Dear St John the Apostle families,

Have we been at school for only 2 and half weeks? We've achieved so much already! I shouldn't be surprised. We've worked very, very hard. It always takes a lot of effort by many people to start the year well.

Thank you to our wonderful staff who prepared to present to our parents at our Parent Information Night. They spent a great deal of time considering what parents would need to hear from them and they loved meeting everyone.

Thank you to our fantastic Community Council who prepared the BBQ on Tuesday evening. It was lovely to have that time available for parents to chat together. Our Community Council AGM is coming up in two weeks and all are invited to attend.

Thank you also to the many parents who helped at our swimming carnival today and to our Coordinator, Ms Mel Watson-Gardner, for planning the entire event. It was a great day with lots of smiles.

Carpark

We're reviewing many of our routines at St John's. We have a team of staff who are working through them one by one and looking at how we can improve them to make them safer or more engaging or more efficient. Whichever is needed most.

One of the routines we are looking at is the dismissal in the car park each afternoon. We know we can't make big changes very quickly, like adding new entrances and exits. These are part of long term plans. We can, however, make a few small changes in the immediate future.

Through our review our teachers on duty have identified some challenges they experience. For example:

• We love that people stay around and chat together. We do want that to keep happening. Absolutely. We also find that the students who need to be sitting and waiting for the drive through sometimes get confused about whether they can get up and play with the children of families who are chatting together. It becomes hard for teachers to supervise them, locate them and get them into their cars to keep the pick up zone moving for everyone. We need the children being picked up in the drive through to be sitting and ready to make it a smooth and safe transition.
• The same teachers sometimes notice that occasionally parents will park across from the pick up zone, stay in their car and instead try to call their child to run across to them. I can tell you, the heart of every teacher on duty skips a beat when they spot a child running across the drive through lanes to their parents, particularly when there is a near miss between a moving car and a child.
• Occasionally parents see their child's teacher on duty and take the opportunity to talk to them about something particular to their child. The teacher wants to have a conversation and help but they know they are also responsible for the safety of the children in the car park. They feel very torn.

The car park after school is a hive of activity, involving moving cars, meeting families and little children. Some parents have the time that day to catch up, some parents need to pick up and run off to another activity. There are lots of competing needs.

Teachers have a legal responsibility called 'duty of care' for children. They take it very, very seriously. Parents expect us to keep children safe when at school, including in the car park until they get picked up. 

Over the next few weeks you might notice a few changes to how we organise students and staff supervision in the car park that will help make the routine of car park pick up much safe and smoother for everyone. Our priority must be the children in our care.

We would love for you to work with us to ensure every child is safe and ready for when you swing by to pick them up. 

Keep your ears and eyes open to the small changes. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions for improvements you are more than welcome to send them directly to me via email matthew.garton@cg.catholic.edu.au . Child safety is a community responsibility and your help goes a long way to making every day safe for our children.

School Fees

Catholic Education have informed me that the school fees will be sent out this coming week. As you would be aware, school fees have been centralised through Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn (CECG) and are no longer sent out directly from us. They will appear through your Compass parent portal.

We are still seeking a replacement for our Finance Officer. Ordinarily our Finance Officer manages all Fee remission applications. Thank you to those families who have applied. We will be in touch next week regarding the process.

Thank you for your patience.

God Bless,

Matthew Garton

Principal

Parent Teacher Interviews and Three Way Conferences 

In Week 6 we will have an opportunity for parents to come and meet with their child's teacher.

K-2 will hold Parent Teacher Interviews. This means that just the parents come in to meet with the teacher. At this time, the teacher will share with you your child's progress report. 

Year 3-6 will hold Three Way Conferences. Both students and parents are required to come in to meet with the teacher. This will be an opportunity for Year 3-6 students to share their progress report and goals for 2024 with their parents and with the support of their teacher. 

Bookings for Parent Teacher Interviews and Three Way Conferences will be available at next week.

Swimming Carnival

What a wonderful day for Years 2-6. Thank you so much to Mrs Mel Watson and the Year 3 and 4 teaching team for their amazing organisation of the day!

It was a fun and successful day to all the students involved. Well done to all of the students who competed in races as well.

NAPLAN 

Year 3 and 5 students will participate in NAPLAN between 13 March to 22 March (Week 7 and Week 8, Term 1). We will communicate the exact days and schedule of tests in the next couple of weeks.

What is NAPLAN?

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual national assessment for all students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9, and is the only nationwide assessment that all Australian children undertake.

It’s a measure to see whether or not young Australians are developing the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for other learning, and for their productive and rewarding participation in the community.

