Week 6 Term 1 2023

It’s hard to believe we have already reached the half way mark of the term! Next week Tuesday 14th to Friday 17th March I will be taking Long Service Leave, with a quick trip to Queensland.  Sara Hart and Nicki Sharrad will be leading the school and are available to assist families in my absence.

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. Easter Raffle booklets will be sent home to families very soon. A big thank you in advance to families who donate goodies and sell tickets in the coming weeks.

The Parents and Friends are organising a Pizza Special Lunch for Friday 24th March. Orders for lunch can be placed through QKR for $5.00. Orders for the Pizza lunch close at 10:00am on Tuesday 22nd March. Unfortunately we have a strict no late orders, as requested from our supplier.

Chess

Chess Mate is at St John Bosco School every Tuesday afternoon, 3:15pm to 4:00pm in our library. It is not too late to enrol your child. Weekly classes of chess helps develop 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, classes begin on Tuesday 28th February. The cost for participating is $10.00 a session.

Children’s University

Children’s University provides a wonderful opportunity for our children to be acknowledged for the wide variety of activities and sport they are involved in before and after school. Louise Marshall our Children’s University Coordinator organised a presentation to the whole school last week to assist the children in understanding the program. The children were excited to learn that they can be acknowledged for the activities they are already participating in, with a graduation ceremony. Please read Louise’s article explaining Children’s University in greater depth. 

Healthy Food Policy

I would like to remind families that we have a healthy food policy that promotes special treats as ‘sometimes’ food. With this in mind we remind families to limit birthday treats to one item of food, such as a Freddo Frog or a small lollipop. The small treat with ingredients itemised assists the school ensuring we are catering for children with food allergies.

Learning Conversations

Learning Conversations with families, children and their teacher will occur in Week 9 of this term. The Reception teachers are also offering appointments in Week 7. Bookings can be made online through the following link. Each family is strongly encouraged to make a 15 minute appointment to discuss their child's learning journey. A further appointment can be made if more time is required.

Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend with your family and friends.

Take care

Kate Turner

As we begin the season of Lent our children and teachers begin the ritual of changing the prayer cloths on their classroom prayer table.  In each classroom a prayer table, often arranged by a small group of children represents each liturgical season of the year.  Just like we experience season of weather; the Church celebrates Liturgical Seasons. This is just one of the many ways at St John Bosco that we express our Catholic Identity.

This week, I led Mrs Werner and the children of the 1/2 class in the ritual of changing their prayer cloth. The children read prayers and collectively participated in this little ritual, we placed the purple cloth, 3 rocks; symbolic of Jesus’ time in the wilderness and a purple prayer  candle to remind us, the light of Jesus shines brightly and is always with us.

Then together we prayed this prayer:

God of new beginnings,

During this holy season of Lent,

help us to change and grow and

become the kind of people you created us to be.

Fill our hearts with love for you,

and love for all other people.

As we journey towards Easter,

help us through prayer, fasting and almsgiving,

to bring your love, peace and justice into the world.

Amen

Year 6 Student Retreat Day

On Friday February 24th, the Year 6 Students and teachers enjoyed a retreat day together at Glenelg.  It was a day to gather and focus on what it means to be a leader and to affirm each other’s unique character strengths.  During the day the children were led by Sue Norman, sand mandala artist, through the practice of using mandala as a contemplative tool in prayer. We unpacked the scripture of Zacchaeus and considered the different points of view in the story. The children experienced meditation and in the afternoon enjoyed team building games.  This was a very successful day and the children’s feedback truly reflects this:

The sand mandala that we did at Glenelg Beach was fun and very relaxing, but also helped me see my feelings through the art. - Paola

(Zacchaeus Scriptural reflection)..makes me have a different perspective in everything. - Eli

I was really interested in the Zacchaeus story because it changed every time and got my brain thinking. - Harriet

(Pebble meditation) ..was very calming and surprisingly all my rocks seemed to match up with the stories and the describing words. - Dedeep

The Angel Cards were fun and I can’t wait to read them. - Victoria

And pretty much everyone agreed that the pizza lunch was great! 

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Psalm 32: 4-5, 18-20, 22

Blessings,

Sara Hart

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

Leader of Learning/Inclusive Education Coordinator

Japanese: Zodiac Animals

In Asian cultures, the coming of the New Year brings forth the celebration of 1 of the 12 Zodiac animals. 2023 brings us to the year of the usagi (rabbit). People born in the year of the rabbit (2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963) are believed to be shy but persistent people. In our Japanese lessons, the children learnt about the Zodiac animals and how to make an usagi origami.

Japanese Cultural Experience

Furthermore, we had a special guest Miyazaki-san, who visited the 1/2LA & the Year 5s. Miyazaki-san is one of our lovely community parents and grew up in her Japanese hometown of Ōmuta, Kyushu. She shared with us, what her life was like in Japan. We explored in our sessions, how life in Japan is similar and/or different to Australia. The children were fascinated and came up with their own questions for Miyazaki-san.

Questions from our children

Are there shopping centres similar to Australia in Japan? - Jemima 

In Japan they are similar to Australia. They are often in big buildings where you can buy your clothes, stationary, books and groceries. - Miyazaki-san 

Some families do all their shopping on Sunday as it is common to work Monday to Saturday in Japan. - Scott Sensei 

Is McDonalds different in Japan to Australia? - Domenic

It is the same but sometimes you can order Japanese only dishes like a Teriyaki burger. - Miyazaki-san

Year 5 Responses to Japanese cultural experience

I enjoyed doing origami with Miyazaki-san. She was very nice and it was fun. - Allegra 

Miyazaki-san was very kind and I would love to see her again and learn more about Japan. - Alexa 

I loved learning more about Japan and enjoyed doing origami. - Alayna

It was a fun experience. - Joanna 

Miyazaki-san taught us some good stuff and was very kind to help us. - Domenic 

I learnt a lot and it was very fun, thank you. - Chris 

Learning about Japan was great. I loved it. - Imelda 

I am excited to announce that Saint John Bosco will be once again participating in the Catholic Schools Musical Festival at the Adelaide Festival Centre this year. This is an amazing opportunity for our Year 5-6 children. They will showcase our performing arts talents in choral singing and choreography. Over the next few terms, we will be regularly practising before we perform alongside other Catholic school choirs, in front of a live audience at the Adelaide Festival Centre. Membership payment for those that have joined is available via Qkr-St John Bosco. I thank parents for supporting our program and this wonderful opportunity. 

Matthew Scott

Perfoming Arts Teacher

I am thrilled that the students of St John Bosco School now have the opportunity to take part in Children’s University. Children’s University is an innovative program that engages children in exciting, out-of-school learning opportunities and rewards them for taking responsibility for their own learning. It is an entirely optional program that children only take part in if they want to.

Students who want to be involved need to become a member of the Children’s University program (by having a consent form signed by a parent/guardian and paying the annual fee - see letter). As members, they then explore learning activities out in the community, at various learning destinations and online. These activities earn them ‘hours’ which are accumulated in their Children’s University Passport and on their own personal online portal. Members who accumulate enough hours will graduate at a special ceremony at the end of the year.

I am looking forward to guiding participating students through the program in 2023. More information can be found at cuaustralasia.com and questions can be directed to me in person or via email at louise.marshall@sjb.catholic.edu.au.

Louise Marshall