Dear Parents and Carers,

Last Friday, World Teachers Day was celebrated Australia-wide, in recognition of the significant contribution that teachers make each and every day in the lives of our students. We are so incredibly blessed at St John’s with teachers who are deeply committed and passionate educators. On Friday, the Parents and Friends Association acknowledged our teachers with a decorated biscuit and coffee to acknowledge and thank our teachers on this special day.

The ‘Colour Run’ was a hugely successful and fun day for our school community. Thank you for being so supportive in raising over $8 800 for Catholic Missions during Mission Month. It is an incredible amount of money that will be used to support education, homing and community health to assist in building brighter futures for Timor-Leste families.

‘Never see a need without doing something about it”
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop

Excitement is building for our P & F Food and Rides Night on Friday, 10 November. It will be a wonderful evening of fun and entertainment for the St John’s community. The P & F have organised a variety of carnival rides, food trucks, face painting, hair braiding, an animal nursery, show bags, market stalls and a Chocolate Wheel. Some activities will be cash only, so please bring your coins and notes on the night. I would like to thank Jodie Maloney and the P & F, who have worked tirelessly in preparing a great night for our school community. To assist with the running of the night the P & F are seeking parent volunteers. If you are available, even if it is only for half an hour, please complete the P & F Food & Rides Night Helper Form. All support is greatly appreciated. The school will be open to the general public on the night; therefore it is essential that parent/carers provide appropriate supervision for their child/children throughout the night. For further details regarding the night, please refer to the P & F information below.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Kind regards

Mr Matt Downes
Acting Principal

All Saints Day and All Souls Day

Every year on the 1st November we celebrate the Feast of All Saints Day and on the 2nd November, we celebrate the feast of All Souls Day.

All Saints Day is the feast which commemorates all those we know who may never be publicly proclaimed in the canon or list of saints, but who nonetheless are in heaven. Some of them may only be known to God. Others are people whose love, sacrifice and fidelity we have seen for ourselves and who have inspired us. Sometimes they can be our own mothers and fathers.

The feast of All Souls is not a feast of sadness, but one of great hope and confidence. It invites us to entrust our dead to God, because we know that they are really God’s dead. We know that if we have loved them, God has loved them more. They are in God’s care, and like a good shepherd God will lead them to peace.

First Holy Communion

On Thursday and Friday of this week nearly 70 children from our parish will be making their First Holy Communion. Please keep all of these children in your prayers.

The Eucharist is unique among the sacraments as it is at the heart of our faith. For Catholics, the Eucharist, or Mass, is the most powerful way we encounter the real presence of Jesus Christ. Sunday after Sunday (some, of course, gather everyday), Catholics gather to celebrate the Eucharist, the ritual in which, by the power of the Holy Spirit, bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. We who celebrate are also transformed, becoming Christ’s presence to others, and recognising the presence of Christ in others.

October — World Mission Month

St John’s Colour Run was a huge success. Not only did everyone have a fun day, but to date we have raised $8792 to support Catholic Mission in the amazing work they do. Donations will be finalised at the end of today so stay tuned for our class who will receive a pizza party for raising the most money to support the people in Timor-Leste.
School fundraising page:

https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/StJohnsSchoolDapto

Thank you to everyone for your support, organisation and generosity:
Parent helpers, St John’s Staff, Family and friends, Children of St John’s. We could not have done it without all of your help.

Weekend Mass — Saturday 28 October, 5pm

A huge thank you to all the families and staff who were able to join with Fr Francis for Mass last Saturday night. It was a beautiful Mass. Special thanks to Andrew Chinn, who gives up his time to come and sing with us at every stage Mass.

Save the Date

St John’s Christmas Concert!! 15th December 2023 at 1:20pm
 

Dates for your diary

Prayer Intentions

We pray for all children who are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist.
We pray for the people of Timor-Leste and those in Catholic Mission trying to help them.
We pray for all families in our school community who are in need of our prayers.
We pray for the needs of our country and our world.
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, pray for us.
St John the Evangelist, pray for us.

Kylie Stephens
Religious Education Coordinator

PB4L is an evidence-based framework that emphasises school-wide systems of support for all students and staff. These include proactive strategies for defining, teaching and supporting appropriate student behaviours. Positive behaviour supports are implemented for all students, across all school settings, by all staff, at all times. This continuum of support ensures students’ academic and social outcomes.

All student behaviour expectations are founded on our three school rules – Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe.

Temperence, in Year 6 was invited to write the Foreword for the SPLICED book this year. It is so wonderful to be able to hear students express their thoughts about learning.

She has now been asked to record her Foreword for the SPLICED launch video, and will be attending CEO on Friday this week for the filming.

SPLICED Foreword 2023
Temperence A-P — Age 11

St John’s Dapto

With over two years of experience of SPLICED and the pleasure of meeting John Charadia, I'd be more than happy to speak on behalf of the hundreds students included in this program, and to convey the advantages of SPLICED. 

