Term 4 Week 5 of 12
Friday, 3rd of November 2023
This Week’s Newsletter Items:
● All Saints’ & All Souls’ Day
● Inspiration of Art and Cultural Show
● 2024 House Captains announced
● Canteen Update
● Staffing update
● Remembrance Day
● Student absenteeism due to Illness
● Grade 6 End of Year Timeline
● Basketball Tournament
● New Books
● Inform & Empower
● Gospel & Gospel Reflection
● Student Awards
● Term 4 Date
Dear Parents, Students & Friends,
November is traditionally a month where we remember those who have passed. The month begins with the Solemnity of All Saints on 1st November and the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day), on 2nd November.
All Saints' & All Souls’ Day
All Saints’ Day is a time to consider the example saints offer us and to reflect on how we can imitate their lives. As Pope Benedict XVI said, All Saints’ Day calls us ‘to see the Church… as Christ wanted it, that is, as the communion of saints.’
All Souls’ Day is also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed and the Day of the Dead. It is a day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died.
Inspiration of Art and Cultural show
I am pleased to announced that despite the very typically Melbourne weather; sunny one second then raining the next! Our Art and Cultural show was a huge hit raising $608.27. A huge thank you to all of the Resurrection staff students and families for making this event such a success.
Our House Captains for 2024 are…
This Monday our 2024 House Captains for 2024 were announced. Congratulations to all of our Grade 4 & 5 students who spoke so eloquently about how they would lead their houses in 2024. Thank you to Fr Gerard who joined us for assembly on Monday to bless the Resurrection 2024 House Leaders.
2024 House Captains are
MacKillop House
Ken M & Jasper H
Sebastian House
Dylan L & Anthony
Teresa House
Madison M & Ashton C
Pedro House
Christopher T & Esabella C
Canteen Update
Earlier this week I met with Leo from Jude Fine Foods to discuss the start date for the Resurrection school canteen. Like most industries at the moment finding staff can be challenging. Leo has now found a manager to run the Resurrection canteen starting Term 1 Week 2 2024.
In the next few weeks, I will be sending out an Operoo form asking for parent input into the types of foods on offer at the Resurrection canteen so that we can have the menu finalised by the end of this year and the canteen ready and operational by Week 2 Term 1 2024!
Staffing update
This week. Mrs Sophie Duddington commences her maternity leave as she, her husband Jesse & their daughter Alice await the arrival of their new little bundle.
Sophie, thank you for all you have given to the Resurrection community, especially to the students in 3B. We all wish you well as you prepare for the gift of new motherhood.
We are starting to put together the pieces for staffing for 2024 and that always begins with our prep teachers. I am happy to share that our Foundation team for 2024 will be Miss Carla Tirotta, Mr Ric Martin & Mrs Jacinta Tang.
Carla and Ric will be known to many of you and have already begun the kindergarten visits to learn about our new preps before the start transition sessions on Friday November 10. We are so excited to welcome Jacinta, who brings with her 7 years of experience in Catholic Education.
Remembrance Day Poppies for Sale
Each afternoon from 3.00pm our school leaders will be selling Remembrance Day poppies. For more than 100 years the annual poppy appeal has supported Australian Veterans and their families. When buying a poppy, your donation is helping the RSL to continue to deliver life changing support to our veterans when they need it the most.
Poppy Pins - $2.00
Poppy Wrist Bands - $3.00
Poppy Pens - $5.00
Our school will conduct a Remembrance Day service at 10.20am next Friday 10th of November at the fire pit In front of the church. We would love for you to join us. Please ensure that you are parked in the large carpark by 10.15am and make your way to the fire pit area.
Kind regards,
Jess Davis
Acting Principal
School Closure Day Monday 6th & 20th November
Student Absenteeism Due to Illness
This week has seen a dramatic rise in the number of children and staff absent due to illness. For example, on Monday there were 83 student and 14 staff absences.
This is not just happening at Resurrection but across greater Melbourne. The majority of illnesses are related to gastro or COVID.
We very much understand that a sick child can represent a day off from work, or having to reschedule important meetings or appointments if a carer is not available. We have staff who, like yourself have children and have to make the same call from time to time, when their own child is ill.
