2023: Week 4, Term 2

Principal and Assistant Principal's Message

Dear Parents, 

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend celebrating Mother’s day. It was so lovely to see all of the Mums and Grandmothers here for our special breakfast and Liturgy. We are so appreciative of the love and support you show to your children daily and know that they too,  appreciate you so much. 

Winter Uniform

A reminder that all students are expected to be in full winter uniform now. This includes ties for the boys and stockings for the girls.  Our uniforms are available for purchase from Lowes, we also have a large selection of 2nd Hand Uniforms which can be ordered through the office or purchased at our clothing pool sale. 

Appropriate Haircuts

In order to maintain our high standards here at JB, we require your support in adhering to the school's uniform and grooming rules throughout the year. Hair should be neat and tidy. Extreme hair styles (determined by school leadership) or colours or extremely untidy hair are not permitted. Shaved shapes are not to be worn to school. Boys' hair should be above the collar. We have had to speak to a number of students regarding their haircuts and in some cases the use of hair colour. 

The following hairstyles are not permitted at JB (applying mostly to boys):

• Lines
• Skin fades 
• Undercuts 
• Shaved Sides where the skin is clearly visible
• Foils, streaks or coloured hair

Walkers Pass

A reminder that any student who leaves the school by walking home either with a Freeman Sibling or without, should have a valid 2023 Walkers Pass issued by Mrs Tomic. If your child requires a walkers pass, please send a note to the office or email through to info@jbbonnyrigg.catholic.edu.au . 

Important Safety Concerns re: Carpark
Recently concerns have been raised regarding the traffic and safety surrounding the school in the morning and afternoons. Parents are asked to pick their sons and daughters up from Gloucester Street in the afternoon to minimise congestion with the number of buses on Mount Street. Parents are not permitted to drive into the school to drop off or pick up their sons and daughters as there are a significant number of primary and secondary students walking around these areas. Cars cannot park or stop in the area between the driveways on Mount Street as this is a bus zone. Our  students access the bus from this area and cars parked in this No Stopping zone make it unsafe.
 

Any parents seeking access to the school via Mount Street for drop off and pick up must seek approval from the school. This carpark is a designated staff car park for both Freeman and JB and as such is often at capacity. We have had several instances of parents driving through the exit in an attempt to bypass the procedures we have in place. This is unsafe and poses a significant risk to staff, students and parents who have permission to be in the carpark. We ask for your cooperation and assistance in ensuring this does not happen and the safety of staff, students and parents is upheld. 

 The Highway Patrol works closely with both schools to ensure the safety of everyone. They will be patrolling the area over the coming weeks so please ensure that all road signs are followed. A reminder that cars cannot make a U-turn near the pedestrian crossing on Mount Street.

Please be patient at Gloucester Street. Again, this is a very busy area with parents collecting their children from both John the Baptist and Freeman. We want to ensure that everyone is safe as they travel to and from school.

With thanks,

Mr O'Connor  Principal/Mrs Natali Tomic  Assistant Principal

Facebook & Instagram 

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

https://www.facebook.com/jbbonnyrigg

https://www.instagram.com/johnthebaptistbonnyrigg/ 

Religion News

FIRST COMMUNION

Please keep our Year 4 children in prayer as they prepare for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion, which they will receive in coming weeks.

MOTHERS’ DAY LITURGY

Thank you to all the Mums, Grandmas and Carers who were able to attend the beautiful breakfast prepared by our Pope Francis Award students. The students stayed back after school and cooked the puffs and brownies, then came early in the morning and helped set up the amazing grazing table, served our Mums and cleared up after breakfast. They also worked hard to create the lovely video which was part of our Liturgy. A very big “thank you" to Miss Aguas, her sister Anoinette Aguas and Mrs Dunn who worked with the students to make this day special for all our Mums. The dedication of all our teachers, students and their parents is greatly appreciated. 

God Bless. 

Mrs Jansen  Religious Education Coordinator 

Family Educator News

Family Educator  Term 2 Week 4

Remember to keep checking the calendar for Masses and events so you don’t miss out on anything!

Mondays- from 8.45 am Coffee and SPaR (Stop, Pray and Reflect) 

SPaR is on again each Monday morning inTerm 2. Come along for a cuppa and catch up in the demountable classroom. This is a great chance to make some friends and connect with other parents.

Wednesdays- 9am-10am JB Juniors Playgroup for 0-5 years

Playgroup is on each Wednesday, first thing in the morning after the bell goes! I look forward to seeing you all!. We pray and play and usually have fun making something FUN and easy for all ages! 

