2021: Week 8, Term 4

Principal's Address

Dear Parents,

At this time of the year we are engaged in many end of year activities, tasks and events which will close out 2021. It is a very,very busy time of the year. The challenges of COVID have given us an opportunity to reflect on family, friends and life in general. It has also given many of us time to pause and reassess what is important. As 2021 draws to a close and we plan and prepare for 2022 there will be some changes at John the Baptist.

We have some staff who will not be returning to JB in 2022 as they are taking up new opportunities in other schools. It is very rewarding to see how much people have grown in their time at John the Baptist and that in 2022 they are taking those skills and knowledge out into the broader Catholic community.

We cannot thank them enough for everything they have done for John the Baptist, their contribution to our school and parish has been significant and the whole community has benefitted from their time here at our school.

Thanks for Everything...

The following staff will be taking up new opportunities in 2022 -

Mrs Michelle Coupland, Mr Joshua Whiteford, Mrs Janelle Fahd, Mrs Liliane Yacoub, Ms Kristina Kokkinis, Mrs Helen Laing, Ms Laura Donath, Mrs Annmarie Inzitari, Mrs Rebecca MacDiarmid, Mrs Emma Boundy, Mrs Helen Howe, Mrs Anna Rosella and Mrs Gabriella Colusso.

Please keep all these teachers and support staff in your prayers as they embark on the next step in their journey.

Baby News

We will also be farewelling (temporarily) the following teachers as they take time to prepare for the arrival of their babies - 

Mrs Felysha Knight will be on maternity leave for 2022. Mrs Taylor Ienna will be finishing on the 3rd December. Miss Nadine Rapisarda will be replacing Mrs Ienna for the last weeks of term. 

We also congratulate Mrs Emma Agostino, Mrs Jennifer Azzi and Mrs Marissa Ussia who will be welcoming their babies late Term 1 and Term 2, 2022.

Please keep all these teachers in your prayers at this very exciting time in their lives.

Welcome Back: We will be welcoming Mrs Thi Nguyen and Mrs Maissa Tomayo following their 2021 maternity leave. Great to have them back.

Welcome to John the Baptist

In 2022 we are looking forward to welcoming the following staff. Each of our new staff will bring new and exciting talents, knowledge, experience and ideas to the classes they teach and the whole John the Baptist community.

Mr Michael Hobson - Numeracy Coordinator, Classroom teachers: Ms Laura Raco, Ms Mikayla Valdez, Ms Kristina Rostankovska, Mr Patrick Donnellan, Mrs Alysia Ussia, Ms Raquel Hoch, Ms Nadina Rapisarda.

God Bless, 

Mrs Anne Blake

Acting Principal 

Assistant Principal Message

Dear Parents, 

Over the past few weeks we have had several incidents of vandalism in both our boys and girls toilets. These incidents pose both a safety and hygiene risk to all of our students. 

We have spoken to all students about the need to show respect to all school property and to one another. We would appreciate it if you can also have this conversation at home with your children. 

It is important that your children understand that the toilets are only to be used for toileting and that damaging school property by using excessive toilet paper and clogging toilets and drains is highly inappropriate and dangerous. We are committed to the safety of all of our students and are saddened that this has been occurring in our bathrooms.   

In addition, we have had to remind all students about the need to place their own rubbish in the many bins provided. We are seeing an increase in students just leaving chip packets and sandwich wraps on the floor. It may be timely to explore with your children how they might be more environmentally friendly and explore reusable containers and nude food options for the remainder of this term. 

We appreciate your continued support and cooperation. 

With thanks, 

Mrs Natali Tomic

Acting Assistant Principal 

Pastoral Care

After school conversations with your child

“How was school today?” Good. “What did you do?” Nothing. Sounds all too familiar!

Sometimes it’s like talking to a brick wall when your child/ren comes home from school. You haven’t seen them all day and want to connect with them, but they aren’t quite ready to open up and connect with you.

Just like we need to unwind after a big day at work or home, kids need this time and space as well to transition and come down from the intensity of school. Some children even experience what’s called, After-School Restraint Collapse characterised by an emotional meltdown that results from a full day of self-regulating, following rules, and essentially being a “good student”.  Not an ideal time to have a conversation!

After giving your child time to relax, here are a few creative questions to get a little more information about their day at school:

1. Tell me about your day.
2. What was the best thing that happened at school today?
3. Tell me one thing you learned today.
4. Did anything make you laugh today? Tell me about it.
5. How did you help someone today?
6. What was hard today?
7. Describe what you did at recess.

