Season of Lent

We continue to remember that we are in the Season of Lent — a time of reflection and renewal as we prepare for Easter. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." — Psalm 51:10

A huge thank you to all school community for the many donations of Easter eggs for our Caritas raffle fundraiser. Please ensure that any more donations are sent into school tomorrow. Thank you also for selling your raffle tickets. These will need to be returned by Tuesday 26th March and prizes will be drawn on Wednesday 27th March.

Thank you also to all of the children who have been putting money into their class mission boxes. Last Friday, these were collected and the classes with the most donations were:

KR - $53.75, 1R - $27.85, 4B - $26.80
Well done to everyone and thank you!! 

Mass to Celebrate the Feast of St Joseph  Friday 22 March, 9:30 am

Yesterday we commemorated the Feast of St. Joseph, a day of significance for the Sisters of St. Joseph, our school and the wider Catholic community. In remembering St Joseph, we also especially remember and celebrate Sr Narelle, a Sister of St Joseph, working in our school. Sr Narelle tirelessly supports our students and staff through her pastoral care. Sr Narelle follows in the steps of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop every day by living out her motto of “Never see a need without doing something about it”.

On Friday, Years 3-5 will be joining with the parish to celebrate St Joseph. Sr Narelle will be speaking to us and at the conclusion of Mass we will be moving to the area just outside the church where Father Francis will be blessing the statue of St Joseph. All are very welcome to join us.

Stage Mass

Thank you to the many Kinder and Year 6 students and their families who were able to attend our Parish Mass on Saturday 9th March at 5pm, followed by a BBQ. It was a beautiful Eucharistic celebration with a wonderful sense of community spirit.

Other dates for this year’s Stage Masses are:
Term 2 - Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) - May 4th
Term 3 - Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) - August 3rd
Term 4 - Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6 - although Kinder are very welcome to attend again with their buddies) - September 21st

Sacrament of Reconciliation — 2024

Many of our students have commenced their preparations for making the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As they learn more about this important sacrament, we pray for them...

Loving God,
Pour out Your blessing upon our children,
That during this time of Sacramental preparation,
they may grow closer to you and come to know Your special love for them.
May this time of preparation be a time of blessing for all families
and for our parish community of St John’s,
and unite us all in your great love. Amen.

Holy Week

Sunday 24th March - Palm Sunday
Thursday 28th March - Holy Thursday
Friday 29th March - Good Friday

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. On this day, we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. On that day, the people laid palms before Him, a gesture reserved for triumphant leaders.

The next major event in Holy Week is Holy Thursday. On this day, Jesus celebrated the Passover feast with the disciples. We know this feast as the Last Supper. This is the night He was betrayed by Judas and arrested. The Last Supper is celebrated at every Mass, and especially on Holy Thursday. After supper, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and prayed. Jesus was arrested on the night of Holy Thursday.

The next day is Good Friday, and on this day, we commemorate the trial, punishment, and crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was stripped, flogged, and crowned with thorns. He was then forced to carry His Cross to the place of His death. There, He was nailed to the Cross and died.

Holy Saturday is a time when we remember Jesus’ body in the tomb. It is a day of quiet and prayerful reflection on the true gravity of the crucifixion and Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice.

This concludes Holy Week. The following day is Easter Sunday, the day on which it was discovered the Tomb was empty, and our Lord was resurrected, triumphing over death once and for all time. Easter is not part of Holy Week, but rather the beginning of the Easter season of the Liturgical year.

Adapted from: https://www.catholic.org/lent/holyweek.php
https://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=5464

Friday Grade Masses

Each week a Compass alert will go out to the families of the grade that is attending Friday Mass with the Parish inviting you to attend Mass with your child and the Parish. Families attending Mass are then invited to come to the Joseph room after Mass for a cuppa.

Dates for your diary

Tuesday 19th March — Feast of St Joseph

Friday 22nd March — Parish Mass at 9:30am - Years 3, 4 and 5 attending (celebrating the Feast of St Joseph) - All Welcome

Saturday/Sunday 23rd/24th March — Reconciliation candidates to attend one of the weekend Masses with Lesson 2 of their Booklet completed (Saturday 5pm, Sunday 7:30am, 9:30am or 6pm)

Wednesday 27th March, 11:15am — Easter Hat and Hair Parade, followed by Easter Raffle - All Welcome

Thursday 28th March — Holy Week Liturgy, K-6 attending, 12:00 in Church - All Welcome

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.

Starting in Term 2, our school Merit Awards system on Compass will generate a notification to parents/carers informing them that their child will be receiving a Merit Award at the upcoming Friday assembly and inviting them to attend. This message will generally be sent on a Wednesday.

