Term 3, Week 2, August 1, 2024
Principal Message
Dear St John's Community,
Welcome to term 3!
This term promises to be exciting and productive, filled with numerous learning opportunities and school events. Our dedicated staff has been working diligently to prepare engaging lessons and activities that will inspire and challenge our students. We are committed to providing a nurturing and supportive environment where every child can thrive academically, spiritually, and socially.
We continue to focus on our HIKE learning behaviours - Have Respect, Inspiring others, Keep Safe, and Effort Always. These values are at the core of our educational philosophy and help guide our students to become responsible, compassionate, and motivated individuals.
Additionally, complementing the HIKE learning behaviours is the HIKE learning stages framework, which guides students through a reflective process on their learning journey and makes visible, what students needs to do to be successful in their learning. The framework is metaphorically structured as a hiking expedition, with four stages: Packing Bag, On the Trail, Hiking High, and At the Peak. Additionally, it acknowledges that sometimes students may experience a slip or trip at any stage whilst on a HIKE, which puts them into the learning pit.
We have several exciting events planned for this term, including our school spring fair on September 27th - save the date. We encourage all parents to get involved and participate in all school events, as your support and involvement are invaluable to our school community.
As always, communication is key to a successful school experience. Please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher or the school office if you have any questions or concerns. We value your feedback and are here to support you and your child throughout the school year.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Together, we can make this term a wonderful and enriching experience for all our students.
Upcoming Dates
Please view the upcoming dates in this newsletter's left-hand column or via the calendar HERE on the school website, which is also synchronised with the Parent Compass Calendar.
NAIDOC Celebrations
This week I had the privilege of attending NAIDOC Celebrations at St John's College Woodlawn with our Indigenous students and our Aboriginal Education Worker Aliya King. It was an amazing day with rich cultural experiences for our students and myself. It was well attended by many local primary schools, both state and private, so really brought everyone together.
Next week we will celebrate NAIDOC Week as a community. This year's theme celebrates the unyielding spirit of our communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.
The fire represents the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous cultures, passed down through generations despite the challenges faced. It is a symbol of connection to the land, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As we honour this flame, we kindle the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving, and sharing the cultural heritage that enriches our nation."Blak, Loud and Proud" encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world. This theme calls for a reclamation of narratives, an amplification of voices, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality.
The 2024 NAIDOC theme invites all Australians to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue, fostering a society where the wisdom and contributions of Indigenous peoples are fully valued and respected. Through our collective efforts, we can forge a future where the stories, traditions, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are cherished and celebrated, enriching the fabric of the nation with the oldest living culture in the world.
I would like to extend my thanks to Aliya who does a fantastic job bringing these experiences, not only to our Indigenous students, but to all of the students and staff at St John's. We are blessed to have Aliya at St John's!
Thank you - Principal's Day
I am deeply touched and grateful for the warm wishes and thoughtful gestures extended to me on Principal's Day. Your kindness and support truly made the day special and memorable.
It is a privilege to serve such a vibrant and supportive community. The dedication and enthusiasm of our students, parents, and staff make St John's a wonderful place to be. Your collective efforts in fostering a positive and nurturing environment are invaluable, and I am honored to be a part of this incredible journey.
Thank you once again for your generosity and kind words. I look forward to continuing to work together to achieve great things for our students and school community.
UPDATE - Student Behaviour Support Plan (PB4L)
As part of our continuous commitment to fostering a positive and respectful learning environment, we are pleased to inform you of an important update to our Student Behaviour Support Plan at St John's.
Our new plan is based on the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) approach, which emphasizes proactive strategies and positive reinforcement to promote desirable behaviours. This update includes an enhanced process for managing unproductive behaviour, ensuring that we provide clear guidelines and consistent support for all students. Please find a copy of this process below and students were introduced to it in week 1 this term. Our goal is always to create a more inclusive and supportive atmosphere, where every child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Key Highlights of the Updated Plan:
- Proactive Strategies: Emphasising preventive measures to minimize unproductive behaviour through positive reinforcement and clear school wide expectations (HIKE Matrix).
