In this issue

Shalom College Chamber Strings Ensemble is a group of motivated young people who love playing music. At 3pm on Saturday 23 November, they are presenting their final concert for the year in the Holy Rosary Church.

Milbi Festival – March of the Reef

We are on the lookout for an energetic group of 100 participants to perform in the March of the Reef created by

Dead Puppet Society at the Milbi Festival in October this year. Dead Puppet Society is an Australian based production

house and design company with international reach, who create deeply imaginative visual theatre, public art and

sculpture. Join Dead Puppet Society artists Matt Seery and Helen Stephens for a once in a lifetime opportunity of a

4-day training course in puppet performance skills development, culminating in a contemporary street parade

specifically choregraphed for the Milbi Festival.

Register here: https://rebrand.ly/178cvx0

Registration closes Thursday 14 October.

St John’s Lutheran Church – Weekly Cuppa & Chat

St John’s Lutheran Church invite our families and friends to join in for a Cuppa & Chat. Should you require any further details, please do not hesitate to contact Alicia or Priscilla.

Congratulations to Riley, Knox and Caleb on their recent involvement in the 2021 QLD Country National Schools Futsal Championships.

After a week-long battle of games competing against other teams from Brisbane, Gold Coast and Tasmania, the QLD Country 10 Boys Maroon team were awarded Runners Up in their age group.

A huge congratulations to Knox and Riley who were both also selected as Allstars for the 10 Boys age group! A wonderful achievement from all 3 boys.

2021 QLD Invitational Futsal Championships

A huge congratulations to Declan who recently took part in the 2021 QLD Invitational Futsal Championships.

Declan’s athletic ability and performance successfully secured him a place in the QLD Elite 13 Boys Team where they will complete in Fiji in June/July 2022.

An amazing achievement and wonderful experience.

What an amazing experience! Blue skies, lots of space, water slide, the lake, spending time with our classmates … and food!

The Year 5 Leadership Camp was an opportunity for students to showcase their inner leader qualities and strengths. During the 3 days and 2 nights students spent together, they had to work with each other in their cabin groups to plan and guide others in fun games. The students considered the strengths that they had seen in themselves and each other through reflection.

They also took on the famous Bucca Obstacle Course where they worked as teams to support and help each other get through. The best thing was that towards the end of the course there were no teams as everyone worked together to cheer each other on! The water slide was a cool relief and great fun amidst the hot days, and the food was – yum!

Everyone learnt that they have their own strengths and that it is ok to make mistakes – especially when you have the support of your classmates behind you. Thank you to the amazing staff and volunteers who helped to make our camp truly awesome!

Mrs Roselyn Hunting

YEAR 5 TEACHER

Uniform Fitting Appointments

Uniform fittings are still available for our current Prep families in preparation for Year 1 next year. Due to current restrictions, uniform fittings will continue to be by appointment only. Please call the office on 4132 6888 to schedule your child’s fitting.

Should you not require a fitting, please submit your completed uniform order by no later than 3.00pm on Friday 15 October 2021. Parents will be contacted when the uniform order is ready for prompt payment and collection.

The uniform shop recommends keeping uniforms unwashed and with tags to allow for exchange should your child grow over the summer holidays.

A reminder that we require all attendees to scan the QR Code upon arrival and use the provided hand sanitiser before entering the administration building.

We will be unable to hold a uniform fitting if you fit any of the following criteria:

• If you, or anyone in your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19
• If you or anyone in your household has been unwell and/or have had symptoms related to COVID-19 (fever, coughing, sore throat, sneezing)
• If you have been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19
• If you or anyone in your household is self-isolating, for example, because they have travelled recently
• If you have travelled interstate in the last 14 days

If you have any questions regarding uniforms, or if you would like to arrange a uniform fitting appointment, please phone the school on 4132 6888 or email school@stjohnsbundaberg.qld.edu.au during office hours for assistance.

Grace and Peace

The Uniform Shop Committee

ICAS Certificates

We are still waiting to receive student certificates for those who participated in the ICAS assessments this year. Once these are received, they will be presented to students during our weekly Friday assembly. Thank you for your patience as we await the arrival of these certificates.