SPLICED (Stretching Potential through Learning in Interactive Challenging Environments) allows gifted students to express their interests in an environment based around their area of investigation. SPLICED is a one of a kind curriculum experience featured all across the Wollongong Diocese. The project allows us open-minded and advanced thinkers, to connect, express and explore in a diverse community of like minded people..

A broad variety of literacies, including essays, stories and even websites are submitted every year and are mainly based around one's personal interests. These interests are put into categories, ranging from science to art, from war to mathematics, from philosophy to fantasy. For two years my main choice of category was focused on the study of human biological and physiological characteristics and their evolution; anthropology. Last year, my focus was on paleoanthropology and this year, I focused on forensic anthropology. 

The opportunity to converse with other like minded people is an extraordinary experience, which isn’t typically available in classrooms. Sometimes we aren’t interested in what we are learning in class, but SPLICED gives us a chance to express ourselves and pursue our passions. Quiet, reflective environments are where most of us learn at our best. Being able to just be with yourself, but to also engage with others is so important. To share our ideas and to obtain constructive feedback is also important, as it helps us to better understand and improve our work. 

SPLICED more than likely will open up hundreds of portals of adventures for every student who works passionately and engages with the learning. Personally, following my own dreams of pursuing a career within the science field has all been sparked by my journey in SPLICED. It was something I had never thought about and it allowed me to find learning and creating that I truly enjoy. With an experience like SPLICED, you can, and probably will open up to other people and actively talk about the work you are doing. This is most definitely a crucial life skill. The experience SPLICED gives you, plants a seed, holds a core memory or embeds itself into you; and it’s something that won’t be forgotten.. Everyone here works hard because they truly want to work on their personal interests. I believe that is what makes SPLICED special; the ability to follow your own dreams.

Rides Night

Our Rides Night is nearly here! It's going to be a fantastic night of fun and entertainment with our school community!

Here’s what you need to know:

Our Rides Night is on 10 November from 4pm – 8pm within our school grounds! Friends, family and community welcome. We will have a variety of rides, face painting, hair braiding, temporary tattoos, show bags, market stalls, food trucks and a Chocolate Wheel! Our Chocolate Wheel will be cash only and has over $5,000.00 worth of donated prizes! Matilda’s Farm will also provide a petting zoo for all ages!

Some activities will be cash only so bring your coins and notes. Food Trucks will generally have Eftpos available. A single ATM will be available onsite.

Feel free to bring a picnic blanket or chair to sit back and relax whilst watching the festivities! As there will be community members present, parents and carers are expected to ensure appropriate supervision of their children on the night.

Presale Ride Bands available at $35.00 each (cash only) outside the library between the hours of:

• Monday 6 November 8am – 8.30am and 2.15pm – 3.00pm
• Tuesday 7 November 8am – 8.30am and 2.15pm – 3.00pm
• Wednesday 8 November 8am – 8.30am and 2.15pm – 3.00pm
• Thursday 9 November 8am – 8.30am and 2.15pm – 3.00pm
• Friday 10 November 8am – 8.30am and 2.15pm – 3.00pm
• *After 3pm — 10 November, Ride Bands will be $40.00 each.

How can you help?

If you are able to volunteer your time in support of the Rides Night, please complete the Google doc form below.
 
Any questions, please email pandf@sjjdow.catholic.edu.au.

If you are looking at purchasing a new iPad for your child moving into Year 4-6 2024, the following link to EduCom IT may be of interest. The link will allow you to view EduCom IT prices and iPad models and if interested place an order.  You may choose to use this price to help you shop around, often JB Hi-Fi, Office Works, Domayne, Harvey Norman etc will offer good discounts. There is no obligation to purchase through EduCom IT. 

Please note that wifi models are all that is required. 

Further information regarding 1:1 iPad Learning (Year 4, 2024) was shared via Compass or see pdf below.

Please feel free to contact me, should you have any questions. 

Kate Thomas

Students, teachers, and a number of parents enthusiastically took part in the Color Run event, generating essential funds for Mission Month. Thank you to all the parents/carers who assisted with the event.

To the following students who are celebrating their birthday in November — we wish you a very happy birthday and hope you have a great day.

If you know that your child will not be returning to St John’s in 2024 (not applicable to Year 6), would you please notify the school, in writing, as we require this information to assist with our planning for the new school year. 

The Carly Ryan Foundation is a certified online safety program provider under the Office of the eSafety Commissioner and delivers online safety and support in the areas of internet safety and crime, cyberbullying, connection to resources and counselling and contributing to law and policy reform.

Please take the time to read through the fact sheets on apps, some of the apps you will be familiar with, however there may be some that you as a parent/carer are unaware of.