Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff,

Thank you to 3 Blue for leading us in a beautiful Remembrance Day Assembly and Ceremony on Monday afternoon. Thank you to the family members who attended and helped us remember all who have given the greatest sacrifice in war for their country, their family and friends.

Mrs Leanne Griffiths, Front Office Manager, is currently on leave. Thank you to Debbie Milne and other staff members who have looked after the Front Office this week. We welcome Mrs Marg Smith who will manage the Front Office while Mrs Griffiths is away next week.

Mrs Debbie Milne has been a staff member at St John's for a long time and many of you know her well. I'm sure you would join me in congratulating her on becoming a grandmother this week to two beautiful twin boys. She is glowing with pride!

A few new faces for 2019

As we plan for 2019 I would like to announce some changes to our staffing for next year.

Mr Luke Folkard will be on a year's exchange to St Matthew's, Page and we welcome Mrs Alison Ewyk from St Matthew's. Mrs Ewyk is an experienced teacher with a particular interest in student well-being and mental health.

Mrs Jessica Figura will transfer to St Michael's, Kaleen and Mr Brett Seaman, a very experienced teacher from Holy Trinity, Curtin will transfer to St John the Apostle. We look forward to the addition of Mrs Seaman's experience in inquiry learning and the International Baccalaureate as we shape our own inquiry curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 6.

We wish Mr Folkard and Mrs Figura the very best in the next exciting chapter of their tale of teaching and thank them for all of their fabulous work with our students and families.

We will also welcome a few new staff members including Mrs Bree McEnaney from St Augustine's in Wodonga where she has most recently been Year 5 and 6 team learning leader and Miss Sarah Collins from St Patrick's Primary School in Lilydale who shares a love of the MSC spirituality that underpins the charism of our school and parish. Mrs Melinda Taylor, currently teaching two days a week in 1 Maroon will become a full-time, permanent staff member of St John the Apostle. She is also a very experienced teacher who has a passion and love for children and learning and has been an outstanding project leader in K-2 shaping our inquiry curriculum.

We will also farewell Miss Katherine Stella and Miss Samantha Slocomb as they complete their time here at St John the Apostle. They have each been wonderful members of staff and it has been lovely to hear the positive feedback from parents throughout the year regarding the impact they have had on students in their care. We wish them both the very best in the future.

There are some final staffing arrangements for 2019 to be made and I will happily share news of the classes that teachers will be assigned to later this term.

Prayers please

As some of you know, one of our teachers, Mrs Lyn Griffiths, has a very young granddaughter Annabelle who has been undertaking treatment for DIPG, a highly aggressive and difficult to treat brain tumour. You can read more about her and show your support on the Love for Annabelle Facebook Page. Please keep Mrs Griffiths, Annabelle and all of their family in your prayers and thoughts during this very challenging time.

Remembrance

Many of you would have visited the War Memorial or Parliament House to see the displays of poppies.  It’s a time of year when we pause to remember those lost in war. Those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We were led by 3 Blue in a beautiful assembly commemorating Remembrance Day on Monday.

As Catholics, we hold tradition and ritual close to our hearts. It is a part of our identity as a community. Most central to our faith is the Sacrament of the Eucharist during which we remember the meal Jesus shared with his disciples and when our patron, St John, is said to have heard the beating of the Sacred Heart. 

In 2017, at a mass celebrated by Pope Francis, he said that the Eucharist is a memorial of God’s love. In the bread of life, the Lord comes to us making himself a humble meal that lovingly heals our memory, wounded by life’s frantic pace.

Help us lord to remember that my life is a gift,

That my health is a blessing, that this new day is filled with awesome potential,

That I have the capacity to bring something wholly new and unique and good into this world.

Just for today, help me God, to remember to be kind and patient to the people who love me and those who work with me too.

Teach me to see all the beauty that I so often ignore, and to listen to the silent longing of my own soul.

Just for today, help me God, to remember You.

Let this be a good day, God, full of joy and love.

Amen.

Parish News

St John the Apostle Parish Music Ministry

The parish music ministry is in need of musicians and singers alike. Music is an integral part of our participation in liturgy – an integral part of our participation in the work of God. For “when song and music are signs of the Holy Spirit’s presence and action, they encourage, in a certain way, communion with the Trinity”

(John Paul II, Address to the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, 3; Chirograph on Sacred Music, 3).

• 6:00pm Vigil – Singers and Musicians
• 10:00am Sunday Children’s Mass
• 6:00pm Sunday (1st & 3rd) to assist AGAPE Youth Group

Contact:

Parish Office kippax@cg.org.au or Joan Breen robjoanbreen@optusnet.com.au

Parish Christmas Events

Awards are presented at the school assembly each Monday at 2:10 pm.

Happy Birthday to Sophie J, Benji D, Matthew H, Keeon D and Lila W who all celebrated a birthday during the last week.

Library Opening Hours

We love having visitors in the library! Just a reminder that the Library is open for family borrowing on Monday afternoons from 2.50pm – 3.30pm. Students must be accompanied by a parent/carer. 

Last Week for borrowing

Our last week for borrowing this year will be Week 6 (with all books due back by the end of Week 8).

