Informer - Term 1 Week 3

From Our Principal ...

Dear Families

As we get back into the routine of school, I want to share an article that as a parent I was very taken by. It has been around for a while, and I can’t remember where I found it or who was the author. Reading was seen as something to be valued in our family, and it was something my wife and I made sure that we modelled to our kids.

10 Reasons Why Reading Is Important (for kids AND adults)

1. Kids who read often and widely get better at it. This is pretty much just common sense. After all, practice makes perfect in almost everything we humans do and reading is no different.
2. Reading exercises our brains. Reading is a much more complex task for the human brain than, say, watching TV is. Reading strengthens brain connections and actually builds new connections.
3. Reading improves concentration. Again, this is a bit of a no-brainer. Children have to sit still and quietly so they can focus on the story when they’re reading. If they read regularly as they grow up, they develop the ability to do this for longer and longer periods.
4. Reading teaches children about the world around them. Through reading, they learn about people, places and events outside their own experience. They are exposed to ways of life, ideas and beliefs about the world which may be different from those which surround them. This learning is important for its own sake however it also builds a store of background knowledge which helps younger children learn to read confidently and well.
5. Reading improves a child’s vocabulary, leads to more highly-developed language skills and improves the child's ability to write well. This is because children learn new words as they read but also because they unconsciously absorb information as they read about things like how to structure sentences and how to use words and language effectively.
6. Reading develops a child’s imagination. This is because when we read our brains translate the descriptions we read of people, places and things into pictures. When we’re engaged in a story, we’re also imagining how the characters are feeling. We use our own experiences to imagine how we would feel in the same situation.
7. Reading helps kids develop empathy. This is something I’ve only recently realised but it makes sense. As my fifteen-year-old son said to me when we were discussing it, ‘Of course it does because you’re identifying with the character in the story so you’re feeling what he’s feeling.’
8. Because reading does all the things I’ve mentioned above, children who read do better at school. And they don’t just do better at subjects like reading, English and history. They do better at all subjects and they do better all the way through school.
9. Reading is a great form of entertainment! A paperback book doesn’t take up much space so you can take it anywhere and you’ll never be lonely or bored if you have a book in your bag. You can read while waiting in a queue, while waiting for a friend who’s running late or during a flight delay at an airport.
10. Reading relaxes the body and calms the mind. This is an important point because these days we seem to have forgotten how to relax and especially how to be silent.

The constant movement, flashing lights and noise which bombard our senses when we’re watching TV, looking at a computer or playing an electronic game are actually quite stressful for our brains. When we read, we read in silence and the black print on a white page is much less stressful for our eyes and brains.

Like all skills, reading needs to be practiced, both by our children and ourselves. We can always seem to find time for what we value.

Have a great week and hug your kids.

Regards
Jamie Emerick
Principal

P & F Annual General Meeting - Today

ALL WELCOME!

8:10am - Morning Supervision Of Children

Please be reminded that Before School Supervision begins at 8.10am. Students are NOT to arrive at school prior to 8.10am. This is to ensure the safety of your child.

If your child needs to be at school any earlier than 8.10am, then they need to be booked into our Outside School Hours Care facility.

Collecting Students During School Hours

To minimise disruption to classroom learning, if you need to collect your child during school hours, please report to the office and wait for your child at the office.

Prep parents only, may collect their child from their classroom after signing them out at the office.

Please note on Friday afternoons, it can be very difficult to locate your child/ren as they will be doing activities with their buddies.  To avoid delays, please pre-arrange early collection of your child/ren with your child's teacher.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and assistance with this.

Ash Wednesday Liturgy

Robotics Club 2024

Ms. Barron and Mrs. Anderson are looking forward to another Robotics Club in 2024. This Semester, the Robotics Club (Year 4, 5, 6) will meet each Tuesday lunch time in the Robotics room from 11 – 11:25 am.

