Term 1 Week 6 of 10
Friday, 7th March 2025
Message from the Principal
Dear parents and carers,
It’s amazing how quickly school terms go. I’m pleased to say our students have settled in well and I’m really pleased at how well our students are behaving, completing their work and are showing respect to each other and our staff.
In the Week 2 newsletter I outlined some of the main improvement goals for 2025. One of the areas we are working on is a refresh of our PBL rules and procedures. I have been told that the introduction of PBL at our school (about 5 years ago) made an improvement to our students' behaviour and connection with their school. The refresh this year will involve keeping what has worked well and working through any areas that need to be improved by coming up with changes to our procedures and protocols. We plan to have this refresh ready for the beginning of Term 3. We will share a parent handbook with you and a student handbook with your children at the beginning of Term 3.
This Tuesday, our children had their pancakes to celebrate Shrove Tuesday and on Wednesday went to Ash Wednesday Mass with our parish. This marks the beginning of Lent.
Lent is about the amazing love that God and Jesus have for all of us. It's a season in which we remind ourselves about the true meaning of our faith. It's a time when we can challenge ourselves to be more prayerful, kind, generous, charitable and loving towards one another.
Lent is a 40-day season commencing on Ash Wednesday and ending at sundown on Holy Thursday. During this season we are called to enter more deeply into the mystery of Jesus’ suffering, death and Resurrection at Easter.
The season of Lent offers an opportunity to reflect on where we have failed to love God, our neighbour and ourselves and to seek ways to heal what is broken.
Best wishes,
Deputy Principal: Learning & Organisation
Naplan Assessments: Week 7 & 8
The following details were sent to our families of Year 3 and 5 students late last week:
In Week 7, our Years 3 and 5 students will commence their NAPLAN assessments, beginning with the writing assessment on Wednesday 12th March. Here is some helpful information to assist you in understanding what NAPLAN is, why students take part in the assessment, how the assessments are conducted and when the tests will take place.
What is NAPLAN?
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are learnt through their regular school curriculum. Students sit assessments in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
How are the tests administered?
All but one of the NAPLAN assessments are online tests. The Year 3 writing assessment is completed on paper whilst the Year 5 is online. All other online tests are tailored (or adaptive) which means that each test presents questions that may be more or less difficult depending on a student’s responses.
What can I do to support my child?
You can support your child by reassuring them to simply do their best. Students are not expected to study for these assessments at home. Teachers have been exploring NAPLAN style questions in class to ensure students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests as well as taking some time on the practice test website.
What if my child is absent from school on NAPLAN test days?
We will have a make-up session on Monday 24th March for students to complete any tests in the case of absence.
The dates for the assessment are listed below - please note the updated order:
Wednesday 12th March: Writing
Thursday 13th March: Reading
Monday 17th March: Conventions of Language
Tuesday 18th March: Numeracy
Although NAPLAN does measure some of the literacy and numeracy skills that are taught at school, it does not measure bravery, honesty, fairness, kindness, teamwork, creativity, passion, resilience, curiosity, positivity and empathy which are embodied by so many of our students each and every day.
I wish our Year 3 and 5 students the very best as they engage in the assessments in Weeks 7 and 8.
Year 6 Camp - Wednesday 19th to Friday 21st March (Week 8)
A reminder that our Year 6 Camp will take place on Wednesday 19th to Friday 21st March. We will not be having a parent information session this year due to past low numbers of attendance. Miss Katherine Salloum has shared further information about the camp including details and packing lists with families of Year 6 students.
Wellbeing, Child Safety & Community Leader
At Resurrection school we use the RESILIENCE PROJECT PROGRAM to support Student Wellbeing. The Resilience Project (TRP) program aims to build resilience and happiness. The program focuses on promoting emotional literacy and positive emotion, specifically: Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness (GEM).
Let’s focus on Gratitude this week.
Gratitude turns what little you have into abundance.
Gratitude is so much more than saying Thank You.
Gratitude changes your perspective of your world.
Start a Gratitude conversation with your family…
What’s the best thing that happened today?
What are you looking forward to today/tomorrow?
What are three things that went well for you today?
