Term 1, Week 6, 9 March 2023

Principal Message

Dear Parents, carers and members of the St John's community,

We have now passed the halfway mark of the term and are into the 2nd week of Lent. 

As we enter the second week of Lent, let us consider one of the three pillars of Lent- Prayer.

Prayer is one way to develop a strong relationship with God. During Lent we are asked to increase our prayers.

Universal Prayers (Prayer of the Faithful)  are one form of prayer used to pray for the needs of the world and our community.

Take a moment with your child to think of people to pray for, especially during Lent and maybe even create some Universal Prayers and pray these each day at different times.

Example - For all people of the Church in our families, school and parish communities … may they live more peacefully and prayerfully and be the presence of Christ in the world. Lord hear us. All: Lord hear our prayer

Another pillar of Lent is Fasting. While people in the past fasted from rich foods such as milk and butter, today we might fast from over-use of technology, fast from harsh words, fast from lollies or treats for a certain time. Think of one thing to fast from this Lenten period and reflect on how it might feel to fast from this for a set time.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us with your strength as we begin a time of fasting in this Lenten Season. May we be calm and use this fast as a time of growth and peace. 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. 

• 15th-27th March - NAPLAN Testing Window (Yrs 3 & 5)
• 2nd April-7th April - Holy Week
• 3rd April-5th April - School Holy Week Celebrations
• Wednesday 5th April - Last Day of Term 1
• Thursday 6th April - Pupil Free Day
• Monday 24th April - Pupil Free Day
• Tuesday 25th April - ANZAC Day
• Wednesday 26th April - First Day of Term 2

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

Volunteers needed!!

The Parent Forum is running a BBQ for the election on 25th March. They require volunteers to assist on the day, as well as donations of baked goods to be sold. 

If you are able to volunteer on the day, please add your name into the SPREADSHEET for a particular time period. If you are able to donate baked goods for sale, please drop them into the school office on Friday 24th March. 

Please remember that proceeds from such events, go straight back into the school! Also, from this particular event, a percentage of proceeds will also be going to the Mullumbimby Community Centre. 

Please support this great cause, where possible. 

Traffic Management

Please note that the car parking area outside the office, isn’t accessible between 2.30-3pm due to the car pickup line.

If you are collecting your child via car, the preferred method is through the parent pickup line. We have had numerous reports that cars have been queued as normal and another parent has  requested other cars to reverse to allow them to get out of their carpark. It’s very dangerous for any cars to be reversing in a carpark.

Please ensure that if you are collecting your child via car in this vicinity, that your go via the pick up line, as opposed to parking and collecting.

Thank you!

Sedentary Behaviour

Sedentary behaviour is being inactive, either sitting or lying down for long periods (except when sleeping). We spend a lot of time being inactive at school, at work, when travelling or when relaxing.

A lot of sedentary behaviour involves screen time. This includes:

• working or doing homework on a computer
• playing video games
• scrolling social media
• watching movies.

Sedentary behaviour occurs throughout our entire lives. Even babies can be inactive – for example, when strapped in a stroller or car seat. It’s important to keep sedentary time to a minimum.

Physical inactivity means not meeting the daily physical activity guidelines. You can do enough physical activity to meet the guidelines, and still be sedentary if you spend a lot of time sitting or lying down.

Sedentary behaviour and being physically inactive can result in a higher risk of some health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and depression.

Staying active regularly is essential for good physical and mental health and wellbeing. This is true no matter how young or old you are. But the amount of activity varies, depending on your age.

To help Australians understand how much activity they need, so physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines for each age group have been developed.

For children and young people (5 to 17 years), being active every day has many social, emotional, intellectual and health benefits, including:

• a chance to have fun with friends and family
• reduced antisocial behaviour
• stronger cooperation and teamwork skills
• better self-esteem and confidence
• lower anxiety and stress
• better concentration
• healthy growth and development
• strong muscles and bones
• improved fitness, including coordination and movement skills
• lower risk of disease
• lower risk of unhealthy weight gain.

All children and young people should get the right mix of physical activity, inactivity and sleep in each 24-hour period.

Moderate to vigorous physical activity

We recommend children and young people do at least 60 minutes each day of moderate to vigorous physical activity that makes the heart beat faster. More is better.

It doesn’t have to be a full 60 minutes at once – several shorter sessions through the day work too.

At least 3 days per week, children and young people should incorporate vigorous activities and activities that strengthen muscle and bone in the 60 minutes.

These activities don’t have to be organised or formal, and can include:

• football
• basketball
• netball
• bike riding
• scooter riding
• swimming
• dancing.

Muscle-strengthening activity

As part of the 60 minutes of daily activity, we recommend children and young people include muscle and bone strengthening activities 3 days per week, like:

• running
• climbing
• swinging on monkey bars
• push-ups
• sit-ups
• lifting weights
• yoga.

Light physical activity

Children and young people should also do several hours of various light physical activities each day. These can include:

• walking to school
• walking the dog
• going to the park with friends
• helping around the house
• playing handball.

Limiting time sitting!!

Limiting the time spent sitting or lying down (sedentary behaviour) – especially in front of screens – helps children grow and develop good habits for life.

Long periods of sitting can lessen the benefits of being physically active. So, it’s important to break these up as often as possible.

Screen time during childhood can have long-term impacts on a child’s development. For children and young people, we recommend no more than 2 hours of sedentary recreational screen time per day. This does not include screen time needed for school work.

