Week 6 Term 1 2024

It’s hard to believe we are already at the end of Week 6, time flies when you are having fun!

Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend. We will see everyone at 8:25am on Wednesday 13th March, after our Pupil Free Day next Tuesday.

Pupil Free Day

Care is available for students on our upcoming Pupil Free Day on Tuesday March 12th. A cost of $55.00 per child for the day applies. Please contact our OSHC Director Mirella if you require care for your child/ren.

Chess

Chess Mate returns to St John Bosco School in 2024, 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. The cost for participating is $10.00 a session.

Volunteers Induction

Volunteers are a valued part of our school community. Our volunteers create a range of opportunities for our children through sport, learning and community. If you would like to be a registered volunteer at St John Bosco School we invite you to attend our upcoming Volunteers Induction session on 21st March at 9:00am in the office. Mary and I will work with parents, grandparents and friends to complete the process to ensure you are ready to attend your child’s next excursion, assist at community events or even coach a sporting team. Please register your attendance by email mary.gregory@sjb.catholic.edu.au or popping into the front office.

Parents and Friends

Easter donations are gratefully received by the Parents and Friends for the upcoming Easter Raffle. Please place donations in the basket located in the school foyer. Thank you to everyone who has been busily selling their families Easter Raffle tickets will be sent home to A big shout out to families who have donated goodies and have returned their sold raffle tickets and money.

A big thank you to all the Parents and Friends that assisted in making our Hot Dog Special lunch a reality for our children. Hot dogs are always a hit with our children and staff. We look forward to our next Special Lunch in Term 2.

We have many families that own and operate their own businesses, we would like to promote these businesses to the St John Bosco School community.

If you have your own business and would like to advertise your product or service in our school newsletter please contact Franca in the front office, franca.jeffery@sjb.catholic.edu.au

If it is time to update your family portrait, why not make an appointment with Cherry, great Mother’s Day gift idea. Bargain priced at $125.00 for St John Bosco families, or mention St John Bosco School for 10% off other packages.

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

- Marking Jesus's entry into Jerusalem - Reception - 25/3 @ 2:30pm in the Courtyard 

Holy Thursday Liturgy 

- Commemorating the Last Supper - Year 1/2 - 27/3 @ 2:30pm in the Courtyard 

Good Friday Liturgy 

- Stations of the Cross - Year 5/6 - 28/3 @ 2:30pm in the Courtyard 

Easter Mass 

- Celebrating the Resurrection - Year 3/4 - 3/4 @ 9:00am in the Church 

Halogen Young Leaders Day – written by Oscar and Alayna 

We were so inspired and amazed about how fun and useful the National Young Leaders Day was at the Adelaide Convention Centre. We had 4 important people come and speak to us about their journey in leadership and what we could do to become better leaders. Peter Malinauskas, the Premier of South Australia, was first. He has previously served as the minister of Health, Mental Health, Police, Correctional Services, Emergency Services and Road Safety. He told us that the highest office in democracy is the people and as House Captain, if the job is done well, you will feel unparallel satisfaction. Scott Stuart inspired and motivated us to push ourselves and to know that the brain is not always right. He didn’t listen to his brain and posted a Tik Tok about his books. When he looked at his account a few days later, he had 220 million views and from there he tricked his brain into thinking he could make a book. His book became a best seller. One day, Anastasia Woolmer came across something that would change her life, a memory challenge article about how people would have to remember multiple numbers at once just to win a medal. She thought it was something she wanted to try so she practiced and practiced and got to a point where she would memorise them quickly by making letters into an image. After tireless hours, she did it and became a memory champion. She realised that the reason she made it wasn’t because of the time she spent, it was because of the effort she put in which is really inspiring. Bryson Klein was born dyslexic and a shy person, not knowing how to speak without stuttering which has stuck with him all the way to now. As a Ninja Warrior, he pushed through and became a champion on the show, taking the win for Australia. He inspired us because he pushed through the obstacles in life and the Ninja Warrior track without looking back. He had no regrets. Bryson had the right amount of boldness, resilience and perseverance to make it. So, pay attention to what you care about. Throughout the day, we got the great break of learning a dance called Heal Tap, which we loved so much! With the knowledge of this song’s actions, it might appear somewhere else this year. A hint is Sports Day.  

Clean Up Our School Day 

On Monday, 4th March, the St John Bosco School community helped Clean Up Australia, by cleaning up our school and its surroundings. In Laudato Si, Pope Francis highlights the importance of taking care of the environment, our planet, and all living creatures. He says that children can learn about the beauty of nature and the responsibility humans have to protect it. As Anne Marie Bonneau, the Zero-Waste Chef, says, "We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly." 

We began the afternoon with an assembly led by our House Captains, Alayna and Olivia, who shared inspiring words about the importance of looking after our planet. They reminded everyone that no matter how small we are, we can all make a big difference. Armed with gloves, buckets, and lots of enthusiasm, each class was given a specific area to clean up. Once their area was free of rubbish, the children then sorted the rubbish into piles, based on the different litter types.  

