Term 2 Week 4 of 9
Friday, 19th May 2023
Dear Parents, Students & Friends,
2024 Prep Enrolments
Important Notice To Current Families Seeking Enrolment For Their Child Next Year
Last week, we advised our community that we have already filled two Prep classes for 2024 and are now filling our third.
It is essential that current families, who wish to ensure that their child has a placement in Prep at Resurrection next year, advise the school office as soon as possible and complete the enrolment application in a timely manner.
Please note that when we have reached our enrolment target of 75 students, all further applications will be placed on a waiting list with priority given based upon the school’s enrolment policy.
As a principal, many years ago, I had the unfortunate experience of having to inform a parent who had 3 children enrolled in the school, that we were unable to enrol her fourth child due to all available placements being filled and her not advising us nor completing the required documentation in a timely manner. The child was placed on a waiting list and was offered a placement in July of the following year.
Please don’t be this parent!
Over the last two years, in consultation with our families, students and staff, we have sought to develop a new Vision statement for Resurrection that will be a compass and guide in continuing to make Resurrection the school of choice for all families seeking a great Catholic education.
Through your participation and contribution, four key values have been identified as representing Resurrection Catholic Primary School. They are:
FAITH
CARE
DIVERSITY
EDUCATION
We are now seeking to use these four key values to develop a Vision statement that summarises the:
Why we do it?
Who we are?
How we do it?
What we achieve?
The “Why”, for us as a Catholic community will always begin in FAITH.
Our DIVERSITY in culture, peoples, languages and even religions reflects “Who” we are.
CARE has always been at the forefront of “How” we do things at Resurrection.
And EDUCATION is the culmination of “What” we achieve.
However, what is it about our FAITH and the way we celebrate and live it that makes Resurrection different? What is it about our DIVERSITY that brings us together? In what way do we CARE that demonstrates to others what is unique about our staff and community? And what expectation do we have for the level of EDUCATION that our child receives?
Next week you will receive an Operoo form inviting you to write a ‘value statement’ regarding each of these ‘values’. For example, “We value our relationship with God, community and each other.” is a value statement about faith.
Having received these statements, we will then collate them and use them to formulate our final Vision Statement which will be presented to the School Advisory Board later this term.
We truly hope that you will provide some time and thought to this task knowing how greatly it will influence the culture and future directions of the school.
Sincerely,
Des Noack
Principal
The Following Photos Highlight So Well The Values You Named And Are Collated In The Image Above
PARENT-TEACHER COMMUNICATION
As a school, we strongly encourage parent engagement in your child’s learning and the development of positive parent / teacher relationships that enhance the learning and development of your child. If at any time you need to speak to your child’s teacher, it is important that you contact the school and let your child’s teacher know what’s on your mind. In turn, we continually promote to the staff the need to communicate with parents regarding the growth and challenges of their students to their parents so the learning, social development and personal growth are done in a collaborative way that promotes our vision of working in partnership with the community.
Other Important Information for Teachers
The class teacher must be informed if a child:
· Has a medical appointment during school hours
· Has had a change in medication or dosage. (Communicate in writing)
· Is attending any medical specialists, eg. Speech or occupational therapy
· Has to wear glasses
· Has a hearing aid
· Is under medical treatment or has a health problem that may affect their learning
· Has any food allergies
· Is to be absent for an extended period of time
· Needs to leave school early
· Has recently experienced a major upset
(eg. Family break-up, death in the family, moving house, etc.)
· Is being collected by a parent or authorised friend from within the school grounds
Staying COVIDSafe at Resurrection
With the onset of winter, there has been an increased number of students and staff reporting COVID-19 infections. The following provides you with an overview of what has been put in place to reduce infection and manage confirmed cases.
COVIDSafe measures have changed, however all Victorian schools are required to continue to implement important practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Schools must continue to take the important steps of ensuring air purifiers are in use, external ventilation is maximised, good personal hygiene is encouraged and face masks continue to be made available for staff, students and visitors who wish to wear them.
