Week 4 Term 2 2025

Welcome to Week 4, the cold weather has certainly arrived with brisk autumn mornings greeting us each day. It was nice to have a touch of rain over the weekend, we could certainly do with a bit more. We have St John Bosco School beanies available for sale in our front office for $16.00 if your child would like to be super warm and cosy.

I look forward to seeing everyone in their House colours on Friday. We have our House Day where we will be raising funds for Cancer Council. 

Pupil Free Day

On Friday 6th June we have a Pupil Free Day. If you would like care for your child you are welcome to contact Mirella our OSHC Director to book them in for the day. Fees and charges apply for utilising OSHC on our Pupil Free Days.

Parents and Friends

Have you purchased a ticket from QKR for your child/dren to attend the upcoming P & F Movie and PJ Night. The much-anticipated event will be held on Friday June 13th in our school hall from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Families are invited to drop their children off and head out to dinner. $15.00 per child includes movie, popcorn, sweet treat and a fruit box. Tickets are available through QKR. Children are welcome to bring a pillow and blanket or a bean bag anything that they can manage to carry to the hall. Depending on interested children a movie for the younger children and one for the older children may be screened on the night.

If you are available to assist supervising on the night and are a registered volunteer, please let the front office know your availability.

Volunteers

Many events and activities at St John Bosco School rely on the availability of registered school volunteers. If you have not undertaken the process of becoming a registered volunteer for St John Bosco School events, please consider popping into the front office and begin the process.

School Fees

Statements for School Fees were sent out last week. A big thank you to all the families that are making regular payments towards their school fees. We encourage all families to set up a regular Direct Debit for convenience.

Have you applied for School Card this year? St John Bosco School offers fee reduction to qualifying low-income families, by applying for the Department for Education’s School Card scheme. Under this practice, if a family has been assessed as eligible for School Card by the Department for Education, they become eligible to receive Lower Income Fees outlined above. Please note a new application is required for all families each school year. Applications for 2025 can be submitted online electronically, or via a hardcopy form completed and handed to the School Office. More information about the School Card scheme such as income limits, and cut off dates for applications can be found on their website:

http://www.sa.gov.au/topics/education-and-learning/financial-help-scholarships-and-grants/school-card-scheme.

Playground/Nature Play Space

We are over the moon with the new Playground for our Year 3-6 children kindly purchased by our wonderful Parents and Friends. The children will begin playing on the playground on Monday 26th May when the Nature Play Space has been rejuvenated. A mural has been added to the space that was collaboratively designed by our children and First Nations artist Scott Rathman. Unfortunately, an arborist report revealed many of our beautiful trees in the Nature Play Space needed to be removed due to them being unsafe due to being infested with white ants and tree borer insects. New trees and mulch will be added to the Nature Play Space this week before reopening on Monday for the children to enjoy.

Enrolments

We are asking all families to ensure their younger children are enrolled at St John Bosco School. Please pop by the front office to collect an enrolment form, complete the form and drop it back to the school to secure your child’s enrolment. We want to ensure that we are keeping positions available for all siblings of current children enrolled at St John Bosco School. When your child is close to three years of age please book in an enrolment interview to complete the enrolment process.

Wishing you all a wonderful week.

Kate Turner

Beginning the Term with Hope and Joy 

As we returned from the Easter break, our school community gathered to celebrate the joy and hope of the Resurrection with a beautiful Easter Mass. Held in the St John Bosco Church, this mass was reverently led by our Year 3/4 children, who embraced their roles with maturity and enthusiasm. From the opening procession to the final blessing, the children led us in prayer, readings, and song that highlighted the message of new life and renewal that Easter brings. Their thoughtful participation and confident presence reminded us all of the importance of faith, community, and celebration as we begin a new term together.  

Welcoming Our New Pope – Pope Leo XIV 

On May 8, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the new Pope and has taken the name Pope Leo the Fourteenth (XIV). He is the first Pope born in the United States and only the second from the Americas, which is a very special milestone for the Church. Pope Leo XIV studied in Rome, spent many years helping people in Peru (where he became a citizen), and led the Augustinian Order. He speaks several languages, loves maths, and is an expert in Church law. But more importantly, he is known for his kind heart and strong belief in helping those who are often left out or forgotten. Pope Leo XIV cares deeply about issues like welcoming migrants, protecting our planet, and standing with people who have been hurt. His chosen name, Leo, is a sign that he is committed to Catholic social justice and wants to follow the example of Jesus by serving others with courage and love. In his very first message, Pope Leo XIV encouraged all Catholics to move forward together, without fear, guided by Christ. What a beautiful reminder for us all. Let’s keep Pope Leo XIV in our prayers as he begins this important role. May God bless him with wisdom, peace, and love. 