Cross Country Carnival

St John’s Cross Country Carnival — 25 March @ Kembla Joggers (Integral Energy Recreation Park, Darkes Road, Kembla Grange)

This Monday we will have our whole school cross country carnival at Integral Energy Park. Please refer to COMPASS for all information including starting time and order of the races. 

Children have the option to wear their house colour if they so choose.

To run this carnival we NEED PARENT VOLUNTEERS TO BE COURSE MARSHALS SO PLEASE complete the question on the COMPASS permission if you are able to assist and we will see you on the morning of the carnival. You will be placed on the track where you can see your child run past you. 

The Parents and Friends will be holding a BBQ throughout the day.

Sausage sandwiches - $3.00

Poppers / Water - $2.00

Please bring your cash with you.

We look forward to seeing parents, grandparents and carers joining us.

Diocesan Selection Swimming Trials — 11 March @ Corrimal Pool

Congratulations to Larissa B, Taylor P, Brody P and Caitlyn W who participated in the Diocesan Selection Trial. Each student swam exceptionally and even gained PB’s in their events, well done!

Congratulations to Brody who came second in his 50m Breaststroke and will now represent the Wollongong Diocese Primary Swimming Team in the 2024 MacKillop Trials on the 3rd April at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, Homebush. We wish him all the best.

Diocesan Selection Netball Trials 

Congratulations Ella W on her selection in the Wollongong Diocesan netball team and will now compete at the Mackillop netball trials on the 10th of May. We wish Ella all the best.

Last week, you will have received an event alert for your child to attend the upcoming cross country carnival on March 25th.  The P&F are kindly running a BBQ at the carnival and need some volunteers between 9am - 1pm.  Please consider offering your help during this time.

Please ensure you send some cash with your child on the day if you would like them to purchase from the BBQ.

Sausage sandwiches $3
Popper/Water $2
Cash purchases only on the day

With thanks on behalf of the P&F

Year 6 had their leadership day with Cameron Smith in the hall on Monday. We learned a lot about what leadership is actually about. We spent the day engaging and interacting in activities with our peers and teachers. The activities tested our skills and knowledge of not just being a leader but leading.  Everything that we participated in was very engaging and enjoyable to everyone. One of the games presented to us was ‘rock, paper, scissors’ where you would step up a level if you won a game. This game showed us acceptance of losing and perseverance to keep us going. It showed us that everyone starts at the bottom and might be at the bottom for a while but you need to keep preserving to level up. It was a great experience and an opportunity to socialise with people we don’t normally hang out with.

Millicent 6B, Memphis 6B & Hannah 6R

Dear Parents and Carers Year 1-6, 

Year 1 to Year 6 Parent / Teacher (Learning Conversations) will be held from Wednesday, 3 April, to Friday, 12 April (Weeks 10 and 11). Bookings will open soon, and information on how to book will be sent home via Compass. All Learning Conversations will take place on-site in your child's classroom. Students in Years 3-6 will attend the meetings with their parents/carers, whereas students in Years 1 and 2 will not be required to attend.

Information about Personalised Planning Meetings will be sent home soon. If you are making a Personalised Planning (PP) Meeting you DO NOT need to make a Learning Conversation meeting as your child's learning goals will be discussed in the PP meeting. 

At St John's this year, there will be a number of opportunities for parents and carers to engage in your child's learning. We ask you to celebrate your child's learning by asking questions, allowing them to share and giving feedback. Opportunities to celebrate learning include:

• Student led learning conversations
• See Saw posts
• One English and Mathematics assessment sent home per term.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the learning and teaching at St John's.

Kate Thomas
Middle Leader

Throughout the year, St John's runs regular Lockdown and Evacuation Drills. These drills are designed to ensure that students and staff are well-prepared to respond effectively to various emergency scenarios, including natural disasters, intruders, or other threats. Through regular practice and training, St John's aims to instil a sense of confidence and readiness in the school, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, quick decision-making, and adherence to established safety protocols. By prioritising safety and preparedness, St John's Dapto is taking proactive steps to safeguard the well-being of students and staff in the event of emergencies.

Throughout this term Uncle Mark and Aunty Jo have worked with all classes to share Animal Dreaming Cards to help us learn about Aboriginal Totems and their significance in their lives. Students were given an opportunity to choose their own animal to learn more about.

Year 2 have shared their learning with us in the pictures below.

This week is Harmony Week, a celebration of Australia’s cultural diversity. It’s about inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for everyone. To acknowledge this special day, we will be having a mufti day on Thursday, 21 March, and inviting students to wear a ‘touch of orange’.

We look forward to celebrating Harmony Week together as a school community.

Orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and the encouragement of mutual respect. Australians can choose to wear something orange during Harmony Week to show their support for cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia.

