Phone: 6882 2677

Fax: 6884 4500

Email: stjohnsprimarydubbo@bth.catholic.edu.au

Fees Enquiries: 6884 8504

Email: dubsjpfees@bth.catholic.edu.au

Term 2 Week 10 June 26, 2017

ST JOHNS PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

www.stjohnsprimarydubbo.catholic.edu.au

138 Sheraton Road

P.O. Box 4914

S C H O O L M A N A G E R F a t h e r G r eg Ken n ed y

S C H O O L C H A P L A I N F a t h e r G r eg Ken n ed y

P R I N C I P A L M r A n t h o n y O ’ L e a r y

A S S I S T A N T P R I N C I P A L M r A d am F o l e y

R E C M r D a v i d S c h w ag e r

PRIMARY COORDINATOR

Mrs Paula Clifford TEACHING STAFF:

KINDERGARTEN Mrs Maria Brice Mrs Teagan Hoper

YEAR 1 Mrs Paula Clifford / Ms Kara Mawbey

Miss Cassandra Hawke

YEAR 2

Miss Madeleine Redden Mrs Laura Emery Mrs Angela Benton/ Mrs Sarah Davis

YEAR 3 Ms Anna Veech

Mrs Kim English/Mrs Erin Carney

YEAR 4

Mrs Judith Gibson/Mrs Aimee Rose Mrs Shannon Lea .

YEAR 5 Miss Emma Bolton/Mrs Amanda Shields Mr George Sayers

YEAR 6 Mrs Mickaela Wright/Mrs Karyn King

Mr David Schwager/ Mrs Gabrielle Jones

SPECIAL EDUCATION: Mrs Patricia Toohey, Mr Adam Foley Mrs Amanda Shields

TEACHER’S AIDES: Mrs Deanna Swanson, Mrs Bronwyn

Harper, Mrs Tracey Duncan Mrs Maricon Suckling, Mr Trevor

Thomas, Mrs Belinda Montague, Mrs Paula Campbell, Mrs Kristie Scott, Mrs Megan Jones

LIBRARIAN: Mrs Maree Williams

ABORIGINAL EDUCATION WORKER: Ms Tiffany Lucas

CREATIVE ARTS: Ms Louise Lindsay

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION: Mrs Margo Green, Mrs Karen Meredith

CANTEEN MANAGER: Mrs Cathy Dries

GENERAL HAND : Mr Mark Bradford

CLEANER: Mrs Kerry Iverach

P&F MEETINGS: 2nd & 7th Tuesday each Term PARENTS/GUARDIANS Please note that photographs of students may be used in this publication. Please advise the School Office if you do not approve of your child’s photo being used.

From the Principal’s desk…. Welcome to Week 10 and the final week of Semester 1. I am extremely grateful for the dedicated

work of the entire school community this semester.

Our outstanding staff, enthusiastic students, giving

parents and Father Greg and the Parish community all

combine to make our school a joy to be involved with.

Enjoy your break, refresh and we will see you when we

all return on Monday, 17th of July.

The Semester 1 Reports will be going home this Wednesday. As I read your child’s report I am so

proud of how far our children have come, each child has their

own challenges but embraces them with an open mind, cour-

age and commitment. When you receive your child’s report, it

is a great time to sit with them and reflect on their current pro-

gress and effort. It is also important to create a new learning

goal for the next semester. Also keep in mind that if your child

is in Year 1, 3 or 5 they are also beginning a new stage with new outcomes and expectations. As a

parent I always review the effort component of the report, as I truly believe that with sustained

effort, the ‘grade’ that is appropriate will be achieved. If you wish to discuss the report with your

child’s teacher, you can always schedule an interview at a mutually convenient time.

NAIDOC week is celebrated in the first week of July but as we will be on school holidays we will

be celebrating NAIDOC at St. Johns in Week 8. The importance, resilience and richness of Aborigi-

nal and Torres Strait Islander languages will be the focus of national

celebrations marking NAIDOC Week 2017. The aim of the week is to

celebrate and promote a greater understanding of Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander people and culture. This year’s theme aims to

emphasise and celebrate the unique and essential role that Indigenous

languages play in cultural identity, linking people to their land and

water and in the transmission of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

history, spirituality and rites, through story and song.

VISION STATEMENT

To change the world through our faith in Jesus who is our light and hope.

CORRECT SCHOOL UNIFORM We ask for parent support in ensuring their children come to school wearing the correct school

uniform. We expect our children to take pride in their appearance as a way of showing they are respectful, responsible and

safe learners at St John’s.

Gospel and Reflection: Matthew 10:26-33

So do not be afraid of them. Everything now covered up will be uncovered, and everything

now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you

hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops. 'Do not be afraid of those who kill the

body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell.

Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without

your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need

to be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. So if anyone declares himself for

me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my

Father in heaven.

Reflection

Jesus has a strong message to his disciples – do not be afraid. In the psalm for this Sunday there is the same calming and reassuring message – “from all eternity, O Lord, you are. Truly your decrees are to be trusted”.

Fear can deter us from doing things which we know in our hearts we are being called to do. Uncertainty can gener-ate fear, as can previous experiences which have resulted in some form of harm.

But being afraid need not translate into giving into fear and being paralysed by it. Faith can triumph over fear if we are prepared to listen to the Holy Spirit, and remember that we do nothing alone. Reflection and prayer can help us to pinpoint the cause of our fear. What am I actually afraid of? Knowing the source of our fear helps in deciding whether the perceived danger is real and if it is, whether we can manage it.

