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Recent School Calendar Updates
Please go to our school calendar on the website or COMPASS for more details.
Please note that the last two days of Term 2 (30 June and 1 July) and the first day of Term 3 (18 July) are pupil free days for professional learning for staff. Students do not attend school on these days. OSHClub will be available.
Term 3
- Yr 2 - Dental Health & Nutrition Incursion - (Week 3)
- Athletics Carnival - (Week 4)
- Belconnen Region Athletics Carnival - (Week 5)
- Chief Ministers Reading Challenge ends (Week 5)
- Fathers Day Breakfast (Week 7)
- Yr 5 Camp - Birrigai (Week 8)
School Focus & Positive Behaviour
The school positive behaviour focus this week was:
Be like Seve: give something new a crack!
Dear St John the Apostle families,
Thank you for a wonderful term.
We have finished the term in a strong and positive way with students and staff, particularly celebrating:
- student learning through the reports and parent-teacher interviews,
- the Feast of the Sacred Heart with mass and fun activities,
- NAIDOC Week with a smoking ceremony and aboriginal outdoors games.
Thank you to all students, families and staff for a relatively smooth term amidst the challenges that many schools in the ACT have faced. We're very thankful for the commitment and dedication of staff in supporting the school to operate consistently well and parents in ensuring that students remain healthy and well when sent to school. It is a team effort that keeps our school running smoothly. Thank you.
Mathematics
Yesterday our teachers spent some much needed professional learning and planning time together with a focus on teaching Mathematics. We also looked at some fantastic data showing how much our students have grown this year in their capacity to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems thanks to the introduction of High Impact Teaching Strategies.
Next term, across the whole school, we are working with students to develop their mathematical reasoning. We're teaching and expecting students to explain how they came to particular answers, to show their working out and to teach others their most effective mathematical strategies.
First Aid
Over both of these pupil free days our entire staff have been trained in First Aid and CPR. We always ensure that every staff member has complete First Aid training so that students can always access the appropriate First Aid they need regardless of the educational activity they are engaged in.
In the second week of the school holidays I will communicate information about Term 3. It will cover:
- Lunch Orders
- Uniform expectations and arrangements
- Some simple changes in procedures and processes for students and families
- Specific events for the term
I sincerely hope all students, families and staff experience rest and nourishment over the school holidays and I look forward to our students returning on Tuesday 19 July ready to learn.
Matthew Garton
What students are learning about
NAIDOC week is always during the school holidays. We like to celebrate with our students a little earlier. This week we were so blessed to have our own smoking ceremony.
There was a moment of deep peace as the smoke drifted across the students. Richie Allen walked around the circle letting the smoke billow around them. It was quite a profound experience.
Acknowledging our first nations people and all of our connections to this land is so important.
Catholic Life and Reflection
I have been nostalgic of late. Thinking about my own primary schooling.
I clearly remember doing a science experiment in Year 6 where you had to dissolve as much salt as possible into a cup so crystals would grow on a string.
I remember how I felt isolated due to my autistic siblings and no help from school ever came.
I remember the Year 7 teacher who looked like Jacqueline Smith from Charlie’s Angels and taught us for the first time about pollution. We put cling wrap smeared with Vaseline in various places, including the local service station to see how much muck it collected.
I realised that what I remember most about school is experiences and relationships.
In the past week or so our students have had wonderful experiences such as a smoking ceremony, Olympian visit and whole school mass.
My sincere hope for them is that, well into their future, they remember how loved they are and how much the staff of our school strive to create a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment.
I am going into these holidays feeling nothing but blessed. Blessed to be in this role, blessed to be part of this supportive, dynamic, and loving community and blessed to be able to spend some time with my family in the next few weeks.
Take note of where you find love in your life. That is where God is.
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
God bless,
Stephanie Stewart
Religious Education Coordinator
Notices from the Parish
Happy birthday to James T, Magdalena J, Chloe L, Nicolai L, Henry J, Austin P, Imogen C, Katie W, Joseph H and William S who all celebrated a birthday over the last 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.
Congratulations to the following students who received the End of Term Awards.
|
Academic |
Consistent Effort |
Discipleship |
|
Academic |
Consistent Effort |
Discipleship |
KB |
Emma W Alexandra B |
Bevan H Linuki M |
Rihaan S Nate P |
KM |
Patrick G Mehar S |
Liam Z Jacob O |
Bettina M Maxwell W |
1B |
Mariam H Andrew S |
Gideon C Mackenzie K |
Piper A |
1M |
Spencer C Logan C |
Charlotte S Henry G |
Rubi S Chloe H |
2B |
William S Jessica G |
Isabella S Sophie P |
Katie W Henry P |
2M |
Marian L Theodore C |
Katie N Akshaj P |
Edith B Hugo G |
3B |
Paul K Taylor M |
Leo K Ivy S |
Luca V Allira R |
3M |
Charlie W |
Austin P Penelope P |
Gurnoor K Jordi M |
4B |
Olive G Lorenzo S |
Abbey R Olivia A |
Ky M Jacob H |
4M |
James S Leo J |
Ethan C Charlotte S |
Michael H Alexandra L |
5B |
Matilda M Elliott B |
Bianca L Sam J |
Charlotte H Emry W |
5M |
Harry P Izabella H |
Zoe S Dante L |
Tobia P Grace H |
6B |
Lily H Emily A |
Matthew H Gabriela V |
Noah W Phoebe B |
6M |
James H Phoebe S |
Mia A Bailey C |
Yusha A Isabella T |
Congratulations to the following students who received 20 brag tags during the term.
