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Prayer for the Intercession of Carlo Acutis
Oh God, Our Father,
thank you for giving us Carlo,
a life example for the young
and a message of love for everyone.
You made him become enamoured with
Your Son Jesus, Making of the Eucharist
his “Highway to Heaven”.
You gave him Mary, as a most loving Mother,
and, with the Rosary, you made him
a poet of her tenderness. Receive his prayer for us.
Above all, gaze upon the poor,
whom he loved and helped.
Grant for me too, by his intercession,
the grace that I need ...
And make our joy fulfilled,
placing Carlo among the Saints
of your Church, so that his smile
may shine again for us in the glory of your name.
Amen
Thank you for your support of the St Carlos Acutis Mufti Day. The donations will go towards Global School Partners. Thank you also to our Volunteers that helped serve morning tea and prepared 200 hot dogs for the special lunch.
Dear Parents and Carers,
Year 5 Camp
Congratulations to our Year 5 students for your participation, cooperation, and teamwork at camp at Warrambui Retreat Centre this week. You were a credit to your families and to St John the Apostle.
A big thank you to Ms Dess, Ms Hardy, Mrs Allen, Mr Evans, Mr Spencer, Mrs Fear, Ms Eastman, Ms McDonald and the Team from Learning Support- Lizzy, Grace, Emily, Maddie, Sophie and Tiffany for giving their time to make the camp such a success.
On top of the world!
Professional Boundaries and Social Media
At SJA, we deeply value our partnerships with families; a relationship built on trust, respect, and a shared commitment to our students’ wellbeing.
In today’s digital world, social media is a common way to stay connected. However, to maintain professional boundaries, our staff follow the Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn (CECG) policy on digital communication:
“If there are reasons for workers to communicate with students or their families using digital devices, applications or networks for reasons other than educational/school purposes, workers must discuss this with their principal or manager beforehand.”
In line with this, staff are expected to respectfully decline friend or follow requests from parents or carers on personal social media. This isn’t personal; it’s a professional standard that protects everyone and ensures communication remains appropriate and transparent.
We understand that in a close-knit community like ours, some staff and parents may already be connected on social media due to existing friendships or family ties. These are recognised as exceptions, and staff are encouraged to discuss them with school leadership.
Thank you for your understanding and support. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
School Fees
Term 3 school fees are now overdue. Thank you to those families who have paid their school fees. Please speak to our Finance Office, Roxanne Su, in the Front Office or me if you are having issues with your fees or if you are not sure of the amount due.
Not receiving communication?
Be sure to update your email address with the Front Office. Check your junk mail for login information for Compass. If you are experiencing difficulties with Compass please contact Leanne Griffiths, Office Manager.
Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop has re-opened and looking brand new!
With the weather changing constantly, we have decided there can be a transition into summer uniform beginning next week and for the first 2 weeks of Term 4. The weather can turn cold, and this allows you to choose either full summer or full winter unform for your child.
Many of the students have grown over the past 6 months since being in Summer Uniform. We are looking for donations of uniforms, if you have any to sell at a minimal cost to our families. Money raised from our second-hand uniforms helps us keep the cost of new items as low as possible. Families also enjoy knowing they’re supporting sustainability by recycling and giving uniforms a second life.
The uniform shop will be opened for purchases on the following dates:
Friday 10October from 2.30-4.30 (School holidays)
Tuesday 14 October from 8.30 – 9.30 (First day of Term 4)
You may also like to purchase uniforms online and we will send your items home with your sons and daughters.
We are always looking for extra volunteers in the uniform shop, please reach out to the Front Office if you have any spare time. A big thank you to Belinda Clifford and her fabulous team who all take time off work to run this service for our SJA community. The SJA prices are substantially cheaper that any local supplier in Canberra.
Keeping our SJA Students Safe Online
eSafety is aware that distressing material is circulating online showing the fatal shooting at Utah Valley University, which occurred earlier this week.
Young people who encounter content like this online may be struggling to come to terms with what they have read and seen. It is normal for them to have questions or feel unsettled, and your support can make a big difference.
Online spaces should be safe for everyone. If a child sees violent or distressing material, it is important to check in and talk to them about the content they have seen. We also recommend that children use devices in open areas of the home, rather than in their bedroom, so you can be attuned to how they are coping and what they are reading or watching.
Here are some practical steps Australians can take if they come across this type of material online:
- Report it to the platform:Most major services have reporting tools for violent and graphic content. Using these tools means harmful material can be flagged and removed quickly.
- Report it to eSafety: Australians can lodge a complaint via esafety.gov.au.
