Dear St John the Apostle community, 

We had a disco again! Our last disco was in 2019! One parent commented last night that everything was feeling just like before COVID. How nice.

Thank you to Community Council members Kelly Bradbury and  Belinda Clifford, as well as our Assistant Principal Rebekah Brown, for organising last night's dance extravaganza. The children had a wonderful time and it was so lovely to see so many parents staying and chatting with each other.

Thank you in particular to the many parents and grandparents who volunteered to help at one or both of the discos. We could never have this event for your children without your help.

Thank you also to the Years 3 and 4 teachers who planned and prepared the Fathers Day breakfast this morning. It was great start to the day given that there were a number of tired children and parents after the disco.

Happy Fathers Day

A big Happy Fathers Day to all of the dads, grandads and anyone who plays that role in our students' lives.

Last year my youngest of four finished Year 12 at SFX. I am now a father of young adults, no longer school age children. We prioritise family dinners every Sunday evening, where partners or friends are always welcome to come along. We play games together, talk about the week we've had and the week ahead. We laugh and joke and, while they are no longer school age, they are all still young enough that the joking and banter can result in tears! You never stop being a parent and saying things like 'leave your brother/sister alone!'

One of the joys of being a father of four young adults is that I get to reassure parents I meet that no one is a perfect parent; that children don't have to be the best at everything, rather just be their unique selves; that every time you face a challenge with your child, their is a light at the end of the tunnel. They will almost always come out the other end more mature and fuller as a person and you will be relieved.

This Sunday I encourage every dad, if possible, to just be still and enjoy your own children. Sit and watch them. See how amazing they are, and know that you have been a part of making them just like that. You might say to yourself 'I have no idea how I've done this!'. That's okay. Just know that they are very thankful for everything you do.

Matthew Garton

Principal

Next week (3-9 September), is National Child Protection Week. This week is all about making sure every child in Australia is safe, happy, and well taken care of. It's a time for everyone to come together and learn how we can protect and support children in our communities.

What is National Child Protection Week?

National Child Protection Week is a week-long event held every year to raise awareness about the importance of keeping children safe. The overarching message this year is 'Every child in every community needs a fair go.' This message is complemented with the theme 'Where we start matters.' This message captures the essence of National Child Protection Week which aims to promote a safe and supported life for every child, now and into the future. 

• Where we start our lives in terms of where we live, the resources available to us, and the opportunities presented to us make a significant difference to our life outcomes.
• Where we start as a service sector in offering children and their families support and assistance makes a significant difference to life outcomes.
• Where we start as decision makers in addressing large complex policy problems such as child abuse and neglect, also has a significant personal, social and economic outcomes.

Of course where we start isn’t where we finish.

Why is Child Protection Important?

Child protection is all about making sure that children are safe from harm and can grow up in a loving and caring environment. Sometimes, children might face difficult situations, and it's important for everyone to know how to recognise and respond to those situations. By learning about child protection, we can all work together to create a safer and happier world for kids.

How Can We Get Involved?

There are many ways to be a part of National Child Protection Week:

1. Learn and Talk: Parents and teachers can talk to kids about their rights, personal boundaries, and how to ask for help if they need it. Remember, it's important to listen to children and believe them when they share their feelings or concerns.

2. Educate: Teachers will provide special lessons about child protection, where they teach students how to recognise and respond to unsafe situations. Parents can also have discussions at home about safety and appropriate behaviour.

3. Community Events: Many communities organise events during this week to promote child protection. These might include workshops, seminars, and activities that help kids and grown-ups learn how to keep children safe.

4. Spread the Word: Children can create posters, drawings, or messages that raise awareness about child protection. Share these with your friends, family, and classmates to remind everyone about the importance of keeping children safe.

5. Support Organisations: There are organisations that work year-round to protect children. You can learn about them and support their efforts by volunteering or donating.

Let's Keep Kids Safe Together!

Australian National Child Protection Week is a wonderful opportunity for us all to learn, share, and make a positive difference in the lives of children. Remember, we all have a role to play in protecting and nurturing our young ones. By coming together, we can create a safer and brighter future for all children in Australia.

Let's work hand in hand to put children first, not only during this week but every day of the year!

Support your child in their learning!

