2024: Week 2, Term 4

Principal's Message

Dear JB Parents & Carers

STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY - NEXT FRIDAY NOVEMBER 1

As mentioned in our weekly reminders and our previous newsletter, our final Staff Development Day for the school year will take place NEXT FRIDAY, November 1. We thank you for your continued support. 

REFLECTION - THIS WEEKEND'S GOSPEL

Of all the miracles that Jesus performed, we rarely know the actual name of the person whom He cured. Today’s Gospel tell us a name BARTIMAEUS, cured of blindness. I wonder why we know his name? Could it be that, not only was he cured, but he then FOLLOWED Jesus. 

Ourselves- we often ask Jesus for help. Do we promise to FOLLOW Him and carry out His will?

I AM NOT AFRAID OF TOMORROW FOR I HAVE SEEN YESTERDAY AND I LOVE TODAY.

Noah’s Ark:

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah’s Ark.

ONE: Don’t miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When we get older, someone may ask you to do something big.
FIVE: Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you are stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was build by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there is always a rainbow  waiting.
Most people walk in and out of your life.But FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart.

STAFFING ANNOUNCEMENT

I am pleased to announce that Mrs Felysha Knight has been appointed to the position of Instructional Coach at St Joseph's Primary, Oatley, beginning in 2025. Mrs Knight has been a valued member of the JB staff for 11 years. We wish her every success as she begins this new and exciting jouney. 

MORNING SUPERVISION REMINDERS

Thank you to those parents who have made the decision to use the school's 8.00am Gloucester St drop-off instead of Mount St. A reminder that the enttrance to our top gate entrance is unsupervised and unsafe before 8.20am. 

TERM 4 UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS

It has been disappointing to see a significant number of students come to school with incorrect uniform to begin the final term of the year. Yesterday a Compass message was sent out with key reminders for uniforms. As a reminder, please note the following reminders:

From next week, the following days are now official sport uniform days for all students:

KINDER GOLD/RUBY: Wednesday and Friday

KINDER EMERALD: Monday and Friday

KINDER SILVER: Monday and Tuesday

YEAR 1: Monday and Friday

YEAR 2: Wednesday and Friday

YEAR 3: Monday and Tuesday

YEAR 4: Wednesday and Friday

YEAR 5: Monday and Friday

YEAR 6: Tuesday and Wednesday

Please note our uniform expectations throughout the final term of the year. 

● Hats - all students MUST have a hat each day - your child will not be permitted to be outside in the sun unless they have a hat

● School Socks - our JB grey socks (boys) and white socks (girls) must be the correct style when wearing our school summer uniform. Anklet socks are not permitted to be worn with joggers on sport uniform day. They must also be white.

● School shoes - a number of students are not wearing school shoes on their regular uniform day. We understand there are many factors contributing to this - please send a note to your child's class teacher with an explanation of this occurs Boys are expected to begin each day (walking through the gate) with their shirts tucked in and their hats on. Girls are expected to be wearing their hats from the beginning of the day.

Mr O'Connor  Principal

Religion News

Religious Education Newsletter Item Term 4 Week 2

Praying the Rosary in October 

October is a special month for Catholics as we honour the Holy Rosary. This devotion invites us to meditate on the life of Jesus and the virtues of Mary. By praying the Rosary, we deepen our faith, seek guidance, and intercede for our families and communities. Each bead represents a prayer, helping us reflect on the mysteries of Christ’s life, from His birth to His resurrection. The Rosary also strengthens our connection to the Church and one another. During October, we encourage everyone to embrace this beautiful tradition, fostering a spirit of prayer and contemplation within our school community.

At JB, we gather weekly to pray the Rosary. I am always amazed by the children’s energy, faith and the enthusiastic way they approach the Rosary and I hope it is a prayer that will travel with them throughout their journey in life. We encourage families to explore this practice at home too. Together, let's embrace this meaningful journey of faith and unity.

Feel free to use this resource from the Archiocese of Sydney to assist in praying the Rosary together at home https://library.sydneycatholic.org/library/2011/how-to-pray-the-rosary-99637/

Altar Servers 

Over the past two weeks Fr Dominic has led some of our Year 4 students in Altar Server training sessions. Altar servers play an important role in our Catholic Mass. They assist the priest by carrying items, lighting candles, and leading prayers. Serving at the altar helps them grow in faith and responsibility, fostering a sense of teamwork and respect. It’s a wonderful way for young people to participate in worship. We are so lucky to have our Year 5 and Year 6 Altar servers who will help support and mentor these new altar servers. 

Congratulations to the following students and we look forward to seeing you serve at upcoming grade Mass and on weekend Mass celebrations. 

