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- Principal's Report
- Catholic Schools Week
- Religious Education
- Project Compassion Appeal
- Enrolling Now — Kindergarten 2020
- NAPLAN — Important Information for Parents
- SPB4L
- School Pick-Up Zones
- Parents and Friends Association
- School Fees
- Staff Development Days (Pupil Free Days)
- Happy Birthday
- Waste Free Wednesday
- Book Club
- Whooping Cough
- Student Bus Travel
- Parenting Ideas
- Keeping our Children Safe around School
- Canteen Roster — 7 Mar – 29 Mar
- Catholic Schools Week Mass - Years K-6 (CSW Awards)
- Attachments
Dear Parents and Carers,
It’s Catholic Schools Week and this week we join with Catholic schools across NSW and the ACT in celebrating this significant event.
Catholic Schools Week (CSW) is about strengthening relationships between all those who have a stake in our schools – students, staff, families, priests, parishioners, and members of the wider community. It is a time to acknowledge and give thanks for the wonderful teaching and learning that takes place each day in every classroom.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and involvement in the life of our school and I look forward to celebrating Catholic Schools Week with you. Included in this newsletter are details of what has been planned to which you are warmly invited.
Together with our School Captains, Matthew Ursino and Sophie Chapman and Vice Captains, Lacie McKeller and Sage Pierro, I attended the Diocesan Launch of Caritas Project Compassion on Tuesday 5 March at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, Gwynneville.
Bishop Brian Mascord presided over the Liturgical celebration and spoke to the students representing their schools about the importance of strengthening our relationship with Jesus during the season of Lent and asked how they would take this message of hope back to their respective school communities.
I would like to acknowledge the manner in which our captains and vice captains represented our school at this significant diocesan event. They were indeed wonderful ambassadors for our school and it was a privilege to spend the morning with them.
Yours sincerely
Andrew Heffernan
Principal
Catholic Schools Week is about strengthening relationships between all those who are involved in our schools, students, staff, families, priests, parishioners and members of the wider community, by showing casing our wonderful school and the learning that takes place in our classrooms every day.
In celebrating with Catholic Schools across NSW and the ACT, I would like to extend a warm invitation to all families to help us celebrate on Friday 8 March.
- 9.30am K – 6 Whole School Mass (Catholic Schools Week Award)
- 10.30am BYO Picnic Morning Tea (School grounds)
- 11.00am – 12.00pm Open Classrooms
The St John’s Catholic Schools Week Award will be presented during Mass. One student in each class will be acknowledged and presented with a certificate by Fr Francis. The award recipients will be those students who consistently demonstrate our Catholic values and the school motto, Love One Another.
I look forward to celebrating Catholic Schools Week with you.
Let me humbly place myself in the presence of my God, of my God who created me, my God who redeemed me, my God who sanctified me. (1929)
ASH WEDNESDAY
Today is Ash Wednesday and students in K-2 attended a liturgy and students in Years 3-6 attended Mass. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of our Lenten season - a season of fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Lent prepares us for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday. On Ash Wednesday we receive ashes on our forehead. The ashes symbolise the dust from which God made us. As the ashes are applied to a person's forehead, he speaks the words: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" or alternatively he may say "Repent and believe in the Gospel". The ashes are made from blessed palm branches, taken from the previous year's Palm Sunday Mass. The rich symbolism contained in the signing of the cross in ashes on our foreheads today, reminds us to turn back to God who is full of tenderness and compassion.
PROJECT COMPASSION - CARITAS
Ash Wednesday also begins Caritas’ Project Compassion Appeal. Caritas is the international aid and development agency of the Catholic Church in Australia. Each Lent Caritas launches its Project Compassion appeal – a practical way of bringing to life our campaign of Christian service. Lent sharpens our awareness of prayer and the importance of doing good work and acting selflessly and with compassion. The theme for Project Compassion 2019 is based around hope and giving Lent 100% in the name of hope. Hope is one of the three pillars of Christian virtue. The other two being faith and charity. It is a powerful force for good and often helps to transform lives. Hope helps us to face life’s challenges and sustains us as we work alongside the most marginalised and vulnerable communities to achieve better lives. Based on God’s love for all, hope enables us to rise above our fears and helps those in great need to shape a better future for their communities.
2019 Project Compassion Prayer
Creator God,
You are our constant hope! In the season of Lent, you call us to prayer, fasting and love of those most marginalised.