PLEASE return overdue Books

Could all families have a good look at home and school for all library books that have been borrowed. They might be hiding under beds, or mixed up with other books on your shelves at home. We need them back so that other students can enjoy using them next year.

Overdue Notices will be sent out next week. If you are having trouble locating a book or think you have already returned a book, please contact us. 

Happy reading!

Mrs Georgina Jaram (Teacher/Librarian)

Mrs Vanessa Hallaj (Library Assistant)

How to stop your child from swearing

By: Michael Grose

If you’re like me, you feel decidedly uncomfortable when kids of any age turn the air blue with profanities. Swearing shows lack of respect for others, and also a lack of awareness for their surroundings.

Teaching kids to use appropriate language is trickier now than in the past. For a start, standards have changed where many words – such as the 'F' word – that were deemed inappropriate in the past are often heard on radio and seen in mainstream newspapers. Words that everyone agrees are inappropriate are frequently used in public forums, to the point that the boundaries of appropriateness have become blurred.

Standards may change, but the job of parents hasn’t altered. That is, to teach kids to use language that doesn’t offend others. Whether it’s teasing or swearing – it’s all the same. If a word or words are offensive, then choose other words or say nothing at all. That is the message to get across to the next generation.

Socially smart kids alter their language

Socially skilled kids of all ages will adjust their language to suit the situation they are in. They may speak one way with their friends but use a completely different vocabulary when they are with adults. They are aware that what works with their best friend just won’t cut it when they are in Grandma’s company. This awareness shows social acuity and the flexibility to adjust to different environments. It needs to be extended to all sorts of situations including where adults and younger children are present. Kids who constantly swear limit their social possibilities.

They didn’t hear that from me!

What do you do when you know your children swear despite your best intentions? Don’t over react. Try to work out its purpose. Children swear for many reasons, including: to experiment with language; to attract your attention; to make themselves appear bigger or older than they are; and even as a challenge or expression of personal power.

Inappropriate language can also simply be a reflection of your children’s peer groups. “Everyone else swears so there’s nothing wrong with it” is a common attitude of many children and young people.

Teach them that while swearing may be appropriate in one context or be accepted by one group, it is not acceptable in every situation. While not condoning swearing, get across to children that they need to learn to control their use of language and adjust it to suit the situation they are in.

When swearing becomes a habit

If swearing has become a habit for kids, make up alternative words to replace the swear words. One family I know had replaced certain words with fruit. They had a fruit for every situation!

Alternatively, use a penalty or fine system to make kids aware of their poor language. When you hear a family member swear, fine them an agree amount. At the end of the week or month give the money collected to a worthy cause. Of course, this strategy is easier to implement when parents join in as well.

Take a long, hard look at, er ... yourself!

It’s also helpful to examine your own choice of language to judge if it is an acceptable model for your children. Yep, sometimes kids will pick up their parents’ language and repeat it at the worst possible time, such as when relatives are over.

The job of adults is to develop a sense of social awareness in the next generation so they can easily navigate a variety of different groups and social situations. Teaching appropriate language use is at the very heart of teaching kids to be socially skilled. That’s something we all should swear by!

Things to remember when kids swear:

1. Avoid over-reacting when your kids swear. Look for the reason.

2. Discuss with older children the concept of matching their language with the audience.

3. Nip it in the bud before it becomes habit forming.

4. Use a penalty or fine system when kids swear in front of you.

5. Model the language you want your kids to use.

A last word

Standards may change, but the job of parents hasn’t altered. That is, to teach kids to use language that doesn’t offend others. If it’s offensive then encourage them to choose other words, or say nothing at all. That’s the approach that socially smart kids follow.

What is happening at OSHC:

We have been having heaps of fun this term. 

Last week we commemorated the Centennial of Remembrance Day with a big display board and lots of activities. We discussed ‘What does Remembrance Day mean?’  The children spoke with the utmost respect when speaking about the war and wrote their thoughts onto speech bubbles for our display. A number of children commented that their Great, Great Grandparents were in the war and we are lucky to have two fathers who are serving in the Armed Forces. 

Our creativity skills were used when making poppies from paper, stamping cards and problem-solving activities. We played card games that the soldiers played when on the field and discovered the coin game ‘two up’ without the betting. One of our favourite activities for the week was making and eating Anzac biscuits. We found out what great cooks we are!

This week we are learning about Sustainability and Recycling as it is Recycling week. We have been investigating water pollution with experiments and demonstrating wind energy by making windmills. 

These upcoming summer holidays at the Camp Australia service at St John the Apostle we will be doing some fantastic renovations in preparation for a big Term 1 relaunch.

Unfortunately, what this means is that our Summer Holiday Vacation Care Program will not be running as we undergo the renovations. We do have another Camp Australia Vacation Care available nearby in Arawang Primary School and you are welcome to book in with us there.

Thank you for your patience and we look forward to a brand new look for the New Year.

If you have any enquiries or concerns, please contact Teena on ph: 0418425716.

From the Team at Camp Australia. 

Program Details 
To find out more about our program, view fees and to register, visit www.campaustralia.com.au and search for your school.