Dear Parents and Carers,

Congratulations to all the children who made their First Holy Communion last Saturday and Sunday. One has to prepare carefully for such golden moments, or they glide away before one knows they have arrived.

The children were a credit to their parents; in the way they were prepared and in how they participated in the ceremony.

Thank you to the Liturgy Group and Choir, they used their great skills, and their voices added to the beauty of the ceremony.

Thank you also to Mrs Marion England for the incredible work she does for our parish as Sacramental Coordinator and to Sharon Greaves for her work in the administrative space. The pew signs, certificates, pins added to the beauty of the day.

Our school and parish communities appreciate all of the hard work that was carried out in the preparation for the Sacrament of Eucharist. The goodwill of all our St John the Apostle staff is a massive asset to our school community.

Thank you again and we wish the girls and boys a lifetime full of faith, hope and love.

 

Parent Teacher Interviews

Thank you to all the parents/carers who made times to see their child’s teacher this week. Teachers very much appreciate meeting parents and sharing your child’s learning and discussing goals at the middle point in the year.  If you have not yet met with the classroom teacher, please ring or email the school as soon as possible to organise a parent/ teacher interview time for early next Term 3.

 

Semester Reports

Semester 2 Reports will be opened on Thursday 3 July through COMPASS. Thank you to all the teachers that have spent many hours preparing, moderating and ensuring the report reflects your child’s achievements. Our students from Kinder to Year 6  should be commended for their efforts towards learning.

 

A Healthy Community

A safe and healthy environment for all students, staff, and families requires us to work together to prevent the spread of illness.

• If your child is unwell, please keep them at home to rest and recover. This not only supports their own wellbeing but also helps protect others in our school community from becoming unwell.
• Emergency contacts: Please ensure your child’s emergency contact details are up to date. This allows us to reach you quickly if your child becomes ill or is injured during the school day.
• Medication at school: If your child requires medication during school hours, a “Request to Dispense Medication” form must be completed. This form is available at the Front Office or on the SJA website.

A few important reminders:

• Students are not permitted to self-administer medication.
• Medication must not be kept in school bags.
• All medication must be handed in at the Front Office upon arrival at school.
• All medication must be in original packaging and not outside the expiry date.
• All prescribed medication must be in original packaging and have the pharmaceutical label.
• Our trained staff (Leanne Griffith, Debbie Milne, Roxanne Su) will administer medication and record all details in our medication register.
• Teachers are not responsible for administering or supervising medication.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our school community healthy and safe. If you have any questions or need assistance with medication procedures, please don’t hesitate to contact the Front Office.

 

Staff Absences

As winter sets in, we are seeing an increase in seasonal illness across the community, including among our staff. Over the past week, several staff members have been unwell, and like many schools, we are occasionally unable to secure relief teachers due to high demand.

When this happens, we do our utmost to ensure continuity of learning by reallocating available staff. However, there may be times when your child is placed in another class for the day with set work. We appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate these challenges while prioritising student wellbeing and learning.

Term Dates

A reminder that Term Two will conclude for students on Thursday 3 July. Staff will remain on site for a full day of First Aid Training on Friday 4 July.

Looking ahead to Term 3:

• Monday 21 July is a pupil-free day for all Catholic primary schools in Canberra. On this day, our teaching staff will be engaged in professional learning focused on enhancing planning and teaching strategies.
• All students will return to school on Tuesday 22 July to begin Term 3.

Thank you for noting these important dates in your calendars.

We have enjoyed a wonderful Sacred Heart Day today. In our next Newsletter we will feature all of the highlights and photos of this event.

Blessings to all families

Jo Reed

The Resilience Project webinar

If you missed the webinar this week never fear, Recording Link Here

This recording will be available until 27th July, 2025.

Semester One Reports

This term, semester one reports will be shared with you via your Compass portal on Thursday 3^rd July. Noting that there are no report comments this semester.

Teachers of students in Kindergarten to Year 6 report on how a student is progressing against achievement standards for each learning area or subject in the Australian Curriculum. The Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards describe the knowledge, skills and understandings a student is expected to learn in each subject for their year level.

The end-of-semester reports for students in Years 1 to 6 provide parents with an assessment of their children’s achievement against the Achievement Standards in the Australian Curriculum for each subject studied. Grades from A to E are used to report on student progress against the standards.

The following is an outline on how the teachers have allocated grades for semester reports. Noting that the A-E grade scale is used for Year 1-6.

Kindergarten Grade Scale 

 Year 1 – Year 6 Grade Scale 

Pupil Free Days

Friday 4 July and Monday 21 July are Pupil Free Days. OSH Club will have their school holiday program running on these days. Even if you don’t attend OSH Club for before or after school care you are still able to book into the service on Pupil Free Days.

