Dear Parents/Carers

Welcome to the new school year. I hope that the holiday break was enjoyable and that you are filled with hope and optimism for the year ahead. The challenges that we all navigated last year are hopefully behind us now and with that in mind, we can embrace the new school year with excitement and enthusiasm. Our new school facilities are amazing and during the holiday break, the installation of the new playground area was completed. I’m sure that you have probably heard about it from your children. They love it! All in all, it has been a calm start to the new year, with lots of smiles and the sharing of holiday experiences.

My sincere thanks for your effort in ensuring that your children are wearing the correct school uniform, particularly the sports shoes and are equipped ready for school. Our focus during the first days of school has been to revisit our non-negotiable expectations of being Respectful, Responsible and Safe and establishing procedures and practices for our daily operation, ensuring a successful transition back to school for all children. It is normal for some children to take time to adjust to their new teacher, classroom as well as the routine of school.

A very warm welcome also to the 16 new students and their families who have commenced at St John’s this year as well as the 84 Kindergarten students who will commence ‘Big School’ tomorrow. While families may feel a little overwhelmed with all that comes with new beginnings, we are here to support you. I’m confident that you will feel welcomed and that your experience will be positive and supportive. If at any time, you require clarification on any school-related matter, please don’t hesitate and contact the school office.

COVID Guidelines continued to be implemented as directed to ensure that students, staff and parents remain safe at all times. You are asked to follow the directions of the staff and maintain physical distancing at all times, particularly during after school pick up. We all look forward to a time when restrictions ease, but until such time, parent/carer attendance at assemblies, liturgies and other celebrations is still not permitted.

Parent/Carer Information evenings are permitted to go ahead under the updated COVID Guidelines. Details were shared with all parents/carers yesterday and have been included in the newsletter. I’m hopeful that they will be well attended and I look forward to seeing you. 

Following a tender process in Term 4 2020, the school canteen services have been awarded to the contractor 'Made Fresh'. The canteen will open on Monday 8 February, operate five days a week from 8:00 am with breakfast options and online ordering for your convenience. The new canteen menu is also included in this edition of the newsletter.

I ask that you please keep in your thoughts and prayers the Dellifiori family, following the passing of Jason Dellifiori, father to Lillyannah, Mason and Jaxon. Also, the Caroisi and Nyers families who have both been saddened by the loss of a much loved family member.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Heffernan
Principal

“Begin once more in real earnestness.”
Mary MacKillop 1881 

THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD – Tuesday 2nd February

Jewish law stipulated that within forty days of a child's birth the parents should present their baby in the temple as an act of thanksgiving. In the Bible the number forty always indicates a time of formation. So forty days after Christmas the Church has this feast. The word ‘presentation’ is used in two revealing ways these days. In psychology they talk about a ‘presenting problem’. In medicine people are said to ‘present’ with certain symptoms. In both cases, the word presentation is used to indicate that something more important lies beneath what is first observed. Further investigation reveals the deeper causes and the best course of action. So to us. We present ourselves in the temple today and it's important we remember that we do have to put on a show for God. God does not need a performance from us; God invites us to an encounter of love. Seeing that God knows us intimately it's crazy that we should be anything but ourselves before him. But we sometimes go through the pretence of dressing things up, pretending otherwise or putting on a show. May Jesus' presentation enable us to let pass in peace any need to act before God, but rather embrace a new way of encountering God's presence, where we own just how we are, and not how we would like to be. When we do this, we can enjoy the possibilities of a rich, deep and realistic relationship with God.