Next few Term Dates- May  24, 31, June 7

Not TOO LATE TO PRAY-

A novena for May and Mary Help of Christians

Please consider being part of the Rosary Crusade to Our Lady Help of Christians, Patroness of Australia since 1844.

This Rosary Novena Crusade is said for the very important and necessary conversion and sanctification of Australia. (Don't forget to include your personal intentions too!)

They are seeking to arrange a pledge of 100,000 participants to pray the Novena of Rosaries to Our Lady Help of Christians, 9 days before the feast of Mary Help of Christians which is on 24 May 2023.  

This novena commences on 15 May 2023, and concludes on 23rd May 2023, Register here on  THIS LINK

All the prayers will be sent to you for each of the nine days. YOUR INTENTIONS can be included too!

PENTECOST coming soon!!!

On Sunday MAY 28th we celebrate the end of the Easter season with the Feast of PENTECOST

At this point in our Catholic calendar, the apostles have been without Jesus for about fifty days- they have lacked a bit of direction, are a little uncertain of their purpose and are waiting for the one Jesus promised would show them the way- Cue a gentle breeze, a dancing flame and the ENTRANCE of the HOLY SPIRIT!

In some ways Pentecost is our time to also find our direction and an opportunity for clarity as we rediscover our own mission and purpose. Each of us is blessed with special gifts and talents.What are yours? Do we share them with our families and friends? Do we help each other reach our full potential? 

Can we challenge ourselves in our own little way- to go out on MISSION as the disciples did, and change our little corner of the world?

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with your forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and he will be in you.” JOHN 14:16

God Bless

Tina Dunn  Family Educator

Parish Matters- because it does!

 JB Spring Fair on October 22nd!

SAVE THE DATE – 22nd October 2023 JB Spring Fair Your Parish! Your Fair! – offers food, fun, FREE jumping castle, music, market stalls and entertainment bringing the Parish Community and their families together after Covid.

 This Fair is designed for our community and celebrates the delights of our Parish. WANTED: Volunteers over 18-year-olds are very welcome. One or two hours of your time to volunteer would be greatly appreciated.

FOOD: Currently confirmed food stalls by our Parishioners are Holland, Italy, Philippines, and Vietnam. We need more food stallholders. Are you interested in Marketing your service or products at our Fair. Stall $25 per spot. Please contact: Sharon 0410 494 700 (after 5:30pm) or Susan 0419 606 683 (after 3pm). 

Several parents have asked me about a stall for IRAQI  food- so maybe make contact and join in the fun!

Bulletins can be found here

Literacy News

Literacy Corner Week 4 Term 2

National Simultaneous Storytime

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, family day cares, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 23rd successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.  

This Wednesday 24th of May, John the Baptist will be participating in this fantastic initiative.  We will be reading ‘The Speedy Sloth” by Rebeca Young and Heath McKenzie.  To celebrate this amazing event we have organised some fun activities and competitions.  Students can come along to the library, either before school or during lunchtime next week, to complete an entry.  Good luck everyone!

Kids Lit Quiz

On Monday 22nd of May, our four Reading Teams will be travelling to Kingsgrove in order to compete in the Sydney Heat of ‘The Kids Lit Quiz’.  We wish our teams all the very best for this day.  They have been training hard with their Freeman coaches throughout the term and we are very proud of their efforts.

Reading Challenge

At our assembly last week we announced our Infants Major Prize winner for the Easter Reading Challenge competition. 

 A huge congratulations to Stephanos Hermis from 1S. Well done.

Remember everyone: READ! READ! READ!

Teresa Wojtowicz/Francine Bushby  Literacy Coordinators

Numeracy News

Dear Parents,

We are so proud of our kindergarten students and the progress they have made in Maths this term! They have been working hard on developing their skills in counting and numeracy. Here are some of the key things they have been focusing on:

Counting forwards to at least 30, and being able to identify the number that comes before or after a given number.

• Reading numerals up to 20, including zero.
• Representing numbers using objects or pictures, up to 20.

Our teachers have been using a range of fun and interactive activities to help our students engage with these concepts, from counting games to using manipulatives like blocks and toys to represent numbers. We're thrilled to see how quickly our kindergarten students are picking up these important skills.

As always, we encourage you to continue to support your child's learning at home, by incorporating maths concepts into everyday activities such as counting the number of steps to the park or identifying numbers on street signs.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in your child's education. We look forward to continuing to work together as a community to help our students achieve their full potential.

Michael Hobson & Daniella Kokkinis  Mathematics Coordinators

Writing News

Year 3 Writing Competition          

During Term 1, students in Year 3 were invited to participate in a writing competition.There were many entries as students were eager to have a go and showcase their writing skills. Children had to think, plan and write a story independently using creative writing techniques being taught in class. They had to think about the purpose of their writing, their audience and the structure and language features involved. Not only were some of the best stories awarded, but also the stories which embraced motivation, confidence and effort. Many students who won chose toys, books and other rewards and every student that entered received a ‘cotton candy flavoured super dooper’ which, on a warm sunny day, was as good as gold! 

