Term 2, Week 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
Parish 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.

Term 2 Dates

Week 2
Tuesday 6th May - Diocesan Cross Country - Coolah
Tuesday 6th May - P&F Meeting  6.30 School Staff room ( no children please)
Wednesday 7th May - P&F Mothers Day Stall - 11.30am - 1.00pm
Friday 9th May - Mothers Day Liturgy - 1.00pm - St John's College Hall 
Week 3
Wednesday 14th May - Catholic Schools Week Liturgy - 10.00am
Week 4
Tuesday 20th May - School Photos Booked - Full Formal Winter Uniform
Sunday 25th May - Meeting for Mass
Week 5
Monday 26th May - Kindergarten 2026 Sibling Interviews Commence                                                              Monday 26th May - Regional Final AFL Paul Kelly Cup - Girls team - Orange
Week 6
Tuesday 3rd June - Eisteddfod Choir
Week 7
Monday 9th June - King's Birthday Long Weekend 
Wednesday 11th June - Polding Cross Country
Week 8
Monday 16th June - Eisteddfod (Speech and Drama)
Tuesday 17th June - Eisteddfod (Speech and Drama)
Wednesday 18th June - Eisteddfod (Verse Speaking)
Thursday 19th June - Eisteddfod (Speech and Drama)
Week 10
Tuesday 1st July - SJP Athletics Carnival
Wednesday 2nd July - Semester 1 Student Reports - Live on Compass
Friday 4th July - Final Day of Term 2

Change of Details, have any of your details changed??
Please inform the school office if you have Changed address, have a new email or phone contact number, changed jobs, or have different emergency contacts for your child/children.

School Photo Day - Tuesday 20th May
Children are to wear full winter school uniforms, including blue long sleeve shirts for girls and boys. Kindergarten children will need to bring their sport uniform in a bag to change into after photos for their gymnastics program. Sibling Photos will be taken in the school hall from 8.00am-8.45am. Parents are required to park off site and bring their children to the hall for photos.

School Fees

Instalment 2 Fees will be emailed on Friday, 9th May 2025 and DUE on Friday, 23rd May 2025.

For families making regular, weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments please ensure your payment plan is on track to have your school fees account finalised by 30 November 2025.

To ensure your fees account is on track please note from today, Monday, 5 May 2025 there are 30 weeks, 15 fortnights or 7 months until fees are due. Contact the Fees Office if you need to adjust your payment plan.

If you wish to discuss your account please contact the Fees Office on 6884 8504 or email m.lew@bth.catholic.edu.au.

Welcome to Week 2

What a wonderful beginning to Term 2! Week 1 was full of smiles, energy, and a real sense of purpose as students quickly settled back into their learning routines. Thank you to our staff, students, and families for making the return such a smooth and positive experience.

P&F Meeting – All Welcome!
A reminder that our next Parents & Friends (P&F) meeting will be held tomorrow evening (Tuesday) at 6:30 PM in the school staffroom. Our last meeting saw fantastic attendance and great discussion – we’re hopeful for another strong turnout this week. Whether you’re a regular or attending for the first time, you are most welcome to join us and be part of shaping the vibrant life of our school.

Celebrating Mothers and Special Women
This week, we turn our hearts and minds to the wonderful mothers, grandmothers, and significant women in our lives who nurture, support, and love us unconditionally.

🛍️ Mother’s Day Stall – Wednesday 8th May
Our P&F Mother’s Day Stall will take place on Wednesday from 11:30 AM, giving students the chance to purchase a small gift to show their love and appreciation. Thank you to our P&F volunteers for organising this much-loved event!

🙏 Mother’s Day Liturgy – Friday 10th May
We warmly invite all families to join us this Friday for our Mother’s Day Liturgy, a beautiful celebration of the gift of motherhood and the important women in our lives.
📍 St John’s College Hall
🕐 Liturgy begins at 1:00 PM
We thank St John’s College for generously sharing their hall with us to make this special occasion even more memorable.

A Prayer for Mothers
Loving God,
We thank you for the mothers you have given us – for their love, sacrifices, and daily care.
Bless all mothers and those who take on mothering roles with your strength and peace.
May they feel your joy as they nurture, support, and guide with grace.
We remember especially those mothers who are no longer with us – may they rest in your eternal care.
Amen.

