In this issue

Flourishing – Growing Together

Traditionally, on the first week back, as a staff we usually do something to set the tone for the year – professional development activities and maybe a team bonding experience. One of these experiences, which actually happened a a couple of years ago, was coming together under the guidance of an artist in order to paint individual paintings which together formed two whole, but separate, paintings. Suffice to say it was a lot of fun and challenging at the same time. Each member of each team was able to contribute to the outcome of the challenge and were it not for each individual the paintings would not have been able to be completed.

It’s an obvious metaphor for how we work in schools. Each of us plays a vital role, each of us leads in our own capacity and each of us is an important link in the chain to the matter before us – the education of the children in our care. Of course, this extends to the relationship between home and school as well. The success that our children experience at school is connected closely to the proper function of this relationship. When we get it right, our students flourish. Having said that it is hard to balance a tray on a 2-legged stool. Our firm foundation is assured when the third leg of the stool is firmly attached. In Lutheran Schools, we acknowledge a gracious God as an important part of what goes on in our world. A Loving Father providing for us, a Gracious Brother winning us back and a Gentle Spirit enlightening and encouraging us.

Philippians 1:9 says, ‘This is my prayer, that your love will flourish, that you will not only love much, but love well.’

This verse (among others) is an encouragement towards positive relationships with our students and each other and, of course, positive relationships between home and school. When we get community right, learning flourishes. Everyone flourishes.

Martin Luther is quoted as saying, “When schools flourish, all flourish.”

Thank you for helping us grow together a flourishing school community.

Strategic Plan

This year sees us implement our new strategic plan as adopted and approved by and through our school counicl. Last year consultation workshops were held with various stakeholder groups. This feedback has been invaluable in enabling us to construct a new strategic plan as we prayerfully plan for the future. I share with you the four priorities and anchors that we will use to steer us into the future and as we set about fulfilling our Mission and Purpose: Loving, Living and Learning with Christ.

The strategic priorities and anchors are:

1. Ministry and Mission
   1. Discipleship: Our spiritual purpose

2. Learning and Teaching
   1. Ownership: Our teaching and learning purpose

3. Community and Connections
   1. Relationships: Our community purpose

4. Sustainability and Development
   1. Stewardship: Our corporate purpose

We continue to be a community that is striving for excellence in Christ-centred education. We passionately believe that each student can be engaged and successful in their learning as they are provided a caring and engaging learning environment that enables them to ‘dream big’ and thrive.

#Community #Character #Courage #Christ – Our Drive and Commitment

Learning the ‘St John’s Way’ 

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 spoken at last week’s Chapel and Assembly reminding our students of the importance of these values in our school. We ask our students to strive to meet these expectations. For our youngest learners, particularly our Prep children, we acknowledge that learnings about the ‘St John’s Way’ continue to be shaped each day. Whilst we have a ‘high expectations, high outcomes’ philosophy, for some children, learning the ‘rules of social engagement’ may not come naturally. We work very hard to strike a balance between upholding high expectations with grace and forgiveness, if someone gets it wrong. As a restorative practices school, we ultimately are about seeking to repair relationship breakdowns as and when they occur. Little people are learning the social nuances of life, and just as adults don’t always get it right, nor do young ones. Again, at St John’s we uphold a ‘high expectations, high outcomes’ position and use our 6Rs as a frame of reference to help young people understand such expectations. In addition to the 6Rs, we also teach the children the following:

• We keep our hands and our feet to ourselves, all the time. 

• We use kind words not nasty words, all the time.

• First time listening, first time doing, all the time.

You can help by reinforcing these expectations at home. Remain in communication with our team of experts who have student welfare at the core. Please know that we care deeply for the children you love and we want the best for your child, as you do. Let’s keep working together as we celebrate the joys of learning and growing – together.

