Term 4, Week 4, 7 November 2024

Principal Message

Dear St John’s Community,

We are thrilled to welcome JB, Ivy, Frankie, Lyla, Zenon, and Damien to our school family as Junior Johnnies this year, and as Kindergarten students in 2025. Last Friday, they had a fantastic morning filled with storytelling, making new friends, and engaging in play-based activities. The event was a tremendous success! We also extend a warm welcome to the new families joining us and express our heartfelt gratitude to our existing families for their continued support and involvement in our school community.  Looking ahead, our next Junior Johnnies session will be on Friday, 8th November, from 9 to 11 am. We can’t wait to see you all there!

On Wednesday 13th November, St John’s will be selling ice cream cones in the canteen. Students can purchase an ice cream cone for $4 at recess. All monies raised will go to the Parent Forum.

We welcome Dave back from his renewal leave on Thursday 14th Nov. I’d like to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible community at St John’s. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the experience as Acting Principal. It has been a joy to witness the dedication, commitment and collaboration of staff, students and parents.

Our Kindergarten students have been exploring the significance of special places to people and how to care for them. This week, they channeled their creativity into designing and constructing models of places that hold personal meaning for them. Each student also shared their thoughts on how they take care of these cherished locations. The resulting designs were not only visually stunning but also accompanied by thoughtful reflections on caring for both creation and special places.

Have a peaceful and joy-filled weekend.

Kristie

Kinder special places

Teaching & Learning @ St John's

Exploring Stories, Rhythms, and Melodies: A Glimpse into Learning at St. John’s

Our classrooms have been buzzing with creative energy and cultural exploration this term as students across stages engage with rich, immersive learning experiences that deepen their understanding and showcase their talents.

In Stage 3 English, students are diving into the unit Ngaawily Nop: An Old Story Retold, where they’re exploring the distinct roles of Dreaming stories and Songlines in Indigenous culture. This unit encourages students to appreciate the depth and complexity of these narratives by examining the use of imagery, symbolism, and connotations that make these texts multidimensional. By learning to interpret these elements, students gain insight into how words and images convey layered meanings, helping them develop skills to analyse and appreciate literature from multiple perspectives.

Meanwhile, in Stage 2 Creative Arts: Music, our students are taking part in dynamic “Body Percussion” activities, where they’re developing rhythm and coordination skills in a truly hands-on way. The focus has been on listening closely to musical scores to understand how changes in melody, tone, and tempo evoke different emotions. Through these activities, students are encouraged to translate their responses into a visual format, creating soundscape pictures that reflect each shift in the music. This process of drawing lines that mimic musical elements like timbre, volume, and mood helps students connect what they hear to what they feel—a powerful skill in music appreciation.

In addition to practising steady beats and rhythmic patterns, students have been challenged to increase tempo and stay in sync, demonstrating an impressive level of focus and discipline. It’s been a joy to watch their enthusiasm grow as they build confidence in their rhythmic abilities and start to develop their own sense of musical timing.

We’re also excited to welcome two new student teachers to our school community! Justin, who is working with Stage 1, and Courtney, who has joined our Stage 2 learning space, are already bringing fresh perspectives and ideas to their classrooms. Both are eager to learn alongside our students and contribute to our vibrant learning environment.

At St. John’s, these rich learning experiences are just a glimpse of how we aim to inspire creativity, cultural awareness, and critical thinking in our students every day. We look forward to sharing more amazing learning experiences with you as the term progresses!

Mission

Exuro 

“Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith and purity.”                                                                                                                                                                  1 Timothy 4:12

Last week, Alariah, Samarah and Miss Phillips represented St. John’s at the Exuro Faith Retreat held in Murwillumbah. The students were supported as they embarked on their own journey of discipleship. 

“At Exuro, I learnt many things and a song that I hope to share with the school, but my favourite part of the day was when we looked at how you can be a disciple using your hands, eyes and feet. That’s one of the many ways I learnt how to be a disciple.”                   Alariah 

“I enjoyed Exuro because I learned about other people's perspectives on God and how they felt the Holy Spirit. I also enjoyed learning about the saying ‘You’re never too young to be a follower of God.’”              Samara-Lee

Remembrance Day Liturgy                                                                                                                                                                                On Monday, 11th November, we will gather as a school community to honour and remember the sacrifices made by those who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces. We invite all students, staff, and families to join us for a solemn Remembrance Day liturgy at 10:30 am by the flagpole, weather permitting.

This time of reflection is a special opportunity for our students to deepen their understanding of the significance of Remembrance Day and to express our shared gratitude and respect for those who have given so much. We look forward to gathering together in remembrance and unity. Lest we forget.

50th Anniversary St John’s Church 

Our parish church, St John's Mullumbimby, is celebrating its 50th anniversary on Sunday, November 10th.            This special milestone connects to our school's rich history, which began in 1911 as St Joseph's School under the care of the Sisters of St Joseph.

The story of our Catholic community in Mullumbimby dates back to 1906 when the foundation stone of the first Catholic church was laid. In 1910, three Sisters of St Joseph arrived to teach 28 children in a room adjoining the church. By 1911, St Joseph's School was built, and in 1917, Mullumbimby was established as a parish in its own right, serving families from Brunswick Heads to Billinudgel.

Our school, which changed its name to St John's around 1938, has been a cornerstone of Catholic education in the Brunswick Valley for over a century. From those humble beginnings with just 28 students, to today's vibrant learning community, we continue to build on the legacy of faith and education established by the Sisters of          St Joseph.

Join our parish family for a special Anniversary Mass at 8:00 a.m., followed by morning tea in the parish hall.        A historical photo display will showcase our community's journey from its early days to the present.

We invite our school families to contribute any historical photos of church events or ceremonies. These can be given to Tundra at the front office or forwarded to the parish office.

God bless,

Ellie Bailey                                                                                                                                                                                                         Leader of Mission and Engagement 

SCHOOL INFORMATION

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"

Our Birthday person:-  

Billy

COMMUNITY NOTICES