In this issue

“Learning and Teaching” in our school – some reminders and updates. I will add to these reminders and updates in the next two editions.

As educators, parents, and guardians, it is our collective responsibility to create an environment that sparks curiosity and ignites passion for lifelong learning in our young people.

The Power of Inquiry Based Learning:

Gone are the days of rote memorisation and passive teaching. Inquiry Based learning techniques interactively engage students in the learning process, promoting critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Whether it’s through hands-on experiments, group discussions, or interactive digital tools, these methods not only deepen understanding but also make learning enjoyable.

Fostering a Growth Mindset:

In our classrooms, we emphasise the importance of cultivating a growth mindset in students. By teaching them that intelligence and abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work, we empower them to embrace challenges and view failures as opportunities for growth. A growth mindset supports in building resilience and a positive attitude towards learning.

The Role of Teachers and Parents:

Teachers and parents are the pillars of a child’s education. Collaborative efforts between educators and families can significantly impact a child’s academic and personal growth. Regular communication, parent-teacher conferences, and involvement in school activities strengthen this partnership. Please reach out to your child/ren’s teachers via email or written note should you need to speak with them. Depending on your request our teachers will respond via email or arrange a mutually convenient time to meet with you in person. As per our Parent Handbook emailed at the beginning of the school year – Seesaw should not be used to notify of student absence, or pick-up arrangements.

Please find the Parent Handbook information below:

CONTACTING THE SCHOOL

As the teacher is unable to come to the phone during class time, please leave messages at the office. The teacher will contact you at the earliest convenience. Urgent messages will be relayed to the teacher before the end of the day. Communication between parents and teacher is important. Informal chats are a good way of communicating; however, please understand that in the morning teachers have preparations for the day to complete and may not be able to talk for long. It would be better to arrange an interview about lengthier matters after school. Sometimes a short note is an ideal way of leaving a message.

Please check your email regularly for notes and letters and ensure your email is correct on Parent Lounge, to ensure you are not missing any important information.

At the start of the year, your child’s teacher will provide you with a code to access a class ‘app’ called ‘Seesaw’. This ‘app’ is used to share your child’s learning and information about what is happening in the classroom. Please note, Seesaw is not an acceptable method of notification of absences; we ask that parents refer to the above section for absenteeism.

NB: Teachers are not accessing (or expected to access) SeeSaw outside of normal hours of work. Delays in response to messages in line with teacher work commitments may result.

NAPLAN

We have received NAPLAN Individual Student Reports and these will be sent home via post this week. Please keep an eye out for this letter and contact your child’s class teacher should you have any additional questions.

ICAS

Our ICAS Parent Payment System is now closed. The parents of students participating in ICAS will receive a communication from me next week.

Jocelyn Bakker

Director of Learning and Teaching

JUSTIN COULSON ‘THE PARENT REVOLUTION’ PARENT INFORMATION EVENING

RAISING HEALTHY MINDS

 Are you interested in finding ways to support your child and family based on their interests and needs? The Australian Parent Website www.raisingchildren.net.au has produced a free app an called Raising Healthy Minds which answers questions about child wellbeing, and shares practical tips for your day-to-day family life. You can download it free from the Google Play or the App Store, to foster your child’s wellbeing, and encourage positive behaviour and emotions, strengthening family relationships and to assist in looking after yourself.  Click on the picture below to find out more

https://vimeo.com/580522539

NAIDOC on the GRASS

Shalom Catholic College extended an invitation to our First Nations students from Year Three to Year Six, along with three other local Primary schools, to participate in a post celebration of NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC on the Grass “For Our Elders” was held at Shalom Catholic College on Thursday 20 July 2023.

Students joined Shalom Catholic College First Nations students to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. They listened respectfully to the stories of three local elders, and were then involved in a variety of fun activities, and shared in bush tucker and cake. Thankyou to Valli Mitchelson, Shalom’s Indigenous Education Liaison Officer and Mrs Fleur Supplice for inviting our St John’s students along to be part of this important celebration.

COMMUNITY SUNDAY 13 August 

Our Term 3 Community Sunday Worship Service will take place on Sunday 13 August 2023 commencing at 9:00 a.m.

We invite all families to join with us in Worship at St John’s Lutheran Church. Students from ALL YEAR LEVELS will be directly involved in the service, and we encourage students and families to attend this school event. WE ARE STILL SEEKING STUDENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN BIBLE READING, SINGING AND READING OF PRAYERS. Please see correspondence sent home last fortnight and return participation forms as soon as possible.  Worshipping at our Community Sunday Service is a great way to praise God, nurture our faith in Him, encourage one another and bring our school and church families together. Please bring along a plate to share and join us for a shared morning tea under the mango tree at the conclusion of the service. Please Feel free to contact Mrs Carroll should you have any further questions.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE/ABSENCE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES

As part of our commitment to Student Wellbeing, our goal is to support student attendance at St John’s Lutheran Primary School. In the improvement of student learning and student wellbeing, we expect that each child is at school learning every school day.

The research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance at school is associated, on average, with higher student achievement.’

You may be questioning – Why is regular attendance at school important? It is simple really – Regular school attendance will mean that your child gets a better chance at life. Your child will achieve better when they go to school all day, every school day:

• they learn better
• they make friends
• they are happier
• they have a brighter future.

Under Queensland law and relevant school policy, you must make sure your child of school age is enrolled and attends school all day, every school day unless they have a reasonable excuse.

Illness, competing in a school sporting event or going on a school excursion are reasonable excuses for being absent from school. We ask respectfully, that Parents/Caregivers, avoid keeping their child away from school for birthdays, shopping, visiting family and friends, if they sleep in, looking after other children, or haircuts.

