Week 7 Term 1 2025

A big thank you, to you all for your patience while our courtyard renovations continue. The children seem to be enjoying gathering on the oval in the mornings. Our double gates on Marshall Terrace are open for longer in the mornings and are open up earlier in the afternoon to allow families time to exit and enter the school for drop offs and pickups. It is wonderful to see structures beginning to appear in the courtyard construction zone, the children and staff are excited to see their vision beginning to emerge.

To keep up to date with events in our school community I strongly encourage you to read our Newsletter which is released three times each term, usually weeks 3, 6 and 9. Important Dates for the upcoming weeks are always included in each edition. The Newsletter link is emailed to you and is available to access directly from our school website. St John Bosco’s Facebook and Instagram is where we advertise upcoming events and celebrate post event, if you are not following us on Facebook or Instagram sign up now. Teachers share messages and classroom learning through Seesaw. If you are not receiving the Newsletter via email or not receiving Seesaw posts, please pop by the office and ask for assistance.

OSHC/Vacation Care

Did you know that our OSHC and Vacation Care service is now licenced for 60 children at each service? If you would like to book your child/ren into a session permanently or casually please contact Mirella. mirella.tsimikilis@sjb.catholic.edu.au

Chess

Chess Mate returns to St John Bosco School in 2025, Tuesday afternoons, 3:15pm to 4:00pm in our library. Weekly classes of chess assists developing many skills including problem solving, creativity, concentration, teamwork, decision making and general aptitude for learning. Book now at https://chessmates.com.au/ to secure your child’s position.

Learning Conversations

Learning Conversations will occur during Week 9 of this term, Monday 24th March –  Monday 28th March 2025. Information will be emailed home later this week informing families how they can book online an appointment for the teacher, child and family to meet to discuss your child’s learning journey.

Swimming lessons

Our Swimming Program for 2025 is in week 10 of this term Monday 31st March to Friday 4th April 2025 for all children in Reception to Year 5. The Swimming Program will be facilitated at iswim @Immanuel, after a highly successful program in 2024. The program is $85.00 per child and has been included in your School Fees Statement.

Swimming is part of our curriculum and is a valuable activity for the children to participate in.

We require registered and inducted St John Bosco Parent volunteers to assist with maintaining child/adult supervision ratios. Please note that iswim@Immanuel do not allow parents to come and observe swimming lessons unless they are a registered volunteer wearing a yellow vest and assisting in supervision of children. If you are available to assist and are a registered St John Bosco volunteer, please let your child’s classroom teacher your availability.

School Fees

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:

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

Back gate entrance

I would like to inform you that the OSHC gate is now locked between the hours of 8:25am and 3:20pm. Access to the school between school hours is available between the Marshall Terrace double gates and the Lipsett Terrace double doors, for school drop off and pick up. During school hours, entrance to the school is only available through the Front Office as all other entrances are locked. We thank you for your understanding and support in keeping our children safe.

Sports Day

The children are preparing for our upcoming Sports Day on the last day of Term 1, Friday 11th April. We look forward to seeing families at the event cheering on their team. Please note the children will be dismissed at 1:00pm on Sports Day. Please contact Mirella at OSCH if you require care for your child from 1:00pm, normal afternoon fees apply for OSHC.

Wishing you a wonderful week.

Kate Turner

Year 6 Retreat 

On Thursday, 27th February, our Year 6s participated in their Year 6 Retreat at Warraparinga, Bedford Park. This day was designed to support the children’s faith journey and leadership development as they prepare for their final year of primary school. It provided a valuable opportunity for them to pause, reflect, and deepen their spiritual connection, fostering personal growth and self-awareness. This year’s retreat focused on the theme ‘Called to Serve’, aligning with St John Bosco’s school value of Service. Throughout the day, children engaged in a yoga session led by Lucy from Soul Therapy and an art workshop led by local children’s illustrator Lauren Mullinder. They explored what it truly means to serve others with kindness, compassion, and a generous heart. The retreat was a meaningful and enriching experience, allowing our Year 6s to reflect on their role as leaders and how they can make a positive impact on those around them. 

Shrove Tuesday 

On Tuesday 4th March, the St John Bosco School community commemorated Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Day), which is celebrated before the start of Lent. It's a time when people traditionally use up rich foods like eggs, milk, and sugar before the fasting period begins. Shrove Tuesday is also a chance for us to reflect on how we can make positive changes in our lives during Lent.  

Ash Wednesday  

Our school community gathered on Wednesday 5th March for a whole-school Ash Wednesday Mass, led by the Year 2 children. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season and is a time for reflection, prayer, and starting anew as we prepare our hearts for Easter. It teaches us about humility, forgiveness, and the importance of living in harmony with others. As we received ashes on our foreheads during Mass, we were reminded of our shared humanity and the precious gift of life.  

Lent/Project Compassion 

Lent is a special season in the Church where we prepare our hearts for Easter. It is a time of prayer, fasting, and giving to others, helping us grow closer to God and follow Jesus’ example of love and kindness. Throughout Lent, our children will be encouraged to reflect on how they can show kindness, make sacrifices, and help those in need. May this season be a time of growth and renewal for our school community.  