Students (or their parents) should report a positive result to the school by phone or written notification to office@rskingspark.catholic.edu.au
Face masks
Staff and students who wish to wear a face mask should be supported to do so, and schools should continue to make face masks available for staff, students and visitors.
The Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home.
Additionally, the Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19 for at least 7 days after a positive test when they need to leave home.
Infection prevention and control
All staff, students and visitors to schools should practise good hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet. Staff should direct or supervise young students where required.
Management of suspected cases of COVID-19 in schools
A ‘suspected’ case means a person who displays any COVID-19 symptoms who has not yet tested positive for COVID-19.
The staff member, student or visitor who is symptomatic is recommended to undergo testing for COVID-19. Parents of students who are symptomatic will be asked to collect their child from school and to keep them home until they are no longer symptomatic.
Management of confirmed cases at school
The Department of Health recommends that a person who tests positive to COVID-19 report that result to their employer, school and household.
Where a student is identified as a positive case, the following steps should be taken:
1. Parents/carers informs the school by phone or written notification if a student tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test).
2. Students who report a positive result are recommended to isolate for a minimum of 5 days and not attend school until their symptoms have resolved.
3. There is no longer a requirement for principals to inform the school community of a positive case associated with the school.
Students who may be medically at-risk
Parents are asked to assist the school in ensuring that students with medical needs have an up-to-date Student Health Support Plan and accompanying condition-specific health management plan (such as an Asthma Action Plan), based on individualised medical advice from the student’s medical or health practitioner, and in consultation with the student and parents and carers.
For additional information to support decision-making, refer to:
· Royal Children’s Hospital – advice for respiratory patients
This Sunday’s reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (28:16-20)
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commandments I gave to you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’
The short gospel passage for today is taken from the final words of the gospel of Matthew. It is known as ‘The Great Commission’ as Jesus is portrayed commissioning his disciples to go out to the world and spread the good news. They are charged to ‘Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations.’ This is the basis of much of the missionary work of the Church that has gone on ever since then.
However, the focus of today’s feast is much more on the first reading than the gospel. The opening verses of the Book of Acts, from the author of Luke-Acts, describe the final instructions of Jesus to his disciples and then his ‘lifting up’. The Luke-Acts writer is the only gospel writer to actually describe the Ascension. The fact that the other gospels don’t discuss the Ascension in any detail at all is a good indication that this description should not be taken literally.
However, the message of the Ascension is a powerful one. It reminds us that Jesus, the human incarnation of God on earth, was limited to a specific time and place in history. Despite the physical limitations of his life on earth, Jesus ensured that his message and ministry would continue through those he had taught. Knowing that the disciples would need time to grieve and come to terms with all that had occurred in a relatively short space of time, Jesus promised that the Spirit would come upon them in the days to come. That visiting of the Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost was the motivation to set about doing what Jesus had charged them to do. Without the Ascension, there is no Pentecost.
Historical Context – To the ends of the earth
In both the gospel passage from Matthew and the passage from the Book of Acts, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out to the whole world. In Matthew, it is to ‘all the nations’ and in Acts it is ‘to the ends of the earth’. Both writers make it abundantly clear that the message of Jesus is not exclusively for the people of Israel but for all people everywhere. Within only a very few years, early Christian communities had sprung up all around the Mediterranean. Once Christianity became the religion of Rome it spread to all the corners of the Roman Empire.
Scriptural context – Not the only Ascension
The description of Jesus being taken up into heaven is a close parallel to the description of the great prophet Elijah also being taken up to heaven. Chapter 2 of 2 Kings describes Elijah speaking to his disciple Elisha in similar words to those used by Jesus to his disciples. The Jewish tradition had no belief in an individual resurrection and so the idea of Ascension was to recognise the greatness of the prophet. He was to be united with God in Heaven rather than having to wait for the great resurrection of all people at the end of time.
