Term 1 Week 7
2024 Prep Enrolments Now Open
This Week’s Newsletter Items:
● Catholic Education Week 2023
● Feast Day Change Of Date
● Harmony Week - ‘Cuppa Chat’s’
● School Canteen News - Fun Friday Lunch
● Hot Cross Bun Fundraising Drive
● Scholastic Book Club
● The Gospel Project – This Weekend’s Focus
● Performing & Visual Arts - Exciting Project
● Term 1 and Term 2 Dates
Operoo Forms Sent This Week:
● Parent Helpers - Fun Friday Lunches
● Parent Helpers - Fundraising Events
Paper Forms Sent This Week:
● Hot Cross Bun Order Form
Dear Parents, Students & Friends of Resurrection,
This week we celebrate Catholic Education Week. In doing so, it provides us with the opportunity to reflect why you have chosen a Catholic school for your child given that, for families in Kings Park, there are other schools to choose from.
Our faith, expressed through our relationships with students, families and the wider community, along with high expectations for just what our students are capable of when supported in a meaningful way, highlights only a glimpse of the learning community we are.
This connectedness to our faith has a huge impact on the passion and commitment of all our Resurrection staff. Teaching and learning is not just seen as a job but very much a vocation. It colours the way we respond to the needs of our students and each other, with an open heart, a compassionate nature, and an enthusiasm to achieve one’s best and a belief that God resides in each and every child.
This year’s theme expressed through the heading of Forming lives of faith, hope and love in the light of Christ is best understood as:
Forming lives – Catholic education seeks to provide the young with the best kind of education possible, one that fosters a formation of the whole person that is deeply and enduringly humanising.
Faith, hope and love – Catholic education forms individuals with more than just skills, but with the virtues to live life as transformative agents in our communities. By cultivating a maturing of faith and the intellectual life through the modelling of good relationships, Catholic students are prepared for living fruitfully in the world.
In the light of Jesus Christ – Christ is our inspiration, the very life of our purpose as Catholic educators. Everything we do is illuminated by this.
In this Catholic Education Week, when we celebrate together with all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, we thank our teachers, students, families and administrators who together create school communities of faith, hope and love.
We ask God to bless our school as we continue the mission of Catholic education.
May we always be a place where our children and staff are formed and inspired by the light of Christ
and share the joy of the Gospel with all the world.
We ask this prayer through your son and our Teacher, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Today is St Patrick’s Day. A special day for the Irish but also for my mum who turns 82 today.
I wish you all a very Irish blessing.
May there always be work for your hands to do; May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane; May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you; and may God fill your heart with gladness and cheer you.
With my kindest regards and praying that you all have a great weekend ahead.
Mr Des Noack
Principal
Resurrection Feast Day
Further Date Change Required
Due to the refurbishment of the Parish Church, we will need to move our feast date to a much later time in the term. In order to ensure that this day does not conflict with any other set days in our calendar, we have moved it to the last day of Term 2, Wednesday 21st June.
Children Walking Home From School Independently
We often receive a lot of queries from families around when children are old enough to walk home from school by themselves.
In Victoria, section 494 of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 states “A person who has the control or charge of a child must not leave the child without making reasonable provision for the child's supervision and care for a time which is unreasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the case.”
http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/cyafa2005252/s494.html
Unfortunately, this means that in Victoria, there’s no one age at which children should walk to school. Every child is different — some mature earlier and others later. Different neighbourhoods and commutes home, pose different levels of risk in regards to traffic and stranger danger.
What does this mean for families at Resurrection?
We can understand that walking home independently is a great way for children to develop independence and responsibility especially before starting high school.
However, It can be hard for school staff to determine who is and is not able to walk home independently.
We are therefore asking that only Senior (Grade 5 & Grade 6) students walk home independently and that their younger siblings only walk home if they are accompanied by their Grade 5 or Grade 6 brother or sister.
We ask that you please inform your child’s teacher if you have arranged for your child to walk home so that they are aware of how your child is getting home each night.
At Resurrection, teachers of all students in Grade Prep - Four are asked to actively supervise who collects their students. Therefore, informing the classroom teacher of how your child gets home is essential. This may include letting the teacher know that you meet your child in a location in the school e.g., out the front of the hall or at the tables in Nungarra.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Mrs Jess Davis
Deputy Principal: Wellbeing & Community
Harmony Week ‘Cuppa Chats’
Harmony week is coming up on Monday 20th to Sunday 26th of March. It’s an opportunity for all Australians to recognise our diversity, inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for all.