As part of our Lenten journey, St John Bosco is supporting Project Compassion, Caritas Australia’s annual appeal. This initiative helps communities in need by providing access to education, healthcare, and essential resources. The children at St John Bosco are encouraged to contribute through fundraising and acts of kindness, making a real difference in the lives of others. Together, we can bring hope and compassion to those in need. You can donate through the Project Compassion boxes that were sent home last week, or through the class donation box.  

Holy Week Liturgies  

Holy Week is a sacred time in the Christian calendar, marking the final week of Jesus’ life on earth, from His entry into Jerusalem to His crucifixion and resurrection. It is a time for reflection, prayer, and community, inviting us to engage with the profound mysteries of our faith. Our school will honour Holy Week with special liturgies, each led by one cohort of children. We invite all families to join us in these meaningful celebrations, as we journey through Holy Week together. 

Palm Sunday Liturgy 

Harmony Day

On Friday, 21st March, we will gather as a school community, at 2:30pm, for a Harmony Day Liturgy. As we begin to plan for Harmony Day 2025, we are gaining an expression of interest from families, to see who would be willing to contribute a dish/food from their cultural heritage. Last year was a huge success and the children extremely enjoyed trying foods from different cultures. We believe that food plays a significant role in bringing people together, bridging gaps, and fostering understanding. By sharing dishes from our respective backgrounds, we not only celebrate our heritage but also create opportunities for cultural exchange and appreciation. Your participation would mean a lot to us and would contribute to making our Harmony Day celebrations truly memorable. Whether it's a traditional family recipe passed down through generations or a dish that holds special significance to you, we would be honoured to have it as part of our event. Due to food allergies, we would ask that all ingredients in your dish are listed and passed on to the school. If you're interested in contributing, please contact myself via email (Leah.Bellifemini@sjb.catholic.edu.au) and include the dish you'd like to share, in your email. If we receive enough interest, we will be in contact with you shortly regarding finer details. At this point in time, we have very limited expressions of interest.  

Leah Belifemini

In 3/4H we have been learning about Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and the preparation of Lent. The children reflected on the history and Catholic meaning of these special days and created some art works showing their understandings.

We have been thinking about and reflecting on what the Lenten season means to us:

Lent means a time to give up something, like giving up eating salty or sweet foods. - Aria

Lent means to show Loving-kindness, service, excellence and belonging to others. - Elliana

Lent means to respect others. - Charvi

Lent means to sacrifice something you like to prepare for the 40 days that Jesus crossed the desert. - Alex

Giving up rich foods, like milk, eggs and butter. - Mitchell

Lent is about fasting from meat. We can help those in need and be kind. - Michael

Lent is a time for us to prepare for Easter and to show Loving-Kindness to others. - Zidane

Lent is a time to feel sorry for our sins. - Basit

Lent is a time to appreciate what Jesus has done for us, sacrificing His life. - Ilia

Lent is a time for giving up something and praying, thinking about when Jesus died on the cross. - Inayat

Lent is a time for thinking about what you are going to do to help those in need and helping charities, thinking about the great things in life. - Myla

Lent is a time where people use extra time do prayer and other good things. It is a time when people apologise for their sins. - Roona

Lent means to help others, being like Jesus. - Russell

Lent is a time to be kind to others and to focus on Jesus sacrificing His life for us. - Athul 

Lent is a time to fast for 40 days while Jesus was walking and died on the cross. - Allison

Lent is a time where people try to b be more like Jesus. - Isha

Lent is a time that you can fast to remind us about when Jesus fasted in the desert and then we can eat it again at Easter time. - Liana

Lent is when you go to church and get the ash on your head. - Yianna

Lent is a time to be more like Jesus, being kind and loving to others. - Domenico

Lent is a time for giving up something, like sweets, for 40 days. - Shanaya

I think Lent is a time to be more caring for the world, giving things to the poor through Project Compassion. - Samarth

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

Resilience, mental health and wellbeing are essential for ensuring a happy and fulfilling future for our children.

This year, St John Bosco School is partnering with Resilient Youth Australia, an organisation that has surveyed over 900,000 Australian school students across 3,500+ schools since 2013. As part of this initiative, we will be administering the Resilient Youth Survey to Year 3-6 children during class time on Tuesday, 25th March 2025.

Survey Details:

The survey will be conducted online in class.

It typically takes 20-30 minutes to complete.
Participation is voluntary and anonymous—no individual student will be identified.
The survey gathers self-reported data on resilience, mental health and wellbeing, helping us identify strengths and address challenges.
Data is reported only in aggregate form, categorised by year level and gender.

Parent & Family Survey

We also have the opportunity for parents and caregivers to participate in a family survey. This will help us deepen our understanding of wellbeing, mental health and the key factors impacting families, enabling us to provide better support.

The family survey is anonymous and voluntary. If you wish to participate, please use the following link and Access Code:

Survey URL: https://lr.resilientyouth.org/
Parent Access Code: 276114

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation in this survey project, please contact Louise Marshall at louise.marshall@sjb.catholic.edu.au

Thank you for your support in fostering a resilient and thriving school community.