Dear Parents and Carers,

This coming weekend is one of special significance for our school and our parish community as many of our students will take the next step in their Catholic initiation. This celebration of receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the very first time, brings many blessings to our community. It is also a sign of great hope that our 2000+year faith continues to be handed down from one generation to the next. It is a great privilege to witness the love and support parents provide to their children on a daily basis, through the day-to-day life of our school. This will be reinforced as parents proudly present their children for the sacrament of Holy Communion on the weekend. At Baptism, many of the children would have been babies and would have been carried by their parents. Now a few years later they are able to walk independently towards their next sacramental milestone. As parents, each time our child takes another step in their faith journey we are certainly proud, but we are also challenged to remember the enormous responsibility of our role as the first educators of the faith. Just as we have a responsibility to nourish our children’s bodies through a healthy diet, so we must also nourish their faith by providing opportunities to practice the rituals and actions in the context of our parish community on a regular basis. As the old saying goes, “You are what we eat.” This might be the case for our bodies, but it is also certainly true for our spiritual life. If we are what we eat, then what is currently feeding our spiritual life and that of our children?

When Jesus celebrated his last supper with his disciples he asked them to “Do this in memory of me.” Regularly celebrating mass within a community of faith and being nourished spiritually by the Eucharist is certainly the source and summit of our faith. But what else did Jesus mean when he said “Do this in memory of me?” Each weekend, we commit ourselves to remembering the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Jesus gave the gift of Himself and we share in the gift of His body and blood through receiving the Eucharist.

We continue to pray for the children who will receive the sacrament of Holy Communion over the coming weekend. We also pray for all children, that they may have the opportunity to continue to grow in their faith supported by their families, the parish and school community.  We thank those members of our school and parish communities who have helped to prepare the students for this important next step on their journey of faith.                

I am sure that many of our parents and grandparents can recall their First Holy Communion Day and the great significance that this day holds. May receiving the Blessed Sacrament be a time where the children come to know Jesus in a very special way.

As a school community, we have been indeed blessed to have the loving pastoral support, guidance and prayers provided by Sr Laureen Dixon rsc over the past five years. Sr Laureen has been asked to move to Melbourne, where she will lead as a trustee of the Mary Aikenhead Ministries. This is a great acknowledgement of her wonderful leadership capacity.

I am sure that many parents and students will miss her warm welcoming presence at St John’s. During her time at St John’s, Sr Laureen has been a source of pastoral support and comfort to many students, families and staff members. She has the ability to listen with the ear of her heart and reach out in compassion and charity to support others in need. We will certainly miss her presence at St John’s.

At the end of the term, on Friday 5^th July, we will gather as a school community to celebrate Mass and offer our prayers of thanksgiving for the contribution of Sr Laureen to the community of St John’s.

Parents are most welcome to join us at this Mass to pass on your personal thanks.

Mrs Jane Webb
Acting Principal

From the Assistant Principal:

Making a time for parent teacher interviews

As we approach the end of Term Two, it is an appropriate time to meet with your child’s teacher to review his/her learning progress to date as well as set some learning goals for the remainder of the year.

At these interviews, parents are able to receive some feedback about their child’s academic progress, effort and raise any questions associated with the school report. This is an opportunity for parents to speak with the classroom teacher and together set goals for their child. Teachers may also provide some additional information as to how these goals will be achieved.

This year at St John’s, students are encouraged to be present at the school interview. We consider students to be an important and central part of this process as it promotes ownership of their learning. At the interview, your child will be able to reflect on their learning progress to date. This year, your child will have identied an area in Mathematics they would like to improve upon and will be sharing with you a goal specific to this area of their learning.

This whole process will allow your child to become increasingly responsible for his/her learning.

As parents and teachers, it is important to work together in order to support students to reach their full potential. It is when both home and school can work in partnership that students benefit from everyone working together.

This year, Parent Teacher Interviews will be held in Week 9 from Thursday 27th June  – Thursday 4th July.  Bookings open today (Wednesday 19^th June) and close on the 27^th June at 9am.

Parents are encouraged to book online at the following address: www.schoolinterviews.com.au 

If you have any issues with booking your interview, please contact the school office.

Enjoy the coming week ahead,

Helen Libro and Kylie Billett
Acting Assistant Principals

Grandparents Day – Photos of Children with their Grandparents

We are having a Grandparents Day Mass in Term 3 on Friday, 26 July 2019. 
We will celebrate the Feast of Saints Anne and Joachim who are the grandparents of Jesus.
As part of our Mass, we will be putting together a reflection iMovie at thanksgiving time after Communion. 
Children are invited to email Mrs Hampton a photo of them with their grandparents.
If you would like to participate, Mrs Hampton’s email address is:

kathryn.hampton@dow.catholic.edu.au.

We need all photos emailed by Friday 5 July 2019.  Unfortunately, we are unable to accept photos emailed after this date.  
Thank you for your help.

Mrs Hampton

1500m Event Nominations

The 1500m event (in boys and girls junior, 11 years and senior divisions) has been added to the Mackillop athletics program for the year, 2019.

The event WILL NOT be added to the regional carnival at this time; however, it will be added to the selection trial day to be held at Beaton Park on Tuesday 20 August. The event should be for athletes who have run this event before and have proof of times. This is not a 'come and try' event and athletes should meet the qualifying standards listed below before nominating. Please note that the 1500m and 800m events will be run on the same day at the selection trials.

Qualifying Times

Boys Junior (8-10 years) - 5:30.00, Boys 11 years - 5:20.00
Boys Seniors (12-13 years) - 5:10.00

Girls Junior (8-10 years) - 5:40.00, Girls 11 years - 5:30.00
Girls Seniors (12-13 years) - 5:20.00

Please see attached flyers regarding the P & F school disco on Thursday 27th June.

Book Club Catalogues can now be collected at the school office or library by parents. You may also view the Catalogue via the attached link: http://www.scholastic.com.au/schools/bookclub/bc_parents.asp

Book Club orders need to be placed via LOOP www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP by 5pm today - Wednesday 19th June.

Remember Waste Free Wednesday every week.

Our school banking day is: Wednesday

Please see attached flyer from Sherpa Kids regarding their vacation care program.