Informer - Term 1 Week 1

From Our Principal...

Dear Families

Welcome back to 2023. I hope that the break was a chance to spend time with family and friends and recharge before the onslaught of lunchboxes, uniforms and the routine of everyday life kicks back in. If you are joining our St John’s community for the first time, welcome and I hope that  it is the beginning of a special time for your family at our school.

There is always a sense of excitement as we prepare to start another year. I have a quote from the  author Jenny Han, that I always think about at the start of each year,  she said: “I’ve always loved the first day of school better than the last day of school. Firsts are best because they are beginnings.”

As educators, there is a real sense of our purpose as we begin each new school year. New work, new students, new families. There is a continuing responsibility to challenge and engage children in the learning process. History would show us that the great teachers are the ones who light a fire in our bellies and inspire us to pursue learning with all our heart and mind and soul.

You will see that the construction continues and that we have taken possession of the Prep/Year 2 building. The Early Years play area has been an ongoing work for us over the break. The weather has not been kind and there have been a number of delays in final phase of construction between the year 5/6 block and Nazarene Place, our covered area.  The biggest consequence of this delay is that pickup and drop offs will continue to operate out of the car park for the foreseeable future. Thank you for your ongoing patience with these interruptions to our normal daily routines.

Looking forward to catching up with families and new faces at our Welcome Back BBQ.

Have  a great week and hug your kids.

Jamie Emerick
Principal

How you can help keep Queensland COVID safe

Please click on the link for more information:

https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/government-actions/how-you-can-help-keep-queensland-covid-safe

Uniform Shop Hours

The Uniform Shop will be open TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY mornings this week only. Normal days are Tuesday and Thursday.

7:45am to 9:15am 

Birthday Celebrations

If families decide to celebrate their child’s birthday by bringing in shared ice-blocks or the like, please be aware that these items are to be handed out just prior to 1^st (10.45am) or 2^nd (1.25pm) breaks only.

If Zooper Doopers are brought in can you please make sure they are already frozen as our small freezer will not freeze them solid by the end of the day.

Thank you.

Smart Watches

At St John’s we recognise that there are legitimate reasons for students to bring a mobile phone or personal device to school. These may include but not limited to:

• To ensure their safety while travelling
• So that parents can contact them outside of school hours.

At school, no student is permitted to use these devices, including any watch or other device that has the potential for internet connectivity or recording images or sounds.

During the school day, students are not permitted to access or use their mobile phones or other personal devices, such as smart watches.

If you need to contact your child during the school day, or your child needs to contact you, this can be done via the school landline – 49 781799.

Opening School Mass

Volunteer Inductions 2023

Parent Information Evening

Inclusive Curriculum News...

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES:     AUTISM HUB 

https://www.theautismhub.net.au/

The Autism Hub is a terrific resource for schools and families supporting young people learning with autism.  The website provides a central place to access information and resources developed by Giant Steps Australia through professional learning and online articles. 

The links below are free Webinars that may be of interest to some of our parent body.  Please note that the first link is a session on the 25^th January and the last link relates to a Webinar on the 9^th February.

Parent webinars :

Supporting your child using visual supports: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/parent-webinar-supporting-your-child-using-visual-supports-tickets-476246896287    25^th January 2023

Making and maintaining friendships: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/parent-webinar-making-and-maintaining-friendships-tickets-476203586747   27^th January 2023

Strategies to support school refusal: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/parent-webinar-strategies-to-support-school-refusal-tickets-476210176457    31^th January 2023

Understanding sensory processing: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/parent-webinar-understanding-sensory-processing-tickets-476216224547     2^nd February 2023

Setting up effective communication: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/parent-webinar-setting-up-effective-communication-tickets-476222051977    8^th  February 2023

Setting up successful environments: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/parent-webinar-setting-up-successful-environments-tickets-476241750897     9^th  February 2023

Port Curtis Trials

New Port Curtis Sport Trial Information.

Please note that there is a new procedure for all Port Curtis Sporting Trials.

1. After indicating to Mrs Graham or Mr Langdon, that a student wishes to attend a PC Sport Trial, they will receive a letter with information regarding the details of the trail (if they are eligible to trial).

2. On this information page there will be a link to a Student Permission Booklet 

https://capsport.eq.edu.au/supportandresources/formsanddocuments/documents/representative%20school%20sport%20permission%20details%20booklet.pdf

https://capsport.eq.edu.au/supportandresources/formsanddocuments/documents/representative%20school%20sport%20change%20of%20details%20form.pdf

3. Students must fill out this Student Permission Booklet in full.

4. This booklet needs to be printed out and a copy given to Mrs Graham or Mr Landgon for Principal signing and to upload the permission information. This booklet will be returned to the student and needs to be taken by the student to the trial on the day.

5. A 2^nd copy of the Student Permission Booklet must be taken on the day of the trial by the trialing student.

6. Without this booklet at the trial or the school submitting the information from the Student’s Permission Booklet into a Port Curtis excel document (prior to the trial), students will not be able to participate and will be ineligible for selection.

These changes are under the directive of Port Curtis Sport and Capricornia Sport.

Please see Mrs Graham for any further details.

• Dates are an indication and could change at the discretion of PC Sport.
• A message will be made on School Parade regarding an upcoming PC Trial date. It is the responsibility of individual students to manage their time to pick up any nomination forms required from Mrs Graham at the office.
• Port Curtis Trials, generally allow only 3-5 students (depending on sport) to be nominated to attend PC Trial. If more students show interest than the allocated number allows, a school-based trial will be held to determine which students are best placed to attend.
• If students do not follow the correct trialing procedures (as above) paperwork to PC trial. they cannot trial.
• PC trials are an individual trial (exceptions are Athletics & Cross Country) and parents responsible for transportation and supervision of their own child at the trial.
• Please ‘like’ Port Curtis Sport on Facebook for all current updates and new trial information and links.

Thank You From Drakes Fundraiser

Please see letter below: If any parents don't have a donation key tag to use at Drakes and would like one - please come to office and collect one.

Dear Principal,

I would like to send a Big Thank You to you and your Teaching and Administration Staff for your continued support of DRAKES FUNDRAISER for the conservation of St. Joseph's Cathedral which now exceeds $50,000.  I find it amazing that a donation of 1 cent in every dollar spent by our supporters can have such results.  The contribution by Cath Ed School Communities is significant.

Stay Safe

Shirley Hopkins
Co-ordinator,  Drales Fundraiser

Thank You From St Vincent De Paul

A huge thank you to the community of St John’s Catholic School in Gladstone. Your generosity is overwhelming.

If you or family members/friends would like to become involved with St Vincent de Paul, please scan the QR code and complete the expression of interest form.

God bless.

NO TUCKSHOP THIS WEEK

The first tuckshop day for 2023 will be on Wednesday 1st February. All our tuckshop ordering is done online. Please see the school app for access.

Volunteer Tuckshop Roster

Tuckshop Menu

Community News...