Informer Term 2 Week 1

Principal News...

Dear Families

The American statesman, Benjamin Franklin is often credited with the observation that there are only two certainties in life: Death and Taxes.

While life has continued to roll along, the last week of term showed us just how quickly things can change. Covid is still a reality and a vaccine may not be a cure for everything at the current moment. I don’t think we can go back to how things were, but I do think we need to continue to live without being in a state of constant worry. I read a story about the citizens of Naples. It is an Italian city that sits at the bottom of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that has erupted many times in history, most famously in 79AD when it covered the towns Pompeii and Herculaneum. When the interviewer asked residents how they coped with the stress of living in the shadow of the volcano, the standard response seemed to be it didn’t happen yesterday, it didn’t happen today. Who knows about tomorrow?

I think there is some great wisdom in this approach. If we spend too much time wondering and worrying about the what ifs, we forget to live in the moment. We aren’t living our lives; we are just consumed by what could happen. Don’t think I am saying we shouldn’t be prepared or cautious. Any wise person would do those things. But once they are done and in place, continue to live life and embrace it.

There is a quote often heard - "Yesterday has gone and can’t be lived again. Tomorrow is yet to come. We have been given the gift of today, that is why it is called the present".

Have a great week and hug your kids.

Jamie Emerick.

APRE...

ANZAC DAY

This is a day when we give thanks for all that our war veterans and those currently serving in foreign countries have sacrificed and are sacrificing, so that we can live in freedom and peace in our home country, Australia.

The spirit of ANZAC, with its human qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, defined us as a nation initially and continues today in each of us, in our sense of national pride.

ANZAC Day is a day when we celebrate being Australian.  It is a day when we stand up tall and we are proud of who we are.

Anzac Day also inspires our nation and every individual to strive for peace in our homes, in our country and in the world.  When we are at peace, we can truly live a content, happy and Christ-filled life.

School Ceremony

Our school ANZAC ceremony will be held this Friday, 23 April at 2.00pm in the Nazarene Place.  Parents are welcome to join us, but we do ask that you adhere to the 1.5m social distancing requirement which is still in place.  Family members can stand / sit together, but others need to  stand 1.5m apart.

In this ceremony, we will be laying class wreaths.  If you have a family member who served in the armed forces and you would like your child to lay a wreath in memory of their service, you are welcome to make a wreath and your child can bring it forward on the day.

ANZAC Day March

Our school will march in and lay wreaths at both ANZAC services on Sunday 25 April.  We ask students to wear their full formal school uniform, including the school hat.   

Dawn Service – starts at 5.30am.  Assemble in the carpark around The Reject Shop from 5.15am.  This is a short march out from this carpark via Herbert Street and around to ANZAC Park (corner of Goondoon St and Tank St)

Day Parade & Service – 10.00am start.  Our school assembles between the NAB bank and the Council Chambers from 9.40am.  Bring a water bottle for this march and put sunscreen on your child/ren.  This march will also end at ANZAC Park at the intersection of Goondoon Street and Tank Street.

Students are asked to stay with the school group during the ceremony, under the supervision of teachers and parents can collect afterwards.

Donna Mason
Assistant Principal - Religious Education

APC News...

A reminder that the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Online 2021 for Years 3 and 5 students will be held on Tuesday 11 May, Wednesday 12 May and Thursday 13 May. NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in Writing, Reading, Language Conventions (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy. This year, the tests will be conducted online, apart from the Year 3 Writing task.

All students are expected to participate in the NAPLAN tests, during the test week.  Catch-up tests will be available for individual students who are absent on the test days. These students may undertake catch-up tests on the days in the test week after the scheduled test, up to and including Friday 14 May 2021.

Students may be withdrawn from NAPLAN by their parent or carer. This is a matter for consideration by parents and carers in consultation with Mr Emerick, myself or their child’s Class Teacher. If, after consultation, you decide to withdraw your child, you must sign a Student Withdrawal form as soon as possible which is available from your child’s Class Teacher.

This week, students will participate in a number of NAPLAN Readiness Tests that will practice their skills as well as testing our online platform.

Parent Information Letters will also be sent home this week to students in Years 3 and 5. If you do not receive this note, please call the School Office and one can be reissued or emailed.

In conjunction with this, I will also be conducting three short Parent Information Sessions at 8:00am, 3:00pm or 5:00pm on Wednesday 28 April in the Library. 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher or myself.

Kym McAndrew
Assistant Principal - Curriculum

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

Whole School Beep-Off

Our annual Whole School Beep Off has been postponed to a later date yet to be confirmed.

St John's Cross Country

Our St John's Cross Country is on THIS Friday 23 April, 2021.

Below is information regarding our Cross Country event:

• Friday 23 April (Week 1 - Term 2) starting at 8:40am sharp.
• The cross country is a compulsory event for all students.
• Prep – Year 1 to meet teachers in their classroom from 8:20am.
• Year 2- 6 students are to meet at their House Tents on oval from 8:20am. There will be no assembly.
• Year 2-6 students are to put their school bags at their classrooms.
• Students to wear school polo or choose a sun safe shirt in house colour, sports shorts, runners, sunscreen and school hat and a large water bottle.
• The first race starts at 8:40am sharp (Year 1 Girls)
• Prep – Year 1 students complete the Fun Run Track course (approximately 400m).
• Year 2 and younger Year 3 students born in 2013 (only) compete the half course (approximately 1km).
• Students born in 2012- 2009 compete in their year of birth and complete the full course (approximately 1.8km).
• All students (Prep - Yr 6) receive a ribbon if they place 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th.
• Students born 2009 - 2012 receive points towards Athletics Age Champion if finish 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd.
• Students born 2009, 2010 and 2011 may be selected in the school Cross Country team to attend Port Curtis trials if they finish 1^st – 4^th.
• All races finish at approximately 10:40am and student return to their normal school day.
• All parent volunteers welcome!  Please email Jakki Graham at jakki_graham@rok.catholic.edu.au if you can help out.
• Parents welcome, social distancing must be observed.

Tuckshop Volunteers Needed

Our tuckshop urgently needs volunteers to help on Wednesdays, Thursdays and especially Fridays. If you can help out could you please let us know so that we can arrange an induction with Mrs Graham.

As per guidelines, all volunteers need to sign in at the office, follow COVID hygiene and distancing practices and have completed the 2022 Volunteer Induction.

Please also note that our tuckshop ordering is ALL via the online system at https://www.quickcliq.com.au 

Volunteers Needed

As per guidelines, all volunteers need to sign in at the office, follow COVID hygiene and distancing practices and have completed the 2021 Volunteer Induction.

Please also note that our tuckshop ordering is ALL via the online system at https://www.quickcliq.com.au

Prep 2022