2022: Week 6, Term 3

Principal's Message

Dear JB Parents & Carers

JB STAFF REFLECTION

The staff of JB were given a wonderful opportunity to reflect on their calling as educators as part of our Spirituality Day last Friday. Many thanks to our parent community for your flexibility in supporting the day.  

As members of the JB team, we were challenged consider our roles as Disciples of Jesus and to 'Share the Good News of Joy'. We reflected on Luke's Gospel where Mary was called to serve our Lord, and how she 'arose and went with haste'. The role of discipleship is one for all of us to consider. How do we, as parents to our children, friends to others,  members of our own workplaces, take up the call of discipleship as part of our faith? 

In conclusion, we shared a special prayer, part of which is included here:

Lord God, your Spirit of wisdom fills the earth and teaches us your ways. Today, we renew our commitment as teachers within our Catholic school and as members of the Body of Christ. We will strive to be a gift of love for our students and school communities, to be the eyes, hands, feet and mind of Christ Jesus. 

CONFIRMATION 2022

We keep in our prayers those members of our school community who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. It was wonderful to see some of the candidates at the JB Parish mass on Sunday. A reminder that the Confirmation masses will be held on Tuesday September 20, Wednesday September 21 and Thursday September 22 (7pm)

BOOK WEEK 2022

What a great celebration of learning at our annual Book Week Parade on Monday. Congratulations to all of the students for the amazing way in which they participated in the events of the day. Special thanks to the teachers for their efforts in planning such a big event - particularly Mrs Fedrigo, Mrs Speranza  and Mrs Wojtowicz. Please take the time to check out all of the photos of the day on our Facebook page. 

Thanks also to our amazing team of Year 6 parent helpers who ran our Cake Stall to raise funds on behalf of the departing Year 6 class. There was an incredible amount of money raised and we thank each and every one of you for your support. 

CANTEEN TENDER 2023

Sydney Catholic Schools has advertised a tender for interested parties to oversee the running of our school canteen from 2023. We will keep you informed of the outcome of the process as it changes hands at the conclusion of the school year. 

SCIENCE AT JB!

You are aware that an exciting Science program has been introduced for our students this term as part of our SMILe Day structure. It has been very warmly received by students and strives to bring lots of fun into our learning. Here at JB, we aim to provide a wholistic education that meets the academic needs of all learners - we understand that all children learn differently, and we provide varied experiences to tap into learning styles and interests. 

We would like to showcase our new SMILe structure to witness first hand the 'JB way' of learning. Visiting times will take place in Weeks 9 & 10 in the afternoon on your child's SMILe day - stay tuned for further details next week! 

LATE ARRIVAL TO SCHOOL

A reminder that learning begins at 8.45am each morning. There has been an increase in the number of students arriving at the front office late each morning. We appreciate that our site is quite difficult to park at the best of times - however late arrivals have an impact on student learning and organisation. Thank you for your support and understanding. 

STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY - FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 23 (WEEK 10)

As per a Sydney Catholic Schools update, schools are eligible to engage in Staff professional learning days to support their Annual Improvement Plans. 

Our revised dates for pupil free days are as follows:

Friday September 23 - Term 3 Week 10

Monday October 31 - Term 4 Week 4

Monday December 19/20 - Term 4 Week 11

Thank you for your continued flexibility and support. 

With my best wishes for the week ahead. 

Mr Brendan O'Connor  Principal

Assistant Principal News

Dear Parents,

Over the past few weeks we have been privileged to see our Year 5 and 6 students present speeches on a range of topics as part of a Southwest Network Initiative on Public Speaking. We then hosted the first round of the competition last Tuesday and are so proud of the 8 students who represented JB. 

Year 5: Andre Louis, Katie Hamoo, Chloe Chechuti, Nicholas Zamprogno

Year 6: Bruno Dileo, Antonia La Guzza, Leon Macnamara, Makayla Butros  

They all did a brilliant job and showcased their talents against several of our local neighbouring schools. Thank you also to our SRC and Sports captains who served as ushers on the evening. It was wonderful to hear so many comments of praise for our students and school from neighbouring school teachers, Principals and parents. 

We were fortunate to have 5 students make it through to the finals, this was held on Tuesday 23rd August at Mary Immaculate, Bossley Park. Well done to:   

Year 5: Andre Louis, Katie Hamoo, Nicholas Zamprogno

Year 6: Antonia La Guzza and Makayla Butros  

They once again showcased their ability as fine public speakers and did JB very proud. Special mention to Makayla Butros who came second overall in the Southwest Network Final for Year 6! 

Assembly - K-6 this Friday  

This Friday 26th August, we will have a K-6 Assembly in the church from 2pm. Parents are welcome to attend.

Public Speaking

Reminder: Family Support Worker

Lisa (Our Family Support Worker) is able to offer free confidential support for families going through challenging times. She can help you and your family with issues you may be facing, including some of the following:

• Child behaviour concerns
• Domestic and family violence
• Advocacy and referrals
• Financial hardship
• NDIS
• Traumatic events
• Housing stress

Lisa is available every Friday and can be contacted directly on - 0419 223 677 or via email - lisa.harris@catholiccare.org 

Please feel free to contact Lisa directly for further information or to make an appointment. 

Once again, thank you for your continued support and partnership. 

Natali Tomic  Assistant Principal

Facebook

Be sure to like our school Facebook Page - we will be regularly posting some of the exciting things taking place at JB. 

https://www.facebook.com/jbbonnyrigg

Family Educator News

Parent SPaR-

Catch up and Cuppa in the Gallery-

Come along for a parent reflection- some conversation and a cuppa. All are welcome and it is a great way to start the week- MONDAYS at 8.50am

JB Juniors- FUN FOR PRESCHOOLERS!