Parent Information Evening (Years 1 – 6)

Many thanks to those parents who were able to attend the Parent Information Evening regarding the teaching and learning agendas for each year level. Please contact your child’s class teacher should you wish to receive a copy of 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. Everyone is welcome to attend. Most Fridays we also have Coffee and Connect at the tuckshop should you wish for a cup of tea or coffee.

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 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.

Parking

Thank you to all of our families for their commitment to keeping our students safe during drop-off and pick-up routines. We respectfully ask, that all families be mindful of our neighbours. In particular, please do not leave any rubbish beside your car or on the footpaths. We thank you in advance for your support with this matter.

Thank you for working in partnership with us.

Grace and Peace

Chris Mallett

PRINCIPAL

Grace and Peace to you all,

St John’s Lutheran Primary School fosters a Christian ethos in education, which is embedded in our daily life and partnerships within and outside of the school community. 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 6 R’s and the lifeblood of Building Positive Behaviours. In addition to Building Positive Behaviours, overall school wellbeing is an integral part of the school’s daily bread and is explicitly taught through several key programs across the school.

GROW YOUR MIND

One of these programs (implemented from Prep to Year Six) Grow Your Mind is a positive mental health program that focuses on enhancing resilience and wellbeing and provides a consistent language for students, staff, and parents alike. It is aligned to the Australian Curriculum in the Key Learning Area of Health and the Early Years Learning Framework. Grow Your Mind is directly linked to the brain, with a playful animal analogy that resonates with one and all. It has been independently reviewed and listed in the Be You programs directory.

Grow Your Mind focuses on topics such as compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, brain awareness, courage, and resilience.

As part of a systematic and whole school approach to the delivery of Grow Your Mind, students are introduced to the animals of the brain. They are;

• The Wise Owl (Prefrontal Cortex) who helps to make good decisions.
• The Elephant (Hippocampus) who helps to lock in information and store memories.
• The Guard Dog (Amygdala) who senses danger and helps to fight, flight or flee.
• The Sifting Sooty (Rass) who blocks out distractions and helps to focus.
• The Sensitive Octopus (Insular Cortex) who helps with an awareness of own and other’s feelings.

Grow Your Mind also promotes prioritising your own emotional wellbeing. Fill your own cup and prioritise some self-care; a walk, read a book, a swim etc. as we know we can only be effective in helping others when we are caring for ourselves also.

How else can you get involved in Grow Your Mind? We encourage you to discuss with your child/ren, the animals within their brains as they grow and learn more about them.

• Encourage your child to draw a picture of their favourite animal.
• Discuss who your child can talk to when they feel a certain way or discuss what makes them feel a certain way (Classroom Teachers should always be first and foremost initial contact).
• Spread Gratitude – Draw 5 things or people they are thankful for.
• Draw a bucket and draw/write inside, the ways you can be kind (fill someone else’s bucket today).

For further information on this invaluable program – Grow Your Mind, please visit: Grow Your Mind 

More information on Growing a mentally healthy generation can be found at Be You. Be You is the national mental health in education initiative delivered by Beyond Blue in collaboration with Early Childhood Australia and Headspace. Be You supports the development of a positive, inclusive, and resilient learning community.

COMPASSION – BRAYAN

“Every child is special, uniquely made by God. Poverty looks different, but the goal for each child remains the same; Good Health, good skills, good relations and the opportunity to hear the Good news. Please encourage your child to bring along a weekly offering no matter how big all small to help support BRAYAN, our compassion sponsor child to chapel each week. This offering contributes to helping afford BRAYAN a better education, better health care and a better life.

If you would like to know more about compassion and how you may help make a difference in the lives of others today, please follow: Gifts of Compassion – Charity Gifts | Compassion Australia

THINKUKNOW

 We have undertaken, with support from Queensland Police personnel, to deliver the ThinkUKnow Program to students in Years Prep – 6. 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.

