St Luke the Evangelist School Newsletter

14 February 2025 - Issue # 02

DIARY DATES


School Term Dates 2024

Term 1       Tuesday 28 January - Friday 04 April 

Term 2       Tuesday 22 April  Friday 04 July 

Term 3       Monday 21 July Friday 19 September 

Term 4       Monday 06 October Friday 19 December -  Last day of term Wednesday 17 December 

Term 1
Monday 17 FebruarySchool Assessment Day - Students attend 20 min pre- booked time slots 
Friday 28 February

Student Free Day-

Staff Professional Learning Day

Monday 03 MarchPrep students commence full week
Thursday 03 AprilTwilight Sports - Bill Sewart Reserve 12.30pm - 5.00pm PLUS Family Picnic
Friday 04 AprilLast Day of Term - 1pm finish
Term 2
Tuesday 22 AprilTerm 2 begins
Friday 25 AprilPublic Holiday - ANZAC Day

A message from Clare

Good afternoon Families,

We have had another wonderful fortnight where our children have continued to settle into their new classes. Our new staff are also looking like they are becoming part of our furniture, adding to the comfy, relaxed nature of our school. I would like to thank you all for stepping your child/ren through what can be the anxious, new and unknown first weeks of a school year.

Last Friday we celebrated as a faith community to Welcome in the new school year. It was a real joy to see four of our Year 6 children be of service to us as they served on the altar. Our Year 6 children all had a role to play in the liturgy before receiving their leadership badges and joined their parents or grandparents for morning tea afterwards. Yesterday, they completed the third part of their initiation into the Year 6 leadership program when they were presented with their Year 6 graduation jackets. This year, we have selected a different style and the children are thrilled! Next Friday, we will keep the Year 6 children in our thoughts and prayers as they explore leadership during their dedicated Leadership Day.

At our first School Advisory Council meeting for the year we welcomed Lisa Lander and Clinton Connane to our council. We also had a really good discussion around how we can all learn together. Whilst our children are learning through new pedagogical approaches and our teachers are engaging in really purposeful professional learning, our families might be unaware of what and why we are doing the things we are doing. So over the course of this year, you may find from time to time, a communication from one of our SAC members outlining an upcoming Professional Learning day that requires the school to close. This Monday, whilst the school is open, classes will not be running. The particular assessment tool teachers will be using is called DIBELS- Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. It gives very good data for teachers to work with to ensure optimum learning for every child. One of the requirements stated very clearly is that schools administer the test(s) in Week 4 of the new school year to ensure the data is ‘clean’ (and is therefore, authentic and purposeful). This explains why we did not have assessment days in the first two days of the school year.

Some children are starting to come to school with ‘smart watches’ or similar. Whilst this is fun for them, it can become a distraction in class and if school filters are not switched on, children can be found taking photos or recordings. This can put them and other children and members of the community in a compromised position. Please monitor what your child is taking or wearing to school. Any ‘smart watch’ will be required to be handed in at the office each morning and collected at the end of the day. Thanks for your attention to this.

WE NEED YOUR HELP…the council has informed the school it cannot accommodate our request to display a board in a prominent community position for our upcoming School Tour Week in the first week of March. If YOU or someone you know, lives in a prominent position, near our school (Canterbury/Middleborough or Blackburn Roads) and would be happy to have a display board erected on your front fence/in your front garden, please ring Debbie in the office. This would be for approximately 4-5 weeks. Thank you.

Enjoy the much cooler weather over the weekend. We will look forward to seeing you next week.

Clare

YEAR 6 LEADERSHIP

YEAR 6 LEADERSHIP #2

We need…

  • Every child to bring in a set of working headphones, labelled please

  • Every child to bring in one large box of tissues please.

All due next week.  Thank you.

Thoughts from our Juniors

My family is special  BECAUSE…

They look after me and they make sure I am safe - EvelynThey always help us when I am feeling down - Lily
They take me to the movies - GianlucaThey take me to good places and make sure I am having fun - Angus
They keep me healthy and happy - ChloeEvery year they take me to Gumbuya World - Jamie
They take me to the park - SteliosThey help me to learn by taking me to school - Matilda
They do nice things for me - EvaThey take me on holidays - Julian
They always look after me - SophiaThey take me to the pool - Isabella
They keep me safe and happy - AlexandrosThey are nice and kind to me - Max
They take me to the skate park - FloydI love my family because they make sure I am healthy and safe - Evie
They are always there for me when I need them - EmilianaThey love me - Harry
They make me yummy dinners and lunches - SamanthaThey let me play outside when I’m not supposed to - Ryan

They care for me - Heze

They look after me - Willow
They treat me well - LachieThey let me have fun - Henry
They take me to places that I like - DiegoThey are kind to me - Arthur
They help me when I’m stuck building lego - DanielThey play games with me - George
They take me to the movie theatres - EmilyThey take me to special weddings - Aveline
They love me all the time - AmyThey make me yummy food - Sara
They look after me - William

Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) news

I am excited to introduce all things STEM to our enthusiastic learners at St. Luke’s!

STEM is an area of learning that incorporates science, technology, engineering and mathematics. STEM provides opportunities to develop thinking skills through a variety of challenges and tasks that aim to foster creativity, teamwork, communication, critical analysis and communication.   

