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Informer - Term 3 Week 5

From Our Principal

Dear Families

78 years ago, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki occurred in August, 1945. The nuclear weapon 'Little Boy' was dropped on August 6 and this was followed by the detonation of 'Fat Man' over Nagasaki on the 9 August. These are to date the only attacks with nuclear weapons in the history of warfare.

By the end of 1945, the bombs killed as many as 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 80,000 in Nagasaki. Roughly half of these occurred on the days of the bombings. Amongst these, 15–20% died from injuries or the combined effects of flash burns, trauma and radiation, compounded by illness, malnutrition and radiation sickness. Since then, more have died from leukemia and forms of cancer which have been attributed to exposure to radiation released by the bombs. In both cities, most of the dead were civilians.

Sadako Sasaki was a two year old child in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped. She developed leukemia and ten years after the bombing, her short life ended. While she was receiving treatment, a good friend came to the hospital to visit and cut a golden piece of paper into a square and folded it into a Paper Crane. At first Sadako didn't understand why her friend was doing this but then her friend retold the story about the paper cranes. Inspired by the story, she started folding them herself, spurred on by the Japanese legend that one who folded 1,000 cranes was granted a wish.

Sadako only completed 644 cranes before her death. Her friends completed the thousand and these were buried with her. Through Sadako Sasaki's story, people around the world have come to understand how war makes children suffer - in particular, the unhappiness inflicted on them by the atomic bombing. Also, they take courage from the image of Sadako battling leukemia and clinging to her hope for life till the end. Sadako was one of the many children who suffered and died because of the atomic bomb.

In remembrance of the Hiroshima bombing, Peace Park was built with funds donated from all over Japan. The Children’s Peace Monument, which is often called the Tower of One Thousand Cranes, stands in the park. Later, the concept of the 1,000 cranes spread to the world and became a symbol and prayer for peace. Now, approximately 10 million cranes are offered each year before the Children's Peace Monument.

In a time where many conflicts are occurring around the world, the threat of war is higher than it has been for many years. It is certainly a worrying time and one where we need to not only be prayerful, but to show love and care to all those around us. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus calls us all to be a light for the world to see. A big challenge at this time.

Have a great week and hug your kids.

Regards
Jamie Emerick

Term 3, School Fee Accounts

Term 3, 2023 School Fee Accounts have been issued and emailed. Statements are also available through our online Parent Lounge Site:

https://402sjg.rok.catholic.edu.au/parentlounge

Please note, Term 3 school fees are due by Tuesday 8 August 2023. For families paying via direct debit, this is still current and the statement is for information purpose only, showing recent payments and charges.

Payments may be made by cash, cheque, direct debit, internet banking, EFTPOS or through Parent Lounge, either in full or in instalments (weekly, fortnightly or monthly).

The school office does not carry cash. If this is your preferred method of payment please endeavour to have the correct amount on hand. When making payments by internet banking, it is imperative to use your “School Fee Account Number” as the reference. This will ensure payments are allocated to the correct account.

If you are experiencing difficulties in making this payment, please contact Melissa in the office to discuss options.

School Office Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 8.00 am – 4.00 pm
Fri: 8.00am – 3.30 pm

Free Prep Vision Screening

Good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. Vision screening checks for common eye conditions that may impact your child’s ability to see and therefore impact their learning and development.

A Registered Nurse will be visiting St John's on 29 and 30 August 2023 to conduct vision screening for children in their Prep year. Your child does not need a Medicare card in order to participate in screening. If you wish to have your Prep child participate in this free vision screening program, please complete a consent form by 24 August. Online or paper consent forms are available and will be distributed to you. Parents do not need to be present for screening., however if you would like to be, please contact the school to arrange this.

If your child’s vision is screened, you will be advised of the results in writing. If a vision concern is found, you will receive a phone call from the nurse to discuss referral to an eye health professional for further assessment. If a vision concern is identified and your child requires glasses, eligible health care card holders may be assisted with free basic glasses through the Spectacle Supply Scheme.

Participation in vision screening is not compulsory.

If you have any questions, please contact the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program on 1800 687 372.

Grandparents' Day

We celebrate Grandparent’s Day annually with a morning tea provided by the school. Grandparents are invited to come to school for our Friday assembly. This year it will be the Prep Owls on stage.

The morning will run as follows:

Assembly at 8:39am
Class visits 8:50am-9:20am.
Students take their grandparents to visit their classrooms as well as to other classrooms to see loved ones. At 9.20am students will return their grandparents to Nazarene Place for morning tea. Morning tea is only for grandparents. Students will return to class.
Morning tea provided (sandwiches, scones, tea and coffee) 9:25am-10:15am

Science Week and Book Week 2023

This week we celebrate Science Week (12 - 20 August) and next week we celebrate Book Week (19 - 25 August). There will be a number of school-based activities and competitions which will be announced during and in the run-up to these events.

Please note that there will NOT be a Book Week Dress-Up Day this year, as we hold these biennially.

Library News ...

This week in our Library we celebrate all Grandparents!!!

Please visit, sit, and enjoy a book or two.

Nan and me beside the sea. Is it time? Soon. A grandmother and child eagerly await some special visitors. However, it soon becomes rescue time when some lost baby turtles are in danger. Everyone is needed to save the day. Will they save the babies in time? The wonder of welcoming nesting turtles ashore comes beautifully to life in this gentle story of family, community and caring for the environment.

When Tessa writes a love letter to the Earth, it's the start of a glorious adventure. She blows bubbles with whales, soars with birds and joins in with the noisy rainforest hullabaloo! Tessa wants everyone to know how special our planet is. She believes that there is a chance to save the Earth if enough of us share the message.

Chico’s grandpa has taken him on holiday where he grew up as a child, out in the desert. Chico has no interest in exploring the land – the desert jungle frightens him, and he’d much rather play on his tablet. Grandpa decides that it is time to show Chico the secrets and the wonders that the desert has to offer so that he will not fear it but, instead, welcome it, embrace it and help protect it. Grandpa shows Chico paths through the cactus and the scrub, teaches Chico the plants' names – ocotillo, cholla, cirios, pin cushion, fishhook – and soon, Chico begins to understand the wonders of the wild. He learns the value of watching, waiting and listening for all the life that hums within his desert home.

Disco - Friday 25 August

Thankyou - Clean Up Club

Capricornia Sport

Congratulations to Lachlan Stoneley who represented Capricornia for soccer in Cairns last week.

Homework Club - Year 3, 4, 5

St John's Way Awardees

Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs

Here at St. John’s, we pride ourselves on being sustainable and recycling what we can to help God’s creation. Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs is an Australian company that is collecting and sorting bread tags nation-wide. They are creating new products with recycled bread tags that include wheelchairs and reusable food bowls. As of May 2023, they have recycled over 10,000kg of Aussie bread tags (that’s over 10 tonnes of plastic waste)!

How can you help? Please collect any plastic bread clips from home and bring them into your classroom to put into your class’ collection container. There is also a collection container at the front office. Once a fortnight, Year 4 will collect the containers and empty them into our main bin. Once this is full, we will take it to the collection depot in town, where they will be sent away for recycling.

Thank you for helping us to be kinder to our world and for looking after God’s creation.

Star of the Sea Parish Feast Day

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) Inquiry Evening

Music Tutor Update

Please be advised that we are doing all that we can to secure a Music Tutor for the Friday Private Lessons and our School Band.

We are actively advertising on a variety of platforms and have approached a number of private music teachers currently working in Gladstone. Unfortunately, we haven’t had any luck securing anyone for the position, but will continue actively searching.