Rebekah Brown

What Staff Are Learning About

This week we gathered as a whole staff to celebrate Mass. It was held in the chapel and is the first of three formation sessions. The readings were the same as the beginning of the year and based on Walking Together.

Father Chung’s Homily reminded us that we need to find people we trust to talk to. That to build community and do our complex work we need always be people of hope. We need to be “drawn from anxiety to hope, from confusion to joy” We can only do this together.

What Students Are Learning About

Kindergarten

Kindergarten celebrated a Liturgy of the Word with Father Chung on Thursday.  Their readings were based on the creation story.  The students understood not only how to participate but why it was important. They were able to answer questions about the creation story and why God rested on the 7^th Day. Thank you to their dedicated teachers Ms Kennelly, Ms Watson Gardner and Ms Neven.

Year Three

Year Three had a reflection retreat about First Communion on Thursday.  They were led by an enthusiastic group of Year 9 students from SFX. It was a time for all of the students to deepen their faith by delving into the scripture story Jesus Appears to the Seven Disciples John 21:1-13. They used 'Read with a Pencil', a comprehension teaching technique, to look at the words. They prayed the Rosary and reflected on several different artistic representations of the scripture story. 

Being led by older students had a profound impact as they witnessed the faith modelled by other young people. The same message, but from different people, helps to connect students to each other but also to their own journey.

Catholic Life and Reflection

I was very lucky to attend my sister’s retirement party last night. It was a celebration of all the work she has done as CEO for Screen Canberra over the last 14 years.

Of course, there was an obligatory speech. In it she talked about successful projects, everything from Me and My Mates and the Zombie Apocalypse to Total Control staring Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths. However, it was people that she talked about the most, those who continue to work and support screen in the ACT but also those who have passed on and were significant contributors to her personal and the industry’s growth. As it was the anniversary of my Oma’s passing yesterday it was a fitting speech. 

Although my sister and I look alike and are quite similar in many ways our work is vastly different. Or so I thought. Yesterday I realised that we are creators of community. Like my mother when she ran the mail room at the old Canberra Hospital and her mother, my Oma, a Catholic school teacher for many years in Canberra, we contribute to and help create communities.

The community of St John the Apostle has been on show this week. Mass, retreats, discos and Fathers Day breakfast and the feedback is always what a wonderful community you have.

Yes, we do.  We don’t always get it right. It is not always smooth sailing, but we continue to move forward. To embrace each other and move from anxiety to hope and confusion to joy.

So, to my wonderful sister, mentor, and friend congratulations.  For your dedication, creativity, savvy and mostly for the community you have created.

1 Corinthians 1:10 (NRSV)

¹⁰ Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.

God bless,

Stephanie Stewart

Happy birthday to Ekluvya G, Pema T, Cassidy S, Ethan B, Jessie A, Kate R and Lachlan S who all celebrated a birthday over the last week.

At St John the Apostle we teach a number of programs that focus on mastering particular knowledge and skills in literacy and numeracy. Students are taught based on their individual, current level of mastery. Two of the programs we teach are Spelling Mastery and Rocket Maths. We regularly collect data from students in both of these programs so we can track that they are having continous progress. Students work hard to achieve mastery in these programs, so we have decided to celebrate the students who show mastery in these programs by giving them awards.

Students will receive Spelling Mastery Awards once they reach mastery three times at their Spelling Mastery level. For some students this is 10/10 and for others it is 25/25. For Kindergarten students will receive Spelling Mastery Awards when they receive 10/10 for each unit they complete in Sounds~Write.

Students will receive Maths Mastery Awards each time they beat their Rocket Math Two Minute Goal.

Week 8 Spelling Mastery Awards

During Friday morning assembly in Week 8 (1 December), the following students will receive Spelling Mastery Awards:

Week 8 Maths Mastery Awards

During Friday morning assembly in Week 8 (1 December), the following students will receive Maths Mastery Awards:

School Fees and Billing System Changes

St John the Apostle Primary School, in partnership with Catholic Education, Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn (CECG), will soon migrate to a new finance system to generate efficiencies that work alongside the Compass parent portal and Compass mobile application, giving parents/caregivers visibility of their financial transactions within Compass.

Additionally, changes will affect the way you pay student tuition fees, levies, and other payments.

School Fee Statement Changes

School fee statements will have a new look. A new Customer Reference Number (CRN) has been created and payment methods have been updated. A statement will be sent out shortly that will contain an updated BPAY Biller Code and CRN that will need to be utilised going forward.

