Informer - Term 1 Week 4

From Our Principal ...

Dear Families

As part of our ongoing improvement process, all schools regularly survey their communities on a range of topics. Below is a letter from Kellie Jenkinson, who is the Assistant to the Director: Mission in relation to the upcoming Catholic Identity surveys that will be taking place within our community.

Catholic Identity – We Need Your Input

One of the most important things about being a Catholic school in the 21st century is knowing who we are and what purpose we serve. We need to have a clear understanding of our role as a Catholic school. To assist with this and as an important part of our School Improvement process, St John the Baptist will shortly participate in a Catholic Identity survey which is conducted by Leuven University in Belgium. The research project is aimed at assisting us with understanding how our Catholic identity is expressed in work and practice as well as supporting plans to further enhance our Catholic Identity for the future.

All staff and students from Years 5 to 6 will participate in the survey at school. We would also like to give parents a voice by inviting and encouraging you to take part in the survey, which will be conducted online and is not identifiable.

Please keep an eye out for further information through the school newsletter. There will be links to surveys in the coming weeks.

Please feel free to contact either Derek Worden, Catholic Identity and Formation Coordinator or myself via the school office if you have any queries or concerns.

Every blessing,
Kellie Jenkinson
Assistant Director: Mission.

Despite the heat, Friday’s Welcome Back BBQ was a great night. Thanks to the P&F for all the effort that went into getting this event off the ground in a very short time.  After a few years of COVID, we are a bit rusty when it comes to running events. Hopefully as we continue to run a few more, we can get back our form.

Have a great week and hug you kids.

Jamie Emerick
Principal

Student Free Day - Friday 17 February

Gut Health Is Important for Kids cont .......

Last week I wrote about the importance of gut health for our children to ensure their optimal growth, development and health.

Absorption was a factor addressed last week, so this week we will look at the elimination of waste.

An essential role for the gut is to ensure the elimination of waste products. If we, especially children, don’t eliminate toxins regularly, they will be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream causing health and behavioural related issues.

Children need to have a bowel movement Every Day!

If toxins re-enter the bloodstream, due to poor or no bowel movement, the liver has to detoxify them again and again.  This can happen over and over in children who are constipated; causing a build-up of toxins in the system, while creating extra work for the liver. While the liver continually attempts to metabolise these toxins, the system uses up energy that could be used to support a healthy system and anxiety is increased due to toxin build-ups.

Children whose bowel movements are not regular and/or effective must have a diet containing plenty of fibre; water, wholegrains, vegetables, salads and fruit are good sources of fibre that will help keep children regular and feed the good bacteria in their gut.

Try the following recipe to keep the gut healthy and the bowels moving!

Chia Pudding (4-5 servings)

Ingredients:
1 cup almond or light coconut milk
1 cup of natural Greek or coconut yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp honey
Good grind sea salt (very important for children!)
¼ cup Chia seeds
Handful of any fresh fruit or prunes for serving

Get Going
1. In a glass jar, add all ingredients except the fruit and shake until all combined.
2. Cover with a lid and refrigerate overnight.
3. The next day, in a medium bowls, serve 2-3 generous tbs and top with fruit.

Enjoy!

NAPLAN

Please be advised that the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Online 2023 for Years 3 and 5 students will be held from Wednesday 15 March to Wednesday 22 March THIS TERM. In past years, the testing was conducted in Term 2.

NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy. As with previous years, 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 Wednesday 22 March 2023.

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.

In the coming weeks, 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 8 March 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 to the Principal - Curriculum

Term 1 School Fee Accounts

Volunteer Inductions

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Code of Practice

Each year, age-appropriate ICT Codes of Practice are distributed to all students. 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 will be placed on Parent Lounge today, 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 17 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 17 February.  

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

Due to Diocesan requirements, failure to accept the ICT Code of Practice Agreement on Parent Lounge by Friday 17 February 2023, will result in loss of access of ICT for your child at St John’s. 

Shrove Tuesday - Tuesday 21 February

In preparation for Lent, on Shrove Tuesday, 21 February, St John’s will provide pancakes to students. We need your help to make this happen! You can help by:

VOLUNTEERING to cook pancakes from 7:15am Tuesday, 21 February. Please email our Tuckshop Coordinator if you can assist Jessica_pailthorpe@rok.catholic.edu.au

LOAN your electric frypan to the school tuckshop for the morning. Please label with your name so it can be easily returned to you.

Shrove Tuesday offers our St John's community a wonderful opportunity to engage in the daily school life of our students. 

Prep Enrolments 2024

If you have a child who is eligible for Prep in 2024 could you please go to our website and complete an online enrolment application as soon as possible.  We have an increasing amount of interest for 2024 and places are limited.

Data Collection - Department of Education

Library News ....

Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine.  It has been observed for the past 1,528 years and is a celebration about love and affection.

We are blessed with many books in our library about things we love and the things we love to do!

Come and visit soon!!!!!

St John's Way Awards

Sports News....

Congratulations to Seth O’Neil who has recently been selected in the Port Curtis Basketball Team.

Congratulations to Alex Slean who has recently been selected in the Capricornia Cricket Team.

State Swimming Championships
These St John’s students swam amazingly well at the recent U/12 Swimming State Sprints Championship.  All these students swan their personal best times, with special mention to Ella Walz who came 12th overall in the 10yr girls breast stroke and Harley Stokes who got silver for the 50m freestyle and gold for the 50m breast stroke.

Robotics Club

Due to the overwhelming response to join our Year 4-6 Robotics Club, we are excited to announce that we will run two groups over the next two terms. This will allow all students the opportunity to build a robot, learn to code it and move it in various ways.

Group 1: Wednesday 15 February (Week 4, Term 1) – Wednesday 26 April (Week 2, Term 2)

Group 2: Wednesday 26 April (Week 2, Term 2) – Wednesday 21 June (Week 10, Term 2)

Students who expressed interest in the Robotics Club should have brought a letter home with them last week with details of the group they are participating in. Please note that Robotics is on Wednesdays from 3pm – 4pm in the Year 4P classroom. We kindly ask that you collect your child on-time at 4pm.

Kind regards,
Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Barron

In And Around OSHC

Tuckshop Special

Volunteer Tuckshop Roster

Tuckshop Menu

Parish Office Position Vacant