Dear Parents and Carers,

It is National Reconciliation Week, a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements and explore how we can contribute to reconciliation in Australia. This year’s theme for Reconciliation Week: “Be A Voice for Generations” encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise. On Friday 2 June, we will acknowledge Reconciliation Week with a special liturgy at 12:00pm in the school hall, parents and carers are warmly invited to attend.  The weekly merit award assembly will follow the liturgy at 12:30pm.

Thank you for your support in ensuring the children come to school each day neatly dressed in their full winter uniform. As we enter into the colder months please remember to check and relabel your child’s clothing, especially school jumpers and hats.

It is the time of year when teachers are busy preparing Semester 1 Reports. On Wednesday 28 June, parents and carers will be notified by a Compass alert that reports are available for viewing. Only students in Years 1 – 6 will receive a Semester 1 Report. Kindergarten parents and carers will have a learning conversation (Parent/teacher meeting) with their child's teacher. Bookings for Kindergarten Learning Conversations are now open and can be booked via the ‘Conferences’ tab in Compass.
 
This Thursday our Year 6 students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Brian Mascord. The children, with the support of their families, have prepared for the reception of the Sacrament over many weeks and I congratulate them for their commitment during this most significant time in their faith journey.

‘Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.’

Thank you to Father Francis for his guidance and support and also Mrs Maguire (REC) for her work in planning and coordinating the Sacrament together with the Parish Catechists and the staff of St John's, who have assisted in many and varied ways.

Thank you for your ongoing support,
 
Mr Matt Downes
Acting Principal

Remember we are but travellers here.
Mary MacKillop 1867

Feast of The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - 31st May

We commemorate the Virgin Mary’s visit to her cousin, Elizabeth. The meeting of these two women was a joyful and unique event. Both found themselves pregnant in unusual circumstances ­– Elizabeth in her old age after suffering from infertility, and Mary by the Holy Spirit.

At their meeting, John the Baptist leaped in the womb of Elizabeth, and she blessed Mary and the Christ Child. Mary, in turn, responds with the famous Magnificat praising the Lord.

This visit is detailed in Luke 1:39- 55:

During those days Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in haste to the town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:
 
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my saviour.
For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

(Sourced  from National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception)

Confirmation - 1st June

Tomorrow 39 St John’s students and 62 candidates in total will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. We pray that they will be filled with the Gift of The Holy Spirit and continue Jesus’ mission of ‘Loving One Another’.

A Prayer for Our Confirmation Candidates

Lord, You send out Your Spirit to touch the hearts of all people,
so that they may believe in You and in Jesus whom You sent.
Look kindly on all candidates for Confirmation as they listen to Your voice.
Open their hearts to Your Spirit and bring to fulfilment the good work that You have begun in them.
As we prepare these children for Confirmation,
make each of us an instrument of Your love.
Teach us to appreciate what is holy in others,
and to be patient with what we do not understand.
Deepen our faith in the Gospel
and help us to pass it on by our example.
We pray that You will continue to guide us and sustain us.
 
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Most Holy Trinity - 4th June

The Feast of the Holy Trinity celebrates the mystery of God: we believe in one God in three persons. God is a communion. Throughout the Gospels we hear of the revelation of the Holy Trinity and we also hear of their unity: “The Father and I are one” (Jn 10:30); “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (Jn 14:23); “But when the Counsellor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses.” (Jn 15:26-27).

Dates for your diary

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 Joseph, Pray for us.
St John the Evangelist, pray for us.

Renee Maguire
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.

Cricket

Congratulations to the St John's cricket team following their win in Round 2 of the Mark Taylor Shield Knockout. Many are referring to the SJD team as the ‘Mighty Ducks’
of the cricketing world. Thank you to Mr Madaschi and Mr Maloney for their coaching of the team.

Diocesan Cross Country

On Tuesday 23 May, St John’s Cross Country team participated in the postponed Primary Cross Country Championships at Willandra, Nowra. The weather conditions were perfect, the students' participation, behaviour and spirit displayed on the day was great and all represented their school to a high standard.

Thank you to the parent helpers who acted as officials on the day and to Mr Madaschi for accompanying the team. 

Congratulations to Preston T who placed 3rd in the 11 year old boys. Preston has been selected to represent the Wollongong Diocese Primary School Cross Country Team at the 2023 NSWCPS Cross Country Event on Tuesday 13 June. We wish him well.   

Congratulations to the following students who competed at the Diocesan Cross Country event in Nowra.

St John’s Athletics Carnival

During next week, we will be having our Student Wellbeing Afternoons for Term 2. The dates for these afternoons are as follows:

Monday 5 June – Kindergarten, Year 1 & Year 2
Wednesday 7 June – Year 3 & Year 4
Thursday 8 June – Year 5 & Year 6

As with previous Student Wellbeing Afternoons, students will be able to choose and participate in fun and engaging activities that promote their wellbeing. As part of these Wellbeing Afternoons, the students will be provided with a sausage sizzle for lunch. All sausages will be gluten-free and gluten-free bread will be provided for students with a gluten intolerance. If your child does not eat sausage sizzles or requires more food for lunch than this, please ensure that you pack extra food in their lunchbox.

To help make these afternoons even more enjoyable, students are once again encouraged to wear mufti clothes to school on the day their grade has their wellbeing afternoon.

On behalf of the school community, we would like to thank the Parents and Friends Association for their support of this initiative by funding the cost of the sausage sizzle for the students.

We look forward to fun and enjoyable afternoons, promoting and supporting student wellbeing across the school.

Mrs Carberry will be taking long service leave for the remainder of Term 2. In her absence we welcome Mrs Lopez to the Gunyah team each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Thursday, 18th of May, St John's students, accompanied by Uncle Mark, Aunty Jo, Mrs Sheaffef, Mrs Maguire, and Miss Idstein, took part in the Careways Community Reconciliation Walk held at Lakeside Reserve. The event embraced the theme of this year's Reconciliation Week, which focused on the importance of 'Being a Voice for Generations'. During the event, we had the privilege of hearing an Elder Acknowledge Country and participated in a smoking ceremony. Afterwards, we strolled together towards the Koonawarra Community Centre, where we enjoyed a delightful sausage sizzle. It was truly a remarkable and meaningful day for all involved.

OTP Login for Mobile App

Users can now log into the Compass app with a one-time passcode using their mobile number or email address. This feature removes the need for a password, increases data protection and improves the app experience for parents and carers.

Learn more by clicking the link below.

https://www.compass.education/post/feature-update-otp-login-for-mobile-app

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

Dear Parents/Carers

Would you be more inclined to join the P&F Meeting on 25 July (7:00 pm), if there was the option to attend via Zoom?

FREE WEBINAR | On Wed 31 May, 7:30–8:00 pm, the ESafety Commissioner are running a free 30-minute webinar for parents and carers on Setting your child up for success online. This webinar will cover the following:

• age-appropriate expectations and boundaries
• online risks and strategies to keep your children safe
• where to find support for you and your child when things go wrong.

Register here
https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/1671877126416238091