Welcome to Term 4

I am very pleased to be joining the St John the Apostle community for Term 4. It is a special time in both our school year and our Church year, and I feel blessed to be sharing it with you.

During the holidays, the Chapel received a small refresh. You are warmly invited to use this space before or after school for personal or family prayer. Rosary beads and Bibles have been placed in the Chapel for your use. It is also simply a peaceful space to pause for quiet reflection or meditation. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there are any additional resources that would help you make use of this space.

What the Children Are Learning

Throughout October, our focus will be on the Rosary. The Church dedicates this month to the Rosary, beginning with the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. We will be exploring how meditative prayer helps us grow in faith and supports our sense of calm and wellbeing.

Students will learn about the history of the Rosary and the meaning behind each of its prayers.

Staff and Parent Reflection: The Rosary and Our Wellbeing

The Rosary has deep roots in the life of the Church. Before it became the structured prayer we know today, people recited simple prayers as they worked, helping them stay close to God and grounded in gratitude. For us as educators, parents, and carers, this tradition reminds us that prayer can be woven into the ordinary rhythm of life.

Its gentle, meditative nature offers calm and steadiness amid the busyness of school and family life. When we make time for prayer and reflection, we nurture our own wellbeing and faith, and we model for our children the peace that comes from stillness and gratitude.

Mary, the Mother of God, shows us how to live with courage, compassion, and openness to God’s call. Her example encourages us to respond with patience and love in our daily work and family life.

The Rosary invites both adults and children to draw strength from this rhythm of peace—to breathe more deeply in God’s love and to share that love through kindness, hope, and gentle presence.

Children’s Week 18 October – 26 October 2025. 

Next week we will be celebrating Children’s Week. Children’s Week is a national celebration of children’s rights, held each year across Australia around the fourth Wednesday in October. It highlights the rights of children to thrive, learn, play and be heard, as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Children's Week Theme 2025

The Children’s Week National Theme for 2025 is based on UNCRC Article 42:

Everyone should know about Children’s Rights!

We will be celebrating Children’s Week with class prayers and a Teddy Bears’ Picnic on Thursday. Children are invited to bring a teddy bear or snuggle toy to join in the fun. Please ensure that this is not one of your child’s favourite or most special toys, as accidents can sometimes happen at school and we would hate for anything to happen to a treasured item.