Living the Gospel – You will be my witnesses
A witness in a court of law is called to give evidence about a matter; to ‘testify’ to the truth of what they have seen or what they know to be true. Some people are very good at being a ‘witness’ to their faith by testifying to others about what they believe. Many others provide witness to their faith by simply living what they believe. Living a life based on Christian principles, including regular prayer and worship in your life, working for justice in the world and taking time to celebrate the beauty of everyday life is a powerful witness to others.
Mass on Pentecost
May 27th /28th May
As part of our Mass on Pentecost weekend, in addition to children receiving their First Communion, there will be a focus on the multi-cultural aspect of Pentecost and our Parish.
We are encouraging all our families to come along to the Mass on that weekend dressed in traditional /cultural attire. We would especially love to see our children celebrating their culture at Mass in this way
Parental involvement in school: why it’s so good for children, staff and parents!
Good parent-school partnerships are one of the best ways to support children’s learning, development and wellbeing.
Children whose parents are involved in school:
perform better at school
settle better into school programs
feel valued and important because their parents are taking an interest in their lives
develop positive social skills by watching parents and school staff interact respectfully
have better social, physical and emotional wellbeing.
When parents are involved in school, staff:
have higher job satisfaction
experience less stress
can better tailor their approaches to learning and teaching because they have more insight into children’s needs
benefit indirectly from parent help in classrooms, sports days and libraries, or from parent participation in school committees and so on.
Parents who are involved at school:
can share their child’s strengths and interests with staff and suggest learning opportunities to build on these
feel empowered to raise concerns and negotiate solutions with staff
experience less stress, because they know they can work with staff on concerns about their child’s learning or development.
Through parental involvement, the school gets to know the community better. This means the school is more likely to offer services that are relevant to the community and that improve community wellbeing.
WEEK 4 STUDENT AWARDS
PA - Anna Druitt
Dylan N - For being a knowledgeable learner when blending sounds together to read a word during focus groups. Great work Dlyan!
Debras P - For being an effective communicator and building up the confidence to participate in classroom discussions. Well done!
PC - Carla Tirotta
Cristian K- for being a kind and caring member of the Prep Learning Community and offering to help your peers when they are upset.
Helen T- For being a knowledgeable learner when writing a procedural text on how to make fairy bread. Well done!
1A - Enza La Rosa
Caterina N - for being a resilient learner in applying all her strategies while drafting her information report and for demonstrating positive leadership within the classroom. Well Done Caterina!
Sang Sang Z - for being confident in his ability to try his best in all tasks and for showing resilience while learning. Well Done Sang Sang!
1B - Matt Galea
Blake H - for seeking feedback during writing to support her learning.
Ryan G - for being a knowledgeable learner by sharing his thoughts and facts about minibeasts.
1C - Natalie Donevska
Maryjones K- For being a risk taker in her learning, by showing great attention to the detail and structure when writing her information report about her chosen mini beast. Well done Maryjones!!
Nicholas D- For being an effective communicator during sharetime and displaying whole body listening when it is learning time. Well done Nicholas!!
2A - Rebecca Koutivas & Shannon Ziebell
Genevieve M - For being a responsible learner whilst working on your Information Report about Ladybugs. You used your time effectively and once completed, showed kindness by helping others finish their work. Well done Genevieve!
Matthew T - For being a responsible learner whilst working on your Information Report about Dragonflies. You used your time effectively and completed all tasks in the allocated time. Well done Matthew!
2B - Ric Martin
Sharon T - For being an inquirer and asking questions in order to learn more about different minibeasts.
Zara H - For being a risk taker with her learning, asking questions to develop her understanding of the structure of information reports.
2C - Dorothy Hall
Emma A - being a knowledgeable learner when creating tables and interpreting picture graphs in mathematics.
Willow S - for being an effective communicator when writing details for her information report on butterflies in her words.
3A - Ella Nowak
Sally V- For showing an increased confidence during class discussions and sharing her ideas with the class. Well done Sally!
Jamie C- For being a knowledgeable learner when creating a map of the classroom from a birds eye view perspective, including a key and a compass. Well done Jamie!
3B - Emma Lyons/Sophie Duddington
Lucy L - for being a motivated and reflective learner by writing a very engaging recount about our excursion to the playgrounds around
Melbourne. Keep up the fantastic writing Lucy!
