Term 2, Week 6, 2 June 2022
Principal Message
We have just passed the half-way mark of the term. Over the last couple of weeks we have exploring Reconciliation Week with the students. The theme for 2022 is 'Be Brave. Make Change' and this is a challenge to us all to Be Brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can Make Change for all.
We are lucky enough to currently have local Bundjalung woman Jennah Browning with us as she completes her practical placement in Stage 3. Jennah spoke to all of the students during our reconciliation prayer assembly this week, and one thing that she discussed was that we are all Australians as we live in this country and as such, the history of our First Nations people is a significant part of Australian History. It is important for us to acknowledge the history of our country and be open to always learning more. We thank Jennah for sharing her knowledge with the school.
This week we welcome leadership teams and staff from two surrounding primary schools to St John's. Staff from Mt St Patrick's Primary in Murwillumbah and from St Joseph's in South Murwillumbah will join us on Thursday and Friday for some professional development around the work of Lyn Sharratt. We will also be joined by Staff from the Lismore Catholic Schools Office. It is all done electronically, so Lyn Sharratt will deliver the professional development via Zoom to all 20 participants. This is all part of an ongoing consultancy role that Lyn has had, and will continue to have, with schools in the Lismore Diocese. Please have a look at some of her work here - www.lynsharratt.com
Key Dates for Term 2
Please find below key dates for the remainder of Term 2 at this stage. Any additional dates will be communicated as they arise during the term.
- Monday 13th June: Queens Birthday Public Holiday.
- Friday 17th June: Vinnies Sleep out- Stage 2 and 3.
- Wednesday 29th June: St John's Silent Disco 5:30pm-7:30pm (Parent Forum Event).
- Friday 1st July: Last Day of Term 2.
Ongoing items to be conscious of during the term:
- School Assembly is taking place every Monday at 2:15pm. Parents Welcome
- The School newsletter will go out on Thursday in Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.
- Family Connect Worker Lisa Wood is in every Monday.
- School Tuckshop will be open every Friday.
Old'n Gold Festival - Please donate some books!
We are selling 2nd hand kids books as part of Old'n Gold festival in Bruns on 11th June. If you have any kids books lying around, please donate them to the school - they can just be dropped into the front office. We will sell the books for a gold coin on the day, with all proceeds going to the Old'n Gold chosen charity - flood relief.
We will be set up in the Bruns Catholic Church area as part of 'Ye Olde Church Fair' from 7am-2pm. It would be great to have some older St John's kids helping out on the day!
The Old'n Gold festival is all about selling 2nd hand goods and is raising money for flood victims this year, so it is for a great cause. For more information about the festival as a whole, please click here.
Murwillumbah Road Crossing
Since the start of the year I have been in discussions with Byron Shire Council regarding the unsafe location of the crossing outside of the school. Recently I received the concept sketches below (you can click on the file for a larger view). This is the draft concept for our consideration.
I would love for you to let me know what you think. Whether you think this will work or not work and/or any suggested changes that could be considered.
I have a meeting scheduled with the council on 7th June to discuss the concept, so would love to hear from you before then. Please email me at david.bermingham@lism.catholic.edu.au with any feedback.
Music Program at St John's
The Northern Rivers Conservatorium are currently still taking bookings for the music program here at St John's. Once enrolments in this program are finalised, we will organise a start date.
To enrol your child in these instrumental lessons please click this link - https://enrol.nrcac.edu.au/music-in-schools/new/ There is a drop down menu where you choose the school, so please choose St John's Primary School.
Please note that Daniel will still be conducting Piano lessons and as such, the program offered by Northern Rivers Conservatorium will not include Piano. If you would like to find out more information about the Piano lessons that we already currently offer, please give the office a call.
St John's After School Care & Vacation care
Council are seeking feedback about the St John's After School Care and Vacation Care service. Obviously we would love to keep it here at St John's as we do have families who rely on it!
If you intend to use it at any stage, or wish for us to keep it at St John's, please fill out the survey below. If you have already completed a paper copy from a couple of weeks ago, please complete again online as the questions have changed.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/
New England School Acquisitive Art Prize (UNESAP) competition
Congratulations to the following children who’s artwork has been entered into the University of New England School Acquisitive Art Prize (UNESAP) competition. All finalists will be notified by Thursday, June 2nd, 2022.
