Dear Parents and Carers,

On Tuesday we gathered in celebration with the Most Rev Bishop Brian, for the official blessing and opening of our new school facilities. The community of St John’s was joined by the Hon Stephen Jones MP; Director of Schools, Peter Hill; past and future principals and other special guests as the Bishop of Wollongong and Fr Francis officially blessed and opened the new facilities.

The children of St John’s are now enjoying the construction of nine new general learning areas and the refurbishment of 12 existing classrooms to accommodate their evolving educational needs. The $9m upgrade ($3.5m contribution from the Australian Government and $5.5m contribution from the Diocese of Wollongong) also includes the refurbishment of the administration block.

It was a moving ceremony, something which was only possible because of the contribution of the many staff who assisted in preparing for the event. Tuesday 21 November 2023, is now engraved in the history of St John’s and one that I am sure the students will remember for a very long time.

WIN News Illawarra coverage of the event can be found here.

Season of Advent

This weekend marks the commencement of the Season of Advent, a sacred time of prayer and contemplation in which we prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. During this time of waiting and expectation, we are challenged to look for opportunities and practical ways to honour the holiness of the season.

There are many traditions, signs and symbols that are commonly used during Advent. The empty crib in the manger, the colour purple together with Scripture readings that reflect the theme of hope. The Advent Calendar is used to count the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas and the Advent wreath, which holds four candles, one for each Sunday of the season, is placed on the altar in our churches and prayer spaces.

‘O God, open our hearts to prepare the way for the coming of Christ. Guide us in your ways of compassion so that we may extend your love and mercy to all people’.
Amen

Thank you for your support in not sending Christmas cards to school before the commencement of Advent. Please also remember that candy canes are not to be brought to school. Given the current financial pressures on families and the impact it has on students who miss out, I would also caution parents against Secret Santa gift-giving between friends. If it is something you would like to proceed with, please organise such gift-giving externally between parents. Thank you for your understanding and support.

 
Final Assembly — Core Value Awards

This Friday 1 December, we will host our final whole school assembly for 2023 at 1:50 pm in the school hall. During this assembly, we will be presenting the end-of-term Core Value Awards. Everyone is warmly invited to attend.

Year 6 Graduation

On Thursday 7 December, we will farewell Year 6 2023 with a special graduation Mass. It is a wonderful time of thanksgiving and celebration and a time to acknowledge the children and their families for all that they have contributed to our school. A significant part of the graduation ceremony is the annual presentation of the Mary MacKillop Awards as well as the Hon Stephen Jones MP (Active Citizenship Award) and the Hon Anna Watson MP (Community Spirit). Following Mass, there will be a student-only dinner and dance in the school hall.

Congratulations to our graduating class of 2023. I wish you every blessing and success in the future.

Principal Awards

On Friday 8 December, the Term 4 Principal Awards will be presented at the conclusion of our final Mass for 2023. All parents/carers are warmly invited to join with the school in giving thanks for another very successful school year.

Have a wonderful week,
Mr Matt Downes
Acting Principal

Annual Parish Celebration

St John’s annual Parish Celebration took place on Sunday, November 26th. It was wonderful to have so many of our families able to attend.
 
A special thank you to the following children for their involvement in the Gospel procession and offertory:

Lara L (6B), Lachie B (6R), Jaxon W (5R), Evie S (5B), Rohan G (4B),  Audrey S (4B), Celeste N (4B), Zara B (4G).
 

St Vincent de Paul Annual Christmas Appeal

We would like to encourage students in each class to bring in items to support the ‘St Vincent De Paul Annual Christmas Appeal’. The Dapto St Vincent De Paul Society provides approximately 120 hampers to families experiencing difficulties in our local area. The generosity of our school community helps allow this to happen. For St Vincent de Paul members to have enough time to put together the hampers, we are asking that all items are brought into school by Wednesday 6th December 2023. Thank you for supporting St Vincent de Paul and the wonderful work that they do.
 

 
St John's School Christmas Concert

St John’s Christmas Concert!! 15th December 2023 at 1:20 pm. Everyone welcome. We look forward to celebrating with you.
 

 
Dates for your diary

Prayer Intentions

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.

Student learning progress is formally reported to parents and carers on Wednesday 6 December (Week 9), via the Parent Portal in Compass. Please ensure that you have the app downloaded and up to date on your device.