If you would like your child to be withdrawn from NAPLAN testing or have any concerns about your child's participation, please contact me as soon as possible at rebekah.brown@cg.catholic.edu.au 

There is a public demonstration site that can be accessed by students and their parents. The demonstration site has tests which can be used by students to familiarise themselves with the types of questions and related functionalities available in the online NAPLAN assessment. You can access the public demonstration site at the following link:

Public Demonstration Site

Rebekah Brown

What students are learning about

This week we celebrated the beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday. Year 6 students led us in an liturgy that reflected on Fast, Pray and Give. 

 

During the liturgy, as a reflection on the readings, the students watched this video. It is full of symbolism and has a deep connection to scripture. You might like to watch it again at home and chat about it with your children.

Catholic Life and Reflection

Lent has kind of snuck up on me! Being sick for a week caused my mind's clock to be out of whack. So here we are in the first week of Lent and I am playing catch up. I managed to have fish for both lunch and dinner on Ash Wednesday, prepare a liturgy and recieve the Ashes, so I am doing well.

Father Gerard always talked about Lent and Advent as slow times. Times of quiet.  Not silence but quietness of the mind. Although I am a little behind I am taking some time to decide what that looks like for me this Lent.  

The older I get the more I crave quiet. Again, not silence but peace. The peace that comes with a little less worry, a little less running around, a little less fuss. The peace that comes with a little more prayer.

Hmmmm... maybe I have stumbled across what I want to focus on after all.

I will keep you posted. God bless, go gently.

Steph Stewart

Notices from the Parish

Happy birthday to Rylan R, George A, Eli B, Euphel T, Leo B, Jacob H and Rihaan S who all celebrated a birthday over the last week.

School photography day is on Tuesday 26 March. Group and portrait photographs can be purchased by following the link below or by returning the order envelope with your payment to our photographer on school photo day.

2 easy ways to purchase:

1. Visa, MasterCard or PayPal
2. Cash – complete the envelope supplied and return it to our photographer on photo day

Or visit: www.advancedlife.com.au
And enter online order code: 21X CFH 6YT

School photography information:

• Online orders - do not require an envelope returned to your school
• Sibling Photos - Don’t forget to pre-order your sibling photos online up to 24 hours before photo day. We provide your school with a list of sibling orders right up to the day of photography, so no one misses out. If you miss the online order deadline, you can submit a completed sibling order envelope first thing in the morning of the day of photography, so your school is aware you want the photo taken and can bring your children together in time for it. Sibling photographs only apply to children enrolled at your school. Please note not all schools offer sibling photos
• Late fees - a late fee will be applied to each package purchased after photo day due to the additional cost of producing these packages separately
• Package delivery - School photographs will be returned approximately 6 weeks after the day of photography. Please note this delivery timeframe is dependent on proofing and additional photography days at your school.
• Previous Years’ photos - Past years’ photographs including sports, co-curricular and representative groups are also available to order under the “previous years or group photo” tabs at your school’s advancedorder site when you click on the “Order School Photos Here” button above. You can also order past packages, portrait images and gifts from your child’s unique, individual and secure advancedyou image archive site using the unique 9 digit image code found on packages you have ordered in the past

All students are required to wear their full summer school uniform on the day.

advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to St John The Apostle Primary School for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money back guarantee on our products to ensure your peace of mind. We would also love to receive your feedback or resolve any issues you may experience as fast as possible, to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience please contact us at: www.advancedlife.com.au/contact

This year we will be presenting a number of awards to students. Please see below the scedule for this term. Most awards will be handed out on a Thursday morning.

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 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.

This year we will also be presenting Brag Tag Awards. These will be handed out each time a student receives 20 brag tags. 

Maths Mastery Awards - presented on Thursday 22nd February, 8.50am (Week 4)

NOTE: All donations can start to be dropped off in the Front Office from now until the 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 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. 

Donations 

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.  If Kindergarten students would like to donate an item, they can choose any theme. Please see below images of past hampers. 

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

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

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

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

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

Year Six- 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 

Volunteers

I will be sending out an online application to sign up for helping at the Fete in the next week. We would love if every family could donate just 30 minutes of their time at a stall. 

Pre-sale/QKR payements

Kind regards,

Fete Committee

Please see below a letter we are sending out to local businesses to support our upcoming 2024 Fete. If you have a business that would like to sponsor the Fete or you know of someone who would be interested in sponsoring our Fete, please see the below information. If you would like this letter to supply businesses with our letterhead, please email Rebekah Brown (rebekah.brown@cg.catholic.edu.au).

Supporting our school – Supporting our students

We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to you to seek your support for our schools upcoming Fete.

We are hosting our highly anticipated Annual Fete on Friday, 15 March 2024 and we are extremely excited about creating a memorable experience for our students, families and the wider community. For over 40 years St John the Apostle Primary School has served a community that includes families from over 30 different locations in the ACT and NSW.

