Semester 1 comes to a close. School finishes on Friday, 21 June for a two-week break. Students will return to school on Monday, 8 July. We hope families enjoy their time away from the school routine.
Students have worked hard this semester and are deserving of their break. Thank you, parents and caregivers, for your support, and to our students for just being you and working hard.
I also thank our wonderful teachers and staff, who continue to work so professionally for our children.
Important changes proposed to the P&F Association structure
For decades, Catholic Church Insurance (CCI) managed the insurance needs of church properties around Australia, including Brisbane Catholic Education schools. In financial trouble, CCI has voluntarily decided to wind down its operations and Brisbane Catholic Education has had to find a new insurance provider. The new BCE Insurer can no longer provide insurance under the school to Parents and Friends Associations that have their own ABN and are registered with the ACNC. Like many BCE school P&F Associations, at Christ the King School we fall into this category. P&F Associations continuing in this current form would require their own insurances. This would then need to be monitored by someone to ensure that every activity is covered and meeting the requirements of the insurer, and could be very costly.
The issue can be solved by the P&F Association becoming a ‘committee’ of the school with all funds being held in the school accounts. It would then be covered by the school insurance.
This would change very little for P&Fs as the suggested P&F Advisory Group would still operate with an executive and make decisions in the same way in conjunction with the Principal, yet it would remove the risk for members. The Principal would become responsible for reporting on the finances at meetings of the P&F Advisory Group, ensuring families are up to date. It is expected this would free up the P&F Advisory group to focus on their core activities, which are engaging families in learning and wellbeing, and community building activities.
These changes are already in place in many BCE schools and also in other diocese (Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton) and have been for many years. They are working successfully in taking the burden off volunteers. Toowoomba Diocese is in the process of making these changes also. BCE recommends these changes to all P&F Associations in the Archdiocese so that members are not put at risk through lack of insurance.
Our current P&F Association has provided further information in the 'Parent and Friends News' section of the 20 June newsletter. Families should also refer to information emailed in the coming week.
Semester 1 Academic Reports
Congratulations to our successful learners and inspiring teachers.
Academic Reports for Semester 1 will be available to parents and guardians to view on Wednesday, 19 June, and I congratulate our learners on the progress they have made across the year levels. Our engaging programs at Christ the King School are making a difference to our students' learning from Prep to Year 6.
We want all our learners to continue to achieve and progress their learning. With our teachers, students are setting learning goals in their classrooms, achieving them and then setting new goals. This leads towards wonderful growth. Congratulations learners on your achievements.
The report document comments on learning achievements as well as personal and social capabilities during this semester. It is based on observational records, class assessments, anecdotal notes, work samples and sometimes the child's self-assessment. It does not give a complete picture of all that happens at school during a semester, but does highlight areas for commendation as well as improvement.
Discuss the report with your child and help them set some goals for improvement.
Academic Reports will be available on the BCE Connect App / Parent Portal and I encourage you to download these reports as soon as possible. If you were unable to immediately access your child's report, please be patient. I would encourage you to refer to the email sent to parents about accessing Academic Reports for Semester 1, and if you continue to have difficulty please contact the School Office for support.
Staffing Update
Mrs Barbara Kiernan will take leave from the commencement of Term 3 until the end of the 2024 school year. I am pleased to advise that Mrs Lauren Petty has been appointed as the replacement teacher for Mrs Kiernan for Term 3 and Term 4. Mrs Petty is an experienced teacher who has successfully undertaken a number of teaching contracts across different year levels in Brisbane Catholic Education schools. She is well known to the CTK School community, with two of her children currently attending the school and she completed a teaching contract with us in 2022.
We warmly welcome Lauren back into the CTK School community.
Mrs Illese Smithwick has taken on a teaching contract at St Mary's, Ipswich for Semester 2.
Mrs Natasha Fetherston and Mrs Tracey Graham will now continue in their specialist teaching roles through until the end of 2024.
Mrs Belinda Rowlings returns to CTK School in Term 3 after taking a break from school this term. We welcome Belinda back.
Damien Sullivan
Principal
From the Assistant Principal Religious Education
Students of CTK School received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion across the four Masses celebrated in the Corinda Graceville Parish on the weekend of 15-16 June. It was a truly memorable weekend as our students and families, filled with anticipation and reverence, received the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for the first time.
A special thank you to the parents, Corinda Graceville Parish, the Parish Sacramental Team, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Mrs Melissa Lonergan for supporting and preparing out students to receive this Sacrament.
St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal Fundraising
Many thanks to everyone for your support with our 'Hot Chocolate Tuesday' fundraiser on Tuesday, 18 June. Together we have managed to raise $325. We thank you for assisting us in continuing the 'Good Works' that the Society aims to provide.
The Winter Appeal supports Vinnies in its work to help those in need. This includes families escaping domestic violence, those who cannot afford both power and food, those who are unable to find permanent accommodation and are living with several children in a motel room, and those whose physical and/or mental health involve additional expenses that they cannot meet.
If you would like to donate to this year's winter appeal, you can do so via...
- Online Transfer to BSB 064-786, Account No: 100 026 057, Account Name: SVDP Christ the King and St Joseph's Corinda Graceville Conference.
- Direct Deposit in any branch of the Commonwealth Bank to Account ID No: 4000 0032 5284, Agent No: 8064, Name of Account: Archdiocesan Development Fund.
You might also use one of the SVDP envelopes available in church.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, we come to your sacred table to nourish ourselves,
not with bread but with Yourself, true Bread of eternal life.
Help us to recognise and celebrate your presence everyday in our lives.
Walk with us on your journey of faith as you once did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Suzannah Halpin
APRE