There are two particular reasons that children are excluded from school while they are ill, sick or unwell. Firstly, so that they have the chance to recoup and get well, and secondly, so that their illness is not passed on to others. COVID-19, has certainly reinforced why this action is necessary.
The following is a guide to assist you in making the call if to send them or keep them home. But please, if they are pale and clearly unwell, do not send them to school. Home, bed and rest are the best medicines for improving their health.
Keep a Child at Home if You See the Following:
Fever
This is one symptom that automatically rules out school, no questions. Your sick child should be fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours before you send him/her back to school. As a school, we do not administer over-the-counter fever-reduction medication; instead, we believe that it is definitely worth keeping your child home, making sure they drink plenty of fluids so they can recover from whatever they are battling.
Diarrhoea
This could be a sign of a viral infection, so it’s best to keep your child at home. It’s also important to keep rehydrating him/her with an oral rehydrating solution when s/he has diarrhoea, and the best way to do that is by keeping him/her at home.
Vomiting
Aside from the fact that your child won’t be comfortable, s/he could vomit again. Keep him/her home until s/he has gone 24 hours without throwing up – that way you won’t feel guilty if you send him/her to school and we call you up to come and collect your vomiting child.
Cough
This depends on how severe the cough is. Coughs can spread infection to other students. A serious cough can also keep a child from getting a good night’s rest, which means s/he’ll be too tired for school in the morning. As a general rule, if your child has a serious wet cough, particularly if it’s accompanied by breathing troubles, seek medical advice. But if it’s just a mild cough and s/he has no other symptoms, s/he can probably go to school. The wearing of a face masks in these circumstances is greatly encouraged.
Rashes
Skin rashes could be a sign of a contagious infection, such as impetigo. You should have a rash evaluated by a doctor before sending your child to school.
Conjunctivitis
This infection can quickly and easily spread from one child to another, as many parents of primary-school age children already know all too well. Keep your child home until the doctor says s/he is no longer contagious.
Stomach ache
This one can be tough to call. If she/he doesn’t have diarrhoea and isn’t constipated, tummy trouble could be caused by any number of things from anxiety to food poisoning. If the stomach pains are minor enough to allow your child to continue walking and behaving in his/her usual boisterous fashion - and there are no other symptoms – this might be one of those times worth risking sending him/her to school. Later, you can talk to him/her about any emotional issues that may be on his/her mind.
Ear infection
As with coughs, you should evaluate all his/her symptoms before making the call. If s/he has mild ear pain, s/he’ll likely be fine; but if s/he’s clearly uncomfortable, s/he will have trouble concentrating in class anyway and should be kept at home. And if there are any other accompanying symptoms such as a fever, it’s a definite sick day.
Runny nose
Let’s be realistic: If you kept your child home every time s/he had the sniffles, s/he’d miss a lot of school, especially at the moment with hay fever causing a lot of us to have runny noses! Use your judgment. If s/he has a runny nose but seems otherwise fine, then it’s probably okay for him/her to go to school (with a box of tissues in his/her bag and possibly a face mask). If it’s clear and runny without any other symptoms, that should be ok. However, if it’s of a thicker and darker colour, this is a good indication of infection in which case your child should stay home.
Trust your instincts. If your child seems lethargic and is just not themselves (if s/he’s not interested in playing, that is often a big clue), keep him/her home and monitor him/her for any signs of illness.
If we follow these simple guidelines, our children will be far healthier and happier. Thank you for your understanding and assistance.
Grade 6 End of Year Timeline
Grade 6 Graduation Week is an exciting time for our Grade 6 students and their families as the memories of the past seven years of schooling become the forefront of the celebrations in the last weeks of this school year.
To celebrate the success of the Grade 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 11
Wednesday 13/12
● Grade 6 Big Day Out
Thursday 14/12
● Grade 6 Graduation Liturgy (6.00pm)
Friday 15/12
● Last Day Of Term
● Whole School End of Year Liturgy 9.00am
● 2023 End of Year Awards 2.00pm
● 2023 Grade 6 Farewell on the oval at 3.00pm with school dismissed at 3.15pm.
