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Please go to our school calendar on the website or COMPASS for more details.
Term 1
- My Body, My Life - 6 April (week 10)
Term 2
- Term 2 Commences Wednesday 27 April
- Cross Country Carnival - (week 1)
- Catholic Schools Enrolment Period - (weeks 2-5)
Please note that the first day of Terms 2 and 3 (26 April and 18 July) are both pupil free days for professional learning for staff. Students do not attend school on these days. OSHClub will be available.
Dear St John the Apostle families,
Today we celebrated Harmony Day. Students were able to learn
about the many cultures and languages we each identify with and bring to school with us every day. Thank you to Mrs Macdonald and the Specialist Teachers who prepared students for our celebrations today.
As a celebration of diversity I am reminded of the phrase 'difference is the norm'.
I am thankful for the many differences we experience in our common humanity. Whether they be differences of culture, language, work, learning, interests, skills, abilities, gender. Our differences do not divide us, they are a source of richness. We learn from others' experiences and stories. We develop greater understanding, greater compassion, greater love. We can only 'be on earth the heart of God' when we understand what the earth we are part of has to offer and that includes all people and their uniqueness.
Happy Harmony Week!
School Photos 
We have postponed the school photos scheduled for next week to ensure that we don't have too many absences from classes. There is no need to re-order if you have ordered online. The photo day will be later in Term 2. We'll remind everyone a few weeks beforehand.
Pupil Free Day
Catholic Education continue to support all of our schools in professional learning about High Impact Teaching Practices as part of the Catalyst Program. We are in the second year of this program.
To enable staff to receive the fundamental training Catholic Education have again determined the first day of next term to be a Pupil Free Day. Please not that in the first week of Term 2:
- Monday 25 April - ANZAC Day Public Holiday
- Tuesday 26 April - Pupil Free Day - Professional Learning for staff
- Wednesday 27 April - Students return
OSHClub are providing a program of supervision for Tuesday 26 April. Please visit the OSHClub website for contact details if you wish to access their program.
Playground Update
We're currently in the process of receiving quotes for updating the playground equipment. Later on this year we will have new playground equipment for both junior and senior ends of the playground. We're also undertaking the initial design process for landscaping the rest of the playground spaces. We're very excited and I look forward to sharing news of these changes over the course of the year. If you would like to see a lot of what is happening please visit the School Development page on our website.
School Fete
At the most recent Community Council Meeting we decided to plan for a school fete, to be held early in Term 1 in 2023. We're really excited to create the opportunity to gather and celebrate the beginning of the school year again. We have missed these opportunities. If you are keen or just curious about being involved in organising the fete and would like to know more about what it entails please contact me and I am happy to let you know.
Have a wonderful weekend. Stay healthy and safe.
Matthew Garton
Catholic Life and Reflection
Listening to my youngest talk about Harmony Day on the way to school this morning made me realise how far we have come. When I was 11, diversity was not celebrated. My European father and my Eurasian mother were quite out of the ordinary. So as a young person trying to fit in, I kept my heritage pretty quiet.
Now I celebrate it! I have so many wonderful photos that show the diversity of my family. I carefully write down the stories my mother and aunts and uncles tell to preserve them. Below is a photo of my Great Great Grandmother (seated far left). My Great Grandmother is second girl from the left in the back row.
I love this picture so much for all that it says about my past and how it guides my future. When I feel frustrated by intolerance, I remember how a single Chinese mother was loved and cherished by an upstanding gentleman. He married her and they had five more children, all before the turn of the last century.
Loving God, just as you chose your apostles from all walks of life, we pray that we may follow your example and embrace the unique qualities that each of us possess, so that we may bring about harmony on this earth. We pray to the Lord.
Tolerance, harmony and diversity can be celebrated everywhere. Happy Harmony Week everyone!
Haromony Day and Cross Country Practice - Year 1
God bless you all.
Stephanie Stewart
Religious Education Coordinator
Notices from the Parish
Happy birthday to William B, Lucas M, Casper N and Reedhee P who all celebrated a birthday during the week.
Please note that we ask students to not bring home made cupcakes to share with the class for their birthdays. This is a precautionary measure for health and hygiene. The Canteen offers a number of options to share with the class. Purchases can be made through the QKR app.
On Wednesday the Community Council had their second meeting of the year.
With community engagement and fundraising being key areas of focus, we would like to commence planning for a school fete to be held in early 2023. Historically we have held a school fete in February each year, to bring the school community together and welcome new families to the school. Unfortunately due to COVID we have had to postpone the last two years.
With restrictions continuing to ease we are looking forward to being able to hold this event again. Our previous fetes have been very successful in raising funds that contributed to air conditioning being installed in all the classrooms. Along with bringing the community together, we are keen to continue to raise funds to contribute to improvements across the school, including the outdoor learning environment.
We need your help!
To assist in planning for the fete we are seeking parent volunteers to join the Fete Committee to coordinate logistics – booking rides, coordinating stalls, recruiting and coordinating volunteers for the actual day. If you are able to assist please email sjapscommuntycouncil@gmail.com and we will be in touch.
