In this issue
Welcome Back to Term 1, P&F News / Welcome BBQ, Library News – Book Club, Mon Repos Excursion, Two Weeks at a Glance, Community Come & Try Days
From the Principal
Welcome back to the school year. It has been wonderful to see so many happy smiling faces in and around the school over the past couple of weeks as our students dive deeper into the 2023 academic year. What I love about the new year at St John’s is not just catching up with familiar faces but also getting to know the new people in our community. We have continued to welcome lots of new families at this year. I trust your family enjoyed some quality time together over the festive season. Particularly, we welcome the many new students and families to St John’s. We are really looking forward to 2023 being another terrific year.
Our 6 Rs
Again, this year we will be working with our students about our 6 Rs expectation – Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, Rigour, Random-Acts-of-Kindness and Relationships. I have visited every class and again reminded our students of the importance of these values in our school. I’m confident that our students will continue to work to demonstrate these qualities every day.
Photos of students/other children/social media
I respectfully remind parents and friends in our community to be social media aware and conscious. As a school we often post information to our school Facebook page. We go to great lengths to cross-check whether or not each child is allowed to be photographed and subsequently published. Can I please commend to all, that you only take photographs of your own child/ren and not other children (unless you have direct permission from that child’s parents). Please do not photograph any child other than your own. I encourage parents to remain vigilant regarding the posting of photos of their own children to social media. Recent media reports have identified the dangers of such and the ease with which innocent photos can end up in the hands of the ‘wrong’ sort of person.
I make this appeal owing to the fact that we are working very hard to keep our children safe from potential online dangers.
School Start and Finish Times (8.30 am – 3.00 pm)
As has been the case for many years, it is an expectation that children arrive at school by 8.25am at which time teachers collect and take children to class in readiness for roll marking. It is vitally important that children arrive at school on time, please. Every minute of learning/classroom organisation is important for each learner. Your assistance in helping us by having your child at school by 8.25 am will be most graciously appreciated. To that end, school commences at 8.30 am sharp, each day. Should your child arrive at school late, then they should present for a late pass, at the office.
Parent Information Evening (Years 1 – 6)
Thanks you to those parents who were able to attend our Parent Information Evening (Years 1-6) on Tuesday 31 January 2023. Please contact your child’s teacher should you require any information from the evening.
Assembly and Chapel
Our Assembly and Chapel remains to be held each Friday morning at 8:45am. For new families, these are held in the Church once a week for all students.
Some Tips for a Successful start to the School Year
Help your child get organized: Instead of doing everything for your child, encourage them to be active in the organisation process. Let your child experience the ease of being able to find things, the joy of being on time, and the sense of control that organisation will bring.
Plan ahead so mornings go smoothly. There is an old saying, ‘well begun is half done,’ and it certainly is true about getting off to school. Start your planning the night before by making sure your child gets enough rest. A slightly-earlier bedtime may make a big difference to your child’s ability to function in the morning. Have your child lay out clothes before bed and put everything else needed for school in the backpack. It is a good idea to have your child put the backpack right on top of his/her shoes, so he/she can’t leave the house without it.
Help your child keep up with work: Share a tip from time-management experts; break tasks into manageable parts and do one at a time until the job is finished.
Get a handle on homework. Provide a place for your child to do homework, and make sure your child has the necessary supplies. Keep things like pencils, paper, ruler and coloured makers all together in a pencil box or shoe box to save time looking around when doing homework. Set a time to do homework. Some families like to do homework right after school, while others prefer doing it after dinner. Whatever you decide, find one that works for everyone, then stick to it as often as possible. Don’t forget to read!
Keep track of important notes from school. Here’s an easy way; the minute your child gets home, stick the note on the refrigerator or magnetic bulletin board. It won’t get lost in a pile of papers, and it won’t succumb to the “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” syndrome either.
Try some offbeat ways to entice your child to read. Use a current film as a starting point to encourage your child to dip into the book it is based on. Or help your child to write a letter to the author of a favorite book. (Send it to the publisher – most authors are good about replying to letters from children.) Do all you can to foster your child’s love of reading.
Take a critical look at your child’s activities. Be careful that TV/ICT does not take up lots of time – especially during the week. Ensure that there is a balance of inside and outside activity.
Remember the power of praise. Let it work its magic to motivate your child. Displaying a child’s best work is a form of praise. Add a special touch to an especially good paper by having it laminated. (You can do it yourself with clear contact paper.)
