Term 3, Week 2 2022

Dear Families

Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop  
This Friday 5th August we will celebrate as a whole school community, the Feast of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop (August 8). A liturgy will be held in the Church at 12:30pm and all are welcome to attend. 

At this special occasion we acknowledge Mary’s impact through the Sisters of St Joseph, the religious order founded by Mary and who were instrumental in establishing our school as it stands today.  

Welcome to the Term 3 Reception students 
On Monday 25th July we welcomed 15 new students to the school as part of the mid year Reception intake. It has been wonderful to witness their transition into the school and we look forward to their active contribution to the St John the Baptist Catholic School community for many years to come. 

A very warm welcome is extended to: Achol A, Connor D, Violet E, Shanaya G, Halle G, Jay G, Archer G, James H, Orlando M, Illyanna N, Billie O, Aryav P, Sanaya P, Austin V & Aaraav T. 

Enrolments for 2023 
Last week you would have received an email, outlining as a matter of urgency the need to lodge an enrolment form for a child to begin school (Reception) in 2023. As stated in the email, positive word of mouth regarding our school has created an increased demand for places in Reception next year. If you have not already, please lodge an enrolment form by this Friday 5th August. 

Living Learning Leading Surveys   
Once again this year, the school will conduct the Living Leading Learning Surveys to examine the understanding of the vision and extent to which CESA’s Living Learning Leading Framework is taking place in schools: staff, student and family perceptions.    

The surveys will be based around 4 components-    

• Catholic Identity   
• Curriculum   
• Student agency, identity, learning and leadership   
• Community engagement   

Data from the surveys will assist the school to develop plans for improvement.   

The survey suite consists of:   

• Student Survey- Years 2-6 
• Parent and Caregivers Survey   
• Staff survey    

Please find a link below for parents to access the survey prior to Friday August 26.  Please find the link here. 

Calendar Change 
Please note that the Produce Stall advertised in the school calendar for Friday August 26 will not take place this term. 

Also a reminder of the upcoming Pupil Free Day on Friday August 12.  The staff on this day will engage in professional learning around our Catholic Identity.

Social Media 
As you are well aware, your children today grow up and live in a digitised world. One of the challenges associated with this, is children learning the boundaries related to an online presence. At the beginning of a new term, it is timely to remind families and children of the need to be discerning regarding the uploading of images/videos to social media platforms, particularly when the school or other students can be identified through the uniform, use of the school name etc. The next issue of the school newsletter will contain a cyber safety focus within the leadership article. 

Best wishes for the week ahead, 

The Leadership Team - Todd LaForgia, Jo Livingstone, Amanda Razon & Michael Cimarosti 

St Mary MacKillop of the Cross Feast Day
The month of August holds a special celebration especially for our school, the Feast day of St Mary MacKillop. Since our school is one in the Josephite tradition, we hold St Mary MacKillop in high esteem and look to her example, particularly in the way she valued children and the importance of their education. Her feast day officially falls on 8^th August, however we will begin the celebration with a special liturgy on Friday, 5^th August at 12:30pm in John the Baptist Church.

Liturgies and Mass
This term the children will be participating in either a year level liturgy or Mass. Father Denis is currently on leave until Week 5 of this term and therefore Reception to Year 2 will partake in year level liturgies, then Year 3 to 6 will celebrate Mass when he returns.

Sacramental Program
The children and families are well underway in the preparation for their Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion. The celebration will take place in Week 5, Sunday 25^th August at 10am Mass, St John the Baptist Church. Please keep the children in your prayers as they continue to move closer towards this special occasion in their lives.

Faith Facts
Have you ever wondered what is a Parish? Click here to find out more!

Amanda Razon
APRIM

                       Our prayers are with those who have recently lost loved ones. 

                                                       May God keep them close.

                               To the family of Max Grieger in 4P for his maternal grandmother.

                                             "Eternal Rest grant unto her O'Lord,

                                             and let perpetual light shine upon her.

                                                       May She Rest In Peace."

Statement of Accounts
A statement of accounts will be sent home shortly via post.  If you have changed your address recently please inform the office as soon as possible.

Could you please ensure that your current method of payment is sufficient so that your account will be in a zero balance by the final payment date of the 25^th November 2022.

Online payments
When making payments online could you please ensure you list your reference number from your Statement of Accounts eg 9063…….. followed by your child’s surname.

Fee Remission 
Families who have previously received fee remission will be required to complete a new fee remission form with the following documentation attached: 

• Your most recent tax return(s) – private and/or business as applicable 
• Your most recent pay advice(s) and /or other form of income if applicable 
• Your Centrelink statement receiving Centrelink or other special benefits 
• School Card approval (if applicable) 

Please contact Pam Marks, Finance Officer, for the above form or arrange a time to meet. 

School Card
Please follow the link to apply for the 2022 School Card Scheme. 

The School Card Scheme provides low income families attending a non-government school with financial assistance for school fees (materials and services charges). 