Please register your interest this week at any of the below times:

Tuesday 11am in the Robotics room
Wednesday, Thursday or Friday in the office

Congratulations 2024 School Leaders

Sch00l Captains - Amelia Mullins and Bailey Pimm

Jordan House Captains - Lucy Hodge & Charlie Beresford

Cummins House Captains - Hayden Anderson & Indianna Groth

Wallace House Captains - Hudson Brown & Scarlett Breslin

Philps House Captains - Maverick Nassar & Ruvarashe Tembo

Counsellor's Corner ...

St John’s offers short term counselling to support children to achieve academic success, social and emotional wellbeing and psychological health. School counsellors may work directly with children, in addition to working with a child's teacher, school support personnel, family, other specialists or external support providers. If a child requires more specialised or on-going therapy, then an external referral will be discussed with caregivers. Referral and consent forms can be found in the Front Office, Learning Support Building, or by seeing your child’s teacher.

School counsellors are responsive to the needs of the school community, and as such, will be visiting classes throughout the year as part of the whole school approach to wellbeing. We look forward to seeing you around the school. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Individual Counselling: Danni
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday (odd weeks)
Wednesday / Thursday / Friday (even weeks)

Group Counselling: Milena
Thursday / Friday

Keep an eye out in the newsletter for the Counsellor’s Corner for tips and topical links to help support your child’s wellbeing and development.

Settling into the new school year:

Talking to your child about how they are feeling about being back at school helps to connect, reassure and help them settle back into routine.  Be prepared to listen, validate their emotions and be guided by your child’s responses. Some conversation starters for the car ride home might include:

• What was your favourite activity today?
• What made you smile/laugh?
• What was the most interesting thing you learned?
• What was something kind you did?
• What did you find difficult today?
• What did you enjoy about lunch time?
• What do you feel thankful/grateful for today?

St John's Way Awardees ...

Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) Code of Practice

Thank you to parents who have already accepted through Parent Lounge.

Due to Diocesan requirements, failure to accept the ICT Code of Practice Agreement on Parent Lounge by Friday 16 February 2024, will result in loss of access of ICT for your child at St John’s.

Each year, age-appropriate ICT Codes of Practice are distributed to all students in Years 3-6. Teachers will provide students with relevant and appropriate information and training about the ICT Codes of Practice during class this week.

In an effort to be sustainable and conserve resources, the ICT Code of Practice was be placed on Parent Lounge last week, so families can discuss the ICT Code of Practice with their children and then indicate their acceptance electronically by ticking the acceptance box on Parent Lounge by Friday 16 February.

Additionally:

• The Student Letter of Agreement (last page of the Year 3-6 document) will be printed at school and signed by each student in Year 3-6 prior to Friday 16 February.

The signed Agreement is kept for the duration of the school year. 

Library News ...

In our Library this week! 

Thankyou

Mrs Fuentes and Lasaro (5K) for kindly sharing with us a teeny, tiny part of your LEGO collection.

Shrove Tuesday - Donations & Volunteers

In preparation for Shrove Tuesday, our Tuckshop is looking for donations of White Wings Pancake Shaker mixes (only).  They will also need volunteers to help cook and serve on Shrove Tuesday - 13 February 2024.  Please talk with our Tuckshop Convenor Jess Pailthorpe.

Tuckshop Volunteers Needed

Can you spare 30 minutes or 3 hours on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday morning to volunteer in our tuckshop - anytime from 8am to 2pm?

Our lovely tuckshop staff will provide training. Volunteers need to have completed our school Volunteer Induction Session.

Please call the office if you are able to help out. 

Volunteer Tuckshop Roster

Tuckshop Menu

Star of the Sea Parish - Position Vacant

Parish News

      Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from.

      Elizabeth Kübler-Ross

Paint The Port Art Competition

Catholic Care - 123 Magic Behaviour Management Program

Challenging Behaviour Workshop

Sparks Hockey Club Sign On

Meteors Hockey Sign On

Gladstone Suns AFC Sign On