At Resurrection we are so lucky to belong to such a multicultural school where we have families representing countries from all across the world. To acknowledge Harmony Week for 2023, we would like to offer the opportunity for our community to connect with each other via morning and afternoon ‘cuppa chats’ where all are welcome to join.
The sessions will be held in the school staff room on the following dates and times
Tuesday 21st of March at 8.30 - 9.00
Thursday 23rd of March at 2.45 - 3.10
Friday 24th of March at 9.30 - 10.00
Tea and coffee will be provided and toddlers are more than welcome.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
The blind man went off and washed himself and came away with his sight restored.
As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. He spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (a name that means ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.
His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.’ Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’ The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’
They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.’ Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How could a sinner produce signs like this?’ And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ ‘He is a prophet’ replied the man.
‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!’ And they drove him away.
Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.
This Sunday’s Gospel reading is the second in a series of three quite lengthy readings from the gospel of John that are a feature of the Lenten season in Year A of the liturgical cycle. The three readings address three significant themes and images: water; light; and new life. Although today’s passage is about the healing of a blind man, the event takes place as part of a longer section of the gospel dealing with the image of light and specifically the image of Jesus as Light of the World.
The question asked by the disciples at the opening of this event is an interesting one. They ask, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind?’ In Jewish culture at the time, any physical affliction was deemed to be punishment from God for sinful behaviour. As the man had been born blind, the suspicion falls on his parents as having committed such a terrible offence against God that their son is born blind. Jesus immediately rejects this interpretation of the man’s affliction. Physical and mental illnesses or disabilities are in no way punishment from God.
Although the man’s physical sight is restored by Jesus simply enough, his journey from darkness into light is a more complicated affair. He faces disbelief, ridicule and even abuse from the Jewish authorities as they try to discredit Jesus and diminish the impact of the miracle. In fact, their treatment of the man is what drives him along the road from recipient of an act of mercy to a confirmed believer. Furthermore, the Jewish authorities, despite their physical capacity for sight, are shown to be the ones who are truly blind and trapped in darkness because they deny the light that is before their very eyes.
Historical Context – Light of the World
The events of today’s Gospel passage occur within an extended passage of the Gospel of John in which Jesus attends Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Jn 7:1 following). A feature of the feast was the illumination of the Temple. Pilgrims would cover the Temple with lights and torches so that it shone out over the entire city. It was during this feast that Jesus declared himself to be the Light of the World and, a few verses later, healed the blind man and brought light into his world.
Living the Gospel – Lenten Light
The story of the man born blind is a perfect choice for the Lenten season. During this season we are invited once again to open our eyes to Jesus; to step out of darkness and into the light; to look towards the future with hope and not despair. When we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at the Easter vigil, we celebrate the coming of the Light of the World into our lives. This annual call to turn away from darkness and walk in the light is a powerful and poetic call to focus our lives on the way of Jesus.
Gospel Focus – None so blind
There’s a very old saying that has its roots in the Bible but is not a direct quote from the Bible: ‘There are none so blind as those who will not see.’ It would be a fitting summary of today’s passage for there are two movements between darkness and light that are evident in the story. Firstly, there is the blind man who can see. He can see physically but can also see the truth of who Jesus is. Secondly, there are the Jewish authorities who have physical sight but are completely blind to the truth of Jesus.
As we journey through the season of Lent together, the students in Years 3 and 4 have been adding to their Lent Journals on a daily basis. Through prayer, students have reflected, given thanks for and appreciated people, events and items in their lives as we also reflect on the Lenten Promises that we have made.
Day 11
Dear Jesus, you are my spirit and always with me. Help me to be more helpful to people.
Isaac Ma
Day 12
Dear Jesus,
We thank you for sacrificing your life for us. Sorry for each and every sin we do. We will always try to show you never-ending love.
Amen
Elizabeth
Day 13
Dear Jesus,
Today I want to help the environment so if I see dirty things on the floor I will pick them up and put them in the bin. I will make sure to wash my hands after. I can help clean the floor when it is dirty and help others.
Adau
Day 15
Dear Jesus,
May you forgive the sins of the world and may all evil be gone.
Amen
Dylan
Day 16
Jesus I love you and I am so thankful to have you in my life.
Rhys
Day 17
Dear Jesus, today I will be positive to everyone and I will be careful. This is important because God and Jesus said to love one another and be kind so I can go to Heaven.
Ajok
Day 17
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for blessing my family. My family is so important to me because I am nothing without my family.
Amen
Ayak
Day 18
… Today I have tap and jazz class. I hope nothing bad will happen. God, please let me have a good time at my dance classes and that I will not get hurt. Thank you to my Mum for saying ‘yes’ when I asked her to do it.
