St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School Clinton eNewsletter

From Our Principal

Dear Families

On this day in 1787, Franz Xaver Gruber was born. He was an Austrian primary school teacher, church organist and composer in the village of Arnsdorf Gruber, which is best known for composing the music to "Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night").

Regardless of your background, Silent Night is one of those songs that sums up what the entire Christmas story is about. Not presents, not Santa, just the birth of a child to a family, in a simple agricultural shed, on a cold winter’s night.

Commercialism seems to find its way into every facet of life these days and any reason to get us to spend more seems to be exploited. Christmas and what is celebrated as the Feast of the Nativity, that is the Birth of Jesus, are not stranger to this. Consistently, the Christian message around Christmas is the change it should bring in us and how we should treat the people around us. Phrases like ‘Joy to the world’ and ‘peace to all’ are common but face constant pressure and challenge from an expectation of bigger than ever gift giving and never-ending purchasing.

On Christmas Eve of 1914, the civilized nations of Europe were just beginning what would become four years of industrial slaughter not seen before or since. The First World War changed the world we live in, but on the that first Christmas Eve of the war, the noise from the singing of carols drifted between the trenches of the opposing forces. In a moment of humanity, troops from both sides emerged to an unofficial truce. Men of all nations swapped photos, food stories and even had time for an impromptu game of football. Records would show that Silent Night was one of the songs shared and sung that night. A sense of humanity and an awareness of our fellow man was evident that night and a spirit of calm was evident across the Western Front.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to remain. Leadership from both sides did not want their troops seeing the opposition as anything but the enemy. Any further episodes of truces were to be treated as fraternisation with the enemy and the offender were to be shot. The Christmas truce never occurred again during the war, but the memory stuck with participants and the story refused to die.

110 years after the Christmas truce and 206 years after Franz Xaver Gruber composed the music to an older poem, which is another story, "Silent Night" is a carol that continues to touch us and one that reminds us of the human connection to the story of Jesus. Celebrations and family are important at this time, but it is just as important to continue to remind our kids that ‘Jesus is the reason for the season!’.

Have a great week and hug your kids.

Regards
Jamie Emerick
Principal

Spirit Night: Thurs, 28 Nov at GPC Marina Stage

This Thursday, St John’s will have their annual Spirit Night celebration at the Gladstone Ports Corporation Marina Stage area.

The concert will begin promptly at 5:30pm and food will be available for purchase from the Gladstone Men’s Shed from 5pm and throughout the night. They are providing steak burgers, sausage sandwiches and a variety of cold drinks. Cash or card payments are available.

Reminders:

Cars are NOT to park on grassed or paved areas.
A designated overflow parking space will be manned by SES volunteers (please refer to map below) with no cost to families.
All students are required to sit with their cohort.
Parents should bring food or drinks to their child in the designated area or eat prior/after.
Once students are with the class teacher, they stay with them until you collect your child to leave the venue.
Children have little voices, please be respectful audience members.
No dogs are allowed on the premises.
Mosquito repellent recommended before arrival.
Please place rubbish in bins provided as many hands make light work.

2025 Booklists

The 2025 P-6 Student Booklists can now be found on Parent Lounge.

As always, we try to ensure the smoothest and most cost-effective way for purchasing booklist requirements.

Families can choose to use the pre-costed booklist provided by Office National, Gladstone, or take the blank Booklist to a supplier of their choice.

Both versions of the Booklist and a cover letter with all information can be found on Parent Lounge.

Please do not return any paperwork to the school office.

As always, there will be a 2025 Book Drop-Off opportunity prior to the school year commencing, which will be from 8.40am – 9.10am on Friday 24 January, 2025.

If you have any questions about the 2025 booklists, please contact Mrs Jakki Graham.

2025_Term_Dates_and_Book_Drop_Off.pdf

P&F News

Sincere Thanks:

We sincerely thank our long-standing P&F Members who are leaving us at the end of this year: Monica Erridge, Lindsay Windress and Tennille Pimm. Your generous donation of time, skill and enthusiasm has been greatly appreciated by our St. John's community.

Meet Our 2025 P&F Executive:

We also welcome our newly elected P&F Executive Committee, who were elected at our recent AGM.

President – Shanice Petersen
Secretary – Yvonne Anderson
Treasurer – Sarah Stephan
Vice President – Danielle Slow
Events Coordinator – Danielle Slow
Assistant Secretary – Helen Attard

P&F Meetings are held the second and second last week of every term. Details are always in the newsletter. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Our next meeting will be Monday 3^rd February 2025 (Term 1, Week 2).

Stop Drop Go Reminders

Please be reminded of the following for the J Hickey and Laner St pick-up/drop-off areas:

These are 2 minute (max) pick-up/drop-off areas. Parents are NOT to park and leave their car under any circumstance.
For safety reasons, children MUST exit vehicles on the footpath side of the car, NOT the road side.

Lost Property: Collect Today From Shed

Lost property will be on display in Nazarene Place (the shed) today until 4pm. Please collect any items that belong to your children. Any items remaining in lost property after Wednesday, will be given to St Vincent de Paul.

Is Your Family Leaving St John's?

If you know that you will be leaving at the end of this year, could you please notify the office as soon as possible.

As we have many students on our waiting list and our total enrolment drives many aspects of our school (staffing, budget, class sizes and structure) it is important that we try to be as accurate as possible in predicting the school enrolment for 2025.

Your assistance with this matter is greatly appreciated.

Swimming Lessons- Prep to Year 2

Prep - Year 2 Families have been emailed information regarding swimming lessons. Please accept/decline your child's attendance via Parent Lounge by today. Lessons will take place over four consecutive days (25 November to 28 November) at the John Dahl Swimming Pool. More information can be found in the letter sent to parents.