The ThinkUKnow Australia program is aligned to the Australian Curriculum (Health and Physical Education and Digital Technologies curriculum learning areas) and aims to support positive, proactive engagement between children and police. These presentations aim to help students understand the benefits and challenges of technology and develop critical thinking skills to identify harmful situations and how to get help.

The program is pro-technology and addresses topics including self-generated online child exploitation material, online grooming, image-based abuse, extortion, and importantly encourages help-seeking behaviour. The course is designed to be delivered at an age and stage, appropriate to young children and their level of emotional and cognitive development, and again, is aligned with the Australian Curriculum.

In our context, District Crime Prevention Co-Ordinator – Senior Constable Brittany Duncan, from the Bundaberg Police Service will be delivering age-appropriate presentations to each of the year levels at school on Monday 20 February.

Senior Constable Brittany Duncan will then be engaged in delivering a presentation to interested Parents and Caregivers within our school community, to be held on Monday 6 March at 4:30 p.m.

To express your interest, please register via this link, or please contact the school office on 07 4132 6888.

For more detailed information, please access the following website: https://www.thinkuknow.org.au

EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY AND SYRIA

A devastating earthquake has caused massive destruction in Turkey and Syria and thousands have been killed or wounded. If you would like to support Samaritan’s Purse in helping work with local partners on the ground, please follow the link below.

https://gifts.samaritanspurse.org.au/product/turkey-syria-earthquake/

NAPLAN 2023 – Year 3 and Year 5 students

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.

A letter was sent home earlier in the term – please read this carefully and book an appointment to see me should you wish to withdraw your child from NAPLAN, or if you have any questions.

This week our Year 3 and Year 5 students are involved in NAPLAN practise tests. These tests provide students and teachers an opportunity to familiarise with the online testing platform. Please note, students are not expected or encouraged to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best. Teachers will ensure students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and will provide appropriate support and guidance.

If you wish to visit the Public Demonstration site, you can find it here: https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site

The NAPLAN information or parents and carers 2023 is linked here: https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf

Last week I was fortunate to attend the Independent Schools Queensland’s Learning and Curriculum symposium with 120 other curriculum leaders from around our state. The focus of this event was the new Australian Curriculum v9.0 and was an opportunity for schools to connect around how the implementation of this curriculum will look in schools.

Other areas included best practice examples of school systems and processes for managing curriculum in independent schools, enacting curriculum with a lens on both leadership and pedagogy and innovative curriculum delivery. This day was thought provoking and provided opportunity to gain further knowledge to support our already solid direction in Learning and Teaching at St John’s.

I was privileged to take part in a Digital Technology lesson with our Year 1 cohort last week also. Our little superstars have been learning how to use the Pages app on their iPad. Under the direction of Miss Bryan and Mrs Burt, the students have been ‘leveraging digital’ and learning how to modify a document using fonts, shapes, photos and other graphics and features. The skills the students are learning will be used for their Inquiry and Design unit later this year – watch this space to hear about this unit of learning and others in 2023!

If you have any questions about your child’s learning, please make an appointment to speak with your child’s class teacher. Our teaching staff welcome working with you, and value your input and collaboration so we can best support our learners.

Grace and Peace

Jocelyn Bakker

Director of Learning and Teaching

DATE CLAIMER

Community Sunday Worship Service – Sunday 12 March 2023 at 9:00am. All welcome to attend. More information to follow in future correspondence.

Community Access Care After School Program: BDB After School Program 2023

Across the Waves Come & Try Day Junior Rugby League Club – Sign On Flyer

Thank you to all who attended our Welcome BBQ – what a fantastic turn out. It was so refreshing to be able to get together and hold this event again after 4 years, welcoming all into our School Community. The Sausage Sizzle and the movie in the hall seemed to be enjoyed and the feedback we have received has been positive overall. Thank you!

Everyone is invited to join the P&F Committee. Our next General Meeting will be held at 5:30pm at the School on Tuesday 21 February 2023.