KB |
Alexandra B Sophie C Allegra C Emma W |
Tommy C |
Rihaan S Evelyn W Abel W Grace W |
KM | Cameron B Patrick G Charlie J |
Alessia M Casper N Jacob O |
Rylee T |
1B |
Piper A Lewys C Pia G |
Nathaniel G Mackenzie K Annika N |
Andrew S Liam S |
1M | |||
2B |
Aluel A Jayden A Harvey I |
Fiesita M |
William S Isabella S Logan M |
2M | Lewis B Ahsley C Theodore C Henry J |
Chloe L Marian L Raskha N Madison S |
Jackson M Akshaj P Rylan R Liam R |
3B |
Darci D Noah M |
Evelina N Vincent N Grace R |
3M | Xavier B Sophia C Gauri D Evie M Riley M |
Xavier G Gurnoor K Sophie K Penelope P Ileana R Jordi M |
James K Lachlan L James M Amelia S Charlie W |
|
4B |
Awur A |
Joseph G Jacob H Rose H Denzil W |
Sophia N |
4M |
Benjamin B |
Alexa C Angus G Lucius H Kelsey N Sarah O Sean O Abbey W |
Michael H Leo J Magdalena J Vanessa O Nate S James S Charlotte S Blake W |
5B | Matilda M | Aisling S | 5M |
Bior A |
Ameila F Kennie H Harry M Olivia T Xavier T |
Siena M Cruise M Layla P Cooper P Zoe S |
|
6B |
6M |
Mia A Alexis B Jessica C Emilio C Vuyo N |
An D Elizabeth D Anna G James H Renecia O Dev R |
Jari K Mau'lupe M Daven M Adelaide N Phoebe S Daniel S |
|||
Please note that The Uniform Shop willbe open on the following dates:
Monday 18 July 8:00am-9:00am
Tuesday 19 July 8:30am-9:30am
Beanies are now back in stock!!
Parents are able to attend in person.
If you have any questions or concerns please email the uniform shop on stjohnsclothingpool@gmail.com.
Last week we celebrated Nude Food Week to help reduce plastic waste at St John’s. The following children worked exceptionally hard last week to bring Nude Food to school.
Congratulations to Liam Stoneham in 1B, Elspeth Stone in 2B, Sean O’Neill in 4M and Ella Wailes in 6B. These children were provided with an award designed by our Year 6 Sustainability Leadership Team to acknowledge their efforts and hard work.
Keep up the great work everyone. Let’s keep making St John’s a great place to learn.
Make time for down-time
If your teenage children live wound-up, highly scheduled lives then they need to rediscover the lost art of down-town.
Down-time is like mucking around except that it’s passive. It’s about kids relaxing, doing whatever it is they feel like doing – whether that’s watching a screen, hanging around with siblings or mates, reading a book or simply daydreaming.
There are three compelling reasons to allow kids down-time:
- It’ s great for mental health. Hard-driven kids need some time to rest their brains. The thinking wheels can’t keep spinning all the time.
- It builds relationships. You’ve got to be close to someone to feel comfortable down-time with them. A household needs to be relaxed and free from tension for down-time to happen.
- It feels good, which is good reason to do something.
The art of down-time comes with age
Toddlers are too active for down-time. Their physiology ensures that when they have some free time they’ll generally keep moving and exploring.
Kids in primary school start to learn the value of down-time. They generally spend down-time on their own or by mucking around with their friends.
Teenagers are natural down-timers. They do it without trying. Teens take up a lot of space during down-time at home, tending to sprawl out and fill living rooms. Many don’t mind down-time with their parents if their friends don’t see them.
Many parents feel uncomfortable when their kids spend too long in down-time. Busyness is seen as a virtue. Sure, it’s good for our kids to be occupied a lot of the time, but active lives need to be balanced with opportunities for inactivity.
Don’t confuse down-time with brooding
Brooding, like ruminating, involves a young person repeatedly visiting their thoughts, going over past mistakes, or worrying about the future. Down-time is different as it enables a young person to chill out and relax. It’s free-range mindfulness, or unstructured meditation.
Down-time is a lifetime mental health, relationship-building, and happiness habit. It’s something to be encouraged, rather than clamped down.
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.