Daphne
School Canteen News – Fun Fridays
It has been fantastic to see so many orders being received for the Sushi Sushi lunch that happens next week, Friday 24th March 2023.
The next Fun Friday orders will be for a Pizza lunch via Pizza Addiction in Caroline Springs available for all students to order on Friday 31st March 2023.
The cost of the Pizza order is $10.00 per student.
Each student will receive an individual pizza.
If you would like your child to have the Fun Friday Pizza lunch. Please ensure that you have completed the order form for your child by Friday 24th of March 2023. Late orders will not be accepted.
Following that, our last Fun Friday lunch will be from Subway and will occur on Wednesday 5th of April.
The cost of the Subway lunch is $10.00 per student. Each student will receive a 6 Inch Sub, a Chocolate Chip Cookie & an Apple Juice pop top.
Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser
The Fundraising committee are excited to share that they are running a Hot Cross Bun fundraiser through Bakers Delight!
On Offer will be the following
· Traditional Hot Cross Buns ($10.00 per 6-Pack)
· Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns ($10.00 per 6-Pack)
· Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns ($10.00 per 6-Pack)
Order forms have been sent home today with your eldest child and are due back on Monday 27th. The Hot Cross Buns will be distributed on Monday 3rd of April to the eldest in the family.
Please note there will be no late orders accepted.
Scholastic Book Club
The best gift any parent can give a child is the love of books and the joy and benefits of independent reading for fun. Children who read at home, or are read to, have a head start on reading success in school.
Resurrection is participating in Scholastic Book Club this year. Up to twice a term, during the school year, your child will receive the Book Club catalogue with a different selection of books offered for all ages.
You’ll find award-winning books and bestsellers, as well as old and new favourites. The books span a wide range of children’s reading levels and interests and are inexpensive (some books cost as little as $3).
It is easy to order. The Book Club LOOP platform for parents allows you to pay by credit card. Your child’s order is submitted directly to school and the books will be delivered to class. You can place your child’s order at scholastic.com.au/loop or by using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
All orders are due no later than Monday, 20th of March.
Mr John Hein
Deputy Principal: Curriculum & Organisation
Easter Raffle
Easter Raffle tickets have been sent home with the eldest child in each family. Tickets need to be returned back to the school by Friday 31st March.
The raffle will be drawn on Wednesday 5th April at a special end of term assembly.
This week, more than 1.3 million Australian students, including our own students at Resurrection, will sit for the test. More than 9,800 schools and campuses across Australia participate in this national assessment.
This year is an important milestone for NAPLAN as it is the first year that the annual test is being held in March instead of May. The enormous efforts of teachers and schools across all jurisdictions and sectors to get ready for an earlier NAPLAN this year should cannot be under-estimated.
The purpose of moving NAPLAN into Term 1 is to make results available earlier in the year to inform teaching and learning programs. Effectively, this will give our teachers earlier insights to support their professional judgment about how their students are progressing against the new proficiency standards and consider what support they might need in the coming year.
NAPLAN is invaluable as a national assessment that allows us to see whether our students are developing critical literacy and numeracy skills for learning, using a national and objective scale.
However, although NAPLAN is an important measure, it must be kept in perspective, that for some students, the test format is not appropriate and that it is only one test held every two years. It doesn’t measure overall school quality. It’s not meant to tell us everything about a student or their achievement.
NAPLAN tests literacy and numeracy skills that are being developed in the classroom everyday with questions based mostly on what students have been taught from previous years of schooling.