Celebrate your child’s successes, no matter how small. Learning is not always easy for children, and sometimes their progress may be measured in very small steps. When your child does master a new skill, rejoice together.
Uniform, Grooming and Workbook Standards
Parents are reminded of the need to ensure that grooming and the wearing of uniforms are in line with the school expectations.
Particularly, we would draw your attention to the following areas:
- Boys’ and Girls’ hair is to be kept clean, neat and tidy, off the face; of natural appearance, not dyed, tinted or bleached.
- Black leather shoes should be plain, conventional and well-maintained
- Students may not wear any makeup at any time
- Girls may wear plain gold or silver studs or sleepers only
Our students have a responsibility to uphold the ethos of the school, and to show pride in their school by wearing the uniform correctly – both at the school and when in the community. Your support in this regard is greatly appreciated.
P&F Welcome BBQ
We are looking forward to hosting parents and children at our P&F Welcome BBQ this Friday commencing at 5.30 pm and concluding at 7.30 pm. We will have a movie in the Multi-Purpose Hall for our children to watch. Thank you to families who have replied to the community invitation.
In the event of inclement weather, parents will be notified via SMS.
Blessings to all for the week ahead.
Grace and Peace
Chris Mallett
PRINCIPAL
Curriculum Connections
Curriculum Connections Welcome back to the new school year. I look forward to working in partnership with school staff, parents and students this year as …
Curriculum Connections
Curriculum Connections
Welcome back to the new school year. I look forward to working in partnership with school staff, parents and students this year as we continue to grow together in all ways Learning and Teaching.
Prior to students commencing school, teaching staff were involved in two days of Professional Learning under the direction of Lutheran Education’s Vanessa Noonan. During these two days staff explored Human Centred Design and how the notion of empathy further deepens student learning through the lens of Inquiry Based Learning. Our staff were involved in collaborative discussions which led to the development of new units of learning for students in alignment with the recently approved Australian Curriculum v9.0. We are excited to begin deliver of these units in Semester 2 this year and look forward to continuing to build Community, Character, Courage and our relationships with Christ through these learning opportunities.
NAPLAN 2023 – Year 3 and Year 5 students
Schools have transitioned from paper-based to computer-based assessments meaning students will engage in NAPLAN using iPads at our school. All Year 3 students will continue to complete the writing assessment on paper.
This year the NAPLAN tests will be held from Wednesday 15 March to Friday 17 March. We respectfully ask that you do not book appointments or the like for your children on these days.
Helping our children be best prepared for their learning.
Being organised can be difficult for all of us however by teaching our children to be organised we are assisting them not just with school, but for life. At St John’s we call the skill of organisation “self-management”.
Self-management and organisation is about making wise and well thought out decisions that contribute to our learning and doing and being our best.
Generally, children do not have the skills to become self-managers without support and guidance from adults around them. I have included some basic ideas which you may like to discuss at home and reflect around if they may be helpful for your child as they learn to be organised and self-manage.
- For younger children these may be pictures at first and then progress to using words.
- Prepare ahead of time. Talk about the next day over dinner at night. This allows for children to know what to expect ahead of time and generally helps them to feel ready for the day ahead. You may like to pack school bags, make lunches and lay school clothes out the night before.
- Set aside a homework space. Create a calm space with all the necessary equipment for homework time. You could include; pencils, sharpener, rulers, glue and scissors in this space so they are ready for homework time.
- Daily schedules. You can create these for the morning or the afternoon/evening. They can include getting dressed, packing bags, having breakfast/afternoon tea/dinner, homework time, reading time, play time and any other routines your family decides.
Most importantly, set a good example and do your best to maintain a sense of calm as your child learns the skills of organisation and self-management.
In the words of Benjamin Franklin
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
I wish you all a blessed and successful 2023 however that looks for you and your family. If I can be of service in any capacity, I welcome you to come and see me.
Director of Pastoral Care & Wellbeing
Welcome everyone to a new school year. It has been wonderful to greet many of the students and families (both new and existing) so far …
Director of Pastoral Care & Wellbeing
Welcome everyone to a new school year. It has been wonderful to greet many of the students and families (both new and existing) so far this year. I’m sure you would agree, it is very admirable to note the level of care that exists amongst our school family. For those existing families and also to those who are new to St John’s, we welcome you and hope that you feel the warm sense of community and level of care that is all things St John’s. As you would be aware our school fosters a Christian ethos and a Christian approach to education, which is embedded in our daily life and the partnerships that exist at school. Students are explicitly taught and encouraged to show respect, empathy, and forgiveness of self, and toward one another. Respect and Relationships can be noted as the bookends of our framework for Building Positive Behaviours.