Statements will be emailed to financially responsible account holders each month, so it is necessary to ensure that your information is updated in the Compass parent portal, including your address and current email address.

Payment Methods

To support the changes in the school finance system, BPAY is now the preferred payment method.  You will receive your new statement shortly, which will contain the new BPAY Biller code and your new CRN.

Utilising these new unique codes will ensure that any payments made will be accurately assigned to your account. 

BPAY payment scheduling is supported by most financial institutions. Please contact your bank for further details if required.

If you already have scheduled BPAY payment in place, it is important that you ensure these details are updated to use the new BPAY Biller Code and CRN. 

Payments can be made through Compass, but this does cost the school transactional fees, reducing the funds available to support the school. Where possible, please pay school fees via BPAY or directly at the school office via cash or EFTPOS.

How to use BPAY 

Your new fee statement will display a distinct BPAY logo which includes your BPAY biller code and Customer Reference Number with an example is pictured below.

Please Note: The current School Bank Account is Closing   

The current school bank account is closing.  Please cease any automated or manual payments to the previous school bank account. As Direct Debit will no longer be accepted, all existing direct debit arrangements have been cancelled.  Accordingly, if you make regular payment of school fees via Direct Debit, please ensure that you work with the school to ensure that another payment method is in place. 

Changes to the Compass Portal

The Compass Portal will have an additional feature under the My Payments area. In addition to being able to view any Compass event payments, families will also be able to view their fee statement history, including any payments made.

Under the Tools wheel, go to My Payments.

Please Note: The current School Bank Account is Closing   

The current school bank account is closing.  Please cease any automated or manual payments to the previous school bank account. As Direct Debit will no longer be accepted, all existing direct debit arrangements have been cancelled. 

Accordingly, if you make regular payment of school fees via Direct Debit, please ensure that you work with the school to ensure that another payment method is in place. 

Changes to the Compass Portal

The Compass Portal will have an additional feature under the My Payments area. In addition to being able to view any Compass event payments, families will also be able to view their fee statement history, including any payments made.

Under the Tools wheel, go to My Payments

Under the History tab, fee payers can view their account balance and transaction history. Please allow up to 24 hours for BPAY payments to appear on your account.

Thank you for supporting the school with these system changes and should you have any concerns please feel free to contact Debbie Milne Finance Officer, St John the Apostle primary school.

SJAPS Talent Quest 2023 

Students have the opportunity to showcase their skills and talents in the 2023 SJAPS Talent Quest which will be held on

Friday 22 September at 12.20pm in the hall.

If your child is interested in performing we are asking you to have a conversation with your child about the types of acts they may perform on stage (individual or group) to help them with ideas. 

Teachers will organise a suitable day and time to hold year group auditions for the talent quest (probably Monday or Tuesday of week 10). Teachers will send me the names of the chosen acts by Wednesday week 10. I will let parents know if your child is performing so you have the opportunity to come and watch. 

The Maths Games group will have a practice session on Friday 8 September @ 11.30am Students will also bring home some practice questions.

They will have their final competition on Monday 11 September @ 11.30am

Congratulations to all the St Johns participants who took place in the Belconnen Regional Athletics Carnival on 15 August.

Vincent N (4B) represented in long jump and Isabelle J (4M) represented in two running events. Both students are now through to the ACT State round to compete against other regions from the ACT on 12 September. Best of luck.

Thank you to Mrs Hudson and Miss Millband who supported the students throughout the day.

Year 2 had a wonderful time on their excursion to the National Exhibition Centre and the Canberra Museum and Gallery and ended the day with a view of Canberra at Mount Ainslie. Students have been learning about people and places in our local and global communities in Geography and it was a great opportunity to showcase the beautiful city of Canberra. Students took part in varied activities and were able to have a cultural experience by viewing and sketching the works of Sidney Nolan at the Gallery. Thanks to all the parents, office staff and inclusion staff that helped to make it a great day. 

Book Club orders are due on Tuesday 5th September. Please order and pay online using LOOP.

The Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Friday 8 September - 8.30-9.30

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

Congraulations to Miranda T (6B) for receiving the 'Highly Commended - Junior Section' at the Australian Catholics 2023 Young Voices Award yesterday. We are very proud of you Miranda.