2023: Week 6, Term 2

Principal's Message

"Come, holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, kindle in them the fire of your love”

REFLECTION 

We have followed our Church year through Holy Week, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. And now finally, we honour the three persons in our God, Feast of the Holy Trinity. Who could ever explain the mystery of the Trinity - who should ever forget the God who loves and likes me first the way I am. “I have called you by your name, you are mine.” God loved the world so much He gave His only Son, and His Spirit to us as a Total Gift on our part.

We honour God, our Father, as the Creator, Jesus, Son of God, as the Saviour, and the Holy Spirit as the Sanctifier of all. We can pray to God - we can pray to any one person in God. The Holy Spirit is mystery supreme, but it is revealed to us by our God as reality. With the Disciples we say - “Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief”  May our knowledge of our God increase, and may our love for Him carry us gently through our lives.

POPE FRANCIS AWARD FUNDRAISING

Congratulations to our Year 6 Pope Francis Award Team who organised an amazing Morning Tea (with lemonade!) at the completion of 10am Mass last week. A total of $554.80 was raised from the cake stall, morning pop up stall and lunchtime lemonade sales. What an incredible act of service to the community. Well done to all. 

UNIFORM REMINDERS

Thank you parents for transitioning to winter uniform smoothly. As the cold weather has now reached us, a few important reminders:

• Beanies are not officially a part of the school uniform, however, they can be worn to school (red only please) up to the morning bell only in the event of very cold weather. School hats must be worn at lunch and recess. 
• School tracksuit pants are officially part of the school uniform. Naturally there are grey pants available at a variety of retailers, most of them however are the incorrect colour and size. Please ensure our tracksuits pants are the correct colour.

NATIONAL SCHOOL REFORM AGREEMENT

You may be aware that the Australian Government has established an Expert Panel to inform the next National School Reform Agreement. This week the Expert Panel is releasing a survey to get the views of teachers, parents and students.

This is all about ensuring those directly involved in the education system get a say in how we make it better and fairer.

Survey participants will be able to have their say on a range of issues including:

• Improving education outcomes,
• Supporting student mental health and wellbeing, and
• Attracting and retaining teachers.

The Expert Panel, led by Dr Lisa O’Brien AM, will report to Education Ministers at the end of October on the practical reforms that should be tied to funding in the next National School Reform Agreement.

 The survey will be open until Friday, 23 June 2023 and is available at:

https://www.education.gov.au/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system/consultations/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system-consultation

CONGRATULATIONS ELIZABETH PALERMO 5 EMERALD

Congratulations to Elizabeth, who has been included in thein the SCS Arts HQ Live Student Ensemble Program. We look forward to seeing her performance in July!

With thanks,

Mr O'Connor  Principal

Assistant Principal News

Dear Parents, 

Thank you so much for ensuring our students are arriving at school on time and ready to learn. It has been wonderful to visit classrooms and see the level of engagement and enthusiasm from the students. There is always so much to celebrate at JB and the students are to be congratulated on their approach to learning and on making sure they are achieving to the best of their ability. As we approach report time, I know many teachers are looking forward to sharing the success of your children with you. 

Important Safety Concerns re: Carpark

You may have noticed an increased police presence on Mount Street. This is to ensure the safety of our students as they arrive and leave school. They are also there to ensure the safety of our parents and staff. We thank all of our parents who have been working hard to ensure safety standards are maintained. 

A reminder that parents driving through the exit in an attempt to bypass the procedures we have in place is a direct breach of all safety measures we have in place. This 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. 

 Parent - Teacher - Student Connect Meetings

It is always a wonderful opportunity to celebrate student learning and growth at report time. As always, we welcome the opportunity to build on this through partnership with our parents at our Parent - Teacher - Student - Connect Meetings. 

Information on making a booking for this will be sent home in Week 7. Meetings will take place in Week 10, with a late evening on Tuesday 27th June.

Reports will be sent home at the end of Week 9. 

Missing Library Books

A recent stocktake has seen a large amount of books long overdue from the library. Can you please have a look around your home and if you find a book with a John the Baptist barcode, please return this to school as soon as possible (it doesn’t matter how long overdue it is - we will just be happy to have them returned!) 

Social Media 

A reminder to follow, like and share our social media pages with your family and friends. It is a wonderful showcase of all of the things that make JB the wonderful school it is. 

Instagram Page 

With thanks, 

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

YEAR 6 CONFIRMATION

Confirmation will be held on Sunday 17th September at St Mary’s Cathedral at 3.30pm. Further details will be added to the Parish bulletin and the school newsletter as they become available. For other enquiries please contact Linda Barilla on 0409 914 083.                  

VINNIES WINTER APPEAL

St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal Families helping Families

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  Acts 20:35

We are looking for donations of warm items of clothing that can be used in care packages and hampers to families and also handed out on the streets during Night Patrol in both the Liverpool and Inner City areas.

If you are able to assist with at least just ONE item PER FAMILY, your generosity will be greatly appreciated.

See further details in the note sent home and the message on Compass.

Thank you.

God Bless. 

Mrs Jansen  Religious Education Coordinator

Family Educator News

Family Educator  Term 2 Week 6

Remember to keep checking the COMPASS 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-  June 7, 14, 21

ROSARY BEADS-LAST CHANCE FOR this TERM! Monday 19th June  

REGISTER HERE

 If ANY parents or carers would like to undertake this craft also- please come along to SPaR on Monday morning, 19th June (craft will follow) or call Mrs Dunn on 0439 492920. This requires a booking to ensure I have enough kits ready for the day! So register on the link above!

