St Luke the Evangelist School Newsletter

Good afternoon Children, Parents, Families and Friends,

We are at the end of a frantically busy but very successful term. It was short but packed with fun, learning, new friends, new families, colour, opportunity and activity. We are thankful to have made it to the end, are looking forward to the break ahead and will await with a sense of excitement for what Term Two will bring.

Harmony Day, Footsteps and the Colour Run: What a blast of colour, noise, movement and fun. Our sincere thanks to Shelley McCaul and the P&F team for organising such a fabulous event. A little bit of healthy competition meant the total amount raised hit a whopping $10, 700. It was the perfect ending to our Harmony Day activities where the message was loud and clear… Everyone Belongs. Footsteps - a dance company- came in and got the kids moving and grooving to the rhythm and the beat of some favourite songs. Congratulations to Eliza and the Gomes family for raising the most money- to Jimmy, Rose, William and Julian for being our leader board ‘topsters’! Year 1-2 Coral will be enjoying a movie for raising $2 364

Market week: What a success. Our children have enjoyed bringing some loose change to school to purchase some of the crafty and innovative market ideas and items this week. Each person presented their wares beautifully, had some posters to advertise prices and made a neat little profit AND were so generous in donating 10% to Project Compassion. We hope to have Market Week each term in the last week of term. 

Staffing Update:

Pauline  Answerth is stepping away from her Position of Leadership as Student Wellbeing Leader. We would like to thank Pauline for the great job she has done over the past year plus- it has been a much bigger job with the school review in 2023 and she took it on with such professionalism and commitment. Gabi Carter will step into the role for the remainder of the year. Whilst it will be a new POL for Gabi, she is well experienced in school leadership. Gabe will take 3-4 Teal on a Wednesday whilst Gabi Carter fulfils her leadership role

Micaela and Will Debney welcomed a little boy- Oliver- to their family a few weeks ago. This will make a family of three boys which we imagine will keep Micaela and Will pretty busy. 

Megan Bunter will finish up at St Luke’s today to begin 12 months maternity leave. Megan has made a great transition to the Middle School this year, teaming really well with Nina Grieve. For Term Two, Nina Grieve will take Year 3-4 Sage four days per week and Pauline Answerth will take the class on Wednesdays. We will endeavour to find a permanent replacement teacher 

Several staff members will be taking Long Service Leave this year. Marie Kennedy will be taking such leave throughout Term 2, Ronnie Etheve is on extended LSL and once this is exhausted, she intends to leave St Luke’s. Ronnie has been a wonderful member of our staff, working with many children and making such a difference to their learning.  Julianne Kelly will also take a short period of LSL in mid Term Two and Barb Bridger will be away for one month at the beginning of next term. I wish them all the best and hope their time is everything they plan for.

An Easter message… By trusting in our God and his constant love, we can rest assured that Christ’s resurrection is our strength. Easter signifies new life, a new beginning and a sense of hope for the way we have grown and changed throughout Lent.

Our children have been remarkable the way they have marked Lent here at St Luke's. We have witnessed their commitment to the three pillars of Lent through prayer, fasting, acts of kindness, service and reflection throughout the Lenten season. What a gift to be able to practise our faith at school! 

I wish all members of our beautiful community and to all families that you have a Blessed Easter Sunday and a joyful and hopeful Easter season.

Clare

Principal 

principal@slblackburnsth.catholic.edu.au

We have certainly had a busy first term in sport, especially for the Seniors. Congratulations once again on a most successful Twilight Sports and Summer Sports Gala. It was very pleasing to hear from the senior teachers that our students displayed wonderful sportsmanship and teamwork.  Congratulations to the Cricket and Tennis teams that have made it through to the Division finals. More information and dates next term.

First week back in Term 2, we have the St Luke's Cross Country Championships.  The Year 3-6 children will compete at Orchard Grove Reserve on Friday 19th April 9 -11am while the Junior classes will have a run on a course around the school grounds. The day will be used to select our representatives from Years 4-6 to compete in the District competition.  A permission note will be sent home shortly which will also ask for volunteers for the day. 

The Easter and term break might be a good opportunity for students to do some training in preparation for the Cross Country.  It may be time to get those running shoes out of the cupboard and enjoy some time in the sunshine in the local park.  I'm sure we will have some lovely weather for keeping active and fit.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome at St Luke's. We have had a fantastic term in sport which I have really enjoyed and we look forward to a jam packed year of events.

All the best at Easter with your families.

Domenic De Leo
P.E. and Sports Specialist.

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities. If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

If you wish to apply for CSEF please contact the school office to request an application form.  Forms must be submitted before 28 June 2024.

LOST PROPERTY:

Please check the lost property cupboard in the office foyer if you are missing uniform or food containers.  

Term 2 and 3 WINTER UNIFORMS:

We start back from Term 1 holidays with winter uniform.  As the months get cooler, please make sure your child has his/her school jumper EVERY day. Rain jackets should not be worn in place of a school jumper and are for outside use only.

NOTE: During the season transition, summer uniform can be worn on the warmer days in April.  Please ensure a hat is also packed.

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.

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 2024:

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.

Buy/Sell second hand uniform:

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