St John's School Roma eNewsletter

Principal's Address

Dear Parents and Friends of St John's,

This is the final newsletter for the year, and I wish to take the opportunity to thank all of the St John’s School Community for your contributions. I have thoroughly enjoyed my fourth and final year at St John's and appreciated the tremendous Mercy culture that drives the spirit of St John’s School.

As a school community, we recently celebrated the achievements of our students during the Years 5-12 and P-4 Presentation events at the Cultural Centre and the school, respectively. It was gratifying to see so many parents able to attend the events and witness the achievements of their children across a variety of areas including academic, cultural, sport, community and religious life of the school. Each award recipient has demonstrated the Mercy value of excellence in their respective area, and I take this opportunity to acknowledge their individual achievements.

Last Friday, our 2023 Seniors were farewelled by the St John’s Community. The day commenced with spirited rivalry between staff and seniors in the traditional tee ball game before an emotional final parade and clap out. The Seniors of 2023 have made this year at St John’s School memorable for many reasons; however, I will cherish their kindness, sense of humour and above all else, their mateship. I have equally admired their tenacity and 'can do' attitude. I can say with confidence that this cohort of Seniors has left a positive legacy and will make an impact well beyond the gates of St John's.

Recently, Year Six student Bridget Carter was awarded an ICPA Scholarship valued at $500 to help cover costs of extracurricular activities. The scholarship acknowledges the contributions that Bridget has made to the school community through multiple extra-curricular activities including Eisteddfod and Opti-MINDS. Well done, Bridget.

In early November, staff member Meg Lyons was announced as the winner of the Most Outstanding Teacher for Tennis at the Queensland Tennis Awards in Brisbane. This award recognises Meg’s outstanding contributions to promoting and developing tennis in Roma and the Southwest Queensland. Well done, Meg!

There are several building projects which will occur over the holidays. Firstly, construction of the multipurpose court ($250,000) on the main oval will conclude. The fencing, slab and basketball/netball hoops have been installed and the final painting and line marking of the court will occur over the next four weeks. This court will be ready for use at the commencement of Term One 2024. Secondly, construction of a new shade structure over the playground equipment in Duke Street will commence and will be completed for the resumption of school in 2024. I thank the P&F for their generous support ($45000), especially Ms Caron Brindley who led the project. The P&F’s next project will be an extension of the eating area for secondary students at the southern end of the main oval. This will involve construction of a cement slab, shade structures, retaining wall and walkway. The project’s value is in excess of $100,000. Finally, a successful tender has been selected for the construction of the new recreational precinct next to Pinaroo. The project which is valued in excess of four million dollars will involve construction of a new secondary drop off zone, additional car parking and new undercover sports facility with toilet, shower and canteen facilities. The site will be fenced off over December, with construction to commence in January.

Next week, St John’s will farewell several teaching staff: Sam and Ashleigh Valentine, Phil Wheaton and Emily Koster along with School Officers Ellen Regan and Shraddha Panchal. Each has made their own unique contributions to St John’s School and we wish them well in their future endeavours.

St John's School welcomes Mr Mark Andrew (Mathematics and Industrial Technology), Heidi Scholl (Drama and Humanities) and Cassie Shields (Religious Education, Humanities and English) to the teaching ranks in 2024. Our three School Officer positions have been filled and will be announced in the New Year.

I request that parents check the condition of uniform articles, prior to the commencement of school next year. Skirts for the girls’ uniforms should be just above the knee, whilst the formal hats for male students (Years 7-12) should be devoid of holes. Students in Years 7-12 require both the sports bucket hat and formal hat, along with black leather laced shoes and plain belt (boys).

A reminder that our end of year Bush Dance will be held on Monday 27^th November commencing at 5.30pm in the P&F Multi-Purpose Centre. Food and drinks are available for purchase. The evening will be a lovely way to conclude the year and I look forward to the pleasure of your company.

School concludes for Years 10 and 11 on Friday 24^th November and Years P-9 next Wednesday 29^th November. School commences for all students in 2024 on Tuesday 23^rd January.

As the year draws to a close, I wish all families a safe, joyous and holy festive season. It has been an absolute pleasure and honour to lead this exceptional school community. I am grateful for the many relationships, which have been forged over the last four years which have enriched my life. I draw upon a traditional Irish prayer as I sign off as Principal of St John’s:

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sunshine warm upon your face, and the rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

God bless,

Jim Brennan

Qld Tennis Awards

Moonlight Fair Thank You

Thank You

To St John’s School Community

I would like to thank the students who attended the Big Breakfasts at the Vincentian Village on Thursday mornings during the 2023 school year. Thanks also to the teachers, Deputy Principal Ryan Doig and Secondary teacher, Matt Creeley for coordinating these events. The tenants are very appreciative of your efforts.

Thank you to the School Community for your donations towards the Vinnies Christmas Appeal 2023. A special mention to Mr Phil Wheaton and the Year 11s who ran the Appeal. We as a Conference will be able to use these goods combined with other donations to make up Christmas Hampers for some needy families in Roma and district.

Wishing you all a Happy, Holy Christmas and safe travels over the festive season.

Gerard T Mulligan

President

All Saints Conference

SVDP Roma

21.11.2023

Prep Transition Program 2023

This term, we welcomed our eager 2024 Prep students to experience some time in the school environment before they embark on their schooling journey next year. The new students and their parents enjoyed visiting for morning sessions where students participated in activities in the classroom with the Prep teachers while parents joined some of our school staff for information sessions. Students also spent a morning at Prep following routines and enjoying activities in the Prep classrooms with our current expert Prep students. Everyone had a great time eating their lunch together and playing in the playground at First Break. Although a little nervous, our new Prep students settled in well and enjoyed their visit to school.