Johnny P - for being a great communicator by sharing your insights and opinions about the book you were reading during class. Keep up the positive attitude towards your reading, Johnny!
3C - Joss Coaley
Isaac Mi - for being a risk taker in his learning, especially in the area of Literacy. Your sounding out of complex words is great to see!
Bilai Pha K - for being a communicator and sharing his learning with his peers. Fantastic sharing of information Bilai Pha!
4A - Lavina Stewart
Austin J - For being a risk-taker when solving addition problems independently using the Split Strategy. Keep up the great learning Austin!
James K - For being knowledgeable and a great communicator when engaging in conversations during the Year 4 Cathedral excursion. Well done James!
4B - Thomas Pham
Christar L - for being balanced and a risk-taker by showing engagement and a healthy competitive spirit during our Athletics carnival! Congratulations Christar!
Sophia T - for being balanced by showing her enthusiasm and engagement in our Year 4 Playground and Communion excursions! Congratulations Sophia!
4C - Brittany Davidson
Carol M- for being a responsible and reflective learner during our playground and communion excursions this week. Well done Carol.
Thien T- for being a responsible and respectful learner on our Grade 4 communion excursion. Congratulations Thien!
5A - Katherine Salloum
Asthon C - For being a reflective learner by asking questions to enhance his experience at the Melbourne Zoo.
Achol L - For being a reflective learner in Mathematics. She has shown independence by asking the teacher for assistance when learning about division by partitioning.
5B - Shannon Betham
Kerels K - For being an independent and reflective learner when seeking feedback and clarification when using short division. Well done Kerels!
Abigail L - For working hard to achieve your goal when working through additional equations with missing addends. Keep up the great effort!
5C - Malae Suaesi
Brandon N - For being a reflective learner when considering how to solve division problems using short division strategy. Great learning!
Sarah M - For being a resilient learner to analyse and annotate parts of an excerpt writing. She was able to identify nouns, verbs and adjectives within the passage.
6A - Annette Lee
Jordan L: for bringing a positive attitude to school each day - you are demonstrating awesome leadership skills! Well done!
Liam S: for always sharing your general knowledge with the class and contributing to class discussions with enthusiasm - well done!
6C - Jane Huang
Van T - for being a risk taker by participating in students vs teachers relay race on Athletics Sports Carnival and trying her best throughout the race.
Shyam R - for being a critical and creative thinker when conducting his data displays in different forms and comparing the differences when interpreting.
Specialist Awards
Japanese: Yumiko Aiki - Kayla D (6A) - For being a thinker and a risk-taker by eagerly participating in Japanese activities and showing initiative during Japanese class. Her positive outlook energises our learning environment! Keep up the good work!
Performing Arts: Jody Banks- Akok A (6B)- For being a risk-taker when volunteering to read a character’s lines from the script for this year’s Grade 6 production. Well done Akok for demonstrating such courage in front of your peers!
Visual Arts: Jake Moloney - Christar T (4B) - For showcasing his problem solving abilities when finding more ways to add colour to his ‘Rizzi Cityscape’. Great thinking Christar!
S T E M: Matt Dalton - Jarell D (PA) - For being an effective communicator as demonstrated by his willingness to share his ideas and knowledge during STEM learning. Well done Jarell!
P.E: Jen Barresi - Sang Sang (1A) - For being a kind, caring and respectful member of 1A. You are always watching out for your classmates. Well done Sang Sang!
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
● Parent Advisory Council 7.00pm – 8.00pm
● 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 Day 1
Friday 23/06
● School Closure Staff Faith Formation Day 2
Junior School Expo
Last Friday, students and parents were invited to visit the Junior school so that the student in Grade 1 & 2 could showcase their learning about minibeasts.
During this Unit of Inquiry they have explored the different features of minibeasts, the purpose of them in our world and what our responsibilities are towards them.
Thank you especially to all the parents who were able to attend and celebrate with their children the learning that had occurred.