The Kindergarten to Yr. 6 Semester 2 reports, are standards-referenced, which in NSW means reporting based on the Common Grade Scale. Standards-referenced reporting requires teachers to consider the performance of each student according to the standard detailed at each level (A-E) of the Common Grade Scale for each Key Learning Area (KLA). Students are then awarded a grade based on the evidence teachers have of their learning in that particular KLA and the standard it reflects. According to the Common Grade Scale a ‘C’ grade is considered sound. That is, if awarded a C in a particular KLA the student has demonstrated that they have gained the knowledge, skills and understanding expected of them at that point in time.

The Common Grade Scale

The Common Grade Scale describes performance at each of the five grade levels.

Other report features include

Overall grades

Each KLA has an overall grade that is determined by the teacher following consideration of the evidence of each student’s learning and the standard on the Common Grade Scale that it reflects. Overall grades are not determined by averaging student performance in strands within a KLA. It is not unusual for a student’s overall grade to change from one reporting period to the next, as the knowledge, skills and understanding they encounter in each KLA will vary from one reporting period to the next. The Common Grade Scale is a feature on your child's report.

Commitment to Learning

Commitment to Learning captures the student’s attitude to the particular KLA and their skills in managing their work, persisting when challenged and working to their potential. A scale explaining the three standards used in Commitment to Learning is also included with their report.

Year 6 and students leaving

Please ensure you download your child's available school reports from the Compass Parent Portal by the end of Term 4 as these will no longer be accessible if your child does not attend a systemic secondary Catholic school in the Diocese of Wollongong, as your access to your child’s Compass profile will cease upon completion of primary school.

As you would be aware, our Term 4 Student Wellbeing Afternoons took place last week. The students had a great time participating in a range of fun and engaging activities and once again, enjoyed a sausage sizzle for lunch. The positive comments from both students and staff members highlight the importance of such events and activities that encourage and promote wellbeing at St John’s.

Special thanks to the staff for organising the wellbeing activities for the students and to the Parents & Friends Association for covering the cost of the sausage sizzle for each of our Student Wellbeing Afternoons during 2023.

Families leaving St John’s at the end of this year

If your child is not returning to St John’s in 2024 (excluding Year 6), please advise the school office as soon as possible so the necessary paperwork can be completed. We will require a forwarding address if you are moving house and details of the new school your child will be attending. 

Athlete’s Foot — School Rewards Programme

If anyone from the school community (parents, friends, students and staff) buys any pair of shoes from the Athlete’s Foot at Shellharbour, a $5 donation is made to our school. You need to inform the staff member when you are purchasing that you wish to have your donation linked to St John’s.  

We would like to thank all the parents and school community for your support and involvement in this School Rewards Programme. Leo from Athlete’s Foot Shellharbour kindly donated $510 to St John’s this year.

Feel free to buy school shoes from any store; there's no obligation to exclusively purchase them from Athlete's Foot.

Communication Reminders from the office

• If your child needs to travel home a different way from what was communicated in the morning, please email or phone the school office BEFORE 2PM.
  
  
• Late arrivals/early leavers — if your child is being picked up early or arriving late for any reason, please DO NOT enter this partial absence into Compass. The office staff will do this when you come into the office to drop off or collect your child.
  
  
• Students have their breaks from learning at 10.40 am – 11.10 am and 1.10 pm – 1.40 pm where possible please avoid picking children up during these times as it is very difficult to find them on the playground.  Assembly is usually on a Friday from 1.50 pm – 2.20 pm — please also avoid early pickups during this time when possible. Your support is most appreciated.
  
  
• Emergency Contacts — if your child needs to be picked up from the office during school hours, the person collecting your child must be nominated and listed on the emergency contacts in Compass.  If they are not on the list, we will need your written permission for your child to go home with that person.  
  
  
• Absences — If your child is sick, please respond to the Compass message that is set out on the day of the absence. You do not need to call the office unless your child is going to be absent for more than 3 days or you are going on a holiday.
  
  
• If your child is going to be absent for more than 10 school days, please download from the school website or contact the school office for an Application for Extended Leave form. 

Students without lunch or recess

If your child does not have recess or lunch with them we will phone to advise you.  Your child will be given a slip to take to the canteen and provided with a sandwich.  A note will be sent home with the details of how to make your payment to the canteen.  

Students with a serious illness or injury 

If your child has had a serious injury or illness that has required medical treatment or hospitalisation, you will need to have a return-to-school meeting with Tory Wilson or a member of our Leadership team, prior to your child returning to school.  

