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Dear St John the Apostle families,
Wow! What a term. It's hard to imagine that it all started with remote learning and now ended with an almost complete return to usual practice at school.
Thank you to staff, parents and students for the amazing collaboration that has been shared throughout the term. It has been quite a journey and we know how much rest everyone needs at the moment.
I was so happy today to spend time with students as part of our brag tag celebrations. Students who earned more than twenty brag tag stickers this term spent time playing games with each other. Kindergarten and Year 1 shared this time together in the morning and the Years 2 - 6 students shared a time together during the middle session.
All of the staff who assisted were so impressed with how well students were able to play together. There was no technology, just packets of cards, board games, dice, tokens and lots of laughter. They were a great example of the expectations we have for students and the celebration was well earned by them all.
Code Camp
Road Map to Return
Next Term we will be a step closer to a full return to usual practices post COVID-19.
A few updates include:
- hiring of school facilities by outside organisations can begin with precautions in place;
- Parent-Teacher Interviews can resume as face-to-face while also respecting the physical distancing and hygiene practices in place for adults;
- continued additional cleaning of the school with extra measures for student desks, the playground equipment and high touch areas of the school;
- parents and volunteers can attend the school site with physical distancing and hygiene practices in place;
- strict records of those on site at any time are kept should ACT Health require them;
- excursions with the region can begin again;
- overnight camps can begin again with additional ACT Health practices in place for adults;
- assemblies can begin again with limitations on parent/adult numbers;
- on site discos can go ahead again; and
- fundraising events, such as fetes, can go ahead again with broader community restrictions in place.
Prior to the beginning of term we will inform everybody more specifically about what will happen here at St John the Apostle.
Parent Commitment Agreement
From 2020 onward, offers of enrolment for schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Catholic (CECG) School system will be conditional on parents of prospective students agreeing to the Parent Declarations and Commitments that are made in a new document called the Parent Commitment Agreement (PCA).
The purpose of the PCA is to clearly set out at the commencement of each child's educational journey with Archdiocesan Catholic schools the expectations that CECG has of parents. It is designed to help us all feel safe and be aware of our responsibilities to each other and the community.
We rely on parents supporting our schools, our teachers, our support staff, and principals like myself. Cooperative relationships with parents and carers are very important for us to be able to deliver our educational program in an environment that us safe and respectful. Thank you all for the ways you model this to your children.
Congratulations Rebekah Brown
I wanted again to offer my sincerest congratulations to Ms Rebekah Brown on her appointment as the Assistant Principal for St John the Apostle Primary School. Rebekah has made some outstanding contributions to the educational programs offered to our students and has shown enormous support for families. I look forward to the opportunity for her to continue to have such a positive impact on our community and the achievement of our students.
I sincerely wish everyone the most restful of holidays for the next two weeks. I hope that everyone is able to find time to move into a much more relaxed pace and way of being and come back to Term 3 rested and ready for a more settled school experience.
God Bless,
Matthew Garton, Principal
It is the anniversary of my fathers passing on Monday. 8 years feels like a long time ago and sometimes it feels like yesterday. So, at this time of year I think of him even more often. The scripture I chose to be read at his funeral was from Matthew.
Matthew 19:13-30 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
Jesus Blesses Little Children
13 Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
I chose this because my dad loved his grandchildren beyond measure. And even when he was quite frail, he would draw them to his knee. He took such joy in their joy and was always concerned if they were upset.
This scripture often occurs to me when I am on duty as I watch the kids laugh and play. Duty happens in the heat, the rain and the snow but kids often don’t seem to mind. This week I noticed that hoops were a very popular choice. One clever little person, Emily Thexton, even managed to make an igloo from one. I just loved watching her balance the hoops carefully and then before I knew she had slipped inside! When I looked up again, lots of kids had grabbed hoops and were playing some other fabulous game with them.
Even though this term has been tough on many levels, the small glimpses of imagination and joy I get to see give me great hope for our future.
May the holidays bring you some rest and time together.
God bless you,
Steph StewartReligious Education Coordinator
Happy birthday to Henry J, Austin P, Tai J, Katie W, William S and Paige W who all celebrated a birthday over the last week.
Congratulations to the following students who received the End of Term Awards. To watch the online video presentation login to your child's Google Classrooms.
