Dear St John the Apostle community, 

This week we had a final walk through and handover of the newly developed areas of the playground. It was exciting to finally do this. We're going to keep students off some of the newly seeded areas for now until the grass strikes and establishes itself. We'll be holding a family picnic and playground opening when spring arrives. Keep an eye out for these details later this term. 

Congratulations Mrs Champion

I'm sure you join me in congratulating Ms Collins and her husband on their wedding last weekend. Sarah and Dayne were able to enjoy a beautiful weekend with family and a few friends. The children in Year 6 are getting used to calling her Mrs Champion. A name she earned years ago in the eyes of some of her students!

Brag Tag Celebration

Yesterday we held our Brag Tag Celebration for 170 students. During Term 2 these students submitted their Brag Tags containing 20 brag tag stickers, indicating 20 times staff had noticed how they Respect Others, Respect Self, and Respect the Environment. We celebrated with free time on any playground, with sport equipment, bubbles and chalk outside as well as access to spheros, ozobots, lego and games inside. The popcorn machine was running hot too.

Well done Eva!

Congratulations to Eva Gabellone who represented St John the Apostle on Wednesday evening at the local Rostrum public speaking competition. Eva received a 'highly commended' recognition for her effort. Well done Eva!

Supporting positive friendships

On Wednesday 2 August our Community Council are inviting all parents to an evening to learn more about relational aggression, how it can happen from as young as 3 years old and continue right into adulthood. We'll also talk about how parents can help their child respond to it and hopefully prevent it among their friends.

Boys and girls both experience relational aggression and this night will be targeted specifically at parents of boys and girls at a primary school age. A separate invitation has been sent to families through Compass. Replying will help us ensure we have enough nibbles and refreshments for everyone.

New finance system

Yesterday families were sent their school fees for Term 2. These fee statements may have looked a little different for some families. In two weeks time we will move across to our new finance system. We will no longer be able to make camp and chromebook payments on Qkr. We have therefore added these to the relevant year level's fees. More detailed communication about the changes will occur next week, however, should you have urgent questions please direct them to finance.sjaps@cg.catholic.edu.au and we will address them as soon as possible.

Have a lovely weekend while this beautiful sun lasts! 

Matthew Garton

Principal

NAPLAN Results

We will distribute the 2023 NAPLAN results to Year Three and Year Five students on Monday. 

NAPLAN was undertaken by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in March 2023. NAPLAN is the only national assessment
that all Australian children undertake. Questions assess content linked to the Australian Curriculum in English and
Mathematics. NAPLAN tests are one aspect of each school’s assessment and reporting process and do not replace
the extensive, ongoing assessments made by teachers about each student’s performance.

Education ministers have agreed that NAPLAN test results will be reported using proficiency standards from this year. Achievement in NAPLAN is now reported against proficiency levels instead of the previous numerical NAPLAN bands. 

Students’ results will show how they performed in each of the NAPLAN assessment areas against 4 new proficiency levels:

• Exceeding: The student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing.

• Strong: The student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.

• Developing: The student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing.

• Needs additional support: The student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.

Spelling Mastery and Maths Mastery Awards

Congratulations to all of our students who recieved Spelling Mastery and Maths Mastery Awards today.

Spelling Mastery Awards

Maths Mastery Awards

Rebekah Brown

What Students are Learning About

2B and 2M had a visit from Father Cheung. The students enjoyed the chat with Father. They had created some questions to ask him: Who created God? How did He create everything? How was love created? 

Father explained that God loved us so much that God created us in God's image and created this beautiful earth for us to enjoy and take care of as stewards. We have God in us and therefore we must be careful of our words and actions as we learn to care for and be respectful of each other. 

We hope Father Cheung comes back again soon! 

2B and and 2M  

What Staff are Learning About

We pride ourselves on having a school that is known throughout the Archdiocese for being inclusive. This week staff spent time completing modules for NCCD (Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability https://www.nccd.edu.au/. These modules are about how to best support all students to complete fully access and participate in school, including at specific needs at events, during the enrolment process and throughout their school day. Each time we participate in these units I am reminded of our mission “to be on earth the heart of God” and how lucky we are that being inclusive is at our very core.

Catholic Life and Reflection

In staff prayer this week we have reflected on the Parable of the Mustard Seed.  There are two main references to the mustard seed in scripture. One in Matthew, the other in Mark.

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” Mark 4:30-32

On Thursday we read the following reflection together: 'Even when our own faith is as small as a mustard seed; combined with the faith of others, we can build God’s kingdom.' 

When your own faith is a little shaky or feels small, by walking together, we are strong enough to move mountains.

God bless,

Stephanie Stewart

Happy birthday to Akshaj P, Ella-Maree G, Tommy C, Ethan C, Nate S, Rita T, Trinity F, Emma P and Michael H who all celebrated a birthday over the last week.

Congratulations to the following students who received 20 brag tags during the term.

Term 3 is always a busy and exciting term in the library! Students are welcome to complete the Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge, which will close on Friday 11^th August. I will  submitting entries for all students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2, based on the books they have been reading at school. Students in Year 3 have paper entry forms that they are keeping at school, and students in Years 4-6 are completing their entries in Google Classroom.

We will be celebrating Children’s Book Week in week 6, with fun events and an author visit planned. On Friday 25^th August, students are invited to come to school dressed as a book character. We will have a parade at 9:10am and welcome you to come and watch. We look forward to seeing everyone’s costumes.

Scholastic Book Club is due back on Tuesday 1^st August. Please order and pay using the LOOP app.

The Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Friday 4 August - 8.30-9.30

If you have any questions or concerns please email the uniform shop on stjohnsclothingpool@gmail.com