- Restorative Practices: Focusing on restoring relationships and addressing the root causes of unproductive behaviour through open dialogue and mutual understanding.
- Consistent Procedures: Implementing a structured approach for addressing and managing unproductive behaviour, ensuring fairness and transparency.
- Support Systems: 2 Tiers of behaviour support providing additional support for students who require it, including evidence-based interventions and tailored intervention plans.
We believe that these updates, grounded in the PB4L framework, will significantly benefit our school community, fostering a culture of respect, responsibility, and resilience. As always, your support and partnership are crucial in helping us achieve our shared goals.
I would like to sincerely thank the PB4L team who have been working hard on this project since Term 4 last year.
For more detailed information about the updated Student Behaviour Support Plan, please view the plan on our website by clicking the link below:
Student Behaviour Support Plan
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
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Is your child or a child you know turning 5 on or before 31 July 2025? Then they can Start Kindergarten in 2025. Please contact us for more information.
Kind Regards,
Dave Bermingham
Week 2 awards
Teaching & Learning @ St John's
Embedding Science through a STEM Focus!
Science and Technology are alive and well at St John’s due to a school-based decision in 2024 to have a dedicated STEM teacher. At St John’s, all classes participate in a scheduled STEM lesson once a week with Miss Riley O’Leary. The NSW Science and Technology Curriculum is taught with a strong focus on integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) across all stages of learning.
What is STEM?
STEM combines Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics into a unified approach to learning. Instead of teaching these subjects separately, STEM integrates them to show how they apply to real-world situations, making learning more engaging and practical. Our students are highly engaged in using digital technologies to solve problems.
Why is STEM Important?
- Future Readiness:
- STEM equips students with critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, which are valuable in any career.
- By working on hands-on projects, students learn to develop creative solutions to complex problems.
- STEM skills are vital for future job markets, contributing to economic prosperity and global competitiveness.
How We’re Integrating STEM
- Project-Based Learning:
- Students engage in projects that apply scientific and mathematical concepts to real-world problems.
- Activities combine different subjects to show their connections and relevance.
- Technology in the classroom enhances learning and provides hands-on experience.
- Emphasising teamwork and group projects reflects real-world science and tech environments.
Students at St John’s have shared various reasons why they love STEM. These include collaborating with their peers, learning about nature, designing and making tasks, coding, using digital technologies, learning beyond the classroom(outdoors) and solving nature-based problems.
We are looking forward to our upcoming Science Week Challenges. Who knows what Miss O’Leary will have installed for us?
Principal’s Day Celebrations
Today, as a school community, we acknowledged the important contribution Mr Dave Bermingham makes at St John’s. Many students and teachers dressed as “Daves” and there were some amazing look alikes! We gathered as a school so the students could present Mr Bermingham with their cards and model their outfits which represented him in some way. S3 student, Leo, wrote and performed a personalised tribute poem. Samara, Josie and Alariah presented a hilarious comedy act which had us all in fits of laughter! Finally, our school captains, Vander and Nahla gave a heart warming speech and presented the ‘real’ Mr Bermingham with a gift from our school community.
As I watched and listened to the students this morning it was clearly evident that Mr Bermingham is held in extremely high regard. Words such as passionate, positive, cheerful, nurturing, a good role model, full of laughter, inclusive, clever and a loving leader were all used by our students to describe Dave.
As a staff, we would describe him in exactly the same way. He supports each of us personally, spiritually and professionally to thrive as Catholic educators. We are blessed to have such an approachable, dedicated and inspirational principal to work with each day. Thank you Dave for all you do for students, parents and teachers of St John’s Primary. You certainly make a difference everyday and we wish you the very best Principal’s Day.