Looking Ahead: Catholic Schools Week – Week 3
Next week we will join schools across the nation in celebrating Catholic Schools Week. At St John’s, we’re proud to be part of a faith-filled community of learning, compassion, and excellence.

✨ Open Classrooms – Wednesday 14th May
We invite all parents and carers to visit our Open Classrooms event next Wednesday from 10.00 AM. Come and see the wonderful learning taking place and stay to enjoy First Break with your children.
As part of our commitment to full-day attendance, we kindly ask that no students be signed out early on
this day. Regular, full attendance plays a vital role in student success – and we’re working together to achieve our school goal of 95% full-day attendance for every student.
Catholic Education Week 2025 is set to be a meaningful celebration with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope". This theme is part of the broader Jubilee Year initiative proclaimed by Pope Francis, which emphasises hope, renewal, and unity. The Jubilee Year, a significant event in the Catholic Church occurring every 25 years, invites the faithful to embark on a spiritual journey of reflection and growth.
The theme "Pilgrims of Hope" encourages everyone to look towards the future with an open spirit and a trusting heart. It is a time for students, educators, and families to come together and reflect on their roles in building a hopeful and compassionate world.

Best of Luck to Our Cross Country Runners
We send our best wishes to all students competing at the Diocesan Cross Country Carnival in Coolah tomorrow. Run strong, do your best, and know your school community is cheering you on!

Good Luck Mr Foley!
This week, Mr Foley is representing as Polding Manager for Tennis at the NSW Primary School Championships. What a wonderful achievement! We wish him and the players the very best of success – ace it, Mr Foley!

🐟🍞 Gospel and Reflection – Jesus and the Big Catch
John 21:1–14

🌅 What Happened in the Story?
After Jesus rose from the dead, he came to visit his friends, the disciples. This was the third time he appeared to them. They were out on a boat fishing, but they hadn’t caught anything all night.
As the sun began to rise, a man stood on the shore and called out,
"Try throwing your net on the other side of the boat!"
They did what he said—and guess what? The net filled with so many fish they could hardly pull it in!
One of the disciples said, “It’s the Lord!” When Peter heard this, he got so excited that he jumped straight into the water and swam to Jesus.
When they got to the shore, Jesus had already made a fire and was cooking breakfast—fish and bread. He invited them to eat with him.
This moment was really special because it showed that Jesus is alive, and he still wanted to be close to his friends, sharing a meal with them.

⛪ What Can We Learn?

• Jesus is always with us, even when we don’t see him right away.
  
• Like the disciples, we can trust Jesus to help us when things aren’t going well.
  
• Jesus loves sharing meals with his friends—just like we do at Mass, when we come together to share in Holy Communion.

Jesus showed love and forgiveness, especially to Peter who had made mistakes. Jesus still trusted him and gave him an important job: “Take care of my people.”

💬 A Simple Message
Jesus wants us to follow him, trust him, and care for others—just like he did with his friends. When we gather at Mass and bring our gifts, Jesus turns them into something amazing: his own love, shared with us in the Eucharist.

🙏 Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for loving us and always being near, even when we don’t see you right away.
Help us to be like Peter—ready to come to you, ready to say “yes” to your love, and ready to care for others.
Thank you for the gift of Mass, where we share your special meal together.
Amen.

God Bless and have a wonderful week
Anthony O’Leary

Farewell to Pope Francis
Last week, our school community gathered together to remember Pope Francis. We gave thanks to God for his life, and the example he gave us. Fr Greg reminded us of Pope Francis’ down to earth and humble ways and his eagerness to connect with all people. He was a Pope that had a truly remarkable impact on many Catholics around the world. He will be missed.

Masonic Village Visits
This term sees the return of our visits to the residents of the Masonic Village. These visits are a highlight for students and residents alike. They are an opportunity to bring joy and light to the residents who love to interact with young people, and at the same time, our students get the opportunity to receive a small taste of what it feels like, to be involved with the elderly residents of our community.  
This Wednesday our 6 Blue class will attend and interact with the residents with our Beebots.