Aunty Jo and Uncle Mark have worked with our Aboriginal students to create this wonderful art work which will be on permanent display outside the Koonawarra Community Centre in time for the Careways Reconciliation Walk on Thursday 16 May. We are so fortunate to have Aunty Jo and Uncle Mark with us at St John's to share their culture and artistic talents.

Four students from Year 5 and Year 6 travelled to St Paul's at Albion Park with Mr Soligo on the 20th of March for an Environmental Day of Inspiration with other local Catholic Schools. The students were given the opportunity to:

• connect their ecological/social justice actions with their prayer and worship
• broaden their understanding of what their relationship with God means
• build their own capacity so that they can be leaders of ecological actions in our schools and listen to guest speaker Pip Kiernan from Clean Up Australia.

Students were fortunate to have the opportunity to meet Pip Kiernan, who serves as the chair of the Clean Up Australia charity and is the daughter of its founder from 1989/1990. Additionally, students engaged in a creative activity, crafting a "no sew bag" from an old shirt to give new life to unused items.

Student Wellbeing afternoons were enjoyed by the students across all stages last week. A special thanks to the staff for creating engaging and fun activities for the students to take part in. On all accounts, everyone had a great time!

I loved playing with the playdough. It felt hard but squishy. I also played a board game. It was lots of fun. I loved eating my sausage sizzle. I had it with BBQ sauce. Yum!

Millie (Kindergarten)

I did Cookie making and I loved decorating the cookies and then sharing them with my sisters. I also made some models with plasticine. I made a rainbow and a caterpillar. That’s was great fun. My favourite part about it was doing the activities with my friends. I really enjoyed wearing my mufti clothes for the day as they were really comfortable. The sausage sizzle was fantastic and I gobbled it up in three big bites!

Mikayla (Yr 3)

We had a great time at the Wellbeing Afternoon. We were together for music and we did bucket drumming and had a ukulele lesson. It was so much fun and we had a blast! I (Charlotte) chose to do the melty beads activity and I made little flowers and it was great fun. I (Isabella) did Kahoot for my other activity and we got to make our own Kahoot with a friend and had so much fun sharing them with the group on the TV. Thank you for a great afternoon.

Charlotte & Isabella (Yr 6)

St John's is committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of pupils, staff, and visitors by minimising the risk of accidents or injuries on its grounds. While acknowledging the significance of dogs to some families and the educational benefits of pet ownership, the School recognises that even well-behaved dogs can behave unpredictably when placed in an unfamiliar, busy, noisy and crowded school environment and that this can lead to unexpected behaviour in even the best-behaved pet. 

If you choose to walk your dog while dropping off or collecting your children from school, please wait a safe distance from entry and exit points to ensure the safety of students and your pets.

Under the Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW), Section 14, dogs are prohibited on school grounds unless the Principal grants permission. Reasons why the Principal may grant permission for a dog to be in a school include: Accredited Assistance or Service dogs, School Support Dogs, Visits by organised groups or programs for school incursions – includes such programs as Responsible Pet Ownership Education Program offered by the Office of Local Government.

Save the Date — 27 March

We are now in the Season of Lent - a time of reflection and renewal as we prepare for Easter.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10

This year, Project Compassion brings us the stories of three resilient women from three different corners of the world. They are facing vastly different challenges, but are all united by one dream: to create a better tomorrow for all future generations.​

Ronita from the Philippines. Ronita lives with her husband and two children in a barangay (local district) in Quezon City, which is situated in Metro Manila in the Philippines. She went back to school to finish her education so that she could earn income to support her children.

Leaia from Samoa. Not having access to a reliable source of clean water was very difficult for Leaia and her family. But, with the support of Caritas Australia, a water tank was installed at their home, improving their health and living conditions.

This Lenten season, we at St John’s will be supporting the work of Caritas Australia through donations into class mission boxes as well as our annual Easter raffle. Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow for all future generations. We encourage students to give generously to their classroom Project Commission boxes.

During Lent, our Mini Vinnies team will be running an Easter raffle with proceeds going to Project Compassion. We encourage families to donate Easter Eggs for the raffle. The students can bring them to school and they will be collected by the Mini Vinnies team. Tickets will be 50c each and Mini Vinnies members will be selling these at recess and lunch in weeks 8 and 9. Two sheets of 10 tickets each will also be sent home to each family this week. The winners will be drawn on 27 March. We ask you to bring back your sold raffle tickets as soon as possible,

Thank you in advance for supporting such a worthy cause.

Kylie Stephens
Religious Education Coordinator

Throughout the year teachers have access to a variety of quality professional development opportunities. Casual teachers are employed to cover classes with the teacher ensuring the teaching program and routines are followed. 

“Those who dare to teach, never cease to learn”
John Cotton-Dana

How to build digital intelligence

Parents and caregivers hold significant roles in fostering children's digital intelligence, encompassing social, emotional, and practical competencies essential for effectively maneuvering through the digital realm.