ST MARY’S PARENT EXCURSION-It’s a GO!

Thank you to those that put their name down for this excursion . I have sent notes home to all who expressed interest- if you did not receive one, please call me to check your registration- 0439 492920. Numbers mean we can have a big bus but that requires all to contribute to the cost. Note- the Crypt Tour is included in this cost too so it’s a bargain!

Can you please send the envelope provided to you with payment of $25 per person, into the office as soon as possible. This would be much appreciated. 

TRINITY SUNDAY THIS WEEK!

This would have to be one of the most difficult of the church’s teachings to understand- THREE IN ONE?

God  The Father- God who created and loves us

God The Son- in the person of Jesus, who died to save us

God The Holy Spirit- God within us always

Each are eternal- have been, are now and always will be.

ALL are God, but neither of these is each other? 

Confused yet?

Take a look at this short video that explains the concept in a pretty concise manner.

Whether you use the shamrock, water, an egg or my personal favourite analogy, Neapolitan Ice Cream, to explain this concept- it still boggles the mind.

In our world where we are called to be sometimes many things to many people- imagine being God! 

Maybe you can make this a great discussion point around the dinner table.

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 6 Term 2

Kids Lit Quiz

Last Monday 22nd May, 16 of our talented readers in Years 5 and 6 competed in the Sydney heat of the Kids’ Lit Quiz at St Ursula’s College in Kingsgrove, along with many other teams from different schools. The Kids’ Lit Quiz is a literature competition held each year where students aged 10 to 13 work together in teams of four to answer a wide range of literature-based questions. Some of the themes included clocks, houses, fairy tales, Greek Mythology along with many others! The students tried their very best to answer all the challenging questions.  We wish to thank the Year 12 Freeman students for their support in training these students each Monday and Wednesday morning in the lead-up to this competition.

Congratulations to all the students who participated and represented JB with an outstanding effort. Well done!

Kids' Lit Quiz

National Simultaneous Storytime

This Wednesday 24th of May, John the Baptist participated in National Simultaneous Storytime.  Thank you to the many students that entered into our Speedy Sloth competitions! 

Congratulations to our lucky winners!

Ariella D’Amico K Emerald

Sophia Milczarek 2 Ruby

Aidan Borg 4 Emerald

Sienna Nguyen 5 Emerald

Each winner received a prize pack including lots of exciting little goodies! 

Sydney Writers Festival

On Thursday 25th of May, a selection of our talented writers attended the Sydney Writers Festival at the Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, along with Mrs Siciliano and Mrs Chiappazzo. On the day, students were inspired and motivated to improve their writing craft by listening to four famous authors; Adrian Beck, Maryam Master, Cristy Burne, A.F. Steadman, Jordan Gould and Richard Pritchard. 

Students were so engaged and impressed with the author’s they embraced the opportunity to have their books signed and ask them questions about their inspirations for writing. 

It was a wonderful experience for all the students involved! 

Sydney Writer's Festival

NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge

The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge is well underway! Students in K-2 have been participating in the challenge throughout Term 2 during class time and will receive a participation certificate at the end of the year.

Students in Years 3-6 all have the option of participating in the challenge. In order to be eligible, students must read 20 books. These can be a selection of at least 10 books from any of the K-6 PRC lists, and a maximum of 10 personal choice books. Students will log books they have read directly onto the site as they read them. Remember, any book that appears on the PRC list can be included. For a list of books on the challenge, please visit https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/booklist/home.html

Remember everyone: READ! READ! READ!

Teresa Wojtowicz/Francine Bushby  Literacy Coordinators

Numeracy News

We're thrilled to highlight the fantastic achievements and motivation of our Year 1 students in mathematics. Recently, they have been exploring the exciting world of three-dimensional objects. They have been busy identifying various 3D objects and sorting them based on their obvious features, such as curved or flat surfaces.

We are impressed by their enthusiasm and dedication in understanding the properties of 3D shapes. Through hands-on activities and engaging discussions, our students are developing a solid foundation in three-dimensional spatial structure.

We want to commend our Year 1 students for their hard work and their eagerness to explore the world of mathematics. We're proud of their progress and look forward to witnessing their continued growth in this exciting subject.

Keep up the great work, Year 1!

Michael Hobson & Daniella Kokkinis  Mathematics Coordinators

Sydney Catholic Schools Dance Eisteddford

Sports News

Sports News

Cross Country Championships

On Wednesday 24th May, our JB cross country team participated in the Cross Country Championships. 

Congratulations: 8/9 Years: Emilia Bruzzese (4th), Imogen Siciliano, Ariana Sculli, Luca Corvelo (5th), Mateo Sculli and Gabriel Hanas10 Years: Chloe Davino (2nd), Alana Tripodina, Gabriella Bonaventura, Lucas Abdal, Oliver Komadina and Noah Naamo

11 Years: Martina Brcic (4th), Talia Cavicchia (3rd), Clara Smolcic, Daniella Orlando, Rocco Vaccari, Gianluca Liberatore and Benjamin Willcocks

12 Years: Ava Callipari (8th), Giulietta Nemet, Eva Govic, Andre Lalic (2nd), Fabian Kesten (5th), Dario Odak and Nicholas Zamprogno (7th)

We wish Andre, Chloe, Talia, Martina and Emilia all the best at the Archdiocesan trials.  Keep training team!

Frances Oliverio  Sports Coordinator

Cross Country Championships

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