Grade 6 Graduation Liturgy
On Thursday 14th December, we have our Graduation Liturgy where all students (in full summer uniform), will participate in a final liturgy as Year 6 students and receive a blessing from Father Gerard.
Whole School Carols Evening
Wednesday 6th December sees the Whole School Carols Evening where the Year 6 students have their final opportunity to showcase their many talents to the Resurrection School Community and lead us in singing Christmas Carols.
Grade 6 Big Day Out – Go Ride A Wave
The Grade 6 Big Day Out is on Wednesday 13th December where students will be taken to Anglesea Main Beach (100 Great Ocean Road, Anglesea) to learn how to surf with the company Go Ride A Wave.
On this day, we would love parents who would like to join their child in learning to ride a wave and assist with cooking the sausage sizzle to join us. Further information will be sent out via Operoo regarding this day.
Parents who would like to come along are asked to ensure that they have a current Working With Children Check (WWCC).
Final Day & Farewell To Grade 6s
Finally on Friday 15th December, we celebrate our final day of the year. We ask that parents, if able, to, join us for both the Whole School End Of Year Liturgy at 9.00am and the End of Year Awards Ceremony at 2:30pm.
At 3:00pm, weather permitting, we will gather on the school oval to give our Grade 6s a final farewell. Students will then be dismissed at 3:15pm.
This is an exciting time for our students who have grown, learnt and formed strong friendships over these last seven years of primary school. Let us together make their final weeks at Resurrection as special as we possibly can.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school office or your child’s Grade 6 teacher.
Mrs Shannon Beetham
Senior Level Leader
On Friday 27th October Resurrection students from Grade 6 participated in the district basketball program. The tournament saw our students in action where they represented our school with grace and excellence.
It was truly enjoyable to support and accompany them. Thank you to Miss Jenny for assisting on the day.
Ms Jen
PE Teacher
Dr Judi Gurvich who conducted our recent school review, has donated two books that she has written with her son Ben to our school library!
These books called Hey there it’s bear! and When Joanie came to stay are pictured below and available to borrow from our school library!
One important area that both Marty and Carly discussed at the Parent Information Session a few weeks ago was Social Media.
There is such a wide range of social media platforms that are very popular and used around the world. These applications include Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Discord. Other less familiar applications include Whatsapp, Threads, and the latest application, BlueSky. These apps allow users the ability to talk to friends, family and to meet new people online.
Unfortunately, the current trend is children lying about their age and creating profiles, putting them at risk in the cyber world. It can also cause social problems with friends and lead them to become disengaged with friends and family, instead using their device at home and wanting to spend more time in the cyber world than the real world.
All social media platforms require their users to be over the age of 13. This is not a recommended age, they MUST be over 13.
The long weekend may be the perfect opportunity to have a “Tech Check In” with your child; to have an open and honest conversation about what applications they are using on their devices at home and whether they are being safe online. At the Parent Information Night, Carly spoke about how important these conversations are with your child, and to consider the following points:
Conversations should be open and honest.
Conversations should remain calm, no one should get upset or angry about what is discussed.
Conversations such as this should not lead to the device being taken away as a consequence, they should be an opportunity for learning.
PBL Reflection
A big congratulations to Giselle from 3C, who has worked hard to earn 60 PBL Cards. Please find her reflection below.
Giselle’s PBL Reward - A Maths Game With Mr Hein
I had 60 PBL cards so I asked Mr Coaley if I could play a game with Mr Hein as a reward!
When I went to Mr Hein’s office we played the first game with Mr Lewis. We played Uno! And Mr Lewis won!
For the second game we played Tic Tac Toe. We had to try to make Fifteen. It was really hard but I won in the end! I had so much fun playing with Mr Lewis and Mr Hein.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 23 (1 - 12)
They do not practice what they preach.
