Dear Lord,

We ask that you be present in this space.

Lord, as we prepare for the coming of this final term make us ready, attentive and available to hear you.

Thank You for the gift of being able to rise each day with the assurance that You walk through it with us in peace and joy.

Thank You for the gifts of creativity and uniqueness, and the energy to put them to good use.

May all that we are today, all that we try to do today, may all our encounters, reflections, even the frustrations and failings all be placed in your hands.

May our community of faith bring new hope, new life, and courage. 

We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Dear Parents and Carers,

It is great to have the students back for Term 4. It seems that they were able to re-energise over the holiday break, having returned to school positively and with enthusiasm to renew their learning and their relationships with one another. I hope that you, too, were able to find some time over the last two weeks to slow down a little and have a break from some of the normal routines of work and family life.

Paul Moroney
Principal

WELCOME BACK

We welcome back all our students, teachers and families for the final term of 2024. We hope the children had a wonderful break and are recharged for the term ahead. Term 4 is always busy with lots of events taking place at St John’s. 

We celebrate the liturgical season of Advent, leading up to Christmas. We farewell our Year 6 cohort and wish them every success as they move into Secondary School. Our Playgroup begins and we hold our Kindergarten Orientation for 2025 Kindergarten students and families. Year 5 have their Camp and organise student leadership for next year. Other grades have excursions planned. We have a swimming carnival to look forward to as well. Semester Two reports are also provided outlining the progress of student’s learning. 

We look forward to an enjoyable term ahead to finish the school year and thank parents in anticipation of their continued support.

THE ROSARY

October has been set aside as a time for people to pray and meditate upon the Rosary, a popular devotion among Catholics. Over the centuries the Church has always honoured Mary, the Blessed Mother of God. Praying the Rosary is one of the many ways in which we do this. 

We encourage students to pray to our Our Lady, the Mother of God, and for any intentions they have. For more information about the Rosary please click on this link.

TERM 4 CLASS CAPTAINS

It is wonderful to be recognised for leadership qualities. We have had many students from Years 1 - 6 recognised for such qualities by their peers and teachers. We will congratulate these children who have been selected as Class Captains for this term and look forward to providing opportunities in which they can demonstrate their leadership skills.

These students will be provided with their badge on Tuesday, 29 October (Week 3) at the morning assembly. We will inform parents via Compass before Friday, 25 October of who our Term 4 Class Captains are, so you might be available to grab a photo and see your child receive their badge.

We are confident that our student leaders will be great examples for others by ‘Walking in peace and joy’. 

YEAR 5 LEADERSHIP DAY

As part of the readiness program they prepare for Year 6 leadership responsibilities, Year 5 students engaged in a Student Leadership Day on Monday, 14 October. The day was facilitated by Cameron Brown from Explore, Discover, Act. The children were familiar with Cameron when he ran a Choose Kind workshop with them in Term 2.

On the day they were involved in a range of activities to support them in learning about their own leadership skills and how they can work together for the benefit of everyone. Below are a few reports from some of our Year 5 students:

On Monday, 14th October, Year 5 attended a day in the St John’s hall run by Cameron Brown to learn about leadership. Year 5 participated in fun activities focussing on teamwork, listening, creativity and other aspects of leadership. These challenges were engaging yet eye-opening and gave us an understanding of what being a leader is. We thank Cameron for a fun day and for teaching Year 5 the meaning and importance of leadership. 

By Belen and Matilda, 5 Red

The leadership day was an opportunity to get to a deeper knowledge about how to be a proper leader of our school. I learned that leadership requires more than public speaking or being the boss. It requires teamwork and courage. I enjoyed working in groups and using teamwork to solve the challenges Cameron gave us. 

By Saiya Khan, 5 Gold

The leadership day was about Year 5 preparing themselves to be good leaders. Cameron gave us activities to learn how to show leadership and how a great leader values input and shows empathy. I learned what a respectful leader is and I enjoyed how Cameron set us up with different people to complete activities. 

By Adira Brown, 5 Gold

Last Monday, Year 5 had a Leadership Day with Cameron to get ready for Year 6. During the day, we talked about the saying of "Courage over comfort" and built on this through completing activities outside our comfort zone or with people we are usually close with. Some of the activities included Metaphors about leadership and using teamwork to get a metal ring on a small ring stand. We concluded the day with a modified version of Knots and Crosses, which showed us how everyone can share the space and work together.

By Amelia and Lareen, 5 Blue

Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthday this week & during the holidays : 29th September - 19th October

Week 10 - Awards: PRIMARY 

As part of Mission Month, we are having a Crazy Sock Day on October 25th. Students are encouraged to bring a gold coin donation, with proceeds going to support mission programs that provide critical assistance to children from disadvantaged and vulnerable backgrounds in Mongolia.