Term 4, Week 4, 2 November

Principal Message

Dear St John's Community, 

What a fabulous couple of weeks we have had. Last week we celebrated World Teachers' Day for our staff. We are truly blessed with the team that we have here at St John's and World Teachers' Day was an opportunity for us to show our appreciation. On this day we celebrated all staff at St John's as they are all teachers in different ways and contribute positively to the growth of each child here.

Thank you to those families who added some comments to the PADLET. This was on display for staff last Friday and the link to it is below. 

PADLET SLIDESHOW - World Teachers' Day

Sunday 29th October was Grandparents Day, but we celebrated it on Tuesday. Thank you to Mrs. Ellie Bailey, Leader of Mission, and the Stage 2 students for organising and running this beautiful celebration. Grandparents Day celebrates the role of grandparents and older people in our lives and the lives of our students, whilst also celebrating the diversity of grandparent relationships across age groups, cultural backgrounds, and geographical locations. Grandparents, grand-friends, kin, and those who take on the role of a grandparent in their family or community were recognised for their contributions.

On Tuesday we also celebrated Crazy Sock Day which fundraised for Catholic Mission. It was quite a warm day, but students loved this initiative as they were able to wear crazy socks with their school uniform. During the week we also reflected on All Saints Day with a beautiful prayer at assembly. We were able to honour not only the saints we know by name in Heaven, but also any saints whose names we don’t know! This is the time of year when the living honour all the dead: the saints already in Heaven and all the holy souls stuck in purgatory on their way to Heaven.

SAVE THE DATE!

Upcoming Dates

Please find below a list of dates savers below. 

• • Saturday 11th November - Remembrance Day
  • Monday 13th November - Pupil Free Day
  • Thursday December 7th - Carols on the Green @ St John's
  • Friday 15th December - Last Day of Term 4

Leader of Mission and Engagement Announcements

Congratulations to Ellie Bailey who has been appointed to the position of Leader of Mission and Engagement K-2 for 2024. Ellie is currently teaching Kindergarten (Mon-Thur) as well as being our Leader of Mission (Fri). This position will see Ellie released from a class to perform the duties of this position, however, the vast majority of her time will be spent within the Kindy and Stage 1 classrooms. 

Congratulations to Courtney Wells who has been appointed to the position of Leader of Mission and Engagement 3-6 for 2024. Courtney is currently teaching Year 2 at St Ambrose Primary School, Pottsville, however, is returning to St John's after spending 2023 at Pottsville and we are very much looking forward to welcoming Courtney back into the community. This position will see Courtney released from a class to perform the duties of this position, however, the vast majority of her time will be spent within the Stage 2 and Stage 3 classrooms. 

The Leader of Mission and Engagement positions are both positions which hold places on the leadership team. The positions are twofold: Firstly, with Ellie and Courtney both sharing the Mission responsibilities such as the sacramental program and large whole school celebrations; but also closely supporting the teachers in their allocated year levels, with the teaching of Religious Education, permeating Catholic Worldview across the curriculum, planning class masses and liturgies as well and planning and assisting to run stage retreat formation days. 

Secondly, Ellie and Courtney will lead Engagement within their allocated year levels which will see them work closely with and support teachers in the space of inclusion, planning and executing appropriate adjustments for students, classroom support of students with additional needs, co-teaching, mentoring and supporting teachers to provide the right amount of challenge to students.

Specialist Teacher Announcements

Congratulations to Chloe Quinn who has been appointed as PE Specialist Teacher. Chloe has been a regular relief teacher for us towards the end of this year and is currently teaching PE lessons on a Thursday and teaching Kindy on a Friday at St John's. In 2024, Chloe will also be working 2 days a week at St Joseph's, South Murwillumbah. Chloe's mother Barb worked at St John's previously, so Chloe feels quite honoured to be working in this community and I know that she will feel very welcome here. 

Congratulations to Riley O'Leary who has been appointed as Specialist STEM Teacher. As previously announced, Riley has been employed as a full-time teacher for us in 2024. She will work 3 days a week as Stage 2 Teacher and 2 days a week as STEM Specialist teacher. STEM is replacing our Arts Specialist lessons, so the Arts curriculum will be moved back into the classroom teaching. This is beneficial to our students, as Arts can be integrated across many other areas of the curriculum with a deeper and more authentic connection to these other key learning areas.

Congratulations to Karla Chartres, who has been appointed as Classroom Teacher in stage 2 for 2 days a week. Karla will replace Riley O'Leary in stage 2 whilst Riley is teaching STEM lessons. Karla and Riley have a fantastic collaborative relationship and this will be an asset to the Stage 2 class next year. Karla is currently Stage 3 teacher, replacing Amanda Bottle whilst Amanda takes a period of Long Service Leave. Previous to that, Karla was teaching PE lessons and Kindergarten on a Friday. We thank Karla for her flexibility across the course of this year and into next year filling various roles.

What is STEM?