Save The Date: Prep - Year 2 Wet Day: 2 Dec

Our Prep – Year 2 Wet Day occurs each year at the end of our Swimming Block and as a wonderful celebration to the end of the school year for our younger students.

This year’s wet day is on Monday 2 December on the school oval. The school day will begin at 8.40am as usual, with classes moving out with their teacher at timetabled junctures throughout the morning.

Students are to come to school with sunscreen applied and wearing ‘boardies’ or togs with a sun safe shirt and school hat. Thongs are allowed during wet play. Please don’t forget a towel!

All students must have their school hat and a sun shirt. If students forget either of these, they will not be able to join in.

All students must bring a towel, change of dry clothes (school uniform, including shoes and socks) to change in afterwards.

Students return to their individual class at the end of the wet day activities.

Please see your class teacher for any questions.

Diversity of Prayer

We praise you, God, for the gift of diversity in our world. Help us learn to listen more deeply and connect with the "other," who may have a different perspective and background. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your son and our brother. Amen.

Rochi shared prayer in her home language of Spanish and Ivana in Croatian. These young people were brave and courageous to lead our assembly of students in prayer. How blessed are we to have the opportunity to connect with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds within our school and community.

Why was Jesus concerned for the poor?

1 John 3:17-18
If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God? My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.

In ancient Palestine, Jesus highlighted the need for basic human rights in Jewish society. In modern times we follow his teachings to grow in awareness of the rights of people and link these to human dignity. The intent is to create a better society and social life with truth, justice, love and freedom.

This term in Religious Education lessons, the students in Year 3K identified a need within the Gladstone community. Together they raised funds, both big and small, and ordered Christmas gifts online. These have been placed under the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal tree in the front office and will be donated to families in Gladstone.

Our actions can be both big and small. Greeting someone with a friendly smile can be as rich as spending time with a person experiencing loneliness or who feels forgotten by society. Let us pray these young minds will continue to grow in understanding of how they can bring dignity to others by recognising the rights and responsibilities we should all have.

Thank you Year 3K and Mrs. Robertson for your efforts.

St John's Christmas Tree Appeal

The St John's Christmas Tree has been set up in the front office.

The aim is to build opportunities within our school community about Gladstone families who are less fortunate.

Each year we ask families to consider buying a gift for a child or young person and placing it under the tree. There are gift tags hanging from the tree with the gender and age of a child written on the back e.g. girl aged 3 years. These ages range from 6 months to 16 years old.

It is a great way to discuss the meaning of Christmas, to give rather than to receive. It is worth considering the Christmas story Christians around the world believe, that God gave us his son in the hope of building a close relationship with each of us. Ultimately the gift of God's grace and love.

We invite you to provide a gift, within your means, and to attach a gift tag to this. There is no need to wrap the gift as this assists Saint Vincent de Paul at the warehouse when they distribute any donations.

We hope your family feels the love, joy and peace of the Christmas season and that we can bring these same emotions to others in need.

St Vinnies Christmas Appeal 2024

St John's has a proud tradition of supporting St Vincent de Paul each Christmas. Our focus is on donations of non-perishable food to support Central Queensland families. If you can provide food with at least a three-month 'in date' stamp your donation will help others in need during the festive season.

Items could include packaged fruit cake, pudding, biscuits, crackers, lollies, pasta, rice, baked beans, tinned food, dry/tinned pet food or play items. Perhaps a box of Christmas crackers will bring a smile to a Gladstone family. Thank you to the Year Two Cohort who have been collecting items over the past two weeks.

Donations can be left in the front office in the collection boxes, with the front office ladies: Vicki, Melissa J, Mel D or Helen, or in the box upstairs with Year Two. 😊

Thank you for your continued support.

Robotics Students Win Award

On Saturday November 23, our robotics team proudly represented St John’s at the National North's FIRST Lego League Competition, held at Chanel College. Competing with passion and determination, our students earned The Core Values Award, recognising their outstanding enthusiasm, exceptional sportspersonship, and extraordinary respect for both teammates and opponents. They were competing against 43 primary and secondary schools from across Queensland. This honour celebrates virtues we aspire to instill in all St John’s students, making their achievement a moment of pride for our entire community. Their performance is a shining example of collaboration and respect, reflecting the very heart of our school's ethos. Congratulations to our incredible robotics team!

St John's Way Awardees

Students who have embodied faith, dignity and integrity within our school.

We view our school as one body, with many parts, each in its own way contributing to our common mission

(1 Corinthians 12: 12-26)

Is your Grade 2, 3 or 4 child interested in learning to play the flute?

There are 2 smaller flutes available for hire from St John's, with available lesson spots for 2025.

Please collect a form from the office or print the form below and complete if interested.

Mrs Perrett 😊 🎶

Tuckshop Ordering Information

The following information will ensure the efficient ordering of tuckshop for your child/ren:

Tuckshop must be ordered online via QuickCliq www.quickcliq.com.au Orders will not be accepted at the Tuckshop or Office.
Orders must be placed by 8:10am. Tuckshop can be ordered weeks in advance. Simply click on the day/s that tuckshop is required.
QuickCliq operates very slowly at very busy times i.e. close to 8:10am. During these times the system may boot you off and require you to log back in. Late orders put a lot of pressure on our tuckshop staff and volunteer helpers.
If you miss the ordering cut off time, your order will be transferred to the following day. You will be notified of this on the screen.
Parents MUST check confirmation email to ensure the order has been processed for the correct food on the correct day.

If you have any problems with the online ordering system please contact QuickCliq via 1300 11 66 37, or email: support@quickcliq.com.au

Our tuckshop operates every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (first and second breaks).