Once School Card has been approved the discount will applied to your account, previously this has been at the end of Term 1.

Qkr! Notifications
Please ensure that you have your notifications on for Qkr!  Notifications are sent out when items are closing to ensure you don't miss out.  See instructions below regarding turning on notifications.

We ask those families whose circumstances may have changed or are experiencing difficulties to please contact Todd LaForgia or myself at your earliest convenience via email: pmarks@stjohnpl.catholic.edu.au

Pam Marks 
Bursar/Finance Officer 

St John the Baptist Catholic School Sports teams Term 2 & 3

We have 16 school sport teams in:

• Basketball
• Netball
• Soccer
• Tee Ball

Welcome back to Term 3. All sports have resumed for the Term 2 & 3 season

Sport Carnivals            Term 3 2022

• SACPSSA Cross Country Carnival  

Year 3 – 6 - Thursday 11th August (Week 3)

• Baseball Carnival (Adelaide Baseball Club)

Year 5 & 6  - Wednesday 24th August  (Week 5)

• SACPSSA Touch Carnival     

All Year 4 – 6 - Friday 9th September (TBC) (Week 7)

• SAPSASA Tennis Carnival

Year 3 & 4 - Wednesday 21st September (Week 9)

SACPSSA

“The South Australian Catholic Primary School Sports Association (SACPSSA) aims to promote the philosophy of good sportsmanship, teach students how to win well and lose graciously, and foster companionship between competitors while promoting a healthy active lifestyle.”

Please note.

Hard copy permission / information notes will no longer go home for Sports Carnivals.

ALL notes will be online via the Qkr! App

In the Qkr! App you will be asked to –

• Give permission for your child to attend
• Volunteer to help at the carnivals (without your help the children would not be able to participate)
• Pay the costs for registration and transport and sign

Kind regards,

Paul O'Dea
PE & Co-curricular Sport Co-ordinator
podea@stjohnpl.catholic.edu.au

The Year 1 to Year 6 students are participating in gymnastics sessions for their PE lessons in Weeks 2, 3 & 4.  The sessions are run by Tri Skills who supply all the equipment and a gymnastics coach.

The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC)
Please be reminded to encourage your children to continue reading for the Premier's Reading Challenge, with an aim to complete it by Friday 2nd September. 

Bookweek Request
We are still needing any Australian toy animals e.g. kangaroo, koala, cockatoo etc... if anyone could lend them to us for Bookweek in Week 5 we would be grateful.

Please ensure they are clearly labelled with your child's name.

It was lovely to see so many of our families returning to Playgroup last week to join us for another term of play and learning. Our rostered Year 5 students are extremely popular amongst our playgroup children, they are the blower of bubbles, storytellers, singers, artists, and expert deliverers of fun. Their contribution is appreciated by all big and small.  

As the end of winter is near and spring will shortly be in the air, we will soon be creating spring inspired art and crafts and enjoying the courtyard.  

Playgroup runs from 9am - 10.30 am every Wednesday of the school term. If you would like to see what is happening at Playgroup please check our Facebook page - Play to Grow at St Johns Playgroup.  

Karina Overall
Playgroup Coordinator

All orders for both recess and lunch are to be ordered via our Qkr! app.   

Canteen orders close each canteen day (Monday, Wednesday & Friday) at 9.00am.

Healthy Canteen (Tuesday & Thursday) orders close on Mondays at 12pm.

Canteen Roster

Term 3

Friday 5th August - Stacey Arnold & Julie

Monday 8th August - Julie

Wednesday 10th August - Toni Stevens & Julie

Friday 12th August - Pupil Free Day

Monday 15th August - Julie

Wednesday 17th August - Julie

Julie Henschke & Jo Fitzgerald

St John the Baptist School provides a safe environment for all while valuing the partnership between school and home.

As a Catholic community, we welcome and value volunteers. To be able to volunteer, and/or attend at other times throughout the school year, we ask that you hold a current Catholic Police Check (parents/caregivers attending excursions, reading in class, helping in class, attending community events), a current Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect in Education and Care for Volunteers certificate, have completed the volunteers application package and your COVID vaccination certificate.

A Catholic Police Check for volunteers is free for our current parents and caregivers. Application Forms are available in our school office.

This process ensures we maintain a child safe environment. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to apply for a Catholic Police Check through the school office as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the school office on 8218 3300.

Volunteers Required

We are looking for new volunteers to help our small group of members who visit the needy on Tuesday & Thursday mornings.  Two members travel together on visits, within our Edwardstown/Plympton area.  Your own transports is necessary and also the ability to receive emails .

Being a volunteers is very rewarding and also offers friendship as part of our small team.  If you have a couple of hours to spare on a Tuesday or Thursday morning and would like to find out more, please call Denyy on 0403 307 726.

The links and information that are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only.  They do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by St John the Baptist Catholic School of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organisation or individual.  St John the Baptist Catholic School bears no responsibility for the accuracy legality or contact of the external site or for that of subsequent links.  Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.