Dear St John the Apostle Primary School Community,

Hasn't the rain been beautiful! There is something very peaceful about the soft patter of rain outside and watching everything become greener and greener. I'm also very, very thankful for the gentle transformation that will occur as creeks, rivers, dams and water tanks fill up for those who need it most.

Welcome Mr Suitor

I would like to formally welcome Mr Scott Suitor to St John the Apostle as one of the Year 6 teachers and as a member of the Executive Team (Coordinator). Mr Suitor wasn't able to join us immediately and has been welcomed by students, parents and staff. Scott has taught in Catholic and Independent schools in Canberra and in London. He has a wealth of experience and particularly enjoys teaching Mathematics. Scott will be Coordinating the Year 5/6 Band of teachers and will also be develop other opportunities in our school, including opportunities for our students to participate in School Sport ACT activities.

Year 3 Assembly

Congratulations to our Year 3 classes for their beautiful assembly on Monday afternoon. Our school focus this year is 'I am...' and each year level has a different focus statement from John's Gospel. Year 3 shared with us their understanding of what Jesus means when he says "I am the bread of life...". They explained how knowing Jesus well nourishes us and allows us to live our fullest life. I was particularly impressed with them all because they were the Kindergarten class when I first began at St John the Apostle and as I watched them present I felt very proud of how much they have grown.

Year 6 Leadership

At the Monday assembly we commissioned our Year 6 students as school leaders. They all received badges that recognise the special role they play in our school community. This Year 6 group have taken this responsibility very seriously.

We also presented to the community the Year 6 students who have specific leadership roles. These students were recognised by their peers as students who could undertake these roles effectively. Congratulations to the following students:

School Captains

Eseta T	Darcy M

Events Leadership Team

Nicholas A	Leonardo B	Sana A	Mikayla S

Sustainability Leadership Team

Jack G	Emily R	Jaxon R	Abhinav B

Prayer/Liturgy Leadership Team

Olivia G	Sabeen A

Communications Leadership Team

Thomas F	Georgia S

Youth Ministry Leadership Team

Sophia H	Dakoda L

Catholic Education Learning Agenda

Yesterday I spent the day with Principals and other Senior Leaders from across our Archdiocese. It was to talk about the future of teaching & learning in all of our Catholic schools. We discussed how we are working together to continue developing great teachers who have a significant and positive impact on our students' well being, growth and achievement. It was an opportunity to hear about how our schools work hard to create excellent educational outcomes for our students. 

Three Way Conferences

Remember to book your Three Way Conferences for next Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 & 11 March. Every student has prepared a reflection and goal to be shared with you and the teacher. It is an important opportunity for you to see how the year has started for your child and have a positive conversation about the year ahead. If you haven't booked please go to the following link to arrange a time.

Have a lovely long weekend.

Matthew Garton (Principal)