WELLBEING @ St John's
Parenting in the Age of Distraction
Workshop for St John’s Parents
We are excited to announce that the school has secured Angela Lockwood who will run a workshop to help us raise resilient, focused, and emotionally connected children in today’s digital and distracted age.
The workshop will take place on Wednesday the 16th of October; i.e Week One, Term Four. Starting with refreshments at 6.00 pm. Child minding will be provided.
Complete the short form found at the link below to register for the workshop:
Background information on our presenter Angela Lockwood:
Technically my career started as an Occupational Therapist at the University of Newcastle. However, my life as a businesswoman started when I was 7 with my chocolate-making and coat hanger design business. I realised during this time I wasn't the best cook or very crafty so I dedicated my youth to sport – hockey, to be specific. As a child I had my sights set on the Sydney Olympics. I was determined for this dream to come true. However, life had a different plan for me and after fracturing my skull during a game, my experiences of learning to talk again and needing to re-think my approach to life inspired me to change my path to occupational therapy. This unexpected life change propelled me into a career I feel was made for me.
As a qualified occupational therapist, I have helped thousands of people live their potential despite the challenges and difficulties they faced.
Since founding Educate Therapy Pty Ltd, a consulting practice working across all sectors and industries sharing my tools and strategies on finding calm and managing distraction, I turned my hand to my love of writing authoring books on finding calm: 'The Power of Conscious Choice' and 'Switch Off' and the newly revised version, 'Switch Off and Find Calm'.
Themes covered in the workshop:
- Technology and its impact on childhood development
- Cultivating focus in kids
- Nurturing healthy habits
- Parental distraction and behaviour modelling
- Practical strategies for raising resilient, confident, and connected kids
Yours in wellbeing,
Greg Flint
SCHOOL INFORMATION
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"
Our Birthday people:-
Chase, Remy, David, Ivy, Mrs G & Sarah
Book Club
Term 3 orders of Book Club to be returned to school by Friday 2nd August
BOOK FAIR - Save the date
We are holding our annual Book Fair from the 19th - 23rd August. Please put the dates into your calendar.
Head Lice (Nits)
Head lice are most common among primary school-aged children. They cannot fly, jump or swim and are spread by direct contact with the hair of the infested individual. A head lice infestation is not the result of dirty hair or poor hygiene and it can affect all types of hair regardless of its condition or length. Head lice are rarely transferred through clothing, hats, furniture or bedding. Infestations appear to be on the increase, due to factors such as:
- resistance to the common chemicals used in head lice products
- inappropriate use of the treatments
- changing social and school practices.
Head lice infestation is a common problem throughout the world in all socioeconomic groups. Considerable myth and misinformation surrounds head lice and their management. Studies have shown that around one in four primary school-aged children in Australia have head lice.
NSW Health does not recommend excluding children with head lice from school due to the following reasons:
- Head lice are not known to transmit diseases.
- Exclusion from school or childcare is not an effective way of breaking the cycle of head lice infestations.
- Head lice eradication is most effective if the whole school community works together to treat the infestation.
At St John's we have specific protocols to manage cases of head lice. The response includes the following steps:
Notification: If a student is found to have head lice, the school notifies the parents or guardians. A letter or note is sent home to inform them of the situation and to request that they treat their child's hair accordingly.
Confidentiality: The school maintains confidentiality to avoid stigmatizing the affected student. Names of students with head lice are not disclosed to other parents or students.
Treatment and Prevention: Parents are advised to treat their child's hair with an appropriate head lice treatment. Please see NSW HEALTH HEAD LICE TREATMENT for information on how to best treat head lice.
Re-admittance: Students are allowed to return to school once they have been treated.
Monitoring: We may conduct periodic checks to monitor the situation and ensure that head lice are being effectively managed. This can include visual inspections by school staff. St John's also notifies parents to request that they monitor their child's hair if there has been a positive case in the class.
These measures are designed to manage and prevent the spread of head lice in a manner that minimizes disruption to students' education and maintains their dignity and privacy.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
