Term 4 Week 6 of 11
Friday, 15th November 2024
Message From the Principal
You may have noticed that the Federal Government is pushing for a blanket ban on social media for young people of Australia. This will happen but my fear is that parents will allow their children to get around this. We need to protect our children from dangers online and the easiest way is to not let them online unsupervised.
In the last two weeks I have dealt with three incidents between girls from Year 4 and Year 6. Each one of these incidents began outside of school via social media platforms and then affected relationships at school. On two of the occasions, other children got involved that did not even attend our school. On one of those occasions a kind interaction was mistaken, and posts were made by a secondary school student that made the situation worse. Primary school children are not old enough to be online unsupervised. Managing interactions at school requires a lot of energy and maturity that our students are slowly developing in, but they are not ready for the online world.
A special thanks to our Year 6 leaders who led us in a wonderful commemoration of Remembrance Day. Well done to all our students who showed respectful reverence.
Last Friday we also had our Colour Run. Our students joined in the fun and so did our teachers. I was covered in colour. Thanks to everyone involved. The $3659 raised will help us to buy more sports equipment for your children to enjoy.
Deputy Principal: Learning & Organisation
Colour Explsion Fun Run !
On Friday 7th November, our whole school took part in our Colour Explosion Fun Run! We thank our wonderful student leaders and our Senior Team Leader Miss Katherine Salloum for their organisation of this event. As a school, we raised $3659 and had such a fun time doing it. Our funds will be used to purchase more sporting equipment! For those who raised funds, it is now time to claim your prizes. If you raised money for the Colour Run you need to go online and select prizes you would like to get. The website will close to choose your prizes this Sunday 17th November!
2025 Transitions
Today we welcomed our 2025 Prep students for the first of five transition sessions. What an exciting time for these students and their families! These sessions will continue each Friday for the next four weeks. As mentioned in our last week’s newsletter, our Years 1-6 sessions will take place on: Monday 2nd December and Monday 9th December.
Vision for Instruction
Attached in our newsletter this week is a parent’s guide to the Vision for Instruction. The MACS Vision for Instruction was launched this year and Resurrection is well and truly flying with implementing some of highly effective teaching and learning strategies backed by cognitive science - put simply, how the human brain learns and retains information.
Did you know: the adult brain can hold around 4-7 parts of new information. With children, this is less with the number being between 1-4 parts of new information depending on their age, prior knowledge and readiness for learning. This means we need to chunk our new learning into small and clear parts to ensure we are not overloading the working memory. We also need to ensure we are reviewing learning regularly to avoid forgetting. We do this through daily reviews where our students get a chance to relearn, retrieve and apply past learning.
Please read through this information to get an insight about what kinds of things are happening in our classrooms. If your child is in Prep, Year 1 or Year 2, ask them about phonics and how they blend, and segment works or even about what they have covered in their Literacy daily review. If your child is in Years 3 - 6, ask them about their novel study and what they are learning in this unit. There is some fantastic learning happening in our classrooms!
Learning Diversity
I look forward to meeting with parents and teachers in Week 7 to discuss progress for students receiving Extensive and Substantial levels of support. Please note that bookings for these meetings are now closed.
During Week 8, you will receive a copy of your child’s most recent Personalised Learning Plan (PLP) for 2024. We encourage you to take a moment to review your child’s progress toward their goals. Please sign one copy and return it to the school for our records, as this is an important part of our documentation process.
Thank you for your support and partnership in your child’s learning journey.
Year 6 End of Year Timeline
The last couple of weeks of 2024 will be an exciting time for our Year 6 students. The students and their families are given the opportunity to reflect upon the memories over the past seven years of schooling and this will become the forefront of the celebrations.
To celebrate the success of the Year 6 students we have many events planned for both our parents and our students.
Below is a list of events for our parents and students.
Week 10
Thursday 12th December
● Year 6 Big Day Out - Funfields
Week 11
Monday 16th December
● Year 6 Graduation Liturgy - 6.00pm
Tuesday 17th December
● Last day of Term 4
● Whole School End of Year Mass - 9.00am
● 2024 End of Year Awards - 2.00pm
● 2024 Year 6 Farewell on the oval at 3.00pm with school dismissed at 3.15pm.