Gospel Reflection
This week’s gospel is a lesson on leadership. The gospel writer has Jesus offering a very strong criticism of the religious leadership of his day as exemplified by the scribes and Pharisees. He accuses them of not practising what they preach – a rather familiar criticism often levelled at politicians, teachers and church leaders in our own society today. When the criticism is used today it often implies that if the person fails to practise what they preach then what they have to say carries little weight. But rather than totally rejecting the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus cautions his listeners to take notice of what they have to say – as their teachings were always grounded in scripture and tradition – but not to follow their example of behaviour.
Throughout Matthew’s gospel we encounter criticisms of the scribes and Pharisees. This example is of the same nature: they were too caught up with rules and obligations and did not approach life with compassion and concern for the individual. The community for whom Matthew’s gospel was intended was struggling with being
both Jewish and Christian. They were coming to realise that to be followers of Jesus’ way they needed to cast aside some of the attitudes and behaviours of their Jewish tradition. That applied particularly to the model of leadership that they had inherited from Jesus: a model of leadership through service, not power and authority. This gospel passage makes it very clear for that original community as well as ourselves that true leadership is provided through service to others and through humble action. Unlike the Pharisees of Jesus’ time, Christian leaders are called to do away with the trappings of power and prestige and, instead, be of service to those whom they would lead.
Scriptural Context – Laying down the Law
Throughout Matthew’s gospel Jesus is portrayed as the new law giver, the new Moses. The five-part structure of the gospel reflects the five books of law that make up the Torah. This week’s gospel is the beginning of an extended passage of criticism against the Pharisees (all of Ch 23). The sustained criticism is about how the Pharisees have actually ‘got in the way’ and made it more difficult for people to come to know God. Jesus, as the new law-giver, tells the people to put aside the distractions of the Pharisees and to recognise that God alone is the source of what is right and wrong; that the Christ is the only teacher.
Living the Gospel -Christian Leadership
The Christian model of leadership often flies in the face of societal concepts Of leadership. Many of the models of leadership we witness in society focus On exerting power over others. People are praised for showing ‘strong’ Leadership when they manipulate situations, bully less powerful people and bulldoze their way through others’ opinions. Whilst this model of leadership may have a certain effectiveness in the short term, there is certainly nothing ‘Christian’ about its operation and ultimately it forces a wedge between the leader and the led. Christian leadership focuses on empowering all parties and rather than power over others, it embraces power through and with others.
Gospel Focus – Contrasts
Jesus’ description of the Pharisees behaviour offers a stark contrast to his own way of bringing about the Kingdom of God. By their actions, the Pharisees place burdens on the shoulders of others – burdens of guilt, shame, duty and punishment. Throughout his ministry, Jesus acted to lift such burdens from the shoulders of the downtrodden and marginalised. Jesus accuses the Pharisees of being motivated by drawing attention to themselves – the way they dress,the way they like to be addressed, even where they sit in the synagogues. In contrast, Jesus’ ministry was typified by his humility and focus on others.
WEEK 5 STUDENT AWARDS
PA - Anna Druitt
Gloria K - For being a knowledgeable learner when writing a thoughtful prayer for our prayer class prayer book.
Xavier J - For being an effective communicator by showing increased confidence in asking for help.
PC - Carla Tirotta
Denis N - For being a knowledgeable learner when creating your own character and setting for your narrative. Keep up the amazing effort!
Akot L - For being a caring member of the learning community and for writing a thoughtful prayer for the people you care about most in your life.
1A - Enza La Rosa
Kayla M - For being a motivated learner by always trying her best and consistently following instructions and striving to improve her learning. Well done Kayla!
Simon C - For being a resilient learner during writing lessons and having a go at sounding out and spelling unfamiliar words. Keep up the great effort Simon!
1B - Matt Galea
Xavier T - For being an effective communicator by asking questions that support his learning.
Blake H - For being a reflective learner by seeking teacher feedback and using that to improve her writing. Well done Blake!
1C - Natalie Donevska
David G- For being an effective communicator and a knowledgeable learner by identifying all the prayers we can say, while using the rosary. Well done David!
Adior D - For being a thinker and a resilient learner by showing whole body listening during learning time and your understanding when completing a maths task. Fantastic work Adior!
2A - Rebecca Koutivas & Shannon Ziebell
Noah L - For being a thinker during Maths when finding how to equally share items with a group of friends.