Even with Kindergaten and pre-Kindergarten, it's never premature to cultivate positive habits. As children mature, it remains beneficial to continually reinforce fundamental digital intelligence tenets: respect, empathy, critical thinking, responsible conduct, and resilience. These principles also serve as valuable points of emphasis when addressing challenges or missteps with your child.

Promote respectful communication online by encouraging positive manners and behaviours similar to offline interactions. Teach your child to avoid negative messages and report any unpleasant encounters. Foster empathy by helping them understand diverse perspectives and emotions. Encourage critical thinking to discern misleading content and question online interactions. Emphasize safe and responsible behaviour, setting boundaries for device use and safeguarding personal information. Build resilience by supporting your child through negative online experiences, teaching them to manage friendships and navigate challenges confidently.

Communication Safety on your child's Apple device

Communication Safety is a feature designed to protect children from sending or receiving photos or videos containing nudity. If such content is detected, the feature blurs the image or video before the child can view it. It also offers guidance and resources to help them make safe choices, including contacting a trusted person. This system employs on-device machine learning to analyse attachments for nudity, ensuring privacy as the analysis is done locally and not shared with Apple. To ensure synchronisation of Communication Safety settings across devices, all devices in the Family Sharing group need to be updated to the latest software version.

Esafety Commissioner: Online Safety Basics

Assist your children in safely navigating their online activities and educate them on avoiding harmful experiences on the internet. Engage in exploring websites, games, and apps together, while establishing guidelines and rules.

Using Parental Control on your child's iPad

Using Content & Privacy Restrictions within Screen Time, you have the ability to prevent or control access to particular apps and functionalities on your child’s device. Additionally, you can regulate settings on your iPad or iPhone concerning explicit content, purchases, downloads, and privacy.

Familiarise yourself with apps

Holy Week Ceremonies — Invitation to all and request for volunteers

Holy Week begins on Sunday 24th March with Palm Sunday. Father Francis warmly invites all families to come to the various ceremonies throughout the week.

If you would like to volunteer to assist at one or more of the ceremonies (see attached), please contact either Jenny Gibson in the parish office 4261 1315, Carla String 0401 682 311 or alternatively there are sign up sheets in the foyer of the Church.
 
The parish is also looking for any musicians/singers who might want to play/sing on Palm Sunday 7.30am and Palm Sunday 6pm as the regular choirs do not cover these.

The Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) recognises that families of children with differing abilities require targeted advocacy and support.

The CCSP Diverse Learning Working Party has developed a valuable resource to assist parents of children with diverse learning needs. This second edition includes updates and advice following a period of consultation and gathering of feedback from parents and schools. It also provides additional information for parents of secondary students, government support and post-school success.

A copy of the guide can be downloaded here.

Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply or update their details as soon as possible.

In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

New Student Opal cards (including new Term Bus Passes) will be sent to the student’s nominated postal address within two weeks of their application being approved.

Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.

Terms of Use

Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use.

This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their child/youth Opal for any travel outside these times.

All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.

How to have your iPhone or iPad read text to you

St John's VAC Program - April 2024

St John's VAC Program - April 2024 1.15 MB

Free Fun Free fun with the Parliament of NSW in the April school holidays

April 19, 9.30-3pm

Children up to 12 years

Parents and children can join the Festival of Democracy at NSW Parliament House these April school holidays.

Celebrate democracy in Australia’s oldest Parliament with free, fun activities for children and their families from 4 to 12 years.

Activities:

• Make a speech in the historic Parliamentary chamber
• Make craft animals and objects
• Learn how to vote
• Visit the historic rooms
• Chat with Henry Parkes, the five-time Premier of NSW, and the suffragettes
• Participate in a roleplay
   

Bookings via Eventbrite. Please see flyer for details or visit our website:

Free Event: Festival of Democracy 2024 – Parliament of New South Wales (nsw.gov.au)

GET MOTIV8TED during the APRIL School Holidays at the one and only Motiv8sports SUPER CAMP 2023.

Held only once each year, Super Camp is a sports festival designed just for kids. Way more than a sports dreamland, Super Camp is an energetic mix of sport, music, street culture, art and dance mashed up to create the ultimate atmosphere for kids who love having fun. Campers will be treated to an incredible array of our trademark team sports in an environment full of energy, motiv8tion and unbelievable guidance from our professional team of coaches.

Motiv8sports camps are designed for all abilities and focus on the energy and effort rather than a child’s sporting ability. Children attending Motiv8sports Super Camp learn about sport, teamwork and sportsmanship in an environment fuelled by incredible leadership and constant motivation.

Further information is available at: https://motiv8sports.com.au/

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