Ensuring good sleep

Getting enough good-quality sleep is essential to healthy growth. We recommend that each night:  

• children aged 5 to 13 years get 9 to 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep
  

To establish and maintain healthy sleep patterns, we recommend:

• having a consistent bedtime and wake-up time
• avoiding screen time 1 hour before sleep
• keeping screens out of the bedroom.

Learn more.......

For more information about our activity recommendations for children and young people, see:

• 24-hour movement guidelines for the children and young people aged 5 to 17 brochure
  
• Make your move – sit less, be active for life – brochure for families.

Kind Regards, 

Dave Bermingham

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Back to School for Teachers on Monday!

Last Monday, as part of our staff development day, the teachers were sent back to school. Our teacher, Mr Nick Houghton an Education Officer from the CSO, ran us through our paces. Our whiteboards were out, groups were established, writing samples were analysed, we recorded and shared ideas, learning intentions were outlined and broken apart by the staff, and success criteria for the writing were created and a ‘bump it up the wall’ developed. We were extremely  busy in Mr Houghton’s classroom and all staff were actively involved. 

The simulation process helped teachers to formulate and plan a writing cycle that uses a “Bump it Up Wall” as a  tool to assist students to improve their writing skills. When teachers   collaboratively design a writing continuum or ‘bump-it-up wall' to engage students in authentic, purposeful reading to inform their writing, the curriculum reaches into the hearts and minds of the students. A co-constructed writing continuum using the curriculum achievement standards is a powerful way to make teachers' expectations explicit, real and visible. Students need to   understand the curriculum expectations and have them written in student-friendly language.  

The children view many writing samples and discuss and record the strengths of each writing sample. When students have a clear understanding of what good writing is, and know what they need to do next to improve, they can ‘bump up’ their writing. Teachers will be creating Bump it Up Walls  with the students in the coming weeks. This work is part of our school improvement  plan. We  are currently working on implementing the assessment waterfall chart. 

At the start of the day, staff engaged in a beautiful prayer organised by Mrs Bailey. We took time reflecting on the scripture and painting a response. Some of the photos show our artists   engaging in a prayerful response. 

My New Gallery

Leader of Pastoral Care/Student Wellbeing & Inclusion.

A Very Positive Leadership & Pastoral Care Story

I recently received a delightful letter from a Mum at school. It made me smile on the inside. Congratulations to our young leaders taking the time to stop, sit and care for an injured Kindy child.  It is the essence of what we teach the children about the love that Jesus modelled for all of us ‘stepping up’ in a moment of need. As Mary MacKillop said so famously ‘never see a need without doing something about it.’

Please read it for yourself below. 

                                                                                                                                             My son hurt himself yesterday at school and was very upset. Apparently the year six boys crowded around him with a tremendous amount of care and support. He mentioned names such as Joey, Marley, Zeb and Quinn. They all sat with him for quite some time. Could you please express my gratitude to the boys. Good work to you, the parents and the school raising such kind caring young men. 

regards, 

Mother and family 

Next Week is Harmony & Student Wellbeing Week @ St John's

What is Harmony Week?

Harmony Week is a week to celebrate Australian multiculturalism, based on the successful integration of migrants into our community. It is an opportunity for all Australians to embrace cultural diversity and to share what we have in common.

Harmony Week is a community celebration. Since 1999, more than 80,000 Harmony Week events have been held in childcare centres, schools, community groups, churches, businesses and federal, state and local government agencies across Australia.

Multiculturalism is in Australia's national interest. It is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it.

Our cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths and is at the heart of who we are. An integrated multicultural Australia is an integral part of our nation's history and character.

https://www.harmony.gov.au/get-involved/schools

Whilst harmony is not a word you’ll readily find in the school mission or goals it’s central to the mission of Catholic Edication in the Lismore Diocese which is: 

"Enabling students to achieve the fullness of life"

That means all students! If we are doing our job well, then we embrace and celebrate diversity of all kinds and that’s what harmony week is all about.

You can see below that we have many exciting lunchtime activities planned for the children next week. Parents are invited to drop by and share the fun if and when you are able to.

Parents please keep an eye out, teachers will be inviting some parents to come in and share their cultural story with the children.

Happy Harmony Week

Best regards, Greg   

SCHOOL INFORMATION

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"

Our birthday people are:

Ella & Savannah B 

Piano Lessons

Piano lessons in 2023  at St John’s, during school hours and after school.
Enquiries please call Daniel Holland 0401 071 667

PARENT ASSEMBLY

COMMUNITY NEWS

Brunswick Heads Cubs & Scouts 
Join us for camping, canoeing, abseiling & outdoor fun to develop a sense of
adventure and achievement. Scouts promotes an understanding of camp craft
and the environment, team skills, and organisational abilities.
For girls and boys aged 8-14. Scouts NSW is an approved provider of the
Active Kids rebate. 
We are also seeking adults (over 18) interested in becoming volunteer
Scout/Cub Leaders. Organise and run weekly nights, go on camps, and help
our youth be positive, active citizens.
Training is free, industry accredited and includes options to learn kayaking,
campfire, abseiling etc. No experience necessary but you do need to be
enthusiastic!
Email  scouts2483@gmail.com  to find out how to join or to enquire about
becoming a Scout or Cub Leader.