Whole School Carols Evening
On Wednesday 11th December the Whole School Carols Evening will take place. The Year 6 students will have their final opportunity to showcase their many talents to the Resurrection School Community and lead us in singing Christmas Carols.
Year 6 Big Day Out – Funfields
The Year 6 Big Day Out is on Thursday 12th December where the students will go to Funfields Theme Park in Whittlesea as a celebration of their primary school journey alongside their teachers and friends.
Year 6 Graduation Liturgy
On Monday 16th December, the students will have their Graduation Liturgy where they will participate in a final liturgy as Year 6 students and receive a blessing from Father Gerard, with all students expected to be in full summer uniform.
Final Day & Farewell to Year 6s
Finally on Tuesday 17th December, we will celebrate the final day of the year. We ask that parents, if able to, join us for both the Whole School End of Year Mass at 9.00am and the End of Year Awards Ceremony at 2:30pm.
At 3:00pm, Father Gerard will bless the Year 6 students and, weather permitting, we will form a Guard of Honour, leading our Year 6s to the oval. Students will then be dismissed at 3:15pm.
We understand that this is an exciting time for our students and their families. The Year 6 students who have grown, learnt and formed strong friendships over these last seven years of primary school and we want to celebrate together to make their final weeks at Resurrection as special as we possibly can.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email at ksalloum@rskingspark.catholic.edu.au
SUNDAY GOSPEL
This Sunday’s reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Mark 13:24-32
He Shall gather his elect from the four winds.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.
‘Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you, when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
‘But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.’
Gospel Reflection
The whole of chapter 13 in the Gospel of Mark is devoted to a discourse about the future. In the section preceding this week’s passage, Jesus has foretold the destruction of the Temple and the fall of Jerusalem. He has also predicted war on a massive scale and the persecution of his followers. Now, in this passage, Jesus predicts the return of the Son of Man and the fulfilment of the kingdom of God.
Why does the gospel include such an extended description of the collapse of the world as it was? Because that’s exactly what was going on around the community of this gospel writer! This gospel is understood to have been written somewhere in the period 70-75 CE. In the year 70 CE the city of Jerusalem was besieged by Roman troops who stormed the city and destroyed it. As a sign of complete disdain for the people of Jerusalem and a mark of overwhelming victory, the Romans burnt and completely destroyed the Temple in the heart of Jerusalem. For the entire Jewish community, this was absolute devastation. The destruction of the Temple surely marked the coming of the end times – the day of judgment and completion of this world. The community gathered around this gospel writer were no less affected. On top of this, the Roman Emperors were reaching new heights (or depths) in their persecution of the followers of Jesus.
In the midst of this despair and fear, the followers of Jesus are challenged to remember the teachings of the one they follow. This passage is written for them as an encouragement to not give up in the face of what appears to be overwhelming odds. It is a call to hope. Although we can understand the context in which it was originally written, we are also challenged to apply its message of hope and perseverance to our own lives.
Historical Context – 70 CE
In 66 CE a Jewish revolt against Roman occupation began in Caesarea and soon spread to most of the country. By the year 68 the sheer weight of Roman numbers had stamped out a lot of the rebellion. The leaders of the revolt rallied again in Jerusalem and in the year 70 the Roman armies laid siege to the city for several months. Finally, Titus, the emperor Vespasian’s son, led an assault on the city and the Romans ransacked and burnt the entire city. The treasures of the Temple were looted and the Temple itself – the very centre of Jewish religion – was destroyed.
Living the Gospel – People of Hope
Whilst the community who were the intended audience of the Gospel of Mark were expecting the return of Jesus and the end times to occur during their lifetimes, nearly two thousand years later we realise that wasn’t the case. Today, as in Mark’s time, many people approach the future and change with fear and apprehension. As Christian people we are called to be optimistic and hopeful as we approach the future. We know that God is good, that God loves us unconditionally and that God has a dream for us. That is the simple basis of Christian hope.
