Dear Parents and Carers,

Last Friday, the St John’s community celebrated Grandparents’ Day with mass, morning tea and open classrooms. It was a beautiful event, and the staff and students enjoyed sharing their classrooms with the many parents, carers and grandparents who attended. Thank you to Fr Francis for leading the celebration of the Eucharist and making many last-minute adjustments so we could accommodate the hundreds of visitors.
 
On Tuesday, we celebrated the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop with a liturgy in our school hall. On this day, we give thanks for the life of Mary MacKillop, her influence on our world, and her legacy as a woman of inspiration and deep faith. Mary MacKillop founded the Sisters of St Joseph and together they responded to the educational needs of poor and isolated children, establishing schools across Australia. I would like to acknowledge and thank Sr Narelle, who is continuing the work of her sisters at St John’s in supporting the pastoral needs of our students and their families.
 
On Thursday, 3 August, the school leadership team presented the self-review report to a panel of educational experts for the School Cyclic Inquiry. This Friday the panel will return to ask clarifying questions in regards to the self-review and to seek feedback from the children during learning walks and talks. We will not host an afternoon merit award assembly this Friday because the panel will be meeting with the leadership team to affirm and identify key school priorities for the benefit of our students. 
 
We are approaching a difficult time for our school community as we near the one-year anniversary of Cooper’s passing. Grief is a unique process to each person and is experienced and expressed differently by each individual. Everyone experiences grief at some stage in their life. There is no specific time limit for grief — it takes as long as it takes. I have attached a resource that may support you in helping your child deal with grief when the time arises. The ‘Grief Resource Workbook’ supports children in understanding the stages of grief during different times of the year and how activities towards hope, understanding and gratitude can assist them. 
 
Please continue to keep Cooper’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. If your child requires support from our school counsellor in dealing with grief, I encourage you to contact me via the school office.

 
Kind regards,

Mr Matt Downes
Acting Principal

Let no obstacle deter us from proceeding with courage.
Mary MacKillop (1883)

Grandparents Mass

Thank you to all who attended our Grandparents Mass, shared recess and open classrooms. The students were thrilled to host you and there was a lot of excitement in the school. Please enjoy some photos below of the day.

Feast of The Assumption of Mary - 15th August

On Tuesday, 15 August, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this Feast, Catholics traditionally celebrate Mary going to heaven. The tradition is that ‘God took Mary, body and soul, to heaven after her life on earth had come to an end’.

There is little description of Mary in the Scriptures. What we do know, however, is that she was a woman of deep faith, trust and service. In the Gospel of Luke, we see Mary chosen by God to bring Christ into the world. She is with Jesus at his birth, nurtures him in childhood, is present during his ministry, witnesses his death, and stands with the early Church as it grows and proclaims the Good News. In the Gospel of Luke, Mary gives these words, which we call the Magnificat:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.”
(Luke 1:46-49)

We look to Mary as a role model in our everyday life. As we celebrate this Feast Day, we also ask the Blessed Mother of Mary to guide, protect and care for us, as well as teach us to have compassion for one another and treat others how you yourself would like to be treated.

2023 Reconciliation (First Penance) & First Holy Communion (Eucharist) Sacramental Dates

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.

South Coast Athletics Carnival

The students from St John's showcased remarkable behavior and sportsmanship. They navigated a bustling day, ensuring that every student participated in their respective races without a hitch. The students' performance was truly impressive. Special appreciation goes to Mrs O'Brien, who took on the role of 'parent official' for shot put in two age groups, and to Mrs Nyers, who later stepped in to assist. Both were instrumental in event supervision and maintaining event schedules.

Congratulations to the students who are going to the Selection Trials next Tuesday. They finished top 4 in their event:

• Jaxon D — 8yrs 100m 3rd
• Emily Z — Jnr Discus 4th
• Ruby St C — 11yrs High Jump 4th
• Lillyanna D — 11yrs Discus 1st
• Aiden S — 11yrs 100m 2nd
• Gianni O — 11ys Long Jump 2nd; Shot Putt 2nd; High Jump 1st; Discus 1st; 100m 1st; 200m 1st;
• Lucas F — Snr Long Jump 4th

Special mention to these students who did very well in their results and just missed out on competing at the next level:

• Henry P — 8yrs 100m Final 7th
• Larni M — 8yrs 100m 9th overall just missed being in the final by 1 place
• Emily Z — Jnr High Jump 5th
• Rachel D — 11 yrs 100m Final 6th
• Lillyanna D — 11yrs Shot Put 5th
• Georgia K — Snr High Jump 5th
• Jordan M — Snr Discus 5th

Congratulations

Kudos to Gianni for his exceptional achievement and for being crowned the champion in the 11 years old age category.

Dates for Term 3

Wollongong Diocesan Athletics Selection Trials	15 August
Basketball Gala Day Juniors (Years 3 & 4)	14 September
Basketball Gala Day Seniors (Years 5 & 6)	15 September

Soccer Gala Day

Congratulations

Year 2 students embarked on an exciting expedition to Sydney Aquarium and Wildlife Zoo, experiencing both aquatic wonders and land-dwelling creatures. The day offered a double dose of excitement, with the students marvelling at the diverse marine species in the mesmerising aquarium. They delighted in the colourful fish and majestic rays, even walking through a tunnel surrounded by graceful sharks. Transitioning to the Wildlife Zoo, they encountered various land animals. This dual experience deepened their connection to marine and terrestrial ecosystems, leaving them inspired and fostering a holistic understanding of the natural world. The excursion undoubtedly left a lasting memory of discovery and inspiration for the Year 2 students.

Many thanks to Mr Nyers (father of Isabelle, Celeste, Juliet and Reuben) for repairing the school netball ring following the request in the previous newsletter.

Grandparents' Day honours the diverse range of grandparent connections prevalent across various age sets, cultural heritages, and geographic regions. As we celebrated Grandparents' Day with delight, we were also thrilled to extend our welcome to parents and guardians.

The day commenced with a touching and significant mass led by Father Francis, followed by a pleasant morning picnic tea. Afterwards, grandparents were warmly invited to explore the classrooms and directly participate in their grandchildren's educational activities and classroom experiences. We extend our gratitude to everyone who participated in today's event; your presence on this special day brought immense happiness to your grandchildren/children at the school.

Effective Term 4, 2023

The current economic climate has resulted in rising costs for raw materials, production, and transportation, which directly affects our garments. We understand that an increase in uniforms concerns families and want to assure you that we have carefully reviewed prices in relation to the cost of each garment. Please note that these are variable as they are dependent on the specifications of each item, including source, composition, construction, and volume. Lowes continues to explore alternative production methods to offer cost-saving solutions.

To minimise the impact on families, we have capped the increases for your distinctive garments and will continue to offer 20% off during our sale days.

In order to assist parents in ensuring their children have the optimal opportunity for a radiant smile, the government provides the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). This program grants eligible children access to dental services valued at $1,000 over a span of two years.

menALIVE Raising Fathers Evening 2023
You are invited to a special evening event on 28 August 2023 in Campbelltown with Robert Falzon from menALIVE, as he unpacks practical advice and shares stories that are powerfully important, informative, and instructional for fathering in today’s world.

In an age where there is training to do almost everything, there are so many fathers who are in desperate need of tips and tools to do one of the most important and impactful tasks on earth – Fathering! – and this evening will be a source of great formation and encouragement for dads.

For more information and bookings visit: DOW Raising Fathers Evening.

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