Week 8
Monday 20/03
● Harmony Week
● NAPLAN – Grade 3 & 5 (Catch Up)
● Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 21/03
● Parent Support Group Meetings
● Parent Advisory Council 7.00pm – 8.00pm
● NAPLAN – Grade 3 & 5 (Catch Up)
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
● Cuppa Chats 8.30am-9.30am
Wednesday 22/03
● Parent Support Group Meetings
● NAPLAN – Grade 3 & 5 (Catch Up)
Thursday 23/03
● Parent Support Group Meetings
● NAPLAN – Grade 3 & 5 (Catch Up)
● Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo
● Cuppa Chat 2.30pm-3.15pm
Friday 24/03
● NAPLAN – Grade 3 & 5 (Catch Up)
● Year Level Mass followed by parent morning tea – Prep
● Cuppa Chat 9.30am-10.30am
● Sushi Lunch
Saturday 25/03
● The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Sunday 26/03
● 5th Sunday of Lent
Week 9
Monday 27/03
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 28/03
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 29/03
●
Thursday 30/03
●
Friday 31/03
● House Activity Afternoon
● Pizza Lunch
Saturday 01/04
●
Sunday 02/04
● Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Week 10
Monday 03/04
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 04/04
● Saint Isidore
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 05/04
● Saint Vincent Ferrer
● Last Day of Term 1
● Dismissal Time 3.15pm
● 9am Whole School Mass
● 2.30pm Whole School Assembly
● Easter Raffle Drawn
Thursday 06/04
● School Closure Day - Staff Professional Learning
● Holy Thursday
Week 1
Monday 24/04
· School Closure – Staff Professional Learning Day
Tuesday 25/04
· ANZAC DAY (Public Holiday)
Wednesday 26/04
· Exec Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
· Saint Mark, Evangelist
· Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Thursday 27/04
● Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort
Friday 28/01
● Saint Peter Chanel
● ONWZ Principals Network Meeting
Saturday 29/04
● Saint Catherine of Siena
Sunday 30/05
● 4th Sunday of Easter
Week 2
Monday 01/05
● Saint Joseph the Worker
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 02/05
● Saint Athanasius
● Parent Advisory Council 7.00pm – 8.00pm
● Emergency Displan Practice
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
● Canteen Committee Meeting 7pm
Wednesday 03/05
● The Feasts of Saints Philip and James
Thursday 04/05
●
Friday 05/05
● Year 3-6 Athletics Carnival
Saturday 06/05
●
Sunday 07/05
● 5th Sunday of Easter
Week 3
Monday 08/05
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 09/05
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 10/05
● Saint John De Avila
Thursday 11/05
● Whole School Photo day
Friday 12/05
● Saints Nereus and Achilleus
● Whole School Mass - Run by Seniors
● Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea
Saturday 13/05
● Our Lady of Fatima
Sunday 14/05
● 6th Sunday of Easter
● Mother’s Day
Week 4
Monday 15/05
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 16/05
● Learning Diversity Leaders Network
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 17/05
●
Thursday 18/05
● Saint John I
Friday 19/05
● Year Level Mass followed by parent morning tea - Middles
Saturday 20/05
● Saint Bernadine of Siena
Sunday 21/05
● Solemnity Of The Ascension Of The Lord
Week 5
Monday 22/05
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 23/05
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 24/05
● The Solemnity of Our Lady, Help of Christians
● Student Wellbeing Leaders Network
Thursday 25/05
● Saint Gregory VII
● Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
● Saint Bede
Friday 26/05
● Saint Philip Neri
● Year Level Mass followed by parent morning tea - Juniors
● Staff Social Dinner
● Religious Education Leaders Network
Saturday 27/05
● Saint Augustine of Canterbury
● First Communion Masses
Sunday 28/05
● Pentecost Sunday
● First Communion Masses
Week 6
Monday 29/05
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 30/05
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 31/05
● The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday 01/06
● Saint Justin
● Deputy Principals Network
Friday 02/06
● Saints Marcellinus and Peter
● Year 3-6 Athletics Carnival (Backup date)
● Year Level Mass followed by parent morning tea - Preps
● Deputy Principals Network
Saturday 03/06
● First Communion Masses
Sunday 04/06
● Solemnity Of The Most Holy Trinity
● First Communion Masses
Week 7
Monday 05/06
● Student House Activity Day
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 06/06
● Parent Support Group Meetings
● Mary, Mother of the Church
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 07/06
● Parent Support Group Meetings
Thursday 08/06
● Parent Support Group Meetings
Friday 09/06
● Saint Ephrem
● Year Level Mass followed by parent morning tea – Seniors
● ONWZ Principals Network Meeting
Saturday 10/06
● First Communion Masses
Sunday 11/06
● Feast Of Corpus Christi
● First Communion Masses
Week 8
Monday 12/06
● King’s Birthday – School Closure
Tuesday 13/06
● Parent Support Group Meetings
● Saint Anthony of Padua
● Parent Advisory Council 7.00pm – 8.00pm
● Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
● Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 14/06
● Parent Support Group Meetings
Thursday 15/06
● Parent Support Group Meetings
Friday 16/6
● Instalment 2 - Family Fee Payment Due
● Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
● Year Level Mass followed by parent morning tea - Middles
Saturday 17/06
● Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
● First Communion Masses
Sunday 18/06
● 11TH Sunday In Ordinary Time
● First Communion Masses
Week 9
Monday 19/06
● Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
● Reports back to teachers
● Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
● Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 20/06
Wednesday 21/06
● Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
● Resurrection Day Celebration
● Resurrection Day Mass 9.00am (Whole School)
● Last Day of Term 2 Dismissal Time 3.15pm
● Semester 1 Student Reports Sent Home
Thursday 22/06
● School Closure Staff Faith Formation Session 1
Friday 23/06
● School Closure Staff Faith Formation Session 2