Mother’s Day Liturgy
Once again this year, our Kindergarten students will melt all of our hearts as they lead us in the Mother’s Day Liturgy this Friday 9th May at 1pm. All members of our school community are invited, however a particular invitation is extended to all mums, nans, grandmas, grannies, mas etc. Please be aware that we will celebrate the Liturgy in St John’s College Hall.

All parents will be invited to then return to SJP for an afternoon hosted by the P&F. We look forward to seeing many of you there.

Catholic Schools Week
Next week, we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week, with our theme this year being: Guided by Faith, Inspired by Hope, Committed to Learning.

Parents, we ask you to save the date of Wednesday 14th May, as we will hold our Catholic Schools Week Liturgy at 10.00am, followed by Open Classrooms between 10.30am-10.50am.

This is a great opportunity to see your child in action in their classroom and have a look at some of the work they have around the room. Many more activities and celebrations of our great school have been scheduled for this week and can be seen below.

Catholic Schools Week
Catholic Schools Week is a time to celebrate the incredible value our school brings to students, families, and the wider SJP community. It’s a moment to reflect on our rich history and embrace the exciting journey ahead - a time for connection and celebration.

The combined theme for this year’s celebration embodies who we are and what you can expect from a Catholic school - Guided by Faith, Inspired by Hope, and Committed to Learning. 

Guided by faith, Catholic schools instil core values that inspire young students to grow into compassionate and responsible individuals. Our students understand and take action to support others with care and respect, recognising their duty to protect and uplift those in need. Following Christ’s example, every student is supported and valued as part of a caring school community.

Inspired by hope and in honour of the 2025 Jubilee, we are called to reflect on challenges facing our world - war and conflict, the lasting effects of the pandemic, and the urgent need to address climate change. Hope is more than optimism; it’s a spiritual force that gives us the strength to endure, the courage to rebuild, and the resilience to address the challenges that we face. As Pope Francis reminded us, “Hope is a gift from God that fills our hearts with joy.” By embracing this gift, our school communities are beacons of positive transformation.

Committed to learning, our highly qualified and dedicated teachers nurture individual student gifts and potential, inspiring a love for learning that lasts a lifetime. Catholic Schools Week is a special time to celebrate this commitment - honouring our dedicated educators, the inspiring curiosity of our students, and the invaluable partnership of families who support learning as a lifelong endeavour.

MASS TIMES
St. Brigid’s Church: Saturday - 5:00pm, Sunday - 9:00am and Sunday- 5:00pm.
St. Laurence’s Church: Sunday -7:30am and Wednesday 9.30am

Please note the following change: Mass times from 3rd May: Weekend evening masses will be at 5pm from 3rd May until the end of August.

Enjoy your week.

Paula Clifford
Religious Education Coordinator

Upcoming CAPA News
We’ve hit the ground running this term, with students buzzing with excitement as they prepare to showcase their incredible talent at the upcoming Dubbo City Eisteddfod. Opportunities to perform in front of an audience builds confidence, resilience and the ability to think on your feet! Skills that are valuable far beyond the stage!

The official Eisteddfod program is now available via the Dubbo City Eisteddfod Programs, and our school schedule has been updated to include all session dates and times—giving families plenty of notice to come along and cheer. Grade specific emails were sent at the end of last term outlining event details, but if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email. k.king1@bth.catholic.edu.au

Canteen Volunteers
Canteen requires assistance on Fridays and is seeking volunteers who can assist for 3 hours. If you’re a parent, carer or grandparent who is interested in volunteering, please contact the school office on 6882 2677 to express your interest.

As part of volunteering, you’ll be supported in completing the free Food Handler Basic Training course through NSW Food Authority and will need to complete a Working with Children’s Declaration Exemption form which can be obtained from the Office.

Thank you for assisting with this request to help our school community.

Punya Madapatha
Canteen Manager

Charism Cup 2025
Charism Cup Launches with a Strike!

The Charism Cup kicked off in style last Friday with a fun fill Ten Pin Bowling event for our Stage 3 students. Laughter, friendly competition and impressive scores were the highlights of the day. A special shout-out to Joe, who bowled his way to 1st place with an outstanding 128 points, followed closely by Filipa with 122 and Yuvi with 121. 