Parish Update

Last night I attended the Parish Pastoral Council held at St John's in Kippax. We are being tasked with discerning a list of names for the parish to select from. After lots of reading and discussion we have a short list.  Please keep an eye out in the Parish Bulletin for ways you can contribute.

Catholic Life and Reflection

Today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart. It is just about our favourite day of the year.  We celebrate our deep connection with the MSC’s in a few ways.  We wear red, we donate money to Global School Partners and we go to Mass as a school.  

This year we were invited to the Parish Mass at 11am that is held at the church.  To be honest, I was a little nervous, we have not done it before.  I should not have worried, the students were exceptional.  From the Year 6 leaders who read the prayers of the faithful to the buddies who sat with the younger students to help them engage.  As a community we are so proud of them all.

I had several parishioners come up to me afterwards to say how well behaved our students were. I think that is a wonderful indicator of the respect and reverence the students showed.

Right now, I can hear the screams as the students are watching the teachers versus Year 6 netball game.  Days like today show students how to live a good life.

Eat well (tick), receive the Eucharist (tick), play hard (tick), be on earth the heart of God, (tick)

and matching Sacred Heart Socks for Staff and Father's Tru and Chung.

God bless you all, 

From the beginning of Term 3 Staffing changes: 

• We would like to congratulate Rebekah Brown on her secondment to Catholic Education Office as  Senior Officer, Child Safe Standards. Best wishes on your new role Ms Brown. 

• Congratulations to Mrs Karen Leighton who will remain at St John the Apostle Primary School as Assistant Principal for the remaining of the 2025 School Year.   

• Mr Christopher Evans has been appointed as our Religious Education Coordinator and Year 4 Maroon Teacher for Term 3. We are so please he is joining our team.

Happy Birthday to Liam Pham, Harvey Irvine, Kelly Hwang, Brody Loricchiella, Harper Ollevou, Jackson Moulds, Allira Richardson, Alyssa Sammons, James Maddox, Rosie Tran, Rubi Shean, Evagelia Butler-Tomkins, Ryan Dixon, Xavier Bonny, William Miles, Sawyer Del Villar, Emmanuel Amrado, Kelden Tshering, Oskar El-Geddes, Sian Kim, Solomon Azzam, Ileana Rozario, Alex Sandrai, James Thurbon, Mateo Vallecilla Carbonell, Chloe Larkings, Amalie Hanna, Henry Jopling, Austin Patrzalek, Henry Larkin, Zara Fearne, Amara Byrne, Imogen Clark, Heidi Pearson and Katie Wedd who all celebrate a Birthday in June.

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Your cookie dough will arrive FROZEN and can be kept out for up to 8 hours. It can be stored in the fridge for four weeks and in the freezer until the best before date.

Thank you so much for supporting our school, especially through fundraising. This term, we are running a Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough fundraiser.

Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough is an exciting fundraiser, made by an Australian, family owned and operated business. There are ten (10) dough-licious flavours to choose from, including the most popular Choc Chunk and the new Cinnamon Donut Cookie Dough!  You can also create your own cookie magic at home with our Golden Classic flavour by adding your own mix ins to your cookies when you bake them! There is even something for your special furry friends, with a cheese flavoured Doggie Dough!  Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough is exclusive to fundraising – so stock up!

Get started! Cookie dough orders must be placed online using the online platform. Create your child’s profile by clicking on the link below. Go to the Register Button and follow the Prompts. Orders are open from 6 June 2025 until the last day of term 2, Thursday 3 July 2025, so make sure you get rolling and create your online fundraising page today! Tubs will be available for pickup form the school on the 25 July 2025.

How do prizes work? Every student who sells two or more tubs will receive an incentive prize for their efforts! But why not aim higher? The more tubs you sell the more prizes you will receive! There are 11 prizes up for grabs, so why not set your own fundraising goal and aim for them all? Prizes are automatically ordered at the end of our fundraiser based on the number of tubs you have sold.

Family and friends are your greatest supporters, so make sure you ask them for support. You will reach your fundraising goal in no time!

You can Win Big!  Our highest tub seller will go into a draw to win a PlayStation 5 Gaming Bundle. For every tub you sell or buy, you will also receive one entry into the draw to win $20,000 Cash. Plus, every student that achieves all online virtual badges will win an additional Gold Dig Out prize. 

Don’t forget to refer to your Order Form for all the information. Happy fundraising!

SJAPS Community Council

Opening Hours

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported the Entertainment Fundraiser so far in 2025. Your generosity is making a real difference, with 20% of every sale going directly to our school! Every Entertainment membership sold contributes directly to this effort and has a meaningful impact!

