Dear Parents and Carers,

As we approach the end of another term, I'd like to once again thank you for your continued support and involvement in the life of our school. Your children have worked incredibly hard this term, displaying remarkable moments of growth in faith, learning and wellbeing. As we look forward to the upcoming break, I encourage you to take time to rest, rejuvenate and create opportunities to have fun with your children.

Yesterday, we were blessed with beautiful weather for our Athletics Carnival. Thank you to Mrs Atkins, Mrs Mitchell, the Athletics Committee and the many helpers who volunteered to assist, without your support, such school events would not be possible. A special thank you must also go to the P & F Executive for organising the sausage sizzle and coffee van, resulting in many happy students, staff and parents. It was a gorgeous day at Beaton Park and so lovely to have many parents, carers and grandparents in attendance. Event place getters, age champions and the winning house will all be announced at a special assembly to be held on Thursday 20 July (12:00pm – Term 3, Week 1).

Semester 1 Reports are now available for viewing on the Compass portal (Years 1 to 6). Please look for opportunities to celebrate the successes and achievements of your child. There is much to celebrate! In reading the reports, I would like to offer my congratulations to all students for their demonstrated commitment to their learning and effort in being respectful, responsible and safe each and every day.

Thank you also to our incredible staff for their enthusiasm and passion for providing a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment. They continue to work extremely hard in differentiating learning as well as supporting the pastoral and well-being needs of all students.

Parents, carers and grandparents are most welcome to join us for the end of term mass at 9:30am this Friday. Following mass, Term 2 Principal Awards will be presented to the recipients listed below. Congratulations to all children who will be receiving a Principal Award, it is an amazing achievement.

Please note that school resumes on Tuesday 18 July, as Monday 17 July is a staff spirituality day (pupil free day).

Have a happy, relaxing and safe holiday break.

Kind regards
Mr Matt Downes
Acting Principal

Always remember to love one another.
Mary MacKillop (1881)

Vinnie’s Winter Appeal Donations

The Mini Vinnie’s team have organised for St John’s to support the Vinnie’s Winter Appeal. We are asking our families to bring in items that are most needed at the present moment, by Friday 21st of July (Term 3, Week 1). These include:

• Beanies
• Gloves
• Scarves
• Toiletries -  toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, shampoo

There will be a ‘Winter Woollies Mufti/Oodie Day’ on Friday the 21st of July. Students are encouraged to give a financial donation to support the appeal and to wear their winter woolly clothes (along with enclosed shoes and school hat). St Vincent de Paul Society and the Mini Vinnie’s team appreciate your support of the Winter Appeal. Financial donations can be made via this link:

The Year 6 Leadership Team and Mini Vinnies Team will also be having a Winter Sleepout Event to come together in solidarity and give up time on one night to be in their warm, comfortable house to help raise funds and awareness about homelessness and disadvantage in our very own backyard.

Save the Date

Our Grandparents Mass/Open Classroom Date is Friday the 4th of August at 9:30. More information will be sent out next term.

Fr Francis

This week is the anniversary of Fr Francis’ Ordination. We are truly blessed to have Fr Francis lead our Parish. We are eternally thankful for the gift of our priest who has served the St John’s Parish.

Dear Lord, as we celebrate his priestly Anniversary, we pray that You will continue growing his faith in You. Let him continue believing in Your mighty deeds and serving Your church. Renew within him your Holy Spirit to guide and show him the right path. We pray that he will always keep the anointing of serving You. Continue blessing him with a good heart and good health, and let your name be glorified through this priest. Receive this prayer of thanksgiving to God in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

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.

Netball Gala Day

Congratulations to all the teams who represented St John's at the Netball Gala Day! Your commitment to teamwork, sportsmanship, and fair play is commendable, and you have exemplified the values that St John's stands for. Well done, and may your future endeavours in netball be filled with success and joy!

Athletics Carnival

Congratulations

Congratulations to Cooper for trialling at the Diocese of Wollongong Rugby Union.

Congratulations to Ash on his selection for the MacKillop Boys Softball Team.

Dear Parents and Carers,

As you may be aware, the Catholic Education Office, Wollongong, has commenced the recruitment process for a permanent Principal for St John's. As per standard practice when a Principal Position is advertised, an informal meeting is arranged to seek feedback from the community.  
 
This meeting has been organised with Natasha O'Donoghue Assistant Director - People and Culture, Brendan Hall the Team Leader - Recruitment in People and Culture, and Anna Cindric Head of Continuous Catholic School Improvement, to take place on Friday 30th June from 2.00pm - 2.40pm in the Joseph Room, please enter by the main office gate on Jerramatta Street.  
 
This meeting will provide all parents, carers and key members of the St John's community with an opportunity to ask any questions or provide feedback as part of the overall recruitment process. If you are unable to attend but would like to provide feedback or have questions, you are welcome to contact CEO via email to elizabeth.psarris@dow.catholic.edu.au

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mrs Tory Wilson
SSSO

TICKETS -- SESSION 1 https://bit.ly/sjd-disco-session1

TICKETS -- SESSION 2 https://bit.ly/sjd-disco-session2

Every year in July, Australians come together to commemorate and appreciate the past, traditions, and accomplishments of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This nationwide celebration, known as National NAIDOC Week, offers a chance for all Australians to engage in festivities that honour the enduring cultures of the world's oldest continuous civilizations.

We are celebrating NAIDOC on Tuesday 25 July at 12pm in the school hall. All families and friends are welcome to attend.

Semester 1 Reports will be available via Compass on Wednesday 28 June for students in Years 1 – 6.  Kindergarten only receive an end-of-year report (Semester 2). Reports (Years 1 – 6) 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 Key Learning Area (KLA) has an overall grade that is determined by the teacher after considering the evidence of each student’s learning and the standard on the Common Grade Scale it reflects. Overall grades are not determined by averaging performance on strands within a KLA. In many cases more time has been dedicated to learning in one strand over others and this contributes significantly to the balanced judgement a teacher is required to make in order to award an overall grade. 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. 

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 included on the front of the report.

Strands

The term ‘strands’ refers to the breakdown of learning within each KLA with the options Extensive, Thorough, Sound, Limited, and Basic for teachers to indicate the performance of the student within each strand. Over a reporting period, some strands will have a greater focus than others, which will impact the overall grade for the KLA. In some KLAs not every strand will be covered in each reporting period; those that are not covered will not appear on the report.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Semester 1 Reports will be available on Compass for all students in Year 1 to Year 6 on Wednesday 28 June.

St. John's has a limited number of older iPads — Air2 iPads 16GB storage, which are available free of charge for families who may be interested in them. Only one iPad per family is allowed, and they will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

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

How to use live AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad