connect Executive Committee are looking for prizes for our Quiz Night.
If you have a business or know of a business that would be interested in offering a donation prize for the night it would be greatly appreciated. We are looking for prizes such as gift vouchers to be used for door prizes and a silent auction.
We will accept any donations through the front office or via email at admin@stkieran.wa.edu.au
Cape Street Traffic Crossing
The traffic crossing attendant on Cape Street has retired effectively immediately hence we are asking all families to be extra vigilant in crossing Cape Street. We have contacted the Traffic Warden State Management Unit and they are working through a process to have another warden re-stated as soon as possible.
If any of our community members would like to explore the possibility of becoming a relief traffic warden please make contact with the office and we can direct you down the correct path for training and further information.
THANK YOU
A huge thanks to those that helped to make or Father's Day a success!
It was wonderful to see so many families connecting and celebrating the great male role models in our student's lives.
Mercy Day 2021
We will be celebrating Mercy Day on Friday 24th of September.
All students are invited to where their FAVOURITE FOOTY COLOURS this day for a GOLD COIN DONATION.
We will start our day with Mercy Mass in the church (PP - Y6) at 9 am
- 10:40 - Recess as normal
- 11: 00 - 11:30 Set up the Mini Fete
- 11:30 - 12:30 - Mini Fete
- 12:30 - 1:00 - Clean up - Back to class for down time
- 1:00 - 1:30 - Lunch
- 1:40- 3:00 - In class games - Buddy Activity
- 3:00 Home
If you are able to help assist the teachers for the Mercy Day Fete, please contact your class parent reps.
Working In Partnership With Families
On Wednesday night we held our
‘Parents Helping Their Children With Spelling’
Session.
Thank you to everyone who
was able to attend.
We enjoyed sharing many valuable spelling strategies with
all of you and hope that you gained great
ideas on how to help your children
with Spelling.
Faction Carnival - Friday 17 September
Below is a timetable for our faction carnival on the 17th of September. Please note these times are approximate and subject to change.
9.15am - Yr 3-6 400m race
10am - PP, 1 and 2 sprints
10.30am - First two team games (K - Yr 6)
11am - K sprint (Kindy return to school after their race)
11.15am Yr 3 - 6 sprints12.10pm - last two team games (PP - Yr 6)
12.40pm - Lunch (PP return to school)1pm - Yr 3-6 200m races
1.40pm - Yr 1 and 2 novelty relay2pm - Yr 3-6 relays
2.30pm pack up and presentations
Students may not be signed out until presentations are complete. After presentations, students will line up on the track with their class teacher. Students may be signed out at this point.
St Kieran Withdrawal
Dear St Kieran Parents
To assist with our 2022 enrolments, can you please notify the school immediately or by the end of term if your child has been accepted to another school.
St Kieran's fee processes and procedures requires parents/guardians to give the school a terms notice if not returning to St Kieran. Please see our website for our fees processes and procedures:
https://stkierancps.schoolzineplus.com/_file/media/1268/school_fee_processes_and_procedures.pdf
Please email admin@stkieran.wa.edu.au
Your assistance is very much appreciated.
Kindy Enrolments 2022 - Almost Full
If your child was born between 1 July 2017 - 30 June 2018, we are currently completing enrolments and conducting interviews for Kindy 2022. Please make sure that you let your family and friends know and if you have a sibling please ensure that you have completed an enrolment form.
Waste Free Wednesday
Containers for Change
St Kieran Catholic Primary School is proudly participating in the Containers for Change recycling initiative. Collect your eligible containers instead of tossing them in the waste, then drop them off at our school. Not only is it great for the environment, but it’s also a great way to support and maintain our sustainability program.
All money raised from this initiative will be used to continue to support our sustainable school practices.
Mobile Phones Usage at School
From the commencement of the 2020 school year, the West Australian State Government has placed a ban on all student phones in the classroom.
Please see the Guidelines below which are also on our school website.
Servite Open Day - 10 September 9.30-11am
Keyed Up Music
Keyed Up Music will be teaching keyboard lessons next term after school. Lessons start at $18.65 for groups of four per lesson. If you are interested in your son/daughter learning an instrument, ring Savanna on 6107 8841 or 0479 171 424 or enrol at www.keyedupmusic.com.au/enrolment-form