Richard Leonard – Liturgy Help

THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES – February 11

On February 11, the Catholic Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, recalling a series of 18 appearances that the Blessed Virgin Mary made to a 14-year-old French peasant girl, Saint Bernadette Soubirous. The Marian apparitions began on February 11, 1858 and ended on July 16 that year. They received the local bishop's approval after a four-year inquiry. The Virgin Mary's appearances at Lourdes turned the town into a popular travel destination. Thousands of people say their medical conditions have been cured through pilgrimage, prayer and the water flowing from a spring to which St. Bernadette was directed by the Blessed Virgin. Experts have verified 69 cases of miraculous healing at Lourdes since 1862.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com

CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST

Due to COVID-19 restrictions and following directives from the government and the Bishops office, St John’s Church is limited to 112 people.  This does not include Clergy or essential members (Clergy, sacristan, Altar Servers, musicians, and usher). We have now introduced a new way to record attendances at mass using a QR code.  You will no longer be required to pre-register for masses but your attendance will still need to be recorded when you come to the church and it will be capped at the amount of people allowed in the church.  Many people will already be familiar with using your smart phone using QR code to sign in.  At St John’s there will be signs in the foyer with a QR code and instructions on how to sign in.  You will need to scan the QR code with your smartphone and show the attendance monitor once you have signed in. This electronic form has been made as simple as possible.   If you do not have a smart phone or are unsure how to go about this, the attendance monitor will be at the door to assist you with this process or sign in for you. If you have an android phone you will need to download a free QR scanner from the Playstore. Please ensure that you allow time on arrival to go through this process before mass.

Don't forget that you can also participate in one or more of the many online Masses livestreamed throughout our diocese. Check out our diocesan website for all the links.

ADULT SPIRITUALITY

“Ripples: Inspired Voices, Treasured Stillness”

In response to the current Covid-19 situation, a significant initiative has been developed by the Catholic Education Office CLEM (Catholic Life, Education and Mission) team for staff and parents to support our ongoing personal spiritual formation. It is a new podcast series entitled ‘Ripples: Inspired Voices, Treasured Stillness’. Ripples seeks to offer a space where people can draw on the wisdom of a series of guest speakers and can experience some treasured stillness through meditation. Practices like these create a ripple effect. They have the potential to impact the way we respond to family, friends, colleagues, to others in our world, to creation and to our loving God.

PRAYER INTENTIONS

We pray for all families in our school community who are in need of our prayers, as well as our country and world.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, pray for us.
St John the Evangelist, pray for us.

Kylie Crowe
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 that are:

Thank you for your continued support of the school uniform policy. As a general reminder, it is expected that all students are in the correct school uniform daily. The policy explicitly outlines the school uniform required for both boys and girls enrolled at St John's. On the rare occasion, that your child cannot wear the correct uniform, a written explanation should be provided to their teacher.

The policy also includes expectations on the wearing of jewellery, nail polish, make-up and haircuts. All long hair MUST be tired back, regardless of gender. The emphasis is on neat and tidy hairstyles and extreme haircuts (mohawks), as well as coloured hair, are not permitted.

School uniforms are expensive and the school is always ready to provide financial assistance to families in this regard, ensuring no family is disadvantaged. Please contact the school office on 4261 4611 for further assistance.

Sports uniform days will be: 

• Tuesday - Kindergarten, Year 2 Green, Year 3
• Wednesday -  Year 2 Blue, Year 5, Year 6
• Thursday - Year 1, Year 2 Red, Year 4
• Friday - all classes (Kindergarten to Year 6)

On Friday 12 February at 11:30 am our 2021 student leaders and Mini Vinnies Team will be officially inducted at a special liturgy. Unfortunately, the current COVID Guidelines will not permit parents/carers to be onsite to attend the liturgy. Therefore, we are planning to record the liturgy for the school community. Further information will be provided closer to the event.

The P&F Annual General Meeting will be held in the Library on Tuesday 23 February at 7 pm. The primary purpose of the P&F is to provide an opportunity for parents to be involved in the school through social events, fundraising and support for school initiatives.

At the meeting, all positions will be declared vacant and an election will take place. If any parent wishes to nominate themselves or someone else for any of the positions, please complete the form (link below) and return it to the school office by Friday 19 February addressed to the Principal. I look forward to seeing you all at the meeting.

• School Swimming Carnival – Friday 19 February
• South Coast Regional Swimming Carnival – Tuesday 2 March
• School Cross Country Carnival – Friday 26 March
• Diocesan Cross Country Carnival – Tuesday 27 April

Primary Swimming Carnival

St John’s Primary Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday, 19 February. Attendance is compulsory for all Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 students. Novelty events will be run on the day. Each primary grade attending one session. Primary non-swimmers are included in these activities.

