Newsletter - 7th March 2025
- Principal's Address
- School Arrival Prep – Year Six
- Morning Movers Year One to Year Six
- Parent Drop-Off Procedures for Student Items
- What's on this Fortnight
- Ash Wednesday
- NAPLAN
- Year Two Maths
- Year Six and Prep Maroon Buddies
- Good News Story?
- STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
- Small Sculpture Exhibition
- Careers & Work Experience
- Bottle Stall - Copy
- Preparing “Plentiful Plants” for Moonlight Fair
- Employment Opportunities at St John's School - Copy
- Uniform Shop Opening Hours
At the recent leadership forum, Dr. Pat Coughlan shared with principals that instilling hope is central to our responsibility to our communities.
‘More than anything, hope is the belief that the future will be better than the present and that people will feel empowered to make it happen.’
School improvement remains a constant focus for me as we strive to make St John’s the best school it can be. Dr. Pat reiterated that it is the leadership team's role to actively develop hope by choosing to initiate change rather than simply responding to it.
Recently, I’ve discussed in this newsletter several key changes made at St John’s in the interest of school improvement, the most significant being the adoption of MTSS (Multi-tiered Systems of Support). Another, more subtle change occurred at the beginning of the year: the adjustment of our leadership structure at the school. It’s essential for our parents and caregivers to be acquainted with our Middle Leaders, so they understand why a particular staff member is getting in touch with them.
To that end, the following positions were added or modified at the end of 2024.
Melissa Irwin is now the Assistant Principal – Teaching and Learning, having previously held the position of Assistant Principal – Primary. One of the focuses of the leadership review was to align our leadership structure with our strengths as a P-12 school. Mel has embraced the challenge of leading Curriculum and Pedagogy across the school with support from her Middle Leaders and is doing an exceptional job.
Kim Challenor has been promoted from Pastoral Leader to Student Wellbeing & Engagement Leader. In her new role, Kim will lead the pastoral team at the school. This position alleviates some of the welfare responsibilities from the Deputy Principal, allowing Ryan to concentrate on the administrative and organisational aspects of his role. Kim is a highly experienced pastoral leader and can now share her insights on student engagement across the school.
The other key changes relate to the leadership of curriculum and welfare in P-6. Previously, different year levels were divided among leaders, which caused some confusion regarding areas of responsibility.
Nat Beattie is now solely responsible for curriculum and pedagogy in P-6. She joins the team of curriculum leaders under Mel’s guidance. Examples of Nat’s responsibilities include the Diocesan Approach to Reading rollout across P-6 and directing NAPLAN activities.
Hayley Sayer is now solely responsible for pastoral care and the welfare of students in P-6. She assists teachers with behaviour management by addressing instances of repetitive classroom disruption or escalated behaviours in the playground. Hayley joins the pastoral team under the direction of Kim and Ryan.
I have included a diagram of our leadership flow chart to help illustrate these changes.
Cheers,
Mark
Teacher supervision commences at 8:10 am each morning. We prefer that students arrive after 8:10 am. If you arrive before 8:10 am, please enrol your child in OSHC or supervise them in the Quad area.
We understand that some bus services arrive before 8:10 am and students on these buses should remain seated in the Quad area until supervision starts.
Students in Year One to Year Six have an opportunity to ‘move’ on Tuesday and Friday mornings under the supervision of one of the teachers on duty. This term students can walk and talk or run around the oval commencing at 8:10 am and concluding at 8:20 am. Students are to wear their hats during play and break times.
After 8:40 am, all items from parents should be dropped off at the office. The office staff will notify the classroom teacher and ensure the items are delivered to the child as needed. We kindly ask parents to avoid going to classrooms or school bags during the school day.
St John's School recently marked the beginning of Lent with a series of meaningful events. The celebrations began with Shrove Tuesday, where students enjoyed traditional pancakes, symbolizing the last indulgence before the Lenten fast. The fundraiser raised over $700 for Project Compassion, which supports people living in poverty.
The following day, the school community gathered for a solemn Ash Wednesday Liturgy. During the service, led by Fr Tom Duncan, students and staff received ashes on their foreheads, an ancient Christian ritual, as a reminder of repentance and renewal in their lives. These events provided a profound opportunity for reflection and spiritual growth, setting a thoughtful tone for the Lenten season ahead.
Students in Years Three, Five, Seven and Nine will be participating in the NAPLAN tests from Wednesday, 12th March, to Thursday, 20th March. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable data on how our school and students are progressing.
Students in Years Five, Seven, and Nine will complete the Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language, and Numeracy tests online. Year Three students will do the writing test on paper, while all other tests will be conducted online.
Below is a copy of the NAPLAN Test Schedule:
Students who are absent will be able to participate in catch-up sessions to ensure they have every opportunity to complete the tests.
Students in Years Three, Five, Seven, and Nine are asked to bring in headphones (these must not be Bluetooth), and secondary students must ensure they arrive at school with their laptops charged. If there are any technical issues with their laptops, they are encouraged to visit the IT office prior to the test day.
