Dear St John's families,

Welcome back to Term 4. Welcome to our new students Oz, Ava and Sofia and their families. We look forward to helping you learn and grow.

Congratulations SJAPS Choir

Yesterday our school choir performed at Floriade. They represented the school beautifully. I managed to listen to their rehearsals and they were melodic, united and energising. Thank you to Mrs Macdonald who has spent many hours practising with them, building their confidence. Thank you also to the staff who assisted in making the choir T Shirts they wore.

Next Tuesday our choir will perform at the Chief Minister's Reading Challenge Awards Ceremony. The were required to provide and audition tape and were selected. They will also perform for our visitors on Grandparents Days.

Uniform

Thank you to all our families for helping children to wear the correct uniform to school this term. We always notice how much they have grown when they come back in their summer uniform. A few important points of note:

• The navy sports shorts are designed differently to the navy shorts of the every day uniform. They are not interchangeable. Perhaps label the tags with 'sport' and 'every day' for those young children independently dressing themselves now.
• Hair ties, ribbons and scrunchies are to be school colours of maroon and blue or in the fabric of the uniform.
• HATS, HATS HATS! Some of our students are coming to school without their hat and telling us they have lost it at home. Please help your child in finding their hat if that is the case. New hats are available for sale at the front office.

Cybersafety evening

If you are keen to learn how to keep your child safe in the digital environment a Cybersafety evening is being hosted by St Monica's Primary School, Evatt on Monday 23rd October at 6.00pm. Parents from all Belconnen Catholic Schools are welcome to attend. Hosted by Think U Know, it will be an informative evening.

If you would like to attend please email me directly (matthew.garton@cg.catholic.edu.au) by Wednesday 18 October so I can provide the expected numbers for attendance from our school.

Referendum Voting Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a great opportunity to model to your children the importance of participating actively in democratic processes. I know that many of you will have had some interesting conversations at home about tomorrow's referendum. If you haven't yet understood what the referendum vote is about the question is:

A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?

You can find your place to vote and other information that will help you vote with confidence at the Australian Electoral Commission website. Your answer matters. Make it count.

Matthew Garton

Principal

Mental Health Month

As we embrace the beauty of spring and welcome the warmth of the Australian sun, we are also reminded of the importance of nurturing our children's mental well-being. In October, it is Mental Health Month, a nationwide initiative dedicated to raising awareness and promoting mental health in our community.

Mental health is just as vital as physical health, especially for our young learners. It plays a significant role in their academic success, emotional development, and overall happiness. The goal of Mental Health Month is to remind us that supporting and nurturing our children's emotional and mental well-being is paramount.

As parents and carers, your role is pivotal in this endeavour. Here are some ways you can support your children’s mental health:

• Open Communication: Encourage your child to express their feelings and thoughts. Create a safe and non-judgmental environment where they feel comfortable talking about their emotions.
• Active Listening: When your child does open up, be a good listener. Validate their feelings and let them know you're there for them. Sometimes, just having someone to listen to can provide great relief.
• Spend Quality Time: Make time for one-on-one activities with your child. Engaging in shared interests and hobbies can foster a sense of connection and strengthen the parent-child bond.
• Set Realistic Expectations: Avoid putting undue pressure on your child, academically or otherwise. Set realistic expectations that consider their abilities, and let them know that you love and support them no matter what.
• Teach Coping Strategies: Help your child develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and difficult emotions. Breathing exercises, mindfulness, and physical activities can be effective tools.
• Limit Screen Time: Excessive screen time, especially on social media, can impact a child's mental health. Encourage breaks from screens and promote activities that involve face-to-face interactions.
• Balanced Diet and Exercise: A nutritious diet and regular physical activity can have a positive impact on mood and overall well-being.
• Establish Routines: Consistent daily routines can provide a sense of stability and security for children. Ensure they get adequate sleep and maintain a structured schedule.
• Monitor for Warning Signs: Keep an eye out for signs of mental health concerns, such as changes in behaviour, eating habits, sleep patterns, or a decline in academic performance. If you notice something concerning, address it with care.
• Access Professional Help: If you suspect your child is struggling with mental health issues, don't hesitate to seek professional help. A counsellor, therapist, or psychologist can provide expert guidance and support.You can always talk to their classroom teacher as well.
• Be a Role Model: Children learn by example. Show them how to handle stress and emotions in a healthy way. 
• Support Friendships: Help your child build and maintain healthy friendships. Positive social interactions can contribute to a strong support system.
• Promote Resilience: Teach your child that it's okay to face challenges and failures. Encourage them to learn from these experiences and grow stronger.
• Reduce Stigma: Talk openly about mental health to reduce the stigma associated with it. Let your child know that seeking help for mental health concerns is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Mental Health Month is an opportunity for our community to come together and prioritise the well-being of our young minds. Together, we can create an environment where our children feel safe, supported, and understood.

We look forward to a month of learning, growth, and nurturing young hearts and minds. Remember, a mentally healthy child is a happy child, and their happiness is our greatest achievement.

Boorowa

Next Friday, a selection of Year 5 and Year 6 students will be attending the Boorowa Touch and Netball Carnival. A list of teams and rules will be sent at the beginning of next week to the students participating. We are still waiting on some consent forms and payments. Please do this as soon as possible. 

Fete

Our school Fete will be on Friday 15 March 2024 from 4-8pm (Term 1, Week 7). We are already well on our way with preparations. Please see information below (under the Fete heading) about requesting volunteers in the lead up to the Fete and requests for donations. We really rely on our school community to ensure the success of our school Fete. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. 