• What might your goal be for tomorrow?

Choose one or two to ask, but be sure not to inundate your child with too many questions. Your goal is to connect with them, show them you care, and give them space to open up.

Please remember our Family Wellbeing site has resources including contact details to support your families. 

Have a lovely week,

Mrs Michelle Coupland

Pastoral Care Coordinator

Newman News

Some students in Years 2 - 6 have been competing in the ICAS assessments over the past two weeks. The ICAS assessments are skills-based assessments. The assessments include Digital Technologies, English, Spelling, Science and Maths. The school uses these assessments to celebrate student achievement and to assist in identifying the skills that students may possess.

As we eagerly await the results of the assessments, I would like to congratulate all of the students who participated and wish them all the very best!                                            

Thank you!                                                                                               

Mrs Francine Bushby

Newman Facilitator

Library News

                 We are so excited that the Scholastic Book Fair                                                      has arrived at JB!!

Children will attend the Book Fair with their class this week to complete a wish list to bring home. Please check Compass at the end of this week for my virtual book fair catalogue as this may help you to decide which books you’d like to purchase.

If you’d like to purchase any books:

1. Cross out any unwanted books on your list or rewrite your child’s wish list.
2. Make an online payment for the total amount at: www.scholastic.com.au/payment and select John the Baptist School (Bonnyrigg Heights)
3. Record the amount paid and receipt number on the back of the wish list.
4. Ask your child to return their wish list to their teacher as payment for their books. **Books cannot be collected without a returned wish list**

Library Book and Home Reader End of Year Returns

Next week is the final borrowing week for 2021. All library books and home readers need to be returned in week 8. Please check your home and return any missing books.

Thank you for your continued support.                                                          

Mrs Natalie Fedrigo

Teacher/Librarian

Literacy Corner

When listening to your child read, one of the most common questions is around correcting mistakes.  Children will often make an error and keep reading without realising it.  It is important to wait for the child to finish the sentence or the page and then go back to discuss the error.  Here are some tips to try using at home:

• If the mistake makes sense, as in a misreading of ‘home’ for ‘house’, let them finish the sentence and then go back and ask “What word is that?”
• If the mistake does not make sense, lead the child to correct the mistake by allowing time for them to re-read the sentence and try to fix it themselves.
• Another useful strategy to use is the parent re reading the sentence WITH the mistake, while the child follows along and listens to hear the error or notice the error in the text.
• If the meaning is still not clear, look at the word and find familiar sounds such as ‘s’ at the beginning and ‘ing’ at the end.  See if your child can see any smaller words in the word or cover up parts of the word to help them notice some letter patterns.
• Finally, don’t give in every time they stop and appeal to you to just tell them the word.  It is important that we practise using our ‘fix up’ strategies that will help children become more confident fluent readers.  Some of the ‘fix up’ strategies we use at school include: re-read, read ahead, stop and think, find out the meaning of unknown words and so on.

The next newsletter will give further details on our upcoming Summer Reading Challenge Competition.  I know we have all missed this JB tradition and we cannot wait to share the next one with you.  There will be lots of exciting prizes to be won with class winners and overall champions.  

Remember: READ! READ! READ!            

Mrs Teresa Wojtowicz

Literacy Coordinator

2022 School Bus Travel

Any parent wishing their child to travel to/from school via a bus, please refer to http://transportnsw.info/ for further details.  Parents are asked to plan ahead and make sure their child knows which service/s to use and has a valid ticket to travel; either a School Opal card or Child/Youth Opal card (within Greater Sydney) from the start of the school year.

Applications for the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) open at the start of Term 4 2021 for travel in 2022, so parents/students can apply or update details early and be ready for the start of the new school year.

Family Educator

ADVENT ZOOM-SPAR GROUP- Mondays at 9.30-10am

 join the ZOOM-SPAR

MeetingID 64623544679

https://scscatholic.zoom.us/j/64623544679  

Together we will unpack the ADVENT COMPANION released by the Sydney Archdiocese each week as we prepare for Christmas season.

Advent Week 1 -22nd November

Advent Week 2-  29th November

Advent Weeks 3 and 4- 6th December

Coffee at the Bonnyrigg Garden Centre to celebrate the end of a difficult year on Monday 13th December at 9.15 am. *You will need to be vaccinated to enter the cafe.

Continue to pray for our friends in Year 12 as they undertake HSC exams, prepare to enter the workforce or move onto other great adventures!