What made you smile today?
Tell or write a letter to someone in your family telling them why you appreciate them!
Use these phrases:
It was really kind of you to …
It really helped me out when you …
You did me a big favour when …
Thank you for listening when …
Thank you for being there when …
Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser
On offer this year for ordering will be
Traditional Hot Cross Buns ($10.00 per 6-Pack)
Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns ($10.00 per 6-Pack)
Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns ($10.00 per 6-Pack)
Orders can be made via the following link: http://resurrection-catholic-primary-school.square.site/ and will close on Monday, 24th March. The Hot Cross Buns will be distributed on Wednesday 2nd April.
Please note there will be no cash payments accepted, nor late orders accepted
Easter Hampers
The fundraising committee are asking all students to bring in donations of the following items:
Chocolate Easter Eggs
Hampers or Baskets
Ribbons / Cellophane
Anything else Easter related!
We are asking students to bring these items into school by Monday 31st of March. The raffle will be drawn after Mass on Friday 4th April.
Learning Diversity Leader
Introducing MiniLit and MacqLit: Supporting Literacy Development
This week, our school is excited to launch MiniLit and MacqLit, two evidence-based phonics intervention programs designed to support students in developing essential reading skills. Over the past several months, our staff have been undergoing training and carefully assessing students to ensure these programs are implemented effectively.
MiniLit (Meeting Initial Needs in Literacy) is an early intervention program for Year 1 and 2 students who need additional support in learning to read. Delivered in small groups of up to four students, MiniLit provides structured lessons focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Sessions are held daily for one hour to help build foundational literacy skills.
MacqLit is a systematic, small-group reading intervention program designed for students in Year 3 and above who require extra support with reading fluency and decoding. Suitable for students in the bottom 25% of a standardized reading assessment, MacqLit helps those who have not yet mastered the alphabetic code and need structured intervention to catch up with their peers. Sessions run in small groups of 4–5 students and focus on building confidence and proficiency in reading.
A great deal of planning and preparation has gone into implementing these programs, and we extend our sincere gratitude to all the staff who have contributed to their rollout. We are confident that MiniLit and MacqLit will have a significant positive impact on our students’ learning and literacy development.
Inform and Empower
Over the last two weeks, all students at Resurrection have completed their first Inform and Empower session. These sessions take place once a term and explore different areas of using devices responsibly and respectfully. Below are some of the topics that our students explored:
Foundation - My Screen and Me
Learning this term focuses on making clever screen time choices, such as identifying appropriate times and places to use devices. Students also discuss how to take care of devices and strategies for sharing devices.
Year 1 and 2 - The Internet and You
Learning this term focuses on what the internet is, how listening to our body can help us recognise early warning signs, and how trusted adults can help to keep us safe online.
Years 3 to 6 - Digital Citizenship
Learning this term focuses on what the internet is and how it works. Students also explore the rights and responsibilities of digital citizens.
App of the Week: Tiktok
TikTok is a social media app that allows users to create, share, and watch short videos set to music, featuring various trends, challenges, and creative content. Popular among young people, it provides an engaging platform for self-expression and entertainment.
However, there are risks to children using TikTok:
Privacy concerns: TikTok collects a lot of personal data, including location and device information, which can be accessed by third parties.
Exposure to inappropriate content: Despite safety settings, children can encounter content that is not age-appropriate.
Cyberbullying: TikTok’s interactive nature can make users vulnerable to bullying or harassment.
Mental health impact: Constant comparison and validation through likes and comments may affect self-esteem and lead to anxiety or body image issues.
It’s important for parents and guardians to monitor usage and set clear boundaries to ensure a safe experience on TikTok.
SOMETHING EXCITING IS COMING!
In the classroom, teachers have access to a program called Classwize. Class Wize is an app designed to help teachers monitor their students' laptop screens during class. It allows teachers to view what each student is doing on their device in real time, ensuring they stay focused on the lesson. Teachers can also send messages, lock screens, or guide students if they're off-task. This tool helps improve classroom management and keeps students engaged, while giving teachers a way to quickly address any distractions or issues.