Rebekah Brown

I have been travelling a lot lately. Boorowa, Tuross, twice in the last month and Melbourne as well. Usually my husband does the driving but for most of the trips I was driving on my own. It was a luxury to have sole choice of what to listen to. I chose podcasts from Stuff you Should Know. Chuck and Josh cover a variety of topics including some that don’t sound that interesting but are!

Not that long ago, I was so arrogant and I remember commenting that I didn’t need to watch a younger teacher because “what could I learn from them?”. I am so embarrassed that I said that, and it haunts me to this day! Thankfully, a more experienced teacher than I put me in my place. Her comment was that she was always learning and would never stop. 

I have worked hard to get to where I am now. I hope I have an openness to learning from everyone I meet regardless of age or experience.

This is what I hold dear…

I am experienced but that doesn’t make me an expert.

I know enough to know I am still ignorant about many things. That's okay.

Life is about learning, making mistakes, setting the sails and growing on!

All of these apply to faith. Especially number 2!  In my role as REC people often expect me to be an expert in scripture or doctrine or church tradition. I am not, but I will learn about it and work it out. Learning about scripture, tradition, the Brisbane Curriculum and MSC Spirituality have all contributed to my own faith. If I hadn’t spent the time working things out, I would not have grown in my own faith. My students, staff and families have benefitted from my learning, and I hope to continue.

Philippians 3:12-14

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Pressing toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Beloved,I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

God bless,

Stephanie Stewart

Happy birthday to James S, Tessa V, Edith B, Rohanika K, Maria A, Tia M, and Ziva Z, Kiri F, Rylee T, Lachlan F, Annika N, April M, Sava K, Kelvin N and Lilijana T who all celebrated a birthday over the last three weeks.

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:

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

Our school Fete will be on Friday 15 March 2024 from 4-8pm (Term 1, Week 7). We are already well on our way with preparations. Please see information below about requesting volunteers in the lead up to the Fete and requests for donations. We really rely on our school community working together to ensure the success of our school Fete. 

Store Convenors 

Before the end of this year, we will send out information regarding volunteers for the Fete Day. We are currently requesting store convenors for the following stores in the preparation and lead up to the Fete. The Fete Coordinators will also support each of the store convenors and provide more details on the roles once allocated. Please contact Rebekah Brown rebekah.brown@cg.catholic.edu.au if you would like to take on one of these roles or if you have any questions. 

Store	Role of the Store Convenor
Hampers	Collect all of the donations on Friday Week 6, Term 1 2024 and pack the hampers.
Plant Store	Start to pot and grow plants in time to sell for the Fete Reach out to organisations (Bunnings, garden centres etc.) for donations of plants.
Book Store	Sort the book donations prior to the day of the Fete Allocate prices.
Fish and Chips Store	Organising a menu for Fish and Chips. Ordering and purchasing of products.
Drinks Store	Gradually purchasing drinks when they are on sale (purchasing to start as soon as possible).
Cake Store	Organisation of plates and instructions to be sent home in the week prior to the Fete. Allocation of prices on the day.
Biscuit Decorating	Purchasing of biscuits (arrowroot biscuits) and items to decorate biscuits. This role will include creating a process around biscuit decorating and different ways children can decorate the biscuits. Available on the day of the Fete to set up.
Badge Making	Organisation of designs/artworks for the badge making. Purchasing of any products required for this. Cutting out the circles for children to decorate.

At times, we may need to ask the store convenor to purchase some of the items required for the store. However, this money will be reimbursed as quickly as possible. 

Donations 

The Fete Committee has decided to send out all of the requests for donations for the 2024 Fete at one time so that families don't feel like there are requests every week or two. We rely on our community to donate a couple of items per child. Please see below a list of the items we are requesting. All of these items can be sent to school with your child or delivered to the front office. Thank you in advance for your donations and support. 

Tombola

For the 2024 Fete, we are doing Tombola a little differently. We are asking that a full jar is donated. In the past, we have asked for empty jars and the Store Convenor has filled the jars. The items also don’t need to be in a jar. They could be in a zip lock bag, a plastic container or anything that is enclosed and we can stick a raffle ticket on. 

Items that can be put in the tombolar jars/containers:

• Lollies and chocolates 
• Jar of trinkets - small toys, erasers, stickers, hair accessories, craft supplies, stationary etc.

Hampers

We are asking that each child in each year group, donates one or more items for the below hampers. Each year level has been allocated a theme. Year 6 has not been allocated a theme, as they will no longer be at St John’s in 2024. If Year 6 students would like to donate an item, they can choose any theme. Please see below images of past hampers. 

Kindergarten - Baby hamper (e.g. wraps, clothes, nappies, rattles, baby toys, wipes etc.)

Year 1 - Pet Hamper (eg. pet toys, treats, feeders, bowls etc.)

Year 2 - Kids Toy hamper (e.g. puzzles, fidget toys, board games, balls etc.)

Year 3 - Pamper hamper (eg. bath salts, candles, body products etc.)

Year 4 - Parents hamper (eg. wine, beer, chocolates, nuts etc.)

Year 5 - Home hamper (eg. tools, cleaning products, Bunnings gift card etc.)

Books

We will be having a book stall. We would love donations of books to sell at the Fete. These can be picture books, children and adult novels, recipe books etc.

Lucky Lock

We will be having a Lucky Lock competition again for the 2024 Fete. An esky is filled with wine and beer and locked with a padlock. We sell keys and one key opens the lock. This lucky person wins the esky and its contents. To run this competition, we would love donations of the following:

• Wine, beer etc.
• Old keys that are no longer useful 

Pre-loved Soft Toys

We are asking for clean and in good condition pre-loved soft toys to be donated. 

Thank you so much for all of your support in making out 2024 Fete a success.

Kind regards,

Fete Committee

The Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Friday 13 October - 8.30-9.30 (School Holidays)

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