Congratulations to our Year 3 winners and everyone that entered. 

We will not only continue to develop our knowledge, skills and understanding throughout the year, but also our love of writing, learning and sense of fun.

Keep up the great writing effort! 

Did you know that writing stimulates the brain and activates areas of learning?

Writing has many benefits:

• It allows us to entertain, instruct, explain, share experiences, express ideas and feelings, argue a point, persuade, problem solve and more.

• It boosts thinking and communication skills.

      -    Allows us to explore and clarify thoughts and ideas.

      -    Supports organisation and presentation skills.

      -    Allows for self expression and can make you feel good.

      -    Enhances language skills and vocabulary.

      -    Stimulates imagination and builds memory skills.

      -    It is essential for academic success and serves also in social, emotional and spiritual  

            ways. 

      -    No matter the purpose, writing is a skill for life!

So….. What are you waiting for? …… 

Join us - Write for pleasure, purpose or just

because you CAN!

Sports News

Sports News

We congratulate Clara Smolcic who recently took part in the PSSA Tennis Championships. Clara won nine out of her ten games. Her team were awarded the bronze medal at the event. Clara is certainly a name to look out for in the future. 

Frances Oliverio  Sports Coordinator

Wonder Recycling Rewards 2023

John the Baptist has joined the Wonder Recycling Rewards Program 2023.

 Please collect your bread bags of any brand and return them to the school recycling box outside our school office.  We will then earn reward points that can be used to purchase sports equipment for the school.

What bread bags can be recycled?

If the bag has contained bread of some sort and is a soft plastic, then it’s a bread bag and can be recycled.

Do the bread bags need to be clean?

Bread bags should be as free from crumbs as they can be to keep the recycling process free from contamination (there is no need to wash them).

When does the program end?

We can collect bread bags up until July 7.

Frances Oliverio  Sports Coordinator

Amadeus Reminder

Please remind your children to bring their instruments on their specified day. 

Many children are leaving their instruments at home.

Unfortunately, moving forward we will no longer be able to accept forgotten instruments for students on their Amadeus Day. 

Reminder Amadeus Classes

Mondays: Year 3 & Year 4 
Friday: Year 5 & Year 6

Thank you for your understanding.

Lost School Uniforms

Dear Parents,

We have numerous items of clothing collected everyday, they are placed in our lost property basket in the office.  Each day, all labelled items are returned to the child's classroom.  Items which  which are unlabelled go to the clothing pool.  

Please ensure over the holidays you re-label any clothing your child is able to remove at school as markings can fade over time.  

Parents, should you wish to make a purchase of good quality second-hand clothing at any time, a reminder you may do so via your Compass Favourites link via the Clothing Pool Order Form.

Alternatively, you can call the office and place an order via telephone, email info@jbbonnyrigg.catholic.edu.au or complete the form below and return it to the office with your child.  

Notes from the Office

APPLICATIONS FOR EXTENDED LEAVE – TRAVEL

Any families planning or considering family travel for 10 school days or more must apply with an Application for Extended Leave – Travel, at least 4 weeks in advance of your child/ren’s intended leave. This application must also be accompanied by copies of travel documentation. 

Application forms are available from the office. For your convenience, please feel free to call or email us on info@jbbonnyrigg.catholic.edu.au and we will be happy to send this home with your eldest child.

Of particular importance, any family intending to take leave from June and NOT returning to school By Friday 4th August, 2023 must complete this process as a high priority.  Please forward your application by Friday 2nd June, 2023.

We thank you for your prompt co-operation.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Parents, a gentle reminder regarding the importance of informing our school of any changes that may occur to your family’s personal details such as an address, mobile numbers, emails, emergency contacts, etc. For your convenience, these details may be updated via the Personal Details Form available on your Compass Favourites links.

Of equal importance and in the best interests of your child/ren, we ask if there has been a new event or update in relation to your child’s health, once again, we ask this information be provided at the earliest. A Student Health Information Form is also available on your Compass Favourites link, to assist you in this process.

SCHOOL FEES

Your 2023 school fee statements have now been emailed to you. Please contact the office if you have not received your statement as yet. It would be appreciated if your payments are made by the scheduled dates as listed on your statement.

Payments can be made by CompassPay, BPay, Cash, Eftpos or Centrepay.

Your co-operation is greatly appreciated!

Awards

Congratulations to the following students on achieving their badges:

Dates to Remember