SCHOOL PRIDE HOUSE COMPETITION

In Week 11, our School Pride House Competition will be awarded to the students who have collected the most tokens for their house by consistently wearing the correct uniform and participating in Waste Free Wednesday in Term 1. 

The winning house will be announced on Monday, 7 April to parents/carers notified via Compass and on Tuesday, 8 April at our morning announcements. The reward will take place on Wednesday, 9 April. On this day students from the winning house will be rewarded with a mufti day and Zooper Dooper.

ONLINE SAFETY & BEHAVIOUR- SNAPCHAT

As we continue to navigate the digital age, it is more important than ever to ensure our children are safe while using online platforms. Recently, we have been made aware of concerns regarding the use of Snapchat and other social media apps among students. Some of these apps are not age appropriate and recommended for children who are 13 and older. 

While these platforms offer a means of communication and social interaction, they also present risks, including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and interactions with strangers. We encourage all parents to be vigilant and proactive in monitoring their children’s online activities.

Here are some steps you can take to help keep your child safe online:

Open Communication: Talk to your child about the potential risks of social media and encourage them to come to you with any concerns.

Privacy Settings: Ensure your child’s social media accounts have the highest level of privacy settings enabled.

Monitor Activity: Regularly review the apps your child is using and discuss the importance of responsible online behavior.

Friend Lists: Encourage your child to only accept friend requests from people they know in real life.

Screen Time Management: Set boundaries on screen time and encourage offline activities.

We believe that by working together, we can create a safer online environment for our children. If you have any concerns or need additional resources on online safety, please feel free to reach out.

E Safety Link

MACARTHUR YOUNG CHAMPIONS AWARDS

The annual Macarthur Young Champions Awards recognise the achievements of our young people and the valuable contribution they make to the local community. Organised by Rainbow Crossing Inc, an ACNC registered not-for-profit organisation, these awards are back this year and seek to motivate young people to chase their dreams. In 2024, St John’s had 3 students who were finalists in the awards.

 The Awards are open to young people under 19 living, studying or working in the Macarthur region (Campbelltown, Camden & Wollondilly LGAs) and are spread over 20+ categories including individual, group and special needs.

The Macarthur Young Champions Awards will be presented at a Gala Awards Dinner with entertainment on Friday 30 May 2025, 7pm, at Wests League Club. 

 We request you to support the young achievers of your school by nominating them:

Nominate ONLINE HERE. 

Or CLICK HERE to print out a pdf of the form.

Click on this link to view highlights from the 2024 Macarthur Young Champions Awards.

Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthday this week : 30th March - 5th April

Week 9 - Awards: INFANTS

Neurodiversity Week 2025

This year for Neurodiversity Week we welcomed Variety – the Children’s Charity’s free disability inclusion program, Just Like You to deliver their workshops to our Year 1 - 6 students. Delivered in class to students by a facilitator, the program’s fun and interactive workshops educate students on the acceptance and inclusion of people living with a disability. The program helps them learn that people with a disability are the same as everyone else – they are “Just Like You!”

Our school has proudly joined Variety in its commitment to ensuring our students are engaged to reflect on their own roles and actions as citizens in their school and community. The Just Like You program proved to be a wonderfully engaging and beneficial experience for the students and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. For more information on the program we encourage you to visit www.justlikeyou.org.au.

On Thursday the 20th March representatives from the St John’s environment committee Big Green, attended the Primary Student WEN (Wollongong Environment Network) Day at St Brigid’s Gwynneville in Wollongong. The aim of the day was to:

• help young people connect to ecological/social justice actions through prayer and worship
• provide students with opportunities and strategies to build their skills to be leaders of ecological actions in their schools
• interact with other Stage 3 Primary students from across the Wollongong Diocese.

During the day the students listened to a guest speaker from the not for profit organisation Green Connect. The students were also given a tour of St Brigid’s school grounds hearing about the various environmental activities that school participates in including gardens of various purposes, solar panels, return and earn and even the inclusion of a native bee hive (they have no stingers).

Our newly commissioned Eco-Ambassadors Mia, Shana, Sarah and Veronika have not only walked away from the day feeling inspired but have many great ideas that we could use here at St Johns. The girls were outstanding representatives for St John’s displaying what it means to ‘Walk in Peace and Joy’

Mr Stephen Zamroz

Year 5 Teacher

WEN Contact Teacher