Term 1, Week 2, 9 February 2023
Principal Message
Welcome to the 2023 school year. I trust that all of our community members had a blessed Christmas and New Year period.
As we start the year here at St John's, there has been a real buzz of positive energy! Our Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 students were welcomed back with open arms on Wednesday 1st February. It was great to see the big smiles on the faces of students as they walked through the school gates. On Monday we welcomed our 2023 kindy students who are embarking on their magnificent 13 year journey of Catholic Education. There were once again plenty of smiles, but also tears (from the parents), as the Kindergarten children swiftly lined up outside their classroom ready to start their learning. It is important for us to reflect on how blessed we are as a school to have the fantastic students that we have here at St John's who are enthusiastic learners and great problem solvers; and also for the amazing staff that we have here who are all passionate and committed to their mission of educating children.
I wrote a prayer and shared this with the staff at the staff meeting during the week. The prayer was titled 'the light to guide my calling'.
As we begin our year together, we remember that the graceful presence of our companion God is always with us; that the Spirit of Jesus is here among us; and that Jesus’ dream for embedding the reign of God in our spheres of influence is still our call and mission. Let us pause in God’s presence to reflect on what it means to us individually to be people of purpose, discipleship and mission…..
.....May our work excite our hearts and kindle in our minds a creativity to journey beyond the old limits of all that has become wearisome.
May our work challenge us towards new frontiers that will emerge as we begin to approach them, calling forth from us the full force and depth of our undiscovered gifts.
May the work fit the rhythms of our souls, enabling us to draw from the invisible new ideas, and a vision that will inspire.
May Christ light our way!
Amen
To Download the 2023 Parent handbook, please click the link below.
Upcoming Dates
Please find below a list of dates savers below of events that are occuring over the next few weeks.
Tuesday 14th February - Zone Swimming Carnival (only for students selected).
Wednesday 15th February - Whole School Opening Mass (including year 6 leadership induction) at 9:30am.
Wednesday 15th February - Meet and Greet afternoon from 4pm-6pm. Parents meet teachers and visit open classrooms with their children.
Monday 20th February - Stage 3 Assembly at 2:20pm
Tuesday 21st February - Sacramental Program Information Night 6pm-7pm
Wednesday 22nd February - Ash Wednesday Mass at 9:30am
Monday 6th March - Pupil Free Day
This year we will also have the following ongoing items:
- School Newsletter will be available every two weeks starting in week 2. Link will be posted on Compass.
- School Assembly will be on Monday afternoons from 2:20pm onwards. Every second week will be an opportunity for each class to share learning that has occured and it would be great to have all parents attending!!
- Week 2 - Kindy
- Week 4 - Stage 3
- Week 6 - Stage 1 MacKillop
- Week 7 - Stage 2
- Week 8 - Stage 1 Carthage
The Last day of Term 1 is Wednesday 5th April!!
2023 Class Parent Reps
Thank you to these parents who have nominated themselves to be class parent representatives (CPR's) for 2023. They will be in touch with you to organise some social events for your cohort.
Kindy - Miranda Nelson (Mum of Charlie)
Stage 1 - Renee Creighton (Mum of Ayla)
Stage 2 - Jana Mangelson (Mum of Caleb)
Stage 3 - Karla Chartres (Mum of Vander)
Uniforms
Please ensure that uniform items are labelled with your child's name - especially hats this time of year and jumpers as the weather gets colder.
We have updated the uniform policy which I will distribute in the coming weeks to allow coloured joggers to be worn on sports days and black joggers (must be all black), to be worn on formal uniform days. This opens up more options to families in this space.
Eating and Play
Based on staff feedback, we have decide to trial a change to our eating and play routine for term 1. When the bell goes for lunch, students will come out and play first, before sitting down to eat lunch. This is also the same for recess in the afternoon. Students will receive the same amount of play and eating time as previous years, it is just a swap in the order of play/eat. Students will still have the crunch'n sip at 10am each day. As this trial starts, it would be great to have feedback from any parents.
Please see the updated bell times below:
LUNCH
10:50am - Students Play
11:10am - Students Eat
11:20am - Students Return to class
RECESS
1:20pm - Students Play
1:45pm - Students Eat
1:50pm - Students Return to class
Kind Regards,
Dave Bermingham
Assistant Principal
Teaching and Learning News
It has been great to see the way the students have transitioned from holiday to learning mode over the last week. They are settling in well to their new classrooms and engaging in quality learning.
This year all schools are implementing the new English and Maths syllabuses for K-2. Last year staff did extensive professional learning to prepare for this. To align with the requirements of the new syllabus we have adopted a systematic approach to teaching phonics as part of the K-2 literacy curriculum. All students will be engaged in InitiaLit each day for an hour. This hour focuses on the core skills needed for reading and writing. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are explicitly taught within the programme. The rest of the literacy block will focus on sharing quality literature, building vocabulary and writing. There are three parent information sheets for InitiaLit for Foundation (Kindergarten), Year 1 and Year 2. An information night will be held for parents later this term.
The following staff will be working with students during the InitiaLit block:-
Kindergarten : Mrs Ellie Bailey, Miss Felicity Guinea and Ms Karla Chartres
Stage 1 will work in smaller groups with Mrs Myree Loane, Mr Greg Flint, Miss Laura McEvoy, Mrs Naomi O’Dwyer and Ms Bernie Woodhouse. We want to ensure each child has the best opportunity to reach their full potential with a big investment of personnel.