Alyssa Nissan (4E), Christian Muratore (4G), Eliana Care  (4R), Brooklyn Athanos (4R), Annabelle Pizzuti (4R), Massimo Mura (4S), Shannon Askarya  (4S), Jadon Borka  (4S), Lucas Degara  (4S), Alexander Portelli  (4S), Darius Trinh  (4S), Jadd Twal  (4S) & Amelia Lavorato (4S)

Thank you to all of our JB altar servers, we appreciate your dedication, service, and the joyful spirit you bring to our Masses. Your commitment helps our worship run smoothly and enriches our parish community. Keep shining your light and inspiring others with your faith!

Mrs Felysha Knight  Acting Religious Education Coordinator 

Family Educator News

Family Educator  Term 4  Week 2

HAPPY WORLD TEACHER DAY 

On Thursday 24th we celebrated World Teachers’ day. 

There were also hundreds of notes to staff from students and their families, that were affirming and uplifting!

Thank you for your contributions which added to our day of gratitude.

AND A very special and big ‘Thank you’ to all our very dedicated teachers, learning support staff, our office angels and all those who play an important role in the life of your children.

Parent Catch up CUPPA- Monday mornings in the demountable classroom.

Stop Pray and Reflect (SPaR) is on!! 

Please consider coming along for a quick cuppa on a Monday morning. We often share a VERY SHORT and light reflection (ten minutes TOPS) followed by a cuppa and chat that lasts until you are ready to go home and face the week ahead! ALL are very welcome.

ADVENT GROUP will be held during SPaR the last weeks of term More information coming soon!

JB Juniors on every Wednesday

Children aged 0-5 years are welcome to join us at playgroup from 8.50am. 

We pray, sing and share a story together before a craft activity. All are welcome to attend and this is a great opportunity for parents to meet each other and the children to make friends before starting school, building friendships and connections with each other in a faith filled space

Note : No Playgroup on Wednesday 13th November due to Family Educator Meeting in the city.

LAST CHANCE TO COME ALONG TO THIS FREE EVENT!!!!

DIGITAL DANGERS AND OUR KIDS!

- see the flyer in our newsletter- Talk and Hospitality ARE ALL FREE!

A free SCS Life MONTH EVENT for PARENTS and STAFF at Liverpool Catholic Club- 

WHEN : MONDAY 28th OCTOBER 6.30pm start

Come and hear the amazing guest speaker Melinda Tankard Reist as she discusses the reality of the dangers faced by our children online and what we can do about it.

REGISTRATION HERE

YEAR 12 PRAYER PACK EXCHANGE- keep up your prayers!

Please remember to keep praying for our Year 12 students of Freeman Catholic College.

THANK YOU to the many families who made cards, sent little gifts and lifted the spirits of our young people as they prepare to conclude their secondary education.

To know that others are praying for you, even if they are strangers to you, is a very emotional and affirming grace. 

PLEASE keep all our YEAR 12 students and their families in your prayers over these challenging days and weeks 

PARISH NOTICE

JORDAN YOUTH GROUP ON THIS WEEKEND

Years 5, 6 and 7 students are welcome to join the Jordan Youth Group on Saturday October 26th  2024 at 3-5pm in the Parish Hall. This week there will be a craft activity that ties back to October as the month of the Rosary.

 Afternoon Tea will be provided at no cost. Our aim is to encourage young people within our community to come together to socialise and learn about our Catholic faith. Children will participate in prayer, social activities, games, short films and group discussions. The Jordan Youth Group is run by a group of regular parishioners from our community who hold current Working with Children checks. To register complete the form at: https://www.trybooking.com/CQATW

CHEESE AND WINE SOCIAL NIGHT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING 

COme along on Friday 8th November in the Parish Hall from 7-9pm 

Singles, Couples & Married welcomed Topic: 

10 Tips for a Good Marriage

 Contact: Fr Dominic, Marian 0421 355 857, Andrew, Charlie or Josie

 $5 Contribution. Register HERE by 5th November, 2024

Tina Dunn  Family Educator

Music News

JB’s Got Talent

Our JB’s Got Talent finalists all performed beautifully at the final yesterday!  We are so proud of all the hard work they put into their acts and the courage they all had to perform in front of over 900 people. 

Congratulations to our winners:

Highly Commended - Domenico Ferreri and Raphael Yousif 
3rd Place - Alvin Xiao
2nd Place - Estelle Louis
1st Place - Alexia Patronaggio

JB’s Got Talent Finalists for 2024 - Alessio Faga, Valentina Romeo, Zara Gonzalez, Ariella D’Amico, Amie Rattanachaya, Charlotte Smolcic, Jessica Pham, Alexander Portelli, Joseph Shaba, Kosta Triantafillou and Jacob Pisani. 

I’d also like to congratulate our special guest performers: Isla Hydo, The Banana Boyz (Daniel Uli, Stavro Gorgees, Lucas Abdal, Theddeus Naamo, Liam Mekha and Elijah Gorgees) and our K-6 Choir for making the day extra special. 