ST JOHN’S CORE VALUES – 6 R’S
As you may be aware, our Core Values at St John’s are:
Respect – ‘for self and others’
Rigour – ‘work hard, work tough’
Responsibility – ‘for learning and actions’
Resilience – Keep on keeping on
Random Acts of Kindness – ‘It’s cool to be kind’
Relationships – ‘the reason’
It has been a pleasure to see our students exhibiting the 6 R’s in play and at work. We will continue to reinforce our core values in everything that we do, fostering a safe and supportive learning and teaching environment for all. Thank you for partnering with us to reinforce such an important ethos.
HEALTHY LUNCH OPTIONS
A reminder to parents and caregivers to provide a healthy and nutritional lunchbox for children each and every day. We respectfully ask that parents and caregivers please refrain from sending sweets, such as lollies and chocolate bars in your child/ren’s lunchbox. As we know, healthy food provides fuel for thinking and contributes to sustained energy for attention, memory and concentration. Overly processed foods can also contribute to tiredness and in some case hyperactivity.
Below you will find a podcast link from Life Education Qld’s Dietician Kate Di Prima, that may be of use for parents/caregivers, along with other tips for Healthy Eats.
Hot tips for cool summer lunches | Life Ed Qld (lifeeducationqld.org.au)
Healthy, kid-approved lunchbox snacks | Life Ed Qld (lifeeducationqld.org.au)
Five top tips to navigate the school lunchbox | Life Ed Qld (lifeeducationqld.org.au)
UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:65
It has been delightful to see the students of St John’s Lutheran Primary School dressed with pride in their formal uniform across the first week of school. As you would agree, St John’s Lutheran Primary School is noted for applying consistently high standards of uniform wear and student grooming. The school uniform expectations for 2023, have been communicated to parents/caregivers and to students. Our uniform expectations state “the students are to view themselves as ambassadors of the school in that the uniform is worn correctly.”
If you have any questions regarding uniform wear, suitability of footwear and student grooming; including that of hair styles, and earring wear, please do not hesitate to arrange a time to discuss such with me or contact the administration office for a copy of the Uniform Expectations for our school.
An important reminder – our uniform expectations state that students from Grades 1-6 are expected to wear plain leather lace-up shoes (Velcro permitted for Grades 1-2) Vinyl or mesh-like shoes are not permitted. All hair styles are to to be clean, tidy and in a moderate style with no severe variations in hair length permitted such as mullet style, extreme shaves or tracks. Please ensure undercuts are no less than a 2.
THINK U KNOW
Each year St John’s Lutheran Primary School partners with the Federal and Qld Police Service to provide the Think U Know program to our students from Grades Prep-6 and school community.
ThinkUKnow Australia, is an evidence-based education program led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), delivered nationally in partnership with state police and industry partners to promote general child safety and prevent online child exploitation. This will be occurring mid-term one. Please be aware of further information to come.
NEW PLAY/EATING TIMES
St John’s has moved to a new Play and Eating routine for 2023 which can be described also as a split play model. This allows maximum space and the fostering of interactions and relationships between our broad sections of the school.
The new Play and Eating routines are:
- Junior Morning Tea Play – 10:45-11:00 am
- Morning Tea – Eating 11:00-11:15 am
- Senior Morning Tea Play – 11:15-11:30 am
- Junior Lunch Play – 12:40 -1:10 pm
- Lunch Eating 1:10-1:25 pm
- Senior Lunch Play 1:25-1:55 pm
The library can be accessed during lunch times as follows;
Junior School – Mondays, Thursday, Fridays
Senior School – Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
We thank you for your support and assistance in helping our children settle into this model.
CO-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNTIES
Staff are busy preparing for our many varied and exciting co-curricular opportunities for the 2023 year. Please stay tuned for up-and-coming information in this space.
SSRC (STUDENT SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL) ELECTIONS
Nominations and elections for SSRC in Grades 3-6 will take place this week during class time. Students who have not served two years consecutively on the SSRC are invited to nominate for these positions. Each class will select 1 girl and 1 boy to serve on the SSRC.