ADVENT TRIVIA Night with Mary Immaculate Primary School!! 

Is this a Friendly Competition??? Monday 29th November at 7pm

Will Mr Lo Cascio and Mrs Tomic play and WHO will they play for??

 A bit of friendly rivalry between our schools to test our ADVENT and Christmas knowledge..

Join us Monday night at 7pm for a fun evening of trivia!

Come along, have some fun as a family or individually and test your knowledge of all things Heavenly.

If you’ve not played before, do not worry, we'll guide you to get started, you'll find it super easy. 

https://scscatholic.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5AlceqvrT0uHNHrU0XGFwx-ab1jMrUzNrax

What's required?

You will need a second device to play (mobile phone, laptop, iPad) with the website www.Kahoot.it open.

Everyone is welcome, parents, carers, students and staff. We hope to see you there!

Children in class will also enjoy some trivia this week (brush up on your Advent knowledge!)

Thought for the week-

The last year or two have taught us many things.

How will you enter into this ADVENT? A good tip on how we can prepare each and every day-

“Advent is the season for remembering the closeness of God who came down to dwell in our midst. Let us make the traditional Advent prayer our own: ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’ … We can say it at the beginning of each day and repeat it often, before our meetings, our studies and our work, before making decisions, in every important or difficult moment of our lives: ‘Come, Lord Jesus,’”

Pope Francis- November 29th, 2020

Mrs Tina Dunn    

Family Educator

Notes from the Office

STUDENT ILLNESS

Dear Parents,

A gentle reminder that we must be vigilant in protecting the health & safety of our school community. As such, the necessary COVID-19 safety protocols must be strictly adhered to by all.  In particular, we ask families to please keep any child who is unwell at home, even with mildest of flu-like symptoms. Students with any COVID-19 symptoms will be sent home and cannot return to school until they have a negative COVID-19 test result and are symptom free or they have isolated for 10 days, when no medical certificate is available.

As previously communicated, please ensure your child has adequate drinking water as they are unable to use the bubblers or refill their water bottles due to the current COVID19 guidelines.

Your understanding, support and contribution in protecting our JB community, is greatly appreciated.

LEAVING FAMILIES

We ask any family of children in Years K-5 who may be leaving John the Baptist at the end of this year to please inform the office immediately via info@jbbonnyrigg.catholic.edu.au. A Cessation of Enrolment Form must be completed and arrangements in this regard will be made with you.

SCHOOL FEES 

We wish to thank all families who have finalised their 2021 school fees and those maintaining their fortnightly or monthly arrangements, in what has been a most difficult year.

Should you have any queries or are experiencing any difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact the office for a confidential discussion or email: accounts.13344@syd.catholic.edu.au if you have concerns around financial hardship.

We thank you for your ongoing support of your child/ren’s education and John the Baptist Catholic Primary School.

CANTEEN OPERATIONS

We are pleased to advise the Canteen is operating for Online or Lunch Tub orders & Slushy/Ice Blocks for recess breaks only, via www.flexischools.com.au.  Alternatively, you may call the Canteen on 8786-0891 or 0404 219 791.  All orders must be made by 9:30am.  Birthday orders may be placed, however, are limited to Ice Blocks or Jelly Sticks only. Children designated to the Top Playground during their lunch or recess breaks may also make purchases from the canteen. Kindly note, due to the need to keep children in their own grades and not mixing, the canteen is unable to offer breakfast at this time.

Thank you for your understanding as we comply with NSW Government & Health order requirements.

School Photo Days

Awards

Assistant Principal Awards 

Congratulations to the following students on achieving an Assistant Principal Award:

	Kindergarten	Year 1	Year 2
Emerald	Levi Naamo	Klara Kesten	Bella Lagudi
Gold	Brandon Janus	Claudio Zanella	Daniel Uli
Ruby	Valentina Chiappazzo	Summer Borbe	Gabrijel Franjicevic
Silver	Danijela Markovic	Cruz Lalw	Angelo Mitreski

	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6
Emerald	Aaron Chau	Phoenix Kljajic	Lily Chnorhokian	Lucas Mikha Andrea Pham
Gold	Olivia Rivas	Rosemarry Alyass	Alessio Cavicchia	Rihanna Yousif
Ruby	Valentina Spinozzi	Chelsea Gorgees	LAzarous Balyoz	Amelia Vukosa
Silver	Shia Gorgees	Lorenzo Pedavoli	Adriana Oudish	Isaac Essa

Dates to Remember