STEM is an approach to learning and development that integrates the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This role has eventuated, based on parent feedback in the skills that they would like their child to develop whilst at school, which match those developed through STEM. Through STEM, students develop key skills including:

• problem solving
• creativity
• critical analysis
• teamwork
• independent thinking
• initiative
• communication
• digital literacy.

2024 Staff List

Mr Dave Bermingham……………….....Principal 

Mrs Naomi O’Dwyer …………….….…. Leader of Learning

Mrs Ellie Bailey…………………..…....…. Leader of Mission and Engagement K-2

Miss Courtney Wells……………….…...Leader of Mission and Engagement 3-6

Mr Greg Flint…………………...……....….Leader of Pastoral Care and Wellbeing (3 days/week)

Miss Laura McEvoy……………….....….Leader of Sport

Miss Laura McEvoy………………...….Stage 3 Teacher

Miss Riley O’Leary..………………...….Stage 2 Teacher (3 days/week)  

Mrs Karla Chartres……………..…….. Stage 2 Teacher (2 days/week)

Mrs Myree Loane…………………...…. Stage 1 Teacher 

Mrs Felicity Gruft (Guinea)………..Kindergarten Teacher

Miss Riley O’Leary..………………....…Specialist Teacher STEM (2 days/week)

Miss Chloe Quinn……………….…..…. Specialist Teacher PE (1 day/week)

Mrs Lisa Russell………………...…..…. Support Teacher

Ms Tundra Snape………………….…. Administration/Finance

Mrs Pauline East……………….….…. Teacher Aide/ Library Coordinator

Ms Bernie Woodhouse ………...…. Teacher Aide

Mrs Karyn Doust…………………...…Administration Support

Miss Aliya King…………………..…… Indigenous Education Worker (2.5 days/week)

TBA…………….…………………........……School Wellbeing Officer (1 Day/week)

Kind Regards, 

Dave Bermingham

World Teachers' Day

Week 4 Principal Awards

Leader of Pastoral Care & Wellbeing

When is a friendship problem an opportunity for growth?

My answer would be, just about always!

Our ‘Restorative Practices’ approach to solving problems arising between children at school recognises the fact that much can be learnt from relationship breakdown if it is handled properly!

Restorative Practice at school and at home offers teachers, parents and students a way of working together to build and maintain healthy relationships. Important to this process is the understanding that we can come to see problematic incidents/relationship breakdown as opportunities for learning. This thinking helps us to fix things up when they go wrong. We can do this by making a choice to repair the harm that has resulted from wrong doing instead of focusing attention on punishing wrong doers. Importantly it does not mean we do not have consequences, but it does mean that we try and fix the underlying problems by having the wrongdoer listen to the person who has been harmed and begin to assist in repairing that harm. In this way, learning and healing can be an outcome.

We ask three key questions when a problem occurs.

The narrative that grows out of these three important questions forms the basis of the restorative process. Importantly everyone’s voice is heard in the process and it is strongly solution focussed.

Additional helpful questions include:

What were you thinking? (At the time the incident occured) 

What are you thinking now?

What would you do differently next time? (such an important part of the process here…indicating that behaviour change is required)

My question to you is, do you ever try these questions at home? And if so, how successful are they in resolving conflict?

Best regards, Greg

Leader of Mission

News From Mission

Last Tuesday the 24th of October, I was very fortunate to be able to take Ryder and Nahla to the Year 5, Exuro retreat in Murwillumbah. Exuro (Latin for “on fire”) is a student discipleship formation program for Year 5 students that will strengthen the lives of practising Catholic students and keep the fire and passion of Proclaim Lismore Students alive in parish primary schools.

Exuro is a retreat day for selected Year 5 students from parish primary schools based in regions of the Diocese to celebrate their faith at a diocesan level. This retreat will be an opportunity to bring students together with like-minded peers, to share and build relationships that strengthen the practice of their Christian faith and to be leaders in building strong Catholic school communities.

Both Nahla and Ryder were outstanding in the way they approached meeting new people and how they engaged in conversation and reflection in response to Scripture and faith. They were confident in speaking in front of others and participated in all of the activities with 100% effort and engagement. Well done Ryder and Nahla!

SCHOOL INFORMATION

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"

Our Birthday people:-  

Angus, Billy & Brendan

Year 6 Graduation Fundraising

The Year 6 students will be fund raising over the coming weeks each Thursday at recess.                                  Prices will be 50cents to  $1.00   Students will be told about each weeks activities at the beginning of the week.

week 5 Disco, week 6 bike day week 7 bake sale,  week 8  slip n slide and week 9 disco.

CORRECT INFORMATION

Please make sure that the school has your correct contact info.                                                                                          If you have moved house! updated your phone! or changed email addresses!                                                              Please advise the school office via Compass, email; sjpmull@lism.catholic.edu.au or phone; 0266842386.  

Absentees                                                                                                                                                                                        If you know that your child will be away from school for any reason, please let the office know.  Compass is having some issues with this,  please phone or email the school with this info. 

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS PARENT ASSEMBLY

COMMUNITY NOTICES