Week 8 Term 2

School Vision Statement: To change the world through our faith in Jesus who is our light
Phone: 6882 2677 or 6882 2653
Email: stjohnsprimarydubbo@bth.catholic.edu.au                    
Principal: Mr Anthony O’Leary
School Manager/Priest: Father Greg Kennedy           
P&F Meetings: 2nd & 7th Tuesday each term

Parents/guardians-Please note that photographs of students may be used in publication. Please advise the School Office if you do not approve of your child’s photo being used.

WEEK 8

Monday 17th June - Eisteddfod SJP Hall
Tuesday 18th June - Eisteddfod SJP Hall
Wednesday 19th June - Eisteddfod DRTCC
Thursday 20th June - School Photos Full Winter Uniform - Siblings photos 8.15am - 8.50am Hall

WEEK 9

Wednesday 26th June - Year 3-6 Athletics Carnival Barden Park
Thursday 27th June - New Kindy Interviews begin

Welcome to Week 8

The excitement of the City of Dubbo Eisteddfod continues this week. Today the SJP Hall will be hosting the Solo Reading for Year 2 and 3, while Year 6 Blue will be expressing their talents with the Improvisation section.

Tomorrow Kindergarten will be delighting the audience with the Nursery Rhymes, Year 4 will be Solo Reading and 6 Gold will be Improvising. 

We are very fortunate that we have Mrs King and her teaching talents in the Creative Arts. Thank you Mrs King for your efforts in this area. A timetable of events is in the CAPA news section.

School Photos

This Thursday 20th June our school photos for 2024 will be taken. Full winter uniform will be required for our school photos.

Attendance

You would have noticed recently there has been a significant focus on attendance. The school executive team has been reviewing attendance and we still have a large number of absences that have had no explanation. It is a requirement that parents provide a clear and accurate reason for non attendance. It should also be noted that there will be times where the school will make an absence ‘Unjustified’. An example of this is unapproved travel. A detailed information document was recently shared via COMPASS. I would like to stress the importance of arriving at school on time. We have had an increase of students regularly arriving at school late. This not only disrupts the class as a whole but also your child missing key learning notices by not attending our morning assemblies and/or the start of their class lessons. Please be aware that our morning assembly commences at 8:50am with class rolls being marked by 9:00am. Students arriving after this time will be required to be signed in by an adult at the front office. Please note that students cannot sign themselves in on arrival. 

ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACES

Another reminder that the Accessible Parking Spaces is only for those who have a parking permit for that space. There have been some parents and carers who have parked in these spaces during school dismissal. We would ask that these spots be left available for those members of the community who really need them who have the appropriate permit visible. Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Reminder: Semester One (Mid-Year) Reports

Students are working hard in their classrooms and teachers are continuing to assess students on recent work prior to moderating and grading students for their Semester One Report. Parents and carers will receive their child’s report card live via COMPASS on Wednesday the 3rd of July.

Gospel and Reflection: Mark 4:26-34  - The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Family Connection

Church documents call the Christian family the “domestic church.” This is both a compliment and a call to commitment. Because the family is a community formed in love and dedicated to the physical and spiritual growth of its members, it is a miniature version of the Kingdom of God on earth. This Sunday’s Gospel Reading, Mark 4:26–34, consists of two parables that Jesus used to help us discern the mystery of the Kingdom of God. The beginning of the kingdom is compared to a tiny seed that over time matures and ripens. Many of the things we do within the family seem insignificant. They are part of our daily activity and attract little attention. Yet they show our love and concern for one another. According to the Gospel, it’s these small things that yield big results, acting as significant contributions to the growth of God’s kingdom on earth. The growth of the seed illustrates the nature and the results of a strong faith.

God bless and have a wonderful week.

Anthony O’Leary

Sacrament of First Holy Communion/Eucharist

Parents of Catholic students in Year 3 wishing to receive this sacrament, have the opportunity to enrol your child in this sacrament this coming weekend. Enrolment Masses will also be held at all Masses, on the following weekend. Students must be enrolled to receive the sacrament. This is a different step to registering their name which was done at the beginning of the year at the Parent Information Session. 