Gospel Focus – Eschatology
Theologians refer to beliefs about the future and the end times of the world as ‘eschatology’. The word itself comes from two Greek words meaning ‘last’ and ‘discourse’ – basically meaning talking about the end. In Christian tradition, eschatology concerns many different concepts: the end of the world; the return of Jesus; the Last Judgment; the fulfilment of the Messianic prophecy; the accomplishment of the kingdom of God. These eschatological events are sometimes simply referred to as ‘the end times’ or ‘the last things’. The whole of Mark Ch 13 – from which this gospel passage comes – is referred to as an eschatological discourse by Jesus
St Vinnies Christmas Appeal
As we begin to approach the end of the year and look forward to Christmas, for members in our community that are less fortunate than us it means a time of greater stress. This year especially has seen an increase in the number of people who have lost jobs, been victims of violence or in financial difficulty. St Vincent De Paul will be helping these families before Christmas and look to our parishioners and their generous support to assist us.
For those that can, we ask for the following:
Christmas hampers for families (feel free to make your own)
Books, puzzles and activities for children
Toys for children
All our St Vinnie’s members will represent each of you as we will deliver these generous gifts on your behalf.
We would like to extend our gratitude and thank for your continuous support.
God Bless you all from
Student of the Week Awards
Week 6
Prep A
Sophie Duddington
Nathania I - For showing persistence and motivation when learning about sharing and how to make equal groups. Keep up the positive attitude towards your learning, Nathania!
Prep B
Jacinta Polh
Samuel KMC - For continually making positive choices in the classroom to focus on his learning. Keep it up!
Prep C
Carla Tirotta
Rebecca S - For using your imagination to plan a creative narrative set in a magical candy shop. Keep up the amazing effort!
One B
Matt Galea
Jarell DL - For making an exceptional effort to focus on his learning in order to complete all tasks to an incredible standard. Amazing Jarell.
One C
Thomas Pham
Leila C - For recognising the importance of why we say grace before eating. Well done Leila!
Two A
Belinda Collins
Mesak C - For working hard to solve division questions during maths sessions. Keep up the great work Mesak!!
Two B
Liz Micallef
Emily P - For showing knowledge of multiplication and sharing among equal groups in division, and demonstrating a positive attitude towards Maths. Keep up the good work!
Two C
Dorothy Hall
Anne N - For being a resilient learner and taking on teacher feedback when dividing numbers into various equal groups.
Three A
Ella Nowak
Amelie L - For being a motivated and hard working student who consistently tries her very best in all areas of her learning. Keep it up Amelie!
Three B
Kurt Cuguin
James - For exemplifying a joy for learning and taking on challenges with eagerness and a positive attitude. Keep it up James!
Three C
Joss Coaley
Hannah Y - For her positive attitude to learning, putting others before herself in our group based projects! Well done Hannah!
Four A
Ayak L - For displaying a positive attitude and confidence in all learning areas and showing empathy towards your peers when they need assistance. Keep up the amazing effort!
Four B
Bilatu K - For an impressive effort in using expressive vocabulary when creating a structured writing piece. Well done Bilatu!
Four C
Kung Then T - For always approaching his work with a positive attitude, applying his learning to answer questions and help his peers. Great work!
Five A
Lavina Stewart
Elizabeth H - For a seamless transition into Resurrection Primary school by demonstrating resilience and a positive attitude. Well done Elizabeth!
Five B
Malae Suaesi
Bahnam Q - For being a thinker during Maths, when applying his knowledge to create a financial plan for Year 5 Camp. Well done!
Five C
Rosie Nojdek
Vaslem FC - For using his initiative to take comprehensive notes while reading and using them to answer quiz questions.
Six A
Katherine Salloum
Thien-Ann N - For developing greater self-assurance and confidently sharing her responses during numeracy and literacy discussions.
Dayton T - For enriching classroom discussions with thoughtful insights and fostering a lively spirit of collaboration among his peers.
Six B
Lena Aloi
Deng D - For being a resilient learner and always giving every set task a go. Well done!
Jerry J - For being a caring member of the 6B classroom and always showing kindness to all those around him. Well done!