Mrs Ristevska  Music Teacher

JB's Got Talent

Enrolment Information

Applications are now open in Compass for Kindergarten 2026 and Year 7 2027 enrolments (for current Year 4 students).

To apply, click the cog wheel on the top right-hand side of your existing parent Compass account and then “Family and Enrolments” in the drop-down. If you are applying for your currently enrolled child please click on their name in Student Profile, complete the profile to get to 100% and you will then be able to create an application. For new students (e.g. Kindergarten), please create a new student profile before submitting an application. You must select at least two school preferences to submit. Upon submission, you'll receive a confirmation email, and your Compass account will display the status as “submitted.” Please see below step-by-step guide if you need assistance.

Open days will be held in early Term 1 2025 (Monday 3 March 2025 at 6pm and Thursday 6 March 2025 at 9.15am), and final enrolment applications are due in late March/early April. Each school will confirm their deadlines during the open days. Feel free to share this information with friends, family, and community members who may be interested in enrolment.

Amadeus Reminder

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

Many children are leaving their instruments at home.

We are no longer able to accept forgotten instruments for students on their Amadeus Day. 

Thank you for your understanding.

Notes from the Office

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Parents, a gentle reminder regarding the importance of informing our school of any changes that may  occurr during the year 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

The end of year is approaching!  Please note all school fees needed to be finalised by 28 November 2024 (unless you have a payment plan agreement with the school).

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

Your co-operation is greatly appreciated!

LEAVING STUDENTS

If any families are leaving the school at the end of the year, please let the school office know as soon as possible. We have families who would be interested in spaces if any spots open up for 2025.

CANTEEN

Please contact the school office 9823 5042 for any communication with the Canteen. 

LOST PROPERTY

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

Please ensure ALL of your children's items are labelled including drink bottles, lunch boxes and containers as we have numerous lost property items collected everyday which remain unclaimed and ultimately have to be thrown away. 

CLOTHING POOL  

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. 

The clothing pool welcomes donations of school uniforms. Please ensure that all items are clean and in good condition (no rips or stains as we have no washing facilities). Only official school uniform items are accepted and please note we cannot accept socks or stockings.

Year 7 2025 Freeman Catholic College

Dear Year 6 Parents and Carers,

Please note the following important dates regarding the Year 7 2025 Freeman Information Evening and Orientation Day:

Year 7 2025 Parent Acceptance Information Evening: Monday, 18th November 2024, commencing at 6:30 pm. (Please note this date has changed from Tuesday, 19th November.)

Year 7 2025 Orientation Day: Wednesday, 27th November 2024, for all Year 6 students.

Canteen News

Dear Parents, 

Please note the following information regarding ordering from the school canteen.

BREAKFAST ORDERS:
Breakfast orders are available from 7:30am - 8:20am from the CHURCH side window for parents and students.

After 8:20am only students can order via the TOP playground window.

LUNCH & RECESS ORDERS:
Online orders MUST be placed prior to 8am on the day your child requires lunch.
If you miss the 8am deadline, there are 2 options;

Option # 1 9 (preferred) Write your child's name on a paper bag/envelope, place the correct money (if possible), the child will then place the order in their class tub when they arrive in class.

Option # 2 Call the school office, we can transfer the call to the canteen to place your order. Please be mindful the canteen staff are busy and you may need to wait on the line.

Please note the bottom gate into the school closes at 8.45am
 
Thank you for your kind understanding.

Administration Staff

CatholicCare

Alex from CatholicCare would like to offer his services for anyone who feels the need to chat and discuss Family Support in Schools and/or Child and Youth Services.

Alex Ferreira

 Case Worker

Family Support In Schools

Child and Youth Services

 T 02 8784 6222 – 02 8784 6208

M 0420 653 839

13 18 19 Careline

E alex.ferreira@catholiccare.org

IMPORTANT - Information for driving & parking in and around school zones

Student School Travel

School student travel information for parents and students

School Travel Passes

Applications are now open for 2025 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) travel. 

Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their School Opal card at their nominated postal address from mid-January 2025.

Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply or update their details as soon as possible.

In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.

Terms of Use

Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use.

This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their Child/Youth Opal card for any travel outside these times.

All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are fortunate that school students in NSW are afforded free public transport to and from school.  Opal data gathered by tapping on and off is used to determine the demand for bus services.  If Students do not tap on and tap off, services may be cancelled due to the lack of patronage.  Additionally, some bus services may become overcrowded as the bus companies do not have accurate data as to how many students are genuinely using a particular bus route.

With this in mind, we ask that parents remind their children that they must have their Opal cards with them every day and that they must tap on and off every time they use a bus.  This is one of the conditions of being granted a free student Opal card.  If students lose their Opal card they must apply for a new one, no student should be travelling on a bus without a valid Opal card.

Your support is appreciated and helps the bus companies ensure they provide the appropriate level of service to our students.

Dates to Remember