Christ the King North Rocks Newsletter

Term 3 Week 2: Friday 23rd July 2021

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents,

In the Gospel story this Sunday we reflect on one of Jesus’ most recognised miracles. Jesus feeds a large crowd with just five loaves and two fish. St John  is making a statement about God’s care and love for us. His reference to “starvation” relates not so much to food but to people starved of meaning in their life- people starving for love and compassion. John paints the scene the way he has to help us listen to the call of God as expressed by the prophet Isaiah: ‘Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy? ... Come to me; listen, so that you may live’(Isaiah 55:2-3). Jesus is inviting them to get in touch with a deeper hunger than their hunger for food in the form of bread and fish. Irrespective of our circumstances John in his writing is asking and challenging us to believe God is meeting our need for love. If we believe this, then we will know how to find God in any circumstance. Put love there and God will be there whenever we need him.

Welcome back to term three and the challenging times of lockdown and online learning. Thank you to all for your patience and understanding during our transformation over the last two weeks to online learning. A special thank you to our CTK staff who have spent many hours over the last three weeks preparing for this change in learning practise. We have learned from our experience last year and have implemented a number of changes to the online learning process to make it less stressful and more practical for both students and parents. We will continue to provide our families with updates on the present situation. Please continue to check your emails and skoolbag app for updates. If you have any feedback, questions or concern regarding the online learning please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or phone.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Mrs Alison Kaylinger who joins our staff as our school counsellor. Alison comes to our community with a wealth of experience and expertise in working with children and their families in regards to student well-being. I have had the pleasure of working with Alison in our schools over the last ten years and look forward to her joining our staff in the very near future. 

Unfortunately due to the COVID Lockdown, future restrictions [post lockdown] and the uncertainty of when children will return to school on site, we have made the decision to withdraw from the 2021 Wakakirri competition. Over recent weeks  we have been in contact with the organisers as to what the performance would look like in the coming months. The producers had proposed a number of production possibilities that were very different to the Wakakirri experience we have been used to in the past. Based on both health and financial considerations of these proposals as well as the uncertainty of the next two months in regards to COVID restrictions as to whether or not the show would actually proceed, the decision was made to withdraw. Arrangements will be made in the coming weeks to organise a partial refund once all expenses to date have been reconciled. Details to follow. We thank you for your understanding and support of the decision we have had to make.

Signage for our new drive through pick up initiative in Burradoo Close has been erected in the school holidays. The drive through will commence when the lock down is finished and all students have returned to school. Detailed information will be distributed to all school families explaining the signage and how this afternoon protocol will operate.  

Over the recent holiday period a new student security gate has been installed on the verandah just outside the main entrance to the office. As part of this project a student access window will be installed on the eastern side of the new gate allowing students to access the office staff without having to enter the main foyer of the school therefore avoiding having to interact with visitors to the school. A new camera and intercom have also been installed at the main entrance to the school.   

Stay safe and healthy.

Tony Hughes

Principal     

Something to ponder

Need a topic of conversation over dinner, see if the weekend homily can apply to your family.

Upcoming Events

Term 3, Week 3

Monday 26th July - Friday 30th July

ONLINE LEARNING FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK (COVID RESTRICTIONS)


Dates for your diary


Friday 30th July

  • Grandparents Day - CANCELLED

Monday 2nd August

  • Athletics Carnival - CANCELLED

Friday 6th August

  • Staff Development Pupil Free Day / POSTPONED TO LATER IN THE YEAR.

Monday 6th September

  • SCHOOL PHOTO DAY


TERM DATES:

Term 3      Monday,      12th July                to      Friday, 17th September

Term 4      Tuesday,      5th October          to      Friday, 17th December

Other School News

Library News

Premier's Reading Challenge 2021

Your child's login details for the PRC will be sent out next week via individual email. For older grades the information will be sent to the students, for younger grades the email will be sent to parents.

Please keep an eye out for this communication. We have until the 20th of August to enter PRC reading records into the website.


The CTK Community Resource Portal is still available for you and your children to enjoy this lockdown and all through the year. The home page has a link to a beautiful picture book about lockdown that may help you during this time. Also look at the English Read Alouds page for lots of ways to continue your child's experience of reading and learning at home. One of my favourites is the Rap reading, encourage your children to have a go!

Thanks,

Sarah CookTeacher

Librarian LTST

Captain's Chat

We are back! Term 3 of 2021. It’s a bit different to what we expected. Can you believe it is week two already? We are sure that everyone is doing great, with all the practise from last year. It makes us upset that we don't get to see everyone at school but we are hoping that our lockdown stops soon. This term we are sure that everyone is trying their best with the circumstance we are in. We both understand how hard it has been as we are struggling the same situation as everybody else. We do really hope that everyone is staying safe at home. 