Parents can find out more information regarding NAPLAN tests at https://www.nap.edu.au/
If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to get in touch with Mrs Melissa Irwin (Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning) via the school office.
Year Six Maroon students joined their Prep Maroon buddies outside in the morning on Friday. Mrs Sayer and Miss Redinger had a large, colourful parachute ready. The students grabbed the handles and lifted it high, creating a vibrant dome. The Prep students ran underneath, laughing as the Year Six students made waves and ripples. They all gathered in a circle, gently shaking the parachute to create swirling waves of colour. The Prep students thanked their Year Six buddies, who smiled and said they had a great time, making it a memorable Buddy Class.
If your child has achieved something extraordinary, and you would like to share it with our school community, please submit your story to roma@twb.catholic.edu.au
Last month, St John’s School student, Callan competed in the QSS Triathlon/Aquathon in Hervey Bay and achieved an incredible result. He came second overall and won his race in the 11/12 MC Boys category.
Callan was set to represent Queensland at the National School Championships in Perth this month. Unfortunately, due to other commitments, he won't be able to make it this time. However, he is already looking forward to competing again next year!
Congratulations, Callan!
If your child has achieved something amazing on the sporting field, please contact margaret.lyons@twb.catholic.edu.au or matthew.creeley@twb.catholic.edu.au
Artist Brief
Roma on Bungil Gallery Small Sculptures Exhibition 2025
A small sculpture should be a self-contained work. It is not and should not be a sketch; and while it can be even monumental in concept, it must not burst at the seams, must not leave one feeling that it should really have been much larger. Nor is it understatement. Rather, it tends to be explicit, requiring precision in the artist’s use of his material, in composition, image and emotion. Small sculpture is designed for close examination. The relationship with the viewer is confidential; there is a feeling that the sculptor, through his artistry is addressing the viewer personally, his eyes, his soul, his intellect. The quality of a small sculpture is revealed in close communication. However, size does not limit subject matter. Small forms can carry large content and, on occasion, a social and political message. Author unknown.
Dimensions
- Sculptures are to be of a manageable size and weight to avoid posing a risk to volunteers during installation.
- Sculptures are to fit on a plinth/ small table or on the floor.
- Sculptures cannot be attached to a wall.
- If floor based the sculpture must be well balanced and safe to manoeuvre by gallery volunteers / curator.
Safety
- Weight: able to be lifted safely by two people … for ease and safety of volunteers in installation and take down.
- Must be child safe – consider the ability of the work to withstand the hands of playful children …The sculpture must not have sharp edges or be likely to topple over.
- Please note that the Gallery is not permanently supervised.
Medium
- An enormous variety of media may be used, including clay, wax, stone, metal, fabric, glass, wood, plaster, rubber, and random “found” objects.
- Materials may be carved, moulded, cast, wrought, welded, sewn, assembled, or otherwise shaped and combined.
Entry
- Entry is free.
- Please complete the entry form which can be forwarded to you on request.
Prize
- $1,000 will be awarded as a People’s Choice Prize on the opening night (Friday 13th June 2025) to the most popular sculpture chosen by the attendees.
- This sculpture will not be acquired by the Gallery but will be on the open market.
Any enquiries please contact Sandy Macdonald on 0427227557
or email secretary@romaonbungil.com.au
Our gardening community is getting very excited because the Moonlight Fair is less than two weeks away. That means it’s time to pot things up so we’ll have a fantastic selection to choose from at our popular Plant Stall.
The Pastoral Care class from Marian Three has volunteered to prepare and run the stall. They’ve had a lot of fun coming up with a name this term, planning a guessing competition, and keeping the donated plants well-watered.
We are on the lookout for a few things:
⮚ potted plants
⮚ quirky containers that can be repurposed as pots:
e.g. boots, clay pots, jugs, decorative china cups and saucers
⮚ old hand and bath towels (without holes)
⮚ large tin cans
⮚ cuttings and seedlings we can pot up
Bags of potting mix would also be a greatly appreciated donation. We currently have plenty of plastic pots, so please hold on to those for now.
Please drop anything off at the School Office.
Contact Teacher: Mrs Anne Moloney Email: anne.moloney@twb.catholic.edu.au
St John's School Roma is seeking dedicated Relief Teachers and Relief School Officers to join our vibrant community.
We are looking for individuals who are:
- committed to supporting our students' learning and growth
- have flexibility and reliability
- adaptable to different classroom environments
If you are interested in becoming a part of our supportive and dynamic team, please reach out to us! We would love to hear from you.
Contact the St John’s School Office on 4622 1842 or email roma@twb.catholic.edu.au
Uniform Shop Hours:
Monday 2:00 - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:00 - 10:30 am
Online:
https://theschoollocker.com.au/schools/st-johns-catholic-school
Please note that the uniform shop is only open during the school term and closed on school holidays.