Congratulations to our top scorers! 

The Teamwork Titans took out the team victory, showcasing great collaboration and spirit. 

A fantastic start to the Charism Cup!

Hey There Hoopla, The Circus Is In Town!
The Moscow Circus has generously gifted our school 14 vouchers to attend their performances this May. As such the Social Ministry will be running an in-class colouring competition in order to select the lucky winners. Winners will be announced next Friday morning at assembly!
Happy colouring everyone!

Easter Guessing Competition
At the end of Term 1, the Social Ministry ran and Easter egg guessing competition. All money raised was donated to Stephanie, our SJP sponsor child. 

Thank you to each and every one of you who contributed towards the competition. 

Congratulations to Georgia, the winner of the Easter egg guessing competition, and runners up Dimity and Lucy.

Dear Parents,
Your child is invited to take part in the 2025 International Competitions & Assessments for Schools (ICAS), which will be held during August 2025. Competitions are offered in English, Maths, Spelling, Science, Digital Technologies and Writing.  
Please be aware that entry for these competitions is not compulsory and entry is left to the parents’/caregivers discretion.  Students may enter one, some or all of the assessment examinations.

Please be aware - St Johns Primary cannot make entries into ICAS competitions on behalf of parents or students. All entries into ICAS need to be made by parents or caregivers before the listed closing date which is set by ICAS. Please note - St John’s Primary does not have any jurisdiction on dates and timeframes that are set by the ICAS organisers. 
Please note - not all ICAS assessments are available for Year 2 to participate in.   
All participating students receive a Certificate and an individual Results Letter indicating which questions they answered correctly, as well as the average mark for their state. 
The competition is an initiative of the Educational Testing Centre of the University of New South Wales and is a not for profit organisation.

Regards
Adam Foley
Assistant Principal

2025 ICAS Dates
Year level /Subject /Sitting Date/ Cost (AU$)

• Yr 3-6 Digital Technologies on 4-8 Aug cost $20.95

• Yr 3-6 Writing on 4-8 Aug cost $24.95

• Yr 2-6 English on 11-15 Aug cost  $20.95

• Yr 2-6 Science on 18-22 Aug cost $20.95

• Yr 2-6 Spelling Bee on 18-22 Aug cost $20.95

• Yr 2-6 Mathematics 25-29 Aug cost $20.95

Please note - Writing and Digital Technologies ICAS Assessments are available for students in Yr 3 - 6 only.
Mathematics, English, Science and Spelling Bee ICAS assessments are available for students in Yr 2 - 6. 
ICAS Prices per assessment, payable at time of entry on the PPS
Please note, St John’s Primary cannot facilitate refunds or make alterations as all money is paid directly to ICAS Assessments.
Read the terms and conditions here.

Welcome Back to Term 2

Please note new Library Times for this term.

Odd Weeks
5G 5B 2G 2B KB KG 6G 1G

Even Weeks
4G 4B 1B 3B 3G 6B

Mrs Whale
Librarian

SPB4L Focus: Be in the Right Spot, at the Right Time, for Safety
Our SPB4L (School Positive Behaviour for Learning) focus this fortnight is on the idea of "being in the right spot, at the right time, so we can be seen and are safe." This focus is all about ensuring that our students are in the right places at the right moments, which helps create a safe and organised environment for everyone.

We’ve been discussing how being in the right spot isn’t just about where we are physically, but also about being mindful of our surroundings and routines. This makes it easier for staff to supervise students and for students to feel safe and confident.

Here are some practical ways students can demonstrate this focus:

• Waiting near the Area 1 gate in the morning and not near the road to ensure safety and avoid any potential accidents.
  
• Lining up when the bell goes, helping to maintain order and a smooth transition between activities.
  
• Waiting for a teacher before going out onto the grassed areas, ensuring that there is proper supervision before students enter these spaces.
  

By following these simple guidelines, we can all contribute to making the school a safer, more organised place where everyone knows where to be and when. We encourage all parents to help reinforce these important safety habits with their children at home. Together, we can work to ensure a safe and positive environment for all students.