Informer Term 2 Week 9

From Our Principal...

Dear Families

In 2006, after a long shift working as a fireman. Matt Swatzell fell asleep at the wheel while driving home. He awoke to find he had crashed into another vehicle. The accident killed June Fitzgerald, who was the other driver. She was pregnant with her second child. Her 19 month old daughter was also in the car and suffered severe, but not life threatening injuries .

June’s husband Tony is a full time preacher in a congregation in their state in the US. As I read the story of his journey I wondered if I could do the same. Tony asked for a diminished sentence in his victim impact statement.  He began meeting with Mark and would get a coffee and just talk. Years later, the two men remain close. Tony continues to tell the world, “you forgive as you are forgiven”.

On Friday last week, our church celebrated the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A heart that loves humanity with the love of a father. A love far beyond our comprehension.  A heart filled with mercy for his children.  I wonder in my own heart , if Mark Swatzell had killed my wife and child, would I have shown the same mercy.  I don’t see it as a case of forgiveness, because forgiveness relates more to justice and should be a natural consequence.   Mercy is the quality of forgiving the unforgivable. Shakespeare said in the Merchant of Venice that “Mercy is something that has to be freely given, none can force someone to be merciful.”

An accurate observer of human nature once said that ‘we like to nurse our wounds and keep them very close’. The point I think they were trying to make is that we often don’t let the things that have hurt and embarrassed us go. We would rather keep that pain close as it gives a reason to not forgive or show mercy. Which brings me back to the response of Tony Fitzgerald. We have shown the same mercy we would expect to be shown, both in this life and the next.

Have a great week and hug your kids

Jamie Emerick
Principal

From Our Library...

What is World Refugee Day?

World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

Why is World Refugee Day important?

World Refugee Day shines a light on the rights, needs and dreams of refugees, helping to mobilize political will and resources so refugees can not only survive but also thrive. While it is important to protect and improve the lives of refugees every single day, international days like World Refugee Day help to focus global attention on the plight of those fleeing conflict or persecution. Many activities held on World Refugee Day create opportunities to support refugees.

We have many, many titles on our Library shelves for you to read and to spark discussion about empathy and social justice.

My New Gallery

Gladstone Athletics Results

St John's Cooking Club...

Our Cooking Group Classes will start soon!

We have had an overwhelming response from our students wanting to join the Wednesday Cooking Group (we will have to come up with a better name!).

54 students submitted an expression of interest to join and from these we are only able to offer 12 spots for the initial group. The easiest and fairest way was to simply draw names out of a hat. The first group will attend four weeks of classes each Wednesday afternoon from 3.00pm – 3.50pm. We will try and have our 1^st class in the last week of this term to make sure we have everything we need and iron out any teething issue that may occur.

If your child was drawn for this first round of classes, they will receive an invitation in their pigeon hole next week with all details included.

If your child wasn’t drawn for the first round, then their expression of interest has been kept for the 2^nd or 3^rd round of Cooking Club Classes.

Please contact Mrs. Jakki Graham for any further details.

P & F Meeting

NCCD Letter

St John's SZapp...

We have added 3 new ‘Tiles’ to our St John’s SZapp. Please note that they are still under construction, but we will be looking at adding the following content very soon. Please see instructions below to download the app if you haven't already.

1. P & F – this will raise the profile of the P&F by including a contact information and details of when meetings usually held. The tile will also include the names of current committee members and any upcoming events.

2. Parent Feedback – The opinions of our school community and we would like to use this tile to gain feedback on specific areas from parents. Surveys and responses can be collated or exported from the tile for future consideration.

3. Uniform Requirements – this tile will include simple images of expected uniform requirements for all students at St John’s.

Please also note that we are aiming for the Seesaw tile be live in Week 10. This will replace Dojo as a communication tool for teachers and parents. In Week 10, a unique QR code will come home with your child so you are able to register. Further information will be communicated with you over the next week.

Our St John’s App Is Live!

We are very excited to announce that the St John’s is live and ready for parents to download to their devices.

Please follow the instructions step-by-step for downloading the St John’s App. The one-off St John’s set-up passcode is 8892.