A new English and Maths syllabus is coming for Years 3-6 too. Later this year staff will participate in professional learning so they are equipped to implement it in 2024. In S2 and S3 working with Mrs Amanda Bottle and Miss Riley O’Leary we have Mrs Pauline East, Miss Felicity Guinea, Mr Greg Flint and Mrs Lisa Russell all supporting the literacy block in varying capacities.
AI will provide further information throughout the year. Please take time to read the parent information sheets provided.
Leader of Mission
Student Wellbeing & Pastoral Care
Welcome back everyone. It has been so exciting to have the children back at school and see them both rekindle old relationships and embark upon new. Friendships- healthy relationships are such a crucial part of student wellbeing.
I’ve felt a real sense of pride watching our existing students making our new students feel welcome. This has been particularly noticeable with our Year 6 students helping their kindy buddies settle in but just as important for those newbies who have started in other years.
Some of our Kinder families
Welcome to our new Kindy students:
Dorothea Jet Remy Remi
Avalon Mars Marlon Charlie
Tanika Nhyri Piper Angus
A big welcome also to other new students;
Alana (Year 5) Nahla (Year 5) Finn (Year 4) Awatea (Year 1)
What is wellbeing?
In very broad terms, wellbeing can be described as the quality of a person's life. Wellbeing needs to be considered in relation to how we feel and function across several areas, including our cognitive, emotional, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
Wellbeing in schools is for all students. A focus on wellbeing goes beyond just welfare needs of a few individual students and aims for all students to be healthy, happy, successful and productive individuals who are active and positive contributors to the school and society in which they live.
(NSW Dept of Education)
In a Catholic school wellbeing is integrated with and sits within Pastoral Care. Pastoral Care describes a way of being/interacting/relating which is modelled on the teachings of Jesus which are documented in the Gospels. This way of being is based on the love that Jesus showed and spoke of in the Gospels. It is a love that is broad and inclusive, a love that is forgiving, a love that inspires us to work towards making the world a better place for all. Below you can read the first five principles of Pastoral Care from our Catholic Schools Office in Lismore.
The Basic Principles of Pastoral Care
The following Principles underpin and permeate an agreed understanding of Pastoral Care that enhances the wellbeing of all persons involved in Catholic education within the Diocese of Lismore:
- Pastoral Care is founded in Jesus Christ and the Gospel imperative that every person, particularly the students we serve in Catholic schools, might be enabled to achieve the fullness of life (John 10:10).
- Pastoral Care is concerned with the inherent dignity and wellbeing of each person.
- Pastoral Care in Catholic schools is infused by the Catholic Worldview and nurtured through a life of prayer and sacramental living.
- Pastoral Care is the concern of each person involved in Catholic education, under the leadership of the school Principal. 5. Pastoral Care is enacted through, and embedded within, reciprocal relationships – including student-teacher; student-student; teacher-teacher; principal-teacher; parent-teacher, priest-student; priestteacher and other relationships.
(Catholic Schools Office Lismore)
As leader of Pastoral Care and Wellbeing at St John’s this year one of my big projects is to work with students, teachers and parents to create a Whole School Approach to Pastoral Care at our wonderful little school. Keep your eye out for more information on this in the weeks ahead.
Once again, welcome one and all. I’m really looking forward to working with you to provide the very best possible education for your children both academic and pastoral.
Best Regards, Greg
RE News
Whole School Mass
We would like to welcome everyone to our “Start of the School Year Mass” on the 15th of February at 9:30am. We will acknowledge the year 6 students in their leadership roles for 2023.
2023 Sacramental Programme
There will be a Parish Sacramental Information Evening (compulsory) held on Tuesday the 21st of February at 6 -7:00pm at the St John’s Church, Mullumbimby. This information session is for any parent or carer who has a child who is in year 3 or year 4 and wish for them to celebrate either the Sacrament of Confirmation, First Reconciliation or First Holy Communion.
Confirmation - The Bishop will celebrate on the 29th of March 2023 at 6:00pm
First Reconciliation - Mass for Sacrament 4th of June 2023 8:00am
First Holy Communion - Mass for Sacrament 10th of September 2023 8:00am
SCHOOL INFORMATION
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"
Our birthday people
Tommy, Georgia, Caleb, Tiana & Dorothea
Happy birthday to those who will celebrate during the summer holidays
Ike, Arlo, Harry, Gemma, Marlon, Hendrix & Ayla
SCHOOL COUNSELLOR
Hey St Johns,
It's exciting to be back for another year! I hope everyone had a rejuvenating school holiday - I spent so much time on the Bruns River, fishing and paddle boarding with my kids. It was fantastic! With the end of January and return to school comes an increase in the pace of life and getting reacquainted with structure and routine. Screen time plays an integral role in many people's lives in this technology rich age we are navigating so I just wanted to share a gentle reminder about evidence-based recommendations for kids' access to screens. Please see the attached graphic from Aus Parents Council. Allowing excessive screen time can lead to kids experiencing anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbances, hyperactivity and changes in weight and diet. It is recommended that kids get at least 30 mins without screens before bedtime. If you have concerns and would like more support around screen time, Parentline is available on 1300 1300 52 9am-9pm Mon - Fri and 4pm-9pm on weekends.
In Kindness
Anastasia
2023 SCHOOL FEES
Please see below the school fee schedule for 2023. School fees will be sent out each Term. Payment can be made via Compass or at the school office. Statements are sent out each month. Term 1 fees will be processed early next week.
Piano Lessons
Piano lessons in 2023 at St John’s, during school hours and after school.
Enquiries please call Daniel Holland 0401 071 667
COMMUNITY NEWS