Entry is also open to Year 2 students who will be turning 8 this year to compete in 50 metre events. Year 2 students must be very competent 50 metre swimmers and in swim squad. Students compete in their age group for freestyle and for all other strokes compete in junior (8, 9 & 10 years), 11 years and senior (12 & 13 years) categories. We look forward to a great day of participation, fun and sportsmanship.

Permission note and entry form link will be sent home via Compass this week.

What to Wear: Full School Sports Uniform, fully enclosed joggers, school hat, sunscreen, swimming costume (worn under sports clothes) and goggles/swim cap (if required). 

What to bring: 

• Water
• Recess, Lunch – please do not pack any food products containing nuts
• Sunscreen 
• Towel 

Dapto Pool Canteen will be open.

Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions and Catholic Education Office guidelines, no spectators will be permitted at the carnival. Normal school arrival and dismissal procedures will remain in place. Children will return to school after the carnival for dismissal procedures. 

School fees have been invoiced to families and they are available to view in the Compass Parent Portal.  We anticipate that school fee statements will be issued by email within the next 10 days.  We apologise for the delay in distribution of statements, which was unanticipated and due to system issues.  For your information payment requirements are as follows:

• For families who pay annually, payment in full is due on 28 February 2021.
• For families that have submitted a Request to Pay by Instalment or who previously had a School Fee Agreement in place, a schedule of the required payments and the due date will be issued with school fee statements.  The first instalment payment will be due on 28 February, 2021.  Parents may commence payments earlier if they wish, however, it is important that any existing regular payment is equal to the instalment amount provided on the schedule and that payment is made on or before the due dates on the schedule.  Reference should be made to the Request to Pay by Instalments on the school’s website for conditions relating to payment in this manner. 
• For families who have a Fee Concession in place, you will be contacted prior to your review date to complete annual documentation and arrange an interview with the Principal.  If you have a current payment plan in place, and you are unable to increase your payments to meet your 2021 school fees, you may continue to make these payments until your next review date.
• Parents should be aware that our new accounting system will send automatic reminders for overdue payments.

The following documents are available on the school’s website for the information of families:

• Diocesan School Fee Management Policy
• Diocesan Frequently Asked Questions
• Diocesan Request to Pay by Instalments
• Information regarding school Fees at our school

Parents and carers are reminded that the area surrounding St John’s is designated as a School Zone. Police and Council Rangers constantly patrol the area and they will have no hesitation in prosecuting drivers for driving offences.

All NSW school zones are sign-posted with regulatory signs that list the operating times of the school zones. 

For the safety of all, please ensure that you adhere to the signage and following the directions of our School Crossing Supervisor.

Full list of School Zone offences are available from the RMS website.

Following advice and the CEDoW COVID-19 Directives in Schools Term 1.

Our school bubblers are now permitted to be turned on. Students are encouraged to still use their own water bottles and use the bubbles to refill their water bottles during the day.

To the following students who celebrated their birthday in January, and the students celebrating their birthday in February — we wish you a very happy birthday and hope you had/have a great day.

Dear Parents/Carers,

The best gift any parent can give a child is the love of books and the joy and benefits of independent reading for fun. Children who read at home, or are read to, have a head start on reading success in school.

Our school is participating in Scholastic Book Club this year. Up to twice a term, during the school year, we will send home a Club catalogue with a different selection of books offered for all ages.

You’ll find award-winning books and bestsellers, as well as old and new favourites. We recommend them because the books span a wide range of children’s reading levels and interests and because they are inexpensive (some books cost as little as $2).

It is easy to order. The Book Club LOOP platform for parents allows you to pay by credit card. Your child’s order is submitted directly to school safe and sound and the books will be delivered to class. You can place your child’s order at scholastic.com.au/LOOP or using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. 

Each order helps earn free books and teaching materials for our classrooms, however there is never any obligation to order. We know of no better way to encourage reading than to allow children to choose the books they want to read. 

Sincerely,
Book Club Organisers