Preservice Teaching Students from CQU

This week we welcome two education students from Central Queensland University to join us at St John’s. Eva Baillie and Isabella Burgess are both completing their first-year practicum block of three weeks with us. We welcome Miss Baillie into Year 1 Red as she works under the direction of Miss Emilie Matuschka, and Miss Burgess into Year 2 with Mrs. Laurinda Kadel.  It was a pleasure to hear and feel the excitement and passion that both young ladies have brought with them to their first ‘official’ classroom experience.

Upcoming Changes to Verification Processes and Procedures

We are currently receiving information regarding upcoming changes being imposed upon us around students with disability and the verification process as we currently have in place in Independent Schools. This is somewhat ‘muddy’ waters for schools at the current time; however, at St John’s we are committed to ensuring we provide reasonable adjustments for all students, regardless of processes and procedures from an administrative perspective. If this involves your child, you will be made aware of this in due time. The key message is that, for your child, access to curriculum and school will remain the same but some of the paperwork and processes will change over the coming months and year. If you have questions around this, please reach out to speak with me.

Jocelyn Bakker

DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND TEACHING

Welcome to Term 4

This is an exciting time of the year as we soon celebrate student achievement across the school. There will be a number of events as the year draws to a close where we will be able to come together as a school community and share in the successes of this year. This final term for the year has started well with all classes underway with their units of work. In addition, many other activities are planned or already in progress. It promises to be both a busy and rewarding term ahead and I would like to encourage all students to continue to strive for excellence in all areas of their school life.

Start Strong. Finish Strong. Together.

Arrival Time at School

Please be reminded that children are to be at school by 8.30am sharp. The gates are locked at 8.30am by duty staff. Staff have to present to class straight away thereafter. Your help in having children arrive between 8.00am and 8.25am will be greatly appreciated.

An Interview with God

Author Unknown

I dreamed I had an interview with GOD.

“So, you would like to interview me?” GOD asked.

“If you have time,” I said.

GOD smiles.

“My time is eternity… what questions do you have in mind for me?”

“What surprises you the most about humankind?”

GOD answered…

“That they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.”

“That they lose their health to make money…. and then lose their money to restore their health.”

“That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future.”

“That they live as if they would never die and die as though they had never lived.”

GOD’s hand took mine….. and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked, “As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?”

GOD replied…….

“To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves be loved.”

“To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.”

“To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.”

“To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal them.”

“To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most but is one who needs the least.”

“To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply do not yet know how to express or show their feelings.”

“To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.”

“To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another but they must also forgive themselves.”

“Thank you for your time,” I said humbly.

“Is there anything else you would like your children to know?”

GOD smiled, and said…..

 “Just know that I am here. Always.”

I don’t know about you, but all too often, I fall into the trap of the busyness of life. I’m making an effort to stop and breathe, pray more, love more and be faith-filled. A couple of weeks ago on Saturday night, as is customary in our home, we watched a movie. Which movie you ask? Kungfu Panda! Although positive messages around the plight of never giving up – keep on keeping on – among others, one message stuck with me which I found very apt.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift which is why it is called the present. Savour each moment today. It’s God’s gift to you and me.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways. Proverbs 3:5

Be like a bumblebee

According to scientists, the bumblebee’s body is too heavy and its wing-span too small. Aerodynamically, the bumblebee cannot fly. But the bumblebee doesn’t know that and it keeps flying. When you don’t know your limitations, you go out and surprise yourself. In hindsight, you wonder if you had any limitations. The only limitations a person has are those that are self-imposed. Don’t let yourself or others put limitations on you.

School Musical Concert

Thank you to all in our community for your support of our concert at the very end of last term. It was such a joy to witness children smiling as they danced, sang and performed the night away! Thank you particularly to Mrs Mac and all of our staff and parent helpers for helping make the night a wonderful success. Also, I thank the staff at the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre for their warm hospitality.

Thank you for working in partnership with us.

Grace and Peace

Chris Mallett

PRINCIPAL