On behalf of the school, we hope all our teachers are doing well. They have been a key role to this experience so we can still learn. We can't wait until we can return and see all our friends and teachers. We also want to thank everyone for joining the zoom meetings for your class, so we can stay safe and learn together.

We also just wanted to let you guys know that we really hope you are staying safe these past few weeks. We hope that we can come together a get through this lockdown and hopefully it will all get better.

Goodbye, and we hope to see you guys again as soon as possible. Please enjoy your weekend and make sure to get fresh air and play outside. We need to make sure everyone is ready for another week of online learning.

Thank you, and stay safe.

George and Mackenzie

School Captains

Chess classes at Christ the King - Term 3, 2021


Due to the current COVID lockdown, we will be conducting our chess class online. As soon as restrictions are lifted, we will return to face to face coaching at school. 

Our online chess classes will be held before and after school Monday – Friday from 8:00am–9:00am, 3:15pm–4:15pm, 4:30pm–5:30pm and 5:00pm–6:00pm.

Your child can attend as many of these online classes as he/she wishes until we return to face to face lessons. See the link on this page for more details: 

https://sydneyacademyofchess.com.au/online-classes-2021 

To register your child in the class, go to https://sydneyacademyofchess.com.au/payment and enter the following code: 

Beginner/Rookie: 9AW4TSR9OD 

Intermediate: MGVD30QJOB 

Sydney Academy of Chess 

info@sydneyacademyofchess.com.au

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY / NEW DATE - Monday 6th September

ORDER NOW - go to www.advancedlife.com.au and enter the code: FYK386HDG

Online orders are the preferred method however cash may be secured in the order envelope. Exact payment only - no change will be given.

Term 3 School Fee Statement Mailout


School Fee Statements have now been scheduled and are due to be posted out by today - Friday 23rd July, 2021.

Due date for Term 3 School Fees:  18th August, 2021.

Included with this newsletter is a notice from the Catholic Education Office in relation to COVID School Fee support. If you are experiencing financial difficulties due to covid restrictions or other reasons please do not hesitate to contact me: Phone - 8846 2700.

Year 5 Parents - Please note:  Due to the cancellation of the Blue Gum Camp, the overnight excursion fees have been reversed.  This will appear as a credit on your Term 3 account.  Should you have any queries about your account please call me or email: sritchie@parra.catholic.edu.au

Susan Ritchie

Senior Finance.

Zoom Prayer Liturgy

What an unexpected and challenging situation we find ourselves in at this time. We hope you are all keeping well and safe and that we will all be able to be back together at school soon.

Thank you to those of you who joined us on our Zoom Prayer Liturgy this morning. It was lovely to gather together as a community. Here is one of the prayers from the liturgy.



God of all life…

May your love and light shine in and through me today

In a way that no mask can hide.

May my eyes dance with laughter and joy

Replacing my hidden smile.

May my actions of care and concern

Speak louder than my muffled voice ever could.

And may the generosity of my heart

Radiate out through who I am

And how I respond to the world around me

So that others may not see my mask

But your image shining out

Moving in and through me today.

Amen

May God bless you and your families,

Erin Wynne

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

Parish News

Community News

HillsBus Update

Please be informed that Transport for NSW has today instructed Hillsbus and other Sydney Metro bus operators to operate a Sunday timetable from Monday 19/07/2021 for two weeks.This means that school services will not operate. Parents should call 131500 or 9890 0000 for assistance with travel options should their student still be travelling by public transport to or from school.

Annulment Information Webinar


Each year the Catholic Tribunal Office, Diocese of Parramatta and CatholicCare WSBM Solo Parent Services present an Information Session to help people understand the process of Annulments in the Catholic Church.

Questions are answered in detail on all aspects of the Annulment process.  

The event will be held online via Zoom.  

Date: Wednesday 21st July Time: 7pm -9pm 

Registration is Essential and will be handled by the Tribunal Office:

For further details and to register, please call the Tribunal Office PH: 8838 3480 or email tribunal@parracatholic.org 

School Notes

Parent Volunteers at CTK should visit the Parent Involvement page and complete the ‘Volunteer Form’ to be able to assist in any capacity as a volunteer within the school.
Parent Volunteers at CTK should visit the Parent Involvement page and complete the ‘Child Protection Training Module’ to be able to assist in any capacity as a volunteer within the school.
Click on title, go to Administration, print and complete the ‘Application for Extended Leave’ form to apply for student leave other than illness