Calden N - For being a great communicator in our Reading group when sharing your answers about the text.
2B - Ric Martin
Jack I-B - For being reflective when creating your inquiry project and considering possible changes to enhance your toy.
Matisse S - For being a thinker during mathematics and showing your understanding of multiplication and division.
2C - Dorothy Hall
Frankie G - For being a thinker as she explored multiplication arrays and challenged herself to write a worded problem.
Ruth S - For being a reflective learner during literacy groups, answering questions about the text and identifying new vocabulary.
3A - Ella Nowak
Pinidi T - For being a reflective learner when completing her division questions and ensuring she is using the equal groups strategy. Well done Pinidi!
Khristian O - For showing a growth in your confidence and sharing his poem with the class during reflection time. Well done Khristian!
3B - Emma Lyons/Sophie Duddington
Vihaan K - For being such a creative and determined learner by brainstorming and then constructing a very engaging acrostic poem. Keep up the motivation towards your learning Vihaan!
Amy R - For showing determination and resilience in your learning by seeking out feedback and implementing it into your learning to get the best out of each opportunity. Well done Amy!
3C - Joss Coaley
Emily K - For her resilience when practising some tricky spelling words. Well done Emily on your passion for spelling!
Rhys S - For his incredible determination as a learner looking at his spelling words which has paid off in his results this term. Fantastic effort Rhys.
4A - Lavina Stewart
Karl K - For showing his inquisitive ideas when creating an emotional poem about the book ‘Cicada”. Well done Karl!
Sielohso K - For being a resilient and effective communicator when ordering mixed fractions on a number line. Keep it up Sielohso!
4B - Thomas Pham
Dwayne L - For being an inquirer when he asked questions to further his understanding for the book Cicada by Shaun Tan. Continue to be curious Dwayne!
Noah S - For being reflective when he shared to the class how praying the rosary helps him to calm down. Congratulations Noah!
4C - Brittany Davidson
Jason S - For being a responsible, pro-active learner, always putting in his best efforts, particularly in literacy where he has been expressing his emotions through poetry. Well done Jason.
Zoe I - For being a knowledgeable and expressive learner when sharing her passion for poetry with her peers. Zoe, the way you are able to express your thoughts and emotions through your writing is outstanding! Well done!
5A - Katherine Salloum
Liam S - For being a reflective learner by applying the appropriate strategies in the classroom to help him achieve the best he can in his learning. Keep striving high, Liam!
Dylan L - For being a reflective and knowledgeable learner by sharing his knowledge and skills with his classmates in all subject areas. The help that you give to your peers is testament to the person that you are. Keep it up, Dylan!
5B - Shannon Betham
Sophie M - For being a responsible and motivated learner when working collaboratively in a group to create a game of chance. Keep up the great effort, Sophie!
Murad S - For being a responsible and proactive learner when organising yourself and your belongings to ensure you are ready for learning. Keep it up, Murad!
5C - Malae Suaesi
Steven N - For being a knowledgeable learner during spelling when blending two words to create a portmanteau. Well done!
Sarah M - For being a thinker when sharing her understanding on how to write a topic sentence during writing. Great learning!
6A - Annette Lee
Chimankpa O - For being a knowledgeable learner by seeking feedback consistently in his writing- you have improved so much! Well done!
Mangtong T - For being a reflective learner in all tasks- you demonstrate an ability to self evaluate and reflect on your work to make it better- keep up this great effort!
6B - Lena Aloi
Jemma C - For being a caring learner and working well with the students around you. Your kind and giving nature make you a great role model for your peers. Well done!
Christina K - For being a determined and resilient learner in maths lessons by making mature, positive choices about where you are sitting to be more productive in your learning. Well done!
6C - Jane Huang
Calvin P - For being a risk-taker by exploring an unfamiliar topic for his information report and gaining new knowledge during the research process.
Phillip V - For being a knowledgeable learner when it comes to justify the difference between complex sentences and compound sentences in writing lessons.
