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Dear St John the Apostle Community,
We're all very excited about returning to face-to-face teaching and learning. We know you are too. Australia and the ACT are in a very good place in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the game is not over and it can be won or lost in the third and fourth quarters. We also have to come back to school knowing the pandemic is not yet over and we need to act in a way that will keep it at bay for ourselves and our families.
To read about our plans to transition back to face-to-face teaching please read:
We have done our very best to be balanced and meet the needs of all students and staff in our community.
Enrolment Period
Just a reminder that it is enrolment time for 2021! We already have a number of enrolments with a few new families looking to join the St John the Apostle Community. Just a reminder if you have a child looking to start Kindergarten in 2021 to jump on our website and complete an enrolment form.
Please spread the good news about our school. The best marketing a school can do is through their current families. Word of mouth is very powerful when it comes to families choosing a school for their child. Please recommend us and basically, talk us up please. I will be starting to do personal zoom meetings with new families, taking them for a virtual tour and answering any questions they have. I am happy to do this for any new families’ wanting to know more about St John's. I can't talk enough about how great our school is, It's very easy for me to sell the school in the best light possible.
Happy Mothers Day
We hope all of the Mothers, Grandmothers and everyone who plays that role, has a lovely Mothers Day this coming weekend.
For those who are remembering the mothers who they no longer get to see and be with, we know it will be a challenging day and we hope that you will have many, many opportunities to share your best memories.
Have a lovely weekend.
Matthew Garton, Principal
Gifts within a crisis
In amongst what is happening now there are so many gifts. A big one is when the technology works and I can see all my kids faces (I got a bit teary the first time!) I am relishing walks with my family in the afternoons, better dinners and more board games.
A dear friend always models optimism to me. Rarely does he fold and become overwhelmed and even then, it is brief. To be able to approach life in a crisis like this is a great comfort to those around him. And a great reminder of his faith in God and the eternal hope that we have as Catholics.
Don’t get me wrong, I have cried and been frustrated and angry many times in the last few months. In these uncertain times search out those people in your life, those who remind you to be hopeful. But mostly remember that God has a plan. He is our hope and our joy. God bless you all please keep safe and well.
Religious Education Coordinator
Happy birthday to James S Amelia S, Bianca L, Callum S, Liliana G, Jayden A and Tyler N who all celebrated a birthday over the last week.
Congratulations to the following students who received an award for the fortnightly Positive Behaviour Focus. To watch the online video presentation login to your child's Google Classrooms on Monday 11 May.
| Class | ||
| KB | Harvey I | Madeline O |
| KM | Jessica G | Logan M |
| 1B | Vincent N | Sophia C |
| 1M | Alaina S | Jonah T |
| 2B | Brenda G | Nate S |
| 2M | Anabelle-Louise T | Luke L |
| 3B | Jordan D | Alaina S |
| 3M | Raphael I | Ryan S |
| 4B | Amy S | Snetya A |
| 4M | Ella W | Otis H |
| 5B | Hudson H | Jacob G |
| 5M | Jessica M | |
| 6B | Nicolas P | Abhinav B |
| 6M | Benji D | Holly C |
| Performing Arts | Leonardo Braybon (6B) | Theodore C (KB) |
Due to the redeployment of Registered Nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic response and the closure of schools, the 2020 physical component of the Kindergarten Health Check has been cancelled. The Academic Unit of General Practice questionnaire data, completed by parents at the beginning of the 2020 school year, has been collected as usual. The results of the questionnaire will be sent to the GP if consent has been given to do so. If parents have concerns regarding the physical check we recommend they see their GP for assessment. For more information please contact the School Health Team on 5124 1585.
Expect more from kids in these difficult times
Studies show that parent expectations are a powerful predictor of student success and wellbeing. As children are required to spend more time at home over the coming months, your expectations about your children’s behaviour and performance are more critical than ever.
While there may be a temptation to shield children and young people from hardship during the current COVID-19 pandemic, this is unrealistic and out of step with current societal norms. Every segment of the community including children and young people is expected to both give something up and contribute more during the pandemic.
The greatest contribution kids can make is to help their family function as effectively as possible, look out for the wellbeing of family members and peers (using appropriate social distancing measures) and to quickly adapt to the new learning requirements from school.
As a parent you should expect your child or young person to:
Help at home
More time spent at home means more mess, more untidiness and more food to prepare. It’s reasonable to expect kids to clean up after themselves, sweep floors, wipe benches, wash dishes or empty dishwashers and also contribute in age appropriate ways to meal preparation. Consider using a weekly jobs roster for the larger tasks and avoid linking pocket money to jobs. Linking help around the house to pocket money teaches children to think “what’s in it for me?” rather than “how can I help my family out?”
Behave well
The default question for kids when living in close quarters with others should be, “How does my behaviour impact on others?” If their behaviour impacts adversely on the rights and wellbeing of others, then it’s not an appropriate behaviour. A child who continually makes a noise while in close proximity to a sibling who is studying is showing little consideration. As much as possible skill kids up to resolve relationship problems with their siblings so that you’re not continually policing their behaviour.
Look out for others
Encourage children to look after the wellbeing of fellow family members. Using age appropriate language, help children understand the signs of deteriorating mental health including sullenness, moodiness, spending more time alone, shortness of temper and drooping out of family activities. Encourage children to act with empathy and kindness when family members are struggling and discuss ways that they can help including giving them space, listening and having fun at appropriate times. By helping children to look out for the needs of others, you are also helping them to build skills in expressing the full range of their own emotions.
Stick to schedules
The use of structures and routines are an essential element of family functioning, particularly during times of change. It’s advisable to make your family schedules mirror the schedules established by your child’s school. Expect children and young people to stick to the established schedules without taking short cuts, arriving late or finishing early for online lessons. Differentiate the week by relaxing the schedule on weekends, which gives kids something to look forward to.
Show up for lessons
Expect kids to show up for school lessons with the right attitude, equipment and clothes. Wearing clothes specifically for school work helps to trigger their readiness for learning, and differentiates school time from leisure time.
Display discipline
Time spent at home requires children to self-regulate and be disciplined. I suspect that those children who do best in this time of self-isolation will be students who discipline themselves to exercise regularly, limit their use of digital devices, develop a sleep preparation routine, stick to school work routines and practise mindfulness regularly.
Expectations can be tricky to get right. Too high and children can give up. Too low and children will meet them. In these challenging times when more is asked of all of us, err on the side of the side of keeping your expectations high for your kids. They’ll more than likely rise to the new challenges that social distancing measures require of them, building their confidence, character and resilience.