Here are some thoughts from the children in 1-2C: 

I shared my gloves with my friends - Zoe 

We got to clean up and look as close as we can, and clean up with our friends - Roona 

It made sure other people know we care about the land - Eva 

I liked how we picked up the rubbish to keep Australia healthy – Amalia 

Project Compassion – Ronita’s Story 

The St John Bosco children are continuing to explore the stories of Project Compassion in their classrooms. Reception R explored Ronita’s story. Ronita lives with her husband and their two children in Metro Manila, in the Philippines.  Ronita left school early to start her family. This could have made it very hard for her to find a job and provide for her family. Thankfully, Ronita heard about a program run by Caritas Australia’s partner, the Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ).  The program is called the Alternative Learning System (ALS). Ronita was able to continue learning in a safe environment where her children were welcome. It wasn’t easy. Ronita often wouldn’t get enough sleep with caring for her children and studying into the early hours of the morning. Sometimes she would skip lunch at school as she was unable to afford it. With a lot of hard work, Ronita completed her ALS classes and returned to school to earn her Senior High School Diploma. With her diploma, Ronita was able to secure a job at a call centre. The future is brighter for Ronita and her family. Ronita hopes to continue her studies to become a teacher. Reception R reflected on her story and shared their thoughts: 

Ronita’s house is small. They don’t have money. They can’t buy any food; they will get starving. – Annie 

It looks like they had lots of fans inside the house so that’s why I drew a really hot sun. The house was tiny and crowded. – Sebastian 

Ronita’s house was small and the kitchen was inside the bedroom. – Ezekiel 

She has a little tiny bedroom. She doesn’t have a big house. The dad has to go to work all the time to get a bigger house. – Amarni 

You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes, by visiting https://schools.projectcompassion.org.au/leah-bellifemini  

Harmony Day 

A reminder that we will gather as a school community on Thursday, 21st March, at 2:30pm for a Harmony Day Liturgy. The children will be able to ‘taste test’ food from different cultures at lunch time on the day. All ingredients will be listed next to each dish and allergies will be taken into consideration. Please still pack your child’s lunch on that day. I want to take this opportunity to extend my deepest gratitude to all the families who have generously offered to contribute a cultural dish to our event. Your willingness to share a piece of your heritage is what makes this day so special and meaningful for our school community. 

1-2C have hit the ground running with their learning to start the 2024 school year. Children have been reflecting on the school values of Loving-Kindness, Belonging, Service and Excellence, to assist them in building new relationships with peers and teachers. In Religious Education, our learning has been focused around the season of Lent and our commitment to be of benefit. As part of this learning, we have been engaging with the Project Compassion resources and identified Lenten promises to strive for throughout Term 1.

Lenten Promises in 1-2C

Sharing - Ivan

During Lent I am going to help my mum and dad - Keerat 

I can help pack up - Dion

I will help the teacher push in all the chairs and put them up - Ugo, Jozef, and Tegh

Clean up the class - Sophia

I always help someone when they are hurt - Roona

During Lent, I will play with my siblings - Waris

I can help mum and dad in the kitchen - Eva

Sharpen the pencils - Evan

I can help solve arguments during Lent - Dheeyu

Be kind - Amalia

During Lent, I will hold the door open for people - Savannah

If your sick, stay home - Zoe

I will help people when they are sad - Emily

Pick up rubbish - Lily, Sara, and Eva

NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that children in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is important to check how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and numeracy.

NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national standards and over time.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It doesn’t replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress.

Some parents have been asking, “What can I do to support my child?” Children are not expected to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is a part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best.

Some familiarisation and explanation of NAPLAN is useful to help children understand and be comfortable with the format of the tests. Teachers are ensuring that children are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and are providing appropriate support and guidance.

ACARA does not recommend excessive preparation for NAPLAN or the use of services by coaching providers.

Below is the schedule of NAPLAN tests which start next week.

Nicki Sharrad

In 2024, our students again have the opportunity to be involved in Children's University. Children's University (CU) aims to encourage high quality out-of-school activities, engaging the wider community as learning partners in this process.

If you would like to register your child for this exciting program, please use the QR code provided or URL https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=QN_Ns1SWJkqGoXecUfacSBR5rLYVH1pKgKJty4JPwyRUNk0zSE8wRUVJWjA1RzdWT0xSSUkwVkRHViQlQCN0PWcu&origin=QRCode

The annual fee can be paid via Qkr or EFTPOS at the front office. The cut-off date for 2024 registrations has been extended until Friday March 8th so register ASAP if you are interested and haven't done so already. 

Any questions can be directed to me personally or via email at louise.marshall@sjb.catholic.edu.au and more information can be found at https://cuaustralasia.com/

Louise Marshall