Masses will be held: Saturday - 5:00 pm, Sunday - 9:00 am and Sunday - 5:00 pm.

Parents, if you have not yet received communication from St Brigid’s Sacramental Coordinator Rosie Hosking regarding this sacrament, please contact her asap on: sacraments.dubbo@cdob.org.au.

Year 6 Religious Education Test

Tomorrow, our Year 6 students will sit the annual CEDB Religious Education Test. The test consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, with the results analysed by CEDB to assist diocesan teaching and learning in Religious Education. We wish Year 6 the best of luck.

Vinnies Winter Appeal

It is that time again - winter has set in, and we should be very aware of those within our community who persevere through cold winter days and nights without the comforts that most of us enjoy. We therefore will begin our annual Vinnies Winter Appeal. This is a great time to donate much needed warm clothing, slippers, blankets etc. If you have a few things (or would like to take the opportunity to donate numerous bagfuls of outgrown clothes), we will collect them here at school and donate to Vinnies on the last day of term. Children can start bringing in donations to the 6 Blue classroom from now until Wednesday 3rd July (Week 10).

Please see the next page for more details on our Vinnies Winter Appeal and our newly developed Vinnies Appeal Day, called Snug as a Bug in a Rug Day!

The Dubbo Saint Vincent De Paul store is especially in need of good blankets/doonas and are also looking for good furniture. 

If you are able to assist with the furniture, please take a photo of saleable items and forward to Lisa on mobile 0474 382 430. 

Visit to Masonic Village

This coming Wednesday, our Year 1 students will be visited by residents from the Masonic Village. Together they will participate in colouring and drawing activities. We know our Year 1 students will thoroughly enjoy this visit.

Grade Masses

This Week Year 1 will attend Mass, however it will be held here at school on Friday at 10:15pm. All parents of Year 1 students are more than welcome to attend the Mass in our hall.

Mass at St. Brigid’s Church

Saturday - 5:00pm, Sunday - 9:00am and Sunday - 5:00pm

Due to heating issues in St Brigid’s, all weekday Masses will be held at St. Laurence’s Church throughout June, July, August.

Enjoy your week!
Paula Clifford
Religious Education Coordinator

Just a reminder that ordering for our 2024 School Photos close on Monday 17th June with photos taking place on Thursday 20th June.

Any orders made after this date may incur a late order fee.

Sibling photos will take place starting 8.15am - 8.50am. Parents are asked to please bring your children to the school hall during this time for family photos. 

No family photos will be taken outside this time frame.

If you have any questions please contact MSP photographers direct on 6360 2008.

St John’s Primary Dubbo is fortunate and very proud of the achievements of three of our teachers, Alysha Kenny Yr 4, Kara Mylecharane Yr 1 & Grace McIntosh Yr 5  who were asked by the Catholic Education Office Bathurst to share their quality teaching practice, experience and excellent knowledge of the new NESA English Syllabus to plan and coordinate Literacy learning blocks for students in Stage 1, Stage 2 & Stage 3 of primary school education. Our SJP teachers provided professional development in Literacy teaching for teachers throughout all of the Bathurst Diocese, a great achievement and recognition of their professional knowledge and dedication to the teaching and learning for all of our students. 

SPB4L

This fortnight we are going to have a continued focus on two previous SPB4L focuses, which are ‘keeping our playground clean’ and ‘moving and playing safely around our playground’. Below are behaviours will be focusing on to allow us to achieve these SPB4L focuses. 

Yrs 3-6 will be attending the Athletics Carnival Wednesday, 26 June 2024, should your child like a lunch order on the day please place your order via the Flexi Schools platform, no later than Monday 24th June, 9am.

On Athletics Carnival Day, the normal SJP canteen menu WILL NOT be available. Rather, as this is a special event day, the options to order for Wednesday, 26th June will be:

• Cheese Pizza (1/4 of a large Pizza)
• Hawaiian Pizza (1/4 of a large Pizza)
• BBQ Pizza (1/4 of a large Pizza)
• Sausage Roll
• Large Meat Pie

A variety of drinks will also be available to order.

If you do not have a Flexi Schools account, please see the attached flyer if you wish to register.