Thank You for Supporting Project Compassion 

A heartfelt thank you to all our children and families for your generous support during this year’s Project Compassion campaign. Together, as a school community, we raised an incredible $656.45 to help alleviate poverty, promote justice, and uphold the dignity of vulnerable and marginalised communities around the world. Throughout Lent, our children learned about the importance of compassion, generosity, and social justice through classroom discussions and prayer. Your donations will go directly towards initiatives that provide access to clean water, education, healthcare, and sustainable livelihoods in communities facing significant challenges. This collective effort is a wonderful example of living out our school values and putting our faith into action. Thank you once again for your generosity and support. Together, we are helping to create a more just and compassionate world. 

Catholic Education Week 

Catholic Education Week was celebrated throughout Week 3 - a whole week designated to celebrating the excellent teaching and learning that happens in Catholic schools. This year’s theme was Shine With Open Hearts. At St John Bosco, we asked the children how they #ShineWithOpenHearts. Some of their responses included trying our best, making sure everyone feels included, caring for our school, thinking of others, getting out of your comfort zone, using teamwork and having the courage to be brave.  

Some other ways we can #ShineWithOpenHearts are: 

• Show kindness every day through words, smiles, and small acts of help 
• Learn new things  
• Celebrate others' successes – cheer them on without jealousy 
• Help someone without expecting anything back 
• Encourage others  
• Pray or reflect with love – keep others in your thoughts  
• Live out the values of SJB 

House Day - Friday 23rd May 

This year, we’ll be celebrating all House Days together on one big day, Friday 23rd May! It’s a fantastic opportunity for our entire school community to come together, show House spirit, and support a worthy cause. This year, the House Captains have chosen to raise money for the Cancer Council, and we’d love everyone to get involved. Here’s how you can participate: 

🌼 Wear Your House Colours 
Come dressed in your House colours. Don’t forget to bring a gold coin donation to help make a difference. 

🍪 $3 Daffodil Cookies for Sale 
Delicious daffodil cookies will be available for purchase, with all proceeds going directly to the Cancer Council. A sweet treat for a great cause! 

🎉 Fun House Activities All Day 
With all year levels celebrating on the same day, there will be many fun activities to enjoy with your House team! It’s a wonderful chance to connect across year levels, build friendships, and enjoy some healthy competition. 

Reconciliation Week 

As part of National Reconciliation Week, our school community will come together on Friday, 30th May to reflect on the importance of healing and unity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians. The theme this year is Bridging Now To Next, reflecting the ongoing connection between past, present and future. We warmly invite families to join us for this special occasion, beginning with a gathering at 2:15pm in front of our new mural. This meaningful artwork serves as a visual reminder of our commitment to reconciliation, respect, and connection to Country. Following this, we will move into the hall for a prayerful gathering at 2:30pm, led by 3/4R. Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to building a better future.  

Leah Bellifemini

In Health, the children in 5/6J have been learning about friendship, empathy and belonging. Through engaging in the ‘Grow Your Mind’ program, exploring a variety of resources and engaging in rich discussions and activities, the class has strengthened their understanding of friendship. The class also participates in ‘HAT’ lessons (Here’s a Thought) where an image and quote prompts a myriad of learning. These experiences have contributed to how we think, feel and act as friends.

What does it mean to show empathy?

Putting yourself in other people’s shoes and being able to be understanding and kind. If you have empathy, you are respectful of other people’s feelings, and always making sure they feel validated and loved- Poppy

Showing empathy is being helpful, nice, welcoming, understanding and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Once, my Mum and I were at the shops to get the food shopping and there was a homeless guy there and he was buying some food. Mum and I felt sorry for him so we offered to buy it for him- Nate

What advice would you give a friend who was feeling upset?

I would see if they wanted to talk about it, I’d suggest doing something they like to do, I’d cheer them up and see if they wanted to talk to a trusted person- Gia

I’d say “don’t worry, I’m here for you! What happened? Why are you sad? Do you want me to do something about it? Let’s go eat ice cream!”- Matt

I would tell them that whatever they’re sad about isn’t worth crying over and I need them to remember that they’re loved by me and by other people- Kes

What are the signs of a healthy friendship?

They never make bad jokes about you, they include you, they ask you about your emotions, they care about your mental health, they ask if you’re ok and they care about you- Esther, Mikaela and Caleigh

What can you do if a friendship starts to feel unhealthy?