The next Community Council meeting will be Week 3 of Term Two. If there is something that you would like raised at the next meeting please reach out to one of the Community Council members or email sjapscommuntycouncil@gmail.com.
A reminder that fees for Term 1 are now past the due date.
If you are paying by direct debit please ensure that your direct debit will cover your fees by the end of the year.
If you need to discuss your fees please contact Debbie Milne finance.sjaps@cg.catholic.edu.au
Year 4
Payments for Year 4 1 – to – 1 Technology are due. Payments are made via the QKR app and there are several payment options available.
Year 5
Payments for Year 5 1 – to – 1 technology are due. Payments are made via the QKR app and there are several payment options available
The Uniform Shop will be open on the following dates:
Friday 1st April 8:30am-9:30am
Parents are able to attend in person. Please make sure you check-in using the CBR Check-in QR code, wear a face mask and abide by all social distancing requirements set by ACT Health.
If you have any questions or concerns please email the uniform shop on stjohnsclothingpool@gmail.com.
School photo day was scheduled for this Tuesday 29th March. Due to the larger than usual student absence numbers, as a result of families impacted by the COVID pandemic, we have rescheduled photo day to the earliest date Advance Life have available, Thursday 28th July.
Please note that you will not have to reorder any payments that have been made online. A reminder will be sent out in the newsletter again closer to the date.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to a full set of school photos for every student and family.
A parenting style for the ages
There’s been a great deal of conversation lately about the most appropriate parenting style to raise kids effectively. How do you get cooperation from your child without nagging, yelling or using other less pleasant, coercive means? How do you build a strong connection with your child or young person, so that they you can build a lasting and respectful relationship?
The solution to these dilemmas is easier than you may think. It lies in your ability to assess two different communication styles when you interact with your child. These two styles indicate credibility and approachability. The credible or ‘cat’ style, as many of the behaviours are cat-like, is the style to use when managing or disciplining children. The approachable style, known as a ‘dog’ style as many of the behaviours come from the canine world, is used when building positive, healthy relationships. Let’s explore a little further and find out how to access each side or style.
Find your inner cat to guide and manage
The ‘cat’ refers to the credible or authoritative side that we all have but may find difficulty accessing. This cat or credible side is expressed through non-verbal communication – your tone of voice, your posture and your head position.
Speaking with a flat, even voice shows credibility. Keep your head still and body upright when you talk, and your credibility increases dramatically. The quickest way to access your inner cat or credible side is to speak with your palms facing the ground. Most people find that when they do so they naturally speak with a clipped voice, still head and body and a serious expression on your face.
When you speak from your cat or credible side people will usually believe what you have to say. Cat body language gives you authority.
Guide like a cat by speaking calmly, quietly and staying still when you speak. ‘Cats’ will also withdraw eye contact rather than stand and argue, so look away or respectfully move away rather than become involved in a pointless argument with a child.
‘Cats’ also look for ways to manage visually (with such things as rosters or charts) or by moving close and whispering, rather than repeating themselves. If ‘cats’ repeat themselves, they are more likely to lower their voice than raise it to get attention. These cat behaviours work well when guiding and managing children and teenagers.
Use your inner dog to nurture and build relationships
We also have a ‘dog’ side to our nature. This is the approachable, conversational, relationship-building side. When you access this side, you generally speak with lots of inflection in your voice. Your head will bob up and down. You’ll probably lean forward as you speak, and you’ll smile a lot. The quickest way to access your dog side or approachable side is to speak with your palms up.
Many of us feel more comfortable with the dog or approachable side than with the cat side of our nature. If you are in a management position at work, you probably spend more time accessing your cat or credible side than your dog or approachable side. Highly effective managers, like highly effective parents will move seamlessly between the two, accessing their dog when networking and relationship-building, then finding their cat for negotiations or when making decisions.
Bring your cat and dog to your parenting
As a parent you can make subtle adjustments to your communication to increase your effectiveness. Consciously alter your style to suit different situations rather than let your moods dictate your communication style. It takes effort and practice to move between the two styles. Do it often and you’ll find switching from cat to dog and back again becomes an ingrained parenting pattern.
Get your cat and dog wrong and you’ll be ineffective. Manage or discipline like a dog and you’ll do one of three things – whine to get cooperation, become frustrated if children or teenagers ignore you, or do nothing because you don’t want to offend your children. Build relationships like a cat and you’ll be seen as distant, stiff and unapproachable.
Get the mix right and you’ll be able to give your children exactly what they need. That is, the leadership and safety that cats provide and the nurturance and encouragement that comes naturally to dogs.
In closing
The cat-dog approach spans many different parenting styles and importantly, accommodates for the emotional needs of children and teenagers. It also provides tools for parents who view parenting as an individual endeavour and for those who see parenting as a group leadership task. The cat-dog approach offers parents the flexibility needed to parent effectively in our current times.
Michael Grose
Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s an award-winning speaker and the author of 12 books for parents including Spoonfed Generation, and the bestselling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It. Michael is a former teacher with 15 years experience, and has 30 years experience in parenting education. He also holds a Master of Educational Studies from Monash University specialising in parenting education.