The exhibition will open on Friday, July 29th, 2022, at the New England Regional Art Museum in Armidale and all finalists' artwork will be on display until Sunday, August 14th, 2022.
We certainly have some talented artists here at St John’s! Thank you Arts Teacher Mrs Lisa Russell for her amazing work that she does with all classes.
Year 1 - Cecilia Wynne: Mixed Media Balloon Adventure
Year 2 - Georgia Harrington: Self Portait
Year 3 - Caleb Mangelson: Australian Food Crops
Year 5 - Will Harrington: My Great Grandfather
Year 6 - Kody Mangelson: Self Identity PortraitWe wish these students all the best!
Attendance
From time to time, it is important for us to reflect on attendance.
The statistics surrounding missed days of school and the impact that this can have on a child's learning and development is alarming.
Please have a look through some of these statistics in the pictures below.
Principals Awards week 6
Kind Regards,
Dave Bermingham
Assistant Principal Message
SRC Team Elected.
Mia, Kodi, Shanti-Rose
Rose, Mia……………..Colt and Tiana absent.
This week classes voted to elect a student representative to attend Student Representative Council (SRC) meetings and speak on their behalf. The SRC includes our three school captains plus a representative from years 5, 4, 3 and 2.
The SRC will meet every fortnight with me to discuss ideas to make the school better and solve problems that arise around the school. We are starting off with a busy agenda including:
- organising a talent quest
- formulating a set of guidelines for safe play on the new play equipment
- making a roster to ensure all kids get time on the play equipment.
I love working with the students in this capacity. It is one of many ways in which we aim to foster student voice, choice and agency at the school. The children continue to impress me with their sense of ownership of the school and their desire to make school a better place for all students.
St John’s Supports Reconciliation Week -
What’s it all about?
National Reconciliation Week—held every year from 27 May to 3 June—is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s colonial history is characterised by devastating land dispossession, violence, and racism. Over the last half-century, however, many significant steps towards reconciliation have been taken.
Reconciliation is an ongoing journey that reminds us that while generations of Australians have fought hard for meaningful change, future gains are likely to take just as much, if not more, effort.
Why is National Reconciliation Week important?
National Reconciliation Week provides a focus for working towards our goal of a just equitable and reconciled Australia
National Reconciliation Week is an ideal time for organisations, schools, universities, community groups and workplaces to advance understanding of reconciliation within their own places and their own lives. National Reconciliation Week provides a focus for working towards our goal of a just equitable and reconciled Australia.
This week at school we started the week with a reconciliation themed assembly in which the children were challenged to participate in reconciliation by learning more about Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal history. Knowledge and learning lead to understanding. All classes are involved in special learning associated with Reconciliation Week.
RE NEWS
Vinnies Winter Appeal Sleep Out
On Friday the 17th of June, Stage 2 and 3 will be invited to participate in a Vinnies School Sleepout.
Why? To gain a deeper understanding of homelessness, raise awareness of the realities faced by people experiencing homelessness and raise funds to support Vinnies homeless services in the local community.
More than 17,000 Australian children under the age of 12 have no permanent home.
Help St John’s fight homelessness by donating: https://my.fundraise.vinniesnsw.org.au/vinnies-school-sleepouts/st-john-s-vinnies-sleep-out
Your donation can help in the following ways:
$15 pays for a day’s meals for a family struggling to put food on the table
$30 provides someone a bed for the night
$50 provides school supplies and excursion fees for a child experiencing disadvantage
$80 pays for a course in life skills such as cooking, preparing for job interviews or basic computer skills at TAFE.
To reach my fundraising goal, I need your help. Donations over $2 are tax deductible and can be processed online.
More information to come…
We are seeking donations of toiletries and hygiene products which will be used to put together care packages for the homeless. The care packages will be taken down to the Mullumbimby Community Neighbourhood Center. Please hand any donations to your classroom teacher.
Please see a list of items below
toothpaste, nappies, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene, travel size shampoo and conditioner and other personal hygiene products that families in need will really appreciate.
Around the Stages - Stage
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"
Our birthday people
Will, Katie, Blake, Eva, Mrs Loane & Pauline
Piano Lessons
Piano lessons are available at St John’s, during school hours and after school.
For further enquiries please call Daniel Holland 0401 071 667
COMMUNITY NEWS
