Term 4 Week 5 2023

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Hello Friends,

At the time our newsletter is published there are 41 days till Christmas. With the hurly burly of this time of the year it’s easy to become focused on what still needs to be done and jobs that are still to be completed. The challenge then, is to remember what we have accomplished and the journeys travelled so far this year. Take a moment to remember and realise all the things you have accomplished in 2023.

No doubt you would have read in the media about the current situation in the community regarding Covid and Gastro virus. With this in mind, I ask you to refrain from sending children to school who have any flu like symptoms or Gastro symptoms, as these bugs can spread very quickly in our school and the community. Your assistance with this is greatly appreciated.

STAFFING UPDATE
I write to inform you that Elyce Davidson has resigned from her position at CTK. Elise worked at our school from 2015 to 2019. We wish Elyce all the very best for her future and thank her for the contributions she made to the CTK community.

In 2024 we welcome 3 new teachers to our CTK community.
Georgina Rowe, Annette Denton and Jocelynne Gallichan will all be teaching at CTK next year and bring with them a wealth of experience to our teaching team. Georgina, Annette and Jocelynne will introduce themselves to the CTK community in coming newsletters. They are all passionate about student learning and are excited to begin here at CTK.

Over the next week or so, I will be able to provide information as to speacific staffing for each year level in our school.

NEW PLAYGROUND IN 2024
You may have heard the news that in 2024 we will be replacing our current playground equipment. The existing playground will be replaced and the tunnels and cubby houses in the area will be painted. We aim for these works to be completed early Term 2 or Term 3. Our SRC are seeking feedback from their classmates as to preferred apparatus for the playground. Exciting times.

(for illustration purposes only)

UNIFORM
Our ‘Uniform Committee” is continuing its consultation with Belgravia, our uniform supplier, regarding our new uniform and over the coming weeks, we hope to have some prototypes for community consultation and feedback leading into 2024. I do thank the community for its feedback to date.

CAROLS NIGHT
This evening which occurs on the 1 December promises to be a great one for the school community. We are planning to have the event in the courtyard again this year, however if the weather is particularly warm and the surface of the courtyard is hot, we will move the event to the grassed space. We will let community members know closer to the date as to the exact location of the carols. I remind community members that this is an alcohol free event

In my career, there's many things I've won and many things I've achieved, but for me, my greatest achievement is my children and my family. It's about being a good father, a good husband, just being connected to family as much as possible.

David Beckham

Thanks and Blessings

Matt Perry

APRIM NEWS

Next week we will celebrate our school’s Feast Day. The Feast of ‘Christ the King’ is celebrated as the last Sunday of the church year, we therefore celebrate it on a day during that week.

The church calendar follows a 3-year cycle. We are finishing Year A and that dictates our feast day theme. This year the gospel is about the 2nd coming of Christ. Jesus tells us that when he returns, he will gather all into 2 groups: sheep and goats. No one can see externally if you are a sheep or a goat but your actions determine your group.

We have spoken in class about being a sheep or a goat. Sheep are seen as members of a group, looking out for each other and listening to the shepherd (Jesus’ message). Goats on the other hand are stubborn, not helpful members of a group and will not listen to a shepherd. To illustrate how we can be sheep listening and following Jesus’ message the gospel continues …

‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ (Matt 25: 37-40)

We are talking to our students about caring for all those who Jesus can no longer care for. During mass each class will bring forward a collection of non-perishable food as a symbol of how we can care for those around us. You may wish to use the following action as a way to build awareness of others. Have your child shop in your pantry for an item and have them complete a chore to cover the cost of the item.

GIVING TREE
This year our annual giving Tree will take place on Monday 4th December. Each family is invited to bring along an unwrapped gift to place under the Giving Tree. The tree is set up as the centre piece of our annual Christ Party. Children bring in their item at the start of the festivities, we then acknowledge sharing with those less fortunate than us.

Vinnies collect the gifts and distribute them to families in our area. Our local chapter of Vinnies works with families in our area providing Christmas gifts and hampers. Families may wish to donate gift wrapping to help Vinnies actions.

END OF YEAR MASS- Nativity and Farewell
We will gather as a community on Friday 8th December, 9am to celebrate our year, share the Nativity story and say farewell to staff who are moving onto other adventures.

All members of our community are invited to join with us in sharing mass, watching our youngest students retelling the Nativity and saying farewell to staff during mass and with a Morning Tea afterwards. An invitation to families will be sent home in the coming weeks.

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