This meeting is to plan any adjustments necessary for the safety and wellbeing of your child and to discuss their date of return to school.  In certain circumstances, personnel from the Catholic Education Office may also be involved.  

Your child may also require a medical certificate from the Doctor.

If you have any inquiries or wish to schedule a meeting to discuss your child's return to school, kindly reach out to the school office via phone or email.

Consent for walking excursions in 2024

At the commencement of every school year, you are requested to fill out a digital form distributed to you through Compass as an event. This form seeks your consent for your child to participate in excursions that involve walking to and from school. If you have any inquiries, please feel free to get in touch with the school office by phone or email.

Resource Lists

Resource lists for each year group will be published next week. 

Thank you to all those families that have finalised their fees for 2023.

• Please ensure all school fees are paid in full before the end of the 2023 school year.  If you are having genuine financial stress please make contact with the Acting Principal as a matter of urgency to discuss your school fee situation or alternatively email Mr Downes at downesm01@dow.catholic.edu.au
  
  
• Families that currently pay school fees by instalment do not need to complete another 'Request to Pay by Instalment' form, as your current form carries over from year to year unless you wish to amend the frequency of your payments, e.g. Weekly to fortnightly.  
  
  
• If your child is commencing Year 7 at one of our Diocesan Catholic Colleges, your secondary school fees frequency for payment will be the same as the primary school unless you complete the 'Request to pay by Instalment' form to alter this.
  
  
• Families that do not currently pay school fees by instalment or are new to the school and would like to take up the option to pay their school fees by instalment, please ensure that you complete a 'Request to pay by Instalment' form and either return this to the school office or submit it directly to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au before the conclusion of the 2023 school year.  

Further information is available at: https://www.sjddow.catholic.edu.au/parents-and-carers/school-fees-information/

The school fees for 2024 have been approved by Bishop Brian Mascord and all fees will be billed at the end of January 2024:

School Fees are invoiced to families at the beginning of each year and are due 30 days from the date of invoice. Families may choose to pay the total when they receive their invoice or alternatively take up the option to pay by instalments over the school year.  

Should you wish to pay by instalments a Request To Pay By Instalment form which must be completed can be emailed directly to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or lodged at the school office.

If you have already completed a form and have instalments listed on your fee statement then you do not need to complete another form.

IMPORTANT:  Please note that if you currently have a child or children at another school in the Diocese and you are paying by instalments at this location, you will not need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment.  The instalment request carries over from school to school with the same frequency of payment e.g. Weekly, fortnightly, Monthly or Quarterly.

Dear Parents/Carers

The safety and wellbeing of students is always our first priority. This includes protecting their privacy and respecting the wishes of parents and carers regarding the use of student photos, images and works at all times.

At the start of each school year, you are asked to complete a Digital form, shared with you as an event in Compass, to provide your consent related to the use of your child’s image or works along with consent for your child.

What do you need to do?

During the Christmas vacation period, you will receive a new image consent event in Compass. Please read the details of the event carefully, discuss it with your child, and once you have made your decision, either provide your consent or decline to provide consent.

To ensure that no child misses out on having their photo taken as part of school life, we will occasionally send reminders to parents and carers who have yet to complete the event.

If you have any questions, please contact the school and we will be happy to discuss this further with you.

Over the holiday break all students, Kindergarten to Year 5, are invited to take part in the Holiday Reading Challenge. Reading is a very important and necessary skill that we use every day.  It is a skill that we use when reading books and magazines, watching TV, shopping and playing games. When children stop reading for extended periods of time they often take a few steps backwards. This school initiative is intended to help maintain student reading abilities and continue to foster their love of reading over the Christmas holidays.

By participating in the Reading Challenge your child will be practising the skill of reading on a regular basis, reinforcing good reading habits. Parents and carers are encouraged to help their children find fun and interesting books, fiction and non-fiction.  It is important for your child to read aloud to someone and just as important for them to listen and enjoy stories being read to them. 

Children in Kindergarten to Year 5, have been provided with a Holiday Reading Log. Children are encouraged to record the time they spend reading during the holidays into the Holiday Reading Log. Early in 2024, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards will be presented based on the number of hours spent reading. 

We all know that reading is one of the most important fundamental skills children must master to succeed; almost everything we do involves reading of some form. Hopefully, this challenge will help motivate your child to continue reading on a regular basis during the holiday break.

Kate Thomas

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