Thank you to all of our 2024 Prep families for attending our transition sessions; we look forward to welcoming you into our Prep classrooms next year.

Year One

Year One QFES Fire Engine Visit

Last Thursday, the Year One students were thrilled and excited to welcome back Fire Chief Scott to show them all the different apparatus on the fire truck. In Week One, Fire Chief Scott presented the theory component of the Year One Fire Safety Program to the students who demonstrated a very good knowledge of what to do in the event of a fire.

They now know all about the different size hoses, the cutting equipment, ladders and the special pole that Fire Fighters use to disconnect electricity from homes. Fire Chief Scott, assisted by two Auxiliary Officers, showed the students how to use the fire hoses.

All students enjoyed the opportunity to inspect the fire truck and use the hoses. A big thank you goes to the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service for their commitment to educating our students on the importance of fire safety.

Mr Brennan, Mrs Brennan and Miss McPhee

Year Two

This term in Science, Year Two dived into the world of forces. We learned about push and pull in super cool ways! Our lessons were full of hands-on fun, like crafting and testing paper planes, using paper to see how gravity pulls, and pushing cars down ramps constructed from various materials to examine the effects of friction. In our quest to comprehend buoyancy, we experimented with a ping pong ball, a lime and a golf ball to explore objects that float.

For our assessment, we designed parachutes and tested them! This helped us understand the influence of wind resistance. It was lots of fun! Afterwards, we talked about our parachutes and shared ideas on how we can make them even better next time. We hope you enjoy some pictures from teting our parachutes!

Year Four

Year Five

This term, Year Five students engaged with the wide world of collage, exploring different types of collage and techniques to create their own artworks. From magazine cutouts to textured papers and found objects, they've been busy experimenting with various materials to create stunning compositions. The students created a combination of artworks taking inspiration from some of our favourite collage artists, including Pete Cromer and Beatriz Milhazes. Through this creative journey, they've not only honed their artistic skills but also developed a keen eye for composition, colour and storytelling within their artworks. This has been a great opportunity for all students to share their own interests and creativity.

Year Seven

This term in Humanities, students have been focusing on what liveability is and what criteria people might be looking for to decide if a place is liveable. They have looked at different cities around the world, comparing them and providing their opinions whether they would be interested in living there and then explaining why or why not.

Students analysed data about how COVID changed the way we live and how the different rules put in place by governments either increased or decreased a city or country's liveability. For their assessment, they had to step into the shoes of a real estate agent and pick a place in Queensland to convince a family to move to.

Year Nine

This term, students have been busy in Hospitality completing their practical assessments. Year Nine students designed and produced their very own Gingerbread Houses using criteria set by students in Prep. The Prep students then paid a visit to the Hospitality kitchen to judge their favourite houses and taste test.

The year 10 students worked together as a team to design, plan and produce their own Rustic Café. Students used family recipes with a focus on showcasing local produce as well. They worked together to decorate and prepare all their favourite breakfast meals to share with their families and St Johns Staff. The café was a fabulous success with many attendees giving high praise.

Year Nine

Presentation Night and Morning

Congratulations to all Award Recipients

Farewell Class of 2023

The Year 12 class of 2023 marked the culmination of their academic journey with a meaningful graduation ceremony on Friday, November 17th. The heartfelt farewell included a liturgy, graduation dinner, and a special assembly dedicated to our Year 12 class. Students and staff engaged in the time-honoured tradition, The Teacher versus Student Tee Ball Match. This lively competition dating back to 1881 ended in a tie.

St John's students formed a guard of honour, offering a resounding applause—the 'clap out'—to bid farewell to the accomplished Graduating Class. This symbolic tradition at St John's signifies the school's acknowledgement of the Year 12’s unwavering commitment, hard work and exceptional achievements of the departing Year 12 students.

We wish our graduates all the best as they embark on their future endeavours.

Reconcilliation at All Saints

This weekend, 16 of our students will be making their First Reconciliation at All Saints Church. Reconciliation is a sacrament of initiation in the Catholic church. It is the first of three sacraments the children will complete within the next year or so. Please keep the following children in your thoughts and prayers.

Reka Cabulay, Seth Coutts, Aubree Davis, Cooper Liston, Caleb Middleton, Wyatt Middleton, Lucy Sutton, Sophia Spreadborough, Jessica Cook, Matilda Crouchley, Annalise Ey, Kinsey Ey, Toby Flesser, Hannah Nixon, Samantha Nixon and Willow Prior.

Design Technology

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Year 11 Essential English Class would like to thank every person and family who have so generously donated to the St John’s and St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. The generosity of our community will make a huge difference to those who might otherwise struggle to celebrate Christmas this year.

Our appeal will end on Monday night after the Bush Dance and the food will be collected, sorted and distributed by the members of St Vincent de Paul shortly after. We would like to thank everyone for their generosity in making this appeal so successful and we would like to wish families and friends a very happy and Holy Christmas.

Year 11 Essential English.

Christmas Bush Dance

Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Uniform Shop Hours:

Normal opening hours for remaining weeks of Term 4

Monday 2:00 - 4:30pm

Wednesday 8:00 - 10:30 am

SCHOOL HOLIDAY HOURS JANUARY 2024

Tuesday 16.01.24 9:00am-2:00pm

Wednesday 17.01.24 9:00am-2:00pm

Friday 19.01.24 9:00am-2:00pm

Online orders placed over the school holidays will be ready for collection from Tuesday 16^th January.

Normal opening hours resume Week 1 of Term, 2024.

Online:

https://theschoollocker.com.au/schools/st-johns-catholic-school

Newsletter - 23 November 2023