Two Weeks at a Glance & 2023 Calendar
Date Activity Venue Details Fri 3 Feb Chapel & Assembly St John’s Church 8.45am – All Welcome. Come and join us for Coffee & Connect …
Two Weeks at a Glance & 2023 Calendar
| Date | Activity | Venue | Details |
| Fri 3 Feb | Chapel & Assembly | St John’s Church | 8.45am – All Welcome. Come and join us for Coffee & Connect from 8am |
| Fri 23 Feb | P&F Welcome BBQ | Mango Tree | Thank you to the P&F. Please see P&F News for details. |
| Fri 10 Feb | Chapel & Assembly | St John’s Church | 8.45am – All Welcome. Come and join us for Coffee & Connect from 8am |
| Fri 10 Feb | Bible Presentation | St John’s Church | More information to come |
Please see attached updated 2023 Calendar
Community Come & Try Days
COME & TRY DAYS Please see below a variety of Sports in the Bundaberg area that have Come & Try Days scheduled: Table Tennis come …
Community Come & Try Days
COME & TRY DAYS
Please see below a variety of Sports in the Bundaberg area that have Come & Try Days scheduled:
Table Tennis come & Try day 2023.
Library News – Book Club
Dear Parents and Caregivers The best gift any parent can give a child is the love of books and the joy and benefits of independent …
Library News – Book Club
Dear Parents and Caregivers
The best gift any parent can give a child is the love of books and the joy and benefits of independent reading for fun. Children who read at home, or are read to, have a head start on reading success in school.
You’ll find award-winning books and bestsellers, as well as old and new favourites. I recommend them because the books span a wide range of children’s reading levels and interests and because they are inexpensive (some books cost as little as $3).
Issue 1 is now available for viewing here
Kids are just like adults–they have to find just the right book to grab their interest. Issue 1 has carefully curated the best children’s books from Australia and around the world with age-appropriate titles which means books for everyone covering all interests and abilities to ignite a passion for reading!
Closing date for Issue 1 is Monday 9 February, 2023.
It is easy to order. The Book Club LOOP platform for parents allows you to pay by credit card. You can place your child’s order at scholastic.com.au/LOOP or using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. (Please be advised that at this time, we are unable to accept any orders at school).
Owning your own books is something special! I hope that you will encourage your child to order books this year. Each order helps earn free books and teaching materials for our classroom; however, there is never any obligation to order. I know of no better way to encourage reading than to allow children to choose the books they want to read.
Sincerely,
Mrs Anderson
Mon Repos Turtle Encounter
Mr Barker, Miss Christensen and the Year 4 students had a rare and unique experience yesterday when they visited the Mon Repos Turtle Centre. The …
Mon Repos Turtle Encounter
Mr Barker, Miss Christensen and the Year 4 students had a rare and unique experience yesterday when they visited the Mon Repos Turtle Centre. The students had the opportunity to watch a loggerhead turtle laying her third clutch of eggs for the season. It was such a wonderful experience to witness the majestic female turtle nesting and laying her eggs. The students then followed her back down to the water’s edge where they wished her well.
The students observed the park rangers and scientists measuring and checking her history and then watched the ranger find the eggs, count and relocate her 116 eggs. The ranger highlighted to the students the importance of conservation and turtle research that is so critical to the survival of the endangered loggerhead turtles.
The students finished their morning with a visit to the Information Centre where they discovered more about these beautiful creatures that visit Mon Repos each year.
Students received some positive feedback from a volunteer (an ex-school principal of a Bundaberg school) that commented on their excellent behaviour and enthusiasm. The park ranger that was our guide for the morning also made comment that the St John’s students showed exemplary behaviour and their questions and knowledge were fantastic. The students had a wonderful experience today and are looking forward to their 2-day camp in March where they will further their turtle and conservation knowledge.
P&F News
Welcome BBQ – 3 February 2023 – 5:30 – 7:30pm General Meeting Dates Everyone is invited to join the P&F Committee. General Meeting dates will …
P&F News
Welcome BBQ – 3 February 2023 – 5:30 – 7:30pm
General Meeting Dates
Everyone is invited to join the P&F Committee. General Meeting dates will be held at 5:30pm at the School on the following dates:
Tuesday 21 February 2023
Tuesday 16 May 2023
Tuesday 15 August 2023 (Proposed AEM)
Tuesday 17 October 2023
If you would like to become a member of the P&F please fill out this membership form and return to: pandf@stjohnsbundaberg.qld.edu.au