Stepping out in faith is an act of trust in God. It opens up our full potential and takes us to new places, emotionally, spiritually and sometimes physically.

“Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” St John Paul II

If you are travelling during the holidays – drive safely.

God bless and have a great week

Anthony O’Leary

Important Dates to Remember

June 28 Girls David Peachey/Russell Richardson Gala Day Yrs 5 & 6 only

June 30 Mufti Day “Give Me 5 for Kids”

June 30 Term 2 concludes

July 17 Term 3 commences

July 22 First Communion at weekend Masses

July 26 Northern Region Athletics

July 28 First Communion at weekend Masses

Aug 4 St Laurence’s Gala Soccer Day

Aug 5 First Communion at weekend Masses

Religious Education News Term 2, Week Ten 2017

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal

Last week, our Student Representative Council finished running a Handball Competition to raise money

for Vinnies Winter Appeal. Our Champion for Stage 2 was Indiana Boreham with Runner-Up Harry

Meadows. Thank you to all those who participated.

Raising Money for Peru

Last week, the whole school attended a presentation given by Mary Rajca from the Sisters of Mercy-

who spoke to the students about a poor village in Peru that needed our help. Through purchasing items

the women in the village had made, our school was able to raise over $1000 which all goes back to help

with basic necessities for the residents. Thank you to the SRC for selling the items each day.

Library News Week 10

We will be celebrating Book Week in Week 2 of Term 3 with a Book Character Parade and a Scholastic Book Fair on Friday 28th July.

The CBCA theme for 2017 is Escape to Everywhere. Books offer the perfect escape, want to travel the world, fight dragons,

meet unicorns, time travel, talk to animals, have fun with friends? Well look no further than your nearest book shelf! It’s time to put your thinking caps on, browse through all your favourite stories and choose a book character you would like to come to school as.

You are invited to attend a special reading event at our school…. The Scholastic Book Fair!

Please accept our invitation to visit the fair and view the wonderful selection of quality children’s books. Along with award winning titles and authors, you will find books that are only available at a Scholastic Book Fair.

Books inspire young minds and give children educational advantages. A successful Book Fair will not only benefit our school, but it will also help your child discover the rich rewards of reading.

The Book Fair will be at our school during Week 2 next term.

ALL LIBRARY BOOKS ARE NOW DUE. Please remind children to return any library books to the library. Any books that have been lost or damaged need to be replaced.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Please keep reading as the PRC closes on 19 August. Students must complete their on-line Student Reading Records by Fri-day 25th August. If you need extra books to complete the challenge please come and see me in the library. The Macquarie Regional Library also has many books on the PRC Booklist.

Looking for holiday entertainment? Why not visit the Macquarie Regional Library! Children are invited to come and listen to stories, make art and craft, meet new friends and have lots of fun!

Happy Reading!

Maree Williams

Teacher/Librarian

HAS YOUR CHILD LOST HIS/HER TRACKSUIT

JACKET??

A tracksuit jacket has been handed in at the school office. It is

brand new—in fact it still has the Lowes tag attached. If you think

this belongs to your child, please contact the office.

Canteen News

Happy Holidays, everyone! This weeks

helpers are Jackie Hutchinson and

Shirley Porteous

Thanks Brooke & Cathy 0458 55 0747

At our last P & F meeting we discussed readdressing the issue of the pedestrian crossing at the front of our school.

We are asking all parents to complete the following surveys. The first link is about using the crossing and the second is if you have had an incident or “near miss” to record.

The outcome we are hoping for is to have a lollypop person stationed at the crossing in the mornings as well as the afternoons, to walk the children across the road.

https://goo.gl/forms/hcDlxi5NfBC2hjZG2

https://goo.gl/forms/5VcgIJqPt3Evu7JI2

Thank You for your support,

Katie Young

P&F President

WOOLWORTHS EARN AND LEARN

St John’s Primary P&F will be coordinating the

Woolworths Earn and Learn Programme again this

year.

The programme is due to commence on 26 July

2017 so please remind your neighbours and extended family to

collect the stickers and pop them in the St John’s Primary box

which will be at each Woolworths supermarket. There will also

be a box here at school if you want to send the stickers in with

your children.

Give Me Five for Kids!

On the last day of term (Friday 30th June) we encourage students to come

out-of-uniform for a donation to raise money for the Children’s Ward at Dubbo

Hospital.

Zarli

On Thursday my debating team, Aden Brown, Jake Egan, Annabelle Whiteley, Lily Erskine and I went to St Mary’s Primary school to have a debate. We were the negative side. The topic for our debate was ‘drones are an invasion of privacy’. I was really nervous before I talked but when I finished I was relieved. When the adjudicator came up to the stage to reveal who won the debate, it was us! I was so happy for our team. After the debate we enjoyed morning tea. Thank you St Mary’s for having us.

Olivia

On Thursday morning my debating team, Isla Cole, Jessica Whillock, Kate Foley, Jorja

Kubski and I, travelled in the teachers’ cars to St Mary’s Primary School at 9am. When

we all arrived, we walked into the school’s hall and sat at the front, our audience was

the St Mary’s years 3-6 as well as the St John’s other team. We were the affirmative

team, our topic was. Are Drones an Invasion of Privacy? Once we were all settled the

debate started, Jessica was the first speaker, myself the second, Isla the third and

Kate was our captain who thanked everyone at the end. Sadly we lost, but in the end we

all had a lovely morning tea. It was a great experience.

Year 6 Debating