Specialist Awards
Performing Arts: Jody Banks
Xander A (1B)- For always being a respectful and enthusiastic student in Performing Arts lessons and for confidently demonstrating expressive
Week 6
Monday 06/11
· School Closure (TIL)
Tuesday 07/11
· Melbourne Cup Day – Public Holiday
Wednesday 08/11
Thursday 09/11
·
Friday 10/11
· 2024 Prep Transition Session 1
· Saint Leo the Great
· Remembrance Day Service Led By Seniors
· Religious Education Leaders Network
Saturday 11/11
· Remembrance Day
· Saint Martin of Tours
Sunday 12/11
· 32nd Sunday In Ordinary Time
Week 7
Monday 13/11
· Student House Activity Day
· Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
· Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
· Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 14/11
· Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 15/11
· Saint Albert the Great
· Year 5 Camp information night (6.00pm)
· Student Wellbeing Leaders Network
Thursday 16/11
· Saint Margaret of Scotland
· Saint Gertrude
Friday 17/11
· 2024 Prep Transition Session 2
· Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
· Year Level Mass followed by parent morning tea – Middles
· First Reconciliation Ceremony
· ONWZ Principals Network Meeting
Saturday 18/11
·
Sunday 19/11
· 33rd Sunday In Ordinary Time
Week 8
Monday 20/11
· School Closure Day - 2024 Curriculum Planning
Tuesday 21/11
· Parent Support Group Meetings
· Parent Advisory Council 7.00pm – 8.00pm
Wednesday 22/11
· Parent Support Group Meetings
· Saint Cecilia
· Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
Thursday 23/11
· Saint Clement I
· Saint Columban
· Parent Support Group Meetings
Friday 24/11
· Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc and companions
· Year Level Mass followed by parent morning tea – Juniors
· 2024 Prep Transition Session 3
· 2024 Prep & Grade 6 Parent Dinner
· Deputy Principals Network
· Sample Report Comments to Grant & Report Reader
Saturday 25/11
· Saint Catherine of Alexandra
Sunday 26/11
· Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus, King Of The Universe
Week 9
Monday 27/11
· 2024 Student Transition Day 1 (Prep – Grade 5’s)
· Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
· Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
· Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 28/11
· Parent Support Group Meetings
· Year 5 Camp - Sovereign Hill
Wednesday 29/11
· Parent Support Group Meetings
· Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
· Year 5 Camp - Sovereign Hill
Thursday 30/11
· Parent Support Group Meetings
· Saint Andrew
· Year 5 Camp- Sovereign Hill
Friday 01/12
· 2024 Prep Transition Session 4
· Reports due to leadership
Saturday 02/12
·
Sunday 03/12
· 1st Sunday Of Advent
Week 10
Monday 04/12
· Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
· 2024 Student Transition Day 2 (Prep – Grade 5s)
· Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
· Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Tuesday 05/12
·
Wednesday 06/12
· Saint Nicholas
· Carols By Candlelight 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Thursday 07/12
· Saint Ambrose
Friday 08/12
· 2024 Prep Transition Session 5
· Reports sent out
· ONWZ Principals Network Meeting
Saturday 09/12
·
Sunday 10/12
· 2nd Sunday Of Advent
Week 11
Monday 11/12
· Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
· Exec Team 9.30am - 11.00am
· Team Leaders Meeting 3.30pm - 4.30pm
· Reports Printed
Tuesday 12/12
· Our Lady of Guadalupe
· Staff Meeting 3.30pm - 4:30pm
· Reports sent home
Wednesday 13/12
· Saint Lucy
· Grade 6 Big Day Out
Thursday 14/12
· Grade 6 Graduation Liturgy & Presentation Night 6.00pm
Friday 15/12
· Whole School Mass 9.00am
· End of Year Award Ceremony
· Last Day of Term
Saturday 16/12
·
Sunday 17/12
·
Week 12
Monday 18/12/11
· School closure day (student hand over day)
Tuesday 19/12
· School Closure Day (Staff Christmas lunch)
Wednesday 20/12
· School closure day (Time in Lieu for staff)
Thursday 21/12
·
Friday 22/12
·
Saturday 23/12
·
Sunday 24/12
· Christmas Vigil