|
|
Academic |
Consistent Effort |
Discipleship |
|
Academic |
Consistent Effort |
Discipleship |
|
KB |
Matthew H Alexander N |
Ashley C Henry K |
Fiesita M Madison S |
KM |
Samuel O Liam R |
Katie N Jack H |
Alek D Lily L |
|
1B |
Vincent N Ileana Rozario |
Grace R Sophia C |
Henry T Charlie W |
1M |
Hana N Xavier B |
James T Olivia C |
Ethan Z Amelia N |
|
2B |
Leo J Roy A |
Brenda G Jack R |
Denzil W Aston B |
2M |
Jamie S Elizabeth C |
Charlotte S Jacob H |
William B Felicity B |
|
3B |
Micahel P Alaina S |
Indiana E Cooper P |
Sophie N Dante L |
3M |
Aisling S Uasi T |
Sophie R Ajay B |
Lovette E Campbell D |
|
4B |
Claire B Yusha A |
Sally W Noah W |
Evan M Emily N |
4M |
Bhoomika P Lucas M |
Zach G Alexis B |
Hayley B James H |
|
5B |
Evangelos P Tai J |
Keyna O Evelina T |
Hudson H Matilda P |
5M |
William S Jasmine M |
Athuai A Jasmine K |
Meloni C Emma T |
|
6B |
Leonardo B Sophia |
Adeng R Olivia H |
Aditya K Darcy M |
6M |
Brianna S Eseta T |
Joshua P Alicia O |
Emily S Georgia S |
Congratulations to the following students who earnt 20 or more brag tag stickers during Term 2. This enabled their photo to be featured on the Brag Tag Wall of Fame. The students enjoyed a Games Morning and Special Morning Tea for their positive behaviour efforts.
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KB |
|
|
|
KM |
Hugo G |
Logan M |
|
1B |
Lincoln A |
Campbell G |
|
1M |
Leo K |
Austin P |
|
2B |
||
|
2M |
Abbey R |
Sophia Y |
|
3B |
Charlotte H |
Cooper P |
|
3M |
||
|
4B |
Yusha A |
Daven M |
|
4M |
Mau'lupe M |
|
|
5B |
|
|
|
5M |
||
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6B |
Nicholas A |
Abhinav B |
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6M |
It’s been a busy few weeks in the Library, with students working hard on various research topics. We have read lots of books together, including books acknowledging both Refugee and Reconciliation Weeks. Books are still going into quarantine as they come back to ensure the safety of students and staff.
The Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge, which will end on 31 July 2020 has been well underway and students have been filling in their reading records during Library time. We would encourage lots of reading during the holidays so we can meet the challenge and gain new resources for the school. Perhaps read to a younger sibling, or even try an e-book from our collection of online books; https://soraapp.com/welcome.
Book Week 2020
This year, Book Week will be a little later than usual, running from 17-23 October 2020. More information will follow regarding what this will look like.
Scholastic Book Club
The last Book Club order delivery has unfortunately been delayed.
Looking for a great book?
Check out these new great reads in the Library!
Happy reading!
Mrs Georgina Jaram (Teacher/Librarian)
and Mrs Vanessa Hallaj (Library Assistant)
Why validation is the best parenting skill of all
When a child or teen comes to you when they are struggling emotionally, they want you to understand their dilemma. They don’t want to be dismissed or told to ‘get over it’. They generally want someone to acknowledge that their concern is real with comments such as:
“I see you’re worried about going to camp. I can understand that. “
“Thanks for telling about the scary monsters in your bedroom. Let’s see what we can do about them.”
“I’d be afraid too if I was left alone on my own for that long.”
Validation of a child’s struggles helps them
Validating a child’s struggles helps in a number of ways. It works to:
Build deep connection
Relationships built at the time of vulnerability go deep and are hard to break.
Promote a child’s wellbeing
Validation helps kids feel safe, which is what ‘worry warts’ and anxious kids want. Lack of understanding rather than fear itself often impacts negatively on a child’s happiness.
Overcome disappointment and build resilience
Validation encourages kids to give voice to their concern or disappointment and either takes steps to rectify it or move on.
Develop emotional intelligence
Parental validation models emotional intelligence for children and teens. It requires you to identify the emotions that may be behind their language or behaviour.
Encourage empathy
Validation requires you to stop, listen and get on the same wavelength as your child.
Four steps to validating your child’s emotions
Follow these steps when your child comes to you with their worries or concerns to make sure they feel understood.
Attend
Stop what you are doing and give your child full attention.
Observe
Listen with your eyes as well as your ears.
Reflect back their worries
Get down to their eye level if necessary, saying something like, “I see you’re really concerned about this.”
Touch
If appropriate, gently touch their shoulder or give them a hug when you speak to them. This will help them feel safe and comforted.
There’s no better feeling for a child or teen who is struggling than knowing someone they value truly understands them.
Michael Grose
Time to save yourself some money!
Has your 2019-20 Entertainment Membership expired?
Are you looking to save money during the holidays?
Would you like to save $600 (approx.) on your groceries annually?
Then buy an entertainment membership which will provide all those savings and even more,
and you’ll also be supporting the school to renovate our playground.
Plus if you buy your membership by 13July 2020 you get an additional:
- 2 months extra Membership FREE on selected Memberships
- Bonus WISH eGift Card with purchase
- $50 Discover Queensland voucher
- Chance to win 1 of 5 x $1000 WISH eGift Cards
This year, memberships last 12 months from the date of purchase
(or 14 months if purchase by 13 July 2020)