As a community of faith and courage, let our gifts to Project Compassion be symbols of hope and solidarity with our one human family. Accompany us as we journey with Jesus to bring ‘good news’ to all creation and ready our hearts to work for the common good of all your people. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen
KINDER AND YEAR 6 WEEKEND MASS
On Sunday 24 February, many of our Kinder and Year 6 students attended Mass with their families. Thank you to all who were able to come, it was especially lovely for Kinder to have so many of their Year 6 buddies there. Thank you also to the children who were able to sing with Andrew Chinn - you did an amazing job.
PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM
Enrolments have now been taken for the Sacrament of Penance. This weekend those enrolled will attend Mass to publicly commit themselves to the preparation program for this Sacrament. Candidates and their families can attend either the Saturday night vigil Mass at 5pm or the Sunday 9:30am Mass.
Please pray for the children who are to make their First Reconciliation:
Loving God,
Help us to teach our children that you love us totally and unconditionally.
Help us to encourage our children to grow in love and to learn how to say sorry, knowing that you always forgive.
Give us the courage to pray with our children and to share our faith with them as we journey together.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
YEAR 6 REMINDER
A reminder to parents and carers of Year 6 students to please send in as soon as possible the slip indicating whether you are intending to make the Sacrament of Confirmation this year. Thank you to those who have already done so.
COMING EVENTS
- DIOCESAN EDUCATION MASS - March 7, 6:30pm - GOOD SAMARITAN CHURCH, FAIRY MEADOW
- PARISH MASS – K-6 ATTENDING – March 8, 9:30am – CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK MASS
- 1stSUNDAY OF LENT - March 10
- PARISH MASS – YEAR 3 ATTENDING – March 15, 9:30am
- RECONCILIATION – 5G ATTENDING – March 15, 11:15am
STAGE WEEKEND MASSES (WITH ANDREW CHINN)
Once a term, we invite particular year groups to attend the weekend parish Mass (although of course all families are encouraged and welcome to attend). Andrew Chinn, a well-known singer and musician, attends this Mass, leading our singing with the children.
- Term 2 - Saturday May 18, 5pm - STAGE 3
- Term 3 - Saturday 7 September, 5pm - STAGE 2
- Term 4 - to be advised
PARISH CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST
A reminder of weekend Parish Mass times for St John the Evangelist, Dapto. Fr Francis loves to see our families there.
- Saturday Vigil 5.00 pm
- Sunday 7.30 am
- Sunday 9.30 am
- Sunday 6.00 pm
PRAYER INTENTIONS
We pray for all families in our school community who are in need of our prayers.
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, pray for us.
St John the Evangelist, pray for us.
Kylie Crowe – Religious Education Coordinator
Each classroom has a Project Compassion box and/or a set of donation envelopes to support Caritas Australia this Lenten season — the theme is “Give Lent 100%”. This year’s Project Compassion showcases the many ways Caritas Australia works around the world with their local partners to offer hope to people most vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice.
As Pope Francis said,
“The future does have a name… and its name is hope.”
Through your generosity during Project Compassion this year, you are empowering communities with hope and helping those in great need to shape a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
Lives change when we all give 100%.
Applications for enrolment for Kindergarten 2020 are now available from the school office. Alternatively, they can be downloaded from our school website.
Click here for further information
Children are eligible for enrolment if they turn 5 before 30 June 2020.
Children in Years 3 & 5 throughout Australia will be sitting for the NAPLAN Assessment from 14 May to 24 May. Parents who would like to know more about the NAPLAN assessment are encouraged to visit the website:
SPB4L 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 that are:
Our SPB4L focus for weeks 6 and 7:
- Walking to and from playgrounds during break times
- Lining up procedures at the end of break times
- Putting away playground equipment
- Picking up own equipment
Congratulations to the following students who were seen by staff following our school rules in the playground:
Week 4
Kindergarten |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Evangelist Campus |
| Lily | Preston | Kahn | Indianna T | Cayless D |
| Everly | Samantha | Blake H | Jacob W | Simon F |
| Luke R |
Week 5
Kindergarten |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Evangelist Campus |
| Avah | Joel M | Jacob | Ethan M | Jesse |
| Ashton | Isabelle | Cooper | Jessica W | |
| Jordan | Jaida | |||
| Febin B |
The increased use of car lines by parents and carers has prompted a reminder about our school procedures. To maintain the efficiency of the school pick-up zones, we request that family nameplates be displayed in cars as they approach the afternoon pick-up zone. Teachers on car lines will more efficiently be able to identify the vehicle directing the children safely to the correct vehicle. The nameplate can be attached to the sun visor of your car or placed on the dash and held up so as to be seen by the teachers who will, in turn, announce the family name.