Now also on WEDNESDAYS in odd weeks.

Dates for Term 3- Weeks 8,10

Tuesdays- SEPTEMBER 6, 20

Wednesdays- AUGUST 31 (Father’s Day Craft)

                          - SEPTEMBER 14

This Playtime group begins at 8.50am in the Morning in the demountable classroom on the top playground. We share a prayer, a story/craft and playtime.

It is open to children aged 0-5 years. Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children at all times. We finish approximately 10am and you are welcome to come to either or BOTH days!

Please let gate staff know you are attending this event when entering the grounds.

KEEP THE DATE: 

Friday 2nd September- BBQ Breakfast from 7.30am  

We are inviting our fathers, grandfathers and father figures to come along and share some time with us. It has been several years since we have been able to celebrate fatherhood! This morning is usually attended by hundreds of our dads, grandfathers and special significant men in our lives. You can walk the children to their classroom after the bell and have a look inside and say hello to their teacher!

There will be a sausage sizzle available from 7.30am on the playing field- we simply ask for a $2 donation -  (please bring correct change on the morning!)

 Dads-You can purchase for your children until we run out of sausages!

Any profits will be donated to charity.

CONFIRMATION SACRAMENTAL CRAFT-

Parents of Confirmation candidates are invited to make a beaded Bookmark for their child. This will be a lovely keepsake you may wish to pair with a book on saints or perhaps a journal to record their thoughts.

You will receive the information at your first lesson this week- please return the booking sheet through the office clearly marked “ Mrs Dunn”.with the session details you wish to attend. If you require a different time, please feel free to contact me on 0439 492920 and I will try to find a time convenient for you.

Next week is also WEEK 7- Sabbath WEEK-

Take some time out with your family- turn off technology and RECONNECT with everything and EVERYONE that is truly important.

Thought for the week…

Father’s Day next week!

We hope you can join us on Friday morning 2nd September for a BBQ!

Our big Year 6 Father’s Day Raffle Fundraiser will be drawn on this morning!

We take the time to show our gratitude to all fathers- those by birth, adoption or vocation- who have loved and nurtured us in our lives. We thank them for their guidance and support, for sharing their wisdom and fostering our faith.

We also remember our FATHER in heaven-

See here for a beautiful reflection on God the Father.

God bless all Fathers.

Tina Dunn  Family Educator

Find the latest John the Baptist church bulletin  HERE

Literacy News

Literacy Corner Week 6 Term 3

Literacy is an essential skill that children need to succeed in their everyday lives.  As a parent or carer, and your child’s first teacher, you have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to supporting your child’s learning - from the time they are an infant through to adulthood.

When your child starts school. It is critical for you to continue to play an active role in helping to develop your child’s literacy so they can achieve the best possible outcomes.  Here are some simple yet effective activities you can do with your child to help them apply the literacy skills they learn at school:

• Read with your child and read to your child everyday
• Keep blank paper and pencils handy at home for writing activities
• Play word games and do crosswords to help develop spelling and vocabulary
• Talk about movies you have seen - discuss why a filmmaker may have created a movie in a certain way, the purpose of the film and how characters are represented
• Make learning to read part of every day - show your child the written symbols and words around us
• Remember to read a variety of different books and texts - children need a ‘balanced diet’ of books (stories, recipes, lego instructions, toy reviews, informative websites etc)

Happy Reading Everyone!

READ! READ! READ!

Teresa Wojtowicz  Literacy Coordinator

Newman News

UNSW Australian Schools Competition

This week, registered students are sitting the English, Science and Spelling Bee competitions. Our last ICAS competition is Mathematics. This will be held on Tuesday 30th August.

Results from the ICAS competitions will be available over the next few weeks. We are looking forward to seeing some amazing results!

Mrs Francine Bushby  Newman Facilitator/Gifted Coordinator

Numeracy News

Numerical Acumen Semester 2 Challenge

The semester 2 challenge has now begun! Students in years 3-6 are working hard to set personal learning goals and improve in their Mathematics. 

Please ensure you have registered for the Numerical Acumen challenge to continue pushing yourself in your learning.

Michael Hobson  Numeracy Coordinator

Library News

Happy Book Week!

We had such a wonderful celebration of books and reading on Monday to mark Book Week for 2022! Thank you to all families for your time and effort in organising the costumes, the children looked amazing!!

Congratulations to all the class and grade winners! 

Don’t forget to take time this week to enjoy a good book together!

Book Week

Book Club Issue 6 is out now, with over 40 books under $6, there is surely a book for every reader! 

Place your order through the LOOP app. 

                                                          Book Club orders close Friday 2nd September.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is now closed. Thank you to all those children who completed the challenge. Certificates will be presented late in term 4.

Mrs Fedrigo  Teacher/Librarian

Science News

Science Week 

A big thank you to all the families who participated in Science Week 2022. Our school competition has now come to a close and the winners will be announced at the assembly on Friday.  

Notes from The Office

SICK CHILDREN 

Wth the resurgence of COVID-19 and the cold & flu season upon us, we ask your assistance to please keep child/ren home if they are showing any signs of illness. It is also important to remind your child/ren to practice good hygiene habits, particularly while at school.

Thank you for your understanding & support in this matter.

2022 SCHOOL FEES

Dear Parents,

As you are aware, your 2022 School Fee Statements have been emailed to you. It would be appreciated if your payments are made by the scheduled dates as listed on your statement.

Payments can be made by BPAY, Compass Parent Portal, Cash, Eftpos or Centrepay.

Please contact the office if you did not receive your statement, or have any queries in relation to your fees.

Your co-operation is greatly appreciated.

Awards

Congratulations to the following students on achieving their badges:

Dates to Remember