- Do not share the video:Even if your intent is to raise awareness, reposting graphic material increases the risk of trauma and amplifies harm.
You can find more guidance and information about distressing online content below.
Distressing content - How to get help eSafety Commissioner
Find advice on this page for what to do if you see distressing or violent content online.
Thank you for your ongoing care and partnership in your child’s learning.
Blessings
Jo Reed
On Thursday 25th September we will celebrate the many successes of the term. As part of the celebrations this includes wearing mufti clothes/ favourite jersey or team colours. The monies raised will go towards the Brad Hardy Foundation.
Our Year 5 Teacher, Mrs Sharyn Hardy and her husband set up the Brad Hardy Foundation in honour of Brad who was a dedicated, young Australian Federal Police Officer who lost his life in an accident at just 23 years old. Brad's passion and love of the AFP inspired the Hardy family to set up the Brad Hardy Foundation in honour of their son and brother.
BHF raises funds to provide our Australian Federal Police with wellness sessions to look after their well-being and mental health. They support families of those officers who have lost their lives while protecting our community, as well as those facing long term illness such as PTSD or cancer. We know many of our families have links to the Emergency Services and are please to support this worthy cause. If you would like to know more about the Brad Hardy Foundation, please follow this link.
The profits made from the special lunch which includes a quality pie and zooper dooper or drink will go towards purchasing extra sporting equipment especially footies for events such as Father’s Day.
Thank you for your ongoing care and partnership in your child’s learning.
Curriculum connecting with the community
Excursions are a wonderful way for children to extend their learning beyond the classroom, providing opportunities to connect with nature, explore new ideas, and experience the joy of learning in different environments. This week our Year 2 students had the pleasure of visiting Floriade, and what an incredible day it was!
The sun was shining, the gardens were in full bloom, and the children were absolutely delighted by the colourful displays. They explored the grounds with curiosity and enthusiasm, taking inspiration from the vibrant surroundings to create their own fabulous pieces of art. It was a joy to see their creativity flourish in such a beautiful setting.
Our students represented the school with pride, showing wonderful manners, teamwork, and respect throughout the day. It was a proud moment to watch them engage so positively, supporting one another and sharing in the excitement of the excursion.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to our amazing parent helpers - Jaye, Ruby, Al, Kellie, Irene, Marie, and Belinda, who gave up their time to be with us. Without your support, such a busy day would not have been possible, and we are so grateful for everything you do to strengthen our school community.
We also want to recognise the outstanding work of our inclusion staff — Fletcher, Alyssa, Grace and Mackenzie who ensured every child was supported and able to participate fully. Their care and dedication helped make the day a success for all.
It was truly a day filled with fun, learning, creativity, and joy. We know our Year 2 students will hold these memories for years to come!
Yr 1 are looking forward to going on excursion to the National Gallery on Monday and Yr 6 to the Museum of Australian Democracy on Wednesday.
Karen Leighton
Asistant Principal
Happy Birthday to Kate Riley, Lachlan Stephens, Fletcher Cockurn, Viliami Maka, Fiesita Maka, Hunter Campbell, Emmanuel Deng, Evelyn Wedd, Isabelle Jeffs, Alana Stonham, Evie Matthews, Suban Rijal, Alexandra Bradbury, Ariella Grebowski, Noah Anthony, Pham Tran, Oliver Brown, Phelgay Dorji, Victory Iloelunachi, Agamjot Singh, Riley Stokman, Isaac van der Ploeg, Amelia Rixe, Ajak Ajang, Jackson Plunkett, Chrlotte, Speechley, Anna Austin, Ujan Yussouf, Oscar Pardy and Marian Le who all celebrate a Birthday in September.
Please go to our school calendar on the website or COMPASS for more details.
Please note that the following are pupil free days for professional learning for staff. Students do not attend school on this day. OSHClub will be available.
Term 3 - Friday 26 September
Term 4 - Monday 13 October & Friday 19 December
Term 3 Weeks 9 - 10
- Yr 1 excursion, National Portrait Gallery, 22 September (week 10)
- Learning Journeys, 23 September (week 10)
- Yr 6 Museum of Australian Democracy excursion, 24 September (week 10)
- End of Term Award Assembly, 25 September (week 10)
- Pupil Free Day, 26 September
Term 4 Weeks 1 - 2
- Pupil Free Day, 13 October (week 1)
- Boorowa Touch Football & Netball Carnival, 24 October (week 2)
Ava Kings Young Voices Awards
The 2025 Young Voices Awards is presented by the Australian Catholics magazine in partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU).
Congratulations to Ava King in Year 5M for being awarded Highly Commended in the Junior article category for her entry titled 'The New Girl'.
