Dear Parents

I’m two weeks in and already feeling the strong connection of the community at St Kieran’s. Even though I haven't met most of you yet due to school restrictions, I pick this up through your delightful children and the few parents I have met that volunteer at the canteen and as lollipop traffic controllers at car pick up, and of course the occasional parent I see at pick up or drop off.  I look forward to the day we can be together and united in all aspects of school life.  A little more patience I suppose!  
 
Thank you for your due diligence in carrying out the RAT testing at home and notifying the school of positive cases or close contact.  When and if this happens, be assured you will be notified to monitor for symptoms.  This keeps everyone safe, well and returning quickly to school and work life.
 
Safety is a high priority in the school.  Keeping students safe during school hours by locking the car park gates at 8.55am for an 8.45am school start gives you a 10 minute interval to arrive in time even if you are running late some mornings.  After 8.55am you will need to enter via the Gordon Street entrance.  I am in the process of investigating gate intercoms and security to ensure the office staff always knows who is coming onto the site at all times including deliveries and contractors that are approved.  Please be patient and work with me as our collective responsibility to keep all members of the school community safe and secure at all times is paramount.
 
In the next couple of weeks, we will focus on bringing parents onboard with your child’s classroom learning, expectations, homework and how we can work together to support your child’s learning this year.  With this in mind, we have scheduled Grade Parent Information evenings to meet the teachers and myself. All these meetings will be via Zoom except for Kindergarten as this is your first experience with the school, and importantly we want to put you at ease as we welcome and orient you to St Kieran’s.  A Zoom link will be sent to you next week with the day and times.  Please prioritise this very important meeting of the year so you gain all the information required about your child’s learning.  
 
Dates are as follows:

• Tuesday 15 Feb - Kindergaten @ 6pm in the Library (followed by the Kinder classrooms)
• Thursday 17 Feb - Yr 1 @ 6pm Zoom
• Monday 21 Feb - Year 3 @ 6pm Zoom  and Stage 3 @ 7pm Zoom
• Tuesday 22 Feb - Yr 2 @ 6pm via Zoom
• Wednesday 23 Feb - Yr 4 @ 6pm Zoom

We came together as a school this morning to celebrate our Opening School liturgy in the playground and receive a special blessing by Fr Jepser.  Due to Covid restrictions we could not gather in the Church.  Nevertheless, it was very reverent, prayerful and reflective.  We especially acknowledged all our Year 6 students as School Leaders.  Our Year 6 Student Leaders were commissioned to lead and take forward our motto: To Learn and To Love.  I am confident that they will carry out their duties with great honour, pride and responsibility.  We congratulate you and wish you well on your journey this year.
 
This year we introduce a new initiative of the Student Representative Council (SRC) for Years 3, 4 and 5 students. Students were nominated against a criteria:

1. Demonstrates following school rules of Safety and Respect
2. Works well with others (team player)
3. Shares and communicates ideas
4. Engages in school life. 

Upon accepting the nomination the students prepared a speech - Why I make a good SRC leader?  Through a silent ballot, the class students vote a boy and girl representative for their class.  I will announce the SRC elect at the Monday morning school assembly next week.  These students will work with me to have a voice about the things that matter to them, run class meetings to gain the consensus of the class, and to plan an action plan to implement ideas that improve student and school life.  This is a very important role in developing confidence, having a say and becoming future leaders in Year 6 and beyond.
 
Please note that the Newsletters will be sent home on Thursdays this year. Tomorrow, Friday 11 February is a Staff Development Day.  You bring your children into school at the scheduled times for the MAI assessments with their teacher.  We encourage you, if possible, to wait in your car or grab a local coffee, however, if you think your child requires you to be on site you must QR at the gate and wear a mask.  A chair will be provided outside your child's classroom for you.
 
Kind regards
Anna
    Anna Marsella
    Principal

This morning Year 6 students shone in their role of Leadership. The students of St Kieran’s participated in a short liturgy prepared and presented by our student leaders. The liturgy was to welcome us to a new year of learning. Year 6 accepted their leadership badges as a sign of their commitment to sharing their talents and shining as the big brothers and sisters to all students at St Kieran’s. We thank Fr.Jepser for extending blessings over our Kindy students and student leaders and presiding over our liturgy. 

Father,
Bless these student leaders and their badges of office as they begin their pastoral service in their senior year of primary school.
May the Holy Spirit strengthen them in the task they are to begin and inspire generosity in the way they carry out these acts.
We ask this prayer through Christ our Lord,    Amen.

Family Prayer Packs
Next week we are reintroducing the St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School Family Prayer Pack. The prayer pack is shared with every student in the class over the school year and is designed so that you can join in prayer as a family.

In some classes you may have the prayer pack for one night, several nights or even for a week, depending on the age of your child.

