Dear St John's families,

This week we welcomed Mr Ian Luscombe, behaviour consultant from Behaveability, whom we engage each term to review, coach and advise us on how we support positive behaviour for learning from K-6.

Whenever Mr Luscombe is at our school he provides a great deal of positive feedback about the systems and processes we have in place. He is always very impressed with the general behaviour of our students and the way that staff assist students to return to positive behaviour when they have become off task, etc. I would like to thank our staff for their teamwork in supporting every student to be positively engaged in their learning.

Teaching Child Safety (Part 3)

Previously I have mentioned that there are two main themes that are repeatedly talked about throughout the Protective Behaviours program we teach:

I outlined a few key concepts from the first theme:

• Safety is a continuum - safety is not a binary. We often accept some risk when it is fun and we have some control over the situation, e.g. watching a scary movie.
• Early warning signs - our bodies sometimes give us signs that we are feeling at risk or unsafe, e.g. butterflies.
• Unsafe secrets -  are those that my parents don't know, feel 'wrong' or 'unsafe', where somebody might get hurt. Safe secrets, or 'surprises', are okay because no one will get hurt and usually the right people know about it.
• Public vs private -  we have private information, private spaces, private clothing (underwear), private parts to our bodies. These should never be touched or shown to anyone without our permission and for a good reason.
• Degrees of personal space - we have individual personal space bubbles and different ways we have contact with people depending on our relationship with them, e.g. a hug for parents and a wave for the neighbour.

As part of our second theme we teach students to plan a safety network. This is a

group of people that they can go to when they need help. We get them to write this onto an outline of a hand. When deciding on people to be on their network we ask them to consider people they can rely on, i.e. are available (they see regularly), will listen and believe them and will likely take action if needed. We suggest that they:

It's great to have this network. The next concept we teach is persistence. We teach students that sometimes they will go to a person on their network to ask for assistance and they may not get the response or help they need at that time. It may be that the person is away, they are unusually very busy or they may not understand how important it is to them. We need to be persistent. Either go back to them later and seek their help, or, if the matter is urgent, go to another person on the safety network. Seeking help can sometimes require persistence. We tell them to never give up. Someone will help.

Next week I will finish this series with how we put this all together into action.

If you want to know more of how you can help your child understand how to stay safe  I encourage you to read the ACT Government's Protecting Your Kids: Personal Safety Education for Parents. 

Enrolment Period Closing Soon!

The 2025 Enrolment Period is closing soon. If you have a child ready for Kindergarten next year now is the time to submit an enrolment form. If your child is heading to Year 7 next year then please submit your enrolment form for SFX within the enrolment window to ensure your child will have a place there.

I have had the opportunity to finish the week on an overnight retreat with a group of fellow Principals. In these moments I am always grateful for working in a community where I get to include prayer, reflection and Eucharist as part of my vocation.

I hope you have a lovely long weekend.

Matthew Garton

Principal

Carpark Pickup

You may have noticed that in the carpark we now have designated areas for students (in year levels) to sit during afternoon pick up. We encourage students to move straight to these areas in the afternoon. This will ensure that students are safe and we know where they are at all times. Today I sent home signs with students' last names on them. We ask that you place these in the front of your windscreen so that we can try to make cars flow more quickly through carpark pickup. 

When picking up your children after school and remaining near the car park, please make sure they stay in close proximity to you. It can be difficult to monitor all students in the car park area at times, so we appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Reconciliation Week

We will celebrate Reconciliation Week in Week 5 (28th - 31st May). The theme for Reconciliation week this year is ‘Now more than ever’. It is a reminder that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people will - and must - continue. Now more than ever we need reconciliation. Mrs Tabitha May has organised activities for our students to partcipate in next week that reflect the theme of Reconciliation Week. 

Below is a choir performance for Reconciliation Week. Thank you to Mrs Kate MacDonald and the school choir for their singing of "White Fella, Black Fella" by the Warumpi Band.  

Reconciliation Australia asked our school Choir to sing this song. 

Belconnen Region Cross Country Carnival 

Congratulations to all of the students from St John's that participated in the Belconnen Region Cross Country Carnival yesterday.  Thank you to Mrs Beth Fear and Mr Ryan Spencer for taking the students to the carnival and to Mr Jack White for volunteering to help with marshalling of students at the carnival. 

• Aluel Ajang
• Tymon Amrado
• Thomas Anderson
• Benjamin Bevan
• Toby Blackford
• Cameron Broadhurst
• William Broadhurst
• Logan Campbell
• Lewys Candy
• Imogen Clark
• Sophie Clifford
• Allegra Cockburn
• Tommy Cole
• Roman Dulgerov
• Lachlan Frankcom
• Olive Glowrey
• Jacob Hall
• Chloe Han
• Oz Haureliuk
• Joseph Hedges
• Addison Irvine
• Isabelle Jeffs
• Charlie Jopling
• Sophie Jopling
• April Malcom
• Evie Matthews
• Rudhra Nair
• Vincent Nott
• Vanessa Onyekaike
• Grace Payne
• Abbey Richardson
• Alexander Richardson
• Nate Sawyer
• Riley Stokman
• Ryless Terron
• Abbey Wailes
• Emma Wooden
• Ziva Zaire

Awards

Congratulations to all of our Brag Tag, Spelling Mastery and Maths Mastery Award Recipients who recieved awards today. 