St John the Apostle were thanked for participating in this year’s Young Voices Awards. The creativity and thoughtfulness demonstrated by the students at our school was considered outstanding work and much appreciated by the judging panel.
The Australian Catholics magazine will be publishing the list of this year’s winners and highly commended entries, including select submissions, in the upcoming digital Spring edition of Australian Catholics.
Below is Ava’s highly commended entry, “The New Girl”. That Ava wrote as part of a Media Arts Assignment in Performing Arts.
‘The New Girl
Can you imagine having to move schools 3 times? That's what happened to me. My name is Ava, I am 10 yrs old and I am in grade 5. The school I go to is St John the Apostle Primary School in Florey.
We move every few years because of my dad’s job. Every time I go to a new school I always go through a lot of emotions because I am full of anxiety. I always start to think ‘Will they like me? Will they not like me? Will I have friends? Will I be lonely?’ These are the things that I go through in my head when I start a new school.
Over the years I learnt that there is a difference between being a new kid in school and a normal student at school. A casual student knows their schedule for school. However, a day at school is different for new kids. It is different because you don’t know what you are going to do for the day. For me it’s stressful when I’m not sure what I’m doing.
With all the emotion of starting a new school, I learnt how important it is to treat others and how I want them to treat me, not just on my first day, but every day because kindness matters.
For me a kind person is someone who is empathetic, helpful, compassionate and friendly. This is who I am and how I want others to treat me. Spreading kindness is one of my passions I wish everyone in the world had. What would the world be like without kindness?
I would love to be an advocate for new kids. An advocate is a role model who is aware of bullying and looks out for others. Just like every time when I'm new I always have someone who would show me around and be like a best friend. They’re kind, empathetic and they are trustworthy. I have the experience of being the new kid and that is harder than a normal school day!
Over the years of changing schools, I've noticed bullying a lot. I’ve even had it done to me, and I know this happens to everyone. I just wish the world was nicer to each other.
-By Ava King
Yesterday, our wonderful Year 2 students enjoyed a very special day at Floriade.
The day began with a highlight—our school choir’s performance. Some Year 2 students proudly sang on stage with Ms McDonald and the choir, while the rest of Year 2 cheered them on with big smiles. Congratulations to Ms McDonald and the choir for their amazing performance—the choir shone brighter than the flowers!
Another special highlight of the day was a surprise visit from Mr and Mrs Osborne-Goldsbrough, who came to watch Penny and the choir perform. They also introduced us to their beautiful baby daughter, Primrose. Congratulations to Louise, Josh, and the Osborne-Goldsbrough family on your precious new arrival!
Afterwards, the students set off on a gnome hunt, working in teams to search for as many gnomes as they could. While they didn’t quite find them all, the excitement and teamwork made it a memorable experience.
Next, students had the chance to sit near the Ferris wheel and flower beds, where they created beautiful artworks on canvases using Texta paints. Surrounded by colour and creativity, it was a perfect moment of calm.
The day ended with lunch and plenty of fun on the playground before boarding the bus home. Unsurprisingly, the bus was very quiet—everyone was tired after such a big day!
A huge thank you to our amazing parent helpers, whose time and support ensured the day ran smoothly. Your help supervising small groups made this excursion such a success.
We are so proud of our Year 2 students and the choir. They represented our school beautifully with their excellent behaviour and enthusiasm.
Rebecca Stevenson and Lauren Hudson
Year 2 teachers
Parenting Through Tragedy: Discussing Political Violence with Our Children
The assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University has captured the world’s attention, including many of our tweens and teens. As parents, many of us now face the difficult task of helping our children process this killing while using it as an opportunity for meaningful growth and understanding.
When news like this reaches our children, it can create a mix of emotions, including sadness, confusion, even a sense of schadenfreude if they didn’t like the person, and all-too-often, an unhealthy fascination. It’s amplified by the fact that vision of the murder is available online on every platform (which is another reminder of why we need strong social media minimum age legislation).
Rather than allowing such tragic events to become a form of “news entertainment” or fuel for divisive arguments, we can guide thoughtful discussions that help our children develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and a deeper understanding of complex societal issues.
Essential Conversation Starters
Here are several carefully crafted discussion points to explore with your children, adapted for their age and maturity level:
Free Speech and Democracy
- Should people be allowed to speak their mind, even when others strongly disagree?
Help children understand that democracy depends on the free exchange of ideas, even uncomfortable ones.
- Should there be limits on what people can and can’t say?