The prayer pack has user friendly instructions, tailored to your child’s age. Families are invited to use the pack and then return it to school so your child can share their prayer with the class. The prayer pack will then be shared with another family.

Parish Sacramental Program  2021 -2022
Parish and school preparations are underway for the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be celebrated by Year 4 students in late March. Parents are reminded to contact the parish office to receive the video link for information pertaining to the organisation and delivery of First Reconciliation

Yours in Religious Education
     Mrs Kerrie Wetzlar

Teachers are on duty at school from 8.15am to 3.10pm.
Classes commence each day at 8.45am.
Dismissal times:

• 2.45pm for Carpark - Blue and Green Colour House
• Colour HousesYellow and Red 2.55pm for Carpark -
• 2.55pm for bus and playground pick up

We warmly welcome the following new families to our St Kieran's community: Kelso, Cornell, Hughes, Koster, Michel, Alsarayreh, Carrick, Dunn, Gilbert, Rose, Smuts and also to the Wyss family who are returning to St Kieran’s.

Internet Agreement Forms
Last week your child should have received their Internet Agreement Form for both you and your child to read through together, sign and return by 7 February.  Unfortunately any student who has not returned their form will not be permitted to use devices until their teacher has received the completed form. We thank you for your support.
 
To learn more about the day and to seek further information on tips to guide your child to have safer experiences online, please access the parent resources on the e-safety commissioner’s website. 

Catalogues went home with your child last week. Orders are all due by Saturday 12 February.

All ordering is done via the LOOP app or via scholastic.com.au/LOOP. No cash orders will be accepted.

Once the orders arrive at school, the items will be delivered to your child’s classroom. There is also an option for a gift order. Choosing this option will mean the items will be held in the office for you (instead of going to your child).

If you have any questions about Book Club, please contact the office.
Thank you for supporting the school through Book Club.

This week we had a number of students participate in Broken Bay sports trials. 
 
Asten F, Aaron C and Kieran H represented St Kieran's in a Tennis Trial. Asten was selected to participate in the Polding trials, a great achievement.
 
Maylea C participated in the Broken Bay Basketball Trials and has been invited to trial for Polding. Well done Maylea.

Kieran H has also made state qualifying times for the 10 year State Age Championship to be held in March.  Not only that, he has been recognised by the Australian Swimming Dolphins team. 
 
Congratulations to these students on their sporting achievements.

St Paul’s Catholic College, Manly will be holding the Year 3 boys visit on Tuesday 15 March 2022. For details please click here.
 
The College Open Day will be held on Wednesday 23^rd March, 2022 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm here at the College.

This Valentine’s day don’t say I love you with chocolate, don’t say it with flowers, say it with undies !

This year the Mission Team is organising a collection for the homeless people of the city.

We are collecting new men’s undies, ladies undies, children’s undies, granny undies to be delivered to the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, Sydney. At the Wayside Chapel homeless people can have a clean shower, however, when they get dressed again they have to put on their old undies. YUCK !

We want to change that so that when people have finished their shower they can put on a clean pair of undies. Next week, Week 4, we are collecting new undies. You can leave your donation under the noticeboard or in your classroom and we will collect them.
Thank you for participating in our undies project.
     The Mission Team. 

The Canteen is open for online orders only for recess and lunch.  Orders will be taken to the classroom for students.  There is no over-the-counter orders or service.  
Facebook

A big thank-you to our volunteers over the past fortnight:

• Sissi Ervasti
• Ally Browne
• Danielle McNamara
• Rosa Marotta
• Alyson Perry
• Caroline Wells
• Nicole Covich

 Please ensure you have updated your child’s Year group in QKR.
 
Product Updates:

• TNT’s are not currently available. I have replaced these with Smooze ice blocks in either Coconut OR Mango & Coconut. We will stock these until TNT’s become available.
• Mini sushi boxes and rice paper roll’s are not currently available. We will have these back on the menu as soon as they become available.
• Dumplings are BACK!!! We will have Pork and Chive dumplings, Chicken Dim Sims and Vegetable Gyozas available from next week.

Any questions please feel free to make contact, on either 0438 433 231 or email me.
Thank-you,
     Hannah Davidson

Evergreen Music
Enrolments are now open for Mixed Ensembles on a Tuesday morning prior to school.  All instruments including voice are catered for. Please click here for information. 

Young Investigators Science - Term 1 Enrolment
We have two classes available in Term 1 on both Wednesday & Thursday mornings commencing next week.  The topic for Term 1 is 'Space - Exploring the wonders of the universe'. To enrol or for further information please click here.  
    Alana Wylie PhD - Eye Heart Science 

Term 1 Drama
To enrol click here.

     Stephanie Waites, Drama Teacher -  0407 235 914