This event is not only a great opportunity to celebrate our school’s achievements, but also a chance to raise funds for various academic and extracurricular activities, including the continued upgrading our playground and kitchen garden space.

In order to make this event a resounding success, we are reaching out to businesses like yours, which have demonstrated a commitment to community and education. We would be grateful for any donation you can provide, whether it is in the form of monetary support or an in-kind contribution. Your contribution will go towards purchasing items for our stalls, including our BBQ, drinks, gelato, popcorn and fairy floss, chocolate toss, and many more!

As a sponsor, your business will receive significant exposure and recognition at our Fete. We plan to acknowledge our generous sponsors in our signage, social media platforms, school website and our school newsletter with a heartfelt thank you for your support.

We understand that businesses receive numerous sponsorship requests, and we truly appreciate your consideration of our request. Your support will have a direct impact on the educational opportunities we can provide to our students.

Please find enclosed a sponsorship form that outlines the various donation levels. We kindly request that you review the form and select a sponsorship level that aligns with your business’s objectives and budget. If you are able to support us, or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Rebekah Brown our Assistant Principal on (02 6258 3592).

On behalf of the entire St John the Apostle Primary School community, we thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Matthew Garton             Katie Matthews

Principal                        Community Council Chair

St John the Apostle Primary School Fete Sponsorship Form

Thank you for considering sponsoring our Annual School Fete, we truly value your support. Please review the sponsorship levels below and select the one that aligns with your business' goals and budget.

Gold Sponsorship - $1,000 or more:

• Prominent recognition as a Gold Sponsor on event signage
• Company logo featured on our school website and social media platforms with a link to your website
• Acknowledgment and thank you at the event
• Opportunity to place promotional materials at our event booths or information stands

Silver Sponsorship - $500:

• Recognition as a Silver Sponsor on event signage
• Company logo featured on our school website and social media platforms
• Acknowledgment and thank you at the event
• Opportunity to place promotional materials at our event booths or information stands

Bronze Sponsorship - $250:

• Recognition as a Bronze Sponsor on event banners, flyers, and signage
• Company name showcased on our school website and social media platforms
• Acknowledgment and thank you at the event

Please contact us using the details provided below to arrange payment of your sponsorship contribution. We will then reach out to discuss further promotion and recognition opportunities. We sincerely appreciate your generosity and support.

Thank you to the following businesses for sponsoring our school Fete!

Dice 4 Diversity

https://dice4diversity.com.au/

The Sewing Shoppe

https://www.sewingshoppe.com.au/fabric 

The Sewing Shoppe aims to inspire people by offering diverse patchwork and bag making courses to create that something special for yourself or others.  We have created a warm and friendly vintage inspired space to relax and create.  Please check our huge range of classes from bag making to patchwork.  We can supply all of your sewing essentials including haberdashery, thread, patterns, fabric and kits.  Come in and see us, we can't wait to meet you! 

Entice Travel

Entice Travel is a boutique travel agency that is passionately committed to creating captivating experiences and adventures that allow you to explore your world, your way, in your own time. 

Whether you are after a custom-designed indulgent holiday, a package deal or additional curated experiences, every travel detail is considered.

Personalised Service | 24/7 Availability | Bespoke Holidays & Experiences

https://www.enticetravel.com.au/  Ph: 6123 0567

Manuka Zambrero's 

We are located in MANUKA – Shop 10, 18 Flinders Way. We can’t wait to see you!

Balthees Cakes 

Award winning local business providing customised cakes, cupcakes, cookies and desserts for all occasions within the Canberra region (located in Belconnen)

Can be contacted through Facebook page and Instagram “Baltheescakes“ 

Phone number 0452184750 

Baltheescakes@gmail.com

The Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Thank you for your patience whilst items were on back order.

Hats are now back in stock after a supply issue. All orders have been filled and will be sent to your child's class.

Our new skorts have now arrived and are available for purchase. The skorts are to be

worn with the sky blue everyday uniform (not sports).

All sizes are available. $27 each.

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

Support our Fundraiser by purchasing a Membership to The Entertainment App & receive a bonus Membership extension of up to 4 months!

Great Entertainment book promotion
TO ORDER PLEASE CLICK HERE
 

We have proudly partnered with The Entertainment App to raise funds in 2024.
 
Please consider buying an Entertainment Membership today as 20% of the proceeds go directly to our Fundraiser.
 
Your Entertainment Membership not only unlocks exclusive access to unbeatable discounts at the best fine dining and family restaurants plus attractions and more, but also supports our community’s fundraising goals.  
 
And there’s no better time to buy a Membership – for a limited time only, you will score up to 4 Bonus Months on your Membership.  So, what are you waiting for?

Enjoy more time to savour the moments and create lasting memories whilst enjoying days out, dining, traveling, shopping and more at a discounted price.

TO ORDER PLEASE CLICK HERE