Term 4 Week 3 2023

Hello Friends

There has certainly been one word on everyone’s lips and mouths for the past week or so, and that is CONCERT. The day has finally arrived where we head to the Capri Theatre for the dress rehearsal and evening performance. It has been a wonderful journey to see the children learn their words and choreography and come together as a whole school.

I say thanks to our Concert Committee, led by Bec Pynor and fantastically supported by Matt Young, Hannah Winter and Teresa Pascoe. I also say thanks to all staff for guiding the students during the concert process. A sincere thanks to all families and members of the community for supporting this amazing school event.

BOARD TALK 
Our School Board met on Wednesday 25 October for the final time this year. I extend a thanks to all members, Jason Gunther (Chair), Jane Kelb, Bec Smith, Elise Tavella, Jonathan Car (Finance) Krista Spencer (Parents and Friends), Orla Matthews and Matt Young (Staff) for their support this year. The Board welcomed Elise this year – thanks Elise.

We thank Jason for many years of service to Christ the King School as a Board Member and as School Board Chair. Thank you Jason.

STAFFING NEWS
I advise the school community that Jacki Daws and Sam Daley have resigned their teaching positions from Christ the King School. Sam and Jacki have both been long serving members of the staff of CTK and on behalf of the community, I thank them for their work and service to the community over many years. Jacki and Sam have taught various year levels and we wish them all the very best in the next chapter of their professional careers. I will update the community reagarding staffing for 2024.

UNIFORM
Thanks to members of the community for the feedback regarding the uniform changes. The response has been overwhelmingly positive and the board has formed a subcommittee to help put together options for a suite of uniform. We aim to have these options on display in the school.

I will begin sharing some playground designs with the Student Representative Council as we are planning to replace the existing playground with a new design. As the plans unfold, I will share the progress with the community. This is exciting for our school.

CAFE ON FRIDAY MORNINGS
I encourage you to come and have a coffee with staff and parents in the café from 8.20am on Friday mornings. This is a great way to be involved in our community and meet new people. Our staff are on hand and happy to make you a cuppa to your liking. I look forward to seeing you there.

Forgiveness says you are are given another chance to make a new beginning.

Desmond Tutu

Thanks and Blessings

Matt Perry

Welcome to this final term of the year, I hope the break has been restful and energising as we all look to a busy final term.

We are entering a busy time often signalled by the arrival of Halloween paraphernalia in the shops and the appearance of Christmas decorations filling up aisles at the supermarkets.

Halloween is a popular celebration in America that hit its straps in the 1970/80s. Many of the countries who tend to follow America have begun to adopt this secular celebration. What many do not realise is that its birth was in a religious festival in Middle Ages Europe.

“Halloween is the shortened form of All Hallows Eve, and another name for All Hallows is All Saints. So Halloween is celebrated on the night before All Saints Day (Nov 1), and has been celebrated for centuries especially in northern hemisphere countries as a time when the 'spirits' come out - particularly the very nasty and naughty ones! Their last gasp before the power of All Saints reigns! It is the Christian belief that Love always prevails.

All Saints Day and All Souls Day which follows (Nov 2) are significant feast days in the Church's calendar and together celebrate one of the more beautiful beliefs of the Catholic tradition.  But we believe that the ones we call saints - and celebrate on All Saints Day – understood a deeper, larger reality and lived their lives by Jesus’ words and deeds; and we believe that those we have loved and who have passed away - and who we remember especially on All Souls Day - have passed away into this wonderful communion. And even the uglies which come out to play in all kinds of ways cannot change this deeper stronger reality of love and life, living and dying.

So while the American Halloween tradition is continued here, when houses begin to be decorated with pumpkins, witches and goblins, I invite you at the same time to draw attention to the powerful rituals that mark the real Halloween – All Hallows – All Saints - and offer students a glimpse into the Catholic imagination that is marked by the world of saints and angels.   

LIGHT A LAMP
You are invited to reimagine a beautiful tradition for All Saints and All Souls Days. The old  Christian tradition  from Northern Europe and many Asian is to light a candle and leave it in your window  in memory of those who have passed away. The beautiful tradition of lighting lamps or candles on All Saints and All Souls Days in memory of those who have passed away.

Teresa Pascoe
APRIM (Assistant Principal, Religious Identity and Mission)

LIBRARY ACTIVTIES

Our library will once again open on certain lunch times to provide a quiet place for activities. The roster of events is posted on the Library window.

Teresa Pascoe
Teacher/Librarian

As part of our Design and Technology learning we have been looking at simple machines. The 6 we are looking at are the inclined plane, level, wedge, wheel and axel, pulley and screw. In our latest lesson we focussed on pulleys. We were introduced to a fixed pully, movable pulley and multiple pulley system. We had to rig up examples of each and record the difference it made in how much force was required to lift an object and then use that information to decide which system was the most effective.