Additionally, to download the St John’s App to your iPad, laptop or PC, please follow the following link - https://stjohnclinton.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Once you have downloaded the App you will see we now have a one-stop-shop for all information you need to stay informed at St John’s.

In the top banner you will see Home, Feed and Manage.

Home will take you to the tiles and Feed will take you to alerts/messages (as Dojo did).

The latest ‘feed’ will be displayed on the home screen above the tiles.

The ‘’tiles’’ we have used are as follows:

• Parent Lounge – takes you straight to the Parent Lounge sign-in page
• Latest Newsletter – each week the newsletter will be uploaded to this tile
• Website – takes you straight to our website
• Forms and Documents – in this tile the following documents have been uploaded – simply tap on the link:
  

Parent Handbook
School Uniform
Behaviour Management
Fees and Levies Schedule
ICT Code of Practice
Tuckshop Menu

• School Calendar – all key dates for the upcoming term (continually updated)
• Tuckshop – takes you straight to the online tuckshop log-in page
• OSHC – links to required forms
• School Contact – takes you straight to our phone contact
• Facebook - takes you straight to our Facebook page
• Seesaw – Our new ‘Dojo’’ – please note that this is still a work in progress
• Newsletter Archive – each weekly newsletter will be archived to this tile for referral where required
• Subscribe to Newsletter – please note that all existing families will be automatically uploaded to this new platform. This tile is for new families in the future

While we feel we have covered all bases, things can be overlooked so we look forward to your feedback or suggestions on information that would be a benefit to be included. As always your feedback is valued; please email Jakki Graham at Jakki_graham@rok.catholic.edu.au

Lost Property

Apart from our general lost property items of hats, jackets and water bottles we have a number of more unique items pictured below.  If you think that any of these may be yours or your children's please contact or come into the office to claim.  More recently we have had a child's wallet handed in with an amount of cash in it. Please give a description to claim.

GISMA Music Workshop

Dear Parents and Gardians, 

The Gladstone Independent School Music Association is proud to announce we will be returning this year with our annual workshop.

The 23rd Annual GISMA Music Workshop will be from 26th-30th July 2021. Details regarding registrations are to follow.

What happens at the GISMA Music Workshop?
The workshops provide an opportunity for all students who play to mix with students from other schools and work with experienced tutors and conductors. The students receive intensive music tuition from local and visiting tutors, coming together to work with our visiting conductor.

Who can attend?
Students  who learn woodwind, brass or percussion instruments are eligible to register. Students can be from our school’s music programs or learn privately.  Unfortunately strings are not part of the GISMA bubble due to no previous programs involving strings, though it is being considered as an option to expand our net in future years.

Why are the GISMA Music Workshops important?
Music has been proven to be extremely beneficial to those who take up an instrument. Workshopping with students provides them with a unique performing experience where intensive focus on playing can:

• Accelerate the students’ progress on their instrument
• Instill confidence in the students’ playing ability and self-worth
• Motivate and affirm the reason they play music
• Long lasting positive effects are seen every year by Instrumental Music teachers, and most importantly the students have fun learning and playing music

Kind Regards,

Chelsea Elvery  

GISMA Secretary

GISMA Concert

The Gladstone Independent Schools Music Association would like to extend an invitation to you and your families to attend our workshop concert.  The concert is a culmination of the hard work our students have put in during the week at their workshop under the baton of Nathan Cahill - our guest conductor from Bundaberg.

The concert will be held Friday 30th July 2021 at 7pm, Marian Centre Chanel College, 11 Paterson Street.

The cost of the concert is by gold coin donation.  Raffle tickets will be available for purchase on the night of the event.

We would like to thank the following for their support to date leading up to our workshop:

- Regional Arts Development Fund

- Gladstone Physio & Fitness

- Physioshop (Boyne Island)

Kind Regards,

Leanne Christensen | President

Prep 2022

OSHC News...

In and Around OSHC

OSHC - Vacation Care Bookings

OSHC is now taking vacation care bookings. Places are limited so get in quick.

Volunteer Tuckshop Roster

Tuckshop Menu

Tuckshop Specials

Australian National Busking Comp...

Drakes Fundraiser

Art Competition

Holiday Camp