In the coming months, we will be setting up Linewize to allow parents to monitor their child’s screen time at home! This app is called Linewize. In the coming weeks, we will be giving you information about what this application means for you at home and how you will be able to use it. This application will be a fantastic tool to assist with monitoring your child’s device usage and give you an idea of what they are doing on their devices at home.
We would like to know about when your community groups are celebrating special events or when your child/ren have sporting wins, dance exams, language school awards etc. We would love to be able to publish these celebrations in our newsletter (with photos of course) to acknowledge all the different communities and groups that our families are part of.
Please note that this is not an opportunity to advertise for local sporting groups or businesses providing a community service but more a celebration of all our all the community groups, clubs and organisations who make up our Resurrection community.
If you have an item you would like to share with our school community please email office@rskingspark.catholic.edu.au
2026 Prep Enrolments Are Now Open
We are already receiving many enrolment applications from new families; which is a wonderful sign!
To assist us in our preparation and planning, we are encouraging our current parents to please collect and complete an enrolment form and to return it as soon as possible.
Labour Day Public Holiday
Monday 10th March
SUNDAY GOSPEL
This Sunday’s reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 4:1-13
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led by the
Spirit through the wilderness where he was tempted.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone.’
Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, ‘I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says:
You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.’
Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God’, he said to him ‘throw yourself down from here, for scripture says:
He will put his angels in charge of you to guard you, and again:
They will hold you up on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’
But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said:
You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.
Gospel Reflection
The wilderness, or desert, is used repeatedly throughout the Bible as a place of special encounter with God and preparation for a new direction or a new ministry. The 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness immediately followed his baptism in the Jordan where his status as the beloved of God was confirmed. He is led by the Spirit to go out into the wilderness for a period of fasting, prayer and preparation before entering into his public ministry. In fact, the event that immediately follows this passage is the episode in Nazareth where Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah and declares the intent of his ministry. It is presented as if, having spent his time in preparation and overcoming the temptations before him, Jesus strode out of the wilderness and laid out what he had decided.
The episode of the temptations is a clear indicator of the humanity of Jesus – he experienced doubt, uncertainty and fear just as we do. If the gospel intended to emphasise the divinity of Jesus, none of these temptations would have been an issue. We are told that Jesus was indeed tempted, not just pestered by the devil. The opportunities laid before Jesus were actually tempting to him. They challenged his resolve. They made Jesus question the sort of Messiah that he was to be: the all-conquering, powerful Messiah that the people expected; or the servant to the poor who will be tortured and put to death. Jesus is tempted to use his power to make his task easier or to display his authority to others. Had he chosen to do this, surely it would have been easier to get people’s attention – and that was the temptation: to take the easier path or stick to the more subtle, more personal, more difficult path.
Scriptural context - Temptations
The three temptations Jesus faces all focus upon the nature of his mission and ministry. The first temptation is to miraculously feed himself – is his ministry to be about himself or others? The second is to take power and authority over all the world – to fulfil the human expectations of what a Messiah ought to be or fulfil God’s plan of service, rather than domination? The third temptation is about grandstanding – to make a spectacular declaration of his arrival or to minister to the lowly and reveal himself in that way?
Sacramental Launch
It was lovely to see so many families join us at Mass over the past two weekends for the sacramental launch. We look forward to welcoming you all on your child’s sacramental journey. We have added an extra weekend for you to attend the sacramental launch - Saturday 8th March after the 6pm Mass & 9th March after the 10.30am Mass. A friendly reminder, that it is compulsory to attend the launch if you wish for your child to make their sacrament this year. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the parish office..
St Vincent de Paul
As we approach Easter, we ask again for your kindness by asking for shopping bags to be filled with non-perishable items to distribute to the families in our area.
These bags will be available from the Church on Ash Wednesday onwards and we ask for you to return them to the office or at the Holy Thursday Mass.
Please take home a Project Compassion box to support Caritas Australia this Lenten season and help support vulnerable people around the world, now and For All Future Generations.
Reminder: Reconciliation Grade 4
Our First Reconciliations have been scheduled for Friday, 28th March 2025, after the Middle School Year Level Mass.