Please note also that it is preferable that parents/caregivers note any absences on Parent Lounge. Please contact the office should you require support in the use of Parent Lounge.

As part of our obligation and revised procedures in monitoring student attendance, you can expect:

• Procedures to monitor student attendance
• An SMS any day your child is not at school as expected. Please assist us to support attendance by

responding to this attendance alert

• Further correspondence via Parent Lounge, following-up any unexplained absences as per our records. • Continued effective teaching strategies to engage your child in learning
• Strategies to help you, to encourage your child to go to school. Please contact your child’s teacher or the DPCW for assistance and support, should this be the case.

Bundaberg Eisteddfod – Choir

On Monday 24th July 2023 our Senior Choir travelled to the Moncrieff Theatre to take part in the Bundaberg Eisteddfod. They had an amazing time and in their section placed 3rd overall with some great comments from the Adjudicator.

Adjudicator’s Award Comments

Peace Like a River
Lovely Presentation. Diction is excellent.

Wellerman
Good rhythm & pitch throughout.
Well disciplined choir. Well done. Excellent percussion.
A most enjoyable performance.

Thank you

Total: 92/100

Well done Senior Choir & congratulations to all involved!!!

Southeast Queensland Champion of Champions School Futsal Titles

St John’s competed at the Southeast Queensland Champion of Champions School Futsal Titles on Thursday 27 July. We had two teams that were successful in qualifying for this tournament where the U10 & 11 teams competed against the top teams from each region in Southeast Queensland.

Both of the teams did extremely well and continually improved throughout the tournament. For some of the students it was the first-time competing at such a high level.

The U10 team had one win and had some other very close games in the group stage of the tournament and were unlucky not to get another win or two. The players learnt a lot from this experience and demonstrated excellent grit, determination and growth as players and a team.

The U11 team was successful in making the quarter finals as the highest placed 3^rd team in the group stages with a win and a draw. There were 15 teams in this age group, so the competition was of a very high standard. The team played the best game of their tournament in the quarter final and challenged Somerset all the way to the final whistle. Unfortunately, St John’s went down 5-2.

Mr Higgins and I would like to congratulate all of the students for their sportsmanship, efforts and fantastic improvements throughout the tournament! A big thank you also goes to the parents/families for making the effort to make travel arrangements for your child to travel to and from Brisbane for this event.

Mr Bakker

Each year, across Australia, The CBCA brings children and books together celebrating Children’s Book Week. During this time St John’s and Dymocks come together for one glorious week to celebrate Australian Children’s Literature.

St John’s will celebrate Book Week this term in Week 7, from Monday the 21^st to Thursday the 24^th of August 2023. Thursday afternoon and Friday will be closed.

The theme for this year’s CBCA Book Week is ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’

St John’s will spend a week celebrating books and Australian authors and illustrators by highlighting the importance of reading. Classroom teachers will introduce and read books to the students that have been shortlisted for 2023 book of the year awards. They will also be participating in activities and class competitions.

St John’s would like to ensure safe distancing for everyone so the Book Fair will be held in the Hall. Come and browse and buy from the Book Fair in the below available times.

St John’s 2023 BOOK FAIR

Uniform Shop – NOW OPEN

We are pleased to announce that the Uniform Shop is now open every week for packing and processing orders. The Uniform Shop’s opening hours are:

Tuesday – 2.30pm – 4.00pm

Friday – 7.45am – 9.15am

Please be aware that fittings are by appointment only and spaces are limited. If your child requires a fitting, please book using the Uniform Fitting Booking Link

Winter Uniforms

With the cooler months now on us, please check the sizing and requirements below of all of your winter uniform items.

Prep students require a Prep Pullover (Jumper) and Prep Track Pants. Please note: Tights are not part of the Prep Uniform.

Years 1 – 6 require the following:

If you know your sizing, please feel free to fill out and return the following forms to the school office: school@stjohnsbundaberg.qld.edu.au these will be packed during the Uniform Shops opening hours and we will advise when your order is ready to collect.

Prep Uniforms: Order Form

Boys Uniforms: Order Form

Girls Uniforms: Order Form

Please remember to label all items (especially jumpers and jackets) so that if they do make it to Lost Property we can ensure that it is returned promptly. 

St John’s Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Vacation Care Program is on again during the September holidays!

The below link includes details pertaining to the Vacation Care Program. These holidays they have some very exciting excursions and incursions that haven’t been done before, so make sure you get your bookings in quick!

OSHC Vacation Care Program – Vacation Care September 23

For all bookings and enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Barb Thom on 0409 759 831 or email stjohns.oshc@qlecs.org.au.

Weekly Awards are presented each week at Chapel & Assembly from 8.45am, SMS notifications are sent prior to this advising of your child’s upcoming award – everyone is welcome to attend.

Please come along and join us before Chapel & Assembly for Coffee & Connect from 8am.

Learn n Play Tennis Sessions

Join Bundaberg Tennis Academy’s Tennis Australia Club Professional Coach, Kevin Banner & become a Tennis Hot Shot. He is conducting Learn n Play Tennis Sessions with lots of fun & games at school for Grades 3 – 6 every Tuesday from 7.40 – 8.25am commencing 18th July and will run for 8 weeks. Cost $96.00 approx.

Loan racquets are available and racquets are available for purchase.

Limited vacancies with minimum of 6 players.

Please Register with Kevin before attending on 0409 520 753

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards

Kevin Banner

Tennis Australia Club Professional Tennis Coach

Bundaberg Tennis Academy

Bundaberg Junior Tennis Assoc Inc

Ph 0409 520 753