Winter School Holiday Activities

With the winter holidays fast approaching, we wanted to highlight just a few of the fantastic offers available through your Entertainment membership. On the reverse side, you'll find only some of the winter activity deals - using just these featured offers will pay for the membership itself!

Everyday Savings 

Did you know your membership also offers everyday discounts to help with the rising cost of living? For example, the average Australian family of four spends around $11,000 a year on groceries. By using the exclusive 4% discount on Woolworths gift cards, you could save approximately $440 annually - an excellent return on a $70 membership!

You’ll also find incredible buy-one-get-one-free or 25% off deals at popular restaurants, plus family-friendly venues and casual dining options. New in 2025 is the Travel section, where you can save big on everything from caravan and motorhome holidays to flights, hotels, and cruises. 

I encourage you to download the Entertainment app from the App Store or Google Play and browse the offers - there really is something for everyone and new offers are being uploaded weekly!

Thank you once again for your continued support.

Save the Date!! Trivia Night - Thursday 14 August

The Community Council will be holding a Trivia Night at The Raiders Club (Holt) on Thursday 14 August (6.30pm for a 7.00pm start).

This is a free event and hot finger food will be provided. 

More details to come including RSVP information.

Please note this is an ADULT ONLY event. 

The Community Council would love to see you there. 

The Three Ds Every Parent Should Know

How Do I Know If My Child Needs Help? The Three Ds Every Parent Should Know

As parents, we worry about our kids. It’s part of the job. But where is the line between a normal parenting concern and something more serious; something that requires additional help?

There’s a simple framework that can guide you when you’re not sure whether it’s time to seek support or not. Psychology researchers call it the Three Ds.

Good news… this simple checklist doesn’t require a psychology degree. It’s a practical, simple-to-understand tool to help you notice when things might not be quite right—and when your child might need some extra support.

1. Distress

Distress is the emotional pain or worry your child is experiencing—or that you’re seeing as a parent.

You might notice signs like ongoing sadness, intense anxiety, unexplained irritability, or a general lack of joy. Maybe your once-happy child is now regularly saying things like, “I hate school,” or “No one likes me,” or “What’s the point?”

If your child seems worried, overwhelmed, or unhappy for more than a few days, it’s worth paying attention. Even if there’s no major event or trauma, distress in itself is a pillar that points to the potential that more help might be useful.

What to do: Start with gentle curiosity. “You’ve seemed a bit down lately. Want to talk about it?” Then listen—really listen—without jumping in to fix. If the distress doesn’t shift, consider connecting with your school’s wellbeing team, a GP, or a child psychologist.

Remember, it is ok to not be ok. But if your child is not ok in a profound way or for an extended period of time, being not ok is no longer ok. When distress is high and/or enduring, seek help and support.

2. Dysfunction

Dysfunction is when your child’s emotional struggles are getting in the way of daily life.

This might show up in school refusal, struggles to make or keep friends, explosive behaviour at home, or trouble completing basic tasks. It could be that your child is no longer learning, socialising, or even sleeping in a way that feels ‘normal’ for them.

When the basics of life become a battle, dysfunction is often at play.

What to do: Ask yourself, “Is this getting in the way of my child having a happy, healthy day?” If the answer is yes, talk with your child’s teacher or year coordinator. They might be seeing the same signs—or different ones. Together, you can work out a support plan that meets your child where they are.

Once more, a day of dysfunction isn’t a major drama. It can be inconvenient, true, but help and support are needed when dysfunction is high and/or enduring.

3. Deviation (or Deviance)

This one sounds a little scary, but it’s really just about developmental norms. Deviation means your child isn’t meeting age-appropriate milestones or is behaving in ways that are significantly different from their peers.

Every child is different, of course… And some kids develop later than others. But if your 10-year-old is still having meltdowns like a toddler, or your teenager is withdrawing so completely that no one knows what’s going on inside, there may be something more beneath the surface.

What to do: Don’t panic. Deviation doesn’t mean something is “wrong”—it simply means it’s time to ask questions. A teacher, school psychologist, or paediatrician can help determine whether the deviation is part of a wider issue needing support.

A Final Word

There’s no perfect formula for parenting. Some kids are dandelions—they thrive anywhere. Others are more like orchids—sensitive to their environment, needing a bit more nurture to bloom. Neither is better. Just different.

But knowing what to look for—the Three Ds—can give us a solid, practical guide to help our children when they need it most.

If you’re noticing distress, dysfunction, or deviation, trust your instincts. Ask questions. Reach out. You don’t have to wait for a crisis before seeking help.

After all, early support is the best kind of support.

Written by Dr Justin Coulson

A friendly reminder that St Johns is a nut free school. Thank you.