Details for the Sacrament of First Reconciliation are as follows:
· Students will partake in their Middle School Mass at 9am, allowing them to reflect and prepare before their Sacrament
· Students will then have some quite meditation time in the church while students are having their first reconciliation
· Children will be called one at a time to receive their Sacrament with Fr. Gerard next to the fire pit (weather permitting)
Student of the Week Awards
Week 6
Two B
Belinda Collins
Kaira K - For always listening to instructions and following directions in the classroom. Keep up the great work Kaira!!
Two C
Jacinta Polh
Magdalene H - For always showing respect by listening carefully and following instructions with a positive attitude. Keep it up!
Japanese:
Yumiko Aiki
Madeleine V (2B) - For being a great learner by tapping into her prior knowledge and strategies, then applying them to new Japanese language learning. Well done Maddy!
Performing Arts:
Jody Banks
Ring M (1A) - for displaying excellent drumming skills when reading and playing a variety of rhythmic patterns on the hand drums. Keep up the great music learning, Ring!
Visual Arts:
Emma Lyons-Pell & Tosh Kaan
Debras P (2B) For your amazing Keith Haring inspired drawing. You tried your best and used lines and colours to enhance your artwork. Well done!
S T E M:
Joanne Abos-Padilla
Olivia C (1A) - For working collaboratively while building LEGO toys. Your excellent problem-solving skills, fairness and solid understanding of engineering concepts make you shine in STEM!
P.E:
Nathan Koprek
Marvin K (PB) - For being an excellent listener in class and always playing our PE games with lots of fun. Great job Marvin!
Prep A
Olivia Duvcevski
Riley T- For being a respectful member in the classroom and always giving things a go. Keep up the great work!
Prep B
Kurt Caguin
Van M - For a great start to school by being responsible - listening to the teacher and following instructions straight away. Well done Van!
Prep C
Carla Krsticevic
Emmanuel F - For being a responsible learner and always demonstrating whole body listening when sitting on the floor. Keep up the fantastic effort.
One A
Thomas Pham
Victor - For being a respectful member of our learning space and consistently completing your work to the best of your ability. Keep up the great work Victor!
One B
Sophie Dillon
Victor - For being a respectful member of our learning space and consistently completing your work to the best of your ability. Keep up the great work Victor!
One C
Dorothy Hall
Rosy P - For being a responsible learner, always listening to the speaker, and settling in well to our class.
TERM 0NE DATES 2025
Week 8
Monday - 17/3
Years 3-6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday - 18/3
Wednesday - 19/3
Year 6 Camp to Campaspe Downs
Thursday - 20/3
Year 6 Camp to Campaspe Downs
Year 5 Interrelate program session 2 of 3
Year Prep Level Mass 9am
Friday - 21/3
Year 6 Camp to Campaspe Downs
Saturday - 22/3
Sunday - 23/3
Third Sunday in Lent
Week 10
Monday - 31/3
Years 3-6 Athletics Carnival - Parents Welcome
No Assembly today due to the Athletics Carnival
Tuesday - 1/4
Wednesday - 2/4
Thursday - 3/4
Whole School: Stations of the Cross run by Year 5. Parents Welcome
Friday - 4/4
End of Term Whole School Mass at 9am
Last Day of Term 1 - Students finish at 3.15pm
Saturday - 5/4
Sunday - 6/4
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Week 7
Monday -10/3
School Closure: Labour Day Public Holiday
Tuesday - 11/3
Wednesday - 12/3
First Wednesday for Prep students
School Advisory Council (SAC) at 7pm
Thursday - 13/3
Year 5 interrelate program session 1 of 3
Friday - 14/3
Junior school Year Level Mass 9am
Saturday - 15/3
Sunday - 16/3
Second Sunday in Lent
Week 9
Monday - 24/3
Prep - Year 2 Assembly at 2.30pm
Tuesday - 25/3
Wednesday - 26/3
Thursday - 27/3
Year 5 Interrelate program session 3 of 3
Friday - 28/3
Middle School Year Level Mass 9am (Reconciliation focus) Reconciliation Grade 4
Saturday - 29/3
Sunday - 30/3
Fourth Sunday of Lent