Rebekah Brown

What Staff are Learning About

A Current of Grace Conference

I had the privilege of joining Mrs Stewart at an international conference, “A Current of Grace”, earlier this week. We were eager, yet unsure on how the Holy Spirit would move us during these two days. We walked into the Church and noted that "wow" was it clear that the Holy Spirit was there moving amongst us. Not only were all the Religious Education Coordinators and some Principals from Canberra there, but many international religious education leaders, international clergy and many people from interstate. Feeling the buzz in the atmosphere was truly electric. 

A highlight for me, besides spending time with like minded teachers, was listening to a keynote speaker, Mrs Barbara Coupar - director of Catholic Education Scotland. Maybe it was her charming accent, but I was glued and stuck on each word. She spoke about being “unapologetically Catholic”, this struck me. Also, not simply ticking the box that yes we teach religion, but we have the ability to actually bring our students to encounter Jesus and this should be at the forefront of what we do every day, among all learning areas. Being INTENTIONAL in our faith, meeting people where they are at and walking with them on their journey. I am proud to work at a Catholic school and to hopefully breathe life into situations, and show Jesus through me. 

We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to work through our schools. 

Louise Osborne-Goldborough

What Students are Learning About

First Communion

The students who will receive their First Eucharist in the coming weeks were provided with the opoprutnity to receive Reconciliation with Father Chung on Thursday. They were all very reverant and respectful. Please keep them in your prayers.

Saint of the Week

Over the coming weeks I am going to ask some Year 6 students to write a paragraph on the saint that they chose for Confirmation. My experience is that often the children make the Sacrament and then we don’t speak of it again.  This is one way to help children continue to connect to the deep and rich traditions of our church and learn how the Holy Spirit moves in the lives of others.

This week Jack in 6M will share about Saint Bonaventure.

The life of Saint Bonaventure. It was in the year 1221 that Saint Bonaventure was born. St. Bonaventure is considered a saint due to the fact that he is the patron saint of those with bowel disorders. The cause of his childhood illness, which nearly ended his life in the first place, is believed to have been because of this disease. Later on in his life, he became one of the most prominent Franciscan philosophers and theologians. It is important to note that he has made a significant contribution to the development of scholasticism and has written a number of books on theology and spirituality. Despite his childhood illness, Saint Bonaventure lived a life dedicated to religious scholarship and left a lasting impact on the Catholic Church.

Catholic Life and Reflection

The biggest takeaway for me from the Currents of Grace conference, was that all things need to come from Jesus. He cannot be an after thought or an add on. I feel renewed in my capacity to help our community become closer to God.  Many people shared their faith journey and encounter stories. Some were dramatic, profound and immediately recognisable others a slow burn, so to speak. 

I think I am the latter. A slow realisation of the gifts of being a Catholic.  However, once you become aware of these things you cannot go back. Each time I have an experience, encounter, with God it adds a layer to my faith, sometimes just gossamer thin, but a layer none the less.

I have committed to try to listen more carefully to what God is asking of me. To where He wants to be and what work He needs me to do on his behalf. 

Have you ever considered taking time to just listen to God?

Isaiah 55:2-3

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
³ Incline your ear, and come to me;
    listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.

God bless,

Stephanie Stewart

Religious Education Coordinator

Notices from the Parish

Sacrament of The Eucharist

The Sacrament of First Eucharist will be celebrated on 1 & 2 June 2024
respectively. Most of those celebrating these sacraments are from our school.

Please hold all of the children preparing for these sacraments in your prayers.

Happy Birthday to Sophia Woods, Grace Garang, Samuel Hedges, Gauri Dwivedi, Toby Blackford and Luca Vuckovic who all celebrated a birthday over the last week.

St Johns will be having our book fair next week. Students have had the opportunity during library lessons to have a look at the books and create their wish lists. If you order online, please ensure the student brings their wish list back to us as we do not receive records of what books you have selected.

Opening hours: 

Tuesday 28th May: 8:20am-8:50am; 3:00pm - 3:30pm

Wednesday 29th May: 8:20am-8:50am; 3:00pm - 3:30pm

Thursday 30th May: 8:20am-8:50am; 3:00pm - 3:30pm

We will also be opening on Wednesday at lunch time for students to shop.

Emma Alcock and Kelly Levi

Parents are most welcome to attend the Ascent K-2 Shoelace Tying Workshop sessions being held on Tuesday 28 May. This is a wonderful opportunity to support  your children with learning how to tie their shoelaces. Please find the class timetable below: 

• 11.30am - 11.55 am  -  KM 
• Noon - 12.25 pm - KB 
• 12.30pm - 12.55pm - 1M 
• 1:00 - 1:25 pm -  1B 
• 2:00 - 2:25 pm - 2M  
• 2:25 - 2:50 pm - 2B 

We look forward to seeing you on the day. 

Second Hand Uniform Donations

The Uniform Shop would love to receive second hand uniform donations. If you have school uniforms at home that you no longer need please send them into school. Thank you.

Opening Hours

A friendly reminder that St Johns is a nut free school. Thank you.