Tell them how you feel and let them tell you how they feel and give them some time and space- Camden

Give them some space- Caleigh

Talk with your friend and ask them why they changed, let them know how you’re feeling and be brave and stand up for yourself- Poppy

You can try and resolve it by playing something that you both like- Vinny

What are the signs of an unhealthy friendship?

Not talking to each other, being mean to each other, gossiping and sharing secrets to other people and feeling like you have to fit in- Nate

When people are spreading fake rumours- Caleigh

Telling secrets behind people’s backs- Bernice

When someone is selfish and not there when you need them- Alex

Being jealous of achievements instead of celebrating- Achira

What is the difference between belonging and fitting in?

Belonging is when people appreciate you for who you are and they make you feel happy and enough. They never make you feel uncool and they always have your back. Fitting in is when you feel like you have to change yourself to earn other people’s respect and you feel like you’re not good enough and they always make you feel small and they critique everything about you even the things you love the most about yourself- Alex

Belonging is when you’re able to be yourself in front of others without being judged and fitting in is trying to change yourself to be more like others- Poppy

Belonging is including other people, making them feel loved and like they belong. It’s accepting people for who they are! Fitting in is trying to change yourself and trying to be like other people and it’s when other people make you feel bad for who you are- Gia

We are thrilled to share the story of a truly special project that has brought colour, creativity, and cultural connection to our school community. Thanks to a generous grant from Catholic Education South Australia (CESA), and the support of our wonderful neighbour, we recently collaborated with renowned First Nations artist, Scott Rathman to create a stunning mural that now graces our school grounds.

This project began with an inspiring workshop where Scott invited our students to explore their ideas and express their visions for the mural. Guided by his cultural knowledge and artistic expertise, the children enthusiastically sketched and shared their concepts, weaving together themes of identity, belonging, and community.

Once the final design was revealed, excitement rippled through the school. On the day of painting, Scott and his assistant arrived early, greeted by eager students and staff. The mural quickly became a hub of curiosity and conversation, with children gathering to watch the artwork come to life and share their thoughts on its meaning.

By the end of the day, the mural was complete—a vibrant, layered piece that invites reflection and discovery. Since then, classes have been visiting the mural to observe, sketch, and discuss its elements. These moments have sparked meaningful conversations about how the artwork connects to the values and identity of St John Bosco School.

Scott shared his vision for the mural, saying:

“The intention behind the design is to create an artwork that invites people to come closer, explore, and discover different elements as they engage with it. That sense of curiosity and layered meaning is something I always try to build into my work.”

As we approach Reconciliation Week, this mural stands as a powerful symbol of unity, respect, and the importance of cultural understanding. It reminds us daily of the rich heritage of First Nations peoples and our shared responsibility to walk together in reconciliation.

We are incredibly proud of our students for their creativity and open-hearted participation, and we extend our deepest thanks to Scott Rathman for his generous collaboration. This mural is more than just a beautiful artwork, it is a lasting testament to the strength of community and the power of art to bring people together.

A heartfelt thank you to CESA for funding this project, and to our neighbour for kindly allowing us to use their boundary wall. This mural would not have been possible without the collective spirit and support of our entire school community.

Nicki Sharrad

On Wednesday, 7th May, eight Year 6 students attended Fitness Leadership Day run by the South Australian Catholic Primary Schools Sports Association (SACPSSA). The purpose of the day was to develop students’ leadership qualities and how to develop fitness games. The students were actively engaged in games, collaborating in problem solving activities in group settings with students from other schools. Apart from learning about games and how to lead them, students discussed what qualities makes a good leader. The day was very productive and valuable in the development of our students’ lifelong learning.

Learnings from the day included:

• Changing games to get maximum participation.
• When games don’t go to plan you need to modify rules.                  
• The key values of being a good leader.
• How to communicate effectively when explaining activities.
• How to simplify tasks for instruction.
• Need to be flexible when teaching students with different needs.
• Using leadership qualities learnt how to demonstrate activities with clarity.
• How to teach Junior Primary children.
• How manage groups of children and demonstrate activities with clarity.
• How to change strategies of games for improved structure of activities.

Archer, Zak, Sebastian, Andrea, (5-6DM) Lilly, Poppy, Chloe, Dean (5-6J)

Scholastic Book Club is offered once per term for St John Bosco School families. We are looking for two volunteers to help coordinate Book Club. This involves setting up the online platform for class groups at the start of the school year, dating and allocating catalogues to classes, online processing of orders and sorting and distributing books. Time commitment for this role is approximately 3-4 hrs per term. 

If you are a registered school volunteer and are interested in helping out, please contact the school office.