Explore nuanced examples: Should platforms be given to those who promote hate speech or Nazism? What about medical misinformation? Anti-religious vitriol? Racist? Sexist? How do we balance free expression with protecting vulnerable communities?
- At what point does speech cross a line and become unacceptable?
Discuss the difference between disagreement and harassment, between robust debate and threats of violence.
Violence and Conflict Resolution
- Is violence ever acceptable in response to words another person speaks?
Help children understand that while words can hurt, physical violence is not an appropriate response to speech we disagree with.
- Are words dangerous? Why or why not?
Explore how language can inspire both positive and negative actions, and our responsibility to use words thoughtfully.
- How should we respond to speech we find deeply offensive or harmful?
Discuss constructive alternatives: counter-speech, peaceful protest, voting, and community organising (and how it differs from cancelling someone or violence).
Digital Citizenship and Social Media Ethics
The digital dimension of this tragedy offers particularly important teaching moments:
- Is it appropriate to use social media to post, view, or share content that shows harm or death?
Discuss the human dignity of victims, the impact on families, and the difference between being informed and being voyeuristic.
- When someone dies whom we disagreed with politically, how should we respond online?
Should people use their platforms to score posthumous political points? To celebrate death? To silence opposing views? Help children understand that basic human decency transcends political disagreement.
- How do we consume tragic news responsibly?
Discuss the importance of verified sources, the impact of constant exposure to violence, and taking breaks from news when overwhelmed.
- What role does social media play in political polarisation?
Explore how algorithms can create echo chambers and how inflammatory content spreads faster than thoughtful analysis.
Age-Appropriate Approaches
Primary School (Ages 6-11): Focus on basic concepts of kindness, safety, and how we treat people we disagree with. Keep discussions brief and reassuring.
Middle School (Ages 11-13): Introduce more complex ideas about democracy, free speech, and peaceful conflict resolution. Acknowledge their growing awareness while providing guidance.
High School (Ages 14-18): Engage in sophisticated discussions about political violence, media literacy, and civic responsibility. Encourage them to think critically about information sources and their own digital footprint.
Creating a Safe Space for Difficult Conversations
- Listen more than you speak. Allow children to express their fears, confusion, or even inappropriate reactions without immediate judgement.
- Validate emotions while correcting misconceptions. It’s normal to feel scared, angry, or confused about violence.
- Model the behaviour you want to see. Show respect for human dignity even when discussing people whose views you oppose.
- Be honest about your own struggles. It’s okay to say, “I don’t understand why someone would do this either”.
- Focus on what we can control. Emphasise positive actions like kindness, civic engagement, and building community connections.
The Bigger Picture
A man – husband, and father of two children – has been murdered. There is a human element to this that transcends the political and free-speech ramifications. But this tragedy occurs within a broader context of increasing political violence across the ideological spectrum both here in Australia and in the United States, UK, Canada, and other Western nations.
Help children understand that:
- Political violence is not normal or acceptable, regardless of the perpetrator’s motivations.
- Most people, even those with strong disagreements, resolve conflicts peacefully.
- Democracy requires us to live alongside people whose views we find objectionable.
- Our response to tragedy reveals our character and values.
Regardless of whether or not you agreed with Kirk and his view of the world, this man lived according to these healthy principles of democracy. Yes, sometimes disagreements can be abrupt, blunt, and even personally hurtful. But, particularly in more recent years, Charlie Kirk was willing to engage in generally good-faith dialogue and debate with those who disagreed with him in order to use the power of persuasion to move the world in a direction he felt would be good.
This is a worthy goal, regardless of your politics.
As parents, we’re not going to help our children work out who they are and be resilient if all we do is shield them from opposing views. Instead, we want to help them navigate life’s big issues with wisdom, compassion, and hope. In doing so, we raise a generation better equipped to preserve democracy and human dignity in an increasingly complex world.
Written by Dr Justin Coulson
Catherine Nilsson, mother of Klara, Annika and Evelina is currently registering rugby teams for the 8's, 10's and 12's divisions. She is still looking for more players to join these teams. If you are interested in joining please email catherine.nilsson@cg.catholic.edu.au
50th Reunion - Class of 1975. Tickets are now available for the reunion of students from Catholic Girls High School Braddon and Daramalan College, who finished Year 12 in 1975 (including those from that group who finished before Year 12): https://events.humanitix.com/daramalan-college-class-of-1975-reunion
The main ticketed event is on Saturday evening, 18th October, with several activities planned over the weekend. For further information, please use one of the event channels:
Facebook: Daramalan College Alumni group; Merici College Alumni group; or Dara - Braddon 1975 group
email: CGHS.Dara1975@gmail.com
Ticket sales close on 6 October.