STEM activities can also promote a growth mindset where students embrace mistakes and believe in their own ability to solve problems to become lifelong learners.

This term we will look at the Engineering Design Process (EDP) where students are encouraged to ask questions, think critically and work together to come up with a solution to a problem.

I look forward to a term of creativity and collaboration!

Fiona Pirperis 

Preps and Juniors learning about asking for help from a trusted adult during Safer Internet Day.

Connected Through Diversity

Upcoming Event: Maroondah Council - Supporting Anxious Children

Cost: Free

Does your child worry, feel anxious and seem stressed at times? 

Would you like to gain a greater understanding of anxiety and learn some helpful strategies to support your child? 

Learning to cope with anxiety, stress and fear, whilst a normal part of your child’s development, can be deeply challenging not only for children but also for parents and the family unit as a whole. 

Participants will: 

  • Develop strategies to support children through understanding the role of anxiety and normal childhood development.

  • Identify the signs and symptoms in your child.

  • Relaxation and mindfulness techniques.

  • Where to go for more help and support. 

Session 1

Session for: parents and carers of children aged 0 to 6 years

  • Date: Monday 17 February

  • Time: 7.30pm to 8.30pm

  • Venue: online

Session 2

Session for: parents and carers of primary school aged children

  • Date: Thursday 20 February

  • Time: 7.30pm to 8.30pm

  • Venue: online

Session 3

Session for: parents and carers of secondary school aged children

  • Date: Wednesday 5 March

  • Time: 7.30pm to 8.30pm

  • Venue: online

Please note these sessions will not be recorded.

Click/copy the following link to book your spot

https://www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/Community-support-business/Children-and-families/Parenting-information-sessions/Supporting-anxious-children

Kelly Club - Upcoming School Closure Days

Kelly Club will not be available on Monday 17th February.

Bookings are now open for our closure day on Friday 28th February.  Please contact Elena from Kelly Club on 0421 835 370 or stlukes@kellyclub.com.au

Let's celebrate a past St Luke's students' wonderful VCE success

The Music Bus classes are back for 2025 - Enrol Now!

The Music Bus classes are back at our school in 2025 and it's time to enrol for term 1.

Classes offered are:

Keyboard, Guitar, drums, ukulele

If you wish to enrol, please complete this Expression of Interest Form as soon as possible as places will fill quickly at https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/ee4627a5204c46158e1ab17e7c8069c6

For more general information about the program, go to www.themusicbus.com.au

Our Lady of Sion College - Open Day information

Community News

School Housekeeping

SMART WATCHES & MOBILE PHONES

If a child wears a smart watch to school, it must be de-activated so the child is not receiving or sending messages etc...

Mobile Phones and smart watches are requested to be left at the office in the morning and collected at the end of the day. 

FOOD ALLERGIES:

Allergic reactions to food… can be harmful to our children. For that reason we ask parents to think carefully about what they are packing in their child’s lunch boxes. Occasionally, something might slip through and once aware, we take precautions to ensure the safety of every child. As stated in the Family Handbook 2025:

We are an EGG and NUT free school due to the allergies of children within our community.  We ask that parents respect this request and the potential harm this could do to children if brought to school.

Thank you for your care and attention to this.

CHILDREN ARRIVING AFTER THE BELL OR LEAVING EARLY:

As part of our wellbeing care of children at St Luke's, every class engages in a morning routine at 8.50 am.  This quiet, calm time allows children to gather together in a circle, to greet each other by name, to pray and/or enter into some Christian meditation and get ready for the day.  Please make sure you allow enough time to get your child to school BEFORE 8.50 am.

If children arrive after the gate and student entry doors are locked, parents/carers are required to walk their child/ren to the school office and sign them in on the VPass iPad.

If leaving early (before the end of the day), parents/carers are required to sign their child/ren out on the VPASS iPad.

BUY/SELL SECONDHAND UNIFORM:

Join the St Luke's Primary School Blackburn South Buy/Sell Uniform group on Facebook to buy/sell uniform with other parents. 

School Uniform - Spartan School World

School Uniform is to be worn at all times.

Online orders placed by midday on a Monday will be included in the weekly Wednesday school delivery.
Any orders placed after this time will be delivered in the following weeks run.

Store opening hours Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm and the 1st Saturday of the month 9am - 12pm

Friday - School Lunches

Friday lunches are available to order from Classroom Cuisine. There are many options and varying prices. Orders are made and paid for on-line and delivered straight to school. 

For details on how it works, pricing and to create an account please visit www.classroomcuisine.com.au.

Kelly Club

Kelly Club run programmes before and after school that our children love.  If you have any enquiries regarding availability, booking and cost, please contact Elena

We are St Luke's.  A community of faith, learning and partnership.

Journeying together, we strive to live the gospel so that all may enjoy the fullness of life.

We look with wonder at our world and embrace learning through inquiry, through action, through reflection to realise our potential.

We celebrate diversity and we welcome the opportunity to live and work together.

We are companions on the journey, now 60 years on ... guided by the Holy Spirit, inviting the participation of everyone.

Thankyou to our wonderful sponsors of St Luke's