To request a family nameplate, parents and carers are invited to complete the online form by accessing the following link https://goo.gl/forms/L1KuKhqKB9Kj49wq1
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Parents and Friends Association was held last Tuesday night. Thank you to the parents who attended the meeting. At the meeting, all positions were declared vacant and a new executive committee elected.
Congratulations to the P&F Executive Committee for 2019:
President – Therese Ly, Vice President – Jodie Maloney, Secretary & Diocesan Delegate – Lisa Green and Treasurer – John Iverson.
In congratulating the 2019 P&F executive I would like to acknowledge and thank the outgoing secretary, Belinda Neilson her commitment to the association and support over many years.
The next meeting will take place on Friday 10 May. In a change the past meeting format, we will be hosting a breakfast meeting from 7:30 am. Further details will be provided closer to the date.
Spring Fair Parent Survey
After a year of alternate P&F fundraising events last year, we are considering whether we host the Spring Fair again for 2019.
This event takes a lot of commitment, time and planning. To move forward with a Spring Fair this year we are asking for prior commitment from families to ensure we can make the event a success. We are asking for a person or group of people who would be willing to take on the planning of the event. In addition to this, we need parents to advise how they will help with the event, either in the day or in the days prior. The Spring Fair would be held over the first weekend of September.’
Yours sincerely
Therese Ly
P&F President
The following dates have been planned as Staff Development Days for St John’s this year. Being Staff Development Days they are pupil free days, so children do not attend school.
| Term 2 | Monday 27 April |
| Term 3 | Monday 20 July |
| Term 4 | TBA |
To the following students who are celebrating their birthday in March — we wish you a very happy birthday and hope you have a great day.
| Kinder | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
| Emma K | Millicent W | Lino B | Evelyn Z | Millie M | Dylan D | Kaytlan G |
| Zoe M | Noah P | Isabel L | Indie G | Jessica D | Mia T | Ella C |
| Ashton B | Khloe G | Alyssa M | Levi E | Sienna J | Laura F | Febi B |
| Samantha M | Anna L | Ryder T | Lily B | Brandon F | Cohen L | |
| Lucy B | Cooper D | Melia P | Jasper I | Ryan O | Kaliya A | |
| Raine P | Lucas E | Thomas B | Anaya E | Elijah B | ||
| Emily Z | Pavithra S | Jasmin W | Bailey T | |||
| Joshua A | Kurtis S | |||||
| Heidi L | Gemma C | |||||
| Olivia S-A | Peyton B | |||||
| Jackson J | Erin H | |||||
| Elise B | ||||||
| Miki G | ||||||
| Mia T |
Again, this year every Wednesday will be a ‘Waste Free Wednesday’, where students are encouraged to make a conscious effort to bring a plastic free lunch box. Waste free means only packing items that can be composted or recycled and that won’t end up in the garbage bin. That means, no plastic wrap, no foil, no zip lock bags and no packaged foods.
It can be tricky in packing waste free, but it’s not impossible. You’ll need some containers – a lunch box with a variety of compartments works well or a few smaller containers to hold different snacks. Paper bags also come in handy – they can be recycled or composted, so they don’t need to be added to the garbage.
You can find out more at: https://healthy-kids.com.au/waste-free-lunch/
Book Club - Issue 2 has been handed out to students. Please have your order in by Friday 15 March 2019. Don't forget, you can order online at scholastic.com.au/LOOP or by using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. There are great rewards and promotions exclusive to ordering through LOOP.
Resilience is a term used increasingly and refers to one’s ability to manage our response to disappointment and challenging times. We all want our children to be resilient enough to cope with the hardships of life that will inevitably come their way.
Parents and carers are in the best position to influence their children’s resilience. Children watch our reactions to adverse events and view first-hand how we look after – or neglect – our own mental health and wellbeing.
The following is a short clip presented by Michael Grose from Parenting Ideas, in which he discusses resilience and the daily opportunities that we a presented with, to support the development of resilience in our children.
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08 Mar 2019
9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
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08 Mar 2019
9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
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08 Mar 2019
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