Six C
Jake Moloney
Daniel Y - For demonstrating his leadership skills during a collaborative group task. Well done Daniel!
Weston T - For showcasing his reflective skills whilst sharing his experiences with Mrs Davis. Well done Weston!
Japanese:
Yumiko Aiki
Isaac V(3B) - For demonstrating respectful manners and ‘can-do’ attitude towards Japanese learning. His enthusiasm makes the class lively. Keep up the positivity Isaac!
Performing Arts:
Jody Banks
Caterina N (2C) - For her enthusiastic music learning, creativity and drama skills. Keep up the fantastic performance ideas, Caterina!
Visual Arts:
Emma Lyons-Pell & Tosh Kaan
Daniel Y (6C) - For demonstrated focus and skill when weaving his Monet inspired Lily-Pad. Well done Daniel!
S T E M:
Matt Dalton
Jack L (5C) - For demonstrating outstanding communication skills when presenting his learning to the class. Well done Jack!
P.E:
Jen Barresi
Johnny P (4A) - For being a valuable member of 4A. Your sense of humour, kindness and respect is appreciated. Thank you Johnny and keep it up.
TERM FOUR DATES
Week 7
Monday - 18/11
Exec Team 9.30 – 11.00am
Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Tuesday - 19/11
Wednesday - 20/11
Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Thursday - 21/11
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Friday - 22/11
Saint Cecilia
2025 Prep Transition Session 2
Saturday - 23/11
Sunday - 24/11
Solemnity Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King Of The Universe
Year 3/4 Sunday Family Mass 10:30am
Week 8
Monday - 25/11
Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Exec Team 9.30 – 11.00am
Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Tuesday - 26/11
Parent Support Group Meetings
Parent Advisory Council 7.00pm – 8.00pm
Wednesday - 27/11
Parent Support Group Meetings
Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Thursday - 28/11
Parent Support Group Meetings
Friday - 29/11
2025 Prep Transition Session 3
Year Level Mass followed by morning tea: Grade 3/4
Saturday - 30/11
Saint Andrew
Sunday - 1/12
1st Sunday Of Advent
Week 9
Monday - 2/12
2025 Student Transition Day 1 (Prep – Grade 5’s)
Exec Team 9.30 – 11.00am
Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Tuesday - 3/12
Saint Francis Xavier
Parent Support Group Meetings
Wednesday - 4/12
Saint John Damascene
Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Grade 5 Camp - Sovereign Hill (Ballarat)
Thursday - 5/12
Parent Support Group Meetings
Grade 5 Camp - Sovereign Hill (Ballarat)
Friday - 6/12
Saint Nicholas
2025 Prep Transition Session 4
Grade 5 Camp - Sovereign Hill (Ballarat)
Reports due to leadership
Saturday - 7/12
Saint Ambrose
Sunday - 8/12
2nd Sunday Of Advent
Week 10
Monday - 9/12
The Immaculate Conception Of The Blessed Virgin Mary
2025 Student Transition Day 2 (Prep – Grade 5s)
Exec Team 9.30 – 11.00am
Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Tuesday - 10/12
Our Lady of Loreto
Wednesday - 11/12
Saint Damasus I
Carols By Candlelight 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Report changes completed
Thursday - 12/12
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Friday - 13/12
Grade 6 Big Day Out
2025 Prep Transition Session 5
Saint Lucy
Saturday - 14/12
Saint John of the Cross
Sunday - 15/12
3rd Sunday of Advent
Week 11
Monday - 16/12
Grade 6 Graduation Liturgy & Presentation Night 6.00pm
Reports sent out
Exec Team 9.30 – 11.00am
Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30 pm
Tuesday - 17/12
Whole School Mass 9.00am
End of Year Award Ceremony
Last Day Of Term (3.15pm Finish)
Wednesday - 18/12
School Closure Day - Handover Day
Thursday - 19/12
School Closure Day - End of Year Staff Lunch
Friday - 20/12
School Closure - Time in Lieu Day
Saturday - 21/12
Sunday - 22/12
4th Sunday of Advent
